I wanted to create a character path that was more "mundane" than the Way of Shadow, and that allowed for a sneaky assassin type without having to multiclass into a rogue. Here's what I came up with. I'd appreciate any feedback. I tried to keep the class balanced by keying the sneak attack damage off the Monk's martial arts, which means they will be considerably less effective than a pure rogue of equivalent level:
Monastic Tradition: Way of the Ninja
Monks of the Way of the Ninja focus on stealth and deception. They use their skills to gather information for employers (usually a feudal lord, but sometimes for individuals) and to assassinate targets. Ninja "monasteries" are usually disguised such that they appear to be a normal village to outsiders. Note the Monks following the Way of the Ninja all usually take the Criminal/Spy background.
Ninja Training
When you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with the disguise kit and poisoner’s kit. You also gain proficiency in the Stealth skill. If you are already proficient in Stealth, your proficiency bonus is doubled.
Sneak Attack
Beginning at 3rd 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 your martial arts, a ranged weapon, or a monk weapon.
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 Martial Arts column of the Monk table.
Assassination
Beginning at 6th Level, your sneak attacks now deal an extra damage equal to double the amount shown on the Martial Arts column of the Monk table. Additionally, you may spend up to two ki points to increase the sneak attack damage further. Each ki point spent allows you to roll one additional die of the type shown on the Martial Arts column of the Monk table.
Shadow Strike
Beginning at 11th level, you have mastered the art of striking from the shadow. Any hit on a surprised foe is automatically a critical hit. If you roll a natural critical hit, the damage is doubled.
Quivering Palm
At 17th level, you gain the ability to set up lethal vibrations in someone’s body. When you hit a creature with an unarmed strike, you can spend 3 ki points to start these imperceptible vibrations, which last for a number of days equal to your monk level. The vibrations are harmless unless you use your action to end them. To do so, you and the target must be on the same plane of existence. When you use this action, the creature must make a Constitution saving throw. If it fails, it is reduced to 0 hit points. If it succeeds, it takes 10d10 necrotic damage.
You can have only one creature under the effect of this feature at a time. You can choose to end the vibrations harmlessly without using an action.
I'm of the opinion that it is adding needless complexity to name a feature the same thing as an already existing feature, and not have the function be identical. So I would either rename "sneak attack" to something else, or change the extra damage it adds to be the same as the sneak attack feature of the rogue class.
I'm of the opinion that it is adding needless complexity to name a feature the same thing as an already existing feature, and not have the function be identical. So I would either rename "sneak attack" to something else, or change the extra damage it adds to be the same as the sneak attack feature of the rogue class.
Giving the Ninja the Rogue's sneak attack damage would be WAY overpowered, I think. I thought about letting them sneak attack as a Rogue of 1/2 or 1/3 their Monk level, but I didn't like having to refer to another class's ability tables.
I take your point about naming conventions, though.
Those features are, to me, still pretty much the same - read them as "your AC is 10 + the usually helpful ability score + an ability score of high importance to your class". Though still, I encourage people not to go "eh, I'll be inconsistent too" just because the authors of the game have already been inconsistent in some way.
Those features are, to me, still pretty much the same - read them as "your AC is 10 + the usually helpful ability score + an ability score of high importance to your class". Though still, I encourage people not to go "eh, I'll be inconsistent too" just because the authors of the game have already been inconsistent in some way.
Yes, they're very similar, but you used the word identical.
I admit, I'm primarily being needlessly pedantic, but I happen to enjoy being needlessly pedantic.
Those features are, to me, still pretty much the same - read them as "your AC is 10 + the usually helpful ability score + an ability score of high importance to your class". Though still, I encourage people not to go "eh, I'll be inconsistent too" just because the authors of the game have already been inconsistent in some way.
I'd say my ninja sneak attack is equally similar - "when you have advantage on a attack, you deal some class-based additional damage." But, I agree it is less confusing to give them unique names.
