Moar Naruto D20 (Short Chuunin Exam Campaign)

[Inerrant Lust]

PLOT

It's been decades since the Fourth Great Ninja War and the time has come once again for the Chuunin Exams to take place. With all the villages attending and the 'era of fraternity and cooperation' that the Seventh Hokage has been promoting, this exam is set to challenge the participants' ability to work in joint-relations with ninja from other countries.

STRUCTURE
The invitations will be sent out and all attendees will be allowed to stay within the village for a week before the exams begin. During this time they are under the supervision of their sponsoring Jounin.

The first stage of the Chuunin Exam is the written test. The emphasis will be on team work and creative thinking.
The second stage will commence immediately after the first. It involves each team being given either a heaven or an earth scroll and placed at the edge of a large training area. They must reach the central building within a certain amount of time possessing both scrolls.
The final stage will occur a month later. It consists of a one-on-one tournament between all finalists, culminating in an overall winner. Success does not guarantee promotion nor does failure preclude it.

At any time that there are too many candidates who have passed on to the next stage, a special preliminary round will be organized.

CHARGEN
Level: ECL 6, no more than LA2 (All LA taken up front, cannot be 'bought off')
Race: Any Human, Any other Core*, Homebrew*
Bloodlines: Any Core*, Homebrew*

Characters from ANY village will be allowed. Prior to the first stage, the teams will be randomized. This means that the teams will be composed of strangers from other villages and the emphasis of the exam will be cooperation even under these circumstances.

Abilities: 40pt buy
Starting Occupation: Any
Classes: Any Core, Basic Paragons, Samurai, Weaponmaster, Sage*, Homebrew*

Feats Progression: Every Odd Level (1/3/5/7/9/11/13/15/17/19)
Feats: Free Genin (Effective Level 1)
--Tough Hero/Paragon: Simple Weapons, Light/Medium/Heavy Armor
--Strong/Fast/Dedicated Heroes/Paragons: Simple Weapons, Light/Medium Armor
--Smart/Charismatic Heroes/Paragons: Simple Weapons, Light Armor
--All Classes get Nin or Archaic Weapons for Free

Skills: Consolidated Skills As Below (New Skill: Old Skills Combined)
--Acrobatics (Dex): Balance, Escape Artist, Tumble
--Artisan (Int): Forgery, Craft Calligraphy, Craft Writing, Craft Visual Art, Decipher Script
--Athletics (Str): Climb, Jump, Swim
--Chakra Control (Wis): Chakra Control, Concentration
--Conversation (Cha): Diplomacy, Intimidate, Sense Motive, Knowledge Current Events, Knowledge Popular Culture,
--Deception (Cha): Bluff, Disguise
--Fuinjutsu (Int): Fuinjutsu
--Gamble (Wis): Gamble
--Genjutsu (Cha): Genjutsu
--Handle Animal (Cha): Handle Animal, Ride
--Knowledge Lore (Int): Arcane Lore, History Ninja Lore, Tactics, Theology and Philosophy
--Investigate (Int): Gather Information, Investigate, Knowledge Streetwise, Knowledge Behavioral Sciences, Research
--Mechanic (Int): Craft Mechanical, Craft Structural, Demolitions, Disable Device, Repair
--Medicine (Wis): Craft Chemical, Craft Pharmaceutical, Knowledge Earth and Life Sciences, Knowledge Physical Sciences, Treat Injury
--Ninjutsu (Int): Ninjutsu
--Outdoorsmanship (Wis): Navigate, Survival
--Perception (Wis): Listen, Search, Spot
--Professional (Wis): Perform, Profession, Knowledge Business, Knowledge Civics
--Stealth (Dex): Hide, Move Silently, Sleight of Hand
--Taijutsu (Str): Taijutsu

Techniques/Jutsu: 10 techniques at 1st level. +2 Techniques at 2nd. +3 techniques at 3rd. And so on and so forth. For a sixth level character, that's 30 techniques of any type. Any type of Adept feat (Ninjutsu Adept, Taijutsu Adept, ect.) grants you a number of techniques for that skill equal to your character level.

Masteries: You can sacrifice a technique gained from above section in order to get two steps of mastery.

NOTE: After char-gen, jutsu will be learned normally at various 'free time' points if you dedicate time to it. If you do not, you may still gain jutsu upon level-up based on above (I will not punish you for not training, but you get benefits for training instead. Spending the intermittent periods training can be valuable, but so can doing things like collecting intelligence on your opponents.)

*: Mandatory GM Approval First

NOTES

Because I like to mix things up, this will NOT take place in Konoha. I'm leaning towards Kirigakure, actually. But it could also be a joint exam between two villages, so the whole exam may take place in two or three villages. In either event, I highly encourage you to play a character from any village. I'm looking for 3 PCs who did not know each other prior to the exams. It's only upon entering the village will they be told that the teams will be randomized.

The only important thing is that if you don't work together, particularly in the first stage, you will fail super hard. Chaotic stupid characters are out of the question. :P

Right now... I don't intend to run this game beyond the structure/plot I've outlined above. That doesn't mean I won't throw some curveballs, but it does mean it'll most likely end at level 8 once the exam is concluded. If I'm up to it, or anyone else who runs Naruto D20 games on E... I'm sure you could find a use for that character afterwards...  ::)

If there's an abundance of interest, I may try and find another GM to help me run this with a second team.

[Vex]

Hi! I'm just here to express my interest in joining, and see if we can't generate a little more. I already PM'd Inerrant Lust about my concept, but we should continue the discussion here.

I want to play an aspiring Iryou-nin, a Medical Specialist, who was unfortunate enough to be afflicted with the Chakra Vampire bloodline. I thought it an interesting dynamic. A naturally helpful soul, focused on trying to help preserve life on the battlefield, but to do so, is forced to feed on the chakra of other beings. It can be a bit of a blessing, as she can potentially draw on a lot of chakra over a short period, not really needing to have to rest to restore her chakra. As long as she has something to feed on, she can keep healing herself and her allies, potentially making for very long excursions.

However, I imagine it could be quite shameful to her, as she feels like she's a parasite of a creature, and goes out of her way to help others, in part to atone for what she has to do. Starving herself doesn't work, as she just becomes irrationally desperate to get that skin-to-skin contact necessary to restore her chakra, and I could see her afraid of what others think of her if they knew the truth of her existence, so she probably hides it as best as she can. Setting her up in this style of a Chunin exam is ideal, because none of the other characters would know her, so we can RP out trying to hide it from them. I think it could be a really interesting exploration.

Ah, I was beginning to think no one was interested! :P You should post there... I think it's about to be buried behind page 2, if it isn't already.  ::)

But yes, that idea would work. In fact, it would work well.. considering one of the NPCs (or GM PCs, if we didn't get three players) would have their own gimmick that would interact very interestingly with a chakra vampire. And yeah, I agree, this character sounds like she would be interesting to play with in a situation where her two partners are complete strangers. Though it is unfortunate that the interesting techniques and things belonging to the vampire only really kick in at later levels.

I figure this game will roughly end with the players at level 8, but that won't effect the chakra vampire template much. I think there's a technique related to it that you could get by the third stage of the exam, though. Probably.

All in all, very interesting! :3

I'm glad you like the concept! And I'm thrilled you think she would be in a unique place in terms of character interaction. I'd be excited to see what kind of unique roleplaying opportunities we can work with this affliction.

Admittedly, I don't entirely know how she became a Chakra Vampire. Maybe she's a remnant from one of Orochimaru's experiments, or maybe it was the side effect for an experimental treatment for a rare condition, or maybe she's a forgotten descendant of the long-rumored but mostly extinct Kagetsuki clan (although the chakra vampire seems less like kekkei genkai and more like a rare disorder, as it's more of a hindrance than a benefit). We could work out the details for however works best for the setting. Either way, I see it, the disorder doesn't manifest itself until later on in their shinobi development, and by that time, she was already a Genin, and a promising one at that. She had no idea this was coming. It must be a rather confusing time for her, as it's not something she's had to deal with until recently. She probably thinks of herself as a monster.

There aren't many techniques for Chakra Vampires. They have some unique interactions with the Ryukuin and Chakra no Souin fuintjusu, but only one technique is specifically for them, Nyoukai no Kuchitsuke, the Kiss of the Succubus, a potentially neat one for an adult RP. It's a rank 7 ninjutsu, so she could get it after the next level, or potentially have it at the start, if she's a Genius (and I'm somewhat inclined to make her one).

Should I get working on a sheet? Or would you rather I hold off on that?

[Zaer Darkwail]

I voice interest for this game, but it sort depends on Keelan does she take my char or not. If she does take then I do not have time for another Naruto game :P. But if she drops my char, then I roll up with something nice :). So far I am thinking lean to Naga clan member (shadow jutsu stuff) as basic idea atm. Or if there is no one taking the byakugan or sharingan, could take one those two bloodlines and build something based on them.

[Vex]

I'd think it'd be almost crazy for Keelan not to accept your character. Zaraki's the only healer in a crowd of damage dealers (and one Genjutsu specialist), so you're in a good spot. Besides, you bring a lot personally, and very active. But, if it somehow ends up being the case, I'd be very happy to have you on board with this one.  ;D

[Zaer Darkwail]

Yeah, but still things are not certain until Keelan makes decision :P.

[Vex]

Of course. I'm just expressing my confidence in your capabilities. Either way Keelan decides, I'm going with this game. I like the concept too much, and after reading over a bit of Inerrant Lust's previous games in this category, I'm pretty excited to take this on!  ;D

But, while I have you here, mind if I throw some building ideas your way? I trying to decide this character's stat distribution. On the one hand, I'm thinking it's usually a good idea for a Medical-nin to have fairly balanced stats over all. Yeah, Int and Wis get favorable treatment, but in the end, your job isn't offense, it's support, and you can't do your job if you're dead or unconscious. Any offense is nice, but ultimately supplemental. So, I was thinking of a stat distribution of 10, 14, 14, 16, 16, 14, with further stat bonuses going into Int, to help with her Ninjutsu DCs. That gives her fairly good save bonuses, decent hp, and a solid work base to use techniques with. Not sky high, but good. She could even throw in some Genjutsu in there for diversity (she won't be exceptional at it, but a lot of Taijutsu focused character have weak will saves).

On the other hand, she's a Chakra Vampire. That means she can't tap her reserves. Ever. That's a heck of a blow for a Medical-nin, because Iryou Ninjutsu isn't cheap, and the vast majority of the bonus chakra the Medical Specialist class gives them is reserve chakra. Sure, Efficient Technique might help with that eventually, but at level 6, she isn't likely to have it (and frankly, probably not by 8 either). So, I'm thinking the way to work around this is to take Will Over Flesh and pump her chakra pool as high as possible. Maybe something like 8, 14, 12, 16, 18, 12, with a heavy focus on Wis going forward. That 8 strength means she really can't carry much, and will likely have to settle with very light armor, but her chakra scalpel doesn't need strength. That weakness might actually come in handy in providing an excuse for her to need breaks often (which she subtly uses to drain chakra from the environment), but it'll also make grappling creatures to drain their chakra much more difficult (not that I find that terribly practical anyway, but it's nice to have the option). With lightest armor and low-ish HP, it's certainly not doing any favors for her survival chances.

Thoughts? Alternatives?

[Zaer Darkwail]

I think my opinion go second approach if you go medical shinobi as devoted hero. As there are useful talents in devoted hero (like cool in pressure) which can help immensely make you reliable in combat or stressful situations. Although low Str is weakness but your not meant to figthing but healing or at best disabling foes without engaging them :P. Although if you get shinobi prisoners you can suck them dry and thus disable them from doing anything fancy.

[Vex]

I was afraid you'd say that. I'm usually the type to play it safe, but in this case, a little risk might be warranted. Heck, in this case, I'm rather tempted to bring Con down to 10 to get her Charisma up to 14, so she'll still be able to use Genjutsu more effectively, but my better senses tell me not to. With that kind of chakra pool, she'll be able to pull a lot of tricks, though. I just fear for her when the inevitable Reflex save is called.

I honestly don't think she'll be draining humans much in a visible way. Frankly, the Chakra Vampire ability isn't very good in combat scenarios. It's much better when she has an extended contact with whatever she's draining from. I'm thinking of making a unique skill tactic, feat, or training technique that makes her draining capabilities very subtle, to the point that the victim doesn't even notice it. In a game like this, I think that could have a lot of applications. I'd be interested in making some new techniques for her to actually enhance her draining capabilities (a technique that allows her to drain chakra from on-going effects would be pretty neat), but this is a Genin-focused game, so she might not have that kind talent yet.

[Inerrant Lust]

Admittedly, I don't entirely know how she became a Chakra Vampire. Maybe she's a remnant from one of Orochimaru's experiments, or maybe it was the side effect for an experimental treatment for a rare condition, or maybe she's a forgotten descendant of the long-rumored but mostly extinct Kagetsuki clan (although the chakra vampire seems less like kekkei genkai and more like a rare disorder, as it's more of a hindrance than a benefit). We could work out the details for however works best for the setting. Either way, I see it, the disorder doesn't manifest itself until later on in their shinobi development, and by that time, she was already a Genin, and a promising one at that. She had no idea this was coming. It must be a rather confusing time for her, as it's not something she's had to deal with until recently. She probably thinks of herself as a monster.

There aren't many techniques for Chakra Vampires. They have some unique interactions with the Ryukuin and Chakra no Souin fuintjusu, but only one technique is specifically for them, Nyoukai no Kuchitsuke, the Kiss of the Succubus, a potentially neat one for an adult RP. It's a rank 7 ninjutsu, so she could get it after the next level, or potentially have it at the start, if she's a Genius (and I'm somewhat inclined to make her one).

Should I get working on a sheet? Or would you rather I hold off on that?

You'll hit level 7 by the end of the second stage. The first stage will be very short, also, and won't include any encounters or serious crunch. It's more of a puzzle than anything. :P As for being one of Orochimaru's experiments or a long-lost member of the Kagetsuki clan, either's fine. I figure chakra vampires are not very unheard of, since I believe someone with the ability shows up in the manga without much fanfare or hype. So it's not like the second coming of the Rinnegan. ;) Personally, I would prefer the team be from three different villages. If Zaer goes with a Nara person, or Sharingan or Byakugan, the Orochimaru angle might be too close, thematically.

So far I am thinking lean to Naga clan member (shadow jutsu stuff) as basic idea atm. Or if there is no one taking the byakugan or sharingan, could take one those two bloodlines and build something based on them.

