For most of the Mantis Clan's long history, its finest warriors have been mercenaries serving other clans in order to enrich the clan's coffers. Their unorthodox fighting style was an unknown quantity on the battlefield, often giving the Mantis' employers an edge over their foes. Throughout the centuries, the men leading these mercenaries have always been members of the elite Storm Legion.

The Mantis Clan was founded by Kaimetsu-uo, the son of the Crab champion Osano-Wo, during the dawn of the empire. Kaimetsu-uo, whose mother was a Lion samurai-ko (and whose grandmother was the celestial Dragon of Thunder), was an exemplary warrior who was overlooked as his father's heir in favor of another son born of a geisha. Taking with him only his mother and a few loyal guardsmen, Kaimetsu-uo retreated to the Islands of Spice and Silk and formed the first minor clan in the Empire, the Mantis. Ever since that time, the descendants of his personal guard have been inducted into the Storm Legion when they come of age.

The members of the Storm Legion are the commanders of the Mantis armies. They are loyal to their clan beyond question and are among the most zealous samurai in the Empire. When the Mantis were declared a Great Clan, the Storm Legion became the personal guard of Lord Yoritomo, the Champions of the Mantis. Whenever the Mantis lord requires a trustworthy and dependable servant to complete a sensitive mission, it is always a Storm Legionnaire who is deployed.

Role: DPS

Characteristics: Two-weapon fighting focused warrior that find several ways to supplement this tactic on the battlefield

Source: Rokugan Campaign Setting

Game Rule Information

The Storm Legionnaire has the following game statistics.

Abilities: Strength for doing damage to people and hitting them, and Intelligence or WIsdom to add to your AC to a dodge bonus.

Alignment: Any

Hit Die: d10

Starting Gold: N/A

Class Skills

The Storm Legionnaire's class skills are Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Spot (Wis) and Swim (Str)

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

Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the Storm Legionnaire.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A Storm Legionnaire is proficient with chain, chijiriki, jitte, kama, kusari-gama, nunchaku, sai, shikomi-zue, siangham, and tonfa. They are also proficient with light and medium armor.

Riding the Waves Ex: Storm Legionnaires gain a +5 competence bonus to Balance checks made to keep their footing on an unsure surface, such as an uneven floor, ice, or a ship's deck in a storm.

Two-Weapon Fighting Ex: When wearing light or no armor, a storm legionnaire can fight with two-weapons as if he had the Two-Weapon Fighting feat except the primary hand penalty is reduced by 4, and the off-hand penalty by 8. He loses this special bonus when fighting in medium or heavy armor, but not when using a double weapon (such as a kusari-gama).

Double Attack Ex: The storm legionnaires specialize in attacking with multiple weapons, throwing their foe off balance with the first strike, and leaving him open for the second. Beginning at 4th level whenever the legionnaire attacks with a weapon in each hand during a single combat round he may add +1d4 to the damage of the second strike. This damage bonus increases to +2d4 upon reaching the 6th level and +3d4 at 8th level.

Voice of the Storm Ex: A storm legionnaire of at least 3rd level can summon the power of Osano-Wo, the Fortune of Storms, and channel it through his body for a moment. Once per day, the legionnaire can add his class level as an enhancement bonus to his Strength. Activating this power is a free action, and the power last for 1 round.

Yoritomo's Rolling Wave Ex: Beginning at 5th level the Storm Legionnaire learns the unique bobbing motion invented by Yoritomo. When using the Dodge feat, the legionnaire adds his Intelligence or Wisdom bonus (whichever is higher) to the dodge bonus AC granted by the feat.

Child of Osano-Wo Ex: Calling upon the great power of his forefathers, the storm legionnaire is capable of great feats of physical strength. Beginning at the 7th level, the legionnaire may spend a Void point to add +5 to any attack roll (as opposed to the normal +2). In addition, beginning at the 10th level the legionnaire may spend up an extra Void points per attack in this fashion.