Post by Nephallim on Mar 15, 2006 21:07:49 GMT -5
Nephallim¡'s Guide to Building and Role Playing a Historically Sound Ninja
There's so much contemporary folklore and media nonsense floating around about Ninja¡ that one day I decided to look into the history behind the pop-culture phenomena. This is what I fount: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ninja. I'll be quoting from this document as I take you through my personal guide to constructing a historically sound Ninja character.
"Because ninja rarely left anything in writing or boasted of their achievements, the history of the ninja is mostly apocryphal and blatantly legendary, so the great majority of stories circulating about them are difficult to prove."
This basically means that when push comes to shove, you have the full historical right to poetic liscence. Well, to a certain extent. As it said, they rarely showed off, so a bragart Ninja may be a tad bit inappropriate.
"While ninja are often depicted as male, and nearly all military and related professions were typically limited exclusively to males, females were supposedly ninja as well. A female ninja may be called kunoichi; the characters are derived from the strokes that make up the kanji for woman. They were sometimes depicted as experienced prostitutes who learned the secrets of an enemy by seduction; though it's just as likely they were employed as household servants, putting them in a position to overhear potentially valuable information. In either case, there is no support for the popular image of female ninja assassins, and they were more likely employed as spies and couriers."
I know, I know. Gender issues are sensitive in this day and age, but this does make a bit of sense, and could make for a very, very compelling character. Think of all the layers a kunoichi must have. A strong sense of duty to her clan is the classic hallmark of the stereotype Ninja, but for a female Ninja, this could drive her to do things that make her feel inferior or dirty. These feelings could leave a bitter or sarcastic streak in the kunoichi. Maybe the kunoichi feels indignant because she's relegated to a non-combat role while her brothers get the more glorious job of actually doing the killing. Perhaps the kunoichi is glad that the men get the more dangerous job, and enjoys living comfortably as a lord's servant as she informs on them for her true family. And then there are possibilities for poison master kunoichi. The possibilities for interesting characters within the historical gender roles are well neigh limitless.
"Ninpo refers to various skills used by ninja, but mostly supernatural and fictional. Ninja are said to have actively encouraged such superstitions about their abilities to inspire fear in potential enemies."
When your Ninja is dressed in his Ninja suit, throw some embelishments into your RP. Have them mimic spellcasting or chant prayers while fighting openly. Maybe your Ninja soaks his sword in oil before an open fight and sets it aflame when the action starts, to give the impression that he has magic powers to his enemies.
"Ninja were said to have had many rules, and the most important rule was of keeping the secret of ninja themselves and of the daimyo who gave them the order. Stories say that the most severe crime was leaving a ninja family without authorization, with no intention of returning."
If you're a Ninja, you're pretty much owned. You may be allowed limited, or well neigh unlimited, freedom, but do something that your clan doesn't approve of and you'll be kicked to the curb. Also, I'm going to once again stress a little fact: Ninja don't go around shouting that they're Ninja. They may pose as a professional fighter. Maybe they have two identies, like the super heroes of modern comics. The point is though, they'll overall keep a low profile.
"Contrary to popular belief, there is no evidence that the ninjas dressed in all black suits."
That's right folks. Lets hear more.
"Another idea supporting the absence of a ninja outfit and any specific weaponry is that, if caught or seen, they would have been identified as enemies. This would only result in capture, torture, and probably a very slow and painful execution."
An excellent point. No one likes a spy, and if the spy you catch is yours, you don't want to let on that you have a spy. Plus, if the spy was caught with blatant spy gear in the first place, then he's obviously not very good at his job.
"Thus, these spies and assassins were far more likely to be disguised as samurai, priests, or peasants or when situation dictates, dark green, blue or dark red outfit which offers better camouflage to its surroundings."
Don't hesitate to use disguises. Pose as a monk or a Samurai. When your companions ask 'wait, which are you?' come up with a clever excuse for why you could be both. And camo gear is your friend. Trust me, all black isn't as great for hiding in forests at night as you'd think.
"Ninja allegedly used several special weapons against their enemies, the shuriken (throwing blades) and handclaws (shuko, tekagi) probably being the most famous."
I can see how shuriken would be good Ninja weapons. They're small, and thus easily hidden, and excellent vehicles for poison. The claws double as a climbing tool, and aren't readily visible to the passing observer. Sneaky and utilitarian, just like Ninja.
"Kunai (a gardening tool) were also a popular weapon as they could be hidden easily or carried if the ninja was disguised as a gardener. It was the equivalent of a utility knife, often used to pry or cut rather than fight."
There's no better weapon for a Ninja than one that goes with his disguise. Also, its once again very utilitarian.
"The makibishi, a type of caltrop made of iron spikes, is also famous. It could be thrown on the ground to injure a pursuer's feet or thrown out on an enemy's escape path so that the targets could be cut down or shot down with bows and arrows while they looked for another escape route, but it could also be covered with poison so the victim would die slowly."
Caltrops are excellent tools for Ninja in that they manipulate the terrain to the Ninja's favor. When faced with the situation of delaying a fleeing target, tossing caltrops in front of the Ninja's prey may be time better spent than actually running after them. Also, as it says, caltrops are excellent tools for the escaping Ninja.
"Ninja also employed a variety of weapons and tricks using gunpowder. Smoke bombs and firecrackers were widely used to aid an escape or create a diversion for an attack."
I know a lot of game masters out there are sensitive about adding gunpowder weapons to their game, fearing balance issues. However, if you're GM allows such items in their game, keep this in mind. Smoke bombs are excellent for manipulating terrain, and such techniques also serve to reinforce the Ninja's repution as being a magician.
"Many ninja tools were everyday tools that would not be conspicuous even when confiscated. One known tool used by ninja is irogome (literally, "colored rice"). Irogome was uncooked rice seeds colored in five or six different colors: red, black, white, yellow, blue, and sometimes brown. They would be placed on the ground or handed to a ninja from a ninja. Each combination carried certain meanings like "all clear" or "an enemy check point is ahead"."
In third edition DnD, this paragraph pretty much means 'get ranks in innuendo.' In revised third edition this means 'get ranks in bluff.' When playing your Ninja, don't hesitate to tell the GM you're giving messages in code, and don't hesitate to make necessary roles if someone tries to interpret. Also, in RP encounters, don't hesitate to speak in thieves cant (slipping the GM notes on what you're actually saying if necessary).
"Contrary to popular belief, there is no evidence that the nunchaku were used by the ninja, and there is no record in any record of them using one."
At first I'm tempted to say 'no nunchaku for you.' However, this weapon would be more than appropriate for a Ninja posing as a farmer. Nunchaku, like European flails, are, after all, derrived from farming tools.
"Ninja practiced a variant of jujutsu and kenjutsu that could be summed up as ninjutsu"
Ok. For us DnD players, this basically means that you should either get monk levels or improved unarmed strike. Improved grapple is also recommended, as jujutsu involves a lot of grappling and throws.
"The Ninja-To is a katana-like sword with a straight and much shorter blade. There is, however, no evidence outside Hollywood that such a weapon has ever existed."
Swords like this do seem counter-productive to your average Joe Ninja. If a Ninja is posing as a Samurai, than it's the wrong weapon to use. The katana and wakizashi pair would be a much better choice in this case.
Alright, I'm done with the article now. Now I'm going to explain my own favorite build for Ninja characters in revised third edition DnD. I'd recommend a monk/rogue with the Aesthetic Rogue feat. This feat allows you to achieve the maximum unarmed damage potential of a monk, while developing devastating surprise attacks. This feat also grants a bonus to the monk's Stunning Strike ability when you sneak attack. Your monk levels also get you the proficiencies to many traditionally peasant weapons. This class combo, especially with this feat, produces a perfect mix of utilitarian and sneakiness for playing a Ninja.
There's so much contemporary folklore and media nonsense floating around about Ninja¡ that one day I decided to look into the history behind the pop-culture phenomena. This is what I fount: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ninja. I'll be quoting from this document as I take you through my personal guide to constructing a historically sound Ninja character.
"Because ninja rarely left anything in writing or boasted of their achievements, the history of the ninja is mostly apocryphal and blatantly legendary, so the great majority of stories circulating about them are difficult to prove."
This basically means that when push comes to shove, you have the full historical right to poetic liscence. Well, to a certain extent. As it said, they rarely showed off, so a bragart Ninja may be a tad bit inappropriate.
"While ninja are often depicted as male, and nearly all military and related professions were typically limited exclusively to males, females were supposedly ninja as well. A female ninja may be called kunoichi; the characters are derived from the strokes that make up the kanji for woman. They were sometimes depicted as experienced prostitutes who learned the secrets of an enemy by seduction; though it's just as likely they were employed as household servants, putting them in a position to overhear potentially valuable information. In either case, there is no support for the popular image of female ninja assassins, and they were more likely employed as spies and couriers."
I know, I know. Gender issues are sensitive in this day and age, but this does make a bit of sense, and could make for a very, very compelling character. Think of all the layers a kunoichi must have. A strong sense of duty to her clan is the classic hallmark of the stereotype Ninja, but for a female Ninja, this could drive her to do things that make her feel inferior or dirty. These feelings could leave a bitter or sarcastic streak in the kunoichi. Maybe the kunoichi feels indignant because she's relegated to a non-combat role while her brothers get the more glorious job of actually doing the killing. Perhaps the kunoichi is glad that the men get the more dangerous job, and enjoys living comfortably as a lord's servant as she informs on them for her true family. And then there are possibilities for poison master kunoichi. The possibilities for interesting characters within the historical gender roles are well neigh limitless.
"Ninpo refers to various skills used by ninja, but mostly supernatural and fictional. Ninja are said to have actively encouraged such superstitions about their abilities to inspire fear in potential enemies."
When your Ninja is dressed in his Ninja suit, throw some embelishments into your RP. Have them mimic spellcasting or chant prayers while fighting openly. Maybe your Ninja soaks his sword in oil before an open fight and sets it aflame when the action starts, to give the impression that he has magic powers to his enemies.
"Ninja were said to have had many rules, and the most important rule was of keeping the secret of ninja themselves and of the daimyo who gave them the order. Stories say that the most severe crime was leaving a ninja family without authorization, with no intention of returning."
If you're a Ninja, you're pretty much owned. You may be allowed limited, or well neigh unlimited, freedom, but do something that your clan doesn't approve of and you'll be kicked to the curb. Also, I'm going to once again stress a little fact: Ninja don't go around shouting that they're Ninja. They may pose as a professional fighter. Maybe they have two identies, like the super heroes of modern comics. The point is though, they'll overall keep a low profile.
"Contrary to popular belief, there is no evidence that the ninjas dressed in all black suits."
That's right folks. Lets hear more.
"Another idea supporting the absence of a ninja outfit and any specific weaponry is that, if caught or seen, they would have been identified as enemies. This would only result in capture, torture, and probably a very slow and painful execution."
An excellent point. No one likes a spy, and if the spy you catch is yours, you don't want to let on that you have a spy. Plus, if the spy was caught with blatant spy gear in the first place, then he's obviously not very good at his job.
"Thus, these spies and assassins were far more likely to be disguised as samurai, priests, or peasants or when situation dictates, dark green, blue or dark red outfit which offers better camouflage to its surroundings."
Don't hesitate to use disguises. Pose as a monk or a Samurai. When your companions ask 'wait, which are you?' come up with a clever excuse for why you could be both. And camo gear is your friend. Trust me, all black isn't as great for hiding in forests at night as you'd think.
"Ninja allegedly used several special weapons against their enemies, the shuriken (throwing blades) and handclaws (shuko, tekagi) probably being the most famous."
I can see how shuriken would be good Ninja weapons. They're small, and thus easily hidden, and excellent vehicles for poison. The claws double as a climbing tool, and aren't readily visible to the passing observer. Sneaky and utilitarian, just like Ninja.
"Kunai (a gardening tool) were also a popular weapon as they could be hidden easily or carried if the ninja was disguised as a gardener. It was the equivalent of a utility knife, often used to pry or cut rather than fight."
There's no better weapon for a Ninja than one that goes with his disguise. Also, its once again very utilitarian.
"The makibishi, a type of caltrop made of iron spikes, is also famous. It could be thrown on the ground to injure a pursuer's feet or thrown out on an enemy's escape path so that the targets could be cut down or shot down with bows and arrows while they looked for another escape route, but it could also be covered with poison so the victim would die slowly."
Caltrops are excellent tools for Ninja in that they manipulate the terrain to the Ninja's favor. When faced with the situation of delaying a fleeing target, tossing caltrops in front of the Ninja's prey may be time better spent than actually running after them. Also, as it says, caltrops are excellent tools for the escaping Ninja.
"Ninja also employed a variety of weapons and tricks using gunpowder. Smoke bombs and firecrackers were widely used to aid an escape or create a diversion for an attack."
I know a lot of game masters out there are sensitive about adding gunpowder weapons to their game, fearing balance issues. However, if you're GM allows such items in their game, keep this in mind. Smoke bombs are excellent for manipulating terrain, and such techniques also serve to reinforce the Ninja's repution as being a magician.
"Many ninja tools were everyday tools that would not be conspicuous even when confiscated. One known tool used by ninja is irogome (literally, "colored rice"). Irogome was uncooked rice seeds colored in five or six different colors: red, black, white, yellow, blue, and sometimes brown. They would be placed on the ground or handed to a ninja from a ninja. Each combination carried certain meanings like "all clear" or "an enemy check point is ahead"."
In third edition DnD, this paragraph pretty much means 'get ranks in innuendo.' In revised third edition this means 'get ranks in bluff.' When playing your Ninja, don't hesitate to tell the GM you're giving messages in code, and don't hesitate to make necessary roles if someone tries to interpret. Also, in RP encounters, don't hesitate to speak in thieves cant (slipping the GM notes on what you're actually saying if necessary).
"Contrary to popular belief, there is no evidence that the nunchaku were used by the ninja, and there is no record in any record of them using one."
At first I'm tempted to say 'no nunchaku for you.' However, this weapon would be more than appropriate for a Ninja posing as a farmer. Nunchaku, like European flails, are, after all, derrived from farming tools.
"Ninja practiced a variant of jujutsu and kenjutsu that could be summed up as ninjutsu"
Ok. For us DnD players, this basically means that you should either get monk levels or improved unarmed strike. Improved grapple is also recommended, as jujutsu involves a lot of grappling and throws.
"The Ninja-To is a katana-like sword with a straight and much shorter blade. There is, however, no evidence outside Hollywood that such a weapon has ever existed."
Swords like this do seem counter-productive to your average Joe Ninja. If a Ninja is posing as a Samurai, than it's the wrong weapon to use. The katana and wakizashi pair would be a much better choice in this case.
Alright, I'm done with the article now. Now I'm going to explain my own favorite build for Ninja characters in revised third edition DnD. I'd recommend a monk/rogue with the Aesthetic Rogue feat. This feat allows you to achieve the maximum unarmed damage potential of a monk, while developing devastating surprise attacks. This feat also grants a bonus to the monk's Stunning Strike ability when you sneak attack. Your monk levels also get you the proficiencies to many traditionally peasant weapons. This class combo, especially with this feat, produces a perfect mix of utilitarian and sneakiness for playing a Ninja.