Nara. :P But yeah, any of those work. Albiet they're so... canon. ;) Though being that this game is still occurring within Naruto's lifetime, any Sharingan user would either be directly descended from good ol' Sasuke or genetically recreated somehow. Orochimaru's probably slaving away at that, considering he already made someone with the Mokuton...

But, while I have you here, mind if I throw some building ideas your way? I trying to decide this character's stat distribution. On the one hand, I'm thinking it's usually a good idea for a Medical-nin to have fairly balanced stats over all. Yeah, Int and Wis get favorable treatment, but in the end, your job isn't offense, it's support, and you can't do your job if you're dead or unconscious. Any offense is nice, but ultimately supplemental. So, I was thinking of a stat distribution of 10, 14, 14, 16, 16, 14, with further stat bonuses going into Int, to help with her Ninjutsu DCs. That gives her fairly good save bonuses, decent hp, and a solid work base to use techniques with. Not sky high, but good. She could even throw in some Genjutsu in there for diversity (she won't be exceptional at it, but a lot of Taijutsu focused character have weak will saves).

On the other hand, she's a Chakra Vampire. That means she can't tap her reserves. Ever. That's a heck of a blow for a Medical-nin, because Iryou Ninjutsu isn't cheap, and the vast majority of the bonus chakra the Medical Specialist class gives them is reserve chakra. Sure, Efficient Technique might help with that eventually, but at level 6, she isn't likely to have it (and frankly, probably not by 8 either). So, I'm thinking the way to work around this is to take Will Over Flesh and pump her chakra pool as high as possible. Maybe something like 8, 14, 12, 16, 18, 12, with a heavy focus on Wis going forward. That 8 strength means she really can't carry much, and will likely have to settle with very light armor, but her chakra scalpel doesn't need strength. That weakness might actually come in handy in providing an excuse for her to need breaks often (which she subtly uses to drain chakra from the environment), but it'll also make grappling creatures to drain their chakra much more difficult (not that I find that terribly practical anyway, but it's nice to have the option). With lightest armor and low-ish HP, it's certainly not doing any favors for her survival chances.

The advantage of Chakra Vampire is that you can at least have, at this stage, 6 more chakra than you would otherwise. Which is nowhere near the amount of reserve you'd have, of course... but it does mean you only have to rest for hit points. Being a medic nin, this means as long as you have trees and stuff to suck chakra from, you don't have to rest for anything but sleep. Given that the second stage will be a camping trip that takes a bout a week, that's a huge advantage.

In short, your character can remain active nearly 24/7 until sleep deprivation hits. And unless you run out of things to suck chakra, your team will likely always be at full hit points throughout the second stage.

Technically, you could pass the second stage of the exam without fighting anyone. You'd just have to be able to steal a scroll without the other team noticing... given that this E, and 18+... yeah, some seducing will be going on. ;)

[Zaer Darkwail]

I wonder how common is sexy jutsu Naruto developed :P.

[Vex]

You'll hit level 7 by the end of the second stage. The first stage will be very short, also, and won't include any encounters or serious crunch. It's more of a puzzle than anything. :P As for being one of Orochimaru's experiments or a long-lost member of the Kagetsuki clan, either's fine. I figure chakra vampires are not very unheard of, since I believe someone with the ability shows up in the manga without much fanfare or hype. So it's not like the second coming of the Rinnegan. ;)

Ha! You know, it's funny. We're first introduced to the concept of chakra absorption early in the series, through Yoroi, Sasuke's match in the preliminary touriment to determine who would go onto the third round of the Chuunin exam. By the way he gets soundly dispatched, we are to think this is a common, unremarkable ability. But then, after that...it hardly ever shows up again. And when it does, it's almost exclusively through rather special and powerful individuals. From the Naruto-wiki:

Some ninja, such as Yoroi Akadō, Jirōbō, Kisame Hoshigaki, Orochimaru, Black and White Zetsu, Madara Uchiha, Fūka and the Ultimate Summoning Beast are able to use this technique by merely coming into contact with an opponent, while most ninja require a medium to absorb chakra through (such as the Aburame clan's kikaichū feeding on the chakra of their hosts and opponents). However, Orochimaru only retrieved his own chakra that was in Kabuto.

One of these names is not the others. Yoroi is a chump compared to everyone else on this list. Most shinobi that can absorb chakra need a medium through which to do it (it's often an ability powerful weapons and armor have, Samehada, for example). Those that can usually have something unnatural about them. It's not a common ability at all, and in each case, it requires a rather powerful technique or a unique creation...except Yoroi, for some reason. Really weird. But Naruto's writing hasn't always been consistent. Maybe they meant to make it a common ability, until they decided against it. That's happened more often than you'd think (like Naruto's lonely past with no friends...except for Shikamaru, Choji, and Kiba, who he apparently hung around with all his childhood, but I guess they don't count as friends or something).

Regardless, it's true that absorbing chakra isn't unheard of. But, I think there's an exceptional difference between someone who can absorb chakra to supplement their own, and someone who needs to absorb chakra, because they can't generate their own naturally. In a world where everything, even trees and plants, has chakra, that's really weird and kinda unsettling. It's like saying vampires aren't a big deal because there are people out there that drink blood, and aren't treated as monsters. One is just a habit, and the other is an entirely unnatural thing, and to sustain it's own existence, must victimize the living by draining it's very essence each and every day. I think that would be treated as something more horrific. No, it's not Rinnegan, in part because it's not really an advantage. But it is exceptional, in it's own way.

Besides, what's the fun in turning this into a mundane thing? "What's that? Your an orphan and grew up alone, and now you act out to get the attention and recognition you so desperately desire? Meh, happens a lot in the ninja world, kid. No big deal." Way to suck the drama from the concept, GM!  :P

The advantage of Chakra Vampire is that you can at least have, at this stage, 6 more chakra than you would otherwise. Which is nowhere near the amount of reserve you'd have, of course... but it does mean you only have to rest for hit points. Being a medic nin, this means as long as you have trees and stuff to suck chakra from, you don't have to rest for anything but sleep. Given that the second stage will be a camping trip that takes a bout a week, that's a huge advantage.

Theoretically, sure. Realistically, it buys her half a day. As far as I can tell, a Chakra Vampire still needs to rest their bodies and minds the same way everyone else does. Sure, they don't need to restore their chakra, but their muscles wear and tear just like everyone elses. Theoretically, I suppose she could keep using her Iryou techniques to restore her body, but I'm not sure her mind can work on the same concept. If she's to stay healthy those five or so days, she needs rest. Likewise, she needs to keep moving, lest she leave a trail of damage/dead trees and plants to lead right to where her team is.

And that assumes that she has living things to take it from. If she's in the middle of a forest, fine. If she's in the middle of a desert, that's a problem. It also makes capture extremely risky for her. She could die in a couple of days of captivity if she can't find a chakra source to feed on, even if she's being nourished properly.

Anyway, I'm not saying it's not an advantage. It just think it's a very situational one, and one that could be used against her in other circumstances. It certainly helps that, should she find herself in a lush environment, she can heal the team as often as she needs without any worry of draining her chakra for the day. You know, so long as she finds herself in a place with lots of plant life.

Technically, you could pass the second stage of the exam without fighting anyone. You'd just have to be able to steal a scroll without the other team noticing... given that this E, and 18+... yeah, some seducing will be going on. ;)

Oh, I haven't forgotten. I'll be keeping my options open on that front. Don't you worry on that. ;)

I was thinking I'd work the whole Chakra Vampire thing into it, actually. The process of draining chakra is kind of a slow one, especially if you have a large pool. If plants aren't available, then extended skin-to-skin contact is necessary. Lots of directions we can play with that idea. Maybe, as she gets lower on chakra, the more "touchy feely" she becomes, even if she doesn't drain chakra from them. And, should she ever be held captive, she'd be potentially denied chakra from plant sources. She'd need to rely on other prisoners, or her captors to sustain her. Interesting ideas to play with.

[Inerrant Lust]

Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say it was mundane... but that it wasn't so extraordinary that you'd have trouble justifying it existing outside of one place (like, the bearer of Shukaku being a Kumogakure ninja. :P)

I agree with everything you've said, though. It is unusual and worthy of drama, but it isn't so extraordinary as to be restrictive in terms of fluff. It could be, like in Rock Lee's case, just a weird genetic hiccup.

Theoretically, sure. Realistically, it buys her half a day. As far as I can tell, a Chakra Vampire still needs to rest their bodies and minds the same way everyone else does. Sure, they don't need to restore their chakra, but their muscles wear and tear just like everyone elses. Theoretically, I suppose she could keep using her Iryou techniques to restore her body, but I'm not sure her mind can work on the same concept. If she's to stay healthy those five or so days, she needs rest. Likewise, she needs to keep moving, lest she leave a trail of damage/dead trees and plants to lead right to where her team is.

And that assumes that she has living things to take it from. If she's in the middle of a forest, fine. If she's in the middle of a desert, that's a problem. It also makes capture extremely risky for her. She could die in a couple of days of captivity if she can't find a chakra source to feed on, even if she's being nourished properly.

Anyway, I'm not saying it's not an advantage. It just think it's a very situational one, and one that could be used against her in other circumstances. It certainly helps that, should she find herself in a lush environment, she can heal the team as often as she needs without any worry of draining her chakra for the day. You know, so long as she finds herself in a place with lots of plant life.

Yeah. Mechanically, all you'd need is sleep. But that's part of the fun, no? She could stay awake and watch over her comrades or do things while the others are resting.. but at the risk of burning herself out.

And that's also an interesting dynamic, the trail you mentioned or the risks she could find herself in. All in all, I find it interesting.

As for the training area, I'm thinking it will have plenty of life. It'll likely be in Kirigakure, so expect a lot of water but not for the whole arena to be a lake or something.

Oh, I haven't forgotten. I'll be keeping my options open on that front. Don't you worry on that. ;)

I was thinking I'd work the whole Chakra Vampire thing into it, actually. The process of draining chakra is kind of a slow one, especially if you have a large pool. If plants aren't available, then extended skin-to-skin contact is necessary. Lots of directions we can play with that idea. Maybe, as she gets lower on chakra, the more "touchy feely" she becomes, even if she doesn't drain chakra from them. And, should she ever be held captive, she'd be potentially denied chakra from plant sources. She'd need to rely on other prisoners, or her captors to sustain her. Interesting ideas to play with.

:3

[Zaer Darkwail]

I am not against idea that you make a 'lustfully hungry' chakra vampire  >:). Emptier her chakra pool gets, hornier she gets (or more sensitive to touches or such).

[Inerrant Lust]

It would also be an interesting interaction with another character I have in mind who has a similar but distinct ability..

[Vex]

Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say it was mundane... but that it wasn't so extraordinary that you'd have trouble justifying it existing outside of one place (like, the bearer of Shukaku being a Kumogakure ninja. :P)

Heh. I know, I was being a bit facetious. I figure you didn't mean it quite to that extent. And you're right that it has no ties to any particular location. I'm trying to find a reasonable place for her to have grown up, in part because it can potentially be anywhere. I'm kinda liking Takigakure at the moment, as it's kind of a remote, out of the way location where a rare disorder/bloodline like this might be hidden away, and the place seems to be rich with it's own secrets. Plus, I just like how it looks ascetically.  ::)

Yeah. Mechanically, all you'd need is sleep. But that's part of the fun, no? She could stay awake and watch over her comrades or do things while the others are resting.. but at the risk of burning herself out.

True. She definitely needs rest less than her allies do (well, unless one of them has really high Con or the Endurance feat, then maybe they could stay up with her). And there's a lot of things she can do in that quiet time. Actually, in a former version of this game, that used to be one of it's biggest advantages. Because they could theoretically restore their chakra all day and night, they had the potential to train all the time in their off-hours (unlike everyone else who's limited to eight hours a day).

They've since added a rather artificial limit to it, purely for balance reasons (they didn't even try to fluff an IC reason for it), to the same training hours as everyone else, but it goes to show how easily that extra time can be used to one's benefit. She can brew shinobi drugs, or make traps, craft poisons or pharmaceuticals in that time, for instance. Or do a bit of scouting, maybe make traps. We can definitely play with that.

And that's also an interesting dynamic, the trail you mentioned or the risks she could find herself in. All in all, I find it interesting.

As do I. I really like the Chakra Vampire for this reason. Mechanically, it really adds little to no advantage (I almost feel cheated by the feat it costs to take), but it's filled with potential RP goodness. I'm really surprised I haven't made one before now. It's very, very fluffy. And perfect to explore in a game where one can take some mature liberties.  ;D

As for the training area, I'm thinking it will have plenty of life. It'll likely be in Kirigakure, so expect a lot of water but not for the whole arena to be a lake or something.

Kirigakure should make for an interesting setting. Maybe even a scary one, but seeing as this is post-Naruto, it's not likely the blood affair it once might had been. I was going to make her have a Fuuton affinity, but I'm at least a little tempted to give her a Suiton affinity instead. My Hyuuga character is Suiton, though, so I'm not sure I wanna run with it. A water rich environment would be ideal for someone to have it, at least. If not her, than someone on her team.

I am not against idea that you make a 'lustfully hungry' chakra vampire  >:). Emptier her chakra pool gets, hornier she gets (or more sensitive to touches or such).

Heh. Well, I wouldn't go that far. Remember, she's ashamed of this nature of hers. She thinks she's at least a freak, if not an outright monster, and she feels guilty for feeding on others. That's one of the reasons she dedicates herself as Medical nin, to sort of pay back the karmic debt she owes, and use it in a positive way. So, I don't think it makes her horny. But it does alter her behavior, despite her desires, and make her more desperate for skinship. Physically clinging and pressing herself to her partners when she's drained could lead to some rather intimate consequences, and make her more accepting towards affection, which she might find very confusing. Let's not forget this is a bunch of adolescents after all, and that crazy hormonal period is prone to risky behavior and confusing feelings. 

Although, I suppose she could eventually learn to associate the feeling with lust, should she ever come to embrace it, and have a regular partner that she connected with in a sexual way. It'd be kind of like a Pavlovian response, in that case. She could be "conditioned" to make it sexual. It's just not gonna start out that way, and I'm not going to assume it goes that direction.

It would also be an interesting interaction with another character I have in mind who has a similar but distinct ability..

