Ninja

The orc stood up, satisfied with her work. She tossed her origami owl into the air, where it grew to giant size. She mounted her creation and soared into the night sky.

The king lay bleeding on the floor as his dwarf assailant methodically stripped him of all identifying objects, starting with his finely-crafted shoes and ending with his handsome face.

Outnumbered five to one, the halfling didn't flinch. In a split-second move, she threw a storm of shuriken, dashed up the wall, and ran through the ceiling.

Whatever their specialty, ninjas are supernaturally-talented agents of stealth, espionage, and assassination. They are united in their ability to magically harness the energy that flows from the spirit realm. Whether channeled as a flashing display of martial prowess or a subtler focus of agility and speed, this energy infuses all that a ninja does.

Spirit and Precision

Whereas monks gain power through mastering themselves, ninjas rely on an external source of energy - the spirit realm. Overlapping with the physical multiverse is a spiritual counterpart filled with marvelous and terrible beings. Ninjas tap into the spirit realm to create magical effects and exceed their bodies’ physical capabilities. Using this spirit energy, ninjas can perform incredible feats like teleportation and ripping out their enemies' hearts with their bare hands.

When it comes to combat, ninjas prioritize cunning over brute strength. A ninja would rather make one precise strike, placing it exactly where the attack will hurt the target most, than wear an opponent down with a barrage of attacks. Ninjas have an uncanny knack for avoiding danger.

Shadowy Asceticism

A majority of ninjas belong to (or at one point, belonged to) a clan. Clans offer tutelage in the hidden arts, safe haven, and allies to complete missions. Some are found in remote areas, while others exist in the heart of thriving cities under the guise of institutions such as a temple. Clans often operate like thieves' guilds or provide services such as killing for hire, but a few have more noble goals like protecting the weak or uprooting corruption.

While many monks are happy to remain in their cloister, ninjas are a different breed, since nearly all clans have a desire to influence the outside world, whether for good or for evil. A ninja's training is designed to make her ready to face any obstacle. To be a ninja is to be always prepared for an adventure.

Creating a Ninja

As you make your ninja character, think about your connection to your clan, where you learned your skills and spent your formative years.

Were you an orphan or a child that the clan saw potential in? Did your parents promise you to the clan in payment for a service performed by the ninjas? Did you enter this secluded life to hide from a crime you committed? Or did you choose the ninja life for yourself? If you never had a clan, how did you learn your ninja skills? Perhaps you learned them after you stumbled upon ancient scrolls, or you could have been adopted by a ninja. Your powers may also have been gained through worshiping a spirit being, or perhaps the spirit being chose you for a purpose.

If you had a clan but left it, why? Were you banished because of a transgression or did you disagree with the leadership? Are you hunted by your former comrades? If you remain a clan member, what do you seek from the relationship? Is the clan just a means to gaining greater personal power, or do you really see yourself as part of a close-knit group? Do you fear leaving?

As a result of the structured life of a ninja clan and the discipline required to reach the spirit realm, ninjas are almost always lawful in alignment. Ninjas without a clan are more likely to be neutral or chaotic.

Class Features

As a ninja, you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

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• Hit Dice: 1d8 per ninja level
• Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier
• Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per ninja level after 1st

Proficiencies

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• Armor: Light armor
• Weapons: Simple weapons, blowguns, hand crossbows, nets, scimitars, shortswords, shuriken
• Tools: Thieves' tools

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• Saving Throws: Dexterity and Intelligence
• Skills: Choose three from Acrobatics, Athletics, Deception, Insight, Intimidation, Investigation, Perception, Persuasion, Sleight of Hand, and Stealth

Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

• (a) a shortsword or (b) any simple weapon
• (a) a shortbow and quiver of 20 arrows or (b) a shortsword
• (a) a burglar's pack, (b) dungeoneer's pack, or (c) an explorer's pack
• Leather armor, 10 darts, and thieves' tools

Quick Build

You can make a ninja quickly by following these suggestions. First, Dexterity should be your highest ability score. Make Wisdom your second-highest so your abilities are more difficult to resist. Second, choose the spy background.

