Never caught unarmed, the chiknife is the literal interpretation of using the power of ki as a weapon. Creating a ki blade is the core of the chiknife, and with it, she is a deadly combatant. Versatile and varied, the chiknife can be found in all shapes and sizes, wielding blades unique to the wielder and customized to fit the needs of the chiknife. Fluid in function, the chiknife has mastered how to alter her ki blade to fit the situation, bringing power and versatility into any combat.
The chiknife is an archetype of the ninja class.
Archetype Main Ability Scores:
The chiknife mainly focuses on DEX for martial combat and WIS for their class features.
Archetype Feature Replacements:
1st – AC Bonus, Throw Anything. 2nd – Ninja Tricks. 3rd – No Trace. 6th – Light Steps, Ninja Trick. 6th – 8th – Ninja Trick. 10th – Ninja Trick. 12th – Ninja Trick, Master Trick. 14th – Ninja Trick, Master Trick. 16th – Ninja Trick, Master Trick. 18th – Ninja Trick, Master Trick. 20th – Ninja Trick, Master Trick.
Form Ki Blade (Su)
As a move action, a chiknife can form a semi-solid weapon composed of chi energy distilled from her ki. A chiknife must choose the form of her ki blade at 1st level. She can either form it into a light weapon or a one-handed weapon. Once chosen, her ki blade stays in this form every time the chiknife forms her ki blade. The light weapon deals 1d6 points of damage and the one-handed weapon deals 1d8 points of damage. All damages are based on a Medium-sized creature wielding Medium-sized weapons; adjust the weapon damage as appropriate for different sized weapons. In all forms, the ki blade has a critical range of 19-20/x2. A chiknife with powerful build or any similar ability forms an appropriately-sized ki blade dealing the size-appropriate amount of damage. If the chiknife’s chosen form is a light weapon, she may choose to form two light weapons when forming her ki blade if she so chooses, but she suffers the standard penalties for two-weapon fighting.
Regardless of the weapon form a chiknife has chosen, her ki blade does not have a set damage type. When shaping her weapon and assigning abilities to it, the chiknife chooses whether it will deal bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage. The chiknife may change the damage type of an existing ki blade, or may summon a new ki blade with a different damage type, as a full-round action; otherwise, the ki blade retains the last damage type chosen every time it is summoned.
The blade can be broken (it has hardness 10 and 10 hit points); however, a chiknife can simply create another on her next move action. The moment she relinquishes her grip on her blade, it dissipates (unless she intends to throw it; see below). A ki blade is considered a magic weapon for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction and is considered a masterwork weapon.
A chiknife can use feats such as Power Attack or Combat Expertise in conjunction with the ki blade just as if it were a normal weapon. She can also choose her ki blade for feats requiring a specific weapon choice, such as Weapon Focus and Improved Critical. Powers or spells that upgrade weapons can be used on a ki blade. The chiknife can use feats such as Weapon Finesse that work on light weapons with her ki blade, but such feats only work on ki blades in a light weapon form.
The chiknife chooses the appearance of her ki blade, although its shape must reflect the selections the chiknife has chosen: a bludgeoning ki blade would be blunt, slashing would have an edge, etc.
The chiknife’s ki blade retains the last chosen form every time it is formed until the chiknife reshapes it. If the chiknife chooses to reshape her blade, it requires a full-round action to do so. She may also re-assign the type of damage dealt as part of reshaping her ki blade if she so chooses. A chiknife can reassign the ability or abilities she has added to her ki blade; see below. To do so, she must first spend 8 hours in concentration. These cannot be the normal 8 hours used for rest, even if the chiknife does not require sleep. After that period, the ki blade materializes with the new ability or abilities selected by the chiknife.
This ability replaces ac bonus.
Throw Ki Blade (Ex)
All chiknives have some knowledge of how to throw their ki blades, though the range increment varies by form. Light weapon ki blades have a range increment of 20 ft. One-handed weapon ki blades have a range increment of 15 ft. Whether or not the attack hits, a thrown ki blade then dissipates.
This ability replaces throw anything.
Blade Skills
Beginning at 2nd level and every two ninja levels thereafter, a chiknife may choose one of a number of abilities to add to her repertoire or a ninja trick. Some blade skills have prerequisites that must be met before they can be chosen. All blade skills may only be chosen once and require the chiknife to be using her ki blade unless otherwise stated in the skill’s description.
Additional Configurations (Su): The chiknife gains the ability to have a separate configuration for her ki blade’s enhancement bonus and special abilities. When she forms her ki blade, the chiknife may choose either configuration. Creating this extra configuration functions just as reassigning the enhancement of her ki blade, typically 8 hours of concentration, and when the chiknife reassigns her ki blade configuration, she must reassign each configuration separately, taking the normal 8 hours of concentration per configuration. Additionally, the chiknife may configure the off-hand light weapon form of her ki blade separately from the main hand configuration, if she chooses to form two ki blades and spends the normal 8 hours of concentration. The off-hand ki blade in both configurations can be separately configured in this way. If a chiknife with a separate off-hand configuration forms a one-handed, it always uses the current configuration set for the main hand, never the off-hand configuration. Prerequisite: The chiknife must be at least 6th level in order to select this blade skill.
