Hey all. I'm trying to resurrect a concept from 1st Ed AD&D--the ninja as a multi-class-only character who spends his life hiding that he's a ninja. In other words, in the original Oriental Adventures, ninja was not a stand-alone class. It was an add-on. You spent your time as a Fighter/Wizard/Etc. but you had these secret abilities and such. (Of course, in play, it was hard to hide from the other players, but that's another matter...)
So I'm trying to develop something like that for 5e. My first decision was whether to base it off of Monk or Rogue--because I wanted the subclass to have some abilities from both. Gotta have martial arts if you're a ninja. I decided for this first attempt to make it a Rogue subclass, and then pull stuff over from Monk as needed.
I'm mainly looking at balance right now. This is a first attempt, so it may be wildly over- or under- powered. Not likely 'under'. I've thrown in a few handicapping features (primarily lower Hit Dice) to try to keep it dialed down. But any input is appreciated. Some of these powers are pulled right from 1st Ed OA, with 5e tweaks.
Shinobi (Ninja) - Multiclass Version
Moreso than even other rogues, your clan is concerned with deception, disguise, and stealth. For the most effective assassin is the one the target looks to for protection when he feels his life is in danger. To that end, you have spent your life living a lie--and you will continue to do so. Your success, and your clan's honor, depend on it.
Shinobi is only available as a multiclass option--there are no single-class Shinobi. You must have at least one level in another class, and your level in Shinobi is not allowed to be more than three times your level in the your other class (or the lowest of your other classes). This reflects the dedication that all Shinobi put into maintaining their disguises. For a Shinobi, your other class is exactly that--more than just a disguise, it is an alternate life you have woven to avoid detection.
Typically, Shinobi are trained from a young age, selecting their alternate life even as they begin training in the arts of assassination and stealth. But rarely, an outsider is brought into a clan--someone who becomes a Shinobi after already establishing their life outside. The rites for acceptance of an outsider into a clan are extensive, painful, and rigorous--once an outsider is accepted, her fellow clan members harbor no suspicions. She is accepted as one of the clan without hesitation.
In terms of game mechanics, this means that you may begin your career as either a 1st level Rogue who is already a member of a Shinobi clan, or as 1st level in another class, coordinating with your DM as to how you have or will become a clan member in the future.
Living a Lie
Shinobi can multiclass into any other class, although some are rarer than others. It is more difficult, for example, for a Shinobi to infiltrate a Barbarian tribe, and it is rare for a clan member to find himself with Sorcerous powers. But such instances may occur.
What is common among all Shinobi is that their other class is in large part a fiction--it is secondary, of far less importance than their duties and identity as Shinobi. A Shinobi Cleric may rise to a position of power in a temple, a Shinobi Paladin may rise through the ranks of a holy knighthood. But both are always mindful of their real life, their true allegiance--to their clan. And, if the Shinobi has played her cards well, she will remain above suspicion when the visiting dignitary is poisoned in his sleep, or the local lord accidentally falls from his horse while hunting. The well-known Shinobi, established in the community as a cleric, wizard, ranger, etc., could not possibly have had anything to do with it.
As a Shinobi, the face you present to the world is that of only your other class and function in society. If you are a Shinobi Ranger, you never fail in public to look and act like only a Ranger, through and through. You have friends, employers--you may even have a family. But none outside the clan know the truth.
Reduced Hit Dice
Your hit die for each level of your Rogue advancement beginning with 3rd level is a 1d6 instead of a 1d8. This reflects a redirection of your training towards the rigorous arts of your clan. You do not receive Constitution bonuses to Hit Points for your Shinobi levels beginning at 3rd level.
Bonus Proficiencies
You gain proficiency with the poisoner's kit. (Unlike assassins, Shinobi have little use for a Disguise kit--their other class is their disguise.)
Armor and Weapon Proficiencies
You are proficient in martial weapons, light armor, and the chain shirtonly among medium armor options.
Spellcasting
You gain the ability to cast spells. This functions as the Arcane Trickster Spellcasting feature, but your Cantrips, Spells Known, and Spell Slots per level are halved (round down).
Martial Arts
You gain the Martial Arts feature as listed in the Monk class description. Your damage is as shown in the Martial Arts column of the Monk table in the Player's Handbook.
Hold Breath
You may summon your concentration to hold your breath for a number of rounds equal to your Shinobi level. This requires Concentration (as per the spellcasting requirement). Once you use this feature, you cannot use it again until you have completed a short or long rest.
Supreme Stealth
If you are unarmored and alone (no allies within 30 feet), you gain advantage on Stealth roles. You may use this feature if you are within 30 feet of allies provided all such allies also have this feature or have advantage on their Stealth roles from another source.
Slow Fall
At 4th level, you can use your reaction to reduce the damage you take from falling. If you are within reach of a wall, cliff face, etc. when you fall, you reduce falling damage by an amount equal to 5 times your Shinobi level.
Water Walk
At 6th level, by concentrating intensely you can walk across the surface of short distances of smooth water. You can cross 5 feet of water per Shinobi level, at no more than your base movement rate each round. This requires Concentration (as per the spellcasting requirement). Once you use this feature, you cannot use it again until you have completed a short or long rest.
Pass Through Walls
At 12th level, you have learned one of the greatest arts of your clan--the ability to pass through solid objects. You must spend three rounds concentrating before each attempt. The attempt lasts for 1 round, during which you move 1 foot per Shinobi level. If you end the round inside the object, you are immediately ejected (onto the side you are nearest), suffering 6d6 bludgeoning damage per foot of the object still remaining.