I'm resurrecting this thread because I've actually had someone play this for a while now. As such, I've reworked it a bit. My goal was/is to make the Ninja a "1/3 rogue" the way Eldritch Knight and Arcane Trickster are 1/3 casters. I've renamed some things to avoid the confusion AoB commented on, and also flip-flopped when you get to do double the martial arts damage on what was the "sneak attack" (and is now called the shadow strike) as starting the doubling at 6th level brought the ninja monk too close to an equivalent level rogue's sneak attack ability at mid-levels:
Monastic Tradition: Way of the Ninja
Monks of the Way of the Ninja focus on stealth and deception. They use their skills to gather information for employers (usually a feudal lord, but sometimes for individuals) and to assassinate targets. Ninja "monasteries" are usually disguised such that they appear to be a normal village to outsiders. Note the Monks following the Way of the Ninja all usually take the Criminal/Spy background.
Ninja Training
When you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with the disguise kit and poisoner’s kit. You also gain proficiency in the Stealth skill. If you are already proficient in Stealth, your proficiency bonus is doubled.
Shadow Strike
Beginning at 3rd 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 your martial arts, a ranged weapon, or a monk weapon.
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 Martial Arts column of the Monk table.
Assassination
Starting at 6th level, you are at your deadliest when you get the drop on your enemies. You have advantage on attack rolls against any creature that hasn’t taken a turn in the combat yet. In addition, any hit you score against a creature that is surprised is a critical hit.
Improved Shadow Strike
Beginning at 11th level, your shadow strikes now deal an extra damage equal to double the amount shown on the Martial Arts column of the Monk table. Additionally, you may spend up to two ki points to increase the sneak attack damage further. Each ki point spent allows you to roll one additional die of the type shown on the Martial Arts column of the Monk table.
Quivering Palm
At 17th level, you gain the ability to set up lethal vibrations in someone’s body. When you hit a creature with an unarmed strike, you can spend 3 ki points to start these imperceptible vibrations, which last for a number of days equal to your monk level. The vibrations are harmless unless you use your action to end them. To do so, you and the target must be on the same plane of existence. When you use this action, the creature must make a Constitution saving throw. If it fails, it is reduced to 0 hit points. If it succeeds, it takes 10d10 necrotic damage.
You can have only one creature under the effect of this feature at a time. You can choose to end the vibrations harmlessly without using an action.
I like this subclass it looks good but I think it should probably have some spells like misty step or a smoke summoning spell to give the effect of ninjas appearing and disappearing in a puff of smoke.
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I wanted to create a character path that was more "mundane" than the Way of Shadow, and that allowed for a sneaky assassin type without having to multiclass into a rogue. Here's what I came up with. I'd appreciate any feedback. I tried to keep the class balanced by keying the sneak attack damage off the Monk's martial arts, which means they will be considerably less effective than a pure rogue of equivalent level:
Monastic Tradition: Way of the Ninja
Monks of the Way of the Ninja focus on stealth and deception. They use their skills to gather information for employers (usually a feudal lord, but sometimes for individuals) and to assassinate targets. Ninja "monasteries" are usually disguised such that they appear to be a normal village to outsiders. Note the Monks following the Way of the Ninja all usually take the Criminal/Spy background.
Ninja Training
When you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with the disguise kit and poisoner’s kit. You also gain proficiency in the Stealth skill. If you are already proficient in Stealth, your proficiency bonus is doubled.
Sneak Attack
Beginning at 3rd 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 your martial arts, a ranged weapon, or a monk weapon.
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 Martial Arts column of the Monk table.
Assassination
Beginning at 6th Level, your sneak attacks now deal an extra damage equal to double the amount shown on the Martial Arts column of the Monk table. Additionally, you may spend up to two ki points to increase the sneak attack damage further. Each ki point spent allows you to roll one additional die of the type shown on the Martial Arts column of the Monk table.
Shadow Strike
Beginning at 11th level, you have mastered the art of striking from the shadow. Any hit on a surprised foe is automatically a critical hit. If you roll a natural critical hit, the damage is doubled.
