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 enemy's heart 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 iron will which lets them overcome even the fiercest challenges.

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 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.

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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.

Multiclassing and the Ninja

If your group uses the optional multiclassing rule, here's what you need to know if you choose to take your first level as a ninja.
Ability Score Minimum. You must have a Dexterity score of at least 13 and a Wisdom score of at least 13 to take a level in this class or to take a level in another class if you are already a ninja.
Proficiencies. If you multiclass into ninja, you gain proficiency with all weapons ninjas are proficient in, light armor, and one skill or tool available to ninjas.

Certain ninja clans use specialized forms of weapons. For example, you might use a club that is two lengths of wood connected by a short chain (called a nunchaku), a long scimitar (called a katana), or shuriken (darts). Whatever name you use, use the weapon's official statistics.

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 as a bonus action to take the Dash or Disengage action or 2 spirit points to do both.

See the Unseen. You can spend 1 spirit point as a bonus action to take the Search action or to gain the ability to see invisible creatures and objects until the start of your next turn or 2 spirit points to do both.

Shadowmeld. You can spend 1 spirit point as a bonus action to take the Hide action or add a d6 to the next Dexterity (Stealth) check you make before the end of your turn or 2 spirit points to do both.

Focus

At 3rd level, you can as a bonus action find clarity amid conflict. Until the end of your turn, you can use Sneak Attack even if you don't have advantage on the attack roll, but not if you have disadvantage on it.

Hidden Technique

When you reach 3rd level, you commit yourself to mastering a hidden technique. Choose from the hidden techniques described below: Bare-Handed Scourge; Faceless Infiltrator; Favored One; Shadow Monarch; or Shuriken Sage. Your choice grants you features at 3rd level and again at 11th and 17th levels.

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.

Infiltrator

At 5th level, you unlock two new mystical methods. Both require you to spend 1 spirit point as an action. When their duration would expire, you can spend 1 spirit point (no action required) to restart their duration as long as you are not incapacitated.

Shadow Mask. You gain the benefits of the Disguise Self spell with the following improvements. You can change the sound of your voice and seem up to 3 feet shorter or taller, and any illusionary outfit sounds real.

Vanish. You become invisible for 1 minute and can take the Hide action. The invisibility ends if you attack, cast a spell, or force a creature to make a saving throw.

Talent

When you reach 7th level, you develop a particular skill. Choose one of the options listed below.

In addition, while invisible due to a ninja class feature, you cannot be seen, even if magic such as the Faerie Fire spell or abilities such as truesight would normally let you be seen. Blindsight and tremorsense can still perceive you.

Master Ninja

At 20th level, you have reached the pinnacle of your craft, learning one of the following supreme techniques.

Hyper Focus. Using Focus gives you advantage on the next attack roll you make before the end of your turn regardless of any sources of disadvantage.

Perfect Phantom. Vanish costs no spirit points to use, and while invisible due to a ninja class feature, blindsight cannot perceive you and your steps make no sound.

Walk With The Gods. As long as you aren't prone or incapacitated, you are treated as if you are not on the surface you are on. For example, any solid object supports your weight without issue, you don't leave tracks, don't trigger traps by stepping on a particular surface, are unaffected by caltrops and spells such as Earth Tremor, Grease, and Spike Growth, cannot be perceived by tremorsense, can be on top of lava without harm, and ignore difficult terrain caused by the surface, such as sand, slippery ice, swamp, or uneven ground, but not dense foliage. This feature doesn't affect fall damage.

Open and Close

At 9th level, you learn two new empowered characters, Open (開) and Close (閉). While wielding a calligraphy brush, you can as an action magically draw one in the air to affect an object you can see within 60 feet of you. If you draw Open, the object opens as if you had cast the Knock spell on it, except that it creates no noise. If you draw Close, the object becomes more difficult to open as if you had cast the Arcane Lock spell on it. You can draw each character once, after which you cannot draw them again until you finish a long rest.

Secret

At 14th level, you learn a new empowered character, Secret (秘). While wielding a calligraphy brush, you can as an action magically draw it in the air to affect creatures of your choice you can see within 60 feet of you. They become invisible for 10 minutes or until they attack, cast a spell, or force a creature to make a saving throw. For 10 minutes, affected creatures of your choice can see creatures invisible due to this feature. Once you use this feature, you must finish a long rest before you can use it again.

Shadowdancer

At 1st level, you gain proficiency in the Performance skill, and when you make a Performance check, you can add your Wisdom modifier instead of your Charisma modifier.

