Ninja of the Crescent Moon

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Requirements

Base Attack Bonus: +6

Skills: Move Silently 10 ranks , Hide 10 ranks

Feats: Improved Unarmed Strike, Deflect Arrows, Quick Draw

Other: Evasion class feature, must contact Crescent Moon leadership.

Summary

Some monks seek only enlightenment. Others are tempted by more shadowy pursuits. The Ninja of the Crescent Moon is a mercenary clan whose members engage in sabotage and other covert missions for an outlandish fee—if the job meets their own inscrutable moral code. The ninja are a thorn in the side of both evil tyrants and just nobles, and no one outside the upper hierarchy knows what their real aims are. Their bases and safehouses are unknown to any outside the Crescent Moon, and would-be patrons contact them only through a long chain of contacts. But once the Ninja of the Crescent Moon are hired, they generally complete the job by the next crescent moon (hence the name). The black-garbed ninja typically infiltrate their target, reveal themselves in a whirlwind of violence, then slip away into the shadows of the night.

Most ninja were once monks who heard the whispered promise of the ninja’s esoteric secrets. Curious, they began to research the Crescent Moon, following half-remembered rumors to their source. Any monk (or occasionally rogue or fighter) who manages to track the ninja back to their source are typically offered membership. Those who turn the Crescent Moon down are marked for death.

Other ninja groups may encounter appear seemingly from nowhere, striking without mercy. They are often hired to steal a valuable item, kill a powerful rival, or infiltrate a besieged fortress as a precursor to an attack.

Role: DPS

Characteristics: Combination of Rogues and Monks that have the damaging potential of ninjas anda plethora of monk like abilities

Source: Sword & Fist

Game Rule Information

The Ninja of the Crescent Moon has the following game statistics.

Abilities: Dexterity for your sneaky skills, and Wisdom for all of your monklike abilities

Alignment: Any

Hit Die: d8

Starting Gold: N/A

Class Skills

The Ninja of the Crescent Moon's class skills are Alchemy (Int), Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Escape Artist (Dex), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Search (Int), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), and Tumble (Dex)

Skill Points at 1st Level: (4 + Int modifier) × 4

Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the Ninja of the Crescent Moon.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A Ninja of the Crescent Moon is proficient with whatever they were already proficient with prior to taking levels in this class.

Monklike AC Bonus: When the ninja is wearing no armor or shield, he receives the AC bonus listed in the Monk Table This bonus stacks with any AC bonus he previously received as a monk. Furthermore, the ninja applies Dexterity and Wisdom bonuses to AC if unarmored.

Sneak Attack Ex: If a ninja can catch an opponent when she is unable to defend herself effectively from his attack, he can strike a vital spot for extra damage. Any time the ninja's target would be denied her Dexterity bonus to AC (whether she actually has a Dexterity bonus or not), the ninja's attack deals +1d6 points of damage. This extra damage increases by an +1d6 points every other level (+2d6 at 3rd level, +3d6 at 5th level, and so on). Should the ninja score a critical hit with a sneak attack, this extra damage is not multiplied. This class ability stacks with any other sneak attack the character possesses.

It takes precision and penetration to hit a vital spot, so ranged attacks only count as sneak attacks if the target is 30 feet away or less.

A ninja can only sneak attack living creatures with discernible anatomies—undead, constructs, oozes, plants, and incorporeal creatures lack vital areas to attack. Additionally, any creature immune to critical hits is similarly immune to sneak attacks. Also, the ninja must also be able to see the target well enough to pick out a vital spot and must be able to reach a vital spot. The ninja cannot sneak attack while striking at a creature with concealment or by striking the limbs of a creature whose vitals are beyond reach. If a ninja gets a sneak attack bonus from another source (such as rogue levels), the bonuses to damage stack.

Improved Evasion Ex: At 2nd level, a ninja's evasion ability improves. She still takes no damage on a successful Reflex saving throw against attacks such as a dragon's breath weapon or a fireball, but henceforth she only takes half damage on a failed save.

Kuji-kiri Sp: By making mystical hand gestures as a standard action, the ninja can render opponents helpless as if he would cast Hypnotic Pattern. The ninja can affect 2d4 +1 per ninja level HD with kuji-kiri, and subjects must make Will saves against DC 12 + the ninja's Charisma bonus to avoid the effect. The hypnotic pattern lasts as long as the ninja continues to gesture, plus one additional round. The ninja can use this power once daily for each level of ninja.

Poison Use: Ninjas are trained in the use of poison and never risk accidentally poisoning themselves when applying poison to a blade.

Fast Climb Ex: The ninja can scurry up a wall at unbelievable speed. With each successful Climb check, the ninja can move half his speed as a move-equivalent action or his speed as a full-round action. Furthermore, he retains his Dex bonus to AC while climbing.

Silencing Attack Ex: If the ninja successfully hits a flat-footed opponent with a melee attack, the opponent is unable to speak for one round. This prevents casting spells with a verbal component and shouting warnings or alarms.

Fast Sneak Ex: When using Move Silently and Hide, the ninja can move at his normal speed without suffering a penalty to those skills.

Invisibility Sp: The ninja can turn invisible (as the spell Invisibility, but targeting himself only) once daily for each level of ninja.

Opportunist Ex: Once per round, the ninja can make an attack of opportunity against an opponent who has just been struck for damage in melee by another character. This attack counts as the ninja's attacks of opportunity for that round. Even a ninja with the Combat Reflexes feat cannot use the opportunist ability more than once per round.

Gaseous Form Sp: You can assume Gaseous Form, as the spell, once per day for 1 round per class level. Using this ability requires a full-round action.

Improved Kuji-kiri Ex: The ninja's swirling hand gestures are harder to resist. Kuji-kiri now affects 3d6 +1 per ninja level HD of creatures, and the Will save DC is 15 + the ninja's Charisma bonus.

Blindsight Su: Using nonvisual senses, such as sensitivity to vibrations, scent, acute hearing, or echolocation, the ninja maneuvers and fights just as well in darkness as in light. Invisibility and darkness are irrelevant, though the ninja still cannot discern ethereal beings. The ninja's blindsight extends for 60 feet.

Always Sneaky Ex: The ninja is always taking 10 on Move Silently and Hide. Unless the ninja wants to be seen or heard, make opposed Spot and Listen checks to detect the ninja's presence.

Ethereal Jaunt Sp: By focusing his ki, the ninja can become ethereal for a moment or two. Three times a day as a free action, the ninja can make an Ethereal Jaunt (as the spell of the same name, except the duration is only 1 round).

Table 1-1: Ninja of the Crescent Moon Progression
Level Base

Attack Bonus

Fort

Save

Ref

Save

Will

Save

Special
1st +0 +0 +2 +0 Monk-like armor bonuses, sneak attack +1d6
2nd +1 +0 +3 +0 Improved evasion, kuji-kiri
3rd +2 +1 +3 +1 Poison use, sneak attack +2d6
4th +3 +1 +4 +1 AC bonus +1, fast climb, silencing attack
5th +3 +1 +4 +1 Fast sneak, sneak attack +3d6
6th +4 +2 +5 +2 Invisibility, opportunist
7th +5 +2 +5 +2 Gaseous form, sneak attack +4d6
8th +6 +2 +6 +2 Improved kuji-kiri
9th +6 +3 +6 +3 AC bonus +2, Blindsight, Sneak Attack +5d6
10th +7 +3 +7 +3 Always sneaky, Ethereal jaunt