Sect Ninja

Background:

The ninja is a profession shrouded in secrets, lies, and mystery.  All of this is of course by plan.  The days of stealth assassins and secret spies are at an end.  The ninja of today have a new agenda, and a new master to hold sway over the direction of the different ninja sects.  Of the twenty or so major sects from ‘The Foundation’ only three remain.  With society on the brink their goals and motives have changed.  They maintain a powerful network of spies and infiltrators.  They seek to prevent in their mind what is second most deadly bane to the remnants of humanity... Betrayal and they will use any means to weed out traitors.  Much like the ninja of old they still value loyalty to the Sect over the clan a trait that has left a cold mark on those who are discovered.  Secret guardians who purpose must remain secret.  A ninja has taken the burden on to insure that fate not humanity deals the final hand to human kind.

Hit Die:

d6

Skills:

The ninja’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Acrobatics (Dex), Appraise (Int), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Dex), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (local) (Int), Knowledge (nobility) (Int), Linguistics (Int), Perception (Wis), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Stealth (Dex), Swim (Str), and Use Magic Device (Cha).

Skill Ranks per Level:

See Chapter 4: Skills in the Player's Handbook for skill descriptions.

Skill Points at 1st level: (8 + Int modifier)

Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 8 + Int modifier.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency:

All ninja are proficient with a blowgun, chain, chijiriki, fukimi-bari, hand crossbow, kusari-gama, nekode, ninja-to, shikomi-zue, shuriken, spiked chain, or war fan.  They can use light or medium armor, but lose access to many of their skills while wearing any armor.  Usually armor is only used for an open confrontation.

Sect Oath

All ninja must swear loyalty to the Sect they work for.  As a sign of this loyalty ninja are given a poison capsule that is to be self administered if they are ever captured.  This identifies the individual as a member of their Sect.

The Guise

A ninja learn the art of disguise at an early stage in their training.  They are able to assume alternate identities with alarming speed (1d3 minutes).  For the purpose of their disguises they are treated as though they are under the effect of disguise self spell.  Ninja can use this ability 1/day per level and may maintain the disguise as long as they wish.

Ninjitsu

Masters of the martial arts ninja gain improved unarmed strike as a bonus feat.  A ninja using Ninjitsu deals 1d6 damage per attack.

Uncanny Dodge

A ninja retains her Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) even if she is caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. However, she still loses her Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized.

Sudden strike

A ninja has learned to target vital areas in her attacks.  If an opponent is ever denied her Dex modifier to AC then ninja may apply her sudden strike damage to her damage roll.  If the ninja is attacking with Ninjitsu she instead deals adds 2d6 damage to the attack. 

Vang Hong Basics

All ninja are trained in the art of Vang Hong and begin this training early in their careers.  It is broken into stage to allow the younger ninjas to gain experience with it as they complete lesser assignments.  A ninja can move at her full speed and not suffer the usual -5 penalty on balance checks, a ninja can climb at ½ her normal movement as a move action and not incur the -5 penalty, and a ninja can tumble at her full movement and not incur the normal -10 penalty.  The ninja also gains a +2 dodge bonus to her AC (Any Vang Hong bonus is lost if the ninja wears any armor.

Between Sights

All ninja even at early stages of training learn to remain hidden and how to step between shadows.  A ninja can make a distraction check’ a standard action (Bluff check with a +2 modifier opposed by sense motive).  This check can affect one opponent for every 2 ninja levels.  If all opponents fail this check the ninja is considered hidden even if she moves though line of sight of the affected opponents.

Prone Attack

A ninja using a ninja preferred weapon may attack from a prone position and stand at the same time (DC 5 Jump Check).  This can catch an opponent off guard so if the ninja has a higher initiative than the opponent during the encounter the ninja can also add her sudden strike to the attack.

Graceful and Agile I

A ninja gains mastery in one of the following acrobatic skills balance, climb, jump, tumble, and swim.  This allows her to take 10 on the mastered skill even when threatened or distracted.  At 10th level the ninja can choose to further her chosen skill and take 15 on the check or choose a second skill to master.

Vang Hong Intermediate

A ninja has learned the basic arts of Vang Hong and now has learned to use her ki while performing acrobatic feats.  She may add ½ her ninja level to balance, climb, jump, tumble, and swim checks.  This may be done 1/day per level for every ninja level she has obtained.  She also increases her dodge bonus to +3.

Craft (Vang Hong)

A ninja has learned to craft minor Vang Hong related items.  A ninja is now able to craft certain item common to all ninja given time and materials.  A ninja can craft 10gp worth of items per day per ninja class level.

Craft (Vang Hong)

Feather Footing

A ninja learns to control her weight to the point of being almost weightless.  She can now travel across relatively smooth vertical surfaces or walls. As long as you’re her move is ended on a horizontal surface.  A ninja who does not end her move on a horizontal surface falls for the distance she is off the ground taking damage as normal.  A ninja may not perform any other move actions while using Feather Footing such as tumble.

Vang Hong Advanced

A ninja can now take 10 on hide and move silently checks she has nearly mastered the fundamentals of Vang Hong.  A ninja can now sense danger coming and raises her AC dodge bonus to +4.

Defy Air

A ninja is always considered to have a running start when making a jump check and is not longer limited by height for vertical jumps.

Graceful and Agile II

The ninja has advanced her art to the point where she can master another acrobatic skill or improve on her original choice from Graceful and Agile I.  She may still only master balance, climb, jump, tumble, or swim.  If she chooses a new skill she gains mastery in it as per Graceful and Agile I.  If she chooses to improve her current skill she may now take 15 instead of taking 10.  As well as the following.

Ni Vang Hong Training

A ninja must take the path her chi is most in focus with the early stages of Vang Hong align her chi to accept specific areas of focus now the ninja must select a particular area and master them