How about Kensei Monk 6/Battle Master Fighter 4. Take archery and thrown weapon fighting styles and sharpshooter feat (either archery or thrown weapon fighting style would be via fighting initiate feat) and reflavor darts as shuriken. Make them your Kensei ranged weapon and with 6 in Kensei they are considered magical for overcoming resistance. Choose maneuvers that fit with ranged attacks. Custom Lineage or VHuman to get one of the fighting styles at level 1.
I guess if we’re thinking of the movie ninjas, then HerZero’s idea about the shadow monk is the best bet. But IRL ninjas were spies and infiltrators. So, yes, a class with high dex for fighting, but it also needs a lot of char for persuasion and deception checks. So I’d suggest a changeling rogue/monk with the spy background. If your DM lets you, use the custom ability and switch the +2 from char to dex and put the +1 into char. Depending on how you want to play them mid game you could take a feat for either speed or deception improvement, or just build you dex and char scores.
If you are talking about a historical ninja, they were assassins and I think the assassin subclass works best. I think assassin has everything you need for a Ninja, take the skulker feat with a variant Human.
1. Fast and Stealthy - cunning action dash and expertise in stealth.
2. Attack quickly without being seen - skulker feat allows you to attack from hidden position and not expose yourself, it also allows you to hide while only partially obscured.
3. Illusion/Enchantment - Well I am not sure about this. Real Ninjas were a master of disguise, not magic. I would say pick up the faceless or faction agent background for some of the soft skills associated with a Ninja. If you want magic though you could look at the shadow touched feat with silent image as the 1st level spell. You have disguise self as an option too, but since you already have disguise kit proficiency that might be redundant.
The build would be a pretty accurate representation of a Ninja, although relatively weak and not really optimized for 5E. If multiclass is an option, You could also do a Kensai-Assasin multiclass. That would be a bit more powerful I think and would actually let you get all the actual right skills and proficiencies you need:
Level 1 - Human Rogue - skills: Athletics (expertise), Acrobatics, Deception, Stealth (expertise). Background: Faction agent with Medicine for your wisdom skill, feat skulker
Level 4 - Shadow Touched with Silent Image as the 1st level spell
Level 5 - Multiclass to Monk - martial arts
Level 7 - Kensei, shortsword (Ninja-to) and Longbow as Kensei Weapons
I think at this point you have everything you are looking for except explosives. If your campaign has explosives, hopefully your DM has a method to get them.
You can dig through the Ranger spell list and see if they match the flavor you want. But straight Gloomstalker duel wielder would be a strong choice. Ranged is always going to be more deadly, but that's just the game mechanics.
I want to create a character that is essentially a ninja, using only the official content (everything up to Eberron, plus the Critical Role content). Some key points about the ninja: 1) Very fast and stealthy, 2) Attack quickly without being seen, 3) Use illusion and/or enchantment magic (maybe evocations too, if I go into a Naruto-style ninja).
I need ideas for race, class or classes, background and any feats that might help. No matter what I decide, this character will be level 10.
Way of The Shadows Monk is essentially a ninja. The DMG describes a ninja as a Way of The Shadows Monk in a Wuxia campaign setting.
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Brains over brawn? Mind over matter? These canny warriors rightly answer, "Why not both?" - Tasha
Below are the best ideas in my opinion. From my point of view each of these suggestions is a valid ninja. What matters is to know how to use your png so that it looks like a ninja.
1. Rogue (Assassin or Scout) 4/ Fighter (Echo Knight) 12/ Ranger (GloomStalker) 4, you can flavor the echoes as a shadow clone like in naruto
2. Rogue (Assassin or Scout) 8/ Ranger (Gloomstalker) 12, this one is more of the sneaky assassin type. if you prefer more rogue over ranger just swap to rogue 12/ranger 8
Personally, I went with 7 levels in Arcane Trickster and 3 levels in Shadow Monk for Unarmored Defense, extra speed, and free Darkness and Minor Illusion spells. I also took the Mobile feat for even more speed and ignoring difficult terrain, and the fire bolt, poison spray, illusory script, disguise self, silent image, fog cloud, mirror image, invisibility, and spider climb spells.
