Wu Jen/ Ninja in 3.5? Is it worth the effort?

[Boogaloo Shiest]

Okay. So I'm playing a pretty awesome Gish character in my campagin at present (thanks to all who've helped me plot the future of this character btw!). I may be in a situation soon to build me a new character & I was toying around with the idea of a Wu Jen/ Ninja. Why? Because I've allways like the Ninja's (Comp. Adventurer pg. 5) class abilities but thought that it needed some more 'umph'. I feel that coupled with the Wu Jen's (Comp. Arc. pg. 15)...it could make a pretty powerful character.

I just don't know how to build it. Ideas? IF I were to attempt this, I'll have about 10 CLs to play with.

[Psyren]

The Ninja is unfortunately very subpar. You can get the same kung-fu eastern flavor from a Swordsage or Warblade, and then PrC into the awesome Jade Phoenix Mage class from ToB. This has the effect of putting Asia in your Asia so you can Asia while you Asia.

[Maho-Tsukai]

Most likely your going to want a PrC that advances both the skills of the ninja and Wu-Jen spellcasting. Sadly, however, no such PrC exsists since they all boost sneak attack. Luckily, D20 Rokugan(which is the rokugan setting translated to 3.5e rules) has a ninja class that actually gets sneak attack. That ninja is good at first but gets stinky at later levels. However, since your multiclassing you never take the later levels of D20 Rokugan ninja so that dose not matter to you. Instead you take some Wu-Jen, some D20 Rokugan ninja and then go into something like arcane trickster or unseen seer if wu-jen has enough diviniations(I don't know it's list well so I have no idea how many good diviniation spells it has..) to advance both your spellcasting and ninja skills.

[Boogaloo Shiest]

Thanks guys. It was just a random thought. I'd thought that the Complete Adventurer's Ninja class was a bit wimpy.

[Urpriest]

Pretty sure Unseen Seer can advance Sudden Strike. I could see Ninja 1/Wu Jen 4/Unseen Seer X being flavorful and reasonably potent. Sure it's weaker than Rogue 1/Wizard 4/Unseen Seer X, but it's still a perfectly playable Tier 2-3ish build.

[Grendus]

Honestly, using Ninja entry into a sneak attack gish class (Daggerspell Mage is a personal favorite, followed by a little Unseen Seer) should be fine. Biggest problem I see is you'll be very MAD - you'll need dex for dual wielding, str for damage, int for casting, and wis for ki powers. You'd need good rolls or a high point buy to make it work. It would be sub-par, but playable.

If you don't mind psionics, War Mind is a great canned gish PrC and fits with the unseen powers motif of ninja. You'd need Knowledge Devotion to pick up Knowledge (Psionics), and some way to gain a power point reserve (Wild Talent would do it, or pick up a naturally psionic race). You get full BAB and powers from the Psychic Warrior list, as well as some wisdom synergy for your ki pool. You're picking up the good abilities from Ninja (3d6 Sudden Strike, invisibility, great leap, poison), there isn't really anything worth having after that, except for maybe Sudden Dodge, which you can pick up as a +1 weapon enchantment.

[Frosty]

If your DM will allow Pathfinder stuff, the PF Ninja seems very good on first glance, on par with or outstripping the PF rogue. It gets Sneak Attack, and can make himself invisible and greater invisible, and has lots of cool abilities.

[JaronK]

If you want a ninja with more "oomph" then I'd consider Rogue 1/Rokugan Ninja 1/Unarmed Swordsage 18 as a build. You'll have the class abilities you want (turning invisible at times, great mobility, etc) only better (teleports, striking with shadows, etc). You get a little sneak attack (just enough to qualify for ambush feats if you want them) and a lot of great ninja themed abilities (like all the weird ninja weapons that Rokugan Ninja gets you).

If you want a ninja with a bit more magic than that, consider Factotum X/Unarmed Swordsage 2, taking those Swordsage levels at level 5 or later so you can pick up a few nice teleports as well as Assassin's Stance.

JaronK

[Zaq]

If anything, I'd consider a Wu Jen with Able Learner and a one-level dip in either Rogue or Ninja (not Factotum, just so we have SA/SS and can use it to qualify for stuff). Then just keep up your skills with your massive INT, use your spells to appropriate effect, and rock out. There's no need to actually take more than a single level in a non-casting class, since spells can do everything.

[Boogaloo Shiest]

I did a mock char on the Javascript Char Gen & it was useless. I wanted to dual those two specifically (Just reminecsant of the 1stED OA character classes of the same name). I do see poential for building a better "arcane ninja" gish though, thanks to all the advice.

It's really all a moot point the moment unfortunately. My current char is still alive. He's a gish too though :)