Multiclass

You must have a Dexterity score of 13 or higher and a Wisdom score of 13 or higher in order to multiclass in or out of this class. If you multiclass into this class, you gain proficiency in simple weapons and one skill available to ninjas.

Sneak Attack

Beginning at 1st level, you know how to strike subtly and exploit a foe's distraction. Once per turn, you can deal an extra 1d4 damage to one creature you hit with an attack if you have advantage on the attack roll. The attack must use either a finesse, ranged, or ninja weapon, or be an unarmed strike.

You don't need advantage on the attack roll if another enemy of the target is within 5 feet of it, that enemy isn't incapacitated, and you don't have disadvantage on the attack roll.

The amount of the extra damage increases as you gain levels in this class, as shown in the Sneak Attack column of the Ninja table. If you have levels in rogue, add them to your ninja level to determine your Sneak Attack damage.

Traditional Art

At 1st level, choose a traditional art to study. For some ninjas, this completes them as a person, while for others it is merely a potential cover story. The powers you gain from your choice of art are described below.

You can choose one of the following arts: calligraphy, dance, drama, origami, or tea ceremony.

Spirit

Starting at 2nd level, your training allows you to harness mystical spirit energy. Your access to this energy is represented by a number of spirit points. Your ninja level determines the number of points you have, as shown in the Spirit Points column of the Ninja table.

You can spend these points to fuel various spirit features. You start knowing two such features: Burst of Agility and Shadowmeld, You learn more spirit features as you gain levels in this class.

When you spend a spirit point, it is unavailable until you finish a short or long rest, at the end of which you draw all of your expended spirit back into yourself. You must spend at least 30 minutes of the rest communing with the spirit realm to regain your spirit points.

Burst of Agility. You can spend 1 spirit point to take the Dash or Disengage action as a bonus action on your turn.

Shadowmeld. You can spend 1 spirit point to take the Hide action as a bonus action on your turn.

Ninja Feature Saving Throw DC

Several ninja features require your target to make a saving throw to resist its effects.

The saving throw DC is:

8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier

In addition, several ninja features allow you to cast spells. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability.

Spirit Power Source

At 2nd level, you choose a font of power from the spirit realm to tap into. There are five spirit patrons to choose from, whose abilities are described below.

Arashimo, the Storm Spider, counsels patience among its adherents, teaching them that the surest way to victory is to set a cunning trap.

Hyōra, the Frost Tiger, by contrast urges her followers to vigorously pursue their prey with a hunter's drive.

Kagehō, the Shadow Phoenix, is an enigmatic being with powers of both creation and destruction.

Sarishū, the Scorpion Lord, teaches his followers that they deserve vengeance for the wrongs they've suffered.

Shiryū, the Death Dragon, is both feared and respected for his power over souls.

Hidden Technique

When you reach 3rd level, you commit yourself to mastering a hidden technique. You can choose from the following hidden techniques described below: Bare-Handed Killer, Facestealer, Patron's Favored, Shadow Monarch, or Shuriken Specialist.

Higo (秘語)

By 3rd level, you have learned higo, a complex and secret mix of dialect, jargon, and code that allows you to hide messages in seemingly normal conversation. Only another creature that knows higo understands such messages. It takes four times longer to convey such a message than it does to speak the same idea plainly. Although any skilled ninja knows higo, each clan has also some unique words and phrases that allow their internal messages to remain discrete even if intercepted.

You also understand a set of secret signs and symbols used to convey short, simple messages, such as whether an area is dangerous or the territory of a ninja clan.

Higo Example

"I just came back from Lake Kiwa to do some trading. Along the way I saw Castle Red Swan. It looks amazing at sunset. Have you seen it?"

"I wish. It sounds lovely. By the way, have you read Mokusai's new poem?"

"I'm not sure. Remind me, what's it about?

"The beauty of falling leaves in autumn."