I've heard certain people complaining that the ability is only allowed with a single weapon and therefore not feasible with a set of darts or ninja stars.
In the rules you state that you are using a Sling and in the game role you state that they are darts.... Problem solved.
You actually gain because the Sling has a longer range.
Dedicated Weapon (Optional)
Dedicated Weapon (Optional)
Also at 2nd level, you train yourself to use a variety of weapons as monk weapons, not just simple melee weapons and shortswords. Whenever you finish a short or long rest, you can touch one weapon, focus your ki on it, and then count that weapon as a monk weapon until you use this feature again. The chosen weapon must meet these criteria:
The weapon must be a simple or martial weapon.
You must be proficient with it.
It must lack the heavy and special properties.
Whatever name you use for a monk weapon, you can use the game statistics provided for the weapon on the Weapons page.
Martial Arts
At 1st level, your practice of martial arts gives you mastery of combat styles that use unarmed strikes and monk weapons, which are shortswords and any simple melee weapons that don't have the two-handed or heavy property.
You gain the following benefits while you are unarmed or wielding only monk weapons and you aren't wearing armor or wielding a shield:
You can use Dexterity instead of Strength for the attack and damage rolls of your unarmed strikes and monk weapons.
You can roll a d4 in place of the normal damage of your unarmed strike or monk weapon. This die changes as you gain monk levels, as shown in the Martial Arts column of the Monk table.
When you use the Attack action with an unarmed strike or a monk weapon on your turn, you can make one unarmed strike as a bonus action. For example, if you take the Attack action and attack with a quarterstaff, you can also make an unarmed strike as a bonus action, assuming you haven't already taken a bonus action this turn.
Certain monasteries use specialized forms of the monk weapons. For example, you might use a club that is two lengths of wood connected by a short chain (called a nunchaku) or a sickle with a shorter, straighter blade (called a kama). Whatever name you use for a monk weapon, you can use the game statistics provided for the weapon on the Weapons page.
Ki-Fueled Attack (Optional)
Ki-Fueled Attack (Optional)
Also at 3rd level, if you spend 1 ki point or more as part of your action on your turn, you can make one attack with an unarmed strike or a monk weapon as a bonus action before the end of the turn.
Ki-Fueled attack allows you to replace Flurry of blow and use it to make an extra ranged attack. Now you can make your own shuriken throwing ninja.
That may be what the dmg describes as a ninja but to most people it isn’t a ninja just a sneaky monk
Not sure where you're cultivating your "most people" perspective; but most folks I know who saw the Shadow Monk recognized it as a setting and species agnostic Ninja, not "just a sneaky monk." Just like most folks recognize the Monk as the base class for a variety of expressions of fantastical martial arts ... not dudes in cowled robes brewing ale and illuminating manuscripts in abbeys. It's sort of an understood thing since AD&D basically dropped Caine from Kung Fu into the game and Carradine didn't pull a Tolkien estate and threaten legal action (because it wouldn't have worked given the archetypal position of warrior monks in myth and popular media of the day).
That said, if you wanted to pass on the Monk's ki and shadow monks ... shadowiness, I'd argue any Rogue subclass could be articulated as a "ninja" whatever the cultural origins of them are in your game world - be they more equivalent to modern special operators or commandos, an "ancient secret society," or a way for common folk to rebel against the martial authorities in their land.
Arcane Trickster - sure if you want to lean into some notion that illusion magic ties into the smoke and mirrors misdirection purported wielded by ninjas (everyone else can be more worldly and rely on slight of hand and stealth and actual smoke and mirrors to play this out, maybe alchemy for gunpowder/flashpowder and smoke bombs).
Assassin - your infiltrator hiding in plain sight
Inquisitive - these are the warriors who know the battle is first one through the superior mind and takes advantage of its target's vulnerabilities through a studied approach of the target as well as intensive training in superior fighting mindset.
