Character Builds - What you do, and why!

Shun · Posted: Mon Jun 07, 2010 9:35 pm Post subject:

The issue is you can never please everybody, yes point buy works well for a few high scores with a bunch of average and one or two below. But it's a problem for some players who want the "chance" to have 16+ all the way down, which isn't possible with 32 point buy.
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cmkawasaki · Lazy Programmer Joined: 21 May 2005 Posts: 3388

Dairius_Chi · Situationally Useful Joined: 02 Jun 2010 Posts: 2633

wait, i just remembered teh solution i came up with for my group (it wasnt really accepted there though as it usually led to way high pwoered games)

have everyone roll for stats, add up what point buy youd need to get those, then take teh highest and give everyone that pt buy, teh person who set teh bar can either keep his rolled stats or rebuy them

that would technically make everyone happy except those who want realistically average stats, in which case they could makea deal with teh gm to trade extra points for other benefits, maybe a bonus feat, higher starting wealth, special items etc.

SirShadow · Biffu Aroi Joined: 10 May 2009 Posts: 2654

Point-buy system is nice, but it gives too much opportunity for dump stats. But that isn't so much an issue in ND20 since practically every stat is important.

Athildur · Posted: Tue Jun 08, 2010 4:47 am Post subject:

Anyway, let's return to character builds. And assume that character builds are focused around characters made with the standard 36-point buy.
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Naruto20D20 · Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 8:08 am Post subject:

Well, to get things back on topic...
So far we've seen 2 Shinobi Swordsmen centered builds, a Ninja Scout, and a Taijutsu Master.

Let's get some less represented stuff in here, aye?
In your opinion, what would be the best build for:

Summoner?
Smart 3/Shinobi Adept 3/Summoner 7/Elementalist 7?

Pretty straight forward. Go for a high Int and Con. Having a decent Cha is nice for setting things up for your summon, but not necessary. I would recommend getting some sealing for the Imp Summon scrolls.

EDIT:
Smart 3/Shinobi Adept 3/Summoner 7/Devastator 5/(Technique Analyst 2?)

Force of Nature + High cost summonings? 'nuff said.
(Thanks, Jensik!)

Squad captain?
Fast 3/Squad Captain 10/Genjutsu Master 7?

High Cha and Dex (Weapon Finesse!). Con would be next.

Would be nice to be able to get Ninja Operation Counter and it be effective (Yay for Mettle AND Imp Evasion!), but that would cause some crazy M.A.D. (Multiple Attribute Deficiency) issues. Ninja Op Co also has 0 reputation gain! Sad

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Jensik · Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 8:43 am Post subject:

That second one would actually be a very nice support build. I'll have to experiment with it a bit.

The first, however, seems a bit underwhelming. The Summoner class IMO doesn't provide any real synergy with Elementalist. Go Devistator instead.

EDIT: I just realized you intended to focus on summoning there. In that case Elementalist is the poor choice, but seeing as I tend not to use summons, I don't really have an alternative.
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Hito Hyuga · Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 9:00 am Post subject:

Naruto20D20 · Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 9:01 am Post subject:

Hito Hyuga · Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 9:19 am Post subject:

actually there is a build I'm working on, as well

Ninjutsu/Taijutsu

Fast Hero 3/Ninja Scout 10/Elementalist 7

I was thinking of squeezing in Shinobi adept but I'm not sure I'd want to lose out on epic shinobi adept levels or not. Pretty much a basic ninja in terms of build but that's what he is, an everyday normal ninja who can possibly mess you up with a well-placed ninjutsu looking for ways to keep the advantage with ninjutsu while still being able to fight close-quarters should I start getting low on chakra.

Frankto · Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 9:32 am Post subject:

Optimized build for Taijutsu/Ninjutsu is weaponized Ninjutsu. The absolute best results you can achieve with the combination is this:

Strong 3/Shinobi Adept 3/Sword Savant 7/Elementalist 7

Or if you insist on actual Taijutsu, this:

Strong 3/Taijutsu Master 4 and either Sword Savant 7/Elementalist 6 or Sword Savant 6/Elementalist 7. I recommend the former.
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Hito Hyuga · Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 9:48 am Post subject:

Frankto · Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 10:03 am Post subject:

It doesn't have to be a sword, or a weapon. If you don't mind 1d4 damage unarmed strikes, you can get that as well.

If you optimize well, you can get a +3 weapon, melee smash for +2, and Str 26 for 1d4+18 (counting strength ranks), +17 BAB (attack bonus +34, counting heightened chakra state).

Of course, it has nothing, nothing, on a pure build, but it's a very good synergist substitute.
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Hito Hyuga · Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 10:13 am Post subject:

That's true and it should be that way, if you've trained your whole life in nothing but swordsmanship, you'll be much better then someone who trained in swords and ninjutsu as they'd have to split the focus of training.

