[3.P] A mechanic similar to Sharingan

[Darius Kane]

Is there some mechanic, a feat or ability or even a spell, in PF or 3.5, that works at least similarly to Sharingan from Naruto? I'm creating an NPC who is going to be something like a parody of Sasuke, almost an opposite of him. But just to be clear, I'm not making this NPC to be laughed at or a comic relief character.

[tyckspoon]

You'd have to be a bit more specific about what you want. Sharingan kinda does *everything*.

[Psyren]

I assume he means "I watch Character X perform Ability Y, now I can copy it."

If you don't mind 3rd-party, one class that can pull this sort of thing off is the Adaptive Warrior PrC from Psionics Expanded.

[NichG]

There's the Spellthief in 3.5, which is vaguely like that. There's also a PrC in Fiend Folio (I think) that lets you steal abilities from demons and devils that I vaguely remember.

[Aethir]

Closest I can think of is the spell Mirror Move (http://www.wizards.com/dnd/article.asp?x=dnd/sb/sb20000901a), though it's completely 3.0 rather than 3.5 (Unupdated to my knowledge at least)

[ericgrau]

Illithid savants (savage species) can kirby away abilities but they're rather high level. And ugly. And kirby. Might help you balance a homebrew ability though. They grab skills, class features and even spellcasting.

As long as you limit his capacity on the number of abilities he can grab and the level of those abilities it won't be broken. Unlimited could get broken.

[NichG]

If you're looking for homebrew, there's a Copycat PrC in my current campaign that works as follows:

Each level in the PrC (5 levels total) gives 2 points to 'power cap' and 4 points to 'power pool'. You can copy abilities you see and retain them for an encounter (10 min/lv in the PrC), where the effective spell level (ESL) of the ability must be <= your power cap, and you can have no more ESL of abilities in total than your power pool. When you use these abilities, you use them with the same stat mod and caster level and so on as the person you copied them from had at the time of copying. Copying an ability is an immediate action (adding it to your Repertoire, that is). Spells are kind of weird because my campaign uses a mana-point system, but one way to do it is that the Copy-Cat acts as a spontaneous caster with a pool of 6 spell levels per level of Copy-Cat, from which they can cast spells they have copied.

Feats have an ESL equal to 2*Chain. In other words, if you can take a feat just by meeting some stat prereq, Chain=1. If you need to take another feat with Chain=1 first, then Chain=2. Certain high requirements can be interpreted to count as Chain - for instance, I'd say BAB requirements count as 1 Chain per 6 points (so Weapon Supremacy or whatever, with its BAB +18 requirement, counts as Chain 3 or a 6th level ability). Stat requirements above 20 probably should be Chain 1. Class abilities you sort of have to eyeball though.

Lv1: Copy Technique. You can copy martial maneuvers and special combat moves (like Power Attack, Improved Trip, etc) granted by feats and classes.
Lv2: Copy Spells. You can copy spells, but not SLAs.
Lv3: Copy Innate. You can copy SLAs and other innate active abilities, like a Rogue's trapfinding.
Lv4: Copy Passive. You can copy passive abilities like Immunity to Fire if you see them demonstrated. The ESL is based on the level of a spell which would grant that passive ability (so elemental immunity is Lv6, since thats the level of the Energy Immunity spell).
Lv5: Item. You can copy the abilities of items you observe being used. For instance, duplicating a weapon's enhancement bonus as a Lv3 ESL ability (as per Greater Magic Weapon).

For 3000xp per ESL, you can make an ability you have copied part of your 'permanent repertoire', which means that you don't lose it between encounters but it occupies part of your pool. You can do this for at most half of your total pool, and can forget these abilities at will (but you don't get the xp back).

I should note that the minimum level to begin this PrC is 13th (i.e. your 13th level is your first Copy-Cat level)

[HunterOfJello]

I'm pretty sure that there's a spell that when cast can copy another spell that you've seen and identified within a certain time frame. You still have to pay the xp and material component costs though.

