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.
The blind swordsman is an archetype of the samurai class.
Archetype Main Ability Scores:
The blind swordsman mainly focuses on STR/DEX for martial combat and WIS for their class features.
Archetype Feature Replacements:
1st – Kenki Pool, Weaponskills. 2nd – Action Without Thought. 3rd – Resolve. 7th – Kenki Charge. 9th – Greater Resolve. 15th – True Kenki Charge. 17th – True Resolve. 20th – Master Samurai.
Weapon Proficiencies
The blind swordsman gains proficiency in the sword-cane, combat scabbard, chakram, jutte, shang gou, fighting fan, bo staff, and katana (Double-edged walking stick).
This ability modifies the samurai’s starting weapon proficiencies.
Patience and Virtue (Ex)
The blind swordsman has learned to be wary rather than forceful with his surroundings. Any samurai abilities that use his Charisma modifier for calculation (Bushido arts, Bushido Pools, class DCs, and so on) instead uses his Wisdom modifier.
Expanded Skill (Ex)
The blind swordsman has trained himself in the use of more weapons to complement his unique fighting style. A blind swordsman may use any of the weapons granted by the blind swordsman’s weapon proficiencies for any class feature that requires the use of any melee eastern weapons.
Kenki Pool (Su)
Additionally, a blind swordsman gains 1 kenki point when attacking successfully against concealed enemies.
This ability modifies kenki pool.
Blind-Folded Fighting (Ex)
At 1st level, a blind swordsman is adept at fighting against concealed enemies or when his senses are challenged. The blind swordsman gains Blind-Fight as a bonus feat.
At 3rd level, he gains the Blinded Blade Style feat as a bonus feat without needing to meet the prerequisites.
At 5th level, he gains the Improved Blind-Fight feat without needing to meet the prerequisites.
At 7th level, he gains Aural Insight as a bonus feat without needing to meet the prerequisites.
At 9th level, he gains the Blinded Competence feat as a bonus feat without needing to meet the prerequisites.
At 11th level, he gains Greater Blind-Fight as a bonus feat without needing to meet the prerequisites.
At 13th level, he gains the Blinded Master feat as a bonus feat without needing to meet the prerequisites.
At 15th level, he gains a +4 insight bonus to critical confirmation rolls and to his attacks of opportunity when he is blinded, dazzled, subject to miss chance due to concealment or using the Blind Bladed Style.
At 17th level, he gains the Blinding Critical as a bonus feat without needing to meet the prerequisites.
At 19th level, on his first successful attack each round on an enemy benefiting from a miss chance (such as concealment, blink, or any other similar effect that instills miss chance), his attack is treated as a critical threat.
If the blind swordsman already has these feats, he may take another Combat Feat for which he meets the prerequisites for.
This ability replaces weaponskills.
Sense Hazard (Ex)
At 2nd level, a blind swordsman is always taking his surroundings into account. When he is within 10 feet of a trap, he gains a single Perception check to notice them. They can be mechanical (trip wires, dart throwers, etc.), magical (rune spells, sigils, etc.), or natural (quick sand, pit falls, etc.). This does not give him insight into disabling such traps or hazards. This ability will not function if the blind swordsman is unconscious or denied control of his mental faculties (such as Charmed, Berserk, Confused, etc.).
This ability replaces action without thought.
Worldly Essence (Ex/Su)
At 2nd level, the blind swordsman learns new bushido arts to match his unique style of battle. Every time he gains a bushido art, he may select one of the following bushido arts exclusive to the blind swordsman instead:
Battlefield Sense (Ex): Foes have a hard time finding weaknesses in the blind swordman’s guard. He can no longer be flanked unless the creature(s) has 4 or more Hit dice than him or has 4 or more thief levels than his samurai level. This counts as Improved Uncanny Dodge for the purposes of prerequisites. Prerequisite: The blind swordsman must be at least 10th level to select this bushido art.
Blind Fury (Ex): When surrounded by enemies, the blind swordsman can let loose a devastating whirlwind strike. As a full-round action, he can make a whirlwind strike at all enemies adjacent to him. All creatures within range must make a Reflex save (DC 10 + half of the samurai’s level + his Wisdom modifier). A failure results in them taking double weapon damage. A success deals half damage (but they will take half of the double weapon damage). At the end of the action, the blind swordsman suffers a -4 penalty to AC for 1 round. He may sheathe his weapon as a free action when the attack ends. At 10th level, the penalty to AC is reduced to -2. This costs two bushido points or 1 kenki. Should he spend a point of kenki, blind fury affects all creatures within 10 feet of him instead of adjacent. Prerequisite: The blind swordsman must be at least 6th level to select this bushido art.