Alter Blade (Su): The chiknife gains the ability to shape her ki blade into different weapon forms. She may change her blade’s form to the light weapon or one-handed weapon forms any time she forms her ki blade. Additionally, the chiknife may choose to form her ki blade into a one-handed weapon and a light weapon instead of two light weapons.
Blade Rush (Ex): The chiknife rushes forward with a dash of incredible speed. As a swift action, the chiknife moves up to her speed without provoking attacks of opportunity. Prerequisite: The chiknife must be at least 6th level in order to select this blade skill.
Blade Rush Frenzy (Ex): The chiknife can, as a full-round action, to move up to her speed without provoking attacks of opportunity and make a single melee attack against each creature she is adjacent to at any point in her movement. Each attack is made at her highest base attack bonus with a –2 penalty on the attack roll. Prerequisites: The chiknife must be at least 12th level and possess the Blade Rush blade skill in order to select this blade skill.
Bladestorm (Su): As a full attack, when wielding her ki blade, the chiknife can give up her regular attacks and instead throw one ki blade at her full attack bonus at all opponents within 30 feet, ignoring the normal range increments for throwing a ki blade. Regardless of the number of attacks she makes, she only provokes attacks of opportunity as though she made a single ranged attack. Prerequisites: The chiknife must possess the Bladewind blade skill and must be at least 16th level to choose this blade skill.
Bladewind (Su): The chiknife gains the ability to momentarily fragment her ki blade into numerous identical blades, each of which strikes at a nearby opponent. As a full attack, when wielding her ki blade, a chiknife can give up her regular attacks and instead fragment her ki blade to make one melee attack at her fullbase attack bonus against each opponent within reach. Each fragment functions identically to the chiknife’s regular ki blade. When using bladewind, a chiknife forfeits any bonus or extra attacks granted by other feats or abilities (such as Cleave or haste). The ki blade immediately reverts to its previous form after the bladewind attack. Prerequisite: A chiknife must be at least 12th level to choose this blade skill.
Combat Slide (Ex): Upon successfully striking an enemy in melee, the chiknife may immediately make a 5-foot step (even if she’s already moved in the round, but not if she’s taken a 5-foot step). In addition, when someone misses the chiknife with a melee attack, she may spend an immediate action to take a 5-foot step.
Dazzling Blade (Su): The chiknife may, as a standard action, channel 1 point of ki into her ki blade, dazzling all creatures within 30 feet for 1 round. A successful Fortitude save (DC 10 + half of the ninja’s level + her Wisdom modifier) negates this effect.
Deadly Blow (Ex): The chiknife’s ki blade critical multiplier increases by 1. Prerequisite: A chiknife must be at least 10th level to choose this blade skill.
Deceptive Blade (Ex): When the chiknife feints in combat, she may also form her ki blade in the same action as the feint as free action.
Disrupting Strike (Su): As a full-round action, a chiknife can make one melee attack against each enemy adjacent to her. If she hits, the attack deals no damage, but each enemy hit takes a -5 penalty to all melee and ranged damage rolls until the start of the chiknife’s next turn.
Emulate Melee Weapon (Su): The chiknife can form her ki blade to replicate any single one-handed melee weapon, chosen at the time she takes this blade skill. The chiknife is proficient with her ki blade in this form and it functions in all ways as the chosen weapon. This blade skill may be taken multiple times; each time, it allows the chiknife to form her ki blade to replicate a different one-handed melee weapon.
Enhanced Range (Ex): The chiknife’s range increment when throwing her ki blade in any form doubles.
Extended Strike (Ex): A chiknife may, as a standard action, make a single attack as if her reach was 5’ longer. This blade skill may be combined with the twin strike blade skill. Prerequisite: A chiknife must be at least 12th level to choose this blade skill.
Focused Defense (Ex): When fighting defensively or using Combat Expertise or the total defense action, the chiknife adds her Wisdom modifier as a dodge bonus to her AC. Prerequisite: The chiknife must be at least 4th level in order to select this blade skill.
Focused Offense (Ex): While using a ki blade, she adds her Wisdom modifier to her attack and damage rolls instead of her Strength modifier.
Full Enhancement (Su): When forming her ki blade into multiple items, the chiknife suffers no reduction in enhancement bonus.
Furious Charge (Ex): A chiknife with this ability deals an additional 2 points of damage on every attack made at the end of a charge. The increased damage is only 1 per attack for off-hand attacks.
Gruesome Riposte (Ex): The chiknife may, as an immediate action, attack an enemy who has successfully struck her in melee. This attack is assumed to happen after the successful attack, so she cannot use this ability if the attack would put her below 0 hit points, nor does dropping her enemy below 0 hit points prevent the attack from hitting. Prerequisite: A chiknife must be at least 10th level to choose this blade skill.