Also, I have no idea what it was called.

[Darius Kane]

If you're looking for homebrew
I don't look for homebrew.
As I said, I'm looking for a similar ability, as I'm not stating up Sasuke or Sharingan, but just a character that is somewhat based on Sasuke.


I assume he means "I watch Character X perform Ability Y, now I can copy it."
Not necessarily exactly that. Something similar, yes.


There's the Spellthief in 3.5, which is vaguely like that.
Having to make Sneak Attacks would be a problem. And I would have to invest too many levels for this ability to be relevant. But OTOH I don't really have yet any builds in my mind, so maybe a straight Spellthief is exactly what I need. But then I would have to worry how to make him decent at combat and a quasi-ninja. Well, if it comes to that I'll just ask you guys for help at optimizing him. Spellthief is T4 so it's not that bad and I'm sure it can be good.


There's also a PrC in Fiend Folio (I think) that lets you steal abilities from demons and devils that I vaguely remember.
There's Fiend of Blasphemy, Fiend of Corruption and Fiend of Possession. None of the three does that, as far as I can see in my copy of FF.


Closest I can think of is the spell Mirror Move, though it's completely 3.0 rather than 3.5 (Unupdated to my knowledge at least)
Might be useful. I'd probably have to houserule it to be on the Spellthief spell list.

[Talionis]

The spell Heroics from the spell compendium grants one fighter feat.

Mind spy Prestige Class (complete Warrior) has some of the precognitive bonuses you'd be looking for and might be refluff able .

Ocular Spell Feat (Lords of Maddness) is a good read. It may be able to work with whatever else you cobble together, especially if it requires two spells at once.

Also, since the ocular spell is a ray, it probably also allows you to sneak attack, sneak attack would allow a Spellthief to use its Stealspell and Steal Spell-like-ability.

So, Spellthief into Mindspy, with the ocular feat might get close without Homebrew.

[Madara]

Using Permanancy on a spell with a bonus to attack, and on Detect Magic. Maybe find a spell that grants a dodge bonus.

[NichG]

There's Fiend of Blasphemy, Fiend of Corruption and Fiend of Possession. None of the three does that, as far as I can see in my copy of FF.

You're right, I'm misremembering the source. It's the Hellbreaker from Fiendish Codex II.

[Talionis]

Having to make Sneak Attacks would be a problem. And I would have to invest too many levels for this ability to be relevant. But OTOH I don't really have yet any builds in my mind, so maybe a straight Spellthief is exactly what I need. But then I would have to worry how to make him decent at combat and a quasi-ninja.

Might be useful. I'd probably have to houserule it to be on the Spellthief spell list.

Don't forget the Master Spelltheft feat from Complete Scoundrel. For your build being able to cast as a Spellthief, only that you can steal spells at a high level.



Getting good caster level in a martial body could be Duskblade, but you want more self buffing? Swiftblade makes you really able to last in combat.

I think Trapsmith from Dungeoneering gets a low level Haste spell for early entry.

Assasin Stance is achievable to add Sneak Attack Dice, but several of the maneuvers for Swordsages can make Sneak Attacking easier.

[Dusk Eclipse]

From the Psionic Naruto Builds thread over at Wizards forums, do note that this was originally posted in 2006 and as such many of the more powerful abilities of the Sharingan (particularly the Mangekyou special powers) weren't taken into account since they didn't exist.



Sharingan - Copying Wheel Eye - Uchiha Clan
The sharingan, rumored to be a lesser form of the Hyuuga's Byakugan is the bloodline limit of the Uchiha clan, and is carried by only three people. The two surviving Uchiha brothers, Itachi and Sasuke both carry the sharingan, as does Hatake Kakashi after having the awakened eye of his dying friend Uchiha Obito surgically placed in his wounded left eye. Despite not possessing Uchiha Blood, Kakashi is still masterful in using the sharingan. The sharingan comes in several forms, its strength derived from the number of tomoe (commas or pupils) present in each wheel. The most powerful standard form of the sharingan has three tomoe in each wheel. Finally, the legendary Mangekyou Sharingan or Kaleidoscope Copying Wheel, provides the user with near limitless power at great personal cost.

