Order of the 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.

Weapon and Armor Proficiencies

A kensai gains proficiency in all martial melee weapons. A kensai is not proficient with armor or shields.

Canny Defense (Ex)

When wearing no armor and not using a shield, a kensai adds his Intelligence bonus (if any) as an insight bonus to his Armor Class while wielding a melee weapon. If a kensai is caught flat-footed or otherwise denied his Dexterity bonus, he also loses this bonus.

Chosen Weapon (Ex)

At 1st level, a kensai learns to specialize in a specific melee weapon, such as the bich'wa or the bowie. He gains Weapon Focus with his chosen weapon as a bonus feat. At 4th level, he gains Weapon Specialization with this weapon as a bonus feat.

Perfect Strike (Ex)

At 4th level, when a kensai hits with his chosen weapon, he can spend 1 point from his arcane pool as an immediate action to deal bonus damage on the attack equal to his bladesinger level. This is precision damage, not multiplied on a critical hit.

Fighter Training (Ex)

Starting at 7th level, a kensai counts his bladesinger level as his fighter level for the purpose of qualifying for feats (if he has levels in soldier, these levels stack), but forfeits the benefit of such feats with weapons other than his chosen weapon.

Iaijutsu (Ex)

At 10th level, a kensai applies his Intelligence modifier as well as his Dexterity modifier on initiative rolls (minimum 0). A kensai may make attacks of opportunity when flat-footed, and may draw his chosen weapon as a free action when making an attack of opportunity.

Critical Perfection (Su)

At 13th level, a kensai adds his Intelligence bonus (minimum 0) on critical hit confirmation rolls with his favored weapon. In addition, the kensai may use his bladesinger levels in place of his base attack bonus to qualify for Critical Focus and any feat for which it is a prerequisite; these feats apply only with a kensai’s chosen weapon.

Superior Reflexes (Ex)

At 16th level, the kensai can make a number of attacks of opportunity in a round equal to his Intelligence modifier (minimum 1). This effect stacks with the Combat Reflexes feat.

Iaijutsu Master (Su)

At 19th level, a kensai’s initiative roll is automatically a natural 20 and he is never surprised (ergo, he always gets to act in the surprise round). The kensai's actions in a surprise round happen before anyone else's, except for another kensai of a higher level (if they are tied, their actions are simultaneous).