Gear Up a 5th Level Ninja

[Stormborn]

One of my players has a 5th level Ninja and has about 4000gp to spend after a major haul and some reward money (they havent had a chance to spend there loot in a while too)

She has a magic short bow and some low level protective magic items and a MW melee weapon. She is concerend that the party has been facing some opponents that she can't hit w/o a crit or being invisible (and sometimes not then). Any suggestions on some magic items that would help her out in that price range (maybe she has a little more not sure of the esxact amount) Pretty much any source is a viable option.

 

[brendan candries]

Str/Dex Gloves +2 depending on build?

 

[HeapThaumaturgist]

She's unable to strike them because of? Her BAB, she's got no Str and doesn't have Weapon Finesse?

She could get a +1 weapon, but if she's having trouble hitting, that's not an increase. She could get Gauntlets of Ogre Power or Gloves of Dexterity +2 for 4000, but if her Str is already tanked that's not a dramatic increase. If she has Weapon Finesse, then the Gloves serve triple-duty, increasing her AC, ranged attacks, and melee attacks by +1.

A good investment, if the party has a Wizard, would be to buy the wizard a scroll of Cat's Grace or Bull's Strength, whichever she uses, and ask him to scribe it into his book and cast it on her.

Potions of X would be useful, but are expensive one-use items.

Unfortunately I can't think of any low-price combat-oriented items in supplement material. For some reason most of the combat stuff in the splats is in the 26-36k range.

Mostly, at those levels, you're looking to spells and feats for attack increases.

--fje

 

[Inconsequenti-AL]

Only nearly affordable invisibility option I can think of is buying a wand of invisibility (4500gp). If there's an arcane caster in the party, then they could dose her up with that? If you're the DM, then you could cut her a break and let her buy a used wand with less than 50 charges in for a lower price.

Other than that, if a finesse fighter, perhaps gloves of dexterity +2 (4000gp) might help a bit for hitting? And the +1 Dex bonus is going to be great for other stuff.

On the cheaper side, at 50gp a pop, getting a stockpile of tanglefoot bags might be worthwhile? They only need a touch attack to hit, and make things easier to hit (-4 dex)... The forced concentration checks on casters can be fun as well?

 

[Stormborn]

Weapon Finess! DOH! How could she/I/we missed that one - thanks heaps Heap! She was considering Gloves of Dex and if she does decided to take WFin at 6th she will certainly get those. I may even suggest a few levels of Swashbuckler for WFin and that way she can take the feat she had already planned for 6th, and get a much better HD.

 

[nittanytbone]

Alchemical items are always good for those with high dex -- they do decent damage on impact and can be thrown.

Also, she should invest in some bane ammunition. Its cheap (~152 GP/shot) and very effective, and again, a ranged weapon that lets her use her dex to good effect. Whalloping someone for 2d6+3+normal weapon damage is pretty painful.

 

[BASHMAN]

I recomend an adamantine slashing weapon, a silver piercing weapon, and a cold-iron bludgeoning weapon. Have the silver and cold-iron one each be enchanted with +1.

 

[HeapThaumaturgist]

I built up a Ninja not too long ago for a replacement PC, so I remember looking through their abilities.

Ninja are all about the burst damage, so you're looking for one-shot bonuses that can get the opponent flatfooted. They also need Dex quite badly.

My ninja had a 13 Str, if only to get Power Attack to get Leap Attack.

Basically, the idea was:

Win init, use the Ninja jumping abilities to do a standing long-jump as a charge attack using

Leap Attack and Raptor School.

Now, she's not going to get Raptor School for a while, but Leap Attack and Raptor School both allow the ninja's odd mastery of Climb and Jump checks to pay out a little, at least. Raptor School is a big one to build up to because she's probably going to want to stand back a little and that way she's not wasting any rounds because every round of giving the badguy the hairy eye and getting that bonus to hit.

Another good feat for a ninja is Flick Of The Wrist, which will allow her to get off a sudden strike without using up Ki energy.

There are also a few additional Ki Jutsu feats in a Dragon mag ... forget the issue ... but they were nice and didn't seem broken ... very Ninja flavored.

Ninja should also use Smoke Sticks, for effect if nothing else ... POOF ... and Tanglefoot bags, which should be stored on the packhorse, er, fighter-type since her Strength is pretty low. You're still in the levels where, if you're facing alot of humanoid types, Thunderstones make a decent flashbang. Tanglefoot bags are still superior, though.


--fje

 

[Inconsequenti-AL]

On reflection - posion?

Somewhat dependant on whether it's evil in your game, etc, etc. Seems very ninja to me though.


And also - items that boost hide (and to a lesser extent move silently) checks. More likely to get the drop on people. Higher possibility of staying hidden after that first strike.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

First, I'd get a Quiver of Ehlonna or its campaign equivalent. Its the best bang-for-the-buck magic item for someone who is better off in ranged combat than melee. With it, you'll be able to rain down arrows, javelins and spears upon your opponents with impunity...and you'll be doing it with your better attack roll. Conceptually, Ninjas are all about utility items, and the Quiver fits them to a T. Even if you don't use the weapons listed in the Quiver's description, darts, bolts, blowguns and a host of other Ninja weapons would fit within it.

If you go that route, Bracers of Archery might also be of use (I don't have its cost in front of me, though).

Tanglefoot bags would also be a help- even if you can't take advantage of the imobilized opponents, your partymembers will. Ditto smoke grenades, acid or fire bombs.