Shugyōsha

A Shugyōsha is a warrior who has completed their formal apprenticeship and travels the country as a martial pilgrim to hone their combat skills.  

This journey itself is called musha shugyō, which translates to "warrior's pilgrimage". They leave the comfort of their home dojo and clan to learn from different masters and systems across the lands. Often they would engage in in challenge matches at local training halls (known as dojo arashi) to test their techniques against outsiders.  

They would often work as mercenaries and bodyguards, using their duties to hone their skills.  Others may have worked as hired killers or turning to banditry to survive while testing their own abilities.

Level 3: Bonus Proficiency

Along the road, a Shugyōsha would often take on freelance work as bodyguards or mercenaries to fund their ascetic training, acting as the "Wandering Swordsman" upon which many legends were made.

 When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you gain proficiency in one of the following skills of your choice: Intimidation, Survival to reflect your chosen path.

Choose Intimidation

Intimidation.

Choose Survival

Survival.

Level 3: Iaido

Iaido translates to "the way of mental presence and immediate reaction." Upon choosing this subclass you gain access to a pool of points you can use to fuel your Iaido Katas and abilities. These points are known as "Zanshin." The maximum number of Zanshin you can hold at once is equal to your Wisdom Modifier plus your Proficiency Bonus.

You gain one Zanshin the first time you damage each opponent you attack on your turn, allowing you to gain more than one point per turn, but only one per target. You also gain one point for successfully avoiding attacks or successful saving throws against hostile spells and abilities, and making successful opportunity attacks.

You will begin with all basic Iaido Katas and receive more at designated levels as a part of your progression. Zanshin is what fuels these Katas, and in the case of attacking Katas you can even get your Zanshin back if you are successful, creating a balance.

Level 3: Basic Iaido Kata

You have learned all of the following Katas:

1.  Nukitsuke:  The foundational "draw-cut" in Iaido, where the practitioner simultaneously draws the sword from its scabbard (saya) and executes a precise, rapid strike. It relies on precise timing, whole-body mechanics, and the complementary pulling motion of the scabbard.

For this Kata your weapon must be sheathed or stored on your body.  On the first attack of your Attack Action you can spend one Zanshin to draw the blade in a sudden strike that has Advantage on the attack roll and has a Critical Range of 19 or 20 on the 20 sided die.  

Once the attack is complete you can continue with the rest of your Attack Action as normal or utilize Chiburi (flinging the blood from your blade) and Noto (returning the blade to it's scabbard) as a part of the attack.

 

2.  Furimi:  A specific evasive maneuver meaning "avoidance" or "shaking off the body," where you slip or tilt the torso cleanly away from an incoming blade.  As a reaction to an opponent's attack roll you can spend from one to a number of Zanshin equal to your Wisdom Modifier and add that as a bonus to your Armor Class which can help you avoid the attack.  This bonus lasts for the duration of the current turn.  This ability can only be used if you do not have a shield equipped.

3.  Tsugi ashi:  Meaning "shuffling step." It is a foundational footwork technique where one foot initiates movement while the other trails closely behind, never crossing or passing the lead foot, allowing for sudden striking with maximum stability.

For each successful attack you can move 5' without drawing an attack of opportunity. By spending one Zanshin you can increase this movement to 10' for the attack.

Level 7: Intermediate Iaido Kata

You have learned all of the following Katas:

1.  Harai waza, literally translating to "sweeping techniques," these are offensive moves designed to knock, sweep, or deflect an opponent’s weapon out of the way to create an opening for a decisive strike.

As a reaction to a melee attack you can spend one Zanshin and make your own melee attack at the attacker. If your attack roll is greater than your opponent's attack roll then you parry his attack and cancel it, even if it is a Natural 20. If your roll also beats your opponent's Armor Class you can apply damage to them as normal.

 

2.  Heijōshin, a mental state of calm focus, steady spirit, and emotional stability that prevents the mind from being distracted by fear or surprise. As a reaction to receiving the Frightened condition you may spend 1 Zanshin to remove it. Furthermore as long as you have one Zanshin you cannot be surprised and have Advantage on saves to resist Charm Effects.

 

3.  Kiritsuke: The Final Strike, is used to describe a sharp, targeted strike—often a technique designed to deliver a decisive blow (such as a cut that lands at the head/neck) before executing a finishing move or sheathing the sword.

You are required to grip your weapon in two hands in order to utilize this technique. As part of an attack you may spend a number of Zanshin up to your Strength or Dexterity Modifier (whichever is higher) to imcrease the Weapin Damage of the attack by 1d8. You must spend the points before making the attack roll and they are lost on a miss.

Level 10: Advanced Iaido Kata

You have learned the Kata of Ayumi-ashi, this translates to "walking feet". Instead of keeping one foot permanently in front (like standard Okuri-ashi), you cross your legs alternately just like normal running or fast walking. However, in Iaido, it is executed as a Suri-ashi (sliding step), meaning your soles maintain light, continuous contact with the floor to keep your center of gravity low and stable.

Your movement speed increases by 10' Additionally you can spend one Zanshin to Dash as a bonus action.

As long as you have 1 Zanshin you have advantage on skill checks or saves to avoid the Prone Condition.

Level 15: Master Iaido Kata

You learn all of the following Katas:

 

1.  Gankō: The fierce, sharp quality of the gaze itself. It is the physical manifestation of your internal spiritual energy (Ki) projected through your eyes to psychologically overwhelm or freeze an opponent before a blade is even drawn.

As a Bonus action you may spend a number of Zanshin up to your Wisdom Modifier to force the same number of creatures you can see withing 60' to make a Wisdom Save against 8 + Your Wisdom Modifier + Your Proficiency Modifier. If the creature fails it receives a 1D6 penalty to all D20 rolls until the end of your next turn. On a success nothing happens. Anything with an Intelligence less than 3 is immune to this.

 

2.  Perfect Kiritsuke: Your Kiritsuke Kata has improved allowing you to apply 2d8 Weapon Damage per Zanshin spent.  All other rules still apply.

Level 18: Supreme Iaido Kata

Now you have mastered the ultimate principle and goal of Iaido, Saya-no-uchi, the "Victory within the scabbard."  This principle is that the highest form of swordsmanship is in obtaining victory while the sword remains safely in its sheath.

As an action you can spend three Zanshin and focus your Gankō onto one opponent.  The target must make a Wisdom Save with a DC being 8+Your Wisdom Mod+Your Proficiency Bonus.  Failure means the target is overwhelmed by your presence and leaves them only able to take the Dodge Action or the Movement Action to move away from you for one minute or until damaged.  This is not fear but an overwhelming realization of your superiority and their inferiority.  Success still leaves them shaken giving them Disadvantage on their next attack.