(It's not quite get of jail free since you do lose your turn on the turn you would otherwise die.)
That said, it's highly likely that it will be fixed going into the next version or maybe even as 1.39d whenever FFMaster comes back given that it was that way in previous versions as you say. I still say that Death Sentence and Reraise need to cancel each outright so as to be consistent even with as horribly as Death Sentence as been kicking my ass of late; Death Sentence probably needs to block Reactions too so as to not be rendered even more moot by Dragon Spirit if that's the case though.
Anyway, among the many things I need to do before potentially losing Internet is posting that list of Katana and Draw Out suggestions. I suppose it didn't help that I changed my mind about a lot of this and that I only just now got done with it:
KATANA
Asura Knife: Gains Strengthen: Fire, Ice & Lightning and +1 PA over just Strengthen: Fire, partly because it's outdone by the new Phoenix Blade, partly because of the change to Kaiser Plate, partly because it's always been kind of mediocre despite being the strongest physical katana and partly because between Samurai and Paladins, currently only female Samurai can make decent use of Black Robe; male Samurai and Paladins of either sex need MA boosting stuff to get the best out of the Strengthen of Black Robe, which means they can't really use it in the first place. As compensation, the new Asura Knife may "need" to lose +1 WP though.
Kotetsu Knife: Gains +1 WP and Strengthen: Holy & Dark over just Strengthen: Dark. The +1 WP is mostly just for the sake of not being weaker than freaking Sadist Whip as far as Grand Cross goes given Kotetsu Knife is only Dark weapon (of a grand total of two) to actually go off PA. The Strengthen: Holy & Dark part is because neither Samurai nor Paladin can equip Golden Hairpin without aid of the immensely popular Equip Clothing--please note the sarcasm. As such, the only way to Strengthen both of those elements otherwise for them is to use the currently way nerfed 108 Gems
Bizen Boat: Just gains +1 MA rather than the 100% Dispel Magic I was considering giving it since now I'm now no longer certain about the 100% Silence being entirely useless, if only because Mediators tend to not guard against Silence. That's still kind of dubious, but as long as it becomes the only katana capable of giving MA, people will definitely use it if only for that.
Murasame: This is probably fine as it is, though it could maybe go up another +1 WP still. Shrug.
Heaven's Cloud: Gains Strengthen: Earth, Wind & Water, but loses +1 WP since it's getting to keep its chance of 50% Slow. This would have not gotten consideration for this particular if not for the fact that Chirijiraden lost Strengthen: Earth, Wind & Water.
Kiyomori: Loses +2 MA and +1 WP and gains Immune: Poison and 50% Cast: Bio. Now other katana might see some actual use. Much like how I think Wizard Staff could be changed into something more useful and special than a literal Wizard Rod clone, (female) Samurai so hellbent on having a +2 MA weapon can just start using C Bag. After all, it can be used with Two Hands.
Muramasa: GAINS BACK ITS 100% FAITH PROC THAT SPELL EDGE SHOULD HAVE NEVER GOTTEN; MEANWHILE, SPELL EDGE GETS BACK ITS +1 MA AND 100% SPELL ABSORB CHANCE AND ALL IS LESS WRONG WITH THE WORLD. [/RAGE]
Kikuichimo(n)ji: This is fine as it is. I'm still surprised people took my Quake with Fear thing seriously, but it's worked out surprisingly well, so...yeah. Keep doing that.
Masamune: Assuming that we're trying to use the new (horrible) -2 Speed, Always: Haste, still WP: 8 Masamune as a base for changes, then at the very least that version *needs* Immune: Slow to be worth a damn. Even then it's still...meh at best since the Always: Haste doesn't *really* matter (and never will if Quickening dies like it should). Since Always: Haste doesn't do anything other than maybe making sure the A.I. has to spend less turns Hasting than it otherwise would, it's rather superfluous, so the design as a whole can and should probably be scrapped. At least we know -Stats work now between this and the newer Phoenix Blade though.
