Creating Zabuza in 3.5

[Pyschonaut]

Hey Playground for an up and coming campaign I wanted help creating a naruto esque character and settled on trying to make a zabuza like character. Books are mostly open though i'd prefer no ToB. Any help making a water-y ninja would be greatly appreciated. We are starting at level 8 and quickly ascending to higher levels

[Waker]

Dragon #354 has variants of the ninja class for the elementals. The Water Ninja loses it's invisibility and gains a Mist technique that can eventually be laced with poison (to which you are immune).
Though honestly your best bet is to go with a gish build of some sort to emulate both your physical prowess as well as your ninjutsu techniques.
Sorcerer/Monk/Enlightened Fist is fairly simple. You could take the Battle Sorcerer (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#sorcererVariantBattleS orcerer) to increase your BAB and give you weapon proficiency, though it isn't strictly necessary.
If you did in fact go with the abovementioned Ninja variant, you could also take the Elemental Stalker feat which stacks Ninja and Shugenja together for certain features.

[Dusk Eclipse]

From and old thread at Brilliant Gameologists



Momochi Zabuza - Human Ranger1/Wilder4/Slayer7/Psychic Assassin8 (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20040723d)

Feats: Track (Ranger1), Blind-Fight (Human), Monkey Grip* (1), Guerilla Warrior** (3), Mental Leap (6), Expanded Knowledge: Energy Missile (9), Expanded Knowledge: Greater Concealing Amorpha (12), Expanded Knowledge: Energy Cone (15), Ability Focus: Death Attack (18)

*from Complete Warrior **from Heroes of Battle

Powers:
1st - Control Light, Entangling Ectoplasm
2nd - Body Equilibrium, Energy Missile, Throw Ectoform*
3rd - Greater Concealing Amorpha, Energy Cone
4th - Telekinetic Manuver

*from Hyperconscious

Zabuza's Signature Abilities

Suiton Jutsu - Water Element Techniques: As a rogue Kiri nin Zabuza excels in use of water element attacks (most of which were borrowed by Hatake Kakashi when the two fought). They are represented as follows:
Suiryuudan no Jutsu - Water Dragon Blast Technique: Energy Missile (Cold)
Daibakufu no Jutsu - Grand Waterfall Technique: Energy Cone (Cold)
Suirou no Jutsu - Water Prison Technique: Entangling Ectoplasm and Telekinetic Manuver (Grapple)
Kirigakure no Jutsu – Mist Concealment Technique: Zabuza is renowned for his mastery of the Kiri village's signature technique, which summons up a fog to disappear into. This ability is represented by the powers Greater Concealing Amorpha, and Control Light, along with the Psychic Assassin's Hide in Plain Sight class feature. In conjunction, Zabuza can use these to become practically invisible.
Mizu Bunshin no Jutsu – Water Clone Technique: Zabuza can form clones out of water to distract and attack with. This is represented by the power Throw Ectoform.

Other Abilities:
Master of the Silent Kill - Zabuza is infamous for his ability to dispatch enemies in utter quiet and darkness. To represent this, he has the feats Guerilla Warrior, Blind-Fight, and Ability Focus to improve the Psychic Assassin's Death Attack class feature.
Mental Leap + Body Equilibrium - I haven't seen Zabuza run up walls, but I've seen him walk on water (tree running won't be a problem with Body Equilibrium either).
Monkey Grip - That's one huge sword, man.I would personally ditch Monkey grip and go with a normal greatsword+Strongarm bracers

[limejuicepowder]

Dusk Eclipse's linked build is pretty awesome, but I don't think you really need to get that complicated. At one point I was trying to make a Zabuza build (he's pretty much the only cool character in naruto over the length of the show).

Human Ninja 3 Cleric 5

Wisdom synergy, a bit of sudden strike, the ability to actually turn invisible when he needs to, and spells can be used to simulate pretty much anything. Fog bank is an obvious one, which gives him a pretty big advantage when combined with blind-fight. I'd go for the travel and water domain, though there might be better ones. OP-out the cleric to match your party; if they are fairly low OP stick with fog bank, blind-fight, and some watery blasting spells. Higher OP and I'd go for persist spell and DMM.

[Rakoa]

Though not optimized, of course, I think Zabuza did perform some decapitations using the ridges of the blade. Vorpal Greatsword, anyone?

[Emperor Tippy]

D&D is really bad at doing Naruto verse higher end ninja (of which Zabuza qualifies). You generally need some type of unholy triple or quadruple gestalt.

[Rakoa]

I always thought Psionics could represent a lot of what they do. Jutsu seem to be augmented on the fly like crazy, but drawn from a finite supply of Chakra (or Power Points, in this case). For example, I think you could probably do Naruto-like stuff as a gestalt Barbarian-Psion. Rage for unleashing the fox demon, his ability to take a beating well represented by the large Barbarian hitdie, and so on.

