The Ninja [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTimePost
Acedykstra

05-09-07, 04:19 PM
Ninja: The ninja is a trained warrior, scout, and assassin. They follow a strict code of conduct and are steeped in mystery.
(in game terms) As far as DnD is concerned, a ninja is a mix compilation of Rogue and Monk abilities. The following are my stats, ideas, and explanations, in an attempt to create a unique class that is not over powered.

BAB: 15 at lvl 20 (ninja’s are not power house fighters, their accuracy comes from their ability to catch their opponent off guard.)
Skill points: (6+int. mod)x4 start, 6+int. mod. Future. (they have a lot of things to focus on in their training, so they don’t have the skill points that a rogue does to master their many abilities as quickly.)
Class skills: Balance, Bluff, Climb, Concentration, Craft, Disable Device, Disguise, Escape Artist, Gather Information, Hide, Jump, Listen, Move Silently, Open Lock, Search, Sense Motive, Sleight of Hand, Spot, Swim, and Tumble.

Hit Die and Armor Bonus
Ninja’s are fighters, but excels in stealth as a mode of combat. Ninjas don’t generally train to take a lot of hits. (Hit die: d6)
However, ninja’s are also well trained in dodging in combat. They have the armor bonus of +1 every 5 levels. (+4 at lvl.20) He also has gained a 6th “sense” in his training. He adds his wisdom modifier (if any) as a bonus to armor class. He retains these bonuses even when his dexterity modifier would be denied.

Weapon and Armor Proficiencies
Ninjas are proficient with no armor, and have simple weapon proficiencies plus the following additional weapons: Nunchaku, kama, Ninja blade (masterwork short sword), Katana (masterwork bastard sword), shuriken, short bow, kukri, sai, siangham and arm mounted crossbow.

Abilities:

Bonus feats: Ninja’s rely on speed and quick reaction speed to gain advantage in battle. At level 1, they gain the improved initiative feat, and at level 3 they gain combat reflexes.

Unarmed Strike: Ninja’s train in several forms of fighting, so at level two, they gain the unarmed strike ability like that of the monk. They can choose to deal lethal or non-lethal damage and deal 1d6 damage with an unarmed attack, they do not provoke attacks of opportunity. Unlike the monk, however, due to their focus in hand-to-hand combat and several other exotic weapons, they do not gain an unarmed damage bonus based on level. (if you take monk and ninja levels, you may stack the levels to determine your unarmed bonus. This only applies if your monk levels are equal or greater than your ninja levels.)

Fast Movement: See Monk abilities. Starting at level 3 (and every 3 levels there after) The ninja’s physical training helps them to escape pursuers and catch fleeing targets quickly. They gain a bonus 10ft to their base land speed.

Great Leap: Starting at level 4, a ninja’s physical training helps them to make incredible feats of jumping. This can be used to quickly get over some higher obstacles either for entry of for escape. They make all jump checks as if they had a running start and had the run feat.

Slow Fall: See Monk abilities. In mastering their abilities to make great leaps, they also developed the skill to come back down safely.

Evasion: At level 2, the ninja’s amazing reaction speed allows them to evade some magical effects. If he succeeds on a reflex save verse a spell he receives no damage. At level 12 this becomes improved evasion, where even on a failed save, he only takes half damage.

Uncanny Dodge: At level 4, the ninja has developed his skills to react to people both in front of and behind him. The ninja can no longer be flanked. At level 8 this ability becomes improved uncanny dodge and he can no longer be sneak attacked except by a ninja (rogue) 4 levels greater than him.

Speed Climb: At level 7, the ninja gets speed climb. He can climb at her speed as a move action with no penalty, however, he must begin and end the round on a horizontal surface (such as the ground or roof top).
If she doesn’t end on a horizontal surface she falls and takes fall damage (if any) from the fall.

Acrobatics: at level 6 (and every 6 levels there after) a ninja’s acrobatic abilities begin to shine, he gets a +2 bonus on Jump, Climb, and Tumble checks. (+4 at level 12 and a total of +6 at level 18)

Trap finding: Ninja’s are experts at avoiding traps, he can find and bypass traps like a rogue of his ninja level.

Poison Use: At level 5 a ninja never fails when adding poison to a weapon. At level 10 he can poison a weapon as a move action.