Blinding Flash (Ex): Cleverness begets opportunity. The blind swordsman gains the Blinding Flash feat as a bonus feat without needing to meet the prerequisites. In addition, if he spends a point of kenki when using this feat, it instead inflicts the Blinded condition for 1d4 rounds and can be used in an area of normal light.
Foreshadow (Su): A blind swordsman’s senses are almost preternatural in sensing danger. So long as he has 1 bushido point left in his pool, he gains a +2 bonus to Reflex saves during a surprise round. Alternatively, If he spends a point of kenki as a free action during his turn, he can act in a surprise round. The bonus to Reflex saves increases by 1 every four samurai levels after 2nd.
Ghost Sight (Su): With monk-like training, even ethereal creatures cannot hide from the blind swordsman. He may spend 1 bushido point or 1 point of kenki to add his samurai level to Perception checks to notice invisible or ethereal creatures. If he succeeds in the check, the creature’s outline becomes visible to him. This negates the usual penalties he would suffer attacking the creature and the bonuses the creature would normally have against him. This continues until he loses line of sight of the creature, in which case he must succeed at a new Perception check to see them. This is a standard action to perform and the bonus to Perception checks lasts for 1 minute per level.
Insightful Strikes (Ex): To a blind swordsman, simply striking at the correct moment can devastate foes. The blind swordsman may use his Wisdom modifier on attack rolls and combat maneuver checks instead of Strength or Dexterity while using the Blind fight or Blind Bladed Style.
Masterful Strike (Ex): The blind swordsman gains the Dazing Fist feat as a bonus feat without needing to meet the prerequisites. He can use a single weapon he is proficient with instead of an unarmed strike to initiate the feat if he spends a point of kenki or 2 Bushido points as part of the action. In addition, he can spend bushido points to increase the DC by +1 per point spent. Prerequisite: The blind swordsman must be at least 6th level to select this bushido art.
Patience Amid Turmoil (Ex): The blind swordsman has learned to maintain vigilance, even when no sword is drawn. When his weapon is sheathed or no aggressive posture is taken (including stances and sustained modes), he gains an insight bonus to AC equal to his Wisdom modifier (minimum of 1). He loses this bonus entirely if he is unconscious, have drawn his weapon, assumed a stance or sustained mode, or have lost control of his mental faculties (such as being Charmed, Berserk, Confused, etc.).
Sever the Turmoil (Ex): With grace, the blind swordsman retaliates against aggression with blinding speed. If he is benefiting from an insight bonus to AC by his samurai class feature and is struck by a melee attack, he can spend an Attack of Opportunity to perform a melee attack against the aggressor. Prerequisite: The blind swordsman must be at least 6th level to select this bushido art.
Unclouded Eyes (Su): A blind swordsman is hard to fool with smoke and mirrors or disguises. So long as the blind swordsman has 1 Bushido point, he adds half his Samurai level on checks to see through mundane Disguises and to notice hidden weapons. In addition, at 10th level, the blind swordsman can add half his ranks in Perception or Sense Motive (whichever is higher) as an insight bonus on checks to see through magical disguises and illusory effects so long as he has a point of kenki. Prerequisite: The blind swordsman must be at least 4th level to select this bushido art.
Unseen Oracle (Su): By tapping into a dormant sixth sense, the blind swordsman can see others with unclouded judgment. As a swift action, he may spend 2 bushido points or point of kenki to grant himself Blindsight out to 15 feet. At 10th level, this increases to 30 feet. If he already has blindsight from another source, he increases that blindsight by 5 feet and again by 15 feet at 10th level. This ability lasts for a number of minutes equal to his samurai level. Prerequisite: The blind swordsman must be at least 6th level to select this bushido art.
Spiritual Resolve (Ex)
At 3rd level, the blind swordsman gains the Meditation Master feat as a bonus feat. If he already has this feat he can select another feat in which he meets the prerequisites. In addition, the insight bonus in this feat can be used to power any Samurai class features that uses Kenki or Bushido.
This ability modifies resolve, greater resolve, and true resolve.
Blinded Charge (Su)
At 7th level, a blind swordsman can spend a move action before making an attack action. If he does, whenever the blind swordsman would gain 1 kenki from attacking concealed enemies, he instead gains 2 kenki.
This ability replaces kenki charge.
True Blinded Charge (Ex)
At 15th level, a blind swordsman can use his blinded charge ability as a swift action instead of a move action, although he can only use his blinded charge once per round.
This ability replaces true kenki charge.
Master Swordsman (Ex)
At 20th level, the blind swordsman is ever wary of all aggressors. The blind swordsman gains Tremorsense out to 30 feet and, so long as he has a point of kenki, he gains the effects of True Seeing out to 10 feet. In addition, so long as the blinded swordsman is using Blind-Fight, Blind Bladed Style, or any of the feats and abilities listed under Blind-Folded Fighting, all attacks are treated as if he had the Deadly Finish feat.
This ability replaces master samurai.
