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I am about to start a Pathfinder Campiagn... And I have a player that asks me every other day if he can play a Ninja *And is serious*, and I keep repeating I do not see a Ninja fitting into any cultures I have read about in the Pathefinder books.
Has anyone dealt with this?.. How would you fit a Ninja in the patfinder campiagn using the source material we currently have?
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Probably part of the oriental culture in pathfinder. Minkai, it was called I believe. IMO, a ninja is just a japanese word for rogue ;)
I allways allowed players to take the rogue class and call themselves ninja, or samurai while playing paladin (see Order of the stick, the paladin there was called samurai ;)
To be a Ninja can mean many things.
If we are talking about a disciplined clan of stealth commandos in the style of the Ninja of Oriental Adventures, there doesn't seem to be any place for such a character.
If we are talking about the Complete Adventurer Ninja, a Wuxia-style shadow warrior and magical adventurer, I can see a spot for them. Probably the best organization to sponsor this type of ninja would be the Pathfinders; the Compete Adventurer Ninja is a perfect semi-magical adventurer. However, doing this will raise the magic level in the campaign; if Rogues can be Ninja, then fighters could conceivably use some of the pseudo-magical fighter classes.
The start of the Pathfinder series seems to assume the player characters are fairly ordinary people. If you use this background, you'll have to decide how a Ninja (or other character with magical training) would work. If magic is something you can get spontaneously, then its no problem. Some people have magic potential, but still sport fairly ordinary backgrounds. But if magic is something that must be taught in special schools, the "everyday hero" background common to many low-level adventures doesn't work. A middle way is to assume that Ninjas are born, but need training to achieve certain abilities (say Ki powers).
I am about to start a Pathfinder Campiagn... And I have a player that asks me every other day if he can play a Ninja *And is serious*, and I keep repeating I do not see a Ninja fitting into any cultures I have read about in the Pathefinder books.
Has anyone dealt with this?.. How would you fit a Ninja in the patfinder campiagn using the source material we currently have?
Rather than busting your hump on this, I've an idea.
Give him a copy (digital) of the RotRL Players Guide and tell him to come up with a feasible background and story that will pass your judgement. Go ahead and tell him to have a backup in case you don't allow it. (this of course, might not work if you are not set in Varisia)(I came up with this idea as I pulled out the players guide to look up the answer.)
Basically, my answer is to use the same background as the Monks section on page 8. Members of the Shoanti Skoan-Quah are most likely to fit. They see weapons as a weakness and work towards physical perfection. A ninja might be working toward a mix of spiritual and physical perfect, adapting to stealthy ways to avoid combat or end it early.
Another background in this section, would be to be a traveller from the exotic lands of Tian Xia to the south. As a spy or body guard to a cleric of Iori also works.
However, if you aren't too keen on ninja's, make him do all the legwork. There is probably another option or two in the blog here, that would allow a ninja background that I just can't recall.
-c
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Ignoring the fluff and the name a CA ninja is just a slightly inferior rogue who makes up for it with a connection to the ethereal plane. You could as easily call him "ether-blessed" and say that children conceived in a certain mysterious grove sometimes manifest this strange connection and the very best of them learn to control and manipulate the connection (just remove the unnecessary oriental weapons and you're done).
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I remember the fuss that was made when MM4 came out with drow ninja in it. "Drow ninja!" thundered certain people, "How inappropriate!" My take is that if you forget the title "ninja" and consider it to be a rougue/monk crossover stealth specialist (which is how it works mechanically) you can put it pretty much anywhere. Drow ninja therefore make sense - they are a sneaky and vicious race prone to assassinating one another, after all.
Similarly for Pathfinder, I would forget about the culture angle or at least don't get too hung up on it. I would suggest that any reasonably advanced civilisation could conceivably give rise to monastic or military trained stealth/assassination specialists. In Pathfinder, that suggests Magnimar or (more likely, given the more dubious politics) Korvosa, though you might consider a Chelaxian ex-patriate from the Empire itself. If you want to go more "oriental" then Ameiko's homeland, Minkai (and that's all there is, by the way: just a name tossed out in passing, no further info other than the names of the locals sound vaguely Japanese to the untutored ear) might be good, but I really don't see it as necessary - a Chelaxian seems the easiest and least intrusive way to do it.
Creative Director
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A ninja would fit into Pathfinder, yes. If a player in a Pathfinder game I was running wanted to play a ninja, I'd require from said player a characte history that explains how he got to be so far removed from Minkai. OR: I would present to him a ninja-like organization based in Golarion. None of said organizations are ready for the light of day quite yet, but they do exist.
In fact, I'd allow a ninja PC before I'd allow a monster-race PC.
Ninjas are too cool to ban from Golarion, in any event.
You could even skip the Minkai expatriate angle, or at least remove it by a generation.
We already know there are some (albeit rare) immigrants from Minkai, like Ameiko's family.