Hey all. I'm trying to resurrect a concept from 1st Ed AD&D--the ninja as a multi-class-only character who spends his life hiding that he's a ninja. In other words, in the original Oriental Adventures, ninja was not a stand-alone class. It was an add-on. You spent your time as a Fighter/Wizard/Etc. but you had these secret abilities and such. (Of course, in play, it was hard to hide from the other players, but that's another matter...)
So I'm trying to develop something like that for 5e. My first decision was whether to base it off of Monk or Rogue--because I wanted the subclass to have some abilities from both. Gotta have martial arts if you're a ninja. I decided for this first attempt to make it a Rogue subclass, and then pull stuff over from Monk as needed.
I'm mainly looking at balance right now. This is a first attempt, so it may be wildly over- or under- powered. Not likely 'under'. I've thrown in a few handicapping features (primarily lower Hit Dice) to try to keep it dialed down. But any input is appreciated. Some of these powers are pulled right from 1st Ed OA, with 5e tweaks.
Shinobi (Ninja) - Multiclass Version
Moreso than even other rogues, your clan is concerned with deception, disguise, and stealth. For the most effective assassin is the one the target looks to for protection when he feels his life is in danger. To that end, you have spent your life living a lie--and you will continue to do so. Your success, and your clan's honor, depend on it.
Shinobi is only available as a multiclass option--there are no single-class Shinobi. You must have at least one level in another class, and your level in Shinobi is not allowed to be more than three times your level in the your other class (or the lowest of your other classes). This reflects the dedication that all Shinobi put into maintaining their disguises. For a Shinobi, your other class is exactly that--more than just a disguise, it is an alternate life you have woven to avoid detection.
Typically, Shinobi are trained from a young age, selecting their alternate life even as they begin training in the arts of assassination and stealth. But rarely, an outsider is brought into a clan--someone who becomes a Shinobi after already establishing their life outside. The rites for acceptance of an outsider into a clan are extensive, painful, and rigorous--once an outsider is accepted, her fellow clan members harbor no suspicions. She is accepted as one of the clan without hesitation.
In terms of game mechanics, this means that you may begin your career as either a 1st level Rogue who is already a member of a Shinobi clan, or as 1st level in another class, coordinating with your DM as to how you have or will become a clan member in the future.
Living a Lie
Shinobi can multiclass into any other class, although some are rarer than others. It is more difficult, for example, for a Shinobi to infiltrate a Barbarian tribe, and it is rare for a clan member to find himself with Sorcerous powers. But such instances may occur.
What is common among all Shinobi is that their other class is in large part a fiction--it is secondary, of far less importance than their duties and identity as Shinobi. A Shinobi Cleric may rise to a position of power in a temple, a Shinobi Paladin may rise through the ranks of a holy knighthood. But both are always mindful of their real life, their true allegiance--to their clan. And, if the Shinobi has played her cards well, she will remain above suspicion when the visiting dignitary is poisoned in his sleep, or the local lord accidentally falls from his horse while hunting. The well-known Shinobi, established in the community as a cleric, wizard, ranger, etc., could not possibly have had anything to do with it.
As a Shinobi, the face you present to the world is that of only your other class and function in society. If you are a Shinobi Ranger, you never fail in public to look and act like only a Ranger, through and through. You have friends, employers--you may even have a family. But none outside the clan know the truth.
Reduced Hit Dice
Your hit die for each level of your Rogue advancement beginning with 3rd level is a 1d6 instead of a 1d8. This reflects a redirection of your training towards the rigorous arts of your clan. You do not receive Constitution bonuses to Hit Points for your Shinobi levels beginning at 3rd level.
Bonus Proficiencies
You gain proficiency with the poisoner's kit. (Unlike assassins, Shinobi have little use for a Disguise kit--their other class is their disguise.)
Armor and Weapon Proficiencies
You are proficient in martial weapons, light armor, and the chain shirt only among medium armor options.
Spellcasting
You gain the ability to cast spells. This functions as the Arcane Trickster Spellcasting feature, but your Cantrips, Spells Known, and Spell Slots per level are halved (round down).
Martial Arts
You gain the Martial Arts feature as listed in the Monk class description. Your damage is as shown in the Martial Arts column of the Monk table in the Player's Handbook.
Hold Breath
You may summon your concentration to hold your breath for a number of rounds equal to your Shinobi level. This requires Concentration (as per the spellcasting requirement). Once you use this feature, you cannot use it again until you have completed a short or long rest.
Supreme Stealth
If you are unarmored and alone (no allies within 30 feet), you gain advantage on Stealth roles. You may use this feature if you are within 30 feet of allies provided all such allies also have this feature or have advantage on their Stealth roles from another source.
Slow Fall
At 4th level, you can use your reaction to reduce the damage you take from falling. If you are within reach of a wall, cliff face, etc. when you fall, you reduce falling damage by an amount equal to 5 times your Shinobi level.
Water Walk
At 6th level, by concentrating intensely you can walk across the surface of short distances of smooth water. You can cross 5 feet of water per Shinobi level, at no more than your base movement rate each round. This requires Concentration (as per the spellcasting requirement). Once you use this feature, you cannot use it again until you have completed a short or long rest.
Pass Through Walls
At 12th level, you have learned one of the greatest arts of your clan--the ability to pass through solid objects. You must spend three rounds concentrating before each attempt. The attempt lasts for 1 round, during which you move 1 foot per Shinobi level. If you end the round inside the object, you are immediately ejected (onto the side you are nearest), suffering 6d6 bludgeoning damage per foot of the object still remaining.
Looking for new subclasses, spells, magic items, feats, and races? Opinions welcome :)