As such, I might as well just suggest going with the version of Masamune I was originally going to suggest for 1.39 before FFMaster's return: Range: 2; Initial: Regen & Haste; 20% Cast: Comet; 2H: Yes; 2S: No.
I originally had it being Forced Two Hands as well and increasing to 10 WP, but I figure that letting it stay at 8 WP justifies letting it stay boosted by Two Hands, which allows Samurai to use it "better" than Paladins would if it was the case otherwise. It also makes it less likely that its damage will be overpowered since Comet triggering is a free 100 damage for ever strike it trigger on, which can easily add up. Comet's chance for trigging may "need" to be higher though.
Chirijiraden: This can probably stay the suicidal Initial: Berserk, +1 Speed it is now I guess since people seem to actually be using it. I'm not sure if Always: Berserk, +1 Move or Always: Berserk, +1 Speed, -1 PA would be better though.
DRAW OUT
Asura: (Male) Samurai need some type of way to use this better than either Squire or Monk (or Paladin...or Dancer...or Scholar...or...) currently can in my opinion since male Samurai have so little going for them presently anyway. Hell, the biggest upgrade they got was the change to Chirijiraden the katana, which is technically still a nerf given at very least how suicidal and one-note it is and how useful the old version of Chirijiraden the katana often was.
I'm tempted to say that the "best" solution would be to have Asura hit the user, as odd as that seems, given then that it would force the Clothes-wearing classes to forego either Power Sleeve's +2 PA or 108 Gems Strengthen: All Elements if they don't want to take damage. Sure, the new Defense Armlet would make using Power Sleeve still viable, but outside of Squire, Paladin, Geomancer and Scholar, no other class that can already use Asura better than male Samurai would get access to Strengthen: Fire anymore. Of those, Geomancer would have to forego using Power Sleeve for Black Robe while Paladin can use Asura Knife and Squire & Scholar can use Flame Rod anyway. Additionally, only Paladin can also become Immune: Oil through use of Platina Helmet while still absorbing Fire without incurring the currently fatal Weaknesses that Shields bring. (I suppose that Lancer would also join the classes that can make better use of [current] Asura if Lancers get Robes back like they should, but since that's not finalized yet....)
Shrug. I just figure that something needs to change if Asura is going to actually be worth using on male Samurai since currently male Samurai have nothing going for them in their primary save for Kiyomori and Masamune, which a bunch of other classes also use (way) better, and their two Innate abilities.
Relatively independent of the above but not necessarily exclusive to it, I also think it would be good if Asura dropped its "Enemy Only" aspect and/or lived up to its name by being tri-directional like how currently only Houkouton is. Again, shrug.
Koutetsu: This is currently fine as it is, as evidenced by it being used quite a bit even though Kotetsu Knife sees next to no use.
Bizen Boat: Being subject to M-EV is/was a step towards fairness, but I suppose it's also true that didn't/doesn't really matter most of the time that Bizen Boat is used given that it most often happens to be used to mid-charge someone. As such, the only other thing I could see being done to balance this--given the current unfortunate restrictions on Draw Out (and Elemental/Geomancy)--would be to reduce its AoE from 2 to 1. That might not be really necessary though. Shrug.
Murasame: This, on the other, *definitely* needs to be AoE 1 rather than AoE 2 in my opinion. There's really no good reason that you should be able to do essentially X-Potion or better your entire party instantly, even if its possible for you to accidentally heal your opponent. Unless, of course, you Zombie them or, more likely, they're already Zombified due to (how popular) Cursed Ring (is still). On top of that, Mimes still being around only makes this even more overpowered and obnoxious as a form of healing.