That's the second time you've mentioned that. I'm suitably intrigued. Are you gonna fill us in, or are we just gonna have to find out? ;)

[Inerrant Lust]

Heh. Well, I wouldn't go that far. Remember, she's ashamed of this nature of hers. She thinks she's at least a freak, if not an outright monster, and she feels guilty for feeding on others. That's one of the reasons she dedicates herself as Medical nin, to sort of pay back the karmic debt she owes, and use it in a positive way. So, I don't think it makes her horny. But it does alter her behavior, despite her desires, and make her more desperate for skinship. Physically clinging and pressing herself to her partners when she's drained could lead to some rather intimate consequences, and make her more accepting towards affection, which she might find very confusing. Let's not forget this is a bunch of adolescents after all, and that crazy hormonal period is prone to risky behavior and confusing feelings. 

Although, I suppose she could eventually learn to associate the feeling with lust, should she ever come to embrace it, and have a regular partner that she connected with in a sexual way. It'd be kind of like a Pavlovian response, in that case. She could be "conditioned" to make it sexual. It's just not gonna start out that way, and I'm not going to assume it goes that direction.

Well, for this game- all characters will be 16 and older. For obvious reasons. But I assume you meant that was more innocent than it might be taken for. :P

I may be inclined to put some kind of 12 year old genius or comic relief or something there, but he or she will be as far removed from any sexiness as possible. It seems like too much trouble to even try.

Also, I mean... you don't have to make her a giant slut, but I imagine draining chakra is... a pleasurable sensation. Especially if she's low on it. It's like a cool glass of lemonade on a hot day.

That's the second time you've mentioned that. I'm suitably intrigued. Are you gonna fill us in, or are we just gonna have to find out? ;)

Keeping it a mystery. ;)

[Vex]

Well, for this game- all characters will be 16 and older. For obvious reasons. But I assume you meant that was more innocent than it might be taken for. :P

I may be inclined to put some kind of 12 year old genius or comic relief or something there, but he or she will be as far removed from any sexiness as possible. It seems like too much trouble to even try.

I didn't mean that in a creepy way, obviously. I can see why, in a legal concept, someone might stop being an adolescent when they've reached the age of majority (which can be as low as 14, depending on the area), but I was thinking more in a biological concept. Plenty of people are still maturing physically into the late teens and even early twenties. Heck, if I had the choice, I'm not sure anyone should be considered a full adult until sometime in the late twenties.  :P

No worries. She'll be at least 16 years old. And I'm not going to be a part of having her prey on a twelve year old, at least not in a sexual context.

Also, I mean... you don't have to make her a giant slut, but I imagine draining chakra is... a pleasurable sensation. Especially if she's low on it. It's like a cool glass of lemonade on a hot day.

I didn't say it wasn't pleasurable. I imagine it is. I just said it was confusing. It's just a guilty pleasure that one enjoys at the time, but regrets once they're back to their senses. Hell, feeling good when she does it only probably makes her feel worse about it. Kinda like indulging in a pleasurable sin, for religions that forbid pre-marital sexuality of any sort. It feels good at the time, but that doesn't mean they don't feel horrible about it later. The fact that she feels pleasure from the whole thing, when she knows she shouldn't, has got to add a heavy load to the guilt factor.

Keeping it a mystery. ;)

T'ch. Meanie.  :P

Anyway, I'm working on the sheet. Things seem to be following onto place really nicely, much more so than in my last sheet for Keelan's game. I'm not sure I'll have anything for you tonight, but I could hopefully have it done by Tuesday. Or at least, ready for inspection.

A couple of questions. First, how are we handling HP in this game? What about Action Points and Wealth?

The Medical Expert feat required for the Medical Specialist class seems pretty lousy as written with the modifications to this system. It once gave +2 to Craft (Pharmaceutical) and Treat Injury checks. That was kinda lackluster before, to be honest, but now it's effectively +2 to one skill. Any chance we could make it higher (maybe +3, like Skill Focus) or add a different skill to it (Investigate might be reasonable). Or, as my preference, change the requirement to the Surgery feat? It fits thematically, is about the same effectiveness as the previous feat, and actually serves a purpose for the prospective Medical-nin.

[Inerrant Lust]

Don't stress out over getting a sheet done tonight. I'm about to go to sleep, myself.

As for wealth, I'm inclined to say... max every level. Judicious use and rationing of chakra might be the deciding factor of things... Action points and wealth will be handled the normal way.

But yeah, I find all the +2 skill feats to be rather lackluster, and they are required for a few PrCs. I suppose Surgery works fine as a replacement.

[Vex]

Don't stress out over getting a sheet done tonight. I'm about to go to sleep, myself.

As for wealth, I'm inclined to say... max every level. Judicious use and rationing of chakra might be the deciding factor of things... Action points and wealth will be handled the normal way.

But yeah, I find all the +2 skill feats to be rather lackluster, and they are required for a few PrCs. I suppose Surgery works fine as a replacement.

Thanks. But, I do sorta want to get it out of the way, at least mostly finished. That way, everyone knows what I'm bringing to the table, and I can focus more on my character's story while we wait and see if we get any more applicants.

You mean, max out the HP? Or do you mean Wealth, like you typed?

I'm not entirely sure what the "normal" way is for Action Points and Wealth when you're starting above first level. The Modern d20 chart on page 204 says that a 6th level character should have a wealth of approximately +8, but in my experience, it's a value that can be difficult to nail down hypothetically, as it really makes a difference whether someone saves or spends along the way. Action Points are said to be half the character's level (so, for any character in this game without a LA, 3).

Or, did you mean that we should roll wealth each level one by one, and use the total sum of action points? Again, I've met different GM who handled these matters in different ways, but if the aforementioned table is on the low side, this is on the rather generous side.

Anyway, I appreciate the quick reply. I just wanted to be clear, so I don't have to bug you any more about it.  ;D

[Inerrant Lust]

Oh yes, I meant max HP. :P

Wealth is done by rolling profession each level, with it's own set of rues and stuff. I would say do it normally in the sense that you roll each level. Action points are listed in each class's entry. Usually 5 + half your level for base classes and 7 + half your level for PrCs.

Action points only 'resupply' each level and don't add together. So you ought to use them a lot since you'll level quite rapidly in this game.

[Vex]

Gotcha! Makes perfect sense now. Thanks for the clarification!

That should be it from me tonight. I hope you have a good night!

I'm busy on Mondays, so I probably won't have anything until Tuesday at the earliest. But, I'll take as much time as I need for it. Hopefully, we can get at least one more aspiring Chuunin to join along with us soon.  :-)

[Inerrant Lust]

I suppose I should ask what you're looking for in terms of story/character progression and heck, even sexiness. While you'll be working with strangers, there IS the possibility that you'll meet and even oppose your old team mates, the people you thought you'd be working with during the exams..

Of course, this will be a fairly short campaign.. lasting about 2 months in-universe and 2 levels. However long that takes in E..  ::)

[ShadowFox89]

Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide

Name: Yamagi
Human; Rustblood
Fast Paragon 3/Live Wire 3
Hit Points:
Defense:
Chakra Pool:
Reserve chakra:
Experience:

Attributes:
str: 8
Dex: 18
Con: 17
Int: 14
Wis: 16
Cha: 10

Base attack: +5; Melee +4; Ranged: +9; Unarmed: +
Fortitude: +; Reflex: +; Will: +

Occupation:

Skills: 72pts; rank + ability + misc


Class Features:
Fast: Evasion, Bonus Feat, uncanny dodge
Livewire: Wire Trick x3 (Diamond Wire, Great Reach, Webspinner)

Feats:

Learn Bonuses:
Chakra Control:
Ninjutsu:
Taijutsu:

Techniques:

[Vex]

Welcome ShadowFox! Nice to see we have another taker. Depending on how Keelan decides, we might just have a group already.  ;D

I suppose I should ask what you're looking for in terms of story/character progression and heck, even sexiness. While you'll be working with strangers, there IS the possibility that you'll meet and even oppose your old team mates, the people you thought you'd be working with during the exams..

Of course, this will be a fairly short campaign.. lasting about 2 months in-universe and 2 levels. However long that takes in E..  ::)

Ha! Yeah, I hear you. While not specifically at E, I once played a single day in a high school game that that took over four months to complete. I don't think it'll get that extreme, but there's certainly potential for even a couple of months of IC to run on for quite some time.

It's a bit unusual to come up with an appropriate story-line for this game. After all, you want it to be interesting, but seeing as this is a short-lived campaign taking taking place in no more than a couple of months, you can't be too interesting. Ambition is great for a long term game, and if this whole thing works out well, I'd love to work a long-term angle over this shinobi's career, but that's not what you're promising, and I certainly am not looking to convince you otherwise. So, it's gotta be something that can be resolved in this relatively short period. I don't particularly expect her to win it. I think she'll do really well in the first two events, even though I expect her to struggle through the survival test, but I'd be surprised if she manages to get past even a single opponent in the third part, seeing as one-on-one battling isn't her thing. I'd still like to give it a try, though. It'll be fun to see what kind of fight she can put up, at least.

At the moment, I'm thinking Shiori (working name, I like it, but I do wonder if it's too close to Akatsuki member Sasori) should end up having a bit of a revelation about herself that helps her grow, much like Neji, Hinata, Sakura, and Ino all have during the Chuunin Exam arc, even though they all lost. Naturally, it should have to deal with her Chakra Vampire status, although it doesn't necessarily have to be ultimately about it. I think it's part of just coming to terms that she'll never be the shinobi she naively wanted to be when she first started as a Genin, but to accept the hand she's been dealt and make the most of it. It might be a harsh situation, one that provides some extra challenges to her but not one that makes her dreams impossible. The comparison to Lee's condition you made earlier isn't an a bad parallel, as it's about adopting an optimistic outlook about it. That can have a variety of outcomes in and of itself, from a begrudging acceptance of the fact, figuring out how to work around it and compensate for it's weaknesses, to a full embrace and enthusiastic exploration of what she had been denying of herself.

I imagine Shiori was a relatively normal Genin for much of the time she started out, so she probably had a fairly normal to good relationship with her teammates. I'm rather fond of the traditional trio the series often relies on, between a reserved genius, a passionate but often foolish shinobi, and a supportive shinobi, so we can run with that. Shinori is inclined toward the latter role, as I think most Iryou-nin are, but I could see her pulling the genius role too. I imagine she got along with them well, until her Suppressed Chakra Retention Disorder fully developed (at around level 3, as per the template), where she grew more distant with them, as she was afraid of them finding out. I imagine her Jonin instructor already knows, and has been helping her cope with it (probably while discretely seeing a Medical-nin advisor on the side), and if she's not the genius on her team, then the one who is might had found out about it through their own digging, although they might not have said anything about it. The passionate member on the team, however, is likely in the dark about the whole thing, but is intensely curious with her sudden change in behavior, her secret meetings with their Jonin, and the lies the whole group has been telling them. It has the potential to collide into a fairly dramatic moment, should the other two meet her in the exams, with either one teammate confronting her about it, or another exploiting her weakness.

As for sexual situations, I'm not really one to plan for anything in particular. I enjoy smut as much as the next person, but to me, the story and a reasonable portrayal of the characters is more important, so much that I'm okay with skipping out on a lot of potentially erotic scenes if it just doesn't make sense or seems disloyal to the character or context. I'm certainly not looking for this story as an excuse to run from one sexy scenario to another. I have no issue with those who like smut-driven games, but it's not what I'm looking for. That said, I have a lot of ideas for things that could potentially come up. The captive situation I mentioned before, for instance. Maybe a sadistic ally extorts his knowledge of her condition and her fear of rejection to their benefit. Maybe she gets seriously drained of chakra and gets put into a position where she can't help the temptation to come into close contact with one of her comrades, in a subtle way so they won't notice. Her condition lends itself toward some mind-twisty and manipulative situations, but normal attraction and curiosity can certainly come into play as well, from occasional nudity or quiet, intimate moments. I don't expect any one particular scene, though. Rather, I just set up specific elements and let things play out as they may, and so long as we have an engaging tale and an enjoyable time with it, I'm cool with whatever we end up with it.

[Zaer Darkwail]

Here is some idea for my char and appearance;

Yoshi Uchiha (son of Sarada Uchicha and Boruto Uzumaki)

Idea behind my char is that he is natural born genius who's grandparents are two greatest known shinobi from last shinobi war (and shadow of their greatness cast him into deep shadow). He at first was thrilled for his awesome grandparents but he soon grew hating it as everyone has super high expectations and he has no control of his life as everything is arranged before him by default and everyone knows his grandparents (and his parents) but nothing about himself (nor have much interest for it either besides what 'great potential' he holds).

Things exploded out of hand further as he manifested sharingan early for even Uchiha clan standards (it was triggered on believing his mother was dead albeit she faked death with genjutsu as part of larger plan to deceive enemy which she and Boruto were hunting down). His parents he does adore but they are often away from missions so most of time he lives with his grandfather; Naruto Uzumaki (which is both hate and love relationship, more so as he is not that keen becoming Hokage if ever). His teammates naturally know his status and are both 'highly honored' to be part of same team with him.....and because of their adoration he does not feel close to them nor count them as close friends because they always view him with rose tinted glasses.

OOC: Build wise thought make him a Smart Hero 3/Shinobi Adept 3 with intermediate bloodline (so he suffers -10% XP penalty as he haven't taken bloodline level after 5th level). He would be heavily ninjutsu user (focus on Katon techniques and genjutsu). He would have genius ninja feat but besides that have not much developed stats wise.

What I would expect for the story is for him get genuine friends from those who do not know him nor his family reputation. He most likely would use alias or clever way not tell his clan name correctly. Also he is easy going and haven't thought his future seriously (he actually disliked from going chuunin exam but he knew if entire team does not join then none of them will, so not wanting upset his teammates and his parents/family, he did not walk out from the exam). He is constantly under hard pressure by everyone to excel as he has great potential.....but he senses lack of freedom and it bothers him and he is not having much fun as he haven't met a genuine challenge for his abilities in his age group (he is not arrogant; he is plainly that good thanks being genius shinobi he feels unchallenged/bored).

So chuunin exam can either drive him more extreme to become lost shinobi or change his view on things.

[Inerrant Lust]

Quite terse, shadow.  ::)

At the moment, I'm thinking Shiori (working name, I like it, but I do wonder if it's too close to Akatsuki member Sasori) should end up having a bit of a revelation about herself that helps her grow, much like Neji, Hinata, Sakura, and Ino all have during the Chuunin Exam arc, even though they all lost. Naturally, it should have to deal with her Chakra Vampire status, although it doesn't necessarily have to be ultimately about it.