When you make a Dexterity (Stealth) check, after rolling the d20, you can either gain a bonus equal to your Wisdom modifier or treat a d20 roll of 7 or lower as an 8.

Beguiling Dance

Starting at 9th level, as an action, you can perform a beguiling dance. Choose any number of creatures within 30 feet of you that can see you. They must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be charmed by you. If they are in combat, they have advantage on the saving throw. While charmed by this feature, creatures are incapacitated and have a speed of 0. 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, it stops being charmed at the end of your turn if you don't use your action to dance within 30 feet of that target and it can see you. When you use your action this way, you can also make one attack with a melee weapon or unarmed strike. If this attack is made against a creature you have charmed with this feature, it has advantage.

An affected target stops being charmed if it takes damage, is forced to make a saving throw, or if someone else uses their action to shake it from its stupor. The dance requires your concentration as if you were concentrating on a spell. Once you use this feature, you must finish a short or long rest before you can use it again.

Battle Dance

Starting at 14th level, whenever an attack hits you while you are not incapacitated, roll a d20. If you roll a 20, the attack misses instead. If the attack still hits, you can as a reaction add your Wisdom modifier to your AC against the triggering attack. Once you use this feature to increase your AC, you can't use it that way again until you finish a short or long rest.

Oni. The Oni is fearsome and mighty. When you make a Charisma (Intimidation) check or a Strength saving throw, add a d4.

Tengu. The red-faced, long-nosed Tengu is a famed trickster. When you make a Charisma (Deception) check or a Charisma saving throw, add a d4.

Mask Magic

At 9th level, wearing a mask lets you cast a spell without material, verbal, or somatic components. The spell depends on the type of mask you wear as described below. Once you cast a spell using this feature, you cannot cast another one until you finish a long rest.

Elder. Comprehend Languages

Goddess. Bless

Lion. Thunderwave

Oni. Bane

Tengu. Fog Cloud

Instant Mask

Starting at 14th level, you can use Conjure Mask as a reaction when you make a saving throw or ability check and the mask you don would affect it.

Intermediate Origami

Starting at 9th level, when you use Animate Origami, you can animate a beast with a CR of 1/8. In addition, you can have two beasts animated at a time. With the same action, you can animate multiple beasts or make them return to their original form.

Advanced Origami

At 14th level, when you use Animate Origami, you can animate a beast with a CR of 1/4. In addition, you can have three beasts animated at a time.

Tea Ceremony

Simple Blends

Starting at 1st level, you can serve tea to up to 8 creatures. This takes around 30 minutes and can be done during a short rest or at the end of a long rest. Creatures that drink the tea gain a special benefit depending on what type of blend it is. You can make only one type of blend at a time.

At 1st level, you know how to make the following two blends. Their effects fade when a drinker finishes a short or long rest, not including the rest when the tea is served.

Calming. A calming blend helps drinkers maintain peace of mind. Once, when a drinker fails a Wisdom saving throw, they can add a d4 to the result.

Invigorating. An invigorating blend lets drinkers perform a single burst of speed. Once, when they move, they can move up to an additional 15 feet.

New Blend

At 9th level, you become more adept at preparing the blends you already know and learn a third one.

Calming. The d4 becomes a d6.

Invigorating. When a creature performs the burst of speed, their movement does not provoke opportunity attacks until the end of their turn.

Charming. A charming blend, by incorporating some of your spirit, makes drinkers more easily influenced by you. Drinkers must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be charmed by you for 1 hour. Regardless of whether they failed or succeeded, they don't know you charmed or tried to charm them. Creatures that succeed are immune to this feature for 24 hours.

Best Blend

At 14th level, you learn a fourth blend. Once you make it, you can't make it again until you finish a long rest.

Refreshing. A drinker removes one level of exhaustion.

Gut Punch. It must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or the next unsuccessful attack roll against it before the end of your next turn adds a d4 to the result, potentially turning the miss into a hit, or the next successful attack roll it makes before the end of your next turn subtracts a d4 from the result, potentially turning the hit into a miss, whichever happens sooner.

Sweep the Leg. It must succeed on a Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.

Mystic Assault

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

Perfect Strikes

At 11th level, when you use Precise Strikes, you can spend an additional 1 spirit point to enhance the chosen effect as described below.

Expel Spirit. The target makes either a Wisdom or Charisma saving throw, whichever it has a lower bonus to. If it rolls a 1 on the d20, it is incapacitated and has a movement speed of 0 until the end of its next turn.

Gut Punch. If the target fails the saving throw, an additional attack roll is affected. If it rolls a 1 on the d20, all attack rolls it makes and made against it before the end of your next turn are affected.