The only thing is, I don't know how well precise jutsu translate with the basic psionic power set, such as Rasengan, Chidori, Kage Bunshin and what not. But I'm sure they can be refluffed easily enough, or if worst comes to worst, homebrewed a bit.

[Phelix-Mu]

I always thought Psionics could represent a lot of what they do. Jutsu seem to be augmented on the fly like crazy, but drawn from a finite supply of Chakra (or Power Points, in this case). For example, I think you could probably do Naruto-like stuff as a gestalt Barbarian-Psion. Rage for unleashing the fox demon, his ability to take a beating well represented by the large Barbarian hitdie, and so on.

The only thing is, I don't know how well precise jutsu translate with the basic psionic power set, such as Rasengan, Chidori, Kage Bunshin and what not. But I'm sure they can be refluffed easily enough, or if worst comes to worst, homebrewed a bit.

The problem with Naruto-verse, and the more hyperbolic shounen in general, is that the power curve in D&D can't even hold a candle to the improvements characters get in those series (except maybe wizard or druid, or anything higher tier). The main characters in shounen start out moderately cool, and go on to become the kind of thing that can't be replicated outside of gestalt.

If you freeze a main character at any one moment, or take a minor character that only shows up for a brief period and doesn't advance much, then it can work. But if you try to level it up from there and then compare notes with the show 50 episodes later, it's probably not going to track.

[Dusk Eclipse]

In the psionic naruto thread (from which I took that Zabuza build) used the Throw Ectophorm power (from Hyperconcious) to simulate the basic bushin, IIRC it is pretty much Psionic Minor Image, for the higher end clones I guess that Astral construct might work in a fashion.

[Phelix-Mu]

In the psionic naruto thread (from which I took that Zabuza build) used the Throw Ectophorm power (from Hyperconcious) to simulate the basic bushin, IIRC it is pretty much Psionic Minor Image, for the higher end clones I guess that Astral construct might work in a fashion.

Right, well, up to a point. He later learns how to incorporate the experiences and learning acquired by individual clones. He uses this to train new jutsu in a fraction of a percent of the time (especially as he's such a moron...100 of him can accomplish to learn something by trial and error when alone he'd never have the patience to manage it). It's incredibly insane, as it sets his future power curve into hyperdrive (except he's an idiot and would never fully exploit the capability that this kind of distributed consciousness would allow).

This incorporates at least some form of distributed consciousness (fission?), and then some kind of amalgamation power at the end (fusion or assimilate, perhaps?). My understanding is that it later gets even more stupid.

Early on, the pre-Complete Psionics astral construct works just fine, though I might be tempted to homebrew something more representative.

[Dusk Eclipse]

I am a firm believer that it is impossible to stat a completely accurate of nay character in any media with 3.5 or any system (that isn't specifically designed for that media). As such the best we can do is to make compromises and accept that you can't have your cake and eat it when trying to extrapolate characters.

As such the ability to have multiple copies (throw ectoform) and some semi-solid clones (Astral construct) is enough for me, there is no need to add in the fast-learning aspect of Kage bushin (which to be fair wouldn't give any advantage in D&D mechanics). Besides Zabuza didn't use Kage bushins so for the purposes of this thread it is a moot point in my opinion.

[Phelix-Mu]

I am a firm believer that it is impossible to stat a completely accurate of nay character in any media with 3.5 or any system (that isn't specifically designed for that media). As such the best we can do is to make compromises and accept that you can't have your cake and eat it when trying to extrapolate characters.

As such the ability to have multiple copies (throw ectoform) and some semi-solid clones (Astral construct) is enough for me, there is no need to add in the fast-learning aspect of Kage bushin (which to be fair wouldn't give any advantage in D&D mechanics).

Not sure if that last part is strictly true (being able to do and experience multiple things at once and then retain the benefits of having done/experienced those things probably has benefits in specific cases), but I accept that all of this is beyond the scope of the OP's inquiry.

[Fouredged Sword]

I think your best bet is Duskblade 3 / Spellthief 2 / chameleon 10 / Abjurent Champion 5

Odd, but think about it.

You stay in the divine and arcane focus. You maintain full ranks in hide / move silently. Use silent spell and start of with widened obscuring mist or other cloud spell. Then follow up with silence on yourself to autopass move sci checks and counter some senses. You cast silent surge of fortune while they are floundering in the mist. Then follow up with a full power attack arcane strike critical hit for massive damage.

And no one hears the scream through the mist and silence....

[Prime32]

Eversmoking bottle (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/wondrousItems.htm#eversmokingBottle)?