You've pretty much nailed it on the head what I want to accomplish, story-wise, with this campaign. As I said, also, I am not above hosting another game in the future involving these characters... For now, I just wanted to do a low level Naruto D20 game to bring on more interest in the system at E without worrying about heavy crunch. :P The name is fine, by the way. ;)

I imagine Shiori was a relatively normal Genin for much of the time she started out, so she probably had a fairly normal to good relationship with her teammates. I'm rather fond of the traditional trio the series often relies on, between a reserved genius, a passionate but often foolish shinobi, and a supportive shinobi, so we can run with that. Shinori is inclined toward the latter role, as I think most Iryou-nin are, but I could see her pulling the genius role too. I imagine she got along with them well, until her Suppressed Chakra Retention Disorder fully developed (at around level 3, as per the template), where she grew more distant with them, as she was afraid of them finding out. I imagine her Jonin instructor already knows, and has been helping her cope with it (probably while discretely seeing a Medical-nin advisor on the side), and if she's not the genius on her team, then the one who is might had found out about it through their own digging, although they might not have said anything about it. The passionate member on the team, however, is likely in the dark about the whole thing, but is intensely curious with her sudden change in behavior, her secret meetings with their Jonin, and the lies the whole group has been telling them. It has the potential to collide into a fairly dramatic moment, should the other two meet her in the exams, with either one teammate confronting her about it, or another exploiting her weakness.

I think I will have quite a bit of fun as a GM... I also notice that a lot of the teams in Naruto tend to follow this archetype, or at least their characters generally have a dynamic along those lines... but with this exam, the teams will be randomly. The carefully selected trios that each village has organized, molded by the Jounin assigned to mentor them... are all thrown into a pile and picked apart. Three geniuses could end up on the same team, being such lone-wolfs that they don't preform nearly as well as the team of three losers who understand mutual support and teamwork...

Your Jounins, while important characters for at least the last 4-6 years of your PC's life... will only show up a little bit towards the beginning and end of the exams. :P

s for sexual situations, I'm not really one to plan for anything in particular. I enjoy smut as much as the next person, but to me, the story and a reasonable portrayal of the characters is more important, so much that I'm okay with skipping out on a lot of potentially erotic scenes if it just doesn't make sense or seems disloyal to the character or context. I'm certainly not looking for this story as an excuse to run from one sexy scenario to another. I have no issue with those who like smut-driven games, but it's not what I'm looking for. That said, I have a lot of ideas for things that could potentially come up. The captive situation I mentioned before, for instance. Maybe a sadistic ally extorts his knowledge of her condition and her fear of rejection to their benefit. Maybe she gets seriously drained of chakra and gets put into a position where she can't help the temptation to come into close contact with one of her comrades, in a subtle way so they won't notice. Her condition lends itself toward some mind-twisty and manipulative situations, but normal attraction and curiosity can certainly come into play as well, from occasional nudity or quiet, intimate moments. I don't expect any one particular scene, though. Rather, I just set up specific elements and let things play out as they may, and so long as we have an engaging tale and an enjoyable time with it, I'm cool with whatever we end up with it.

I agree. Smut for its own sake won't really occur in this game... That being said, I'm sure a few ninja consider it an entirely acceptable tactic using sex to gain information/favor/advantage. After all.. the second portion of the test is as much about defeating other teams as it is about securing alliances, no? A particularly benevolent person, for example, might want to ensure two other teams obtain both scrolls and move onto the next stage- the two teams that their original comrades are currently in.

And then there's always the opportunity for touching moments of vulnerability... Err.. touching in the emotional sense. ;)

Zaer; Bwaha, Guess Sakura's pink hair skipped a generation. :P I should have known that someone would make someone so close to the main cast.. though to be honest, I was hoping everyone would be from fairly anonymous backgrounds. I don't want anyone's character to be instantly recognizable as more 'important' or 'relevant' than anyone else's.

As far as being a 3rd Generation of the main cast, that'd make Naruto... let's see... probably in his 50s or 60s... depending on if Sarada beat teenage pregnancy. Also, fun fact...

According to Masashi Kishimoto, if a Sharingan user and a Byakugan user were to have a child, their offspring would have one Byakugan and one Sharingan.[11]

O_O

Err, nevermind all that. Since you took the time to write up a backstory, it's the least I can do to offer my input. :P I'd expect the grandson of both Naruto and Sasuke to have some... issues, and that can be a fun thing to explore. I do wonder where how Naruto would find the time to spend with his grandson, considering (as far as I can tell) the big problem he's facing with this new generation is that he's not being at attentive enough to his kids...

As for his teammates, yeah, I imagined he might feel a bit isolated from them as you said.. I'm inclined to think one looks upon him very fangirl/boyishly and the other is very resentful... ("lousy 'genius' thinks he's better than everybody else because of his ancestry...") and would see this exam as a chance to prove him or herself better. :P

Oh, you cheeser with taking the XP penalty. I won't feel bad if you don't end up leveling at the same time that everyone else does and right before the third stage, too... Nothing in life is free, after-all. ::)

It might be difficult for him to hide his name or reputation, given that a bunch of teams will have his fellow genin from Konoha in them. They'll likely spread the word to their teammates about his abilities, especially with the +2 bonus to reputation that Genius Nin gives. ;) And he would be among maybe the half a dozen living users of the Sharingan, depending on if Sasuke/Sarada had more children... At a minimum, he could be one of three living Sharingan users. It's kind of a big deal, which brings me back to my point initially where I didn't want one character to be considered more important than the others..

As an aside, I'm considering the possibility that Tsunade and the other World War veterans have begun a policy, similar to presidential term limits, where the Kage don't serve until death as they seem to have in the past. Given that this is a time of world peace and life expectancy for high-level ninja is probably much higher... it's entirely possible that Naruto retired, following Kakashi and Tsunade's example. (And the Third's too, albeit he unwillingly came out of retirement..)

[Vex]

That's quite a prodigious legacy for Yoshi. He could be very powerful. But, I can see that you've made it a source of his problem. That legacy is a chain of sorts, and he's constantly being burdened with the weight of it. With a linage that renown, what possibly could he do to get out of the shadow of his predecessors? He might make an interesting team, if it fits what Inerrant Lust is looking for. And if Keelan doesn't snatch you up first, of course. ;)

Seeing as Zaer volunteered a few things about his concept, I thought it appropriate to do the same for me. Hardly a finish product, but I might add on onto the post with time.

Shiori Kagetsuki

Shiori comes from Takigakure, relatively lucky for an orphan, being raised in a small hidden village with a surprising degree of prosperity despite it's size, thanks in part due to it's unique agriculture and a unusually high Jonin count. As such, despite her status as an orphan, she managed to have a rather normal time growing up, making a good group of friends, doing well with early academics, and with a knack for listening and problem-solving. So grateful she was to the community that accepted her, even without having a clan of her own, she decided early on that she wanted to become a kunoichi, to help give back with life-long servitude. In the academy, she excelled for a girl who had no blood-ties to her established ninja or clansmen to help nurture her talent. Dedicated, hard-working, and intuitively perceptive, Shiori graduated among the top of her class, rather popular among the classmates, and started her shinobi career as a most promising Genin.

That is, until that happened.

She always felt herself lucky to be accepted as a relative outsider in the small community, but she feared their opinion of her for being a "chakra-leeching monster" wouldn't be so kindly received. She tried to keep her social life in tact, at first, but when some of her friends and teammates started asking probing questions about her strange behavior of late drove her to grow increasingly withdrawn and reclusive. Nevertheless, she is a kind and compassionate soul, and it still shines from time to time, when her empathy would reveal itself to give aid and support towards others, her duties to others often outweighing her preferred privacy when push came to shove.

OOC-wise, she'll be your standard Medical-Nin build, at least in terms of levels, Dedicated 3/Medical Specialist 3, with a continuation of the latter class as she levels up. She has rather great mental stats, but her physical stats leave her fairly weak and vulnerable, and she's rarely going to engage in melee unless she has a trick or two up her sleeve for doing so (sneak attacking or disabling with her chakra scalpel, for example). I may have her utilize poison crafting for her shuriken and senbon needles. Has either a Fuuton or Suiton affinity, leaning slightly towards the former. Likely has a fair amount of Genjutsu as well, as I'll likely have her focus on disabling and debuffing than outright damage, possibly with a bit of battlefield control.

As a side note, although I had her bear the Kagetsuki name, it doesn't necessarily have a clan in this world. I was more using it as a placeholder, seeing as she's an orphan. Maybe she is one, but I'm not depending on there actually being a clan (or former clan) of chakra vampires.  I think it works better if her parentage is unknown, actually.

Other possible images

You've pretty much nailed it on the head what I want to accomplish, story-wise, with this campaign. As I said, also, I am not above hosting another game in the future involving these characters... For now, I just wanted to do a low level Naruto D20 game to bring on more interest in the system at E without worrying about heavy crunch. :P The name is fine, by the way. ;)

I'm glad to hear you say that, on all accounts. It seems like she'll work out just fine here. I appreciate your willingness to continue her story, but for the purposes of this game, I'm going to assume that that might not happen. We'll save any such decisions for the end of the game. Things may change at that time.

I think I will have quite a bit of fun as a GM... I also notice that a lot of the teams in Naruto tend to follow this archetype, or at least their characters generally have a dynamic along those lines... but with this exam, the teams will be randomly. The carefully selected trios that each village has organized, molded by the Jounin assigned to mentor them... are all thrown into a pile and picked apart. Three geniuses could end up on the same team, being such lone-wolfs that they don't preform nearly as well as the team of three losers who understand mutual support and teamwork...

Your Jounins, while important characters for at least the last 4-6 years of your PC's life... will only show up a little bit towards the beginning and end of the exams. :P

That sounds like a reasonable assessment. While it seems villages do arrange certain people together for certain reasons, this exam is less extensive in it's matching. Not that I think it should be entirely random, but the kind of arrangements made between villages leads to a less detailed arrangement. As such, it probably doesn't account for personality too much, and we can get any combination of personalities among the teams that remain. I was just making the reference for the sake of her usual team, not the one for the exams. It would be funny to see a group of geniuses who couldn't get along at all, as well as a group of passionate guys who really have no one to hold them back. I almost pity the all support team.

I agree. Smut for its own sake won't really occur in this game... That being said, I'm sure a few ninja consider it an entirely acceptable tactic using sex to gain information/favor/advantage. After all.. the second portion of the test is as much about defeating other teams as it is about securing alliances, no? A particularly benevolent person, for example, might want to ensure two other teams obtain both scrolls and move onto the next stage- the two teams that their original comrades are currently in.

And then there's always the opportunity for touching moments of vulnerability... Err.. touching in the emotional sense. ;)

Oh, I agree. I've always been of the opinion that was always a viable tactic. While there's hardly any canonical support for the idea, I've always liked the idea that, at the appropriate age, kunoichi (possibly male shinobi too, but I imagine there's a special emphasis for the females) are grouped up in special tactics to learn more about seductive tactics and perhaps learn a bit of sexual knowledge, like a chakra control technique that will help protect them from unwanted pregnancy or capture a target's attentions. It might be a bit crude, but if shinobi are trained to prepare for the cruel aspects of warfare, and the harsher realities of the world, I'm not sure why this wouldn't be one of those things, given how it has a chance to play out. Kunoichi techniques could be both a beneficial boon, promoting relationships between allies, to protect their shinobi on the battlefield and a tool to be used against potential enemies, or to limit the harm that enemies can inflict.

I can't talk about the specific intentions about the second part of the exams, seeing as you could make some sizable differences to the whole affair, but if it's anything like the manga's example, then it might very well promote cooperation and alliances between other land's shinobi. That said, there's also only a limited number of scrolls to receive, and assuming none of them are lost or destroyed, half the teams will be eliminated. So, there has to be some competitiveness to it as well. Finding who to trust, and who to fight could very well well be an important skill in that portion of the test.

[Zaer Darkwail]

I know its bit cheesy to have 'famous' ancestry but I wanted to play sharingan user and there is exactly only one guy in canon who has it (if speak living people); Sasuke. Also in canon he had a daugther already and I felt you want to play even 1 generation off that canon; so I gelt grandson of Sasuke would make sense. Then by my own idea I made Sasuke's daugther marry off Naruto's son (sort of settle peace between the two bloodlines which had been conflict since ages).

The pink hair indeed was my take that 'pink skipped a generation' deal :P. Also the pic which I found looks 'darkly handsome' even if he has pink hair (which stands out quite well). What comes to XP debt; I thought he takes level up and gets +2 sharingang (second tomoe) during the exams (as I thought he had not got emotional traumas or strongly emotional event which would had warranted second tomoe). You said it's 1-2 levels anyways during entire story, so I am fine my char just gets one level only (and that even going for his bloodline anyways). I felt it's more solid to build a 6th level char than 5th level + bloodline level (so not miss out a feat).

Also good call that one his teammates may indeed be irrationally hold hatred for him just for excisting in his team while other is other extreme; a fangirl who is already planning 'life together' with him and is extremely jealous of any other female gender being near him. I pity the fool who is his team jounin as he likely faced every day one drama or another in the team where Yoshi is in (and Yoshi feels distant or not connected at all with his teammates albeit he does try work and cooperate with them). He has politely avoided dates or giving ideas to the 'fangirl teammate' but because he is overly polite she thinks he loves her (when in truth she creeps hell out of him).

So I agree broken ace tag fits my char :P. Albeit not neccesary become a serial killer (but more likely leave entire village and the 'fame wagon' behind him). I think it fits that Naruto early retired as kage (and so had more time to look after his grandson). Sasuke Yoshi had met only likely once (likely after his sharingan manifested). Overall I think he is interesting concept even if I took famous parents and sharingan, but I hope I weaved them together to create strong plot/story hooks than just 'cheese way to get sharingan'. I can let you decide are there more than three sharingan users but I feel in this point it's going to be rare trait in shinobi world (I hardly imagine Sasuke having harem or lots of children, also his daugther is serious minded and felt she would be career driven woman anyways besides her husband so she would not had got time to make second set of children).

Also I do hope you get inspired to run longer game with the char (as I do get attached to chars), but I do understand this game is meant to be short and sweet.

Vex: Looks solid char to me and if my opinion matters I like the first alternative image (sexier look :P).

[Inerrant Lust]

Vex;

I have a preference for the first image for Shiori myself- both conservative and attracting at the same time. And it seems to fit her character, mysterious and at the same time vulnerable. :3 I occasionally draw my players' characters, when I have the motivation and when the mood strikes me.