Inherent Powers of the Sharingan
Defensive Precognition, Offensive Precognition, and Offensive Prescience - Users of the sharingan extend their awareness in combat into the future, reading the intentions of their opponents and improving their reactions. This is a trait of the 3 tomoe eye.

Thieving Mindlink, Feat Leech, Leech Power Known (Hyperconscious) - The copying wheel that gives the sharingan its name, users of this can copy any genjutsu, taijutsu, or ninjutsu they have seen performed. This is a trait of the 2 tomoe eye.

Psionic True Seeing - The sharingan reveals the nature of genjutsu used against the user, and can in more powerful users, reveal the nature of more powerful techniques such as the kage bunshin no jutsu. This is a trait of all of the sharingans shown in the series

[Morph Bark]

Not necessarily exactly that. Something similar, yes.

If you don't want to do the "see technique, copy it" part, what exactly do you want?

[danzibr]

If you don't want to do the "see technique, copy it" part, what exactly do you want?
Yeah, this needs to be clarified.

I don't really like to admit to watching Naruto, but Sharingan can do lots of things.

[Dusk Eclipse]

If I may ask, why?

[Talionis]

Yeah, this needs to be clarified.
Sharingan can do lots of things.

Sharingan can do a lot of things. Every day we seem to find some new technique hidden in the eyes's of the Uchiha's.

The question is a good one because is it just the basic Sharingan you are trying to mimic, or is it the more advanced techniques like Amaratsu?

The advanced techniques are going have to be spells. But if you break out the various different things you want to achieve we can probably find ways to help.

Spellthief eventually gets free Arcane Eyes at level 9(or some kind of visual detect magic, better than detect magic).

The other good question is what level do you want your Sharingan user to be? What level and tier are his/her opponents?

[Prime32]

What about Mindspy? Reading the minds of your opponents to avoid their attacks gives a similar feel. Also, pay for a permanent casting of arcane sight on yourself.

If you do want Mangekyo Sharingan, then look at spells like blightfire (Amaterasu), destruction (Kamui) and wish (Izanagi).

[Giegue]

First of all, Kamui cannot be modeled effectively by Destruction. A version of Plane Shift that can only be used to go to one plane(box realm) would be a far better spell to model Kamui, seeing as we now know that what it dose is basically the offensive use of Plane Shift. This, however, only applies to KAKASHI'S Kamui. For Obito's full power version of the Jutsu you'd need to take the Plane Shift spell and edit it even further to give it the ability to be used on yourself to make you intangible for a brief period AND the ability to be used as a teleportation spell. Needless to say this would boost it's level to 9, at the least.

The other suggestions seem quite in line with their respective Jutsus, though.

[laeZ1]

Alrighty, here's my go at it:
grab enough barbarian levels to get improved uncanny dodge, this will also give you a higher base movement (giving you that awesome ninja feel), and anime-style rage.

Not being caught flat-footed is neat, but I think that seeing what your opponents are capable of is the coolest part. Vatic gaze from PHB2 is perfect for this. I recommend taking the rest of your levels into spellthief (somebody already mentioned it). This will allow you to grab that stealth, but more importantly, after you see what spells they've got prepared, you can spellthief them away and start blasting with their own spells.

I remember the rules in some book of how to walk/run on water without the use of magic. I'm pretty sure it was making concentration & balance checks every round. (now that I think about it, that may be from the quint monk, and therefore 3rd party.)

hope my ideas help.

[Person_Man]

There's a bunch of ways to get Spell Turning, or you can trade Evasion for Spell Reflection (if someone misses a ranged touch spell against you, it reflects back to them).

