Some warriors find strength not upon the earth, but in the skies above. Sky samurais master the art of aerial motion, building momentum through graceful flight before striking with swift and devastating force. Their blades cut through the heavens guided by wind, will, and the weightless calm before the final blow.
The sky samurai is an archetype of the samurai class, available only to aegyl or gria samurai. At the GM’s discretion, characters of other races with a natural fly speed may also select this archetype.
Archetype Main Ability Scores: The sky samurai mainly focuses on STR/DEX for martial combat and CHA for their class features.
Archetype Feature Replacements: 1st – Improved Initiative, Weaponskills. 2nd – Action Without Thought. 3rd – Blazing Initiative. 4th – First Strike. 5th – Dragon Defense. 7th – Armor Training (Heavy).
Prerequisite
The sky samurai must have a racial fly speed.
Class Skills
The sky samurai adds Fly to her list of class skills and removes Ride.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency
The sky samurai is not proficient with heavy armor. If the sky samurai has the weapon familiarity racial trait, she treats the listed weapons as eastern weapons for all samurai class features.
This ability alters the normal samurai weapon and armor proficiencies.
Flyby Combatant (Ex)
At 1st level, a sky samurai gains Flyby Attack as a bonus feat, even if she does not meet the prerequisites.
This ability replaces Improved Initiative.
Skyblade Techniques (Su)
A sky samurai channels her will through her blade in a way different from other samurai. She gains a skyblade technique at 1st level and every three samurai levels thereafter. Skyblade techniques must be prepared as a swift action before use and may be used as part of a charge or Flyby Attack, but not as part of a full-attack action.
Chaostrike (Su): At a cost of 3 kenki, the sky samurai makes a melee attack at a single target. On a successful attack, the affected creature must make a Will save (DC 10 + half the samurai’s level + her Charisma modifier) or be confused for 1 round, plus 1 additional round for every four samurai levels after 1st. Prerequisite: The sky samurai must be 10th level to select this skyblade technique.
Demonblade (Su): At a cost of 2 kenki, the sky samurai creates a gout of flames with her sword, dealing weapon damage as fire damage to all creatures in a 15-foot cone and inflicting the burning status effect (1d6 + Charisma modifier damage) for 1 round, plus 1 additional round for every four samurai levels after 1st. A successful Reflex save (DC 10 + half the samurai’s level + her Charisma modifier) halves the damage and negates the burning effect. This attack deals double damage to creatures that are stunned, paralyzed, or helpless.
Dulling Frost (Su): At a cost of 1 kenki, the sky samurai strikes with a blade coated in ice with a melee attack. On a hit attack, this attack deals weapon damage as ice damage. The target must make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + half the samurai’s level + her Charisma modifier) or take a penalty to attack rolls equal to the sky samurai’s Charisma modifier and does not add Strength or Dexterity to weapon damage until the end of their next turn. Prerequisite: The sky samurai must be 4th level to select this skyblade technique.
Invisible Edge (Su): At a cost of 2 kenki, the sky samurai amakes two melee weapon attacks at a single creature within range, dealing weapon damage as wind damage. For each attack that was successful, the sky samurai gains the effects of Vanish for 1 round, starting at the end of this skyblade technique. Prerequisite: The sky samurai must be 7th level to select this skyblade technique.
Poison Dive (Su): At a cost of 2 kenki, the sky samurai moves 30 feet in a straight line in any direction. This movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity. The sky samurai may make a single melee attack against every creature that she passes within her reach during this 30 feet movement at her highest base attack bonus, dealing weapon damage as earth damage and inflicting the poisoned status effect (Charisma modifier damage for 1 round, plus 1 additional round for every four samurai levels after 1st. A successful Fortitude save (DC 10 + half the samurai’s level + her Charisma modifier) negates the poisoned status. If the sky samurai collides with a target during this skyblade technique, her movement ends and the sky samurai makes an attack against them. If this attack is made at the end of the full 30-foot movement, it deals double damage. Prerequisite: The sky samurai must be 4th level to select this skyblade technique.