As far as her lineage goes, that's up to you. The Kagetsuki have nothing really established in canon and I can't find out if they are inspired by something else or were just put in the Naruto D20 book as someone's homebrew. In any event, you have plenty of creative freedom there.

Zaer;

Just be forewarned, I am a little adverse to picking out one player as being inherently more important or relevant to the story (even a short story like this) than the others. In this case, I am sure a person of Yoshi's lineage will not go unnoticed by the other competitors.

Taking the XP penalty is valid, but I'm not inclined to inflate the number of encounters/awards to compensate, you know? Basically... if he ends up a level behind everyone for a little while or if he ends up on the same level, it's an "oh well" by me. I don't have planned every little encounter, obviously, so I can't tell you how it will work out. Just that I expect the PCs to be level 8 by the end, probably hitting level 7 during the second stage and hitting level 8 during preliminaries (if they have them) or the final stage. He could very well only reach level 8 after the last encounter at the end of the campaign. So just be prepared for that possibility. :P

(There's also the possibility of a preliminary stage between the first and second, but it's all up in the air at the moment. :P)

And it's an interesting take on Sarada/Boruto, so I have no qualms with that. It's just, as I said plenty of times before, I'm a little apprehensive about putting a character so immersed in the setting's lore with two relative newcomers... As a GM, I try to avoid having one PC singled out as the 'main character' with the others as sidekicks, you know?

I should read the Boruto stuff... I got so jaded with the actual plot of Naruto that I only finished the manga for a sense of catharsis. I still think some of the characters and the setting are full of amazing potential, though- hence why I run these games which tend to be far removed from the canon. ;)

I was actually considering a young Sharingan user as an NPC.. Wasn't sure his/her lineage, either as a child of Sarada or a long-deferred second child of Sasuke/Sakura... Except the idea was that it'd probably be a 12-13 year old who wasn't very confident, had a lot of weight resting on his/her shoulders, and actually played more support than anything else. It was a musing thought, though- when I was basically just looking down the list of classes/bloodlines to see what kind of characters I could make. :P

[Zaer Darkwail]

Well, if I play young sharingan user I fill the spot :P. Albeit not pure support role, but I know if you decline because 'too much spotlight to you'. But idea is that the spotlight is not on my char and his actions (as he would prefer try keep low profile) but no doubt things come up to his head once he is recognized (I assume it's big event and even if lots Konoha shinobi go there spread word around, they may not tell or talk to others about him unless they encounter him and his team who or what he is). It's possible the Konohan shinobi all are not aware he is participating.

Anycase story importance and such is up to you, even if his ancestry is big thing (and gives lots NPC interactions) but the story does not need circle around him or his grandparents. Anycase no need change battles or conflicts but it would be nice he gets level during either second or last stage of chuunin exam battle duels (so his sharingan gets second tomoe which mechanically is got when he takes bloodline level). If 2 levels is goal, it's likely he gets his 8th level (or more 7th level) after the third stage is over.

But anycase, willing stick as 6th level char entire affair although hoping to get level and thus take bloodline level in dramatic time (like in duel).

[TheFourthShade]

I'm interested, but I have some work to do on my idea.

My idea is a Katon favoring Genin who favors both close quarters and ranged kunai fighting, probably from the Village Hidden in the Leaf but I like the Mist Village as well.  I've got some work to do on the background, but I only work one more night this week after tonight so I'll hopefully have something more substantial in time.

[Vex]

Hey FourthShade! Nice to hear you're interested. Looks like we might have the team filled either way now!  ;D

A Katon-favored kunai specialist is an interesting concept. I can't say I've ever seen that before. I'd think Fuuton would be the element of choice for kunai fighting, as there seem to be quite a few techniques there that support a ranged fighter. Also, do keep in mind this Chuunin exam is likely taking place in Kirigakure, which might give your character home-town advantage, but it also means there's plenty of water around, which doesn't tend to be good for Katon-users. I'm not saying it isn't possible, though. Just might be worth thinking about. If you're still up for it, I'd be interested in seeing what you do with it.  :-)

I know its bit cheesy to have 'famous' ancestry but I wanted to play sharingan user and there is exactly only one guy in canon who has it (if speak living people); Sasuke. Also in canon he had a daugther already and I felt you want to play even 1 generation off that canon; so I gelt grandson of Sasuke would make sense. Then by my own idea I made Sasuke's daugther marry off Naruto's son (sort of settle peace between the two bloodlines which had been conflict since ages).

It's not a bad idea. I do get Inerrent Lust's point, and think it's a valid one, as he is likely the character with the most connection to recent historical events and to know important people (or at least be known by them). Still, I can see the appeal too. I kinda like the notion of someone who is the union of those mythical legacies actually trying to live their life, knowing they could never possibly live up to the potential everyone expects of them. Even if he is a genius, his grandfathers were both once-in-a-century kind of folk, literally destined for greatness that had more to do than with their blood and genetics. It creates a contrast between Shiori and Yoshi, one being blessed and bound by blood into a greatness they never asked for, and the other a promising young genin who has a curse in her veins, and afraid of the rejection it possibly bring. I think there's a dynamic there we can contrast and exploit, possibly to aid with Yoshi's own revelation.

That said, there is a logistical issue with his heritage, but not one that can't be solved. Both the Uchiha clan, and the Uzumaki clan have very few members at this point, and generally speaking, clan names are only carried on by the males of the family. Now, there are exceptions even in Japanese culture where, if a family line is down to it's last inheritor, and it's a female, that when she gets married, they can allow her husband to take her name instead of the other way around, so despite his father being an Uzumaki, it's reasonable to assume Yoshi inherited his surname for his mother. However, that means now that the Uzumaki name has no male to carry on their name. So, either Himawari had to convince her husband to take her name, to carry on that legacy (which would be fine for most clans who could afford to do so, although, I'd think some clans, like the Hyuuga, still wouldn't), or Naruto had another male child later on who could carry his name instead of Boruto. I suppose it could also be possible that Sasuke had a male child and Yoshi is decendant from him, but the early story for her dealt with the fact that she has hardly seen him at all over her childhood, so he just might not had been home long enough to father a second child.

The bigger issue I'm seeing with this team composition, at least from a mechanical standpoint, is that there doesn't seem to be anyone who's comfortable engaging in melee. We're all ranged combatants, for the most part. That might be manageable, but it could potentially rough against any Taijutsu-focused opponents we fight, especially in that last stage with one-on-one battles.

Vex;

I have a preference for the first image for Shiori myself- both conservative and attracting at the same time. And it seems to fit her character, mysterious and at the same time vulnerable. :3 I occasionally draw my players' characters, when I have the motivation and when the mood strikes me.

As far as her lineage goes, that's up to you. The Kagetsuki have nothing really established in canon and I can't find out if they are inspired by something else or were just put in the Naruto D20 book as someone's homebrew. In any event, you have plenty of creative freedom there.

I actually like the first one the most as well. I think conservative-yet-vunerable works for her concept and it's the only one that kinda looks like she's wearing what a kunoichi would wear (although, I have to say, I'm debating making that Zettai Ryouiki in the latter two pictures a thing in her final description). That's why I put it to the side of the text. I might just end up using the second as well, as it feels like a slightly older version than the first, and shares a lot in common, enough to believe that they might be the same person. All and all, I just used those three to give you an idea of how the character is supposed to look. All three fit the visage I was seeing in my head. While I'm not going to expect you to draw her (however awesome that would be), but at least I hope you have a good idea of the kind of look I'm going for with her. :-)

Yeah, as far as I can tell, the Kagetsuki is completely made up by the creators of the Naruto d20 system. Most of the non-cannon additions reference other series (DBZ, Rurouni Kenshin, Samurai Deeper Kyo, etc.) but the Kagetsuki, as far as I can tell, is completely homebrew. It's little more than a clan name to be associated with the Chakra Vampire bloodline, and frankly, the book provides little more than that, other than that they apparently make medicine that can help moderate their condition (although the book doesn't seem to provide an example of said drug). So, I'm not assuming they exist at all, and they might be little more than a rumor. Like I said, I think it works better if we play from the mysterious angle, and don't let it be known whether Shiori's condition comes from a unique bloodline or just a genetic defect similar to Lee's. It's a little beyond the scope of this particular story anyway.

I do feel the need to make some corrections, though. Before, I said that Yorori's similar ability to drain chakra was seen as common-place but looking back at the episode now, it seems even then, it was remarked as unique and special. So, from the get-go, it seems like this wasn't really meant to be common at all. It doesn't get much dramatic fanfare, but it is a rare ability. Perhaps Yorori in this setting might had also had this condition?

Also, one of the earlier speculations that I made, that kunoichi had special instructions unique to their gender, does in fact seem to be the case, based on a flashback that happened during the Sakura-Ino battle. Granted, the class in particular dealt with femininity more than sexuality (flower-arrangement was the focus of their task during the flashback), but I think it gives more credit to the idea that there might be classes that focus on such matters later on.

Anyway, I'm choosing between ditching Genius Ninja or not. I included it in the original build, because it's a pretty useful feat, and it allowed early access to only Chakra Vampire technique, Nyoukai no Kuchitsuke. But, as I work things out, I'm not sure it's all that helpful for her. Most Medical Ninjutsu require Chakra Control that often necessitate a particular level (and sometimes, as with the Chiyo techniques, a higher level than the rank would otherwise indicate), so it really doesn't help her get early access to the bulk of her focus. It helps with side Ninjutsu, but seeing as this game only deals with a couple of levels anyway, I'm not sure it's so ideal for it. I'm finding some higher level Genjutsu to be useful for keeping her safe (Kagekomu no Jutsu, for example), so Genjutsu Adept might be more useful to me, especially since it lets her start off with more techniques to fit them in. Are there any Genius exclusive feats that would be particularly useful for her, or do you guys think she should just ditch it?

I'm also thinking about Retrieval Expert as one of her feats. I think a sub-focus in Space-Time jutsu would be neat for her, as it similarly requires high Chakra Control and Ninjutsu to use, allows her to get past hostile zones on the battlefield without putting risk to herself, and to pull allies out of harm's way so she can heal them, although most of the latter stuff will likely be above rank 8. Though, the ability to potentially rip holes through space-time to deliver sneak attacks with her chakra scapel also sounds potentially pretty useful, which could be available by late game. I think it potentially neat, anyway, and a potential trick she can pull during the final round.

[Zaer Darkwail]

Well, I think it's up to you decide do you go genius ninja or not. But there is many useful (long term) feats which are exclusive for genius ninja (example able perform ninjutsu without using handseals at all or pick additional elemental affinities). However space-time jutsus are handy for many utility stuff or offensive or defensive. Although if you want turn your condittion into something frigthening you could be shadow arts user who drains chakra through shadow jutsus (basically start the game with custom jutsu which functions with your condittion accidentally as you developed technique originally to deliver healing jutsus through shadows but it also allows drain chakra while pin foes down).

[Vex]

I was more asking along the lines of if there was some specific feat that required Genius Ninja that would be perfect for her that I might had been overlooking. Path to Paragon offers a lots of options exclusive to Geniuses that would be a great fit in some builds. For instance, I'd love to do a Tenten-esque Shuriken Expert Taijutsu specialist someday, and the Genius-exclusive feats like Deadly Accuracy and Dexterous Genius would be perfect inclusions in that sort of build. There's a lot of Genius feats to like.

I just don't see anything that stands out for Shiori. Hand-Seals shouldn't be a problem for her, seeing as the chakra scalpel isn't prohibitive of using seals at all (and even if it was, it's a free action to dismiss and move action to re-apply). Medical Prodigy is kind of nice, but I don't think it's worth two feats, and for a Chakra Vampire who could theoretically use the local plant-life or her fellow comrade's chakra to extend further healing efforts, on top of the benefits of the Medicine skill, I don't think it's much use. Extradimensional Technique seems kinda neat, but it's a high level feat, and for a meta-chakra feat that raises a technique's perform conditions by a whopping 8, I'm not sure it's all's worth the difficulty, save in rather niche situations where you can see some of your opponent, but not all of your opponent (though it could be useful for using area effects, even if you can't clearly see one's opponent or the space around them, but that's probably more for a Ninjutsu nuker build that she isn't build for). So, I just don't see a whole lot of use for Genius aside gaining a few of her techniques a little earlier, and I asked simply because I wanted to be sure I wasn't missing an obvious advantage before dropping it.

Shadow ninjutsu is a neat idea, but most of them are Konoha Hijutsu, and I'm certainly not looking to stomp over the Nara clan's niche. As cool as absorbing through shadows would be, with that kind of versatility, I'd expect the chakra cost of such a technique would probably end up costing her just as much as she would gain, if not more. Might be useful if the point is just to deprive enemies of their chakra more than it is to actually gain it, though. I must admit, I love Kagebaku Shuriken no Jutsu, almost enough to take the feat just for that. It's extremely useful, cost effective, and just a cool visual concept. In fact, instead of creating a new technique, Shiori could just use the Shadow Binding Shuriken to hold enemies in paralysis, walk up to them, and drain them with Nyoukai no Kuchitsuke, with no real issues. Though, that's only with Nyoukai no Kuchitsuke. Using just the base Chakra Vampire ability, it's still probably not worth it. It's just not a good in-combat ability. A single chakra point a round is just too slow. It works much better with extended contact. Much more intimate too. ;)

[Inerrant Lust]

There's no need to be a Genius, really. In canon, I think the only people ever given that moniker are Sasuke and Neji, at least among their generation. Though Itachi and Kakashi qualify as well, given how they were practically toddlers when they were out killing people for the first time. :P I find it odd Shino's never given much attention, despite the fact that he's among the most successful of the original cast members at the things he sets out to do...

I have been ignoring Path to Paragon for the longest time, to be honest. Geniuses and those with extraordinary bloodlines/lineages, I find, are funner to make as briefly-occurring NPCs than as a PC. Then again, I haven't gotten to play in this system all that often. ;)

As for custom techniques... I'm not sure exactly what would fit Shiori, either. I'm also inclined to introduce rules that make it so victims of her chakra sucking touch don't notice it until they've had a more than insignificant amount drained... I mean, it's not like characters know what their chakra pool is like down to the points IC, right?

