PDA

View Full Version : Ki Feat idea



Brianish
2005-11-02, 11:56 PM
Seeing as there's a lack of feats/equipment/prestige classes to compliment the ninja class, I was thinking about a series of feats that allow different uses for Ki powers. They'd fill the same sort of specific niche that Divine and Wild Feats alter the abilities of turn undead and wild shape. They could progress along different disciplnes, a feat that allows you to use mirror image from Ki would be a pre req for a path that ultimately allows you to use simulcram.

Similar feats could start a summoning path or a defense path or a hypnotism path etc.

Thoughts?

Everyman
2005-11-03, 12:57 AM
Why does this sound like Natuto to me? ;D

Anywho, I wouldn't recommend making feats that grant spell-like abilities, unless for a good reason. Yes, it sounds very cool to be able to create multiple images of yourself or to unleash hypnotic powers on your enemies, but ninjas are supposed to be silent, manipulative, and unnoticed. You current ideas are rather flashy and draw notice, which is exactly what a ninja HATES.

This doesn't mean I find the idea of Ki feats dumb though. It's just hard to imagine what kind of feats would result from a class that relies on screwing with your vision/disappearing/moving all tricky-like. Here's a few ideas:
1) A feat that increases a ninja's Ki pool.
2) A feat that allows one to channel Ki to Spider Climb for a round(no climb check necessary)
3) A feat that allows one to channel Ki in order to gain an insight bonus on their next roll (immediate action)
4) A feat that allows one to channel Ki to "Slow Fall".

I'm sure others can think of more and how to use my ideas.

Lysander
2005-11-03, 02:24 AM
Basically just think of a bunch of feats that let you reenact the stunts in Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon. You can't really make a character like that.

idksocrates
2005-11-03, 02:48 AM
a ki feat to temporarily boost move silently and/or hide?

a ki feat to emulate the paralyze function of an assassin's death strike?

a ki feat to double threat range for attacks for one round?(non stack with keen weapon or improved crit).

a ki feat to make yourself unnoticable, as per the Giant's spell in function?

King_Joel_II
2005-11-03, 02:51 AM
I think that there's some serious CTHD possibilities in the psionics rules. There were some additional Psychich Warrior feats floating around the WotC site (still bound to be in the archives) that I can think of. Especially Run on Air (requires Up the Walls, allows a certain portion of your movement each round to be in the air, as though on solid ground). Those and other psychich focus feats might make a good starting point for ki-powers, too.

I think "Extra Ki Power" is a no brainer. Since ninja's get level/day uses, the feat would mimic Extra Bardic Music or Extra Stunning Attacks.

I think Tarkahn makes a good point about not being flashy. Ki Powers are pretty intensely cool as it is, though, what with etherealness and invisibility.

Brianish
2005-11-03, 12:33 PM
Why does this sound like Natuto to me? ;D


In a way, yeah. My player wanted to take the Assassin class. I turned him down because it's quite clearly evil themed, but in retrospect it's one of very few PrCs that jive with the ninja. And there's no class that continues Ki use progression. I was looking for something to mimic the sort of quirky assassin spell ability without actually giving spells. I figured Ki abilities that focus on misdirection or other methods of combat. So I plumbed Naruto for brainstorming ideas.

Seerow
2005-11-03, 01:49 PM
a ki feat to double threat range for attacks for one round?(non stack with keen weapon or improved crit).

If it doesn't stack, why would anybody take it instead of Improved Crit?

I mean, sure you can get it with any weapon instead of just one, but one round for a use of ki?

Rigeld
2005-11-03, 05:01 PM
I've always hated that non-stacking of improving threat ranges thing..

Brianish
2005-11-03, 05:07 PM
Indeed. Why shouldn't a rapier have a threat range of 10-20?

Seerow
2005-11-03, 05:56 PM
It might make people respect duelists a bit more ya know.

They could have at least said if you have multiple things to improve threat range, rather than doubling it, increase it by one. (Increase after doubling, not before)

Brianish
2005-11-03, 06:37 PM
I dunno. A rapier with improved crit already strikes on 15-20. That's more than one in four and I already have a healthy respect for that. :-[

Seerow
2005-11-03, 09:17 PM
Then why does nobody play Duelist?

Brianish
2005-11-03, 10:01 PM
Cuz they take away their armor, and it's keyed for a one on one fight which doesn't happen especially often in dungeon-crawling.

Seerow
2005-11-03, 10:03 PM
Bracers of Armor and high intelligence grant you about the same as light armor would have.

So by that logic Assassin should be worthless. But people use it because it has good abilities, despite being made for a one on one(albeit completely unfair) fight.

Brianish
2005-11-04, 12:16 AM
See also the part about how it's keyed to one on one fights which don't tend to come up a lot.;)