Shadow Sun Ninja help

[Master Thrower]

Hello playground, I will be joining an EL 10 group who uses ToB, and I would like a chance to play a shadow sun ninja. The group uses all tier 3's so that level of OP. For my shadow sun ninja I would like to be an unarmed character using a mix of shadow hand and setting sun. Apart from that I have no clue how to make this character.

TL:DR any choice on race, class levels previous to SSN, and feats would be great. (manuevers and stance help would be nice as well)

[Goldfly]

Probably the best way to start is to ask your DM if the Unarmed Swordsage adaptation is allowed. If so, just going into Shadow Sun Ninja from Swordsage should work brilliantly. Unarmed Swordsage 5/SSN 5 seems like the most obvious mode of entry to me.

Another option, if Unarmed Swordsage isn't allowed, would be a Tashalatora. Monk 1/Psychic Warrior 5 can qualify, with the following feat selection.
1: Monastic Training
Human: Martial Study
Psychic Warrior 1: Martial Stance
3: Tashalatora
Psychic Warrior 2: Martial Study
Psychic Warrior 5: Martial Study
The main benefit of this option is that you get Powers, and have Flurry of Blows, AC Bonus, and Unarmed Strike equal to his Monk, Psychic Warrior, and SSN levels added together.

[Manateee]

Er... Tashawhatever is 2 feats for 1 damage. And without ToB levels, you're left without a recovery mechanic.

I'd go Swordsage 1/Monk 2/Swordsage/SSN.

Because Monk 2 is a really nice dip for a SSN. Look at the alternate fighting schools in Unearthed Arcana, recognize that you can mix and match prerequisiteless feats, nab say, stunning fist (can tag along with maneuvers) and improved trip (very handy for setting sun specialist), as well as flurry of blows or decisive strike (depending on how much you want to focus on AoOs) and the invisible fist variant from Exemplars of Evil for immediate action invisibility every 3 rounds.

The most important feat for a SSN is Tomb-Tainted soul from Libris Mortis. It's the difference between spreading the damage around the party and infinite free healing.

[Tvtyrant]

Well, it all depends on what exactly you want to do with it. The Balance of Light and Dark is one of the best abilities the class has, and if you want to use it a lot (and you really do) then you need to find a way to be immune to con damage.

Do to the nature of the abilities, you probably do not want to become an undead (although Necropolitan isn't so bad for a Swordsage/Shadowsun Ninja) but rather something like the Incarnates Strongheart Vest to prevent the ability damage.

Edit: Thinking about the inflict/heal ability, you might as well go Necropolitan. Then you can heal yourself with your Touch of the Shadow Sun and your allies.

For initial maneuvers I suggest Counter Charge, Shadow Blade Technique (its like getting a reroll on your attack, although the extra damage is meh) and Cloak of Deception (hurray for early greater invisibility!). You will also eventually want Assassin's Stance for SA.

[NeoSeraphi]

The most important feat for a SSN is Tomb-Tainted soul from Libris Mortis. It's the difference between spreading the damage around the party and infinite free healing

A requirement for Shadow Sun Ninja is "Any good alignment". A requirement for the Tomb-Tainted Soul feat is "Nongood alignment". You could argue that once you get into the class, you no longer need to maintain the alignment, but that would require coming up with a reason why your character suddenly switched from good to neutral or evil, and even then, it wouldn't sit well with most DMs I know (Myself included)

[Chronos]

One alternative to Tomb-Tainted Soul is the vestige Acercerak, who lets you heal from positive and negative energy, but that requires at least 8 levels of Binder. On the other hand, you could also then use the Ronove vestige to help qualify for Shadow Sun Ninja... That might actually be an interesting build.

The easiest way, though, is probably for someone else in the party to take Tomb-Tainted Soul. Though if you're joining an already-existing group, that's probably not an option.

[SleepyShadow]

I would recommend something akin to: Unarmed Swordsage 2/Incarnate 2/USS +1/SSN X

The two levels of incarnate will give you Stronheart Vest, protecting you from the Con damage after using Balance of Light and Dark, as well as a few other soulmelds to add to your versatility and power.

It may be worth your while to ask the DM if he will allow Partial BAB from Unearthed Arcana IIRC. It should net you a few more points of BAB.

[Master Thrower]

Ok, so I talked to my DM, and UASS is allowed, making this much easier to start, Prob going UASS 5 SSN X, unfortuantely we don't use incarnum, and we do use fractional BAB