Bayushi Deceiver

Requirements

Base Attack Bonus: +3

Alignment: Any Nonlawful

Skills: Bluff 8 ranks, Diplomacy 8 ranks

Feats: Improved Initiative

Sneak Attack Damage: +2d6.

Summary

Most samurai schools teach bushido, the code of honor that defines the samurai. If that is so, then perhaps it is wrong to call the Bayushi school a school for samurai. Like all Scorpions, the Bayushi value loyalty far more highly than any ideal of honor. The Bayushi school teaches the skills of warfare, naturally, but the code of behavior it teaches places loyalty-to the clan, to the school, to the sensei-above all else. The Bayushi are charged with the dirtiest work in the empire. What matters is their willngness to do it, out of loyalty to clan and empire, despite any compunctions of honor they may cling to.

Most Bayushi deceivers begin play with the rogue character class, though some are multiclass fighter/rogues or even samurai/rogues. Few Bayushi samurai can maintain the high standards of honor demanded by the samurai class, however.

Bayushi deceivers often serve in the fairly small Scorpion army, as courtiers in the daimyo's court, and as spies for the clan.

Role: DPS

Characteristics: Feinting specialists with even more sneak attack damage and poison

Source: Oriental Adventures

Game Rule Information

The Bayushi Deceiver has the following game statistics.

Abilities: Dexterity and Charisma are the biggest two for your ability to feint and bluff in combat and strike unseen and Intelligence for remaining ahead of the combat curve.

Alignment: Any Nonlawful

Hit Die: d6

Starting Gold: N/A

Class Skills

The Bayushi Deceiver's class skills are Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Forgery (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Innuendo (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (nobility and royalty) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Read Lips (Int, exclusive skill), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), and Use Rope (Dex).

Skill Points at 1st Level: (6 + Int modifier) × 4

Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 6 + Int modifier

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the Bayushi Deceiver.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A Bayushi Deceiver is proficient with simple and martial weapons, light and medium armor

Sneak Attack Ex: If a Bayushi deceiver can catch an opponent when she is unable to defend herself effectively from his attack, he can strike a vital spot for extra damage. Basically, any time the deceiver's target would be denied her Dexterity bonus to AC (whether she actually has a Dexterity bonus or not), or when the deceiver flanks the target, the Bayushi deceiver's attack deals extra damage. The extra damage is +1d6 at 1st level and an additional 1d6 every two levels thereafter. Should the deceiver score a critical hit with a sneak attack, this extra damage is not multiplied.

Ranged attacks can only count as sneak attacks if the target is within 30 feet. The Bayushi deceiver can't strike with deadly accuracy from beyond that range.

With a sap or an unarmed strike, the Bayushi deceiver can make a sneak attack that deals subdual damage instead of normal damage. He cannot use a weapon that deals normal damage to deal subdual damage in a sneak attack, not even with the usual -4 penalty, because he must make optimal use of his weapon in order to execute the sneak attack.

A Bayushi deceiver can only sneak attack living creatures with discernible anatomies—undead, constructs, oozes, plants, and incorporeal creatures lack vital areas to attack. Additionally, any creature immune to critical hits is similarly immune to sneak attacks. Also, the Bayushi deceiver must be able to see the target well enough to pick out a vital spot and must be able to reach a vital spot. The deceiver cannot sneak attack while striking at a creature with concealment or by striking the limbs of a creature whose vitals are beyond reach.

If a Bayushi deceiver gets a sneak attack bonus from another source (such as rogue levels), the bonuses to damage stack.

Poison Use: Bayushi deceivers are trained in the use of poison and never risk accidentally poisoning themselves when applying poison to a blade.

Strike First, Strike Last Ex: A Bayushi deceiver of at least 2nd level adds his Intelligence modifier to his initiative checks.

Scorpion Feint Ex: When a Bayushi deceiver of 4th level or higher uses the Bluff skill to feint in combat against a humanoid opponent, he receives a +2 competency bonus on his Bluff check and a +2 circumstance bonus on his next attack roll if the feint is successful. He gains no bonus against nonhumanoid opponents.

Improved Disarm: At 6th level, a Bayushi deceiver gains the Improved Disarm feat. He need not have taken the Combat Expertise feat, normally a prerequisite, before this.

Opportunist Ex: Once per round, a Bayushi deceiver of 8th level or higher can make an attack of opportunity against an opponent who has just been struck for damage in melee by another character. This attack counts as the deceiver's attack of opportunity for that round. Even a deceiver with the Combat Reflexes feat can't use the opportunist ability more than once per round.

Improved Critical: At 10th level, a Bayushi deceiver gains the Improved Critical feat with a weapon of his choice.

Table 1-1: Bayushi Deceiver Progression

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special
1st	+0	+2	+2	+0	Sneak attack +1d6, poison use
2nd	+1	+3	+3	+0	Strike first, strike last
3rd	+2	+3	+3	+1	Sneak attack +2d6
4th	+3	+4	+4	+1	Scorpion feint
5th	+3	+4	+4	+1	Sneak attack +3d6
6th	+4	+5	+5	+2	Improved Disarm feat
7th	+5	+5	+5	+2	Sneak attack +4d6
8th	+6	+6	+6	+2	Opportunist
9th	+6	+6	+6	+3	Sneak attack +5d6
10th	+7	+7	+7	+3	Improved Critical feat