Since this is a Naruto subclass, I'm not going to comment on the flavour at all as my knowledge of the series is very limited.
Way of Genjutsu
The DM determined bonus to replace magic items is something I'd straight up cut. For two reasons. First, DM's can give any character bonuses at their leisure, that's specific to a table rather than a subclass. Secondly, you put extra responsibility on the DM to homebrew their own stuff and thereby create work for them that should be the designer's job.
Having a clear focus on illusions is cool and shows you put thought into the identity of your class before picking spells. Excellent.
Monks and spellcasting does feel weird because of its feature levels and ki scaling. For most of your spells, you seem to be following half-caster limits with the exception of phantasmal killer. 11th level artificers/rangers/paladins don't have access to level 4 spells yet.
Type the following to link to the D&DB database's tooltips:
[spell]Mislead[/spell]
Mislead links to an off-site resource.
Taijutsu and Bukijutsu
Darts and daggers are already monk weapons.
Targeting different body parts for a save that gives disadvantage on a fail is cool. The effects seem a bit off though. Flavour-wise, I'd straight up go for either con saves (if someone needs to endure the physical blow) or wisdom saves (if you're messing with their ki). Dex and strength don't feel fitting as you're already connecting your attack anyway.
Head: You might want to describe how this works in-world here, but an alternative Mind Sliver is neat in concept. However, keep in mind this is immensely powerful in the context of a party if it sticks. Your wizards will very much enjoy increasing the accuracy of their save-or-suck spells and those can end encounters. Official material already screws with the balance and you do call for a saving throw, but playtest this thoroughly to see if it breaks something.
Arm: This works. I needed to check if there were any spell attacks that didn't take somatic components, but there aren't any to my knowledge. So yeah. Good.EDIT: Many monsters have tails and bite attacks and such where this doesn't check out anymore.
Legs: Surprisingly, really good with Crusher. That's interesting synergy.
Chest: Feels a little weird for an effect, but I guess this is a Naruto thing?
Shurikenjutsu
Shuriken is already plural, as is kunai. Solidifying gloom is eh... Well again I'm guessing this is a Naruto thing? It does sound really weird to me.
Not only are darts and daggers already monk weapons, they already have the same attached properties so those are superfluous to mention. The way you've written the damage is rather unclear and there's multiple ways to interpret it. Martial arts dice + dexterity modifier piercing damage + 1d4 psychic damage, or all the damage is psychic. The text doesn't clarify which it is - and if it is the former, remember that there's resistance to non-magical piercing everywhere.
Flurry of black Stars
Proper ranged options with Flurry of Blows would normally be great and in isolation the damage increase wouldn't be too bad considering how weak monks are offensively. However...
The problem is that we can put sharpshooter on top of this for unintended effects, as each 'black star' counts as a ranged weapon and we can put advantage on all attacks for 1 ki. Strongly consider if this is an intended part of your design.
On top of that, this means you can hit up to 3 different targets per turn with your level 3 feature, or 4 at 17. This is potentially pretty crazy in the context of a party where you might have a caster with save or suck spells. Scary, scary.
Infūin: Kai
For advantage, see my issues with the previous feature.
I like putting Stunning Strike on wisdom, super cool feature.
Little mixed on moving through people. On the one hand, this feature takes a bonus action so you can't disengage with said BA (ie: you eat opportunity attacks). On the other, you are a monk with unarmored movement speed and ranged weapons so this can really screw with tactical positioning. Also to my knowledge, most of these features have you roll a dice instead of taking a flat number if you stand in the middle of something.
Nopenopenope on the clone. Especially not on top of other powerful features. That's a lot of free attacks and another body on the field that, as a monk, can jump from here to Narnia whenever it wants.
I decided to not explain the attack, leaving more imagination to the player. I changed the save on INT and CHA, but limited to one type of effect per round (I'm not convinced about this option yet) ...
Kuchiyose no Jutsu
Now the skill is a simple weapon summoning that conts as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage (I'm considering the idea that it can summon any monk weapon). The ninja now has infinite throwing weapons and wastes no reaction to summon them, but I took away the power that give advantages. I added the spell Find familiar, great for espionage.
Flurry of black Stars
Almost like before, but I add the ability to use 1 ki to have advantage only on the attacks of the flurry of blow or flurry of black stars (but I'm still not convinced).
Infūin: Kai
Kage Bunshin no Jutsu [Mislead], it is not intended as in the manga LOL, but as a clone to carry out suicide missions. The ninja can use the clone, but as the spell goes, you can use one of the bodies at a time in a sensory way and not both at the same time.
Ki Focus Crystal
To resolve the issue of upgrading the summoned weapons.