Naruto20D20 · Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 11:26 am Post subject:

Revan619 · ANBU Captain Joined: 30 Aug 2007 Posts: 179

personally I believe a Genjutsu build learning strength and speed ranks is a waste of time when they could of learned genjutsu instead. Plus A taijutsu master who also has strength and speed ranks would make the genjutsu users strength and speed ranks redundant beyond all belief and say if its pvp which all our games tend to be, within the same time frame the genjutsu master even with higher stats would not stand a chance seeing as they spend all their time learning taijutsu moves instead of genjutsu without having the supporting bab and class bonus o.0

Plus I must admit I do like the summoner builds, nothing more fun than riding giant monsters into battle
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SirShadow · Biffu Aroi Joined: 10 May 2009 Posts: 2654

A Genjutsu master probably could benefit from Speed Ranks since they help you win initiative--what a genjutsu user wants.

but yea, Strength ranks seem kinda pointless...

Jensik · Posted: Sun Jun 13, 2010 11:12 am Post subject:

SirShadow · Biffu Aroi Joined: 10 May 2009 Posts: 2654

no I thought they also gave a bonus to initiative as well Def and Saves. My mistake.

Then again, bonuses to defense, reflex saves, and movement speed are also very good reasons to get it anyways.

Hito Hyuga · Posted: Tue Jul 27, 2010 12:18 pm Post subject:

Here's a build I've been running through my head for awhile now

Charismatic Hero 5/Fast Hero 5/Genjutsu Master 7/Shinobi Adept 3

This mostly will focus on stealth and deception at first as the goal of this was an infiltration-based ninja who can support his team should he be in battle and to keep things in his favor during said infiltration via Genjutsu and using the various skills (heavy focus in bluff and disguise for an emergency transformation along with a focus in Hide/Move Silently for the act of sneaking inside) taking a few of the talents from Charismatic Hero and putting them to good use once I'm in disguise waiting for the ambush or to leek information to my allies. I think this build covers that well though it requires a high Dex and Cha which will cause other stats to be somewhat lower, but that's the trade off for being a good support. I'm sure there are many other ways to make this build better but I try to not build uber unbeatable class combinations unless my GM specificly says that we will need to.

Frankto · Posted: Tue Jul 27, 2010 1:15 pm Post subject:

There's only 7 levels to Genjutsu Master. Cha 5/Fast 5 will give you a remarkably subpar character until you hit level 11.
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Hito Hyuga · Posted: Tue Jul 27, 2010 9:34 pm Post subject:

Oh, right, forgot about that. Then I can throw in 3 levels of Shinobi Adept.

forgotenkey · Genin Joined: 26 Jul 2010 Posts: 8

My favorite build that to work with at this point goes along the lines of
Smart hero5/Shinobi Adept3/Elementalist7/devistator5

Focusing on high Int, Con, and Dex in that order, for a wide and adaptable variety of general ninjutsu and heavy hitting elemental for offense.

so far i have only played out up to the 4th level in elementalist and its a really fun divers build. This incarnation was a wind based user and has a lot of growth potential in most of the fields.

Zatoichi · Chuunin Joined: 22 Nov 2007 Posts: 83

If you're in my games, don't look. I mean, there's little I can do to stop you, but... *shrug*

Dedicated 3, Shinobi Adept 3, Elementalist 7, Medical Specialist 2, Devastator 5

Total Bonus Chakra: 30 (68 Reserve)

The catch? The character has an effective intelligence of 2, maybe 3 and has forgotten every ninjutsu he has learned. He was once human, albiet afflicted with the chakra vampire template... but somewhere around his medical specialist and devastator levels, he shed his body to become a being of pure chakra, feasting and consuming on everything. His Chakra Presence is always active, and anything caught in it is slowly drained of its' chakra until it dies. Failing this, he will use his chakra vampire ability augmented with Chakra Reach Extention or if the enemy is out of range; the devastator's Unleashed Power ability. He is thus sealed away in a giant coffin and only brought out when needed. Note the existence of flagrant houserules... he's something of a special case. Wink

Though I can't quite decide how to write up a 'being of pure chakra' template...

And another, less spectacular but a little unexpected...

Smart Hero 3, Shinobi Adept 3, Technique Analyst 5, Field Scientist 4
Occupation; Ninja Technician

Dust off your D20 Modern book, it still has some gems in it that can work in Naruto D20. A level dip and I can add my Int modifier to Defense in addition to Dex? Hell yeah!

SirShadow · Biffu Aroi Joined: 10 May 2009 Posts: 2654

<_< this is more for PC builds that are actually obtainable in the average game, meaning, no houseruled stuff.

Zatoichi · Chuunin Joined: 22 Nov 2007 Posts: 83

Excluding homebrew, he still has alot of chakra and taken at face value, is rather potent at ninjutsu... but than the character would be another boring, albiet potent, blaster. Wink

Found the numbers, total chakra at ECL 18 (this sheet doesn't include the mainly fluff medical spec levels) is 158 (96 Reserve... that he can't use Sad

) and with a fully stocked Chakra Vampire'd pool, it's at 176. The majority of his chakra-whoring was just so I could use a high DC Chakra Presence and to make him seem even more inhuman.

My blind swordsman ended up being Dedicated 3, Sacred Fist 4, Samurai 5. Extremely unsynergistic, but I had fun... which is all that matters. Wink

The other characters didn't quite have builds that made them unique, just bloodlines, templates, or jutsus that made them stand out.