"Ah, yes, I've read it. A fine work, isn't it?

"I think it's one of his best yet."

Baron Kuranoto, Master of Castle Red Swan, suddenly died several weeks later.

Ability Score Improvement

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.

Slow Fall

Beginning at 4th level, you can use your reaction when you fall to reduce any falling damage you take by an amount equal to twice your ninja level.

Shadow Dodge

Starting at 5th level, when an attacker that you can see hits you with an attack, you can use your reaction to halve the attack's damage against you.

Spirit Empowered Strikes

Beginning at 6th level, your unarmed strikes count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.

Evasion

Starting at 7th level, you can nimbly dodge out of the way of certain area effects, like a blue dragon's breath or a Fireball spell. When you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, and only half damage if you fail.

Spirit Stride

At 10th level, you gain the ability to move along vertical surfaces and across liquids on your turn without falling during the move while wearing light or no armor and not wielding a shield.

Resolute

By 15th level, your will has become iron. You gain proficiency in Wisdom saving throws.

Ghost Steps

Beginning at 18th level, you can step partially into the spirit realm.

If you spend 4 spirit points as a bonus action, until the end of your turn, you can move through creatures and objects. While affected, you also become immune to being grappled or restrained, you ignore difficult terrain, and you have resistance to all damage.

If you end your turn in the same spot as a solid object or creature, you are immediately shunted to the nearest unoccupied space that you can occupy and take force damage equal to twice the number of feet you are moved.

Traditional Arts

1st Level

You gain proficiency with calligrapher's supplies.

While wielding a calligraphy brush, you can use an action to create a Solid Script. By tracing a character in the air, you can cast one of the cantrips below without verbal, somatic, or material components. Any cantrip cast this way has a range of 30 feet. Once you create a Solid Script, you must finish a short or long rest before you can create another.

Acid (酸): Acid Splash

Death (死): Toll the Dead

Fire (火): Create Bonfire

Ice (氷): Frostbite

Insect (虫): Infestation

Life (生): Spare the Dying

Light (光): Light

Lightning (雷): Shocking Grasp (here a ranged spell attack)

9th Level

You can create two new empowered characters, open (開) and close (閉).

While wielding a calligraphy brush, you can as an action magically draw one of those characters on an object. If you draw 開, the object opens as if you had cast the Knock spell on it, except that it creates no noise. If you draw 閉, the object becomes more difficult to open until you finish a long rest as if you had cast the Arcane Lock spell on it.

Once you use this feature, you must finish a long rest before you can use it again.

14th Level

You can create a Solid Script a number of times between short or long rests equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of one).

Dance

1st Level

You gain proficiency in the Performance skill. In addition, when you take the Disengage action, you can move up to 10 feet.

9th Level

As an action, you can perform a mesmerizing dance. Choose any creatures you can see within 30 feet of you that can see you. They must make a Wisdom saving throw. Creatures that fail are charmed by you. Charmed creatures take no action, reaction, or movement, as they are enthralled by your performance. Creatures that succeed don't know you tried to charm it.

A creature that fails can be charmed by you for up to 10 minutes. However, the charm ends on it at the end of your turn if you don't use your action to continue to dance within 30 feet of that target and within its line of sight. The charm also immediately ends if the target takes damage or is forced to make a saving throw.

Once you use this feature, you must finish a short or long rest before you can use it again.

14th Level

Creatures charmed by your dance are so enchanted that attacks against them have advantage.

Drama

1st Level

You gain proficiency in the Performance skill. Furthermore, you can gain supernatural power by donning a traditional noh drama mask.

As an action, you can summon and put on one of the masks described below. You gain certain powers depending on what type of mask you wear. A mask cannot be removed against your will unless you are incapacitated. As a bonus action, you can remove and unsummon your mask.

Once you put on a mask, you can't put on a new one until you finish a short or long rest.

Mask Options

Blue Spirit. The Blue Spirit is a silent but masterful warrior. When you roll initiative, roll a d4 and add the number rolled to the result.