Way of Genjutsu
At 3rd level, you gain the ability to perform the Genjutsu spells. By the ki power controlled by a complex system of hand seals, the ninja is able to manifest the desired technique.
In order to learn how to use the Genjutsu, the ninja invented a technique to accumulate ki power in a seal on their forehead. This seal is called Infūin and is shaped like a symbol that represents their clan or village (choose the symbol).
Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier
When you choose this tradition at 3rd level, your special martial arts training leads you to master the use of insidius unarmed attacks and the use of the ninja weapons.
Shuriken (dart) and Kunai (dager) are now monk weapons for you.
Whenever you use the flurry of blow and you hit a creature, you can manipulate your enemy’s ki when you harness your own, and impose one of the follow effects on that target:
It must make a intelligence saving throw. If its fails it has disadvantage the next saving throw it makes before the end of its next turn.
It must make a Charisma saving throw. If its fails it has disadvantage on the next attack roll it makes before the end of its next turn.
Its movement speed is reduced by 10 feet until the end of its next turn.
It can’t take reactions until the start of its next turn.
Only one effect can be used per enemy, and when you use an effect you can't use the same effect on the same turn.
Kuchiyose no Jutsu
At 6rd level, you gain the ability to summoning shuriken (dart) or kunai (dagger) from the shadow.
This shadow weapons counts as ranged monk weapon, and like your unarmed strickes they conts as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.
If you drop the weapon or throw it, it dissipates at the end of the turn. Thereafter, the weapons automatically reappear in the ninja's hands at the beginning of the next turn ready for use.
You learn the [Find familiar] spell and can cast it as a ritual. This ally will be of great help to access information on the ground and your enemies.
Flurry of black Stars
At 11th level, your skill with the shadow weapons improves to such an extent that you can now use the Shurikenjutsu skill instead of your unarmed attacks and this with your flurry of blows as well.
In addition, when you attack a target that is in dim light or darkness, you can use 1 ki power to make advantage attacks with your Flurry of blow or flurry of black stars.
Your flurry of blow attacks increses to two at 11th level and three at 17th level.
Infūin: Kai
At 17th level, your understanding of Infūin is enhanced to the point that you can release some of the sigil's energy to empower yourself for a limited time.
As a bonus action, you can release some of the sigil's energy to assume a shadow form, which grants you the following benefits:
The shadow weapons in this form are more powerfull, now when you hit you can add 2d4 psychic damage, and in dim light or darkness when you use your flurry of black stars, you make the attacks roll with advantage.
You can choose to use your stunning strike as a Genjutsu, the target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or being trapped in your Genjutsu until the end of your next turn.
You can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. You take 1d10 force damage if you end your turn inside an object.
When you activate this form and you are using the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu [Mislead] senses, your clone overcomes the concept of illusion. Thanks to your ability to weave strands of shadow to create shuriken, you can now do this with your clone giving it an almost tangible body. The clone has a quarter of the life of the original body, if it takes more of this damage it disappears, it can carry a maximum of 10 pounds (4.5kg), and it can use the Shurikenjutsu and attack like the original body. Perfect for suicide missions. Remember, while you are using the clone senses, your real body is blinded and deafened in regard to your own surroundings.
This benefit lasts for 1 minute. You cannot use it again until you complete a long rest.
Ki Focus Crystal
Wondrous Item, Uncommon/Rare/Very Rare
Embedded in a ring, braclet, or similar item, this small gem seems to have minimal value to the casual observer, but has perfect Ki resonance.
While carried by a Way of the Ninja, that monk can use this crystal to focus a stronger attacks, adding +1/+2/+3 (based on rarity) to attack and damage rolls with the shadow weapons, unarmed attacks or Genjutsu art.
I have enjoyed these days creating this subclass inspired by the Naruto setting.
This subclass is definitely unbalanced and the text is probably poorly written, but I'd like to hear your opinion on that.
What should I change and correct to fix it?
https://www.dndbeyond.com/subclasses/970451-way-of-the-ninja
Since this is a Naruto subclass, I'm not going to comment on the flavour at all as my knowledge of the series is very limited.
Way of Genjutsu
Taijutsu and Bukijutsu
This works. I needed to check if there were any spell attacks that didn't take somatic components, but there aren't any to my knowledge. So yeah. Good.EDIT: Many monsters have tails and bite attacks and such where this doesn't check out anymore.Shurikenjutsu
Shuriken is already plural, as is kunai. Solidifying gloom is eh... Well again I'm guessing this is a Naruto thing? It does sound really weird to me.