The Ghost-faced KillerCAdv PrC fits fluffwise at least.

[ArcturusV]

I'd have thought some mix of say, Warblade and Shugenja would be towards the right, basic feel of Zabuza. The Shugenja list does add some Water based stuff that just fits a shinobi of the mist type.

[Ace Nex]

Ninja using Dragon Magazine variant and Tome of Battle class of either warblade or swordsage. The maneuvers are pretty anime teir, you may want to check them out.

[Phelix-Mu]

Ninja using Dragon Magazine variant and Tome of Battle class of either warblade or swordsage. The maneuvers are pretty anime teir, you may want to check them out.

Zomg. I just thought of an awesome way to reflavor Desert Wind and get rid of the pesky energy resistance/immunity thing that makes 75% of that discipline terrible. Make all that fire damage into water damage, which is just straight up physical damage (often bludgeoning, but that shouldn't matter, since the damage should probably be considered spell damage, and thus ignore DR...at least for the Su Desert Wind, in any case).

Hmm, I might just have to try this.

[The Redwolf]

At one point I was trying to make a Zabuza build (he's pretty much the only cool character in naruto over the length of the show).
:smallfrown: :smallconfused: :smallannoyed:
What are you talking about? How much of the show have you watched? It's stacked full of awesome characters.

[Phelix-Mu]

:smallfrown: :smallconfused: :smallannoyed:
What are you talking about? How much of the show have you watched? It's stacked full of awesome characters.

I actually agree with you on this bit, but I totally do not like how spotty secondary and tertiary character development has been. As in many shounen, too much focus on a core group. A cast of many cool characters, probably more than the series needed, and certainly more than it paid attention to.

But I'm far from current, though I do hear rants about the current stuff. The early days of the show were iconic, though, and the first couple of arcs were very high quality.

In any case, the Zabuza character is based off of a fairly common archetype, but his personality and relationship with H....name is escaping me atm. Ah...Time...such a cruel mistress. Anyway, it was the way that the arc revealed his personality and relationship with the kid that was super cool. Excellent story-telling.

Ghost-faced killer was not a bad suggestion. Really wish ninja in D&D was slightly more like Naruto, and less like it is in D&D. And, for the love of god, PrC support, anyone? So neglected.

[ArcturusV]

Haku, the "Girl" Guy.

But yeah. Ninja... so much promise. But DnD has never fulfilled the promise.

[Phelix-Mu]

Haku, the "Girl" Guy.

But yeah. Ninja... so much promise. But DnD has never fulfilled the promise.

And don't even talk to me about pirates.:smallannoyed:

But I've done some stuff with elemental powers. I made a PrC based off of a combination of the kidou powers in BLEACH and elemental ninja stuff. The ninja/shugenja actually sounds like an interesting build, if kind of a strange social role (according to a more authentic look at Japanese historical culture). Might make for an interesting story.

Hmm. I was wondering if you could play up the angle on being a conflicted alignment type of character and work in an adaptation of one of the paladin PrC...was it Shadowbane Inquisitor? You;d have to refluff the weapon proficiencies and such, and you could sub in ToB maneuver progression for spells. Hmmm. Would give him a bigger combat presence. Naruto is a hard world to model in, though, since everyone fighting was ninjas, no heavy armor, everyone has stealth and crazy perception. At least he's human, I guess, so that's an extra feat and some skill points.

[DMVerdandi]

Creating Zabuza shouldn't actually be that hard at all.
Use a generic spellcaster.

It has access to the druid, cleric, and sorc/wiz lists. Don't worry if that sounds overwheming, it's tier 2.

Pick up divine power for chakra buffing, the water spells necessary (Stormwrack will set you up.), And of course spells that give you either scent or blindsight, or heck, both!

Pick up schema for spells you might want to cast but don't have. (They are reusable scrolls)

After that, basically pick up Prestige classes that are gish worthy.
Abjurant Champion and Eldritch knight.

[Dayaz]

Also, Monkey Grip a Large Greatsword and take Throw Anything as well.

[limejuicepowder]

:smallfrown: :smallconfused: :smallannoyed:
What are you talking about? How much of the show have you watched? It's stacked full of awesome characters.

My problem with the naruto, and I've read the entire series up to the current Third Ninja War, is every character loses their coolness if they are around long enough. This is especially true of the main characters like Naruto, Sasuke, Kakashi, Sakura (though she was never very cool anyways), etc.

I think this is mainly caused by EVERY CHARACTER EVER being ultimately motivated by the same thing: some iteration of "I just want to be liked and know my true purpose in life." Boo friggin' hoo, cry me a river. For that reason, I very much favor the minor and one-shot character that are "allowed" to have other concepts.

Just my opinion of course.