I had watch Gaijin Goomba video and he did inform the best (the closest) way to play as ninja (https://youtu.be/XIRRoprnYG8). I just start a new campaign and one of my player want to play as Ninja, so I gave the recommendation for him to play as Kenku Rogue Arcane Trickster. Since he already set in his mind to play Monk Way of Shadow due to it is describe as
These monks might be called ninjas or shadowdancers, and they serve as spies and assassins.
My player is a stubborn person, I don't think I can change their mind.
Since I already watch the video and I want my player to feel like he play a ninja, I make a minor tweak (it is for testing purpose and subject may change in future) to Way of Shadow 3rd lvl feature.
The 3rd level feature will be:
Shadow Arts
You can use your ki to duplicate the effects of certain spells. As an action, you can spend 2 ki points to cast darkness, darkvision, pass without trace, silence or mirror image, without providing material components. Additionally, you gain the minor illusion cantrip if you don't already know it. You gain proficiency with your choice of disguise kit, thieves' tools or forgery kit.
Add Mirror Image for Bunshin no Jutsu
Add option to choose either disguise kit proficiency (for ninja disguise capability), Thieves' Tools (for ninja infiltration ability) or Forgery Kit (for ninja forgery expertise). Giving the player all the tools proficiencies will make this subclass broken, that why 1 tools of choice only.
I didn't put Fog Cloud spell and Silent Image as mention in the Gaijin Goomba video because Darkness already can be flavorise as Muton no Jutsu and Minor Illusion is quite good for Ninja ability. For illusory script, i didn't put it because i think the player can creatively think way to communicate secretly like a ninja. In addition, I didn't put Invisibility spell because Way of Shadow will gain (almost) similar effect with 11th level feature (and the feature is more closer to real ninja).
What do you guys think? is it broken or what?
Side note - I already thought about other idea such as:
Remove Disguise Kit Proficiency and use Disguise Self spell (using 1 Ki ) instead
Thieves' Tools or Forgery Kit can be removed, since player can take Skilled feat at 4th level
You don't really need to do anything to make the shadow monk feel like a ninja. They're already there. Having played a shadow monk from 1 to currently 11, I can honestly tell you that you're actually nerfing the character a little by messing with the spell list. Silence is probably the best spell on the shadow monk list. I'd leave that there. Think about this, maybe the party is fighting enemies that aren't far from other enemies. Casting silence before attacking can ensure you're not going to get a bunch more enemies joining the fight. Maybe your party has cornered an enemy spell caster. Silence can deal with that as well. Mirror Image steps on the toes of an already good ability, patient defense. Patient Defense only requires 1 ki instead of 2 and uses the bonus action, not the action. Mirror image would be a trap for the shadow monk and would be a bad choice to ever use it. I suppose you could use both, but you'd rarely need that much defense. If you did, it would probably just be best to bonus action disengage and run away.
Adding a tool proficiency can already be achieved through a background. For my shadow monk, I took the Urchin background for proficiencies in Slight of Hand, Stealth, thieves tools, and disguise kit. Monks get a tool proficiency at level 1, I took Alchemy. The video you posted mentioned potions so that fits well. To make alchemy a little more ninja flavored, add in smoke bombs and blinding powder to the list of things the alchemist can make. Maybe some other thematically interesting stuff too. Alternatively, it wouldn't be unbalancing to let the player take poisoners kit if they think that fits the theme of their character better.
My Advice:
Leave the shadow monk as is. It's already very strong and thematically can fit the ninja fantasy perfectly. The small changes you suggested aren't necessary and silence is very useful.
Instead, tailor the campaign a little. Create subterfuge and intrigue. Create situations where infiltration is the better plan rather than storming in fists a blazing. Allow your players to fight at night or in shadows if they choose. Let your shadow monk player be creative in how he or she can use the monk abilities to achieve goals. Letting the monk have 5 or 10 minutes every session to sneak around and do ninja stuff might be really fun for your monk player. Don't make it too long though because your other players will hate it. Also, if your player is creative with things like Minor Illusion, reward that. Maybe the monk creates a sound that distracts some guards. Maybe the monk creates an illusion of a rock and hides inside it. In general, reward a character for trying to solve a situation creatively.
Give the monk player items as rewards that fit the fantasy of what your player wants to do. A Dagger of Blindsight can be a very good way to get more use out of the Darkness spell. Hat of disguise can be fun and foster creativity. Maybe a sword similar to the Sun Blade but instead spreads dim light instead of sunlight to help out when the monk is fighting during the day. Boots of Elvenkind or Cloak of the Elvenkind can help with stealth missions.
In-between adventures and gaming sessions, let your players do things. My monk creates potions and works at a temple that doubles as a kind of spy syndicate. A ninja monk might want to do something similar. Or perhaps he or she will have unique ideas on how to fulfill the ninja fantasy. Additionally, characters can spend this time to learn new tools. If they want proficiency in forgery but don't have it yet, let them learn that during the downtime. Maybe not one week to the next, but something that will let them do it over the course of the character. Maybe if they start trying to learn a tool at level 1, give them proficiency by 3 or 5. Something like that.
A small thing to add in regard to items or more to the point weapons… if you have a DM's guide, on page 41 is a section on "wuxia" and a way to re-flavor weapons for asian styles.
I had watch Gaijin Goomba video and he did inform the best (the closest) way to play as ninja (https://youtu.be/XIRRoprnYG8). I just start a new campaign and one of my player want to play as Ninja, so I gave the recommendation for him to play as Kenku Rogue Arcane Trickster. Since he already set in his mind to play Monk Way of Shadow due to it is describe as
These monks might be called ninjas or shadowdancers, and they serve as spies and assassins.