Heaven's Cloud: If any of the Draw Out's should be "Enemy Only", then it should really be this because both this and its katana are basically nigh-worthless to Wind absorb strategies anyway given how the only way non-Armor units can protect against Slow is Sprint Shoes. While that's personally fine with me, Slow 2 having absurdly high accuracy aside, it's part of the reason that this is easily the least used Draw Out and that likely wouldn't change even with the proposed change to Heaven's Cloud the katana if Heaven's Cloud the ability is kept as it currently is otherwise.
Kiyomori: This is...as fine as it's going to get, I guess. It's difficult to tell when Berserk status currently lasts forever given this just destroys Berserk units by just itself. The only other way to weaken it without nerfing it into the ground would be to make it subject to M-EV somehow, but I'd personally rather just try balancing Berserk status and Insult first, preferably by giving the former finite CT and making the latter less likely to hit. Beyond that, Poison's CT may need to be shortened, though that's more a general issue.
Murasama: This is fine as it is outside of my views on Death Sentence/Doom and how it could be more consistent, though that's an issue with the status itself and not this ability. So, yes, this is fine currently.
Kikuichimo(n)ji: This is also fine as it is, though losing the old version of Chirijiraden hurt it a bit. The suggested potential change to Heaven's Cloud the katana should alleviate though.
Masamune: Ugh. This ability. I still think it may likely need to be weakened, somehow, but I'll be content with weakening or excising outside factors first, i.e. eliminating Quickening from the game. Aside from that, as with Kiyomori the ability, Regen's CT (and maybe even Haste's CT) may need to be shortened, though again that's more a general issue. Currently I guess that means it's "fine" though. Grumble.
Chirijiraden: This ability is also tricky to balance. On the one hand, it "deserves" to be powerful given how much you have to spend on it and it's already subject to M-EV. On the other hand, it hits *really* horribly hard when powered-up and that it's subject to M-EV is moot more often than not, which is part of the reason that Draw Out-bot Geomancers prefer to use it over any other Draw Out even with the potential for collateral damage. The "best" thing to do might be to reduce its power slightly to MA*8. Again, "shrug" about how necessary that "actually" is for "actual" balance.
As always, feel free to comment on this.
That said, it's highly likely that it will be fixed going into the next version or maybe even as 1.39d whenever FFMaster comes back given that it was that way in previous versions as you say. I still say that Death Sentence and Reraise need to cancel each outright so as to be consistent even with as horribly as Death Sentence as been kicking my ass of late; Death Sentence probably needs to block Reactions too so as to not be rendered even more moot by Dragon Spirit if that's the case though.
Anyway, among the many things I need to do before potentially losing Internet is posting that list of Katana and Draw Out suggestions. I suppose it didn't help that I changed my mind about a lot of this and that I only just now got done with it:
KATANA
Asura Knife: Gains Strengthen: Fire, Ice & Lightning and +1 PA over just Strengthen: Fire, partly because it's outdone by the new Phoenix Blade, partly because of the change to Kaiser Plate, partly because it's always been kind of mediocre despite being the strongest physical katana and partly because between Samurai and Paladins, currently only female Samurai can make decent use of Black Robe; male Samurai and Paladins of either sex need MA boosting stuff to get the best out of the Strengthen of Black Robe, which means they can't really use it in the first place. As compensation, the new Asura Knife may "need" to lose +1 WP though.
Kotetsu Knife: Gains +1 WP and Strengthen: Holy & Dark over just Strengthen: Dark. The +1 WP is mostly just for the sake of not being weaker than freaking Sadist Whip as far as Grand Cross goes given Kotetsu Knife is only Dark weapon (of a grand total of two) to actually go off PA. The Strengthen: Holy & Dark part is because neither Samurai nor Paladin can equip Golden Hairpin without aid of the immensely popular Equip Clothing--please note the sarcasm. As such, the only way to Strengthen both of those elements otherwise for them is to use the currently way nerfed 108 Gems
Bizen Boat: Just gains +1 MA rather than the 100% Dispel Magic I was considering giving it since now I'm now no longer certain about the 100% Silence being entirely useless, if only because Mediators tend to not guard against Silence. That's still kind of dubious, but as long as it becomes the only katana capable of giving MA, people will definitely use it if only for that.