Goddess. The Goddess is most wise. When you make a Wisdom (Insight) check, roll a d4 and add the number rolled to the result.

Lion. The dazzling Lion inspires bravery. When you make a saving throw against being frightened, roll a d4 and add the number rolled to the result.

Oni Mask. The Oni is a terrifying demon. When you make a Charisma (Intimidation) check, roll a d4 and add the number rolled to the result.

Tengu. The red-faced, long-nosed Tengu is a famed trickster. When you make a Charisma (Deception) check, roll a d4 and add the number rolled to the result.

9th Level

Blue Spirit. When you roll initiative, treat any d20 result that is less than 8 as an 8 instead.

Goddess. When you make a Wisdom (Insight) check, treat any d20 result that is less than 8 as an 8 instead.

Lion. When creatures of your choice within 30 feet of you that can see you make a saving throw against being frightened, they roll a d4 and add the number rolled to the result.

Oni Mask. You can spend 2 spirit points to cast Cause Fear.

Tengu. You can spend 2 spirit points to cast Tasha's Hideous Laughter without material components.

14th Level

You may summon and put on a mask as a bonus action.

In addition, you don't have to wait until you finish a short or long rest to put on a new mask. You can swap masks as a bonus action by spending 3 spirit points.

Origami

1st Level

You can magically manipulate paper, making your creations grow in size and even bringing them to live.

As an action, you can touch one of your origami creations in the shape of an inanimate object to make it grow to the size that is normal for such an object. It can be up to Medium size. The object is still visibly made of paper, but becomes sturdy enough to perform its intended task. An origami umbrella repels water, an origami hammer can work metal, and an origami sword gives one hell of a paper cut. However, the creation cannot be used as a material component.

You can enlarge an origami in the shape of an inanimate object once. You regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest.

The origami remains enlarged until you finish a long rest, when it returns to its original form. However, you can choose not to regain that use of this feature to keep it enlarged until you finish another long rest. You can keep doing this indefinitely.

Separately, as an action, you can touch one of your origami creations in the shape of a beast to make it grow to the size that is normal for such a creature and animate. The creature's type is construct, its alignment is unaligned, it cannot speak, and it is immune to poison and the exhausted condition. It is clearly made of paper, although it is not vulnerable to fire. It otherwise has the statistics typical for such a creature.

You can have only a single creature animated at a time. Animating a second origami makes the first return to its original form. Your creation obeys any verbal commands that you issue to it (no action required by you). If you don’t issue any commands to it, it defends itself from hostile creatures, but otherwise takes no actions. It is destroyed if it falls to 0 hit points.

While your animated creation is within 100 feet of you, you can communicate with it telepathically. Additionally, as an action, you can see through your creation's eyes and hear what it hears until the start of your next turn, gaining the benefits of any special senses that the creation has. During this time, you are deaf and blind with regard to your own senses.

You can animate one CR 0 beast. You regain your ability to animate origami when you finish a long rest.

You must carefully make the origami before enlarging it. The length of time needed to make it depends on what type of object you're making. Most simple creations will take 5-10 minutes, while more complex creations could take 30 minutes or even longer, and you of course need sufficient paper. At the DM's discretion, you may be unable to make more complex (and expensive) objects such as armor until higher levels, if at all.

As an action, you can make any number of your enlarged origami, inanimate or animate, return to their original forms; you do not need to touch them.

9th Level

You can animate a number of origami beasts equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum one) or with a combined total CR of 1/4, whichever comes first.

In addition, you can enlarge an origami in the shape of an inanimate object a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum one) between long rests.

14th Level

You can animate a number of origami beasts equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum one) or with a combined total CR of 1/2, whichever comes first.

In addition, you can enlarge your inanimate origami creations up to size Large.

Tea Ceremony

1st Level

You can serve tea during a short rest or after the end of a long rest to up to 8 creatures, including yourself. Creatures that drink it gain a special benefit depending on what type of brew it is. You can make only one type of brew at a time.

