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

[Garthanos]

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".

How I have heard Ninjutsu translated --> Art of Invisibility.

The less mystical variety Ninja is still cool. The point is that we arent nailed down to any one class to create our characters, we shouldnt feel bound by the fluff.
And the particular ninja I was envisioning was a somewhat different style than if I went with a rogue. There is even historical support for this is a "bushi undercover" for having his class be warrior .. with some stealth oriented feats and multiclassing - hybrid rules may have given me more warlock than I wanted because it makes it harder to optimise that charisma element. I went more mythical right away instead of delaying it out I was thinking of a character in a comic book called grendel who is rather mystical and the suggestion somebody had of making it be a sword mage / warlock might work too.

I had even considered a battle rager vigor fighter build with the chain armor being concealed and a shield being fore arm guards and climbing claws.. and the brv having a form of pain suppressing self hypnosis as its special effect.... the invisibility from warlock magic seduced me away from that class feature.

 

[Garthanos]

Besides, we all know pirate > ninja.

Right build a pirate or musketeer and post if that is your inclination dude.
it isnt mine.. flintlocks and steel -- is cool but for me in some ways it is
outside of the D&D genre

Where as Inuyasha and similar things feel like full blown D&D in an ancient japanese setting, so ninja fit in fine, shrug.

 

[Plane Sailing]

I think I would be tempted to do a hybrid rogue/monk for a ninja. Perhaps abit too obvious for your tastes though

cheers

 

[Klaus]

I think I would be tempted to do a hybrid rogue/monk for a ninja. Perhaps abit too obvious for your tastes though

cheers

Ruthless Ruffian rogue lets you attack with a club when using rogue powers.
IIRC, Belt of the Brawler lets you strike unarmed as if you were armed with a club.

Presto!

 

[Garthanos]

I think I would be tempted to do a hybrid rogue/monk for a ninja. Perhaps abit too obvious for your tastes though

cheers

Heh ... well wonder when we will see the hybrid rules for monk,
hybridizing with monk might create lots of interesting and mobile things

One could create a warlock give them reapers touch ... then call his close range stuff sword blows is that a striker swordmage or a ninja or what! ;-)

 

[Flipguarder]

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.

No I mean actual secret ninjas. Just because there are some wackos who claim to be ninjas, and you haven't heard of any others does not mean they don't exist.

 

[Garthanos]

Ruthless Ruffian rogue lets you attack with a club when using rogue powers.
IIRC, Belt of the Brawler lets you strike unarmed as if you were armed with a club.

Presto!

Is that belt a "black belt"

 

[Garthanos]

No I mean actual secret ninjas. Just because there are some wackos who claim to be ninjas, and you haven't heard of any others does not mean they don't exist.

Oh those, way too secret ... move along (Arcane means hidden by the way - they are an arcane archetype sure enough)

Arcane Arts, key D&D attribute associated with uncovering hidden things... wisdom... wisdom core meaning of the term Wizard.(wise person) Has anyone wondered if intelligence is just wrong for the key attribute of the wizard ;-)

 

[Nifft]

wisdom core meaning of the term Wizard.(wise person) Has anyone wondered if intelligence is just wrong for the key attribute of the wizard ;-)

Don't worry, Gandalf is an Invoker.

"Etymology: wise • arse", -- N

 

[Nytmare]

Class choices don't matter at all. As we all know the most important thing about being a ninja is wearing the fancy pajamas.