Improved Enhancement (Su): The chiknife’s enhancement bonus on her ki blade increases by 1. This increase may be used to increase the actual enhancement bonus of the ki blade (to a maximum of +5) or be spent on weapon special abilities, as normal. Prerequisite: A chiknife must be at least 12th level to choose this blade skill.
Improved Furious Charge (Ex): While making a charge, the chiknife can make an additional attack with her main hand, albeit at a -5 penalty on the attack roll, at the end of a charge action. If the chiknife is wielding two ki blades and has the Twin Strike blade skill, she may instead make an additional attack with each ki blade, but each of these additional attacks suffers a -5 penalty on the attack roll in addition to the penalties for attacking with two weapons. The chiknife may only gain the benefit of this blade skill once on any charge. Prerequisites: The chiknife must have the Furious Charge blade skill and be at least 8th level to choose this blade skill.
Improved Toppling Strike (Ex): If the chiknife’s ki blade has the trip special feature, she may use it to make a single attack at her full base attack bonus as a standard action. If the attack hits, it deals damage normally and the chiknife can make a free trip attack (using her full base attack bonus) against the same foe. If she successfully trips that foe, she may make an additional trip attack (using her full base attack bonus) against another foe within reach and adjacent to the first foe. As long as she successfully trips her foe, she may continue to make trip attempts against foes adjacent to the previous foe, so long as they are within her reach. She does not provoke attacks of opportunity for these trip attempts. Prerequisites: A chiknife must have the Toppling Strike and Weapon Special blade skills before selecting this blade skill.
Multiple Throw (Ex): The chiknife can throw a number of ki blades per round equal to the number of melee attacks she could make. Prerequisite: A chiknife must be at least 14th level to choose this blade skill.
Rending Blades (Su): Hooks extend from the chiknife’s ki blade, dealing an additional 1d6 bleed damage on a critical hit, and giving a competence bonus on Climb checks equal to the enhancement bonus of the ki blade.
Toppling Strike (Ex): If the chiknife’s ki blade has the trip special feature, she may use it to make a single attack at her full base attack bonus as a standard action. If the attack hits, it deals damage normally and the chiknife can make a free trip attack (using her full base attack bonus) against the same foe. She does not provoke an attack of opportunity for this trip attempt. Prerequisite: A chiknife must have the Weapon Special blade skill before selecting this blade skill.
Twin Strike (Ex): When making a single standard attack and wielding two ki blades, the chiknife may attack with both of her ki blades at the normal penalties for two-weapon fighting. She may also utilize this ability when making attacks of opportunity, but not for any other special attacks, unless specifically stated otherwise. Prerequisite: The chiknife must be at least 8th level to choose this blade skill.
Weapon Special (Su): The chiknife may assign one of the following specials to her ki blade when she shapes her ki blade: brace, trip, or disarm. She may change the assigned ability by reshaping her ki blade. This blade skill may be taken more than once, allowing the chiknife to assign multiple abilities at once.
Wing Clip (Su): As a standard action, the chiknife may make a single melee attack against a single creature. If she hits, instead of dealing damage, the vibrations in her ki blade damages the creature’s ability to move, rendering it unable to move for a number of rounds equal to the chiknife’s Wisdom modifier (minimum 1). A successful Fortitude save (DC 10 + half of the ninja’s level + her Wisdom modifier) negates the effect.
These abilities may replace ninja tricks.
Enhanced Ki Blade (Su)
A chiknife’s ki blade improves as the character gains higher levels. At 3rd level and every odd level thereafter, the ki blade gains a cumulative +1 enhancement bonus that she may spend on an actual enhancement bonus or on weapon special abilities. Half of the chiknife’s level determines her maximum enhancement bonus, capped at a maximum of +5 (the rest has to be spent on magic weapon special abilities). The chiknife may (and must, when her total enhancement is higher than her maximum bonus) apply any special ability instead of an enhancement bonus, as long as she meets the level requirements. A chiknife can choose any combination of weapon special abilities and/or enhancement bonus enhancement bonus before assigning any special abilities. If the chiknife shapes her ki blade into two items, the enhancement bonus of her ki blade (if any) is reduced by 1 (to a minimum of 0). If this would reduce the enhancement bonus on the ki blades to 0 and weapon special abilities are applied, the chiknife must reshape her ki blade to make the options valid. Both ki blades have the same selection of enhancement bonus that does not exceed the total allowed by half of the chiknife’s level, but she must assign at least a +1 and weapon special abilities (if any).
This ability replaces no trace.
Quick Draw (Su)
At 6th level, a chiknife may manifest her ki blade as a free action, though she may still only attempt to do so once per round (unless throwing the weapon multiple times using the Multiple Throw blade skill).
This ability replaces light steps.