My player is a stubborn person, I don't think I can change their mind.
Since I already watch the video and I want my player to feel like he play a ninja, I make a minor tweak (it is for testing purpose and subject may change in future) to Way of Shadow 3rd lvl feature.
The 3rd level feature will be:
Shadow Arts
You can use your ki to duplicate the effects of certain spells. As an action, you can spend 2 ki points to cast darkness, darkvision, pass without trace, silence or mirror image, without providing material components. Additionally, you gain the minor illusion cantrip if you don't already know it. You gain proficiency with your choice of disguise kit, thieves' tools or forgery kit.
Add Mirror Image for Bunshin no Jutsu
Add option to choose either disguise kit proficiency (for ninja disguise capability), Thieves' Tools (for ninja infiltration ability) or Forgery Kit (for ninja forgery expertise). Giving the player all the tools proficiencies will make this subclass broken, that why 1 tools of choice only.
I didn't put Fog Cloud spell and Silent Image as mention in the Gaijin Goomba video because Darkness already can be flavorise as Muton no Jutsu and Minor Illusion is quite good for Ninja ability. For illusory script, i didn't put it because i think the player can creatively think way to communicate secretly like a ninja. In addition, I didn't put Invisibility spell because Way of Shadow will gain (almost) similar effect with 11th level feature (and the feature is more closer to real ninja).
What do you guys think? is it broken or what?
Side note - I already thought about other idea such as:
Remove Disguise Kit Proficiency and use Disguise Self spell (using 1 Ki ) instead
Thieves' Tools or Forgery Kit can be removed, since player can take Skilled feat at 4th level
Edited on 5th Oct 2020
Shadow monk is a strong choose for flavoring Ninja Tiajutsu (the hand to hand fighting arts of the ninja), but this is very small portion of the ninja arts. In which we run into the old problem of trying to define ninjutsu, the more specific we try to be in describing it the more inaccurate it becomes. When you say that your player is stubborn this makes me nervous that he wont have the right attitude for what the ninja normally would have to do.
I had watch Gaijin Goomba video and he did inform the best (the closest) way to play as ninja (https://youtu.be/XIRRoprnYG8).
I just start a new campaign and one of my player want to play as Ninja, so I gave the recommendation for him to play as Kenku Rogue Arcane Trickster. Since he already set in his mind to play Monk Way of Shadow due to it is describe as
My player is a stubborn person, I don't think I can change their mind.
Since I already watch the video and I want my player to feel like he play a ninja, I make a minor tweak (it is for testing purpose and subject may change in future) to Way of Shadow 3rd lvl feature.
The 3rd level feature will be:
Shadow Arts
You can use your ki to duplicate the effects of certain spells. As an action, you can spend 2 ki points to cast darkness, darkvision, pass without trace, silence or mirror image, without providing material components. Additionally, you gain the minor illusion cantrip if you don't already know it. You gain proficiency with your choice of disguise kit, thieves' tools or forgery kit.
I didn't put Fog Cloud spell and Silent Image as mention in the Gaijin Goomba video because Darkness already can be flavorise as Muton no Jutsu and Minor Illusion is quite good for Ninja ability. For illusory script, i didn't put it because i think the player can creatively think way to communicate secretly like a ninja. In addition, I didn't put Invisibility spell because Way of Shadow will gain (almost) similar effect with 11th level feature (and the feature is more closer to real ninja).
What do you guys think? is it broken or what?
Side note - I already thought about other idea such as:
Edited on 5th Oct 2020
I'm no expert, but it doesn't look broken or unbalanced.
How important or unbalancing these changes will be will depend on how you, as the DM, emphasize them in the campaign.
You don't really need to do anything to make the shadow monk feel like a ninja. They're already there. Having played a shadow monk from 1 to currently 11, I can honestly tell you that you're actually nerfing the character a little by messing with the spell list. Silence is probably the best spell on the shadow monk list. I'd leave that there. Think about this, maybe the party is fighting enemies that aren't far from other enemies. Casting silence before attacking can ensure you're not going to get a bunch more enemies joining the fight. Maybe your party has cornered an enemy spell caster. Silence can deal with that as well. Mirror Image steps on the toes of an already good ability, patient defense. Patient Defense only requires 1 ki instead of 2 and uses the bonus action, not the action. Mirror image would be a trap for the shadow monk and would be a bad choice to ever use it. I suppose you could use both, but you'd rarely need that much defense. If you did, it would probably just be best to bonus action disengage and run away.
Adding a tool proficiency can already be achieved through a background. For my shadow monk, I took the Urchin background for proficiencies in Slight of Hand, Stealth, thieves tools, and disguise kit. Monks get a tool proficiency at level 1, I took Alchemy. The video you posted mentioned potions so that fits well. To make alchemy a little more ninja flavored, add in smoke bombs and blinding powder to the list of things the alchemist can make. Maybe some other thematically interesting stuff too. Alternatively, it wouldn't be unbalancing to let the player take poisoners kit if they think that fits the theme of their character better.
My Advice:
A small thing to add in regard to items or more to the point weapons… if you have a DM's guide, on page 41 is a section on "wuxia" and a way to re-flavor weapons for asian styles.
Hey guys
When using the shadow arts to cast their spells do you still use concentration checks on the spells..?
Yes
Yes when you receive any damage
Shadow monk is a strong choose for flavoring Ninja Tiajutsu (the hand to hand fighting arts of the ninja), but this is very small portion of the ninja arts. In which we run into the old problem of trying to define ninjutsu, the more specific we try to be in describing it the more inaccurate it becomes. When you say that your player is stubborn this makes me nervous that he wont have the right attitude for what the ninja normally would have to do.
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