I would suggest a custom technique that is basically a copy paste of Nyoukai no Kuchitsuke and reducing the rank, requirements, and chakra damage. That is, if you want to use it in combat or at a quicker rate than 1 chakra per round. It might be just a loving embrace rather than a full blown kiss. I suppose, theoretically.. a more powerful version of Nyoukai no Kuchitsuke could be more than just a kiss...  ::)

Also, poisons are pretty viable for a medical specialist too... Paralyze an opponent and then drain them of their chakra? :P

As an aside...
Yoshi; 吉 "good luck", 義 "righteous", or 良 "good"
Shiori; 詩 (shi) "poem" combined with 織 (ori) "weave". It can also be from 栞 "bookmark, guide" (usually feminine)

[Zaer Darkwail]

Interesting thing to know what Yoshi name could mean when written. I wonder what meanings Tashi has? Anycase I try finish Tashi in today (friday). I have come conclusion the trueblood shinobi template is too much and so I thought remove it (so have more room and only deal with bloodline levels and the +1 ECL for having true red eyes).

[Inerrant Lust]

Yagami (Usually written as 八神 "eight, god") is a Japanese surname. And that's it. :P

Tashi is actually Tibetan, and means 'prosperous'.. as far as I can tell, it's part of a few Japanese words but not a word by itself.

[Vex]

There's no need to be a Genius, really. In canon, I think the only people ever given that moniker are Sasuke and Neji, at least among their generation. Though Itachi and Kakashi qualify as well, given how they were practically toddlers when they were out killing people for the first time. :P I find it odd Shino's never given much attention, despite the fact that he's among the most successful of the original cast members at the things he sets out to do...

I have been ignoring Path to Paragon for the longest time, to be honest. Geniuses and those with extraordinary bloodlines/lineages, I find, are funner to make as briefly-occurring NPCs than as a PC. Then again, I haven't gotten to play in this system all that often. ;)

I wouldn't say there's any need for Genius either, but it can be a useful feat for many concepts. I find it a pretty good feat, and many of the exclusive feats helpful for many concepts. It may be a good choice for a Livewire, like ShadowFox seems to be planning, as the Gloom Weaver feat seem like they would be ideal, offering an extra wire trick.  I originally included it because this was a short-campaign, and it gave Shiori early access to Nyoukai no Kuchitsuke, which is still true, but it doesn't really help her with Medical Ninjutsu (seeing as most of them have Chakra Control rank requirements that prevent getting them early, even if you are a Genius) and if I go with Retrieval Expert, it won't help her with those either (for similar reasons). I don't think it's worth getting for early access for one particular jutsu, even if it's a good one for her concept.

I honestly don't use bloodlines much either. I just find those level adjustments too disagreeable, even if they do offer some cool things. Shiori and Masumi (my Hyuuga concept from Keelan's game) are exceptions, because I found the Chakra Vampire intruiging (and it helps that it has no LA), and the Hyuuga bloodline is pretty unique in that it offers the chance to make a Wisdom-based fighter that has some pretty neat thematic to it. The only other time I've ever made a bloodline character was a Genjutsu-based Sharingan user, but that's because it was a game specifically built around the Uchiha.

As for custom techniques... I'm not sure exactly what would fit Shiori, either. I'm also inclined to introduce rules that make it so victims of her chakra sucking touch don't notice it until they've had a more than insignificant amount drained... I mean, it's not like characters know what their chakra pool is like down to the points IC, right?

I would suggest a custom technique that is basically a copy paste of Nyoukai no Kuchitsuke and reducing the rank, requirements, and chakra damage. That is, if you want to use it in combat or at a quicker rate than 1 chakra per round. It might be just a loving embrace rather than a full blown kiss. I suppose, theoretically.. a more powerful version of Nyoukai no Kuchitsuke could be more than just a kiss...  ::)

I'd appreciate such rules. I want it to be a subtle thing, at least until they start feeling the effects of chakra exhaustion. It'll be a big help towards her trying to keep it a secret, and lend it some potential as a subtle tactic. And, for this game in particular, the intimacy required creates some unique RP opportunities. It's not often you can find a legit reason for the sexuality of a kunoichi as a legit tool in the field beyond simple seduction.

I'm not sure she particularly needs a complex custom technique. She's a Genin, after all. All Nyoukai no Kuchitsuke does is speed up the drain for a single round, really, and is designed to be used in combat. I say we just create a version that can only be used in non-combat situation, and requires extended skin-to-skin contact that lasts longer than a full round or maybe even over the course of a minute or more (be it embracing, making out, groping, or anything with such intimacy). The difficulty in pulling that off against a potential enemy, and it's uselessness in combat situations, should be enough to lower it's rank to a level she can use it.

Also, poisons are pretty viable for a medical specialist too... Paralyze an opponent and then drain them of their chakra? :P

Heh. If poisons only worked that way. Very few poisons actually incapacitate in any short length of time. For most poison, you're just trying to deal ability damage damage. Theoretically that can incapacitate them if it reaches 0, but that takes a while and a lot of failed checks. There are a couple of special poisons that knock out or paralyze opponents instead of doing damage, but I think most of them are higher levels than what we'd have access to as Genin. The only exception I can think of would be Chakra Mantle, but it requires she use it against an opponent who has low chakra (which can be thematically appropriate, now that I think about it).

That said, ability damage is useful, and is hard to heal. Shiori does have the skill to craft them, so I certainly don't see why she couldn't coat some senbon needles with poison and throw those, for instance, seeing as she's never really going to do much damage based on her strength. I see her less of a Medical-Nin like Sakura and Tsunade, and more of the style of Kabuto and Shizune, a crafty sort not opposed to using their knowledge for some underhanded tactics. Using poison works for her, and she certainly has less to fear with using it, seeing as she can always heal it's effects in ways that other ninja generally can't. Theoretically, she doesn't even need the Craft Poison feat either. Sure, she takes a -4 penalty to craft without it, and faces a small chance to be poisoned, but those are less worrisome for her than it would be for others.

[Jayna]

Any room in this open still?:)

[Zaer Darkwail]

There is room ofc :)

[Inerrant Lust]

There's room. It's not strictly first come first serve, but I am only going to take three players.

I'll make the team based on pretty much how well I think they'll work together, the interactions possible between them, and other things. The more fluff you can give me, the easier it is for me to choose. :P

[TheFourthShade]

The idea I have is unfinished and a little unpolished, but at least I've got the background down.

Some combination of Strong Hero and probably Taijutsu Master.  Maybe Sacred Fist.  Just depends on what I decide, I suppose.

----

To be born into the life of a Missing Nin is a terrible fate for a child, usually, and a short one.

Yamagato Hitoshi was not a normal child.  His mother did little to draw attention to herself, keeping a dojo of sorts hidden not all that far from the Konohagakure.  Truth be told, her largest crime was fleeing the service of her village, but for a Jounin that was unacceptable.

He learned the art of close quarters combat from a young age, training hard.  She made him learn techniques from scrolls and to practice the art of laying traps.   She taught him the importance of not holding things against even enemy combatants, that defeating them was to not be personal.

On his twelfth birthday, she surrendered to the ninjas raiding her dojo in exchange for her son's life and that he be spared the sight of her being killed.

He was recruited into the service of the Konohagakure and, after a cursory exam that was preceded by a couple of loyalty tests, allowed to be a genin.  He was not very welcome in his squad, both the only male sharing the group with three kunoichi, and everyone knew that he was not of the Village.  His Jounin watched him for betrayal, his Akimichi comrade only really valued him as a sparring partner, and his red eyed, genjutsu using comrade frequently used him as a test subject.  He worked with them and did his best to support them, doing his best to live by his mother's advice.  He was always a little angry, though, and he often took it out on other people and things around his modest apartment.

In a way, this toughened him up, but he eventually snapped one day when he was trapped in a genjutsu that showed him his mother suffering.

He couldn't have known that the jutsu used his own memories against him, rather than being a plotted reconstruction, and seeing her in pain brought back all of the pain of losing her.

He raged and fought like a man gone wild.  To be truthful, he absolutely was...and he nearly won.  If it weren't for the Jounin stepping in, he might have done something he regretted.

They were forced to bond after that and, though it was a painful process.  He had to open up and accept what had happened to him, and he had to accept that he had surely done some bad things just as they had.

From then, they were closer even if their relationship became a lot more professional.

They had their regrets, and they would likely separate to the winds once their time as Genin was done.

Hitoshi hopes that his purpose will be fulfilled as a ninja.  He can't predict what's going to happen, but he wants to make it work.

[Zaer Darkwail]

Okay, that's quite dramatic background and also I wonder honestly how Hitoshi could hold any loyalty to very people who killed his own mother (only person he ever knew and was close to) and if he nearly killed someone on his squad because of memory relive genjutsu, then he is strongly liabillity to any team to take in. Also considering it's era of peace and Hokage of the village at the time may had been Naruto Uzumaki (before he retired), so he would not had allowed to 'just kill someone living in the woods near Konohagakure'. Some other village may had been jealous or more aggressive keep Jounin in line, but still in era of peace killing rogue jounin who just mind their own business would be quite bit harsh. Unless reason why said jounin went to exile was because of criminal activities or outright murder of fellow jounin (and thus village demand justice).

My own thoughts on the matter :)

[Inerrant Lust]

After reading a few of the gaiden chapters and whatnot, it seems more likely to me that the third Sharingan user after Sarada would more likely her sibling than her child. I mean, she has ambitions to become Hokage, no? While it's all up in the air since they're adolescents at this point in the manga, I don't know if she'd settle down for motherhood before she's well into adulthood and on her way to attaining her goal. She had never met her father until she was 12.. him being away on super secret missions and whatnot. It's likely then that sometime after the gaiden manga, Sasuke and Sakura probably hooked up again.... probably when they took their first family portrait. Then we'd be 16-18 years past the events of Boruto instead of 20+ years...

It would also allow me to push the timeline a little closer towards the epilogue, so it isn't too far in the future... I'm reluctant to get a little too crazy with it. :P

Looks good, shade. I have a few questions.. is his teammate a sharingan user as well? :P Or is it implied to be someone related to Kurenai? I always wished her origins and character got a little more attention... Full of angst, but nothing too crazy. Also gives me more fodder to use as NPCs. I already had in mind a female Akimichi running around...

Also, Hitoshi's mother wasn't a missing-nin of Konoha, was she? Or was she just hiding near Konoha? I do agree with Zaer that persecuting missing-nin might have been common place before the Shinobi Alliance, they probably wouldn't allow it now. I mean, a Kumogakure ninja moved to Konoha and had Akimichi babies... while Shikamaru and Temari also got together. I imagine they're not as serious about preserving secrets as they once were.

But then again, yeah, it could be she went rogue because of some kind of plot... like she was a member of internals affairs who stumbld on the SWAT team pocketing bags full of coke.  ::)

[TheFourthShade]

I'd just have to agree with that last statement for the sake of understanding on the part of Inerrant, either that or her crime is of such an intensity that it could not be forgiven or that a vendetta was plotted in spite of any more rational power's ruling.  Maybe the reason that he was given the opportunity to serve is because the powers that be learned of a vendetta against his mother?  Hm...

With regards to what you said, Zaer, it's always been my thought that such situations happen when you put trained killers together.  Of course, I've seen people beat each other up and have to work together to get over it, and I was imagining something closer to intensive group therapy to help them work together better (and possibly intensive disciplinary restrictions).

[Vex]

@ TheFourthShade - I support Zaer's and Inerrant Lust's comments on the matter. I'm fine with the dramatic element, but I'm not the placement is right. Granted, I think the "world at peace" line is a bit of a crock. Naruto may believe there world is at peace, but I doubt that's truly the reality. It just strikes me as simple naivete. That's not human nature. As long as there is power to be gained, valuable resources to be secured, and grudges to be had, there will always be conflict. Maybe they might all be more diplomatic about it than they used to, but beyond the public appearances, I have to imagine there's still power struggles going on, just more swept under the rug than it used to be.

That said, I don't think Konohagakure is the village that you'd think would do something like that. Even before the new era, they're more naturally peaceable than most (as they have the luxury to be, with a collection of the most powerful ninja to have ever existed and by all accounts, a rather temperate climate and resource rich environment). I think something like that might work better for one of the smaller villages that aren't held to the same standard as the big five. Amegakure might be the most ideal village, as it has a vast history of civil war and internal dispute being carried out publicly, so even the "peaceful" treaties wouldn't be able to put that aside, really. They also are reputed for their notoriously short tempers, which fits well with the character. Another solid choice might be Otogakure, assuming it still exists, as it's basically a village of little more than missing-nin from other countries (or, at least it was at one time). 

Build-wise, I think there's potential with a character like that in this game, as we have a shortage of melee-centric concepts. I don't think Sacred Fist is a good match for this character, though. The Sacred Fist is a serene and calm martial artist, not a blood-thirsty and rage-prone one. It might be acceptable, however, if you want your character's story to be to calm the rage he feels inside. In that case, Sacred Fist might be a good choice, but only after he's gained a fair amount fo control and discipline. Taijutsu Master would be a better alternative, if you want the rage-issue to remain.

Rather, maybe this character has a legacy with the Kaguya clan. I'd love to see what this character could do with the Shikotsu Myaku bloodline, but you'd have to talk to Inerrant Lust about that one, as he's got a good reason to object to it, seeing as it's an extinct clan now. But, even if he doesn't let you take it, I'd see if he might be willing to let you take the Warmonger class associated with the clan. Shikotsu Myaku doesn't really have any influence on the class' powers, and if the bloodline requirement removed, then it should theoretically work fine on it's own. Outside of that, Beastmaster might be a good choice, as it gives a rage-like ability of it's own, and can net you a neat animal companion to help with your general raging tactics.

Perhaps we can work that Kaguya-related angle into the mix. Maybe it's true that Shikotsu Myaku no longer truly exists, but the remants from the clan still inherented the clan's physical prowess and inherent bloodlust. This could help explain why his mother was killed, after she went rampage on a particular incident and ended up killing a couple of Chuunin or something. It also gives them a good reason to be weary about Yamagato, even if he accepts to join them as a shinobi, as his clan is known for going into bursts of violent, uncontrollable insanity.

@ Inerrant Lust - I've almost completed the sheet, but I saw a particular curiosity I wanted to work out before I submit it. Do templates require the Advanced Bloodline feat, even if they have no Bloodline levels? The Kagetsuki clan's occupation seems to imply they do, seeing as it offers the Advanced Bloodline (Chakra Vampire) feat as a possible bonus. But, a reading of the feat itself says that all it does is that it allows the user to take levels in a bloodline, which the Chakra Vampire doesn't have. Similarly, when I look at the example builds for Sasuke, Naruto and Gaara, to see how their Cursed Seal, the Ghastly Inheritance and the Bearer of Shukaku templates reflect on their builds, respectively, and it seems like none of them have an Advanced Bloodline feat, even though all of those have level adjustments attached to them. So, what do you say? I've already written the build as if she needs it, so it's not loss if you rule she does, but if the feat honestly does nothing for her, then I'm inclined to ditch it.