Mastermind - these would be your "clan leaders"
Phantom - brings out the more "spiritual" trappings of ninja myths, and with care could even maybe reflect some forms of ancestral worship
Scout - going to the claim at the International Spy Museum in DC that ninja were an ancient forebear of modern special operations types, plus evasion subclass feature in skirmisher
Soulknife - lacking ki this could be skinned as "finger of death" style martial arts.
Swashbuckler - shift the tone from derring do to death defying daring in mobility, I think this is where you might find your naruto runners
Thief - probably the most "old school" ninja, someone just well trained in sneaking, evasion, and probably from a sort of life station where thievery is done as a challenge to established order (there's some history that argues ninja were basically subversives that took on mythic status in folklore).
Always remember with some of these, you don't need thieves tools proficiency if you have disguise kit, but both are good to have.
How about Kensei Monk 6/Battle Master Fighter 4. Take archery and thrown weapon fighting styles and sharpshooter feat (either archery or thrown weapon fighting style would be via fighting initiate feat) and reflavor darts as shuriken. Make them your Kensei ranged weapon and with 6 in Kensei they are considered magical for overcoming resistance. Choose maneuvers that fit with ranged attacks.
Custom Lineage or VHuman to get one of the fighting styles at level 1.
*Sips green tea*
College of Whispers Bard.
I guess if we’re thinking of the movie ninjas, then HerZero’s idea about the shadow monk is the best bet. But IRL ninjas were spies and infiltrators. So, yes, a class with high dex for fighting, but it also needs a lot of char for persuasion and deception checks. So I’d suggest a changeling rogue/monk with the spy background. If your DM lets you, use the custom ability and switch the +2 from char to dex and put the +1 into char. Depending on how you want to play them mid game you could take a feat for either speed or deception improvement, or just build you dex and char scores.
If you are talking about a historical ninja, they were assassins and I think the assassin subclass works best. I think assassin has everything you need for a Ninja, take the skulker feat with a variant Human.
1. Fast and Stealthy - cunning action dash and expertise in stealth.
2. Attack quickly without being seen - skulker feat allows you to attack from hidden position and not expose yourself, it also allows you to hide while only partially obscured.
3. Illusion/Enchantment - Well I am not sure about this. Real Ninjas were a master of disguise, not magic. I would say pick up the faceless or faction agent background for some of the soft skills associated with a Ninja. If you want magic though you could look at the shadow touched feat with silent image as the 1st level spell. You have disguise self as an option too, but since you already have disguise kit proficiency that might be redundant.
The build would be a pretty accurate representation of a Ninja, although relatively weak and not really optimized for 5E. If multiclass is an option, You could also do a Kensai-Assasin multiclass. That would be a bit more powerful I think and would actually let you get all the actual right skills and proficiencies you need:
Level 1 - Human Rogue - skills: Athletics (expertise), Acrobatics, Deception, Stealth (expertise). Background: Faction agent with Medicine for your wisdom skill, feat skulker
Level2 - Cunning action for dash and hide
Level 3 - Assassin - poisions, disguises, assasinate
Level 4 - Shadow Touched with Silent Image as the 1st level spell
Level 5 - Multiclass to Monk - martial arts
Level 7 - Kensei, shortsword (Ninja-to) and Longbow as Kensei Weapons
I think at this point you have everything you are looking for except explosives. If your campaign has explosives, hopefully your DM has a method to get them.
You can dig through the Ranger spell list and see if they match the flavor you want. But straight Gloomstalker duel wielder would be a strong choice. Ranged is always going to be more deadly, but that's just the game mechanics.
Reflavoring a Hexblade Warlock is another option.
Way of The Shadows Monk is essentially a ninja. The DMG describes a ninja as a Way of The Shadows Monk in a Wuxia campaign setting.
Brains over brawn? Mind over matter? These canny warriors rightly answer, "Why not both?" - Tasha
My Homebrews: Monsters, Magic Items, Spells, Races
Rhulg- Hobgoblin Gunsmith
That may be what the dmg describes as a ninja but to most people it isn’t a ninja just a sneaky monk
Below are the best ideas in my opinion. From my point of view each of these suggestions is a valid ninja. What matters is to know how to use your png so that it looks like a ninja.
