Oriental Prestige Class : Yakuza
The yakuzas are many different things depending on who is asked. Some call them protectors of the common folk, others think of them as thugs and extortionists, still others rely on them as an unofficial police force. They are simultaneously despised and respected, sometimes even supported by the local authorities. On one hand, they represent the shadowy underworld, directing and controlling local activities. On the other hand, they provide protection for the helpless and watch over those in their care. Of course, such care has a price, and that is how the yakuzas make their living.
Most yakuzas are rogues, and no character without at least some rogue levels will meet the skill requirements for the yakuza class before very high levels. Some rogue/fighters are drawn to the yakuzas thuggish, enforcer role. Yakuzas are not found in Rokugan.
Yakuza may be tolerated, condoned, or even recognized by the government, but they are nevertheless criminals, always in danger of arrest and punishment for their crimes. As a result, yakuza families do their best to keep everything running smoothly and quietly in their territories, avoiding a unwanted attention.
Class Requirements
To qualify to become an Yakuza, a character must fulfill all the following criteria:
- Alignment: Any nonchaotic, non-good
- Skills: Bluff 10 ranks, Gather Information 10 ranks, Hide 7 ranks
- Feats: Dodge,
Class Skills
The yakuza's class skills are Bluff, Diplomacy, Disable Device, Forgery, Gather Information, Hide, Intimidate, Listen, Move Silently, Open Lock, Sense Motive, and Spot.
Skill Points at Each Level: 8 + Int modifier.
Class Features
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Yakuzas gain no additional weapon or armor proficiency.
Uncanny Dodge (Ex): A yakuza has the ability to react to danger before her senses would normally allow her to even be aware of it. From 1st level, she retains her Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) regardless of being caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. (She still loses her Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized.)
At 4th level, the yakuza can no longer be flanked, since she can react to opponents on opposite sides of her as easily as she can react to a single attacker. This defense denies rogues the opportunity to use flank attacks to sneak attack the yakuza. The exception to this defense is that a rogue at least four levels higher than the yakuza can flank her (and thus sneak attack her).
At 8th level, the yakuza gains an intuitive sense that alerts her to danger from traps, giving her a +1 bonus on Reflex saves made to avoid traps. If the yakuza has another class that grants the uncanny dodge ability, add together all the class levels of the classes that grant the ability and determine the character's uncanny dodge ability on that basis.
Defensive Roll (Ex): A yakuza can roll with a potentially lethal blow to take less damage from it. Once per day, when a yakuza would be reduced to 0 hit points or less by damage in combat (from a weapon or other blow, not a spell or special ability), the yakuza can attempt to roll with the damage. She makes a Reflex saving throw (DC = damage dealt) and, if she's successful, she takes only half damage from the blow. She must be aware of the attack and able to react to it in order to execute her defensive roll - if she is denied her Dexterity bonus to AC, she can't roll. Since this effect would not normally allow a character to make a Reflex save for half damage, the yakuza's evasion ability does not apply to the defensive roll.
Improved Evasion (Ex): At 2nd level and above, a yakuza can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with great agility the yakuza makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, she instead takes no damage. Even if she fails her saving throw, she takes only half damage. The yakuza can use improved evasion only if she is wearing light armor or no armor.
Yakuza Knowledge (Ex): A yakuza, if she's doing her job, knows everything that goes on in her "territory," and a lot about what goes on outside it. A yakuza may make a special yakuza knowledge check with a bonus equal to her class level + her Intelligence modifier to see whether she knows some relevant information about local people or places. The yakuza may not take 10 or take 20 on this check; this sort of knowledge is essentially random. The DM will determine the Difficulty Class the check by referring to the table below.
| DC | Type of Knowledge | Examples |
| 5 | Common, known by at least a substantial minority of the local population. | A local mayor's reputation for drinking; a neighborhood's reputation for criminal activity. |
| 15 | Uncommon but available, known by only a few people in the area. | A local shaman's shady past; a daimyo's family history. |
| 20 | Obscure, known by a few, hard to come by. | A samurai's family history, the location and identity of a reliable purchaser of stolen goods. |
| 25 | Extremely obscure, known by very few, possibly forgotten by most who once knew it, possibly known only by those who don't understand the significance of the knowledge. | A mighty wu jen's birth name; key figures in the local underworld. |
Leadership: At 5th level, a yakuza gains the Leadership feat for free. Yakuza belong to an adoptive family, and can call on other members of their families for assistance. A yakuza's followers may be rogues as well as warriors, experts, or commoners. If the yakuza already has the Leadership feat, she gains permanent +2 bonus on her Leadership score.
Slippery Mind (Ex): At 10th level, a yakuza gains the ability to wriggle free from magical effects that would otherwise control or compel her. If a yakuza with slippery mind is affected by magic and fails her saving throw, 1 round later she can attempt her saving throw again. She only gets this one extra chance to succeed at her saving throw.
| Yakuza | Hit Die: d6 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CL | BAB | Fort | Ref | Will | Special |
| 1st | +0 | +0 | +2 | +0 | Uncanny dodge (Dex bonus to AC), defensive roll |
| 2nd | +1 | +0 | +3 | +0 | Improved evasion |
| 3rd | +2 | +1 | +3 | +1 | Yakuza knowledge |
| 4th | +3 | +1 | +4 | +1 | Uncanny dodge (can't be flanked) |
| 5th | +3 | +1 | +4 | +1 | Leadership |
| 6th | +4 | +2 | +5 | +2 | - |
| 7th | +5 | +2 | +5 | +2 | - |
| 8th | +6 | +2 | +6 | +2 | Uncanny dodge (+1 to traps) |
| 9th | +6 | +3 | +6 | +3 | - |
| 10th | +7 | +3 | +7 | +3 | Slippery mind |
Source: Oriental Adventures