You can make an invigorating brew. Creatures that drink it gain temporary hit points equal to half your ninja level rounded up.

9th Level

You learn how to make a calming brew. The next time a creature that drinks it makes an Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma saving throw before they finish a short or long rest, they roll a d4 and add the number rolled to the result.

14th Level

You learn how to make a persuasive brew that, by incorporating some of your spirit, makes drinkers more easily influenced by you. When you make a Charisma check to influence a creature that has drunk the brew within the last hour, you can reroll it and take the higher result.

Spirit Power Sources

Arashimo, the Storm Spider

2nd Level

Spider's Child. When you use your Sneak Attack, you deal extra lightning damage equal to the number of Sneak Attack dice rolled.

You also know the Lightning Lure cantrip. The lash appears to be a strand of web. You can use it to target objects, and you don't have to deal damage to them.

6th Level

Web Blast. You can throw a sticky mass of webbing as an action. It acts like a net with a 15/30 range. You can use this feature twice, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a short or long rest.

In addition, you gain resistance to lightning damage.

13th Level

Big Web. As an action, you can hurl a big web. This acts like the Web spell, except that it isn't a concentration effect and the web doesn't disappear after 1 hour. The web can be an electrified one. Creatures that become restrained by such a web take lighting damage equal to your ninja level and take the same damage if they are restrained by it at the start of their turn. You're immune to this web and it isn't difficult terrain for you. Once you use this feature, you must finish a short or long rest to use it again.

20th Level

Spider Sense. You gain blindsight and tremorsense with a range of 60 feet.

An avatar of Arashimo.

Hyōra, the Frost Tiger

2nd Level

Follower of the Frost Tiger. When you use your Sneak Attack, you deal extra cold damage equal to the number of Sneak Attack dice rolled.

You also know the Ray of Frost cantrip. The icy beam appears as a tiger's paw.

6th Level

Frozen Clone. You can create an icy duplicate of yourself as an instant, almost instinctual reaction to danger. When a creature makes an attack roll against you, you can use your reaction to interpose the icy duplicate between the attacker and yourself. The attack automatically misses you and instead shatters the duplicate. If the attack was a melee attack, the attacker takes cold damage equal to your ninja level. Once you use this feature, you must finish a long rest before you can use it again.

In addition, you gain resistance to cold damage.

13th Level

Ice of the Tiger. As an action, choose a point you can see within 60 feet of you. A slick sheet of ice covers the ground in a 20-foot square centered on the point and turns it into difficult terrain for 1 minute. When the ice appears, each creature standing in its area must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or fall prone. A creature that enters the area or ends its turn there must also succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or fall prone. Once you use this feature, you must finish a short or long rest before you can use it again. In addition, you cannot slip on ice and it isn't difficult terrain for you.

20th Level

Rushing Tiger. As an action, you can move up to your speed without provoking opportunity attacks and make a melee weapon attack with advantage as you momentarily become Hyōra's avatar. If it hits, the target must succeed on a Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. You can make another melee weapon attack with advantage as a bonus action. Once you use this feature, you must finish a short or long rest before using it again.

An avatar of Hyōra.

Kagehō, the Shadow Phoenix

2nd Level

Shadow Phoenix's Gift. When you use your Sneak Attack, you deal extra fire damage equal to the number of Sneak Attack dice rolled.

You also know the Firebolt cantrip. The flame created by it and by features gained from worshiping Kagehō is deep purple, almost black.

6th Level

Rising Phoenix. When you use Burst of Agility, your jump distance is tripled until the end of your turn.

In addition, you gain resistance to fire damage.

13th Level

Soaring Phoenix. As a bonus action, you can gain fiery wings and a flying speed of 60 feet for 10 minutes. Once you use this feature, you must finish a long rest before using it again.

20th Level

Phoenix's Rebirth. When you start your turn at 0 hit points, you can regain 40 hit points and instantly spring to your feet as an avatar of Kagehō appears overhead. In addition, each creature of your choice within 60 feet of you must make a Dexterity saving throw. Creatures take 10d6 fire damage on a failure, or half as much on a success. Once you use this feature, you must finish a long rest before you can use it again.