Sweep the Leg. The target makes either a Strength or Dexterity saving throw, whichever it has a lower bonus to. If it rolls a 1 on the d20 or automatically fails the saving throw, it hits the ground with such force that it takes extra bludgeoning damage equal to half your ninja level (round down), and the target must expend all of its movement to stand up from being prone.

Paint the Town Red

Beginning at 17th level, as an action, you can move up to your speed without provoking opportunity attacks. While moving, you can make one unarmed strike with advantage against any number of creatures within range, and there is no limit on the number of times you can use Sneak Attack. However, you can't use Sneak Attack against the same creature twice in the same turn.

When using this feature, it does not cost spirit points to use Precise Strikes or Perfect Strikes, and creatures have disadvantage on saving throws against them. 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.

This disguise lasts until you end it as a bonus action or die. When you end the disguise, the face either returns to your possession or to a pocket dimension for storage (your choice). You can have a number of faces stored in the pocket dimension up to twice your Wisdom modifier.

You can wear only one face at a time.

You also can share faces. Other creature which can don a face as an action. Creatures that do so gain the effects described above. When another creature ends the disguise, the face returns to their possession.

You can use an action to store a face in your possession in the pocket dimension or to retrieve a face from the pocket dimension.

New Face

Also starting at 3rd level, as an action, you can spend 1 spirit point to change your appearance and voice for 1 hour. You determine the specifics of the changes, including your coloration, hair length, and sex. You can also adjust your height and weight and can change your size between Small and Medium.

You can make yourself appear as a member of another race, though none of your game statistics change. You must adopt a form that has the same basic arrangement of limbs that you have. Your clothing and equipment aren’t changed by this feature.

Erase Visage

Starting at 11th level, when you damage a creature, you can spend 3 spirit points to try to temporarily remove its face. The target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or for 1 minute, its face disappears, becoming a smooth and featureless surface. With no eyes, nose, or mouth, it is blinded and suffers relevant consequences such as being unable to drink a potion or use a breath weapon. It can repeat the saving throw at the end of its turn, ending the effect on a success.

If you use this feature when you score a critical hit, it costs no spirit points. Creatures without a face are immune to this feature. If a creature has multiple faces, only one is affected. If target dies while affected by this feature, you can immediately gain its face as described in Harvest Visage (no action required).

Flawless Collection

Beginning at 17th level, 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.

In addition, if the creature was proficient in a tool or an Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma-based skill, when you make an ability check using one of those tools or skills, you can either add your proficiency bonus (if you are proficient) or the target's proficiency bonus. If the target added twice its proficiency bonus to one of those tools or skills, you can as well.

All the benefits from this feature apply to other creatures wearing a face.

Shiryū, the Death Dragon, hoards an unrivaled collection of souls which gives him great knowledge of the past.

You gain proficiency in one skill or tool depending on your patron. If you are already proficient, you instead gain proficiency in any one skill or tool on the ninja class list.

Arashimo, the Storm Spider: Acrobatics

Hyōra, the Frost Tiger: Survival

Kagehō, the Shadow Phoenix: Medicine

Sarishū, the Scorpion Lord: Poisoner's Kit

Shiryū, the Death Dragon: History

In addition, you gain access to distinct features depending on your patron, including the power to cast spells. You can cast them without material components.

Arashimo, the Storm Spider

Electroweb. As an action, you can spend 2 spirit points to throw a sticky, shocking mass of webbing. It acts like a net with a 15/30 range. On a hit, the target also cannot take a reaction until the start of its next turn regardless of its size unless it is immune to lightning.

Silk Rope Lure. You know the Lightning Lure cantrip. You can choose to not deal damage with it, and the target can choose to fail the saving throw. You can target an object with it, but certain objects may be too heavy to move (DM's discretion). If the target is an object being held or worn which could be grabbed (DM's discretion), it flies to your grasp if you succeed on a Wisdom check contested by the holder's Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. When the target is a larger size than you or heavy enough (DM's discretion), instead of moving it 10 feet closer to you, you can move 10 feet towards it without provoking opportunity attacks.

When a creature fails its saving throw against Lighting Lure, until the end of your turn, if it is within reach of your unarmed strike, you can target it with Electroweb as a bonus action, and the attack has advantage instead of disadvantage despite it being a ranged weapon attack.

Hyōra, the Frost Tiger

Ice Claws. You know the Frostbite cantrip. It deals extra damage equal to your proficiency bonus, and you can target objects with it. If your target is within the range of your unarmed strike, instead of requiring the target to make a Constitution saving throw, you can choose to make a melee spell attack, inflicting the cantrip's effects on a hit. If you do, half of the damage (round down) is slashing instead of cold, and you can use Dexterity instead of Wisdom for the attack roll.

