When it comes to the art of stealth and subtlety, no one is more adept than the ninja. Ninjas move through the shadows, striking down the unwary and vanishing again with ease. Ninjas walk where others cannot. They blend their training of stealth and assassination with a focused mind. Their rigorous preparation sharpens their minds and bodies, giving them the supernatural abilities of stealth and illusion, which has earned them their renowned reputation as elusive phantom spies and assassins.

<php>echo “<b>Hit Dice:</b>”;</php> d6
<php>echo “<b>Alignment:</b>”;</php> Any
<php>echo “<b>Armor Proficiencies:</b>”;</php> None
<php>echo “<b>Weapon Proficiencies:</b>”;</php> All simple weapons plus the hand crossbow, kama, kukri, nunchaku, sai, shortbow, shortsword, shuriken, and siangham
<php>echo “<b>Skill Points/Level:</b>”;</php> 6 + Int
<php>echo “<b>Class Skills:</b>”;</php> Acrobatics (Dex), Athletics (Str), Concentration (Con), Deception (Cha), Diplomacy (Cha), Insight (Wis), Perception (Wis), Stealth (Dex), Streetwise (Cha), Thievery (Dex), Trade (Int)

<php>echo “<b>AC Bonus (Ex):</b>”;</php> When unarmored and unencumbered, the ninja adds his Wisdom bonus (if any) to his AC and his CMD. In addition, a ninja gains a +1 bonus to AC and CMD at 4th level. This bonus increases by 1 for every four ninja levels thereafter, up to a maximum of +5 at 20th level.These bonuses to AC apply even against touch attacks or when the ninja is flat-footed. He loses these bonuses when he is immobilized or helpless, when he wears any armor, when he carries a shield, or when he carries a medium or heavy load.

<php>echo “<b>Sudden Strike (Ex):</b>”;</php> If a ninja can catch an opponent when they are unable to defend themselves effectively from his attack, he can strike a vital spot for extra damage.The ninja’s attack deals extra damage anytime his target would be denied their Dexterity bonus to AC (whether the target actually has a Dexterity bonus or not). This extra damage is 1d6 at 1st level, and increases by 1d6 every two ninja levels thereafter. Should the ninja score a critical hit with a sudden strike, this extra damage is not multiplied. Ranged attacks can count as sudden strikes only if the target is within 30 feet. With a weapon that deals nonlethal damage (like a sap, whip, or an unarmed strike), a ninja can make a sudden strike that deals nonlethal damage instead of lethal damage. He cannot use a weapon that deals lethal damage to deal nonlethal damage in a sudden strike, not even with the usual –4 penalty. The ninja must be able to see the target well enough to pick out a vital spot and must be able to reach such a spot. A ninja cannot sudden strike while striking a creature with concealment. Sudden strike counts as sneak attack for the purpose of qualifying for feats, prestige classes, or anything requiring a minimum amount of sneak attack damage dice. The extra damage from the sudden strike ability stacks with the extra damage from sneak attack whenever both would apply to the same target.

<php>echo “<b>Ki (Su):</b>”;</php> At 1st level, a ninja gains a pool of ki points, supernatural energy he can use to accomplish amazing feats. The number of points in a ninja’s ki pool is equal to half his ninja level + his Wisdom modifier. A ninja may spend his ki to use the following abilities:

• <php>echo “<i>Shadow Strike:</i>”;</php> By spending one ki point as a free action, the ninja can treat any target as if they were flat-footed against his next attack.
• <php>echo “<i>Burst of Speed:</i>”;</php> By spending one ki point as a swift action, the ninja can increase his land speed by 30 feet for 1 round.

<php>echo “<b>Trapfinding (Ex):</b>”;</php> A ninja gains the Trapfinding feat for free at 1st level, even if he does not meet the prerequisites.

<php>echo “<b>Evasion (Ex):</b>”;</php> At 2nd level, the ninja gains the ability to avoid damage from many area-effect attacks. If a ninja makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, he instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if a ninja is wearing light armor or no armor. A helpless ninja does not gain the benefit of evasion.

<php>echo “<b>Poison Use:</b>”;</php> At 2nd level, a ninja is trained in the use of poison and cannot accidentally poison himself when applying poison to a weapon.

<php>echo “<b>Ninja’s Grace (Ex):</b>”;</php> Starting at 2nd level, the ninja gains a bonus equal to half his class level on all Acrobatics and Athletics checks.

