Kensai, good or not?

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has anyone ever played with the Kensai prestige class? (3.5 ed, in complete warrior) and if so, is there anything to say about it? good? bad? the point is that we're going to have a campaign that'll be low on magic weapons, so the ability make my own might come in handy.

 

It stinks.

As a matter of fact, I'm not into many of the warrior PrC's. If you can, take a few levels of barbarian. The rage benefits are great, but it takes a lot of roleplaying to take levels of barbarian after you've started as a fighter.

 

yeah? but why does it stink? the sight of a flaming longsword o'doom in the future looks kinda tempting.
*grins* and i *really* don't think my lawful-good fighter with his extreme paladin-like devotion to lathander could be roleplayed into changing to chaotic good and taking barb levels. unless it was a crisis of the faith or something...

 

Why'd you ask the question? If you want to play the PrC, go ahead and have fun.

 

*laughs* i probably will. but having some input from someone who knows how it acts when it's not on paper might be nice. i looks all pretty, but..

 

Err... I don't have any experience in GM-ing, but if I was about to start a Low-Magic Campaign or a game with few magical weapons, I would not allow a Kensai.

I don't know what kind of game your GM has in mind: Would it be combat heavy? Does he make you roll 'conversation-checks' often (Diplomacy, Sense Motive, Bluff, Intimidate etc)?

I guess every Character Class can be a good pick, in the right type of game. What does your DM have in mind? Do your skills match with that? etc...

 

I second MoN's notion.

 

heh. well, our games with this particular DM are very easy on the combat scenes, hell, combat doesn't even yield EXP. However, for those few situations in this politics game where we need muscle, my fighter will be the frontline as well as a somewhat sophisticated diplomat.
And yes, the Kensai was approved but the DM will be restricting the choices of magic enchantments and such

 

If you've got Complete Warrior, why don't you play a Swashbuckler? They've got a myriad of social skills and such...however, the Swashbuckler theme probably doesn't fit too well with your Lawful Good alignment.

 

Any class works if you play it properly. You also don't have to become chaotic to take a few Barbarian levels; just neutral. In fact, unless they changed Lathander from 2nd edition, this would be moving to your deity's alignment of Neutral Good.

I like to think of a switch from Fighter levels to Barbarian levels as a fellow who doesn't have as much time to practice as he used to, and is letting out his animal side a little bit

(EDIT) sorry about resurrecting this thread, I thought the last post was MAY 14