Just include another one who settled in Magnimar, happens to be trained as a Ninja, and who now is retired and likes to putter around his garden and occasionally train kids Mr Miyagi-style.
And you can even incorporate a rivalry with another ninja/monk school if you want to push the 80's nostalgia ;-)
Just please don't use the word "ninja" in the Pathfinder campaign... make up a different word for them or something.. *begs and pleads* .. god I hate ninjas...
*starts setting up the chainlink octagon*
Two men enter... One man leaves!
Next, someone is going to tell Mike that there aren't gnomes in 4.0 either ;-)
Next, someone is going to tell Mike that there aren't gnomes in 4.0 either ;-)
We of clan Kuro Hana have exterminated these pests from Goralon in time before the quickening.
The golden one has ordered so, and thus we obey!
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RPG Superstar 2013 Top 4, RPG Superstar 2011 Top 16
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Ignoring the fluff and the name a CA ninja is just a slightly inferior rogue who makes up for it with a connection to the ethereal plane. You could as easily call him "ether-blessed" and say that children conceived in a certain mysterious grove sometimes manifest this strange connection and the very best of them learn to control and manipulate the connection (just remove the unnecessary oriental weapons and you're done).
This is probably one of the better answers... Ninja aren't that much different from a Shadowdancer. Ninja are merely stealthy mystic warriors. Ties to the ethereal plane or shadow plane or Faerie realms even!
And I can't think of another Base class MORE perfectly suited to Drow than the Ninja. Swashbucklers, Assassins, Shadowdancers, Beguilers, and Ninja's are archtypical Drow classes.
We of clan Kuro Hana have exterminated these pests from Goralon in time before the quickening.
The golden one has ordered so, and thus we obey!
Bossssss! Our blood enemies have arrived, we must summon the clan to face our ancient foes!
Bossssss! Our blood enemies have arrived, we must summon the clan to face our ancient foes!
By the Golden one, it seems some have survived! No worry, we shall sharpen our talons and strike you when you least suspect it!
If you want "ninja" in your Runelords setting, you don't have to import them from some distant land.
Choose one of the cultures conquered by the Chelaxians as they rose to prominence, then declare that some of these people resisted their oppressors by resorting to stealth and assassination: Look at the social developments that led to the historical Japanese ninja.
Perhaps the Varisians of some isolated area developed skills not seen in other parts of the land: They crafted weapons that could be hidden or disguised, evading the vengeance of their cruel overlords. When times were more prosperous, the secret techniques of these hidden warriors fell into disrepute, but now, with Chelaxian tyranny again on the rise, they have returned from the shadows that cloaked them.
Have the hidden warriors begin as rogues, with a few specialized weapons allowed. To balance out the bonus weapon skills, they have substantial social obligations and restrictive codes of honor. Their leaders are members of the Shadowdancer prestige class.
Just please don't use the word "ninja" in the Pathfinder campaign... make up a different word for them or something.. *begs and pleads* .. god I hate ninjas...You and me are gonna haff to fight now.
Sorry, man.. :)
I'm just sayin'... the minute I see the word "ninja" in a Pathfinder book, I'm filing for divorce. hah|
Contributor
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Bossssss! Our blood enemies have arrived, we must summon the clan to face our ancient foes!
OMG, it's true!
Quick, Gninjita, summon your brother! We'll work up battle plans and rally the rest of the clan in support!
Sorry, man.. :)
I'm just sayin'... the minute I see the word "ninja" in a Pathfinder book, I'm filing for divorce. hah
You'll get no alimony from me!
We of clan Kuro Hana have exterminated these pests from Goralon in time before the quickening.
The golden one has ordered so, and thus we obey!
Of course you did! Gno gninjas in existence any more. Not a single one. Gno gneed to search for them. And that guy who died of poisoning - by poisoned throwing stars, actually died of natural causes. Even though everything points towards ninja-stile assassination, our Dr. Shinobi says he died of old age, so that must be true. 42 is a ripe age, anyway.
Hey, Boss. I ran across this interesting gnews article today. Check it out!
Gangland killing traps vice three
INVESTIGATIONS into a gangland-style killing have led to the conviction of a pimp and two prostitutes connected to the victim.Police investigating the slaying of Abhi Ash Tahai stumbled onto a major prostitution racket. He was thought to be the mastermind behind a vice-racket and police suspected he was killed by another pimp over money.
Grant "DM G" Gould was arrested shortly after the killing, and has now been jailed for a year by the Lower Criminal Court for working as a pimp. He was found guilty of running a vice-den and depending completely on the earnings of a prostitute, Kae Yoss, who was also jailed for three months.
Another prostitute, known only as "Kobninja," who shared an apartment with the dead man has also been jailed for three months by the Lower Criminal Court.
All three pleaded guilty and will be deported upon completion of their sentences. However, the murder trial is still underway in the High Criminal Court.
