Any good Ninja builds out there? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Any good Ninja builds out there? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
FlimFlam
02-04-05, 02:35 AM I haven't seen any good builds for Ninja's yet. Do any exist?

I was thinking a Ninja centered on ranged attacks might be good. As it seems their Sudden Strike ability isn't very optimal for dual wielding.

The other idea I had was maybe taking a level or 2 in Sorc or Wizard, and pick up the Grease spell. The Grease spell forces a Balance check if your opponent tries to walk on it or through it. And when someone makes a Balance check, they become flat-footed, unless they have 5 ranks in Balance. So this would open them up to Sudden Strike.

Any other ideas I've overlooked?
scrollreader
02-04-05, 02:42 AM Ninja 5/Invisible Blade 5
happycows
02-04-05, 03:16 AM ninja 1/wizard 5/daggerspellmage 10/arcane trickster 4

Sudden strike counts as SA.
FlimFlam
02-04-05, 03:22 AM ninja 1/wizard 5/daggerspellmage 10/arcane trickster 4

Sudden strike counts as SA.

Yeah, but at that point, are you really a ninja?

I am mostly looking for a very good Ninja 20 build, including feats you would take, and good combos (if there are any). Or even a small dip in a class to enhance your Ninja skills (like I suggested with using the Grease spell).

Your build is good, but you could do the same thing with Rogue, Scout or Spellthief instead of Ninja. I'm just really looking to capitalizing on the Ninja's abilities.
happycows
02-04-05, 04:06 AM Ghostfaced killer is a good PrC
allenchan
02-04-05, 04:20 AM To be honest, no, I dont think there are many good Ninja builds (unless we're talking unerrated ninja of the cresent moon or rokugan ninjas... yum).
The best 'ninja' build I've seen is ninja 1/druid 19.
Yea, not exactly ninja-esque, but good.
FlimFlam
02-04-05, 04:28 AM I really like a lot of the abilities of the ninja. The invisibility powers, the good jumping skills, etc. The only thing I don't like is their crappy Sudden Strike ability. Should have just made it Sneak Attack. Blah.
HoshiAdam
02-04-05, 09:38 AM Warlock 4 /Ninja 16. Take the spider climb, devil sight, and see invisible invocations. Never put ranks in climb again, have a ranged attack available all the time, and be able to see anywhere. It might not be amazingly well optimized, but the little extra boost from the warlock abilities would be very helpful.
Ze_Mighty_Vegetable
02-04-05, 03:31 PM Evil thought... can you use sneak attack with shurikens? If you can...

Monk10/ninja10 or maybe ninja10/monk5/master thrower5...

The idea is simple... Ninja gives you sudden strike. Monk gives you flurry of blows. Master thrower is made for throwers (duh!). Since shurikens are considered monk weapons, you can flurry with a shiriken... 3 shuriken per attacks, flurried... all sudden strike... Can you say ouch?
HoshiAdam
02-04-05, 03:43 PM Shurikens lost the 3 per attack option in 3.5. They don't require Quickdraw to draw them as free action anymore instead. Also, you only apply precision based damage once per attack roll.
Mommy was an Orc
02-04-05, 04:28 PM Actually, I've been playing around with a variation of my Chameleon Zen Monk Archer build. Basic theme:
Level of Cleric for Divine Metamagic Persistent Spell
Normally get 2 levels of Monk, but here we'll get Ninja instead.
OotBI for the ability to fire without being stopped.
Zen Archery for using Wisdom for to hit roll

Okay, so here's the build:
Ninja 8/Cleric 1/Chameleon 10/Exotic Weapon Master 1(Great Bow)

If you start out with a 16 Wisdom, get +6 item, +5 from levelling, +5 from inherent bonus and a +6 from Chameleon, you've got a 38 Wisdom - so +16 to AC, +14 to hit. Then you get I think(don't have the book with me), 14 uses of Ki per day. As you're doing Divine Persistent, you can Persist Divine Power for a +20 BAB for a pretty solid to hit chance with a bow - and have clerical spells out the wazoo, while using the Combat Focus to get an additional +4 to hit/damage on top of that.

As I said, I don't have my book with me - I'm not entirely sure if I consider 8 levels of Ninja worth more than say 4 levels of Ninja/3 levels of Ranger/1 level of Horizon Walker.

But you get the idea.
Riznar
02-04-05, 04:52 PM You also get 1/2 your ninja level ki power uses as well, so that's 18.
Going Ninja 5-8 gets you double your SS damage, and the ability to hit incoporeal critters. I'd go Rgr3/HorW1 for the feats and some darkvision/fatigue immunity
rilem
02-04-05, 05:30 PM I think Monk goes very nicely with Ninja — Stunning Fist and the Unbalancing Strike feat (OA) both cause the opponent to lose their Dex to AC, triggering the Sudden Strike damage.