An avatar of Kagehō.

Sarishū, the Scorpion Lord

2nd Level

Scorpion Lord's Blessing. When you use your Sneak Attack, you deal extra poison damage equal to the number of Sneak Attack dice rolled.

You also know the Poison Spray cantrip. Furthermore, the poison damage from features you gain from worshiping Sarishū attacks both the body and the spirit, so it ignores resistance to poison and treats immunity to poison as resistance instead.

6th Level

Scorpion Sting. When you use your Shadow Dodge feature, the creature that attacked you takes poison damage equal to half your ninja level.

In addition, you gain resistance to poison damage and have advantage on saving throws against poison.

13th Level

Scorpion's Wrath. Whenever you score a critical hit on a creature or when you use Shadow Dodge in response to a creature scoring a critical hit on you, it must make a Constitution throw. Creatures that fail take poison damage equal to your ninja level and are poisoned until the end of their next turn, even if they are normally immune to the poisoned condition. Creatures that succeed take half as much damage and are not poisoned. Creatures that normally have advantage on saving throws against poison do not make the saving throw with advantage.

If you use Shadow Dodge in response to suffering a critical hit, the above effect happens instead of Scorpion Sting's usual effect.

20th Level

Perfect Sting. When you make a weapon attack, you can invoke Sarishū's power to make it an automatic critical hit that ignores any miss chance, and you can make it a Sneak Attack if you haven't already made one this turn. Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.

Worshippers of Sarishū are known for their vivid garb that openly boasts of the danger they present.

Shiryū, the Death Dragon

2nd Level

Death Dragon's Boon. When you use your Sneak Attack, you deal extra necrotic damage equal to the number of Sneak Attack dice rolled.

You also know the Chill Touch cantrip. Instead of creating a hand, it creates a dragon's maw.

6th Level

Roar of the Death Dragon. You can use your action to breathe life-draining energy in a 15-foot cone emanating from you. Creatures in the cone must make a Constitution saving throw. Creatures that fail take 1d6 necrotic damage per Sneak Attack die you receive, while creatures that succeed take half as much. Once you use this feature, you must finish a long rest before you can use it again.

In addition, you gain resistance to necrotic damage.

13th Level

Dragon's Whispers. You can cast Speak with Dead at will without material components.

Shiryū's unrivaled collection of souls.....

20th Level

Dragon's Avatar. When you die, you can choose for your body and everything on it to fade into nothingness.

Anytime while you are dead, you can choose to return to life. If you do so, Shiryū appears. Opening his jaws, you step out in an unoccupied space of your choice on a plane of your choice bearing the same gear you died with, your hit points, abilities, and magic items restored as if you just finished a long rest or if it had been dawn. If there is combat in the area, you use this ability at the beginning of the round, and you roll initiative.

You can use this ability only once. If you had died of old age, you come back for only 24 hours, after which you permanently pass on.

In addition, creatures that fail their saving throw against your Roar of the Death Dragon can't regain hit points until the start of your next turn, and if they are undead, they also have disadvantage on their attacks until the start of your next turn.

.....gives him great knowledge of the distant past.

Hidden Techniques

3rd Level

Precise Strikes. When you use the Attack action with an unarmed strike or ninja weapon on your turn, you can make one unarmed strike as a bonus action. You can deal piercing or slashing damage with your unarmed strikes. You can roll a d6 in place of the normal damage of your unarmed strike.

Once per round, when you hit a creature with an unarmed strike, you can spend 1 spirit point to impose on it the effect related to the type of damage it deals.

Sever Nerve (Slashing): It can't take reactions until the end of your next turn.

Sweep the Leg (Bludgeoning): It must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or be knocked prone.

Vital Puncture (Piercing): It takes extra damage equal to 1d4 + half your ninja level.

