Question about Katana...
 

I've got a samurai character in my group that uses the Katana. She also uses a shield at the same time. As far as I can tell, she should only be able to use the Katana one handed with an Exotic Weapon Proficiency(Katana). However, Hero Labs is letting her one-hand it for free.

Is this the way it should be? Am I missing a rule in a book somewhere? I thought they had to take the EWP?

A Katana is a One Handed Melee Weapon.

Source: UC - http://www.d20pfsrd.com/equipment---...astern-weapons

Samurai are automatically proficient with a Katana

Source: UC - http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/alte...lasses/samurai

Therefore, As a one handed weapon, and they are proficient, they don't need to take Exotic Weapon Proficiency.

Any other takes on this~?

According to this site:

http://www.d20pfsrd.com/equipment---...astern-weapons

Katanas are one-handed. Samurai are automatically proficient with Katanas, so they shouldn't have to take a feat to handle them one-handed from what I can tell.

Damn....Ninja'd on a Samurai thread.

~<3 Always remember to bring your Chakrams to a Katana fight. ;)

The problem is that when you click through that link it says that characters may use the katana two handed but to use it one-handed you must have the EWP.

Ah. I see where the misunderstanding lies. Characters other than Samurai can use a katana as a two-handed martial weapon, but must take the EWF in order to use it as a one-handed weapon. Samurai treat katanas as martial weapons all the time, which is another way of saying they automatically have the EWF for katanas. So, they don't need to take the EWF to use them one-handed.

Ok, I can accept that. But where is that rule? Or is that simply community accepted truth?

Upon opening up Ultimate Combat, it states that they are proficient with them. (page 18)

This means that the samurai must have Exotic weapon proficiency: katana,
naginata, and wakizashi. Otherwise, they would not be able to equip them.

Its not listed as a rule, because of the poor wording of the cannon, but you have to assume they have it, otherwise they cannot use the weapon they say they have.

The rule is "Samurai are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, plus the katana, naginata, and wakizashi."

I may have worded things wrong, but the end result is that Samurai are treated as having the EWF for katana, naginata, and wakizashi. The same is true for races who are proficient with race specific exotic weapons, such as a dwarf treating the dwarven waraxe as a martial weapon.

Damn....had my Chakrams at the cleaners.