Pursue Prey. As an action, you can spend 2 spirit points to heighten your hunting prowess. Choose one creature or object that is familiar to you. You can choose a specific creature or object known to you, or the nearest creature of a specific kind (such as a human or a unicorn), so long as you have seen such a creature or object up close – within 30 feet – at least once. Alternatively, you can choose a particular kind of object, such as a certain kind of apparel, jewelry, furniture, tool, or weapon.

For 1 hour, when you make an Intelligence (Investigation), Wisdom (Perception), or Wisdom (Survival) check to track or locate the chosen creature or object, after rolling the d20, you can either gain a bonus equal to your Wisdom modifier or treat a d20 roll of 9 or lower as a 10.

Kagehō, the Shadow Phoenix

Kindle Spirit. As an action, you can spend 2 spirit points to reignite a creature's vitality. Choose yourself or one creature you can see within 30 feet of you which is suffering from a condition, effect, or spell which it can make a saving throw to end at the end of its turn. You can instinctively tell whether a creature is a valid target. The target can immediately remake the saving throw with a bonus equal to your Wisdom modifier.

You can also spend 2 spirit points to cast the Animate Dead spell. You can target the remains of any Small or Medium creature with a humanoid form (DM's discretion). The servant it creates lasts under your control indefinitely, but it reverts to being a pile of bones or corpse when you finish a short or long rest, unless you choose to not regain the spirit points used to animate it. Moreover, the servant's hit points and the damage from its attacks are only half as normal (round down).

Spiritual Surge

At 11th level, as a bonus action or as a reaction when you take damage, you can spend 4 spirit points to imbue yourself with your patron's strength. For 1 minute, you gain resistance to a type of damage, including against the triggering damage if applicable, and once per turn, when you hit with an attack roll or deal damage with a cantrip, you can deal extra damage equal 1d6 + to half your ninja level (round down). The type of damage you deal and gain resistance to depends on your patron.

Arashimo, the Storm Spider: Lightning

Hyōra, the Frost Tiger: Cold

Kagehō, the Shadow Phoenix: Fire

Sarishū, the Scorpion Lord: Poison

Shiryū, the Death Dragon: Necrotic

Hyōra, the Frost Tiger

Exhalation of Winter. Slick ice covers the ground in a 30-foot radius circle centered on a point you can see within 60 feet of you for 10 minutes. For the duration, the area is difficult terrain. When the ice appears, each creature of your choice standing in its area must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or fall prone. Each creature of your choice that enters the area or ends its turn there must also succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or fall prone. When you use this feature, you can choose for creatures of your choice to ignore the difficult terrain.

When you use this feature, it costs an additional spirit point for each time you have previously used it before finishing a short or long rest.

Ruler of the Umbral Throne

At 17th level, all darkness is your domain. You can see normally in darkness, both magical and nonmagical, up to an unlimited range.

In addition, if you kill a creature, you can choose for it to melt into wisps of shadow which you harvest. If you do, you gain 2 shadow points. You can use shadow points instead of spirit points to use this Hidden Technique's features. You can have a maximum number of shadow points equal to twice your Wisdom modifier, and they disappear when you finish a short or long rest.

When you kill a creature, you can also choose to melt into wisps of shadow any or all nonmagical items in its possession.

Slowing Shuriken. The target's speed is reduced by 10 feet until the start of your next turn.

Tracking Shuriken. The target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw, or for 1 hour, you know the target's precise distance and direction from you provided the two of you are on the same plane of existence. This feature can affect objects, which receive no saving throw to resist.

Counter-Shuriken

Beginning at 11th level, as a reaction when a creature you can see within range of your shuriken makes an attack roll, you can spend 2 spirit points to throw a shuriken to foil its assault. You can use this feature after the creature rolls the attack, but before the DM announces whether it hits or misses. Make a ranged weapon attack against that creature. If it hits, it takes no damage, but makes its attack with disadvantage. If the attack is a ranged weapon attack and does not involve a massive projectile like a ballista or giant's boulder, it automatically misses instead if your attack hits.

If your attack with this feature hits, you cannot use any of the three options from Unlimited Shuriken Works.

Shuriken Storm

At 17th level, as an action, you can throw a shuriken at any number of creatures you can see within 30 feet of you, dealing extra damage equal to your Wisdom modifier on a hit. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier. You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

In addition, Counter-Shuriken no longer uses your reaction, although you cannot use it if you are incapacitated.

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Art Credit

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