Base Requirements

• Races: Any
• Sub-Classes: Thief or Spy
• Ability Requirements: Muscle 13, Balance 15, Knowledge 11
• Alignments: Non-Good
• Starting Cash: by class

Weapon Proficiencies

• Weapon Slots: By class
• Bonus Weapon Proficiencies: none
• Required Weapon Proficiencies: Ninja-to
• Allowed Weapons: By class
• Allowed Armors: By class

Non-Weapon Proficiencies:

• Non-weapon Slots: By class, -2 slots
• Available Categories: By class, plus Martial
• Bonus Non-weapon Proficiencies: Disguise, Escape, Information Gathering, Intimidation
• Required Proficiencies: Running, Tightrope Walking
• Recommended Proficiencies: Acting, Alertness, Begging, Blind-Fighting, Close-quarters Fighting, Danger Sense, Disguise, Endurance, Herbalism, Hiding, Hunting, Jumping, Literacy, Tracking, Tumbling, Voice Mimicry, Weaponsmithing
• Forbidden Proficiencies: none

Overview: The ninja, or “shadow warriors,” are a well-known legend in eastern lands. They are well versed in the arts of concealment, stealth, and trickery. Clad in their infamous black uniforms and armed with a deadly arsenal of weapons and gadgets, ninja are the master assassins and spies for those who can or will hire them. Terror usually accompanies the mere mention of their name, even among the stoutest samurai, and many common people ascribe supernatural powers to the ninja, who do nothing to discourage these stories.

While “ninja” are rare in the western Realms, a few such organizations do exist. The most infamous are the Shadowlords of Telflamm in Impiltur. Smaller clans can be found in Thay, Calaunt, and Mulmaster, and there is even one rumored to opperate out of Mistledale in the Dalelands. The Zhentarim and the Nightmasks maintain groups of spies and assassins with similar skills and training regimes.

Description: Ninja are known for the variety of special equipment they use to complete their missions. Typical examples include metal climbing claws, and special grenades filled with smoke powder, pepper, or flash powder. Even their sword scabbards often have multiple uses. Some have secret compartments, while others are open at both ends for use as a blowpipe or breathing tube.

Role-Playing: The abilities of the ninja are clouded in mystery. Despite their infamy, they are very secretive and unseen. Living out their days as common townsfolk or farmers, their nights are spent performing their missions of spying and assassination. Every ninja has an everyday identity that must be maintained.

Every ninja belongs to a clan. The head of the clan assigns various missions to the lesser ninja. These missions must be completed, or the ninja is expected to die trying. Defiance of the clan head means an all-out attempt on the life of the offender, ending only with his death or the far less likely success of the offender in taking the clan head’s place.

Ninja have a reputation for being competent, cold-blooded, and extremely efficient. Thus, even if they are no longer actively serving their clan, they tend to drift into related activities: spying, bounty hunting, and the like.

Special Abilities:

• A shadow warrior can hold his breath for a number of minutes equal to his level. He can do this once per day.
• A shadow warrior can fall without taking any damage, for a distance of 5-ft. per level of experience he has attained. To do so, he must not be wearing metal armor and must be able to make periodic contact with a vertical surface in order to slow his fall. If he falls further than the allowed distance, he suffers normal damage.
• A shadow warrior, regardless of class, may gain specialization with a weapon. He may specialize in a single weapon starting at 5th level, another at 9th, and a third at 13th (if he so desires, and has sufficient weapon proficiency slots to spend).
• When attacking with surprise, a shadow warrior kills the victim if a hit is scored and the victim fails a saving throw vs. death; provided the victim has hit dice less than or equal to the ninja’s. Otherwise, damage equal to a backstab is inflicted.
• Shadow Warriors are well respected (or feared) in the underworld. They receive a +2 bonus on NPC reactions from rogues who know of the character’s profession (this normally only applies if the shadow warrior’s cover has been blown).

Special Disadvantages:

• As mentioned previously, a shadow warrior must maintain a secret identity known only to other clan members. Should this identity be discovered, he suffers a -2 penalty on all NPC reactions against non-rogues. In addition, all law-enforcement officers in the area will begin a massive manhunt for the shadow warrior, stopping only when the shadow warrior is captured, dead, or runs too far to follow. The shadow warrior is then dismissed from his clan, and his fellow clan members will conduct their own manhunt to preserve their secrets.
• Because of their emphasis on combat training, shadow warriors receive 2 fewer non-weapon proficiency slots at 1st level. After 1st level, the ninja advances normally.

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