Murasame: This is probably fine as it is, though it could maybe go up another +1 WP still. Shrug.
Heaven's Cloud: Gains Strengthen: Earth, Wind & Water, but loses +1 WP since it's getting to keep its chance of 50% Slow. This would have not gotten consideration for this particular if not for the fact that Chirijiraden lost Strengthen: Earth, Wind & Water.
Kiyomori: Loses +2 MA and +1 WP and gains Immune: Poison and 50% Cast: Bio. Now other katana might see some actual use. Much like how I think Wizard Staff could be changed into something more useful and special than a literal Wizard Rod clone, (female) Samurai so hellbent on having a +2 MA weapon can just start using C Bag. After all, it can be used with Two Hands.
Muramasa: GAINS BACK ITS 100% FAITH PROC THAT SPELL EDGE SHOULD HAVE NEVER GOTTEN; MEANWHILE, SPELL EDGE GETS BACK ITS +1 MA AND 100% SPELL ABSORB CHANCE AND ALL IS LESS WRONG WITH THE WORLD. [/RAGE]
Kikuichimo(n)ji: This is fine as it is. I'm still surprised people took my Quake with Fear thing seriously, but it's worked out surprisingly well, so...yeah. Keep doing that.
Masamune: Assuming that we're trying to use the new (horrible) -2 Speed, Always: Haste, still WP: 8 Masamune as a base for changes, then at the very least that version *needs* Immune: Slow to be worth a damn. Even then it's still...meh at best since the Always: Haste doesn't *really* matter (and never will if Quickening dies like it should). Since Always: Haste doesn't do anything other than maybe making sure the A.I. has to spend less turns Hasting than it otherwise would, it's rather superfluous, so the design as a whole can and should probably be scrapped. At least we know -Stats work now between this and the newer Phoenix Blade though.
As such, I might as well just suggest going with the version of Masamune I was originally going to suggest for 1.39 before FFMaster's return: Range: 2; Initial: Regen & Haste; 20% Cast: Comet; 2H: Yes; 2S: No.
I originally had it being Forced Two Hands as well and increasing to 10 WP, but I figure that letting it stay at 8 WP justifies letting it stay boosted by Two Hands, which allows Samurai to use it "better" than Paladins would if it was the case otherwise. It also makes it less likely that its damage will be overpowered since Comet triggering is a free 100 damage for ever strike it trigger on, which can easily add up. Comet's chance for trigging may "need" to be higher though.
Chirijiraden: This can probably stay the suicidal Initial: Berserk, +1 Speed it is now I guess since people seem to actually be using it. I'm not sure if Always: Berserk, +1 Move or Always: Berserk, +1 Speed, -1 PA would be better though.
DRAW OUT
Asura: (Male) Samurai need some type of way to use this better than either Squire or Monk (or Paladin...or Dancer...or Scholar...or...) currently can in my opinion since male Samurai have so little going for them presently anyway. Hell, the biggest upgrade they got was the change to Chirijiraden the katana, which is technically still a nerf given at very least how suicidal and one-note it is and how useful the old version of Chirijiraden the katana often was.
I'm tempted to say that the "best" solution would be to have Asura hit the user, as odd as that seems, given then that it would force the Clothes-wearing classes to forego either Power Sleeve's +2 PA or 108 Gems Strengthen: All Elements if they don't want to take damage. Sure, the new Defense Armlet would make using Power Sleeve still viable, but outside of Squire, Paladin, Geomancer and Scholar, no other class that can already use Asura better than male Samurai would get access to Strengthen: Fire anymore. Of those, Geomancer would have to forego using Power Sleeve for Black Robe while Paladin can use Asura Knife and Squire & Scholar can use Flame Rod anyway. Additionally, only Paladin can also become Immune: Oil through use of Platina Helmet while still absorbing Fire without incurring the currently fatal Weaknesses that Shields bring. (I suppose that Lancer would also join the classes that can make better use of [current] Asura if Lancers get Robes back like they should, but since that's not finalized yet....)
