Ninja of the Clans

There are the skillful Shinobi the clans employ, versatile and trained in unique specializations to accomplish many goals, and then there are those of the more martial bent who are the devout warrior practitioners of Ninjutsu. These are known by the shorthand term of Ninja, and they are dangerous warriors which are extremely capable of stealth and misdirection, originally born of the resistance to the authority of the shogunate, and known for "mastery of their environment." Trained in multitudes of weapons, and to survive off the land for long-term reconnaissance and resistance to invading armies, their accumulated skills make them dangerous opponents capable of deadly ambushes, and skilled in multiple forms of combat. Unlike the Yaban Hito, who have devotedly resisted all influence of the shogunate authority, most of these Ninja belong to clans in the more modern eras, as their families simply sought peace after years and years of warring, accepting shogunate and clan rule, yet this form of skillful resistance fighter has persisted in its ways, having been established as a multi-generational tradition at this point.

(Author's Note: the best play experience for this class is attained when using the alternate class features of the Ranger as described in Tasha's Cauldron of Everything, particularly the Deft Explorer, Favored Foe, Fighting Style Options, Primal Awareness, and Nature's Veil features.)

Environmental Aptitude
3rd-level Ninja of the Clans feature

You are trained in the art of Ninjutsu-do, a martial art that emphasizes an awareness and usage of one's environment in profound ways. You may change the fighting style you learned at 2nd-level to the Unarmed Fighting fighting style, and you gain proficiency in your choice of Cartographer's Tools, Disguise Kit, Herbalist's Tools, or Poisoner's Kit. You also gain proficiency in Thieves' Tools, and proficiency in Perception.

Fatal Ambush

3rd-level Ninja of the Clans feature

At 3rd level when you choose this class, you are trained to react consistently fast in all situations, and how to strike with deadly precision. You gain a bonus to initiative rolls equal to your proficiency bonus.

Additionally, whenever you succeed on a critical hit, you deal an additional 1d10 damage of your weapon's type. At 11th level, this damage increases to 2d10 damage.

Shadow Assault

7th-level Ninja of the Clans feature

At 7th level, you learn how to channel the force of your will to grant you amazing precision when striking from the shadows. At any time that you successfully hit an enemy that you were hidden from with a weapon attack, you may expend a Ranger spell slot, and if you do, you add 1d10 bonus damage of your weapon's type to that damage for each spell level of the expended spell slot.

Assault Jutsu Magic

11th-level Ninja of the Clans feature

At 11th level in this class, because silence, stealth, and survival help in all things but all-out assault, you gain a fundamental knowledge of the unique attack magics taught by the clans, and you can integrate some of these spells into your retinue of Kuji-Kiri, or Ninjitsu mystic arts, which also allow you to cast magic with silent hand symbols. Choose an element from air, earth, fire, or water. You gain a new Ranger spell at each spell level, from the list of spells corresponding to that element below, and these spells count as always prepared for you once you are of the Ranger level to cast spells of that spell level.

Air:  1st- Thunderous Smite, 2nd- Gust of Wind, 3rd- Call Lightning, 4th- Storm Sphere, 5th- Control Winds
Earth:  1st- Earth Tremor, 2nd- Spike Growth, 3rd- Erupting Earth, 4th- Stoneskin, 5th- Wall of Stone
Fire:  1st- Searing Smite, 2nd- Agnazzar's Scorcher, 3rd- Flame Arrows, 4th- Wall of Fire, 5th- Immolation
Water: 1st- Ice Knife, 2nd- Hold Person, 3rd- Wall of Water, 4th- Control Water, 5th- Hold Monster

Additionally, you can ignore the verbal component for all spells you cast if that spell also has a somatic component.

Finally, the critical damage dealt by your Fatal Ambush feature improves to 2d10.

Environmental Mastery

15th-level Ninja of the Clans

Starting at 15th level, you've become a true master of your environment, knowing how to utilize your environment to your best advantage at all times, and how to capitalize on your enemies' mistakes before they even have the chance to recoup. You have advantage on Initiative rolls, Perception checks, and Survival checks.

Additionally, whenever you hit an enemy that is surprised with an attack roll, you deal critical damage to that enemy. Until the beginning of your next turn, if that enemy is reduced to 0 hit points, you may use a reaction to teleport to a space within 10 feet of another creature you can see within 60 feet. At your choosing, you can leave a puff of thick smoke or some other harmless illusory effect behind in the space you left that remains for 1 round.