<php>echo “<b>Fast Movement (Ex):</b>”;</php> At 3rd level, a ninja gains an enhancement bonus to his land speed, as shown on the table above. A ninja in armor or carrying a medium or heavy load loses this extra speed.

<php>echo “<b>Vanish (Su):</b>”;</php> At 4th level, the ninja can disappear from sight in the blink of an eye. By spending 1 ki point as a swift action, the ninja gains the benefit of the invisibility spell for 1 round per class level.

<php>echo “<b>Slow Fall (Ex):</b>”;</php> At 4th level, a ninja within arm’s reach of a wall can use it to slow his descent. When gaining this ability, he takes damage as if the fall were half of its actual distance.

<php>echo “<b>Ninja Talent:</b>”;</php> As a ninja gains experience, he is able to master more advanced ninja techniques. Starting at 6th level, a ninja gains one ninja talent. He gains an additional ninja talent for every 4 levels of ninja attained after 6th level. A ninja cannot select an individual talent more than once.Talents marked with an asterisk add effects to a ninja’s sudden strike. Only one of these talents can be applied to an individual attack and the decision must be made before the attack roll is made. The available talents are listed below:

• <php>echo “<i>Deadly Accuracy (Ex):</i>”;</php> A ninja with this ability increases the range at which he can deal precision based damage by 30 feet.
• <php>echo “<i>Ghost Sight (Su):</i>”;</php> A ninja with this ability gains darkvision out to a range of 60 ft, or has his darkvision increased by 60 ft. if he already possesses it. In addition, the ninja can spend 1 ki point to gain the effects of a see invisibility spell with a duration of 1 minute per class level.
• <php>echo “<i>Poison Expert (Ex):</i>”;</php> A ninja with this ability can apply poison to a weapon as a move action (instead of a standard action). In addition, any poisons used by the ninja have their DC increased by 2.
• <php>echo “<i>Quickness (Ex):</i>”;</php> A ninja with this talent receives a +10 ft. bonus to his land speed and a +1 dodge bonus to his AC.
• <php>echo “<i>Silencing Strike* (Ex):</i>”;</php> A ninja with this ability can use his sudden strike to silence his foes. An opponent damaged by one of his sudden strikes is also unable to speak for 1 round.
• <php>echo “<i>Staggering Strike* (Ex):</i>”;</php> A ninja with this ability can severely hinder foes by hitting them with a sudden strike. A foe that is struck by the ninja’s sudden strike is staggered for 1 round. A target can resist this effect by making a successful Fortitude save (DC = damage dealt).
• <php>echo “<i>Wall Climb (Ex):</i>”;</php> A ninja with this ability gains a climb speed of 30 feet, but only on vertical surfaces. This ability cannot be used to scale perfectly smooth surfaces or to climb on the underside of horizontal surfaces.

<php>echo “<b>Shadow Image (Su):</b>”;</php> At 8th level, the ninja can create 1d4 shadowy duplicates of himself that conceal his true location. This functions as mirror image, using the ninja’s level as his caster level. Using this ability is a standard action that uses up 1 ki point.

<php>echo “<b>Improved Evasion (Ex):</b>”;</php> At 10th level, a ninja’s evasion ability improves. He still takes no damage on a successful Reflex saving throw against attacks, but henceforth he takes only half damage on a failed save. A helpless ninja does not gain the benefit of improved evasion.

<php>echo “<b>Ghost Step (Su):</b>”;</php> At 12th level, the ninja can enter the ethereal for a brief period. By spending 1 ki point as a swift action, the ninja can become ethereal for 1 round.

<php>echo “<b>Ghost Strike (Su):</b>”;</php> At 16th level, the ninja’s mastery over the ethereal increases. By spending 1 ki points as a free action, the ninja can attack incorporeal and ethereal creatures as if they were corporeal. Additionally, the ninja can also use this ability to strike foes on the Material Plane normally while ethereal. This effect lasts for 1 round.

<php>echo “<b>Ghost Walk (Su):</b>”;</php> At 20th level, the ninja can enter the ethereal for an extended period of time. By spending 3 ki points as a move action, the ninja gains the effects of an etherealness spell with a caster level equal to the ninja’s class level. This ability only affects the ninja and cannot be used to make other creatures ethereal.