RigaMortus2
First Post
I was going to call this thread "fixing" The Ninja, but I didn't want people to read that and automatically come here and post how they feel the Ninja really doesn't need fixing. But IMHO, I think it does. So I've made the following changes (house rules) to the Ninja class for when someone uses it in my games. I wanted to present it here to get feedback, and if anyone else wants to "steal" my ideas, feel free 
My biggest gripe with the Ninja is that (a) their Sudden Strike is very limited in use and (b) their ki abilities, which are mainly used to apply Sudden Strike (through ghost step), are too little. Once you use up all your ki uses, you are as useful as a Wizard who ran out of spells. I feel if you can fix either one of those problems, the Ninja would be a much better class and see more play. I don't feel it is necessary to fix both issues. By fixing one, it should take care of the other. I've decided to focus on (b) to give their ki abilities a little more umph.
In keeping in line with the Warlock base class, Magic of Incarnum classes, and the Tome of Battle classes, where WotC made classes with renewable resources, I based the Ninja off of that. So here is my attempt at "fixing" the Ninja, with just a few minor changes.
The first thing I added was a Ki Pool. This replaces their 1/2 Class level + Wisdom modifier of Ki Power. Instead, it is a flat rate. At levels 1 & 2 they get 3 ki energy in their ki pool, and it goes up by 1 point every 2 levels. So at levels 3 & 4 they have 4 ki energy, at levels 5 & 6 they have 5 ki energy, and so on. This ki energy (from their ki pool) is what they expend to power their ki abilities, like ghost step and ki dodge. I also removed the +2 Will save if you have at least 1 ki energy in your pool. Although a nice benefit, I didn't feel it was entirely necessary. Plus with my new mechanic, the ki pool is constantly going to be changing.
Ki Pool (Su): A Ninja has a pool of ki energy they can harness and use to power special ki abilities. These abilities are ghost step, ki dodge, ghost strike, greater ki dodge, and ghost walk. The Ninja expends the ki energy (the exact amount is specific to each ki ability), and the ki ability occurs. Once all of the Ninja’s ki energy is gone from her ki pool, she can no longer use her ki abilities until she recovers her ki energy.
There are two ways to recover ki energy. The first is done outside of combat, when the Ninja has time to mediate. If the Ninja can spend at least 15 minutes in quite meditation, they recover all of their ki energy. If the Ninja wishes to recover some of their ki energy in the midst of combat, they can use their 3rd level Ki Touch ability to do so (see below).
This will allow you to use ki abilities outside of combat (ie ghost step to cross a hallway guarded by guards), but not consistantly. That is one problem I found with ToB maneuvers. They don't explain very well if you can use them outside of combat, and if you do, how do you recover them.
Ki Touch (Su): A ninja can tap into the life force, or ki energy, of another creature and siphon it for her self. A ninja who hits an opponent with a successful sudden strike can choose to forgo dealing 1d6 points of sudden strike damage and instead gain ki energy. For each 1d6 points of sudden strike damage the Ninja chooses to forgo, she instead gains 1 point of ki energy into her ki pool, up to a maximum amount as indicated in the chart. She can use this ability anytime she would be eligible for sudden strike damage. Example:
Ember is a 3rd level Ninja. She as 1 point of ki energy left in her ki pool. As a swift action, she activates her ghost step ki ability (rendering her invisible for 1 full round), and expends that last point of ki energy. She then makes an attack on an opponent who loses their Dex bonus to AC against Ember due to her being invisible. Ember hits and is able to deal +2d6 sudden strike damage. Instead, she decides to use Ki Touch, and forgo all +2d6 sudden strike damage. She still deals weapon and Strength damage to the target, but she also gains 2 points back into her ki pool.
This is just a way to recover a small amount of ki during combat, so you always have something useful to do. If you have multiple attacks (such as TWF), you will get a greater benefit and be able to refill your ki pool to max a lot easier.
Lastly, I added something to the AC Bonus that Ninja's get. Something I felt was missing, and makes sense. Take a look.
AC Bonus (Ex): The Ninja adds her Wisdom bonus (if any) to her AC when wearing padded armor or no armor, and when they are unencumbered. In addition, a Ninja gains a +1 bonus to AC at 5th level. This bonus increases by 1 for every five Ninja levels thereafter (+2 at 10th, +3 at 15th, and +4 at 20th level).
These bonuses to AC apply even against touch attacks or when the Ninja is flat-footed. She loses these bonuses when she is immobilized or helpless, when she wears any armor other than padded, when she carries a shield, or when she carries a medium or heavy load.
