SAMURAI SHOWDOWN

[Krissey]

Back on topic however the idea of the Samurai you have explained has always been when the Hero is facing a small mook army of no comparable skill. At 60 I can walk out in a low level zone and "kill (my) enemies in a single blow 10 v 1 and everyone standing nearby is shocked and amazed at (my) l33t skillz0rs". That's hardly justification to identify the role of a melee class/job.

Ninjas fought through guerrilla tactics specifically to turn the tables on their Heavily Armored Samurai opponents often not fighting but only gathering information. Monks used their training not only of their bodies but their knowledge of anatomy to strike precise points of their enemies form any and all angles. Dragoons are a mounted cavalry unit in the British armed forces.

I don't think the direction in other forms of media matters because in movies, anime, television, re-enactments, etc... there does not exist a trinity of "Tank, healer, DPS". If anything that was "created" out of necessity by Dungeons and Dragons (Fighter (tank/distraction/first one in), Rogue (melee dps), Wizard (caster dps), Cleric (healer)) to emphasize certain fantasies (Knight in Shining Armor facing the dragon valiantly, Sneaky Rogue skulking through the Shadows, Arcane master and learned man weaving complicated and powerful spells...and somebody has to keep these nerds alive.) So obviously in various forms of media, or re-enactments or even in real life combat they will generally be facing their opponent. Unless armies maneuvered in ways to flank their enemy (Oh look men with swords attacking from the side, can we have Paladin DPS plz? Samurai DPS plz?) or pincer-ed them.

However the fantasy of being a Swordsman with a razor sharp sword who can cut through anything speaks more to a "DPS" mentality than a "Tank" mentality. Typically all warriors "parry" as is seen in the Robin Hood style sword fights where they clank swords together and make lots of noise and "HAH HAH HAVE AT THEE!" lines with a straight stab forward. Clearly Hollywood - but does that mean all sword users should be tanks? Often in Anime a Samurai would run up behind someone in the thick of battle and stab them through the back, pull their sword out and stab someone coming from the side in their front, pull it out then stab it behind them into someone right behind them in the stomach then shake their sword off of blood.

Killing people efficiently is a DPS thing. Which is why the Machinist (soldier with a gun) is a DPS.

It could honestly go either way - I just think the "general fantasy" speaks more to DPS. Why do I say this? Because in most anime Samurai are people who are respected for their ability to kill people well. Swift, efficient, stylish murder machines. Not people who soak a ton of damage and take punishment while their allies do the killing.

Hell going by Rourouni Kenshin the guy with the bandana and white Gi who is a Karate Master and carries a giant sword much like a Dark Knight takes the punishment (Dark Knight with Giant 2h Sword) while Kenshin knocks them out with his reverse blade sword efficiently. Big 2h sword guy = tank Kenshin Samurai = DPS.

Last point: I only use anime and Japanese media as a point of reference because Samurai are purely a Japanese thing. There just aren't many western movies or cartoons made by westerners with Samurai really. 7 Samurai is their western films basically, from what I can tell.

They have the lone swordsman with a piece of hay in his mouth. We have Clint Eastwood the gunslinger.