The NINJA
Info: The ninja is a mysterious, ancient class steeped in superstition and mystery. Its history is shrouded in stealth, deception, and subtlety. This, of course, makes one wonder if the ninja exist at all, and if they are simply legend. Of course, superstition and awe are the greatest weapons for these warriors of the shadow.
AlignmentReligion and StructureAdventure: Ninja primarily adventure for their clan, though such missions depend on the clan's alignment. Good clans usually partake in thievery, sabotage, and espionage, though assasination is something they will do occassionally, as long as there is a good reason. Evil clans are almost exclusively assassins and terrorists, spreading fear and death in the land they occupy, using that influence to corrupt the infrastructure of wherever they inhabit. Neutral clans are more flexible, doing everything good and evil clans do, except in lesser amounts because their missions are more widespread.
Lone ninjas, who have trained alone or passed the Giketsu (The Decision), typically adventure to train their bodies and gain greater understanding of their ninja heritage.
Races: Ninja are mostly human, but they are not hesitant to welcome new blood. Elves are rare, but those that join are revered and feared, being viewed as great masters of legend. Half-elves, halflings, and warforged are also accepted. Some clans even see the occasional shifter or changeling. Half-orcs, with their lack of emotional control, and dwarves, with their desire for money and regard for family, never become ninja, though they are not unwelcome.
Other Classes: Being secretive, ninjas have difficulty dealing with other classes, seeing as how they need to keep their secrets secret. However, lone or unaffiliated ninja tend to form minor relations with monks and clerics, and sometimes ranger and rogues. They tend to avoid paladins because of their contrasting natures, and they try staying away from barbarians, viewing them as fools who think two steps behind.
Alignment: Any
Starting Gold: 4d4 x 10 gp (90 gp)
Starting Age: As a ranger (Moderate)
Table: The NinjakikiSkillsThe following Skills are in-class for a ninja:
Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Disable Device (Int), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Knowledge (Geography) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Open Lock (Dex), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex)
Skill Points at 1st Level: (8 + Int Modifier) x4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 8 + Int Modifier
Class Features-
Weapons and Armor Proficiency: The ninja is proficient with simple weapons, as well as the sai, shuriken, kama, nunchaku, shortbow, ninja-to (short sword), kodachi (broadblade short sword), foot spike, and shuko (hand claws). If the ninja uses the foot spikes and shuko for Climb checks, this is treated as a climber's kit.
The ninja is not proficient with armor or shields.
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AC Bonus (Ex): During training, all ninja unlock the sixth sense, an ability that warns of an attack just before it occurs. As long as he is unarmored and unencumbered, the ninja applies his Wisdom bonus (if any) to AC. The ninja gets an additional +1 to AC at 5th level and every five ninja levels after. The AC bonus is applied to all forms of attack, but not when immobilized or helpless.
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Stealthy Strike (Ex): At 1st level and every other level after, if the ninja can catch an enemy off-guard, he can strike a vital spot for extra damage.
When the ninja strikes an enemy that is denied it Dexterity bonus (if any) to AC, he can deal an extra +1d6 damage. The ninja can use stealthy strike for ranged attacks as long as the target is within 30 feet. If the ninja makes a critical hit while making a stealthy strike, the extra damage is not multiplied.
The ninja can use stealthy strike against an enemy the ninja flanks, but he can only use d4's instead of d6's.
With a sap (blackjack) or an unarmed strike, a ninja can make a stealthy strike that deals nonlethal damage instead of lethal damage. He cannot use a weapon that deals lethal damage to deal nonlethal damage in a stealthy strike, not even with the usual -4 penalty.
Stealthy strike can only be use against creatures with discernible anatomies-constructs, undead, plants, oozes, and incorporeal creatures are immune to stealthy strike. Stealthy strike cannot be used against creatures immune to critical hits or against creatures with concealment or whose vitals are out of reach.
Stealthy strike counts as sneak attack for the purpose of qualifying for feats, prestige classes, or anything requiring a minimum amount of sneak attack damage dice.
The bonus damage from stealthy strike and sneak attack stack if they apply to the same target and all other conditions are met.
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Ki Power (Su): All ninja have control over a pool of spirit energy called
ki. Starting at 1st level, all ninja have 1/2 ninja level (Min 1) + Wisdom modifier uses of
ki per day, and as long as the ninja has one use left, he gets a +2 bonus on Will saves. This Will save bonus becomes +3 at 8th level and +4 at 16th level.
The ninja is unable to use his
ki power if he wears any armor, carries a shield, or carries a medium or heavy load.
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TrapfindingGhost Step (Su): At 2nd level, by using his inner
ki, the ninja can fade from sight for a brief time.
The ninja can become invisible for 1 round by one daily use of his
ki power. Using this ability is a swift action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity.
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The Path I Walk: Starting at 3rd level, and every three levels after, the ninja can select an ability from a list of Supernatural and Extraordinary abilities. The ninja selects an (Ex) ability at 3rd level, followed by a (Su) ability at 6th level. The ninja may choose any type afterward, but must fulfill all pre-requisites (if any) before taking an ability. The abilities are as follows:
KiKiKi Dodge (Requires Ki(Su) Abilities:
Ghost Hop: As a swift action, the ninja gains a +3 dodge bonus to AC and a +3 bonus to Reflex saves until the beginning of his next turn by expending one use of his
ki power. The ninja does not gain these benefits if he is immobilized or helpless.
