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Ninja

Ninja Class Codex Trimmed

Masters of subtlety and subterfuge, Ninjas are a highly secretive class that operate in shadows to achieve goals known only to their own Guilds or those you pay a premium price for their services. They excel at infiltration, and can lie unseen within an organization, slowly destroying it from within, or if need be swiftly removing its leadership. Combining deadly martial arts with a mastery of arms and stealth maneuvers, they are highly efficient in the art of quiet deaths, said to rival even the Assassin’s Guilds at their own craft.

Believed to be the Great Shame of the High Elven Shoguns, and the ancient enemy of the honorable Samurai, the very existence of Ninjas is a closely guarded secret. So shrouded in mystery and cloaked in deception, many have come to believe that Ninjas are nothing more than a myth. This suits them well, for one cannot defeat something that does not exist.

But in reality, the ways of the Ninja are no myth. Rather it is a well ordered and disciplined way of life that has spread its influence throughout the Realm of Strife, beyond the shadow of the Elven empires and into the realms of men.Perhaps deadliest of all are the Kayden Ninjas of Zilfari Roost, who bring death upon wings as black as night.

Class Overview


Typical Roles: Support/Utility, Stealth, Melee Damage, Ranged Damage
Damage Types: Physical
Class Mechanic: Stealth and Focus

Available Races Initial Gold
Half-elf 155.3
High Elf 216.0
Human 202.5
Kayden 141.8

Default Stats: During Character Creation you may choose to use the default stat line shown below, before racial modifiers. This can be instead of rolling for stats, or if after rolling ten sets of stats you don’t like the results.

Default Stat Ninja
STRENGTH 9
AGILITY 11
STAMINA 9
INTELLECT 10
WISDOM 10
AVOIDANCE 13
PERCEPTION 10
RESOLVE 13
INITIATIVE 11
CHARM 9

During Character Creation you may choose to use the Default Stat Line, before racial modifiers, instead of rolling for stats, or if after rolling ten sets of stats you don’t like the results

Proficiencies

Natural Armor Proficiency: Cloth
Trainable Armor Proficiency: Leather
Natural Weapon Proficiency: Knives, Swords, Hand Weapons
Trainable Weapon Proficiency: Whips, Crossbows, Staves, Firearms

See Equipment section for details. When using a weapon that your class is not proficient with, see Combat Penalties. There is no level or title prerequisite to train in a new proficiency, however you must receive the appropriate Training.

Class Skills

Class Passive Skill: Silent Killer
Class Secondary Skill: Martial ArtsLightning Reflexes, or Bounty Hunter

Primary Skills


Focus

The martial arts of the Ninja include a well rounded balance of techniques so that they might be prepared for any situation. To train outside of ones ninja clan or guild is forbidden, and punishable by death. However, within the clan training is most often provided without charge for members in good standing. Ninjas follow the standard methods for Learning New Focus Skills.

The maximum number of skill points that can be allotted to each focus discipline are as follows:

  • Fist: 15 skill points
  • Kick: 20 skill points
  • Armed: 15 skill points
  • Ranged: 15 skill points
  • Defense: 10 skill points

New focus skills require training unless they are upgrades (i.e. Rank1 Head Shot -> Rank2 Head Shot), see Learning New Focus Skills for details

Stealth

The Ninja uses stealth to deceive, confuse, and exploit their enemies weaknesses. Masters of Subterfuge, they can gather crucial information while avoiding detection, but also just as easily end the life of a potential target. The skills they require any taught by the clan or guild, as mucha part of their martial arts training as anything else. Ninja follow the standard rules for Stealth classes and Learning New Stealth Skills.

Stealth Costs for Ninja are as follows:

  • All offensive or aggressive Stealth actions reduce Stealth by 2 prior to taking a Stealth Test
  • All offensive or aggressive Stealth instants reduce Stealth by 1 prior to taking a Stealth Test
  • Increase the Stealth cost by 1 if the offensive or aggressive instant or action is NOT a Stealth skill (i.e. a regular attack action)
  • All regular movement reduces Stealth by 1 per tabletop inch moved prior to taking a Stealth Test

Primary Discipline: SubterfugeNinja have the following restrictions for Stealth Disciplines:

  • Available Disciplines: Sabotage, Survival, Assassination, Suppression
  • Forbidden Disciplines: Thievery, Dirty Fighting

Upon character creation, Ninja automatically gain the following Stealth skills (prior to applying level ups):

  • Espionage (Rank I)
  • Distract (Rank I)

To learn new stealth skills require training unless they are upgrades (i.e. Rank1 Swift Kick -> Rank2 Swift Kick). Training is exclusively facilitated by the Ninja Clan (Guild) to which they belong.

Level Ups


Ninjas use the following chart for levelling up:

HP Dice (Slight): Small Race (1d6), Medium Race (1d8), Large Race (1d10)

Notes:

  1. Re-calculate Base Stealth each level

Specializations


Specializations are recommended for advanced players only, and are accomplished through the Secondary Skill system (see Specialist Skills). Ninjas may choose to specialize their skills in up to one weapon use, two combat styles and/or one stealth path, but can not have more than two specializations in total.

  • Max one Weapon Specialist skill (choose from: Knives, Swords, Hand Weapons, Whips, Crossbows)
  • Max one Combat Specialist skill (choose from: Freehand, Great Weapon, Paired Weapon, Freestyle, Sharp Shooter, Skirmisher, Peltast, Warder, Pugilist, Physical Defense)
  • Max one Stealth Specialist skill (choose from: Sabotage, Traps, Assassination, Avoidance, Subterfuge)

Title System


Ninja Clan

Ninjas gain titles based on their rank and standing within their Clan. While not truly a family, Ninja clans are tied together with bonds that arguably run deeper than blood relations. From an organization standpoint, Ninja Clans function much the same as other Stealth Guilds, and are often referred to as such. However they are by far the most secretive of all Guilds and you will find none outside of their own ranks who can truly confirm their existence. When forced to work with others outside of their Guild or Clan, most Ninjas will mask their true identity and take their secrets to the grave if necessary. Acceptance into a Ninja Clan is to become a part of that Clan for life. That life however, will be exceptionally short for those who fail to perform or dare betray their Clan. Leaving, or even refusing to join a Ninja Clan is a death sentence. This, coupled with the wide variety of benefits and training available through a Ninja Clan, make it well worth the effort to join.

The titles awarded by a Ninja Clan or Guild are as follows: