Author Topic: Holy Ninja  (Read 2946 times)

Offline Shiniba

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Holy Ninja
« on: July 06, 2012, 06:28:16 AM »
So, I've been tossing around a character concept that I'd like to build in DFRPG for a potential game in the future, and I'm thinking this is a good way to stat him up. This is just the cliffnotes version of the charater, there's a good more detail in his background and whatnot but I feel this is what's pertinent. His high concept is Holy Ninja.

He's a former hitter for the Triad, specializing in taking out supernatural threats to the Triad's business operations. He's half Japanese and half Chinese, with all the accompanying bigotry directed toward him that one would his expect. He's inherited a bit of Ninja magic from his father's side of the family, fueled by bits of shadows stolen from other people.

He was eventually jailed by the Chinese Government, and was in a cell next to an imprisoned Christian evangelist. He had a prison conversion experience, and due to an attack by a vengeful oni was able to escape the prison and flee to America.
His highet skills would be Stealth and Weapons, followed closely by Conviction and other skills necessary for a divine character.

He would start out with the True Believer template, with additional Cloak of Shadows and Spider Climb. Since these are "fueled" he would take Vampirism tied to them. When he runs out of shadow bits the powers stop working. As he becomes stronger he would gradually upgrade to Champion of God and then Knight of the Cross with Fidellachius (reforged as a ninja-to for cheesiness).
If I were more experienced with the system I would make up some sort of "Ninja Jutsu" supernatural stunt that would cover a few pop-culturey-ninja abilities in place of Shadow Walk and Spider Climb, but I've only ever played one session of DFRPG and I'm certain I wouldn't be able to balance it properly.

What do you guys think? Is this a good way to build a Holy Ninja?

Edit: Moved from the spoilers section, didn't mean to put it in there to begin with and noticed that section hasn't been touched in months.

Offline UmbraLux

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Re: Holy Ninja
« Reply #1 on: July 06, 2012, 12:22:17 PM »
That looks like a decent method of building a ninja (I think there are many ways to do so).  You will need to figure out the effects of eating someone's shadow.  Feeding Dependency is a hindrance after all.  ;)  You'll also want to build your feeding power.  Since most, if not all, Feeding Depencies are quite capable of killing you'll have a bit of a dichotomy between your holy powers / intents and your ninjutsu which eats people for power.  Could make for interesting role play.
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Offline Shiniba

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Re: Holy Ninja
« Reply #2 on: July 06, 2012, 04:54:33 PM »
I'm thinking that shadow theft is definitely as capable of killing people as any other type of vampirism, but indirectly. A shadow is a person's awareness of their surroundings, and more specifically the people around you. It's what gives you that tingly feeling when somebody you can't see is looking at you, it's what lets you tell when somebody you haven't seen or heard is standing behind you. The shadow grows back mostly after the next sunrise, but while a person's shadow has been wholly eaten the'll behave much like a drunk person, bumping into people on the sidewalk, wandering into the middle of a busy intersection and paying no heed to the dozens of cars moving through it. They'd be almost incapable of picking up when someone says their name without being directly in front of them, and they'd completely zone out in a conversation if they look away from who they're speaking to for even a moment- making holding a conversation with more than a single person nearly impossible.

My character would probably "feed" during the late afternoon on a busy street. Plenty of long shadows to "nibble" off of without risk of noticeable effects without seeming odd. He'd probably kill two birds with one stone and do some street evangelism at the same time.
« Last Edit: July 06, 2012, 04:56:14 PM by Shiniba »

Offline Radecliffe

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Re: Holy Ninja
« Reply #3 on: July 06, 2012, 05:02:35 PM »
The only quibble I have is that a Knight of God would not under any circumstances hurt an innocent.  I have trouble reconciling a wielder of a Sword of the Cross with anyone with a feeding dependency except in some very narrow, limited circumstances.

Offline Shiniba

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Re: Holy Ninja
« Reply #4 on: July 06, 2012, 05:08:37 PM »
What would you recommend for statting up a supernatural-power ninja with a Sword of the Cross? Without Feeding Dependency or some other drawback-related bonus there isn't enough FP to stay above 0 for the Knight of the Cross template with the additional powers.

Offline Radecliffe

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Re: Holy Ninja
« Reply #5 on: July 06, 2012, 06:08:44 PM »
Well you could just not start with the Sword at the beginning.  Talk it over with your GM to see if he will arrange for the Sword to be presented to your character once you have the refresh to handle it.  You can be the Asian King Arthur on a quest from God to become His Champion.  In a Submerged campaign you can totally start out as a Champion of God + Cloak of Shadows + Spider Walk and still be ok refresh wise.  If your GM is agreeable you can come into possession of Fidellachius just as you gain your next level of refresh. 

Offline Shiniba

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Re: Holy Ninja
« Reply #6 on: July 06, 2012, 07:31:40 PM »
Yeah, that would definitely work. Now I just need an opportunity to play the darned character. :)

Offline Sanctaphrax

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Re: Holy Ninja
« Reply #7 on: July 07, 2012, 05:58:16 AM »
Sounds like a solid plan.

If you're interested in custom Powers, there are a bunch that might fit.

Superhuman Acrobatics comes to mind.

And I've got rewrites of Feeding Dependency, Holy Touch, and Bless This House.

Offline Richard_Chilton

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Re: Holy Ninja
« Reply #8 on: July 07, 2012, 06:37:36 AM »
You might be able to find some inspiration here.  The concept is a bit difference (semi-honourable Mafia killer) but it does show a character trying to fight off his natural urge to kill - which I assume your ninja will have to do at some point.

Richard

Offline Shiniba

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Re: Holy Ninja
« Reply #9 on: July 07, 2012, 07:25:44 AM »
Sounds like a solid plan.

If you're interested in custom Powers, there are a bunch that might fit.

Superhuman Acrobatics comes to mind.

And I've got rewrites of Feeding Dependency, Holy Touch, and Bless This House.

Where would I find those? Those sound really cool.

Edit: Oh man Rune Magic would be perfect if I were trying to play just a straight ninja-style character.
« Last Edit: July 07, 2012, 07:41:15 AM by Shiniba »

Offline Sanctaphrax

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Re: Holy Ninja
« Reply #10 on: July 07, 2012, 09:35:37 PM »
Feeding Dependency (I should warn you, this writeup is pretty sketchy. I might not allow it into one of my games without another round of edits.)
Bless This House and Holy Touch (There ones are better, in my opinion.)

PS: Why Rune Magic?

Offline Shiniba

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Re: Holy Ninja
« Reply #11 on: July 07, 2012, 10:15:19 PM »
How a Ninja would use Rune Magic.


Offline Chrono

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Re: Holy Ninja
« Reply #12 on: July 09, 2012, 02:11:48 AM »
How a Ninja would use Rune Magic.



Can't argue with that.

Offline Shiniba

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Re: Holy Ninja
« Reply #13 on: July 09, 2012, 07:01:26 AM »
Taking advice from this thread into consideration, I've updated the holy ninja to the following. It assumes Submerged level play.

Bless This House (-1)
Guide My Hand   (-1)
Holy Touch        (-1)
Righteousness    (-2)
Fidelacchius       (-3)

Human Form+Rare Change (+2)- Shin can only change into Shade Form when he has stolen the shadow of a living (or formerly living) being. Shin will only take the shadow of one whom he has been forced to kill in combat.
Shade Form includes the following Supernatural Powers.
-Cloak of Shadows (-1)
-Shadow Manipulation (-1)
-Superhuman acrobatics (-1)

Gives him a final refresh of -9.

Offline Sanctaphrax

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Re: Holy Ninja
« Reply #14 on: July 09, 2012, 07:00:58 PM »
Looks good to me.