Not only are darts and daggers already monk weapons, they already have the same attached properties so those are superfluous to mention. The way you've written the damage is rather unclear and there's multiple ways to interpret it. Martial arts dice + dexterity modifier piercing damage + 1d4 psychic damage, or all the damage is psychic. The text doesn't clarify which it is - and if it is the former, remember that there's resistance to non-magical piercing everywhere.
Flurry of black Stars
Infūin: Kai
Homebrew creations:
Path of the Feral Trance Barbarian Class | Thread
Wyrmforge Artificer Class | Thread
Thanks a lot superparaplu, you helped me solve a lot of problems. Your advice is valuable.
I made some changes following what you wrote to me. There are probably still a lot of things that can be improved, but the ninja project is evolving.
If you have any other suggestions, I'm always listening.
Way of Genjutsu
Thanks for the advice, I moved Phantasmal Killer to level 17 and added Silence to level 11.
Taijutsu and Bukijutsu
As far as I know, Dart are not monk weapons. https://rpg.stackexchange.com/questions/47449/are-monks-proficient-in-darts
I decided to not explain the attack, leaving more imagination to the player. I changed the save on INT and CHA, but limited to one type of effect per round (I'm not convinced about this option yet) ...
Kuchiyose no Jutsu
Now the skill is a simple weapon summoning that conts as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage (I'm considering the idea that it can summon any monk weapon). The ninja now has infinite throwing weapons and wastes no reaction to summon them, but I took away the power that give advantages. I added the spell Find familiar, great for espionage.
Flurry of black Stars
Almost like before, but I add the ability to use 1 ki to have advantage only on the attacks of the flurry of blow or flurry of black stars (but I'm still not convinced).
Infūin: Kai
Kage Bunshin no Jutsu [Mislead], it is not intended as in the manga LOL, but as a clone to carry out suicide missions. The ninja can use the clone, but as the spell goes, you can use one of the bodies at a time in a sensory way and not both at the same time.
Ki Focus Crystal
To resolve the issue of upgrading the summoned weapons.
Way of Genjutsu
At 3rd level, you gain the ability to perform the Genjutsu spells. By the ki power controlled by a complex system of hand seals, the ninja is able to manifest the desired technique.
In order to learn how to use the Genjutsu, the ninja invented a technique to accumulate ki power in a seal on their forehead. This seal is called Infūin and is shaped like a symbol that represents their clan or village (choose the symbol).
Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier
Taijutsu and Bukijutsu
When you choose this tradition at 3rd level, your special martial arts training leads you to master the use of insidius unarmed attacks and the use of the ninja weapons.
Shuriken (dart) and Kunai (dager) are now monk weapons for you.
Whenever you use the flurry of blow and you hit a creature, you can manipulate your enemy’s ki when you harness your own, and impose one of the follow effects on that target:
Only one effect can be used per enemy, and when you use an effect you can't use the same effect on the same turn.
Kuchiyose no Jutsu
At 6rd level, you gain the ability to summoning shuriken (dart) or kunai (dagger) from the shadow.
This shadow weapons counts as ranged monk weapon, and like your unarmed strickes they conts as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.
If you drop the weapon or throw it, it dissipates at the end of the turn. Thereafter, the weapons automatically reappear in the ninja's hands at the beginning of the next turn ready for use.
You learn the [Find familiar] spell and can cast it as a ritual. This ally will be of great help to access information on the ground and your enemies.
Flurry of black Stars
At 11th level, your skill with the shadow weapons improves to such an extent that you can now use the Shurikenjutsu skill instead of your unarmed attacks and this with your flurry of blows as well.
In addition, when you attack a target that is in dim light or darkness, you can use 1 ki power to make advantage attacks with your Flurry of blow or flurry of black stars.
Your flurry of blow attacks increses to two at 11th level and three at 17th level.
Infūin: Kai
At 17th level, your understanding of Infūin is enhanced to the point that you can release some of the sigil's energy to empower yourself for a limited time.
As a bonus action, you can release some of the sigil's energy to assume a shadow form, which grants you the following benefits:
This benefit lasts for 1 minute. You cannot use it again until you complete a long rest.
Ki Focus Crystal
Wondrous Item, Uncommon/Rare/Very Rare
Embedded in a ring, braclet, or similar item, this small gem seems to have minimal value to the casual observer, but has perfect Ki resonance.
While carried by a Way of the Ninja, that monk can use this crystal to focus a stronger attacks, adding +1/+2/+3 (based on rarity) to attack and damage rolls with the shadow weapons, unarmed attacks or Genjutsu art.
https://www.dndbeyond.com/subclasses/974070-way-of-the-ninja
https://www.dndbeyond.com/subclasses/978560-way-of-the-ninja
You should add a fuinjutsu option