[TheFourthShade]

Nah, the rage issue's dying through the backstory.  I've got thinking to do, in any case.  I'll be back with another idea, I think, or a refinement of this one.

[Inerrant Lust]

@ TheFourthShade - I support Zaer's and Inerrant Lust's comments on the matter. I'm fine with the dramatic element, but I'm not the placement is right. Granted, I think the "world at peace" line is a bit of a crock. Naruto may believe there world is at peace, but I doubt that's truly the reality. It just strikes me as simple naivete. That's not human nature. As long as there is power to be gained, valuable resources to be secured, and grudges to be had, there will always be conflict. Maybe they might all be more diplomatic about it than they used to, but beyond the public appearances, I have to imagine there's still power struggles going on, just more swept under the rug than it used to be.

More or less what I had in mind. I was toying with the idea that there hasn't been a war between any of the Five nations in nearly 20 years... but that minor places like Kusa/Ame/Taki are having small conflicts that basically make the five hidden villages feel uncomfortable. Almost like a Cold War vibe. Of course each Kage has their preferred 'vassal'... but they can't risk joining the war openly. Though I suppose occasionally a few 'observers' or 'trainers' from the great nations get caught in the crossfire and are forced to defend themselves.

In fact, if I continue this past the exams... the theme of 'world peace' will be central, I think..

As for the template question.. unless it is specifically required by a feat (like Moujoo Aishuwu or however you spell it), then I don't think it's necessary to take a feat. In all likelihood, that's just a remnant of an earlier version of the pdf.

I am sleepy now and I will return with more to say in the morning, I think...

[Zaer Darkwail]

After reading a few of the gaiden chapters and whatnot, it seems more likely to me that the third Sharingan user after Sarada would more likely her sibling than her child. I mean, she has ambitions to become Hokage, no? While it's all up in the air since they're adolescents at this point in the manga, I don't know if she'd settle down for motherhood before she's well into adulthood and on her way to attaining her goal. She had never met her father until she was 12.. him being away on super secret missions and whatnot. It's likely then that sometime after the gaiden manga, Sasuke and Sakura probably hooked up again.... probably when they took their first family portrait. Then we'd be 16-18 years past the events of Boruto instead of 20+ years...

Aha, so my char would be fourth user of sharingan then. Did not know Sarada has sibling (at least wiki did not tell nothing about it).

[Vex]

Here we go! I have her character sheet ready, or at least the first draft. I'll be making edits to this post to add more detail to her description and her past as I go along, maybe describing childhood friends, her team, and how she awoke to her disorder and what she's done since. I just wanted to get what I have out there for now.

I'm still willing to make some changes to her sheet, should there be any conflicts. I may shift her primary affinity to Suiton, for instance, should someone else be interested in Fuuton instead. All and all, I like how it's come out. She's a bit on the weak and vulnerable side, but I think she has some neat options to counter-act being an easy target.

Shiori

Shiori comes from Takigakure, a small hidden village with a surprising degree of prosperity despite it's size, thanks in part due to it's unique agriculture and a unusually high Jonin count. Being an orphan was hardly what most people would call fortunate, but for someone to grow up without parents, she made out better than most to be brought into a rather prosperous and tight-knit community, with the affluence to take care of such lost souls. Although she was always curious as to the nature of her parents, it didn't manage to distract her from living with some semblance of a normal life. She managed to have a rather normal time growing up, making a good group of friends, doing well with early academics, and with a knack for listening and problem-solving. So grateful she was to the community that accepted her, even without having a clan of her own, she decided early on that she wanted to become a kunoichi, to help give back with life-long servitude. In the academy, she excelled for a girl who had no blood-ties to her established ninja or clansmen to help nurture her talent. Dedicated, hard-working, and intuitively perceptive, Shiori graduated among the top of her class, rather popular among the classmates, and started her shinobi career as a most promising Genin.

That is, until that happened.

She always felt herself lucky to be accepted as a relative outsider in the small community, but she feared their opinion of her for being a "chakra-leeching monster" wouldn't be so kindly received. She tried to keep her social life in tact, at first, but when some of her friends and teammates started asking probing questions about her strange behavior of late drove her to grow increasingly withdrawn and reclusive. Nevertheless, she is a kind and compassionate soul, and it still shines from time to time, when her empathy would reveal itself to give aid and support towards others, her duties to others often outweighing her preferred privacy when push came to shove.

Sheet

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Basic Information

Character Name  : Shiori                   Height : 5'2"
Player Name     : Vex                      Weight : 100 lbs
Character Race  : Human                    Eyes   : Blue
Gender          : Female                   Hair   : Black
Size            : Medium                   Age    : 16
ECL             : 6                        Speed  : 40'
Primary Element : Fuuton                   Rep    : +2
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Character Class Information

Class and Level     : Dedicated Hero 3
Class and Level     : Medical Specialist 3
Class and Level     :
Bloodline Levels    :

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Ability Scores

Strength     : 08 (-1)     08 point buy + 0 racial + 0 level + 0 misc
Dexterity    : 14 (+2)     14 point buy + 0 racial + 0 level + 0 misc
Constitution : 10 (+0)     10 point buy + 0 racial + 0 level + 0 misc
Intelligence : 16 (+3)     16 point buy + 0 racial + 0 level + 0 misc
Wisdom       : 19 (+4)     19 point buy + 0 racial + 1 level + 0 misc
Charisma     : 14 (+2)     14 point buy + 0 racial + 0 level + 0 misc

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Combat Statistics

Hit Points        : 36/36
Action Points     : 9
Initiative        : +2     2 Dex + 0 misc

Base Attack (BAB) : +0
Base Melee        : +3     4 BAB +-1 Str + 0 misc
Base Ranged       : +6     4 BAB + 2 Dex + 0 misc

Combat Maneuver   : +03         4 BAB +-1 Str + 0 misc          <- CMB
Maneuver Defense  : +15    10 + 4 BAB +-1 Str + 2 Dex + 0 misc  <- CMD

Armor Class       : 19     10 base + 3 armor + 4 class + 2 Dex + 0 misc
Touch AC          : 16     10 base +         + 4 class + 2 Dex + 0 misc
Flat-Footed AC    : 19     10 base + 3 armor + 4 class +       + 0 misc

Additional Calculations

Weapon: Chakra Scalpel           Weight: -             Material:
Move Name    Type      Atk    Damage    Crit     Range   Type    Special
Attack      |Melee  |  +8   | 1d4+3  |  20/x2  |   -   |   S   | Touch, Chakra

Weapon: Kodachi                  Weight: 1.25 lbs      Material: Thorium
Move Name    Type      Atk    Damage    Crit     Range   Type    Special
Attack      |Melee  |  +3   | 1d6-1  |  20/x2  |   -   |   S   | Defensive

Weapon: Kunai                    Weight: 1 lb          Material: Thorium
Move Name    Type      Atk    Damage     Crit     Range   Type    Special
Attack      |Ranged |  +6   | 1d4-1  |  19-20/x2 | 10ft |   P   | 

Weapon: Throwing Needle          Weight: -             Material: Thorium
Move Name    Type      Atk    Damage     Crit     Range   Type    Special
Attack      |Ranged |  +6   |   1    |   20/x2   | 10ft |   P   | See Text

Armor: Battle Vest               Weight: 5 lbs         Material:
    Type         AC  MaxDex Pen.  Speed  Special
Concealable  |  +2 |  +5  | -0 |  30ft | None

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Saving Throws

Fortitude  : +4    3 base + 0 Con + 0 misc
Reflex     : +5    3 base + 2 Dex + 0 misc
Will       : +9    5 base + 4 Wis + 0 misc

Conditional Bonuses and Penalties :
+2 to saves made against Chakra draining or damaging effects
-2 to saves made against Katon techniques

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Background Abilities and Features

Academy Student
Skills: Conversation, Deception, Stealth
Feat: Ninjutsu Adept
Reputation: +0
Wealth: +1
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bloodline/Template Abilities and Features

Chakra Vampire

Saves: Shiori gains a +2 bonus to saves against Chakra draining and
   damaging effects.
Skills: The character suffers a -2 penalty to Chakra Control checks.
Special Qualities: Suppressed Chakra Retention Disorder, Chakra Vampire.

Descriptions

Suppressed Chakra Retention Disorder (Su): Shiori is completely unable to recover
   chakra or tap his chakra reserves. She recovers absolutely no chakra from resting, and
   she is unable to make a Chakra Control check to tap her reserves. The only means to
   recover one's Chakra is the use of certain chemical, techniques or the chakra vampire
   ability. In addition, Shoiri will lose 1 point of Chakra every 4 hours of the day, even
   during sleep. She cannot recover hit points from resting unless his chakra pool is 1
   or higher.

Chakra Vampire (Su): As an attack action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity,
   Shiori may make a touch attack against a creature and deal 1 point of chakra damage.
   If the attack was successful, all damage dealt is added to her chakra pool,
   which may not exceed of its normal maximum by more than 6. Shiori can also absorb chakra
   from the wildlife of sufficient size. On all living, non sentient being of small size
   or larger (a big plant or a tree, for example), she may remain in contact with
   it for 1 full minute and absorb 2 points of Chakra from it. For every point of Chakra,
   the being targeted suffers 1d6+2 point of damage that ignores all hardness. Once the
   target is dead, absorbing chakra from it is impossible. In addition, Shiori is
   not allowed to double her training schedule because she can replenish his Chakra Pool
   using this ability. This ability can be controlled by her, and she may choose
   to drain less chakra at will.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Class Talents and Features

Dedicated 1    : Empathy
Dedicated 3    : Intuition
Medical Spec 1 : Medical Ability
Medical Spec 1 : Chakra Scalpel (1d4)
Medical Spec 1 : Bonus Chakra
Medical Spec 2 : Expert Healer
Medical Spec 3 : Sneak Attack +1d6

Descriptions

Empathy: Shiori has a knack for being sensitive to the feelings and thoughts of others
   without having those feelings and thoughts communicated in any objectively explicit
   manner. This innate talent provides a +3 bonus on checks involving interaction
   skills (Conversation and Deception), provided she spends at least 1 minute observing
   her target prior to making the skill check.

Intuition: Shiori has an innate ability to sense trouble in the air. Three times a day,
   she can make a DC 15 Will save. On a successful save, she gets a hunch that everything
   is all right, or she gets a bad feeling about a specific situation, at the GM's
   discretion.

Medical Ability: Shiori can attempt to learn Medical techniques without suffering the
   usual penalty to the Learn check, and the increased time. Also, she gains +1 to
   Learn checks when learning Medical ninjutsu, and to Perform checks to use Medical
   techniques.

   In addition, when using any of the Iryou Ninjutsu: Chiyu techniques, she heals the
   target every 5 rounds rather than every minute. The duration of the techniques change
   accordingly.

Chakra Scalpel: Shiori can produce to produce Chakra at the tip of her finger and use it
   as a sharp knife. The chakra scalpel can be created as a move action that does not
   provoke attacks of opportunity, as long as her chakra pool is 1 or higher. The chakra
   scalpel deals slashing damage and counts as though it was chakra-enhanced for the purpose.
   of overcoming damage reduction. The chakra scalpel deals 1d4 points of damage. She
   doesn't apply her Strength modifier when attacking with a chakra scalpel, but can deal
   non-lethal damage without taking the standard -4 penalty to attack rolls. Attacking with
   a chakra scalpel is a melee touch attack modified by the medical specialist's Wisdom
   modifier.

Expert Healer: Shiori’s ability to restore hit points with a medical kit or surgery kit
   and a successful use of the Medicine skill improves. In addition to the normal hit
   point recovery rate, she restores an additonal 3 extra hit points.

   She also gains a +1 enhancement bonus to his effective skill threshold for to perform
   Medical ninjutsu techniques.

Sneak Attack: If Shiori can catch an opponent when he is unable to defend himself
   effectively from her attack, she can strike a vital spot for +1d6 extra damage.
   Creatures immune to critical hits and sneak attacks, or who have concealment,
   do not suffer extra damage.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Feats

Racial Feat     : Surgery
Occupation Feat : Ninjutsu Adept
Level 1 Feat    : Will Over Flesh
Level 1 Feat    : Genin (Sense Chakra)
Dedicated 1     : Simple Weapon Proficiency
Dedicated 1     : Nin Weapon Proficiency
Dedicated 1     : Light Armor Proficiency
Dedicated 1     : Medium Armor Proficiency
Dedicated 2     : Harmony
Level 3 Feat    : Genjutsu Adept
Level 5 Feat    : Improved Avoidance
Medical Spec. 2 : Reverse Doctor

Descriptions

Genin: Grants Shiori access to "Liscensed" material, +1 to Wealth, and the
   Sense Chakra ability.

Genjutsu Adept: Shiori gain a +2 bonus to Genjutsu checks, the DCs of
   her Genjutsu techniques increases by 1, and she gains a +1 bonus to her
   effective skill threshold when performing Genjutsu techniques. In
   addition, she may make 1 additional attempt when learning Genjutsu
   techniques.

Harmony: Shiori gains a +1 bonus to Chakra Control checks, and the DCs of
   her Chakra Control techniques increase by 1. In addition, she automatically
   learns and passes perform requirements for the Kinobori and Tadayou
   techniques.

Improved Avoidance: Up to three times a day, Shiori can use a meta-chakra
   charge while using a "defensive manuever" or "avoiding an attack" action
   to make it not count towards the technique's use per day nor the maximum
   use of that specific action per day. This is a Meta-chakra feat.

Ninjutsu Adept: Shiori gain a +2 bonus to Ninjutsu checks, the DCs of
   her Ninjutsu techniques increases by 1, and she gains a +1 bonus to her
   effective skill threshold when performing Ninjutsu techniques. In
   addition, she may make 1 additional attempt when learning Ninjutsu
   techniques.

Reverse Doctor: Shiori can use her Dex or Int mod when making attacks with
   her chakra scalpel instead of her Wis. She may also add up to +3 of
   either modifier to her damage rolls made with the chakra scalpel.

Surgery: Shiori can use her Medicine skill to perform surgery without
   penalty.

