the Jester
Legend
If you were making a ninja character class, what are the essential things that set it apart from a rogue, thief or assassin? What would you give it to make it distinct?
What would you give a ninja class?
- Thread starter the Jester
- Start date
Extreme stealth, maybe to the point of invisibility. A focus on special weapons, notably shuriken.
Maybe slant them closer to fighters, with a larger emphasis on fighting and physical feats, and less on thievery.
To be honest, mechanically I think a ninja is very close to a rogue. I'm not sure it really needs to be its own class.
Maybe slant them closer to fighters, with a larger emphasis on fighting and physical feats, and less on thievery.
To be honest, mechanically I think a ninja is very close to a rogue. I'm not sure it really needs to be its own class.
The Shaman
First Post
Me cutlass blade through his heart! ARRRRRRRR!
I think assassin covers ninja just fine already.
I think assassin covers ninja just fine already.
![[OMENRPG]Ben](/data/avatars/m/6677/6677983.jpg?1565264961){kind=avatar}
[OMENRPG]Ben
First Post
It depends on the setting.
If it is in a Wuxia style setting where ninjutsu is a very real and practical use of Ki/Chi and forms of magic, then the ninja should be a rogue with this kind of magic for concealment, extra damage, etc.
But, if we are going for a more anachronistic standpoint, then the ninja really is less suited for traps/thievery and is strictly for espionage and assassination. I would take examples of the Monk class and mix in some of the sneak attack functionality of the rogue, adding in proficiently fighting with improvised/simple/small weapons.
Traditionally the ninja were typically used to counter samurai (typically commissioned by other samurai who couldn't publicly challenge the target) and to kill their target by any means necessary. Many ninja were even current Samurai or Samurai who had become Ronin and now served as dishonorable mercenaries.
So, the ability to disarm a fighter(samurai) or puncture thick armor. So maybe a bonus to disarm with a kusagami or some other disarm-friendly monk weapon (kamas?) and then armor piercing, stealth, sneak attack, high crits, high mobility.
Yeah, I would play that.
If it is in a Wuxia style setting where ninjutsu is a very real and practical use of Ki/Chi and forms of magic, then the ninja should be a rogue with this kind of magic for concealment, extra damage, etc.
But, if we are going for a more anachronistic standpoint, then the ninja really is less suited for traps/thievery and is strictly for espionage and assassination. I would take examples of the Monk class and mix in some of the sneak attack functionality of the rogue, adding in proficiently fighting with improvised/simple/small weapons.
Traditionally the ninja were typically used to counter samurai (typically commissioned by other samurai who couldn't publicly challenge the target) and to kill their target by any means necessary. Many ninja were even current Samurai or Samurai who had become Ronin and now served as dishonorable mercenaries.
So, the ability to disarm a fighter(samurai) or puncture thick armor. So maybe a bonus to disarm with a kusagami or some other disarm-friendly monk weapon (kamas?) and then armor piercing, stealth, sneak attack, high crits, high mobility.
Yeah, I would play that.
howandwhy99
Adventurer
Assassins. Check out the AD&D class. It includes most things specific to ninjas. <link>
Ninjas are really setting specific assassins to feudal Japan. Because of that the equipment lists are going to be different, especially weapon and armor proficiencies. The more supernatural feats and historical disciplines from that link can be added too. It makes the class slightly monkish, but you could treat Ninja as an assassin prestige class a la Bard. I think I'd go that way to add the supernatural stuff later.
Look at the similarities: Assassins belong to a guild, their primary function is killing, they gain poison use (unlike any other class), cannot be Lawful, fight as thieves rather than military-trained warriors, can be hired for and can make assassination attacks, are masters of disguise to the point where they can even gain alternate alignment languages, their secondary function is spying (which can include sabotage), their tertiary function is thieving and so receive thief abilities except backstabbing. (That last I might change for a home version, but perhaps the backstabbing ability is lower like the thief abilities are). Finally, followers are rarer and take longer to gain. (Historically most ninjas were born into the profession, so losing a follower could mean they were your sibling or a guildmember ally's).
Ninjas are really setting specific assassins to feudal Japan. Because of that the equipment lists are going to be different, especially weapon and armor proficiencies. The more supernatural feats and historical disciplines from that link can be added too. It makes the class slightly monkish, but you could treat Ninja as an assassin prestige class a la Bard. I think I'd go that way to add the supernatural stuff later.
Look at the similarities: Assassins belong to a guild, their primary function is killing, they gain poison use (unlike any other class), cannot be Lawful, fight as thieves rather than military-trained warriors, can be hired for and can make assassination attacks, are masters of disguise to the point where they can even gain alternate alignment languages, their secondary function is spying (which can include sabotage), their tertiary function is thieving and so receive thief abilities except backstabbing. (That last I might change for a home version, but perhaps the backstabbing ability is lower like the thief abilities are). Finally, followers are rarer and take longer to gain. (Historically most ninjas were born into the profession, so losing a follower could mean they were your sibling or a guildmember ally's).
Mark CMG
Creative Mountain Games
Olgar Shiverstone
Legend
Immunity from Spot checks.
Count me as one of the people that believes that the rogue does a fine job of covering the ninja. I seem to remember boatloads of people playing 4E's rogue as a ninja when 4E first came out, and a multiclass rogue/monk as a ninja in 3E's early days.
I don't think that a game (any edition or version) needs a distinct ninja class, but players are going to constantly clamor for it since a ninja is supposed to be "cooler" than a rogue.
If I had a player that really wanted to play a ninja as a distinct class in my Pathfinder game, I'd tell them to make it a rogue with the monk's ki pool, weapon proficiencies, and Improved Unarmed Strike as a bonus feat, with their choice of either the monk's bonus feats or flurry of blows. I'd have them lose rogue talents, trapfinding, and the rogue's normal weapon proficiencies. I haven't checked out Ultimate Combat yet, I'm hoping that the ninja there is something like that.
I don't think that a game (any edition or version) needs a distinct ninja class, but players are going to constantly clamor for it since a ninja is supposed to be "cooler" than a rogue.
If I had a player that really wanted to play a ninja as a distinct class in my Pathfinder game, I'd tell them to make it a rogue with the monk's ki pool, weapon proficiencies, and Improved Unarmed Strike as a bonus feat, with their choice of either the monk's bonus feats or flurry of blows. I'd have them lose rogue talents, trapfinding, and the rogue's normal weapon proficiencies. I haven't checked out Ultimate Combat yet, I'm hoping that the ninja there is something like that.
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