Ghost Mind: At level 14, a ninja gains resistance to spells of the scrying sub school. To detect or see a ninja with such a spell, the caster must make a caster level check (DC 20+ the ninja’s class level). In the case of a spell like arcane eye, which scans the ninja’s area, a failed check indicates that the spell worked, but the ninja simply isn’t detected. Scrying attempts that do not succeed the check just fail completely.
Also, at this point in their training, the ninja has become immune to fear effects, and gains a +2 bonus to will saves against mind affecting spells and abilities.

Ghost Sight: Once attaining to level 16, a ninja can see invisible and ethereal creatures as easily as she sees material creatures and objects.

Sudden Strike: This extra damage functions like that of a rogue’s sneak attack, however it gives no benefit to flanking an opponent unless their dex bonus is denied. He also cannot use sudden strike to deal non-lethal damage, and gains no damage bonus when a weapon is used to deal non-lethal damage. (it’s a little restricted compared to its sneak attack counter part, but that helps balance the ninja and it just sounds way cooler J )

Ki-Powers: A ninja has Ki-points equal to ½ his ninja level (rounded down) plus his wisdom modifier (if any). The Ninja uses these Ki-powers to create magical effects of stealth and mobility.
A ninja’s Ki powers are Ghost step, Ki-Dodge, Ghost Strike, Greater Ki Dodge, and Ghost Walk. These powers are described below.

Ghost Step: Starting at level 2, a ninja can spend one daily ki-point to become invisible for 1 round. Using this ability is a swift action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity. At tenth level she can become ethereal instead of invisible, ninja’s choice.

Ki Dodge: At 6th level and higher, a ninja can spend one daily Ki-point to cause an attack against her to miss when it might otherwise hit. When activated, the ninja’s outline shifts and wavers, granting concealment (20% miss chance) against all attacks for one round. Using this is a swift action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity. This and greater ki dodge’s effects are negated by true seeing, but not see invisibility.

Greater Ki Dodge: At 18th level, Ki dodge grants total concealment (50% miss chance).

Ghost strike: At 8th level and higher, a ninja can spend a daily ki-point to strike an incorporeal or ethereal creature as if they were corporeal. This can also be used in reverse when she becomes ethereal using ghost step. Activation of ghost strike is a move action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity and effects the next attack made by a ninja so long as that attack takes place before the end of her next turn.

Ghost Walk: At 20th level, a ninja can spend 2 ki points to enter the ethereal plane for an extended period of time. This ability functions as the ethereal jaunt spell with a cater level equal to the ninja class levels.

Well I think that’s everything. Sorry I don’t have a chart. Im waiting to get the books with the ninja prestige classes in them, and then I can possibly make some mods to them if they need it… All in all the problem with the ninja base class in the complete adventurer is that it came out after the prestige classes. I think these changes will help to remedy that, and make the ninja a character that EVERY ninja fanatic wants it to be.
Despot_Arrow

05-09-07, 04:48 PM
I am missing somthing were are his saves?

Also I would say the Ninja would be a Rouge/Swordsage more than a Rouge/Monk. But that is just my opinion.

Still I do like what you have so far.
Acedykstra

05-09-07, 07:48 PM
Oops! :P I forgot the saves...

Like the monk, very physical and mental training gives him all around good saves.

Well, I agree he is more "like" a sword sage, but as far as his abilities go... a lot of the monk abilities fit well in my opinion.

Thanks for the input! :)
vader_rocks

05-09-07, 10:28 PM
Did you come up with this yourself? 'Cause its very similar (if not exactly the same as) the Ninja class from Complete Adventurer...
TrinityPower

05-09-07, 11:31 PM
Did you come up with this yourself? 'Cause its very similar (if not exactly the same as) the Ninja class from Complete Adventurer...

I was thinking the same thing..... :confused:
Acedykstra

05-10-07, 01:24 AM
I used the complete adventurer ninja base class as my model.

I added a few aspects that are not present in that model, uncanny dodge, unarmed strike, evasion at lvl 2 etc.

