Converting Oriental Adventures creatures

[Cleon]

Well, that was a brain freeze.

That sounds fine to me.

Updating the Ninja Spirit Shadow Working Draft.

Speaking of sneak attack, since we're giving them character class advancement, shouldn't we put in an actual ability line about sneak attack stating that it stacks with sneak attack from other sources?

Hadn't I already done that?

...Apparently not.

It's there now!

Do we have any idea what this looks like when it's not in shadow form? A withered person dressed in black clothes with a mask or something?

I couldn't find anything more in the adventure about what they look like.

Rather than a "wizened mummy ninja" I imagine them as looking just like a stereotypical ninja - a little guy in dark pyjamas with a hood, with a sword slung on his back - but if you peer closely you realize there's nothing but blackness inside those clothes.

 

[freyar]

I can go for that, if you'd care to write it up.

Background: Intentional creations of wizards or priests? Spontaneously formed from dead ninjas? What do you think?

 

[Cleon]

I can go for that, if you'd care to write it up.

Why am I not surprised?

A compactly built humanoid, dressed all in tight-fitting dark cloth, with a hood covering its head. Peering through the gaps in its garments reveals there's nothing inside but blackness, there's no sign of eyes or flesh.

Background: Intentional creations of wizards or priests? Spontaneously formed from dead ninjas? What do you think?

I think their origins are probably... ...shadowy!

If I remember correctly, the ninja shadow spirit in OA2 Seven Swords is the result of the same curse that created most of the haunts in that adventure. Anyhow, I'm not sure I want to specify how they're created.

Shall we just have some fluff about them being the spirits of ninjas who have mastered strange occult practices or been subjected to a powerful curse?

 

[Cleon]

We should really list their weapon & armour proficiencies in the background text.

I suggest combining bastard sword proficiency with the weapons and armour proficiencies of the rogue and a monk class."

Rogues are proficient with all simple weapons, plus the hand crossbow, rapier, sap, shortbow, and short sword. Rogues are proficient with light armor, but not with shields.

Monks are proficient with club, crossbow (light or heavy), dagger, handaxe, javelin, kama, nunchaku, quarterstaff, sai, shuriken, siangham, and sling.

Bastard sword.

Combining that produces:

Ninja spirit shadows are proficient with all simple weapons, plus the bastard sword, hand crossbow, handaxe, kama, nunchaku, rapier, sai, sap, shortbow, shuriken, siangham, and short sword. Ninja spirit shadows are proficient with light armor, but not with shields.

We could just say "a ninja spirit shadow has exotic weapon proficiency in bastard sword and has all the weapon and armour proficiencies of a rogue and a monk", but spelling them out would make the DM's life easier.

Hmm, I could happily cut out the rapier, and maybe the hand crossbow.

 

[freyar]

You know, as many weapon proficiencies as it's getting, I'd be happy dropping the bastard sword.

I'll see if I can work out some background in a bit, but I have to run now.

 

[Cleon]

You know, as many weapon proficiencies as it's getting, I'd be happy dropping the bastard sword.

I'd rather keep it so (a) it has a non-Finesse "single weapon" attack that's roughly equivalent in damage potential to its "flurry of blows" weapon attack and (b) it follows the (inaccurate) cliché of ninjas using katanas.

Your classic ninja uses a ninja-to sword which, if I remember correctly, did 1d8/1d6 as a 2H/1H weapon in the original 1E Oriental Adventures (compared to the 1E katana, which did 1d10/1d8).

In 3E Oriental Adventures a ninja-to only does 1d6 damage and a katana is a masterwork bastard sword (so it does the same damage as an AD&D katana).

I'll see if I can work out some background in a bit, but I have to run now.

Run free Freyar!

 

[freyar]

Well, I didn't figure you'd drop the bastard sword. So let's just go with bastard, rogue, and ninja proficiencies. Or else just the standard "proficient in anything listed in the statblock."

I'm free, free as a bird!

Let see.
The origins of ninja spirit shadows are unclear. Some ninjas have apparently transformed into these spirits through secret occult rites, much as a monk becomes an outsider. In other cases, they seem to be victims of a powerful curse.

Whatever their origin, ninja spirit shadows are formidable opponents, combining martial skill with the magical ability to fade into shadows.

 

[Cleon]

Well, I didn't figure you'd drop the bastard sword. So let's just go with bastard, rogue, and ninja proficiencies. Or else just the standard "proficient in anything listed in the statblock."

So are you saying you prefer "a ninja spirit shadow has exotic weapon proficiency in bastard sword and has all the weapon and armour proficiencies of a rogue and a monk" to listing them individually?

After mulling it over, I'd like to cut the rapier and hand crossbow from the list - they are hardly traditional ninja weapons.

I'm free, free as a bird!

Flap. Flap.

Let see.
The origins of ninja spirit shadows are unclear. Some ninjas have apparently transformed into these spirits through secret occult rites, much as a monk becomes an outsider. In other cases, they seem to be victims of a powerful curse.

Whatever their origin, ninja spirit shadows are formidable opponents, combining martial skill with the magical ability to fade into shadows.

A "mysterious" would work better for me than that "unclear", but apart from that it's pretty good.

Putting it together...

A compactly built humanoid, dressed all in tight-fitting dark cloth, with a hood covering its head. Peering through the gaps in its garments reveals there's nothing inside but blackness, there's no sign of eyes or flesh.

The origins of ninja spirit shadows are mysterious. Some ninjas are thought to have transformed into these undead spirits through secret occult rites, much as a monk becomes an outsider. In other cases, they seem to be victims of a powerful curse. Whatever their origin, ninja spirit shadows are formidable opponents, combining martial skill with the magical ability to fade into shadows.

Ninja spirit shadows are proficient with all simple weapons, plus the bastard sword, handaxe, kama, nunchaku, sai, sap, shortbow, shuriken, siangham, and short sword. Ninja spirit shadows are proficient with light armor, but not with shields.

A ninja spirit shadow is between 5 and 6 feet tall and weighs about 150 pounds. They can speak Common in an eerie whisper, but rarely do so.

 

[freyar]

You can list them all separately if you want to type it out. But I don't mind just giving it proficiencies in the weapons listed on the attack lines.

The description and flavor look good. Let's get this one done.

 

[Cleon]

You can list them all separately if you want to type it out. But I don't mind just giving it proficiencies in the weapons listed on the attack lines.

Well I've already typed it so I might as well use it

The description and flavor look good. Let's get this one done.

Updating the Ninja Spirit Shadow Working Draft.