This works with Rogue, as well, of course, the synergies with the Ninja's Ki Powers make Ninja/Monk a better fit.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
FlimFlam 02-04-05, 02:35 AM	I haven't seen any good builds for Ninja's yet. Do any exist? I was thinking a Ninja centered on ranged attacks might be good. As it seems their Sudden Strike ability isn't very optimal for dual wielding. The other idea I had was maybe taking a level or 2 in Sorc or Wizard, and pick up the Grease spell. The Grease spell forces a Balance check if your opponent tries to walk on it or through it. And when someone makes a Balance check, they become flat-footed, unless they have 5 ranks in Balance. So this would open them up to Sudden Strike. Any other ideas I've overlooked?
scrollreader 02-04-05, 02:42 AM	Ninja 5/Invisible Blade 5
happycows 02-04-05, 03:16 AM	ninja 1/wizard 5/daggerspellmage 10/arcane trickster 4 Sudden strike counts as SA.
FlimFlam 02-04-05, 03:22 AM	ninja 1/wizard 5/daggerspellmage 10/arcane trickster 4 Sudden strike counts as SA. Yeah, but at that point, are you really a ninja? I am mostly looking for a very good Ninja 20 build, including feats you would take, and good combos (if there are any). Or even a small dip in a class to enhance your Ninja skills (like I suggested with using the Grease spell). Your build is good, but you could do the same thing with Rogue, Scout or Spellthief instead of Ninja. I'm just really looking to capitalizing on the Ninja's abilities.
happycows 02-04-05, 04:06 AM	Ghostfaced killer is a good PrC
allenchan 02-04-05, 04:20 AM	To be honest, no, I dont think there are many good Ninja builds (unless we're talking unerrated ninja of the cresent moon or rokugan ninjas... yum). The best 'ninja' build I've seen is ninja 1/druid 19. Yea, not exactly ninja-esque, but good.
FlimFlam 02-04-05, 04:28 AM	I really like a lot of the abilities of the ninja. The invisibility powers, the good jumping skills, etc. The only thing I don't like is their crappy Sudden Strike ability. Should have just made it Sneak Attack. Blah.
HoshiAdam 02-04-05, 09:38 AM	Warlock 4 /Ninja 16. Take the spider climb, devil sight, and see invisible invocations. Never put ranks in climb again, have a ranged attack available all the time, and be able to see anywhere. It might not be amazingly well optimized, but the little extra boost from the warlock abilities would be very helpful.
Ze_Mighty_Vegetable 02-04-05, 03:31 PM	Evil thought... can you use sneak attack with shurikens? If you can... Monk10/ninja10 or maybe ninja10/monk5/master thrower5... The idea is simple... Ninja gives you sudden strike. Monk gives you flurry of blows. Master thrower is made for throwers (duh!). Since shurikens are considered monk weapons, you can flurry with a shiriken... 3 shuriken per attacks, flurried... all sudden strike... Can you say ouch?
HoshiAdam 02-04-05, 03:43 PM	Shurikens lost the 3 per attack option in 3.5. They don't require Quickdraw to draw them as free action anymore instead. Also, you only apply precision based damage once per attack roll.
Mommy was an Orc 02-04-05, 04:28 PM	Actually, I've been playing around with a variation of my Chameleon Zen Monk Archer build. Basic theme: Level of Cleric for Divine Metamagic Persistent Spell Normally get 2 levels of Monk, but here we'll get Ninja instead. OotBI for the ability to fire without being stopped. Zen Archery for using Wisdom for to hit roll Okay, so here's the build: Ninja 8/Cleric 1/Chameleon 10/Exotic Weapon Master 1(Great Bow) If you start out with a 16 Wisdom, get +6 item, +5 from levelling, +5 from inherent bonus and a +6 from Chameleon, you've got a 38 Wisdom - so +16 to AC, +14 to hit. Then you get I think(don't have the book with me), 14 uses of Ki per day. As you're doing Divine Persistent, you can Persist Divine Power for a +20 BAB for a pretty solid to hit chance with a bow - and have clerical spells out the wazoo, while using the Combat Focus to get an additional +4 to hit/damage on top of that. As I said, I don't have my book with me - I'm not entirely sure if I consider 8 levels of Ninja worth more than say 4 levels of Ninja/3 levels of Ranger/1 level of Horizon Walker. But you get the idea.
Riznar 02-04-05, 04:52 PM	You also get 1/2 your ninja level ki power uses as well, so that's 18. Going Ninja 5-8 gets you double your SS damage, and the ability to hit incoporeal critters. I'd go Rgr3/HorW1 for the feats and some darkvision/fatigue immunity
rilem 02-04-05, 05:30 PM	I think Monk goes very nicely with Ninja — Stunning Fist and the Unbalancing Strike feat (OA) both cause the opponent to lose their Dex to AC, triggering the Sudden Strike damage. This works with Rogue, as well, of course, the synergies with the Ninja's Ki Powers make Ninja/Monk a better fit.