Purging Light (Su): At a cost of 4 kenki, the sky samurai makes a brilliant, shining slash at all enemies in melee range. On a successful hit, this attack deals weapon damage as holy damage and inflicts the illuminated status effect (circumstance bonus = half the sky samurai’s Charisma modifier) for one minute. This attack deals double damage to creatures who are already illuminated. Affected creatures are subjected to the effects of Greater Dispel (the sky samurai uses her class level as her caster level and her Charisma modifier as her casting stat). A successful Will save (DC 10 + half the samurai’s level + her Charisma modifier) negates the illumination status effect. Prerequisite: The sky samurai must be 13th level to select this skyblade technique.
Shadowstrike (Su): At a cost of 2 kenki, the sky samurai cuts through space, damaging a 15-ft by 15-ft cross-shaped section within 30 feet. Creatures in the area take weapon damage as shadow damage and are inflicted with the dimmed status effect for a number of rounds equal to the sky samurai’s level. This attack deals double damage to creatures who are already dimmed. A successful Fortitude save (DC 10 + half the samurai’s level + her Charisma modifier) halves the damage and negates the dimmed status effect. Prerequisite: The sky samurai must be 7th level to select this skyblade technique.
Smotherstrike (Su): At a cost of 2 kenki, the sky samurai makes a melee attack suffused with water at a single target. On a successful hit, this deals weapon damage as water damage and inflicts the silenced status effect for 1 round, plus 1 additional round for every four samurai levels after 1st. A successful Will save (DC 10 + half the samurai’s level + her Charisma modifier) negates the silenced status effect. Prerequisite: The sky samurai must be 7th level to select this skyblade technique.
Stunstrike (Su): At a cost of 3 kenki, the sky samurai makes a melee attack of intense pressure against a single opponent within range, dealing weapon damage and attempting to stun the target. The affected creature must succeed on a Fortitude save (DC 10 + half the samurai’s level + her Charisma modifier) or be stunned for 1 round. Prerequisite: The sky samurai must be 10th level to select this skyblade technique.
Sword of Punishment (Su): At the cost of 1 kenki, the sky samurai slashes in a streak of lightning, dealing weapon damage as lightning damage to all creatures in a 30-foot line and are afflicted with static (1d6 + Charisma modifier damage) for 1 round, plus 1 additional round for every four samurai levels after 1st. A successful Reflex save (DC 10 + half the samurai’s level + her Charisma modifier) halves the damage and negates the static effect. This attack deals double damage to creatures that are currently flying or airborne.
This ability alters weaponskills.
Rising Force (Ex)
Beginning at 2nd level, a sky samurai adds her Strength modifier as a bonus (minimum 0) on any Fly skill checks and can glide even when her wings would normally give out. She can make a DC 15 Fly check to fall safely from any height without taking falling damage, as if using feather fall. When falling safely, a sky samurai may make an additional DC 15 fly check to glide, moving 5 feet laterally for every 20 feet she falls. When making an Acrobatics check while airborne, the sky samurai may use her bonus for Fly in place of her bonus in Acrobatics.
This ability replaces action without thought.
Air Raid (Ex)
A sky samurai learns to read the motion of airborne prey. At 3rd level, when the sky samurai hits a flying or airborne creature with a melee attack, she gains 1 kenki. This can occur once per round.
This ability replaces blazing initiative.
Momentum Over Stillness (Ex)
At 4th level, the sky samurai gains a +1 bonus on attack and damage rolls made with eastern weapons during a flyby attack or as part of a charge. For every four samurai levels thereafter, this bonus increases by +1.
This ability replaces first strike.
Griffon Defense (Ex)
At 5th level, as a free action, a sky samurai takes on an evasive aerial stance. Whenever she does, she gains the following effects until the next time she dodges an enemy attack, makes a successful Reflex save, or at the beginning of her turn, whichever comes first:
- The sky samurai cannot make attacks of opportunity.
- The sky samurai gains a +2 dodge bonus to her AC.
- The sky samurai receives a bonus to her Reflex saves equal to her Charisma modifier (minimum +0).
The next time the sky samurai dodges an enemy attack or successfully makes a Reflex save, she gains 1 kenki. The sky samurai can only activate this ability once per round.
This ability replaces dragon defense.
Sky Armor Training (Ex)
At 7th level, instead of gaining the ability to move at full speed in heavy armor, the sky samurai gains a +10 bonus to her fly speed while wearing light armor, medium armor, or no armor.
This ability modifies armor training.