Ninja (3.5e Prestige Class)

Ninja
"There are two main types of ninja skills: Deadly and possibly deadly."

Ninjas are perhaps one of the most mysterious and enigmatic classes ever created. While some ninja are little more then killers (and often take levels in the assassin prestige class), rea ninja are masters of exotic weaponry, tools of stealth, and strange powers that stem from internal energy (ki). Ninja are members of secretive ninja clans, the leader of which holds absolute authority over the ninja's life and death. They are sworn to secrecy to protect their identies and those of their clanmates, and must never reveal that they are ninja.

Becoming a Ninja
Most ninjas are rogues, and the skill requirements of the class mean that most members have to have a level or two of rogue. Some ninja have a magical background, which can be a very fearsome combination indeed.

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the ninja.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Ninja gain no additional weapon or armor proficiency. They do, however, gain proficiency in certain exotic weapons as they advance in levels.

This proficiency must be chosen from one of the following weapons: blowgun, chigikiri, double kusarigama, fukibari, fukiya, hand crossbow, kusarigama, kyoketsu shoge, ninja-to, shuriken, spiked chain, sword cane, or war fan.

 (Ex): A ninja learns how to focus his ki to increase his ability to hold his breath. A ninja adds his ninja prestige class level to his Constitution check roll to determine to continue holding his breath.



 (Ex): At 2nd level, a ninja within arm's reach of a wall can use the wall to slow his descent. The ninja takes damage as if the fall was 20 feet shorter than it actually is. His ability to slow his fall increases every other level until he can fall 100 feet and take no damage at 10th level.

 (Ex): At 2nd level and above, the ninja can can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with great agility. If the ninja makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, he instead takes no damage. Even if he fails his saving throw, he takes only half damage from the attack. The ninja can only use improved evasion if he is wearing light armor or no armor.

 (Ex): This ability is identical to the rogue's sneak attack ability, and stacks with it to determine the total damage. It also stacks with the assassin's death attack ability, though it must follow the same rules for either one.

 (Su): A 3rd level ninja gains a +10 competence bonus on Balance, Climb, Jump, and Tumble checks. At 7th level, this bonus increases to +20. In addition, a ninja can always take 10 on a Balance, Climb, Jump, or Tumble check, even when circumstances would normally prevent him from doing so.

 (Su): A 3rd level ninja's jumping distance (horizontal or vertical) is not limited according to his height.

 (Su): A 4th level ninja can use the Hide skill even while being observed. As long as he is within 10 feet away from some sort of shadow, a ninja can hide himself from view in the open without anything to actually hide behind. A ninja cannot, however, hide in his own shadow.

 (Su): A ninja of 5th level or higher can walk on any liquid as if it were firm ground. This effect lasts for 1 round per ninja level, but can be used unlimited times per day.

 (Su): At 7th level, a ninja gains the ability to alter his appearance at will, as if using the spell alter self.

 (Su): A ninja of 8th level or higher is immune to all poisons.

 (Ex): At 9th level, a ninja gains the ability to wriggle free of from magical effects that would otherwise compel or control him. If a ninja with slippery mind is affected by a spell and fails his saving throw, he can attempt his saving throw again next round. He only gets this one extra chance to succeed in his saving throw.

' (Sp):' A ninja spy of 10th level can magically slip between spaces, as per the spell dimension door'', 5 times per day.

Playing a Ninja
Combat: Ninja typically have the same combat niche as the rogue, but function as an even better face of the party. They can get in and get out of dangerous situations even better than most rogues.

Advancement: Most ninja continue as ninja, though some gain a level or two of some sort of spellcasting class.

Resources: A ninja can expect help from his clan for some matters, and this is usually where he draws cohorts and followers from.

Ninja in the World
"Shadows are without form, and thus, without weakness."

Ninjas are enigmatic, the mysterious spiders at the center of a web of intrigue. They often act in opposition to the player character's goals. Their objectives are often inscrutable, but they rarely coincide with those of the heroes.

NPC Reactions: NPCs don't react to ninjas, because a good ninja is the ninja that makes you think he's not a ninja.

Ninja Lore
Characters with ranks in Knowledge (History) can research ninja to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs.

Ninja in the Game
Ninja are the silent killers at the beck and call of powerful lords. They are spies, assassins, informants, and infiltration experts rolled up into one incredibly deadly package. Ninja act as a good center point in an ongoing quest, as the guys pulling the strings throughout the adventure.

Adaptation: Ninja work best in some sort of Oriental setting, but could easily be renamed Hashashin (for Middle-Eastern campaigns) or simply assassins (in Western campaigns).

Sample Encounter: It needs one.

EL ?: It needs one o' these too.