The ashigaru, or “light-foot”, samurai do not follow the same creed as their regular kin. Favouring agility, maneuverability and a willingness to use less overt tactics, the ashigaru dash through the enemy lines, striking them down before they have the chance to react.
Ashigaru is an archetype of the Samurai class.
Saving Throws
Ashigaru have medium fortitude and will saves and good reflex saves.
This replaces the samurai’s standard saving throws.
Class Skills
An ashigaru gains Bluff and Stealth as class skills.
Steel Grace (Ex)
At 1st level, an ashigaru may use his Dexterity modifier, rather than his Strength modifier, when using a weapon from the Samurai weapon group. Additionally, starting at 3rd level, whenever he makes a successful melee attack with one of those weapons, he adds his Dexterity modifier instead of his Strength modifier to the damage roll. Weapons selected by the further training bushido art do not gain the benefits of this ability (but weapons added to the group via other methods, such as a different archetype, do.)
This ability replaces the third eye ability gained at 3rd level.
Striker or Defender
Ashigaru must be strikers.
Expanded Arts (Ex)
An ashigaru may take a Thief Talent from the following list in place of a bushido art: Acrobatic Charge, Ambush Assailant, Ambusher, Combat Trickster, Consummate Avoidance, Expert Leaper, Fast Stealth, Fast Tumble, Flowing Feint, Ground Fighter, Instinctive Awareness, Ledge Walker, Lethal Acrobatics, Peerless Maneuver, Surprise Attack and Without a Trace. The ashigaru must qualify for these talents normally, using his samurai level as his thief level.
From 12th level onwards he may also take the Adaptive Assailant, Another Day, Fast Tumble, Light Walker, Superior Combat Trickster and Unwitting Ally advanced talents.
This may replace some Bushido Arts.
Agility Training (Ex)
At 3rd level, while wearing light or no armour and while not using a shield, the ashigaru gains a +1 dodge bonus to AC and increases the maximum dexterity bonus of any light armor he wears by 1. Every four levels thereafter (7th, 11th, 15th and 19th) these bonuses increase by +1 to a maximum of a +5 dodge bonus to AC and a +5 to the maximum dexterity bonus allowed. This dodge bonus is doubled against attacks of opportunity the ashigaru provokes by moving. In addition, he gains a +5ft enhancement bonus to his base land speed. At 7th level, this increases to +10ft.
The benefits of this ability does not stack with the benefits of armour training or leather body.
This ability replaces leather body or armoured flexibility.
Evasion (Ex)
At 4th level, the ashigaru can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with great agility. If he makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, he instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if the ashigaru is wearing light armor, or no armor. A helpless ashigaru (such as one who is unconscious or paralyzed) does not gain the benefit of evasion.
This ability replaces a bushido art gained at 4th level.
Dragon Swiftness (Ex)
At 5th level, an ashigaru’s maneuverability becomes almost peerless. Whenever the ashigaru makes a successful melee attack with a weapon from the Samurai weapon group on his turn, he may move 5ft without provoking attacks of opportunity, up to his normal movement for the turn.
This ability replaces iaido: glint.
Improved Evasion (Ex)
At 10th level, the ashigaru gains an ability that works like evasion, except that while the ashigaru still takes no damage on a successful Reflex saving throw against attacks, he henceforth takes only half damage on a failed save. A helpless ashigaru does not gain the benefit of improved evasion.
This ability replaces merciful eyes.