I've heard certain people complaining that the ability is only allowed with a single weapon and therefore not feasible with a set of darts or ninja stars.
In the rules you state that you are using a Sling and in the game role you state that they are darts.... Problem solved.
You actually gain because the Sling has a longer range.
Dedicated Weapon (Optional)
Dedicated Weapon (Optional)
Also at 2nd level, you train yourself to use a variety of weapons as monk weapons, not just simple melee weapons and shortswords. Whenever you finish a short or long rest, you can touch one weapon, focus your ki on it, and then count that weapon as a monk weapon until you use this feature again. The chosen weapon must meet these criteria:
Whatever name you use for a monk weapon, you can use the game statistics provided for the weapon on the Weapons page.
Martial Arts
At 1st level, your practice of martial arts gives you mastery of combat styles that use unarmed strikes and monk weapons, which are shortswords and any simple melee weapons that don't have the two-handed or heavy property.
You gain the following benefits while you are unarmed or wielding only monk weapons and you aren't wearing armor or wielding a shield:
Certain monasteries use specialized forms of the monk weapons. For example, you might use a club that is two lengths of wood connected by a short chain (called a nunchaku) or a sickle with a shorter, straighter blade (called a kama). Whatever name you use for a monk weapon, you can use the game statistics provided for the weapon on the Weapons page.
Ki-Fueled Attack (Optional)
Ki-Fueled Attack (Optional)
Also at 3rd level, if you spend 1 ki point or more as part of your action on your turn, you can make one attack with an unarmed strike or a monk weapon as a bonus action before the end of the turn.
Ki-Fueled attack allows you to replace Flurry of blow and use it to make an extra ranged attack. Now you can make your own shuriken throwing ninja.
Not sure where you're cultivating your "most people" perspective; but most folks I know who saw the Shadow Monk recognized it as a setting and species agnostic Ninja, not "just a sneaky monk." Just like most folks recognize the Monk as the base class for a variety of expressions of fantastical martial arts ... not dudes in cowled robes brewing ale and illuminating manuscripts in abbeys. It's sort of an understood thing since AD&D basically dropped Caine from Kung Fu into the game and Carradine didn't pull a Tolkien estate and threaten legal action (because it wouldn't have worked given the archetypal position of warrior monks in myth and popular media of the day).
That said, if you wanted to pass on the Monk's ki and shadow monks ... shadowiness, I'd argue any Rogue subclass could be articulated as a "ninja" whatever the cultural origins of them are in your game world - be they more equivalent to modern special operators or commandos, an "ancient secret society," or a way for common folk to rebel against the martial authorities in their land.
Arcane Trickster - sure if you want to lean into some notion that illusion magic ties into the smoke and mirrors misdirection purported wielded by ninjas (everyone else can be more worldly and rely on slight of hand and stealth and actual smoke and mirrors to play this out, maybe alchemy for gunpowder/flashpowder and smoke bombs).
Assassin - your infiltrator hiding in plain sight
Inquisitive - these are the warriors who know the battle is first one through the superior mind and takes advantage of its target's vulnerabilities through a studied approach of the target as well as intensive training in superior fighting mindset.
Mastermind - these would be your "clan leaders"
Phantom - brings out the more "spiritual" trappings of ninja myths, and with care could even maybe reflect some forms of ancestral worship
Scout - going to the claim at the International Spy Museum in DC that ninja were an ancient forebear of modern special operations types, plus evasion subclass feature in skirmisher
Soulknife - lacking ki this could be skinned as "finger of death" style martial arts.
Swashbuckler - shift the tone from derring do to death defying daring in mobility, I think this is where you might find your naruto runners
Thief - probably the most "old school" ninja, someone just well trained in sneaking, evasion, and probably from a sort of life station where thievery is done as a challenge to established order (there's some history that argues ninja were basically subversives that took on mythic status in folklore).
Always remember with some of these, you don't need thieves tools proficiency if you have disguise kit, but both are good to have.
Jander Sunstar is the thinking person's Drizzt, fight me.