"Kobninja" told police that Mr Tahai had been accused of being a gninja shortly before he was killed.
According to police reports, Gould is on record as being a silly silly person.
Haah :D
Probably part of the oriental culture in pathfinder. Minkai, it was called I believe. IMO, a ninja is just a japanese word for rogue ;)
I allways allowed players to take the rogue class and call themselves ninja, or samurai while playing paladin (see Order of the stick, the paladin there was called samurai ;)
Actually I think that Order of the Stick Samurai was a D&D Samurai (well with monk levels thrown on). Note the two weapon fighting - looks like a Samurai from Complete Warrior to me.
This thread is like my worst nightmare come to life ...
(runs away screaming ...) ;)
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Interesting article on the web.
Kobninja acquited
In an interesting twist today at the High Criminal Court all charges against DM G, KaeYoss and Kobninja were dropped. The kobold clan had sent their famous Jesse Koblawyer to defend their clients and with a bold statement he managed to acquit his clients by merely stating and we quote.
If it don't exist, you must acquit, I know that don't rhyme but what does not exist, can not do the time!This statement was followed by the defense presenting undeniable evidence that there can't be evidence since there are no Kobold Ninjas in existence. Furthermore the proof showed that this was all an elaborate plot by the Gnome race, further more the Gninjita clan to be precise, to blame this on the already, misunderstood Kobold race.
This all was followed by a bright light as one of the lighting spells' magic depleted in one last show of power. Jesse Koblawyer then followed through with in a very scoobylike way, unmasking the true culprit by removing Kobninja's mask and showing a gnome wearing a Gninjita love t-shirt!
Truely, a horrible turn of events!
Truely, it is indeed a good thing that these manipulative gnome pests are being removed from our beautifull world!
I have spiked the saké as ordered Oh High Golden One, there will be an employment opportunity for a kobold soon!
Kruelaid pictures guy in black ninja suit with mask creeping around Sandpoint in broad daylight.
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Actually I think that Order of the Stick Samurai was a D&D Samurai (well with monk levels thrown on). Note the two weapon fighting - looks like a Samurai from Complete Warrior to me.
She's a paladin. She has smite evil and everything. In fact, she gets kind of annoyed when people assume she's got levels in samurai.
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Actually I think that Order of the Stick Samurai was a D&D Samurai (well with monk levels thrown on). Note the two weapon fighting - looks like a Samurai from Complete Warrior to me.
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0209.html
Miko is explicitly a multiclassed Paladin/Monk. She probably has the Eberron feat that allows one to continue to gain monk levels alongside one "favored" class.
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Actually I think that Order of the Stick Samurai was a D&D Samurai (well with monk levels thrown on). Note the two weapon fighting - looks like a Samurai from Complete Warrior to me.http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0209.html
Miko is explicitly a multiclassed Paladin/Monk. She probably has the Eberron feat that allows one to continue to gain monk levels alongside one "favored" class.
I always assumed that the paladin/monk thing was a dig at the arbitrary restrictions on pladins and monks. Rather than a clever exploitation of Eberron feats...
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Contributor
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I have spiked the saké as ordered Oh High Golden One, there will be an employment opportunity for a kobold soon!
What the? Who put this railroad spike in my sake cup?
Sheesh... stupid kobolds...
Note to self:
Never ask a Ninja Question again in the Forums..
Thanks for the help guys!!!
On the contrary, please ask as many ninja questions as you can! :D
Note to self:
Never ask a Ninja Question again in the Forums..
Thanks for the help guys!!!
If you want real answers to real ninja questions from real ninjas, go to askaninja.com!
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Actually I think that Order of the Stick Samurai was a D&D Samurai (well with monk levels thrown on). Note the two weapon fighting - looks like a Samurai from Complete Warrior to me.http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0209.html
Miko is explicitly a multiclassed Paladin/Monk. She probably has the Eberron feat that allows one to continue to gain monk levels alongside one "favored" class.
Either that, or her DM threw away the inane multiclass restriction on those classes. :p
How would a ninja fit in Pathfinder?
Well if he was a ninja worth his salt, he'd turn sideways, flatten out, and slip right into the binding.
Gninja and Gninjita can do that.
We're already there.
The rest of those pirate wanna be pretenders can ...
... dammit, stop moving you silly people! It's hard enough to hit stationary targets at this range!
What about the Red Mantis? They're a group of assassins. I'd imagine a ninja would feel welcome there among the ranks. Is not a rose by any other name still a ninja?
It's hard enough to hit stationary targets at this range!Don't you mean... stationery targets?
Huh, huh? Get it? :D
~throws a stapler at the bronze dragon, hitting him in the head~ That is a tack-y question!
It's hard enough to hit stationary targets at this range!Don't you mean... stationery targets?
Huh, huh? Get it? :D
King Kashue would be proud. For those who do not understand the comment, I suggest indulging in the Record of Lodoss War TV series. Now if they would just translate the books...