Table: Samurai Archetypes
| Archetype | Prerequisites | Description |
| Bladecaller | — | It is believed the spirit of the blade can be utilized to against one’s foes. Bladecallers put this technique to practice, brandishing their katanas to unleash the spirits within from past battles to unleash devastating attacks upon his foes and aid his allies. |
| Blind Swordsman | — | Some warriors fight with their eyes. There are a select few that fight with only their other senses. Be it due to tragedy, a rite of passage, or a path of penance: These warriors view the world with senses other than the eye. |
| Iaijutsu Master | — | The intricate style of swordplay called iaijutsu is dedicated to the martial art of drawing a weapon and attacking in the same fluid motion. This iaijutsu master is based on speed and agility to take down his foes, using momentum instead of pure strength. |
| Kensai | — | A kensai spends his life focusing his training and meditation into a rapturous perfection of the use of a single weapon, which is usually but not always a sword, channeling his arcane might through it in a dizzying and deadly dance beyond the abilities of even the greatest of mundane warriors. |
| Parivir | — | There are some ronin who rather than find themselves in search of a new lord, opt instead to serve nature itself. Combining both swordsmanship and nature’s fury, the parivir beats down foes with blindingly fast swordstrikes of deadly precision. |
| Primordial Samurai | Lizardman | Some lizardman tribes claim to have invented the arts of the samurai long before human civilization, and use them while wearing their traditional primitive weapons and armor. In the hands of these primordial samurai, even stone weapons like the terbutje and tepoztopilli are highly lethal. |
| Retainer | — | The wealthiest of lords gain the ire of the toughest of foes, and use their coin to obtain the strongest of protectors. These retainers guard their lord with their lives, standing ironclad against all manner of assassins and thugs. The most well-equipped bodyguards do not come cheap, and mere commoners could not hope to afford the services of these vigilant guardsmen. Some say they take after the swordsman god Yojimbo, such is the weight of wealth required for their services. |
| Warrior Monk | — | Warriors of the Faith, who act as guardians, and fight those who defy the faith. Some venture out as ronin taking their own path. These warriors wield large sharp katanas that devastates foes and hinders them unable to fight. |
| Yumi Sniper | — | The art of the bow is as widely practiced as that of the blade among samurai, leading many to focus upon it. Yumi snipers practice their craft with these weapons, attacking from afar and harrowing opponents as they see fit. |
Non-FF Archetypes
The following archetypes are based off of pop-culture references outside of Final Fantasy and may not fit within the theming of your campaign. Consult your DM before using them.
Table: Non-FF Samurai Archetypes
| Archetype | Prerequisites | Description | Reference |
| Onimusha | — | When one shows themselves a potential ally against the clan’s enemies, the Oni bestow their power on a mortal being to aid them in fighting the demon hordes. Granting them the Oni gauntlet, a power relic that lets one to master and use magical weapons to dispose of the clan’s enemies. | Onimusha |
| Shugoki | — | It is the traditional image of a samurai for them to be swift, precise, and deadly. For them to be able to strike as quickly as they can draw their sword, and target a weakness wherever it may present itself. However, this is not the case of all samurai. A shugoki trades their speed and precision for the brutality and strength of a demon, though they are none less deadly for it. | For Honor |