This version of that base class would allow him to access the ninja prestige classes without having to multiclass or wait for level 12 to get the evasion feat.
DougyJ

05-15-07, 05:39 AM
I like the Ninja from Complete Adventurer better... you don't have to attain it as a prestige class... and his WIS modifier is added to his DEX modifier to make his AC.
Acedykstra

05-15-07, 09:50 PM
Likewise, I think the ninja as a base class serves more the purpose of being born into ninja... Again, this version of the ninja that I have made is an edited version of the CA ninja base class.
Ranger REG

05-16-07, 02:24 AM
Likewise, I think the ninja as a base class serves more the purpose of being born into ninja... Again, this version of the ninja that I have made is an edited version of the CA ninja base class.
Being born in a ninja clan doesn't mean you will become a full-fledged ninja. You still need to be groomed, tutored, and tested before they put you out into the field. Not many have taken the rank of chunin but serves other purpose within the ninja clan community (somebody has to wash and dye their ninja outfits and sharpen the nekode).
AkumaDaimyo

05-23-07, 12:50 PM
Also Ninja blades are NOT masterwork. They are totally the opposite of that. I think we need Heretic up in here. :P
The_Shaman

05-25-07, 06:46 AM
Being born in a ninja clan doesn't mean you will become a full-fledged ninja. You still need to be groomed, tutored, and tested before they put you out into the field. Not many have taken the rank of chunin but serves other purpose within the ninja clan community (somebody has to wash and dye their ninja outfits and sharpen the nekode).

Zing! Besides, it might be that some of the full-fledged members specialize in other roles. Single/multiclass rogues, rangers, monks, or scouts - not to mention any of the spellcasters - can be very useful to the organization.
Ranger REG

05-25-07, 10:04 PM
Also Ninja blades are NOT masterwork. They are totally the opposite of that. I think we need Heretic up in here. :P
They're not masterwork, but they can serve many functions. The hilt or grip can be hollow to hold a secret message or poison. If you uncoil the grip's cord, and place the sword against a sturdy wall with the point down, you can use the guard to climb up on the roof or ceiling and with the attached cord retrieve your sword once you're up there. Attached the hilt to the scabbard, and you get an improvised (two-handed) naginata. The scabbard could also hold small items or the end could be removed and be used as a breathing tool (an improvised snorkel).

Being a ninja means being resourceful with tricks and gimmicks.
Acedykstra

06-21-07, 12:47 PM
My appology for the weapon description, I havent done much research on the DnD weapons :P

I agree that ninja's are supposed to be resourceful, which is why I like the CA's ghost walking abilities. Like I said, I just think he was missing a few things that make the ninja better at escaping things, (mainly the movement speed, uncanny dodge and evasion)

Thats really the main gist of what I was trying to say.
Ranger REG

06-22-07, 04:03 AM
I agree that ninja's are supposed to be resourceful, which is why I like the CA's ghost walking abilities.
I don't really call that resourceful but mystical.
Acedykstra

06-22-07, 02:06 PM
I don't really call that resourceful but mystical.

... Arent mystical powers... resourceful?

Correct me if Im wrong, but the ability to leave a room of heated battle, or where I just killed my victim, simply by walking through the wall and out the building, wouldnt that be kinda resourceful?
Hochiu

06-22-07, 04:12 PM
If you look at having ghost-walk as a "resource", yeah, I guess. But that's like saying the Ninja having two legs and a heartbeat is a resource. He's resourceful not only in the fact that he has the abilities to use the ghost walk ability, but he's able to utilize those abilities properly. So a ninja may know how to do ghost walk, but he may not know enough of when to truly utilize it to make the best use of that ability.

Resourceful in this case being able to react to those conditions, not on any ability he can manifest. A chef knows how to cook, but a resourceful chef can use other items in order to prepare a meal without having the right ingredients. Same thing. :P
Acedykstra

06-24-07, 08:36 PM
So the real issue on weather or not you make a "good" ninja, really just depends on the person role playing it then, sounds fair?
Kid SixXx

06-25-07, 07:36 AM
I like the Ninja from Complete Adventurer better... you don't have to attain it as a prestige class... and his WIS modifier is added to his DEX modifier to make his AC.

Actually I like this one as an alternative because it does have to be attained as a prestige class.

Sorta answers the "how do I recreate the Tenchu game?" by allowing for base class customization (ie. melee class if I want to be a more "combative" ninja like Rikimaru, stealth class if I want to be sneaky like Ayame, and so forth.)

It wouldn't necessarily be the way to go for folks that must have historical accuracy at all costs, but it would do for a pulpish adoptation of the games the kids play these days.
Acedykstra

06-27-07, 01:50 AM
Which do you like as an alternative?