Ninjutsu

### Definition

Ninjutsu are secret techniques passed down from shinobi masters to their students. They are hardly ever committed to paper, and are written only in the minds of their practitioners. Sneaking through shadows, poisoning foes, and vanishing without a trace—to employ these tactics is to stray from the path of Bushidō, but some are willing to pay this price for their family, clan, and empire.

### General Rules

Ninjutsu are taught at Shinobi Schools by Master Shinobi. Every week you spend at school is 1 point to spend on skills. You can acquire a maximum of 6 points. You must learn the first ability in a tree before learning the subsequent abilities. The requirements for teaching are generally as follows but may be different in special circumstances.

1 Point: Days of Training (7), Koku (5)

### Balancing Guidelines and Philosophy

1. Not everyone can be a ninja character, but the ninja have knowledge that any character can benefit from.
2. Setting and story take precedence when creating ninjutsu. If a ninjutsu does not make sense in the setting of Kozakura, it is changed until it does, or is re-written.

## **Movement Tree**

(you must be wearing light or natural armor, you may circumvent this restriction by being size large)

**Fickle Fox** (1pt) - Your movement is difficult for an opponent to predict. Whenever you move, you may spend 1 Focus to activate one of the following effects until the start of your next turn: dodge, disengage, or add 10ft to your base movement speed.

**Swift Spider** (2pts) - Your quick footsteps allow you to temporarily traverse over obstacles. Whenever you move, you may spend 1 Focus to gain spider climb, water walk, and ignore the effects of difficult terrain until the beginning of your next turn. This effect cannot be used two rounds in a row.

**Wary Wolf** (3pts) - Your experience and awareness of the situation allows you to predict the intentions of others and move accordingly. During combat, you can move up to half your speed as a reaction when an enemy you can see moves or when an enemy you can see targets you or an ally with an attack or harmful effect you can see. This movement doesn’t provoke opportunity attacks.

## **Weapons Tree**

(ninja weapons include wired kunai (dagger), kusarigama (sickle and chain), shuriken (dart), and wakizashi (Shortsword))

**Rat Fangs** (1pt) - You have been taught how to use the preferred weapons of the ninja. You gain proficiency in ninja weapons including wired kunai, kusarigama, and shuriken. During your attack action using these weapons, you may spend 1 Focus to attack your target ignoring cover and shields as long as they are not covered on all sides.

**Cat Claws** (2pts) - You have been taught how to attack efficiently and quickly. You may spend 1 Focus to gain extra attack with all ninja weapons and Wakizashi for the duration of your turn. This applies for action and bonus action-offhand attacks.

**Serpent Strike** (3pts) - You have been taught how to attack quietly and mask your killing intent from others. Attacking with ninja weapons from stealth does not automatically reveal you. The target must immediately make a contest of perception against your stealth to reveal you.

## **Tools Tree**

(ninja tools include bombs and wrist crossbows)

**Hawk's Talons** (1pt) - You have been taught how to utilize the preferred tools of the ninja. You gain proficiency in using ninja tools including bombs and wrist-crossbows. Because of their delicate nature, they must be used as an action. You may spend 1 Focus to attack using a ninja tool or wrist-crossbow as a bonus action.

**Heron’s Precision** (2pts) - You have been taught how to craft the preferred tools of the ninja. You gain proficiency in crafting bombs and wrist-crossbow ammunition. The bombs and darts require specific materials.

**Pelican Scroll** (3pts) - You gain the secret knowledge in crafting and utilizing Pelican scrolls. The pelican scroll is a magical item that requires attunement. It is 10ft long and 1ft tall unrolled. Any non-magical object(s) can be placed and stored inside the scroll to be retrieved later. The object's 2 largest sides must be lesser than or equal to the dimensions of the scroll. As a bonus action you may tear off a tag containing an item and attach it to something else or hold the item and make it appear. Whenever you tear off a piece of the scroll, you may imprint a basic condition for the item inside to be released (a time duration, touch effect, or on impact). The scroll heals itself immediately once an object is used.

## **Medicine Tree**

**Diagnostic Medicine** (1pt) - Poison can be a powerful ally and a fearsome enemy, you have been taught to properly identify known poisons. You gain the ability to identify vials of poison based on your senses and in others based on their symptoms. You also gain a flat +1 to your medicine skill. You may spend 1 Focus to gain advantage on any medicine check.

**Practical Medicine** (2pts) - You have been taught how to safely craft and handle known poisons, antidotes to known poisons, and potions from specific materials. You gain proficiency in Poison and Medicine kits. You know where to find these materials. You may spend 1 Focus to gain advantage on any crafting roll for these items. The DC depends on the complexity of the mixture.

**Perfect Potency** (3pts) - Your practiced efficiency allows for getting the most out of your ingredients. Crafted poisons and medicines act with maximum possible healing and damage as opposed to rolling for results.

## **Ninjutsu Secrets**

This is knowledge available to any character who has achieved the maximum of 6 ninjutsu points.

### **The Teahouse**

The teahouse is an extra dimensional planar space capable of transporting the characters over vast distances in a short amount of time. The teahouse has a chance of being dangerous, it is used by many different clans and factions. It is similar to the teleportation circles in Faerun.

Casting Time: 10 minutes

Range: 5ft

Components: V, S, M, (A tea ceremony including herbs, flowers, and 5 Koku which the spell consumes)

Duration: 1 minute or the caster may close the door early

You perform a tea ceremony for 10 minutes, at the conclusion of 10 minutes you speak the name of the place you are attempting to travel to. The door opens and lasts for 1 minute but may be closed earlier if the caster closes the door. A random pathway opens up to a central room with many doors. The door with the most direct route to your destination will glow. Upon opening the final door, it remains open for 1 minute but may be closed earlier if the caster closes the door. You may spend as much time in the Teahouse that you desire.

### **Goshiki Mai (5-Colored-Rice)**

Goshiki Mai is a method of writing and translating the written language of the ninja. It is used to leave messages of warning or information for other ninja. You know how to read and write goshiki mai in the intricate patterns of 5 different colors of rice.