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.
The primordial samurai is an archetype of the samurai class, available only to lizardman samurai.
Archetype Main Ability Scores
The primordial samurai mainly focuses on STR/DEX for martial combat and INT for their class features.
Archetype Feature Replacements
1st – Weapon and Armor Proficiency, Improved Initiative. 2nd – Action Without Thought, Bushido Arts. 4th – Bushido Arts. 6th – Bushido Arts. 8th – Bushido Arts. 10th – Bushido Arts. 12th – Bushido Arts. 14th – Bushido Arts. 16th – Bushido Arts. 18th – Bushido Arts. 20th – Bushido Arts.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency
A primordial samurai is proficient with all simple weapons and with any two martial or exotic weapons, provided they are not crafted from a metal other than bronze or gold. Primordial samurai are proficient in light armor, medium armor, and small shields crafted from bone, bronze, gold, leather/hide, or wood.
This ability modifies weapon and armor proficiencies.
Primordial Weapons (Ex)
A primordial samurai may use any melee or thrown weapon not crafted from a metal other than bronze or gold for any class feature that requires the use of any melee eastern weapon. In addition, he uses his Intelligence modifier instead of Charisma for all samurai class features.
Weapon Maker (Ex)
Beginning at 1st level, a primordial samurai ignores any disadvantageous qualities of primitive weapons and armor, such as the fragile quality. Weapons made from primitive materials still count as fragile for any beneficial effects. Primordial samurai gain a +4 bonus on Craft (armor) and Craft (weapon) rolls to manufacture or repair weapons or armor made from primitive materials.
This ability replaces improved initiative.
Sturdy (Ex)
At 2nd level, any primitive weapon the primordial samurai wields gains the benefits of the masterwork quality. At 6th level, any primitive weapon held gains a +2 bonus to hardness and hp. This bonus increases by +2 per 4 levels after 6th.
This ability replaces action without thought.
First Fighter
As he gains levels, a primordial samurai learns how to make better use of his primitive equipment. Starting at 2nd level, a primordial samurai may select either one of the following abilities or a Bushido Art. He gains an additional choice for every two levels of samurai attained after 2nd level. A primordial samurai may not select any first fighter ability more than once unless stated otherwise.
Broken Weapon (Ex): The primordial samurai uses the fragile quality of his melee or thrown weapon to his advantage when it strikes true. Before he confirms a critical hit with a primitive melee or thrown weapon, he may choose to deal 10 points of damage to the weapon (bypassing the weapon’s hardness) to automatically confirm the critical.
Cracked Blade (Ex): Cracks and ridges on a weapon’s surface better store liquids applied to it. If the primordial samurai applies a poison, disease, or other agent to the weapon, it retains the substance for a number of hits equal to its critical multiplier. Any saves against these applied effects are made at a cumulative +1 bonus for every strike after the first.
Curved Throw (Ex): When the primordial samurai misses a target with a thrown primitive weapon, he may make a second attack roll against a second target adjacent to the first, with a −4 penalty. He may spend a point from his bushido pool as a free action to not suffer any penalty instead.
Flakes and Slivers (Ex): Any critical hit confirmed by the primordial samurai with a primitive melee or thrown weapon deals bleed damage equal to the weapon’s critical multiplier.
Heavy Strike (Ex): Primitive weapons are frequently crafted from heavier materials. When charging, a primitive weapon in the primordial samurai’s hands deals damage as if it were one size category larger. In addition, when the primordial samurai charges, he may forgo the +2 bonus to his attack roll and instead apply that bonus to his damage roll. This bonus does not increase for weapons wielded in two hands, but it does multiply on a critical hit.
Mighty Off-Hand (Ex): The primordial samurai may treat a one-handed primitive weapon wielded in his off-hand as if it was a light weapon for the purpose of dual-wielding. Prerequisite: The primordial samurai must be at least 6th level to select this ability.
Mystic Proxy (Su): The ancestral spirits of the primordial samurai’s tribe give him their blessing. Any primitive weapons he wields count as a single additional material type (cold iron, mythril, silver, or adamantine) for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction. This ability may be taken more than once, each time the primordial samurai chooses an additional material type.
Shattered Steel (Ex): The thick primitive armor the primordial samurai wears damages weapons used to strike it in combat. Melee and thrown weapons that successfully strike the primordial samurai while he is wearing armor or wielding a shield made from bone, bronze, leather/hide, gold, or wood take damage equal to the Strength bonus of the weapon’s wielder. This damage bypasses the weapon’s hardness.
Slash’n’Dash (Ex): The primordial samurai may spend a point of his bushido pool as a free action to gain the Spring Attack feat as a bonus feat for one round, even if he does not meet the prerequisites. Prerequisite: The primordial samurai must be at least 6th level to select this ability.
Warrior’s Mark (Ex): The primordial samurai uses heavy materials and crude weapons to dismantle the armor of his enemies. On a critical hit, he may choose one piece of armor worn or one shield wielded by the target. That item gains the broken condition.
Weighted Throw (Ex): Whenever the primordial samurai hits with a thrown primitive weapon, he may compare the attack result with his target’s CMD. The primordial samurai may spend a point from his bushido pool as a free action to add +4 to his effective attack roll for this comparison. If the attack roll is equal to or greater than the target’s CMD, the samurai may choose to push his opponent backward 5 ft. or to knock the opponent prone. This ability only affects creatures the same size or smaller than the primordial samurai. His opponent gains any bonuses to CMD related to bull rush or trip maneuvers against this attack. A given opponent may only be pushed backward or knocked prone once per round.
These abilities may replace bushido arts and replace access to the new shadow school training bushido art.