Quivering Palm
At 17th level, you gain the ability to set up lethal vibrations in someone’s body. When you hit a creature with an unarmed strike, you can spend 3 ki points to start these imperceptible vibrations, which last for a number of days equal to your monk level. The vibrations are harmless unless you use your action to end them. To do so, you and the target must be on the same plane of existence. When you use this action, the creature must make a Constitution saving throw. If it fails, it is reduced to 0 hit points. If it succeeds, it takes 10d10 necrotic damage.
You can have only one creature under the effect of this feature at a time. You can choose to end the vibrations harmlessly without using an action.
Nice. I'll only note that the Way of Shadow's teleportation is nonmagical.
"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both" -- allegedly Benjamin Franklin
Tooltips (Help/aid)
I'm of the opinion that it is adding needless complexity to name a feature the same thing as an already existing feature, and not have the function be identical. So I would either rename "sneak attack" to something else, or change the extra damage it adds to be the same as the sneak attack feature of the rogue class.
"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both" -- allegedly Benjamin Franklin
Tooltips (Help/aid)
Giving the Ninja the Rogue's sneak attack damage would be WAY overpowered, I think. I thought about letting them sneak attack as a Rogue of 1/2 or 1/3 their Monk level, but I didn't like having to refer to another class's ability tables.
I take your point about naming conventions, though.
"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both" -- allegedly Benjamin Franklin
Tooltips (Help/aid)
I'm resurrecting this thread because I've actually had someone play this for a while now. As such, I've reworked it a bit. My goal was/is to make the Ninja a "1/3 rogue" the way Eldritch Knight and Arcane Trickster are 1/3 casters. I've renamed some things to avoid the confusion AoB commented on, and also flip-flopped when you get to do double the martial arts damage on what was the "sneak attack" (and is now called the shadow strike) as starting the doubling at 6th level brought the ninja monk too close to an equivalent level rogue's sneak attack ability at mid-levels:
Monastic Tradition: Way of the Ninja
Monks of the Way of the Ninja focus on stealth and deception. They use their skills to gather information for employers (usually a feudal lord, but sometimes for individuals) and to assassinate targets. Ninja "monasteries" are usually disguised such that they appear to be a normal village to outsiders. Note the Monks following the Way of the Ninja all usually take the Criminal/Spy background.
Ninja Training
When you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with the disguise kit and poisoner’s kit. You also gain proficiency in the Stealth skill. If you are already proficient in Stealth, your proficiency bonus is doubled.
Shadow Strike
Beginning at 3rd 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 your martial arts, a ranged weapon, or a monk weapon.
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 Martial Arts column of the Monk table.
Assassination
Starting at 6th level, you are at your deadliest when you get the drop on your enemies. You have advantage on attack rolls against any creature that hasn’t taken a turn in the combat yet. In addition, any hit you score against a creature that is surprised is a critical hit.
Improved Shadow Strike
Beginning at 11th level, your shadow strikes now deal an extra damage equal to double the amount shown on the Martial Arts column of the Monk table. Additionally, you may spend up to two ki points to increase the sneak attack damage further. Each ki point spent allows you to roll one additional die of the type shown on the Martial Arts column of the Monk table.
Quivering Palm
At 17th level, you gain the ability to set up lethal vibrations in someone’s body. When you hit a creature with an unarmed strike, you can spend 3 ki points to start these imperceptible vibrations, which last for a number of days equal to your monk level. The vibrations are harmless unless you use your action to end them. To do so, you and the target must be on the same plane of existence. When you use this action, the creature must make a Constitution saving throw. If it fails, it is reduced to 0 hit points. If it succeeds, it takes 10d10 necrotic damage.
You can have only one creature under the effect of this feature at a time. You can choose to end the vibrations harmlessly without using an action.
Your revised version looks reasonably well balanced. No major problem I can see
Thanks I’m actually playing a level 7 shadow monk right now
This is really neat. The only thing I'd say here is maybe a Different signature ability other than quivering palm from open hand
I like this subclass it looks good but I think it should probably have some spells like misty step or a smoke summoning spell to give the effect of ninjas appearing and disappearing in a puff of smoke.