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At what rate does a Kensai gain extra weapon proficiency slots? I want to know because I want to dualclass after I have gained mastery in my weapon. I'd like to figure how much more levels that is going to take.

I'm pretty sure Kensai gain proficiency slots the same rate as a regular fighter. They just get bonus THAC0 and damage as they level up.

You can even gain mastery in 2 weapons or grandmastery at creation. You can even increase the proficiency points in the weapon of your choice to 5 after dualclassing if the weapon is allowed to your second class.

I wouldn 't bother about the profiency points, the other bonusses are the important ones.

Thanks kmonster, it just so happens that I was also looking for an answer along the one you provided. A backstabbing Kensai, that's sort of what I'm after. I'll keep on getting stat bonusses as a Kensai, so I'm just sort of waiting for the right moment to double class. Gaining my Kensai abilities back at 20/20 seems like a bad idea. I'll need 13 thief levels for the highest backstabbing multiplyer, so for my initial Kensai levels I'm aiming at something between 13 and 19.

I need to have a clearer picture on how Kensai level, what bonuses they get per level. It's not covered in the manual well enough in my opinion.

Kensai
Advantages:

• +1 to hit and +1 damage for every three levels.
• -2 bonus to AC.
• -1 bonus to speed factor for every 4 levels.
• May use Kai ability one time per day for every 4 levels (starts at 1st level with one use). This ability lasts 10 seconds and makes all the attacks do maximum damage.

12 is a natural level to dual a kensai, because most of their good bonuses come in multiples of 3 levels and 4 levels, so on reaching 12, you get thac0, damage, kai, and movement bonuses.
You'll have more than enough proficiency slots to grandmaster, as well as maxing out fighting style of your choice and specialising in other weapons.
If it's your main character, be sure to use draw on holy might whenever you level up as a kensai, because this will give you a con bonus and extra hp (it's going to be a while before you can wear armour, and the AC bonus is a one-time deal for kensai).

Lobster wrote:12 is a natural level to dual a kensai, because most of their good bonuses come in multiples of 3 levels and 4 levels, so on reaching 12, you get thac0, damage, kai, and movement bonuses.

Nine's good too, as I recall. But then, I used to switch him to a mage, and it's easy to level up a mage almost at once to 10 after the first dungeon if you temporarily let your party scatter.

Nine is good for a mage, because you're not going to melee with your mage if you can help it...
But for a thief, the extra thac0 and damage at level 12, coupled with the extra use of kai, is going to make them pretty fearsome in combat (hastened, dual-wielding thief with kai and 5x backstab damage bonus!).

The drawback to dualling at 12 rather than 9 is that it will take longer for the groovy kensai abilities to return (but there's hardly a shortage of xp to be earned).

don't diss the wizard-mage combination!

(or I'll set my lvl 10/>25 fighter-mage on you!)

I go to level 10 fighter for the HP - which is the real weakness of mages - and then, if you have the right gear - including improved elven mail which allows casting in armour - you can have a -11 AC even when using a double-handed weapon, such as the staff or two swords. I am dualling with blackrazor and ?? at present, but in a scrap I have picked up Crom Freyr from a fallen comrade and dualled that. a wizard would normally miss out on that kind of opportunity.

OK so black blade of disaster is quite good, but that kind of spell takes time - sometimes a wizard needs to get his hands dirty.

I model my PC on Gandalf - good resiliance, powerful staff, good sword (I don't know the stats for Glamdring, but they must be good...) and as well as the arcane, is prepared to get into the front line of battle, even against fire giants.

sometimes it just feels right to hit them with a big stick.