Bushi (Labyrinth Lord)

Bushi

Requirements: Str 9, Dex 8. Con 8

Prime Requisite: Str

Hit Dice: 1d6

Bushi are warriors without ties to a lord, a temple or a monastery. These opportunistic, masterless men are often bandits, mercenaries, or wandering sellswords; they make a living however they can, and are often quite poor. Their skills are in demand, however, so they can always get by somehow. Bushi can be of any alignment.

Bushi may wear any kind of armour and can use shields. They are able to use any weapon. Bushi use the Ranger Experience (and HD) Table, and the Fighter, Paladin and Ranger Saving Throw Table. They attack using the Fighter values.

AC Bonus – when not wearing armour, a bushi has a -1 bonus to AC for every 5 levels possessed.

Food, and lodging – Bushi can always find employment, food, and shelter in a friendly town or village. This is likely to be poorly paid, thin gruel, and leaky, but there will always be something.

Find Equipment – Bushi have a base 20% chance to find any common piece of equipment in any village. The chance increases, based on the settlement size: medium village (25%), large village (30%), small town (40%), large town (60%), and city (90%).

Pick Pockets – Bushi have a base 20% chance to pick pockets (most often this takes the form of cutting or lifting 'cash strings' from the victims). This increases by 2% per level. On a roll of 95 or higher, the attempt has been noticed.

Kiai – The “great shout” - this channeling of ki power grants the bushi a boost in fighting ability. Once per day for a duration of 10 rounds, a bushi can increase his or her effective level by 2. E.g. a 5^th Level Bushi uses his kiai power and temporarily gains 2d8 HP, and the saving throws and fighting values of a 7^th Level Bushi.

Reaching 9^th Level – if the Bushi has captured or cleared an estate, 30-60 1^st Level fighters will apply to him for positions. More fighters may apply as time goes on, should the Bushi's reputation warrant this. All the Bushi's followers will remain as long as they are paid, and the Bushi's cause is not doomed to failure.

Reaching 12^th Level – 1d6 samurai apply for positions with the Bushi's force.

(Fantastic image from House Longeye)