Path of the Rising Star

Followers of the rising star follow a different path from other shugenja, seeking perfection in the pull of a taut bowstring, the flex of a bow’s limbs, and the flight of an arrow fired true.

Weapon Proficiencies

Followers of the rising star are proficient with all monk weapons and with bows and compound bows.

Archery Focus

At 4th level, the disciple of the rising star can make a flurry of blows as a full-attack action, but only when using a bow or compound bow. He loses the ability to make a flurry of blows with his unarmed attacks or any other weapons.

A disciple of the rising star’s flurry of blows otherwise functions as normal for a shugenja of his level.

Additionally, the disciple of the rising star must choose his bonus feats from the following list. Upon reaching 4th level, he may retrain one or both of his previously-learned bonus feats to one of the options on this list.

Combat Reflexes, Deflect Arrows, Dodge, Far Shot, Point-Blank Shot, Precise Shot, and Rapid Shot.

At 6th level, the following feats are added to the list:

Focused Shot*, Improved Precise Shot, Manyshot, Mobility, and Parting Shot*.

At 10th level, the following feats are added to the list:

Improved Critical, Pinpoint Targeting, Shot on the Run, and Snatch Arrows.

A shugenja need not have any of the prerequisites normally required for these feats to select them.

Way of the Bow (Ex)

At 7th level, the disciple of the rising star chooses one type of bow or compound bow. He gains the Weapon Focus and Weapon Specialization feats for that bow, and may use his Wisdom modifier in place of Dexterity for attack rolls with this weapon. He may also choose to use his Unarmed Strike damage in place of the bow's normal damage for this type of bow. If he already has Weapon Focus for that type of bow or compound bow, he may immediately retrain that feat for free.

Overwatch (Ex)

At 9th level, a disciple of the rising star can make attacks of opportunity with his bow on a round where he does not move. The shugenja threatens spaces in 10 feet, and can still only make one attack of opportunity per round (unless he has Combat Reflexes). If he has the Snap Shot or Greater Snap Shot feat(s), the shugenja adds this distance to the threatened area granted by Snap Shot or Greater Snap Shot (so a shugenja with Snap Shot would threaten in 15 feet while using this ability).

At 13th and 17th level, the threatened range increases by 10 feet.

Focused Shot (Ex)

At 12th level, the disciple of the rising star may make a Focused Shot as a standard action. The shugenja rolls twice and takes the higher result for this attack; if it hits, it is automatically a critical hit. The attack uses the shugenja's unarmed strike damage in place of the weapon's normal damage die, and receives a bonus to damage equal to the disciple of the rising star's Wis mod.

This ability counts as Critical Focus for the purposes of meeting feat prerequisites. The shugenja must make this attack with a bow or compound bow.

This ability can be used a number of times per day equal to 1/2 shugenja level + Wis mod.

Trick Shot (Su)

At 15th level, the disciple of the rising star learns to guide his arrows in flight with his mind. By focusing as a swift action, the disciple of the rising star can ignore all concealment and cover, even total cover, for one round - In effect, he can direct his shots around corners. The shugenja must still be aware of the target and know their location to attack them with this ability.

This ability can be used a number of times per day equal to the disciple of the rising star's Wis mod.

Critical Eye (Ex)

At 19th level, bow and compound bow attacks made by the disciple of the rising star have their critical damage multiplier increased by one.