D&D 4E Building the Ninja 4e way - new hybrid rules

[Garthanos]

The cool thing is depending on the details of how you want to emphasize your fighting style there are a lot of ways to build a Ninja. In this case I went with fighter/warlock as much to challenge my thinking as anything else...

It is definitely a long way from optimal but I am experimenting with the Hybrid rules and they really feel complementary to Multi-classing feats these rules make me feel very empowered... . the fighter part gives me interesting possibilities, including preventing my prey from running off and using big two handed anime style swords, and the warlocks powers are too perfect as magical stealth to pass up... eyebite and shadow walk both ooze with flavor.

My temptation to combine classes which really dont combine that well probably gets the better of me

====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ======
Grendel, level 6
Human, Fighter|Warlock
Eldritch Pact (Hybrid): Fey Pact (Hybrid)
Hybrid Warlock: Hybrid Warlock Reflex
Hybrid Talent: Shadow Walk
Background: Silent Hunter

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 17, Con 13, Dex 14, Int 8, Wis 14, Cha 14.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 16, Con 13, Dex 12, Int 8, Wis 13, Cha 14.


AC: 19 Fort: 19 Reflex: 18 Will: 17
HP: 51 Surges: 8 Surge Value: 12

TRAINED SKILLS
Thievery +10, Athletics +11, Stealth +11, Bluff +10

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics +5, Arcana +2, Diplomacy +5, Dungeoneering +5, Endurance +4, Heal +5, History +2, Insight +5, Intimidate +5, Nature +5, Perception +6, Religion +2, Streetwise +5

FEATS
Human: Dirty Fighting
Level 1: Blade Opportunist
Level 2: Hybrid Talent
Level 4: Cruel Cut Style
Level 6: Empowering Shadows

POWERS
Bonus At-Will Power: Cleave
Hybrid Fighter at-will 1: Footwork Lure
Hybrid Warlock at-will 1: Eyebite
Hybrid encounter 1: Lunging Strike
Hybrid daily 1: Curse of the Dark Dream
Hybrid utility 2: Shadow Veil
Hybrid encounter 3: Cloud of Flies
Hybrid daily 5: Nimble Bladestorm
Hybrid utility 6: Battle Awareness

ITEMS
Leather Armor, Adventurer's Kit, Greatsword, Implement, Rod, Spiderkissed Greatsword +2, Magic Leather Armor +2, Cape of the Mountebank +1
====== Copy to Clipboard and Press the Import Button on the Summary Tab ======

I am interested in seeing other peoples Ninja ;-)

 

[Flipguarder]

sorry for the tangent, but I don't understand why people think ninjas should know magic.

 

[Garthanos]

sorry for the tangent, but I don't understand why people think ninjas should know magic.

Very common myth - mysticism and the martial arts commingle, the ninja in the real world used arts like chemistry and special poisons along with blinding powders and smoke clouds, as well as skills like a magician employing both distraction and slight of hand... to disappear but in a fantasy environment its definitely as reasonable to build them with real magic... as being stealthy.

Repeat after me there was no such thing as ninja in the real world they were undercover samurai who didn't want there family names involved and so they used inferior weapons... there is no way on gods green earth with the locked down ancient culture in question peasants would have had swords or time to train in them.... ;-)

 

[FrozenChrono]

Your cha at the very least should be getting pumped every level with this build. Even then hitting could be tough. Have you considered going Swordmage|Warlock? Int and Cha as your main stats and you can spare a few points for dex to keep your ninja skills decent. Swordmage secondary stats are not vital, especially if you go Assault.

Your sword would be an implement for both classes which will be nice, you can do the fullblade anime sword thing. You may choose to take the rogue MC feat which would give you cha to your AC against an OA. You'd also be able to pick up sneak attack which you could use with a ranged dagger or shuriken something once per combat.

If you want to be ridiculous at mobility you could swap your shadow walk with the fey pact boon for your hybrid feat. You'd be teleporting like nobody's business.

What does Cruel Cutting style and empowering shadows do btw I"m without my books?

 

[Shin Okada]

From a Japanese gamer's point of view.

It is true that in many legends and fiction stories, Ninjas are believed to be having some kind of magical powers. But still, they were basically spies, stealth specialists, assassins and guerrillas. The word "Ninja" can be translated into "sneaker" or "stealthy one".

So I prefer to use Rogue class as the base for Ninja. Even a plain single-classed Rogue will work perfectly well as a ninja as they can already wield Dagger (just call it Tanto, Kunai, or Kodachi) and Shuriken. Ranger will be the second-best alternative, I guess.

Then, I will let them multi-class into various other classes if I want to give them some more "mythical" tricks.

Almost any other classes will work as a source of multi-classing. Arcane, divine, or even Primal classes will give them some mystic powers.

And of course, other martial classes will be good to make more realistic variation of Ninjas. Rogue/Ranger will be good to make a typical Ninja in historical (fiction) stories without much super-natural phenomenon. Rogue/Fighter or Rogue/Warlord will make good Jo-nin (Ninjas of Samurai status, usually commanding other Ninjas).

 

[Nifft]

sorry for the tangent, but I don't understand why people think ninjas should know magic.

Presumably for the exact same reasons people think knights, priests, druids and minstrels should know magic.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Regicide]

sorry for the tangent, but I don't understand why people think ninjas should know magic.

Naruto. It's not "magic" it's "chakra." Where is the *vomit* smiley?

Besides, we all know pirate > ninja. Imageshack - velociraptorssw.png

 

[Flipguarder]

Presumably for the exact same reasons people think knights, priests, druids and minstrels should know magic.

Cheers, -- N

The only one of these give examples that would conceivably fight now-a-days is ninjas. Considering they probably have common counterparts that still fight, I suppose I just expect more realism than a few centuries old myth would provide.

I understand its not important, but honestly I just thought Aerialist rogue/flying blade adept was a ninja. maybe pick up alchemist and a bunch of non-magical fun items for their utility stuff.

 

[Garthanos]

The only one of these give examples that would conceivably fight now-a-days is ninjas. Considering they probably have common counterparts that still fight, I suppose I just expect more realism than a few centuries old myth would provide..

Oh you mean those people that join martial arts clubs that call themselves ninja and claim ancient heritages... those are only slightly less pretend than the folk
doing SCA. There is no "realism" accept it ... here drink some coolaide and chant the mantra.

 

[Garthanos]

Your cha at the very least should be getting pumped every level with this build. Even then hitting could be tough. Have you considered going Swordmage|Warlock? Int and Cha as your main stats and you can spare a few points for dex to keep your ninja skills decent. Swordmage secondary stats are not vital, especially if you go Assault.

Your sword would be an implement for both classes which will be nice, you can do the fullblade anime sword thing. You may choose to take the rogue MC feat which would give you cha to your AC against an OA. You'd also be able to pick up sneak attack which you could use with a ranged dagger or shuriken something once per combat.

If you want to be ridiculous at mobility you could swap your shadow walk with the fey pact boon for your hybrid feat. You'd be teleporting like nobody's business.

What does Cruel Cutting style and empowering shadows do btw I"m without my books?

Cruel Cutting style gives he cleave a wisdom damage boost if there is no second enemy to attack and empowering shadows gives a +1 damage when he gets concealment from shadow walking.

I realized that Charisma mildly after the fact was going to need boosted since I ended up picking more Warlock stuff than I expected. (any other way to get eyebite)

The sword mage I can attack everything in a radius effect is actually a great idea.... Ninja/monk multi-attack flavor in there.