11th Level

Brutal Executioner. When you deal damage with an unarmed strike, and afterward the creature has current hit points equal to or lower than your ninja level, you can choose to instantly kill it in a spectacular fashion. If you do so, you exult in the killing, giving you advantage on one attack you make before the end of your next turn.

In addition, you can roll a d8 in place of the normal damage of your unarmed strike.

17th Level

Paint the Town Red. As an action, you can move up to your speed without provoking opportunity attacks. While moving, you can make a single unarmed strike against any number of creatures within range. There is no limit on the number of times you can use your Sneak Attack. Each attack must deal piercing or slashing damage, and any creatures hit do not appear to take damage until the end of your move, when they erupt in sprays of blood. Once you use this feature, you must finish a long rest before you can use it again.

In addition, you can roll a d10 in place of the normal damage of your unarmed strike.

Facestealer

Facestealers possess a single but powerful talent - the power to rob others of their appearance.

3rd Level

Harvest Visage. You gain the ability to adopt a creature's persona. You can spend 1 minute performing a ritual with a dead creature no larger than Medium with a face and a humanoid shape (DM's discretion). At the end of the ritual, you run your hand over its face, which disappears, leaving a smooth, featureless surface.

As an action, you can summon and put on the face of a creature whose face you have removed. You now look like, sound like, and feel like the dead creature, but healthy and alive. This disguise lasts until you end it as a bonus action or die. Your size may change, but any other statistics and abilities do not. For example, you may appear to be an aarakocra, but you don't gain a flying speed. In addition, only your physical form changes; your clothes and equipment do not.

While you're wearing the face, you gain access to all information that the creature would freely share with a casual acquaintance. Such information includes general details on its background and personal life, but doesn't include secrets. The information is enough that you can pass yourself off as the person by drawing on its memories. You also can speak, read, and write any languages that the creature did.

Another creature can see through the disguise by succeeding on a Wisdom (Insight) check contested by your Charisma (Deception) check. You gain a +5 bonus to your check.

You can reuse faces and swap them at will. You can have a number of faces magically stored at one time equal to your ninja level. If acquiring a new face would put you over the limit, you must permanently discard a face.

11th Level

Instant Facesteal. Once per round, when you hit a creature with an attack, you can spend 4 spirit points to try to temporarily remove its face. The target must make a Constitution saving throw. If it fails, until the end of your next turn, its face disappears, becoming a smooth and featureless surface. With no eyes and no mouth, it is blinded and cannot speak or use powers like a breath attack or gaze.

While the creature's face is stolen, your face takes on its appearance. This has no effect on your abilities. Creatures without a recognizable face are immune to this feature. If a creature has multiple faces, only one is affected.

17th Level

Flawless Facestealer. When you wear a creature's face, you gain access to all its memories and knowledge, even secrets. When you make a Charisma (Deception) check to act like the creature whose face you are wearing and roll less than a 10 on the d20, treat the result as a 10.

Patron's Favored

Patron's Favored have an especially close relationship with their spirit patron and become a sort of priest.

3rd Level

Blessed Servant. When you roll an ability check, roll a d4 and add the number rolled the result. This doesn't stack with the Guidance cantrip.

In addition, you gain proficiency in one skill depending on your spirit patron. If you are already proficient, your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses that chosen proficiency.

Arashimo, the Storm Spider: Acrobatics

Hyōra, the Frost Tiger: Survival

Kagehō, the Shadow Phoenix: Medicine

Sarishū, the Scorpion Lord: Intimidation

Shiryū, the Death Dragon: History

Finally, you can cast the cantrip you know from worshiping your spirit patron as a bonus action. You can use this feature twice, and you regain any expended uses when you finish a long rest.

11th Level

Patron's Intercession. As an action, you can ask your spirit patron for aid, performing one of two actions:

• Answer. This acts like the Commune spell, except that no material components are needed.

• Protect. This acts like the Guardian of Faith spell, with two differences. First, it deals the same type of damage that the cantrip you know from worshiping your spirit patron does, and this damage ignores resistance and immunity. Second, the conjured guardian is not stationary. On your turn, it can move up to 30 feet (this takes no action on your part).

