[Powergaming] Monk/Ninja (or Rogue) = Nasty!

[RogueJK]

The Ninja is more powerful than you might think. At first glance, it appears that they can't wear any armor or use a shield without losing most of their special abilities. However, this is not the case. The text clearly states that they lose these abilities if they wear any armor with an armor check above 0.

As such, they have many ways to boost their AC.

Masterwork Armor = -1 to Armor check penalty (Per the DMG, all magic armor is also MW armor.)
Nimbleness special quality (+1 enhancement from Magic of Faerun) = -1 to armor check penalty
Mithral = -3 to armor check penalty

This makes a total of -5 to the armor check penalty. They can wear any light or medium armor with these qualities and still have 0 armor check penalty. The same goes with shields. They can use a Darkwood shield or a Mithral shield, both of which have an armor check penalty of 0.

"Wait!" you say. "The ninja isn't proficient with ANY armor or shields." Well, no they aren't. But, according to the PHB, if you use any armor or shield that you aren't proficient with, you apply the armor check penalty to attack rolls and all skills that require movement. When the armor check penalty is 0, this isn't a problem.

So the Ninja can be seen as a fighter with no heavy armor proficiency, limited weapon proficiency, and a d6 for hit points. The added sneak attack damage and other special abilities would seem to make up for that.

Just something to ponder.

 

[Ishamael]

hmm.. something I havn't considered RogueJK. Still though, I don't see them as all that powerfull compared to a standard rogue. The Rogue gets 80 more skill points over his career as well as several other things the ninja doesn't. I don't think either of them are unbalanced, just different.

The ninja simply gives up some of the Rogue's versatility and skill for a little better combat potential. A fair trade in my game, but your milage may vary.

I would consider it overpowered if I saw no reason to play a rogue while the ninja exists. I don't see that in this case.

My rule of thumb:

Before I consider any class too powerful to allow, I compare it to the cleric.