If Ninjutsu = Magic (and lets not kid ourselves - that's basically what it is), then you could easily refluff things and just say that you evaded their attack and then immediately copied it and sent the same Justsu back at them, which is something that Kakashi has done many times.

[CrazyNoob]

Wouldnt the factotum / chameleon class be sorta what your looking for?

[Analytica]

There is an ardent dilettante power IIRC do mimic what someone else just did.

[what the duck]

There's a 3rd party Pathfinder class called "Taskshaper" that lets you copy feats you've seen and switch them out for x/rounds per day.

[Darius Kane]

If you don't want to do the "see technique, copy it" part, what exactly do you want?
Except... I didn't say I don't want that. :smallconfused: I said it doesn't have to be specifically that, because it's not my goal to state it up.


If I may ask, why?
If I may ask, why what?


The question is a good one because is it just the basic Sharingan you are trying to mimic, or is it the more advanced techniques like Amaratsu?
I'm not trying to mimic anything. But if it will help, I was thinking only about the basic Sharingan abilities when I wrote the OP. I didn't think you guys might misunderstand it as me wanting every possible Sharingan power.

[Fable Wright]

Except... I didn't say I don't want that. :smallconfused: I said it doesn't have to be specifically that, because it's not my goal to state it up.


If I may ask, why what?


I'm not trying to mimic anything. But if it will help, I was thinking only about the basic Sharingan abilities when I wrote the OP. I didn't think you guys might misunderstand it as me wanting every possible Sharingan power.

The problem is that you're using the word "similar," which is incredibly vague. So, people default on trying to replicate the ability as similarly as possible. It would help if you listed out the exact abilities you want to replicate- whether its their ability to dissect and understand techniques, the overt replication of powers that act as the first introduction the series has to the Sharingan (and the most renowned of its powers), or the kind of powers that show up later in the series unique to the Sharingan.

Personally, I would recommend Spellthief with the Godsblood Spelltheft (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/frcc/20070606) feat and a homebrew ACF that allows them to Steal Maneuvers (a la ToB) rather than Spell-Like Abilities. Create a homebrew Sharingan domain that they can cast spells from with Godsblood Spelltheft that includes the random ridiculous spells that they're shown casting throughout the show, and you're set. A high Spellcraft modifier mean that they can immediately see a technique and understand how it works. They can copy spells thrown at them with Absorb Spell and Steal Spell, especially by doing things such as turning invisible with Martial Study (Cloak of Deception), hitting an opponent with a Sneak Attacked Shuriken, and then replicating their spells and maneuvers and turning them back on the owner. Even better (if you're amenable to homebrew) is to make a feat similar to Tashalatora that allows you to add your levels in one Psionic class to your Spellthief class for the purposes of determining the highest level spell you can steal. Take Wilder, and you get a still pretty good BAB, the ability to use higher level techniques without stealing them (albeit from a smaller pool than Psy Warrior), the ability to steal high-caliber techniques, and a built-in mechanic for preventing them from being too overpowered (in the fact that they're 5 levels behind in their main manifesting class).

Alternatively, the psionic powers that comprise the Sharingan could be used on a Wilder chassis for a decent gish that makes use of the Sharingan.

[Bomaz]

The Sha'ir from dragon compendium learns new spells by seing them cast and identifying them with spellcraft.

Is that what is sought?

[Darius Kane]

The problem is that you're using the word "similar," which is incredibly vague.
If I had something specific in mind I would be more specific. I use the word "similar" for a reason.


The Sha'ir from dragon compendium learns new spells by seing them cast and identifying them with spellcraft.

Is that what is sought?
Maybe. It's a caster, so I'm not sure if I'll be able to make a ninja out of it.

I think I'm just going to go with the Spellthief. It's a shame I'm going to have to make Sneak Attacks for the stealing to work, but other than that the class feels right for this character. Thank you all for help. I'm gonna see what I can do on my own and maybe post an optimization thread so time later. Thread can be locked.