The only change to AC Bonus is that I feel the Ninja should at least be allowed to wear padded armor, giving them a modest +1 Armor bonus to AC, and then later allowing them to enchant the armor.
So... Thoughts? Ideas?
My biggest gripe with the Ninja is that (a) their Sudden Strike is very limited in use and (b) their ki abilities, which are mainly used to apply Sudden Strike (through ghost step), are too little. Once you use up all your ki uses, you are as useful as a Wizard who ran out of spells. I feel if you can fix either one of those problems, the Ninja would be a much better class and see more play. I don't feel it is necessary to fix both issues. By fixing one, it should take care of the other. I've decided to focus on (b) to give their ki abilities a little more umph.
In keeping in line with the Warlock base class, Magic of Incarnum classes, and the Tome of Battle classes, where WotC made classes with renewable resources, I based the Ninja off of that. So here is my attempt at "fixing" the Ninja, with just a few minor changes.
The first thing I added was a Ki Pool. This replaces their 1/2 Class level + Wisdom modifier of Ki Power. Instead, it is a flat rate. At levels 1 & 2 they get 3 ki energy in their ki pool, and it goes up by 1 point every 2 levels. So at levels 3 & 4 they have 4 ki energy, at levels 5 & 6 they have 5 ki energy, and so on. This ki energy (from their ki pool) is what they expend to power their ki abilities, like ghost step and ki dodge. I also removed the +2 Will save if you have at least 1 ki energy in your pool. Although a nice benefit, I didn't feel it was entirely necessary. Plus with my new mechanic, the ki pool is constantly going to be changing.
Ki Pool (Su): A Ninja has a pool of ki energy they can harness and use to power special ki abilities. These abilities are ghost step, ki dodge, ghost strike, greater ki dodge, and ghost walk. The Ninja expends the ki energy (the exact amount is specific to each ki ability), and the ki ability occurs. Once all of the Ninja’s ki energy is gone from her ki pool, she can no longer use her ki abilities until she recovers her ki energy.
There are two ways to recover ki energy. The first is done outside of combat, when the Ninja has time to mediate. If the Ninja can spend at least 15 minutes in quite meditation, they recover all of their ki energy. If the Ninja wishes to recover some of their ki energy in the midst of combat, they can use their 3rd level Ki Touch ability to do so (see below).
This will allow you to use ki abilities outside of combat (ie ghost step to cross a hallway guarded by guards), but not consistantly. That is one problem I found with ToB maneuvers. They don't explain very well if you can use them outside of combat, and if you do, how do you recover them.
Ki Touch (Su): A ninja can tap into the life force, or ki energy, of another creature and siphon it for her self. A ninja who hits an opponent with a successful sudden strike can choose to forgo dealing 1d6 points of sudden strike damage and instead gain ki energy. For each 1d6 points of sudden strike damage the Ninja chooses to forgo, she instead gains 1 point of ki energy into her ki pool, up to a maximum amount as indicated in the chart. She can use this ability anytime she would be eligible for sudden strike damage. Example:
Ember is a 3rd level Ninja. She as 1 point of ki energy left in her ki pool. As a swift action, she activates her ghost step ki ability (rendering her invisible for 1 full round), and expends that last point of ki energy. She then makes an attack on an opponent who loses their Dex bonus to AC against Ember due to her being invisible. Ember hits and is able to deal +2d6 sudden strike damage. Instead, she decides to use Ki Touch, and forgo all +2d6 sudden strike damage. She still deals weapon and Strength damage to the target, but she also gains 2 points back into her ki pool.
This is just a way to recover a small amount of ki during combat, so you always have something useful to do. If you have multiple attacks (such as TWF), you will get a greater benefit and be able to refill your ki pool to max a lot easier.
Lastly, I added something to the AC Bonus that Ninja's get. Something I felt was missing, and makes sense. Take a look.
AC Bonus (Ex): The Ninja adds her Wisdom bonus (if any) to her AC when wearing padded armor or no armor, and when they are unencumbered. In addition, a Ninja gains a +1 bonus to AC at 5th level. This bonus increases by 1 for every five Ninja levels thereafter (+2 at 10th, +3 at 15th, and +4 at 20th level).
These bonuses to AC apply even against touch attacks or when the Ninja is flat-footed. She loses these bonuses when she is immobilized or helpless, when she wears any armor other than padded, when she carries a shield, or when she carries a medium or heavy load.
The only change to AC Bonus is that I feel the Ninja should at least be allowed to wear padded armor, giving them a modest +1 Armor bonus to AC, and then later allowing them to enchant the armor.
So... Thoughts? Ideas?