Once you use this feature, you must finish a long rest before you can use it again.

17th Level

Patron's Power. You gain the ability to cast two spells connected to your spirit patron. None of the spells require material components.

2nd level spells cost 3 spirit point to cast. Other spells cost 1 more spirit point per level above 2nd. You can spend a maximum of 6 spirit points to cast a spell at 5th level.

Arashimo, the Storm Spider: Spider Climb, Storm Sphere

Hyōra, the Frost Tiger: Locate Object, Locate Creature

Kagehō, the Shadow Phoenix: Scorching Ray, Aura of Life

Sarishū, the Scorpion Lord: Bestow Curse, Slow

Shiryū, the Death Dragon: Animate Undead, Spirit Shroud (necrotic damage only)

Shadow Monarch

Shadow Monarchs are the archetypal ninja, wielding darkness with the same deftness that they wield their hidden blades.

3rd Level

Twist Shades. You can use your spirit to duplicate the effects of certain spells. You can spend 2 spirit points to cast Darkness, Darkvision, Pass without Trace, or Silence, without providing material components. Additionally, you gain the Minor Illusion cantrip if you don't already know it.

11th Level

Shadow Step. You gain the ability to step from one shadow into another. When you are in dim light or darkness, as a bonus action you can teleport up to 60 feet to an unoccupied space you can see that is also in dim light or darkness. You then have advantage on the first melee attack you make before the end of the turn.

17th Level

Ascend the Umbra Throne. As an action, you can become invisible for 1 minute and create a 50-foot radius sphere of dim light centered around you for 1 minute. The sphere is stationary. Even magic cannot increase the light level above dim in this area. Once you use this feature, you must finish a long rest before you can use it again.

Shuriken Specialist

Shuriken Specialists focus on mastering the so-called "ninja star."

3rd Level

Unlimited Shuriken Works. When you throw shuriken, instead of using mundane ones, you can instantly create them out of solidified shadow as part of the attack. They disappear after the attack is resolved. These shadow shuriken deal 1d6 piercing damage, have a range of 30/120, and count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage

When you use the Attack action with a ninja weapon or unarmed strike on your turn, you can make one attack with a shuriken as a bonus action.

In addition, as an action, you can spend 1 spirit point to generate a shadow shuriken to be used in the near future. This action doesn't cause any noise, but is apparent to anyone watching you. By spending multiple actions and multiple spirit points, you can store multiple shadow shuriken, up to your Wisdom modifier (minimum one).

Once per turn, when you make an attack with a shuriken, you can expend one stored shadow shuriken to make an additional shuriken attack. Any stored shadow shuriken disappear when you finish a short or long rest.

11th Level

Shuriken Storm. As an action, you can throw shuriken at any number of creatures you can see within 30 feet of you. Each attack that hits deals extra damage equal to your ninja level. Immediately after using this feature, you can throw one additional shuriken as a bonus action. Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

17th Level

Have Shuriken, Will Travel. When you hit a target with a shuriken, you can spend 1 spirit point to instantly teleport to an unoccupied space within 5 feet of it.

In addition, when you use Burst of Agility, you can spend 1 spirit point to instantly throw a shuriken as part of your movement (no action required).

Art Credit

Cover by Txikimorin
Page 1 - Carter Adair
Page 2 - MuYong Kim
Page 3 - Thunderegg Productions
Page 4 - martylsi
Page 5 - Paizo
Page 6 - hamex
Page 7 - Eva Widermann
Page 8 - Hou China
Page 9 - Alexandra Khitrova

Art Credit

Page 10 - Esmira, Rene Campbell
Page 11 - Sive, Sally Gottschalk
Page 12 - tervola
Page 13 - artozi
Page 14 - lordeeas
Page 15 - tsDuske
Page 16 - Carter Adair
Page 17 - Joseph Biwald, ArenaNet
Page 18 - DeNA
Page 19 - Alayna