Shrug. I just figure that something needs to change if Asura is going to actually be worth using on male Samurai since currently male Samurai have nothing going for them in their primary save for Kiyomori and Masamune, which a bunch of other classes also use (way) better, and their two Innate abilities.
Relatively independent of the above but not necessarily exclusive to it, I also think it would be good if Asura dropped its "Enemy Only" aspect and/or lived up to its name by being tri-directional like how currently only Houkouton is. Again, shrug.
Koutetsu: This is currently fine as it is, as evidenced by it being used quite a bit even though Kotetsu Knife sees next to no use.
Bizen Boat: Being subject to M-EV is/was a step towards fairness, but I suppose it's also true that didn't/doesn't really matter most of the time that Bizen Boat is used given that it most often happens to be used to mid-charge someone. As such, the only other thing I could see being done to balance this--given the current unfortunate restrictions on Draw Out (and Elemental/Geomancy)--would be to reduce its AoE from 2 to 1. That might not be really necessary though. Shrug.
Murasame: This, on the other, *definitely* needs to be AoE 1 rather than AoE 2 in my opinion. There's really no good reason that you should be able to do essentially X-Potion or better your entire party instantly, even if its possible for you to accidentally heal your opponent. Unless, of course, you Zombie them or, more likely, they're already Zombified due to (how popular) Cursed Ring (is still). On top of that, Mimes still being around only makes this even more overpowered and obnoxious as a form of healing.
Heaven's Cloud: If any of the Draw Out's should be "Enemy Only", then it should really be this because both this and its katana are basically nigh-worthless to Wind absorb strategies anyway given how the only way non-Armor units can protect against Slow is Sprint Shoes. While that's personally fine with me, Slow 2 having absurdly high accuracy aside, it's part of the reason that this is easily the least used Draw Out and that likely wouldn't change even with the proposed change to Heaven's Cloud the katana if Heaven's Cloud the ability is kept as it currently is otherwise.
Kiyomori: This is...as fine as it's going to get, I guess. It's difficult to tell when Berserk status currently lasts forever given this just destroys Berserk units by just itself. The only other way to weaken it without nerfing it into the ground would be to make it subject to M-EV somehow, but I'd personally rather just try balancing Berserk status and Insult first, preferably by giving the former finite CT and making the latter less likely to hit. Beyond that, Poison's CT may need to be shortened, though that's more a general issue.
Murasama: This is fine as it is outside of my views on Death Sentence/Doom and how it could be more consistent, though that's an issue with the status itself and not this ability. So, yes, this is fine currently.
Kikuichimo(n)ji: This is also fine as it is, though losing the old version of Chirijiraden hurt it a bit. The suggested potential change to Heaven's Cloud the katana should alleviate though.
Masamune: Ugh. This ability. I still think it may likely need to be weakened, somehow, but I'll be content with weakening or excising outside factors first, i.e. eliminating Quickening from the game. Aside from that, as with Kiyomori the ability, Regen's CT (and maybe even Haste's CT) may need to be shortened, though again that's more a general issue. Currently I guess that means it's "fine" though. Grumble.
Chirijiraden: This ability is also tricky to balance. On the one hand, it "deserves" to be powerful given how much you have to spend on it and it's already subject to M-EV. On the other hand, it hits *really* horribly hard when powered-up and that it's subject to M-EV is moot more often than not, which is part of the reason that Draw Out-bot Geomancers prefer to use it over any other Draw Out even with the potential for collateral damage. The "best" thing to do might be to reduce its power slightly to MA*8. Again, "shrug" about how necessary that "actually" is for "actual" balance.
As always, feel free to comment on this.