Ghost Mind: Anyone using spells of the scrying subschool to find the ninja must make a caster check DC 20 + class level. If the check fails, the spell does not work. If the ninja was not targeted, he is never seen.
Ghost Screen: As a move action, a ninja can create a large cloud of smoke by spending one daily use of his
ki power. Treat the smoke as a
fog cloudGhost Sight: The ninja can see invisible and ethereal creatures.
Greater Ki Dodge: The ninja's
ki dodge ability grants total concealment (50% miss chance) instead of concealment.
Improved Ghost Strike: When the ninja uses the ghost strike ability, he gets a +2 insight bonus to the next attack.
(Ex) Abilities:
Armor-Ki Synergy: The ninja retains the use of all class features as long as he wears armor that does not incur an armor check penalty greater than 0. The ninja still loses the noted class features if he wears any other kind of armor, carries a shield, or carries a medium or heavier load.
Great Leap: The ninja can make all Jump checks as if he already had a running start and the Run Feat, effectively gaining a +4 bonus to his jumps.
Improved Evasion: If the ninja makes a Reflex save against an attack that would deal half damage, he still takes no damage. However, if the save fails, he takes only half damage. The ninja cannot use improved evasion if he wears any armor, carries a shield, or carries more than a light load.
InstinctSpeed Climb: A ninja can climb up walls at his base land speed as a move action. This ability requires one free hand, and the ninja must begin and end the climb on a horizontal surface.
ShunshinBonus Feat: The ninja can select a bonus feat instead of one of these abilities.
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Evasion (Ex): Starting at 4th level, when a ninja succeeds on a Reflex save that would deal 1/2 damage (such as a
Fireball spell), he takes no damage instead, so long as he wears no armor, carries no shield, and does not carry more than a light load. A helpless ninja does not gain the benefit of evasion.
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Poison Use (Ex): Beginning at 4th level, the ninja becomes proficient at applying poison to his weapons.
The ninja never risks poisoning himself when doing so to a weapon.
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Ki Dodge (Su): At 6th level, the ninja's body starts to blur and haze, as if his enemies are seeing a mirage.
The ninja can expend one use of his
ki power to gain concealment (20% miss chance) for 1 round.
see invisibility and
invisibility purge do not affect this ability, but
tree seeing negates the miss chance. The concealment given by
ki dodge (and greater
ki dodge) cannot be used to make Hide checks. Using
ki dodge is a immediate action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity.
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Ghost Strike (Su): When the ninja reaches 8th level, he is able to channel some of his spirit into his attacks, enabling him to strike foes that are not of this world.
The ninja can expend one use of his ki power to strike ethereal and incorporeal creatures as if they were material, or he can hit material creatures while ethereal, when he makes his next attack. This attack can be used in a full-round attack, but must be taken before the end of the ninja's next turn.
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Ghost Step (Ethereal) (Su): At 10th level, the ninja has finally learned to jump into the Ethereal Plane.
The ninja's ghost step ability allows him to become ethereal (instead of invisible).
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Improved Poison Use (Ex): When the ninja reaches 10th level, he can use poison with near inhuman quickness.
The ninja can apply poison to a weapon as a move action (instead of as a standard action).
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Hundred Faces (Su): Beginning at 14th level, the ninja may expend one use of his
ki power to transform himself as if under the effect of a
disguise self spell for 1 minute. Using hundred faces counts as a swift action that does provoke an attack of opportunity.
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Meditation (Ex): Beginning at 16th level, the ninja uses the comforts and blessings of meditation to bring greater clarity and focus.
Once per day, the ninja can spend 1 minute in a meditative state. If he does, he regains a number of uses of his ki power equal to one-half his Wisdom bonus (min 1). This ability cannot be used to increase the maximum number of uses the ninja can have.
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Ghost Walk (Su): When the ninja reaches 20th level, his control over his
ki becomes more refined, allowing him to remain ethereal for extended periods.
By expending two uses of his
ki power, the ninja becomes ethereal, as if under the effect of the
ethereal jaunt spell. The ninja's caster level is equal to his class level. Using ghost walk is considered a swift action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity.
Table: The Epic Ninja-
AC Bonus: The ninja continues to gain a +1 bonus to AC every 5 levels above 20th.
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Will Save Bonus: The ninja gets a +5 bonus to Will saves, as long as he has one use of
ki remaining, when he reaches 24th level.
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Stealthy Strike: The ninja's stealthy strike increases by +1d6 at 21st level and every other level after.
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The Path I Walk: The ninja does not recieve additional path I walk abilities after 20th level.
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Bonus Feat: The epic ninja gains a bonus feat (selected from the list of epic ninja bonus feats) at 22nd level and every 4 levels after.
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Epic Ninja Bonus Feats: Blinding Speed, Distant Shot, Epic Dodge, Epic Reflexes, Epic Skill Focus, Epic Will, Extended Life Span, Great Dexterity, Great Wisdom, Improved Stealthy Strike, Legendary Climber, Legendary Leaper, Self-Concealment, Sneak Attack of Opportunity
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Ghost Sense (Ex): When the epic ninja reaches 30th level, his sixth sense achieves a point unimagined. He is able to truly see danger before it occurs, obtaining an almost supernatural clarity of his surroundings.
The ninja is considered to be under the effect of the
foresight spell, so long as he is unarmored and unencumbered.