Will Over Flesh: Shiori uses hes Wisdom modifier to determine the total
   amount of chakra she may have instead of using her Constitution modifier,
   and chakra recovered while resting.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Skills and Languages 

[c] Acrobatics         : +09    5 ranks + 2 Dex + 2 misc - 0 armor
[c] Artisan            : +03    0 ranks + 3 Int + 0 misc
[c] Athletics          : +00    0 ranks +-1 Str + 1 misc - 0 armor
[c] Chakra Control     : +12    9 ranks + 4 Wis +-1 misc
[c] Conversation       : +07    3 ranks + 2 Cha + 2 misc
[c] Deception          : +05    3 ranks + 2 Cha + 0 misc
[c] Fuinjutsu          : +03    0 ranks + 3 Int + 0 misc
[c] Gamble             : +04    0 ranks + 4 Wis + 0 misc
[c] Genjutsu           : +13    9 ranks + 2 Cha + 2 misc
[ ] Handle Animal      : +02    0 ranks + 2 Cha + 0 misc
[c] Investigate        : +10    5 ranks + 3 Int + 2 misc
[c] Knowledge Lore     : +08    5 ranks + 3 Int + 0 misc
[ ] Mechanic           : +05    0 ranks + 3 Int + 2 misc
[c] Medicine           : +13    9 ranks + 4 Wis + 0 misc
[c] Ninjutsu           : +14    9 ranks + 3 Int + 2 misc
[c] Outdoorsmanship    : +05    1 ranks + 4 Wis + 0 misc
[c] Perception         : +13    9 ranks + 4 Wis + 0 misc
[c] Professional       : +10    6 ranks + 4 Wis + 0 misc
[c] Stealth            : +10    5 ranks + 2 Dex + 3 misc - 0 armor
[c] Taijutsu           : +00    1 ranks +-1 Str + 0 misc

Tactics

Field Surgery - Enables use of the Medicine skill without the proper kit.

Synergies

Acrobatics (5)    : +2 on Dexterity checks to bind someone with rope.
Acrobatics (5)    : +2 on Athletic checks made to jump.
Acrobatics (5)    : +3 Defense bonus when fighting defensively.
Acrobatics (5)    : +6 Defense bonus when executing a total defense.
Chakra Control (5): +2 on Learn checks with Chakra Control techniques.
Deception (5)     : +2 on Stealth checks.
Deception (5)     : +1 enhancement bonus to perform requirements towards any
                       Compulsion technique.
Genjutsu (5)      : +2 on Learn checks with Genjutsu techniques.
Investigate (5)   : +2 on Conversation checks.
Knowledge Lore (5): +2 on Artisan checks to decipher ancient writings.
Knowledge Lore (5): +2 on Learn checks when mastering, developing
                       or creating techniques.
Medicine (5)      : +2 on Investigate checks.
Medicine (5)      : +2 on Mechanic checks.
Ninjutsu (5)      : +2 on Learn checks with Ninjutsu techniques.
Perception (5)    : +2 on Outdoorsman checks made to find or follow tracks.
Professional (5)  : +2 on Conversation checks made to plead a legal case.
Stealth (5)       : +1 enhancement bonus to perform checks for techniques
                       requiring hand seals or half seals.

Other Conditional Skill Bonuses/Penalties
+3 to Conversation and Deception checks, if she's had at least 1 minute
   to observe the target.
+1 to Learn and Perform checks made for Medical ninjutsu techniques.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wealth and Equipment

Wealth Bonus: +22

Drugs Consumed


Equipment (Weight):

Antidote, General (6)
Antidote, Nightly Paste (3)
Battle Vest (5 lbs)
  - Minor seal slot
Belt Pouch (3) (3 lbs)
Chakra Mantle (8 doses)
Chemical Kit (6 lbs)
Exploding Kunai (2)
Forehead Protector (1 lb)
Iron Wire, 20 ft (1 lb)
Nightly Paste (8 doses)
Ninja Outfit, Casual (2 lbs)
Ninja Outfit, Standard (Night) (3 lbs)
Paper Bombs, Lesser (10)
Portable Radio (0.5 lbs)
Preservation Container, Tiny (2) (1 lb)
Rebreather (2 lbs)
Ration Pills (6)
Sentinal's Cloak (1 lb)
Smoke Bomb (5) (1 lb)
Shuriken Holster (1 lb)
Thorium Throwing Needles (20) (1 lb)
Thorium Kunai (5) (1 lb)
Thorium Kodachi  (1.25 lbs)


Total Weight: 23.75 lbs
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
LOAD:  Light   Medium (-3) Heavy/Max (-6)  Lift (x 2)  Push/Drag (x 5)
       26 lb     53 lb        80 lb          160 lb        400 lb
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sealed Item Slots

Armor     : Mystical - +1 AC
Back      : Sentinel's Cloak - DR 1/chakra, +5 to checks and saving throws
               against extreme weather.
Feet      : Swift Sandals - Land movement speed increases by 10.
Head      :
Neck      :
Ring #1   :
Ring #2   :
Waist     : Acrobatic Sash - +1 to Acrobatic and Athletic checks.
               Instant action: Reroll a Acrobatic or Athletic check [1/day]
Wrists    : Precision Bands - +1 to Dexterity and Acrobatics checks.
               1 chakra, free action: +1 ranged weapon damage for 1 round
               [1/day]
Weapon    :
Weapon    :

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Techniques

Chakra Pool: 40/34
Chakra Reserve: --/24
Meta-Chakra: 2/2

Primary Affinity: Fuuton
Secondary Affinities: -

Chakra Control +12 (9 ranks) - 7 Techniques; 4 Masteries

Save DC 15+Rank

Rank 1
Kinobori (Tree Climbing Technique)

Rank 2
Chakra no Kogasu (Chakra Burn) (2)
Genjutsu Kai (Illusion Dispel)
Tadayou (Water Strider)

Rank 3

Rank 4

Rank 5
Chibizuku no Jutsu (Compression Technique)
Mugen Ibuki no Jutsu (Air Supply Technique)
Ryokujun no Jutsu (Energy Shield) (2)

Fuinjutsu +03 (0 ranks) - 0 Techniques; 0 Masteries

Save DC 13+Rank

Genjutsu +13 (9 ranks) - 6 Techniques; 0 Masteries

Save DC 13+Rank

Rank 1

Rank 2

Rank 3
Jukusui no Jutsu (Sleep Technique)

Rank 4

Rank 5
Saimin Jutsu: Musou no Jutsu (Hypnotism Technique: Mind Blank Technique)
Tsutakazura Genzou no Jutsu (Illusionary Vines Technique)

Rank 6
Kagekomu no Jutsu (Shadowmeld Technique)
Nehan Shouja no Jutsu (Temple of Nirvana Technique)
Shinshin Funkyuu no Jutsu (Mind and Body Disorder Technique)

Ninjutsu +14 (9 ranks) - 25 Techniques; 12 Masteries

Save DC 14+Rank

Rank 1
Bunshin no Jutsu (Duplication Technique)
Henge no Jutsu (Transformation Technique)
Iryou Ninjutsu: Ryoji - Kekki (Medical Ninjutsu: Treatment - Vigor)
Kawarimi no Jutsu (Body Substitution Technique) (2)
Sarutobi no Jutsu (Flying Monkey Technique) (5)

Rank 2
Iryou Ninjutsu: Iji - Mashujutsu (Medical Ninjutsu: Practice - Mystical Surgery)
Iryou Ninjutsu: Iji - Shinryou Jutsu (Medical Ninjutsu: Practice - Diagnosis Technique)
Iryou Ninjutsu: Iji - Shousen Jutsu (Medical Ninjutsu: Practice - Mystical Palm Technique)
Torihane no Jutsu (Bird's Wing Technique) (2

Rank 3
Bifuu no Jutsu (Zephyr's Wind Technique)
Iryou Ninjutsu: Chiyu - Shodan Jutsu (Medical Ninjutsu: Healing - First Rank)
Iryou Ninjutsu: Ryoji - Juuki (Medical Ninjutsu: Treatment - Paralysis)
Iryou Ninjutsu: Ryoji - Kentai (Medical Ninjutsu: Treatment - Fatigue)
Nekonome (Cat's Eyes)
Shuugyou: Kirihei no Engi no Waza (Training: Method of Mist Fighting Adaptation)

Rank 4
Bakuretsu Kawarimi no Jutsu (Exploding Body Substitute Technique) (3)
Fuukakoi no Jutsu (Wind Enclosure Technique)
Ichijin no Jutsu (Gust of Wind Technique)
Iryou Ninjutsu: Ryoji - Dokukeshi (Medical Ninjutsu: Treatment - Poison Purge)
Sarubou no Mai (Dance of the Wild Monkey)

Rank 5
Iryou Ninjutsu: Chiyu - Nidan Jutsu (Medical Ninjutsu: Healing - Second Rank)
Iryou Ninjutsu: Ryoji - Nanroume (Medical Ninjutsu: Treatment - Eyes and Ears Disorder)
Iryou Ninjutsu: Ryoji - Ryoukudou (Medical Ninjutsu: Treatment - Chakra Pathways)
Kamaitachi (Sickling Wind Blast)
Soushuuha (Advanced Blade Manipulation)

Rank 6

Taijutsu +00 (1 ranks) - 1 Techniques; 2 Masteries

Save DC 9+Rank
Rank 1
Zettai Bougyo (Total Defense) (2)

Training and Mastery Benefits

Bakuretsu Kawarimi no Jutsu: Shiori can use this technique 3/day. She can use it to avoid an attack from a source up to CR 5 for 2 chakra, or CR 6 for 4 chakra.
Chakra no Kogasu: Shiori an use this technique 3/day as a defensive maneuver against attacks from a source up to CR 6.
Kawarimi no Jutsu: Shiori can use this technique 2/day. She can use it to avoid an attack from a source up to CR 5 for 1 chakra, or CR 6 for 2 chakra.
Ryokujun no Jutsu: Shiori an use this technique 3/day as a defensive maneuver against attacks from a source up to CR 6.
Shuugyou: Kirihei no Engi no Waza: Ignore the concealment penalties for fighting in mist or smoke within 5 feet.
Zettai Bougyo: Shiori can enter the stance up to twice per encounter.

Wealth rolls

At 2015-08-28 13:12:25, Shiori (uid: 55706) rolls: 2d4a2 Result: 6
At 2015-08-28 13:14:58, Shiori (uid: 55706) rolls: 1d20a9 Result: 14
At 2015-08-28 13:18:26, Shiori (uid: 55706) rolls: 1d20a10 Result: 29
At 2015-08-28 13:20:12, Shiori (uid: 55706) rolls: 1d20a10 Result: 18
At 2015-08-28 13:21:43, Shiori (uid: 55706) rolls: 1d20a10 Result: 11
At 2015-08-28 13:22:34, Shiori (uid: 55706) rolls: 1d20a10 Result: 17

Notes: You may notice the DC in the second roll is one higher than what the first roll would have indicated. That's because I forgot to add the Wealth bonus from Genin (Again  ::) ), so I added it before the first actual Professional check. I hope you didn't mind, but if you do, I don't mind rerolling it all.
Also, you might notice the final Wealth total on her sheet is one less than the final result here would indicate. That's because her Chemical kit has a Wealth DC of 16, and you have to subtract your Wealth total for any purchase above 15, even if you have a higher Wealth bonus than the DC itself. I spent modestly otherwise.

[Vex]

Sorry for the double post, but I wanted to preserve the last post for my own record keeping. I'll make more edits to it as I go along.

Nah, the rage issue's dying through the backstory.  I've got thinking to do, in any case.  I'll be back with another idea, I think, or a refinement of this one.

Okay. Still think Warmonger would be a neat choice, though, even if he's going to be a Sacred Fist. Frenzy might be a problem at first, but as he levels in Sacred Fist and his Will saves get higher, it'll become less of an issue. Heck, he can even tap into his rage from time to time when it's beneficial for him, than make an easy Will save to cut the frenzy when he wants, making it something of a controlled, focused fury. The bonus feats for Warmonger are useful for a high Strength character, and Killing Spree is a nice ability for a melee character to have.

If you're going to stick with Sacred Fist, by the way, I highly recommend the Way of the Master supplement. It's basically made for the Sacred Fist, giving them a feat that lets them use their Wisdom modifier for the basis of their Taijutsu skill and DCs, and make attack rolls with Wisdom as well. It also gives them access to a unique set of Taijutsu focused around pressure points, disabling enemies as you beat them down. It's very neat stuff, and easily what can separate the Sacred Fist from just being a Wisdom-based Taijutsu Master.

More or less what I had in mind. I was toying with the idea that there hasn't been a war between any of the Five nations in nearly 20 years... but that minor places like Kusa/Ame/Taki are having small conflicts that basically make the five hidden villages feel uncomfortable. Almost like a Cold War vibe. Of course each Kage has their preferred 'vassal'... but they can't risk joining the war openly. Though I suppose occasionally a few 'observers' or 'trainers' from the great nations get caught in the crossfire and are forced to defend themselves.

In fact, if I continue this past the exams... the theme of 'world peace' will be central, I think..

As for the template question.. unless it is specifically required by a feat (like Moujoo Aishuwu or however you spell it), then I don't think it's necessary to take a feat. In all likelihood, that's just a remnant of an earlier version of the pdf.

Thanks chief. And yeah, that sounds like a good idea to me. Cold War-ish might be a neat concept for it, where it's untenable to for the bigger states to be at war, but they still have power plays to make. I don't want to think too much beyond this game, but I'm sure we can fit in some notions of that going on during the Exams itself.

Aha, so my char would be fourth user of sharingan then. Did not know Sarada has sibling (at least wiki did not tell nothing about it).

That's because, canonically, she doesn't. I believe Inerrant Lust is saying that it would fit better with this game if he wasn't Sarada's kid, but instead, the son of a second child of Sasuke and Sakura. I'm not sure how that plays with Yoshi's backstory or not, but it's something you might want to work out with him, if he's uncomfortable with the current arrangement.

[Zaer Darkwail]

Well, I am fine with that my char is the son of the second child of Sasuke/Sakura, but then age difference is going to be too big for Boruto marrying the second child (unless we add a third child for Naruto and Hinata who then married to second child of Sasuke and Sakura). As I still want to keep 'painfully awesome' grandparents :P. Even if now less narrow and individual but still pressure would be still there.

[Vex]

Actually, I think I got that wrong. I don't think Lust is suggesting Yoshi to be the son of Sasuke and Sakura's second child. Rather, I think what he's saying is that he should be their second child. I thought about it sounded weird, as he wanted less time between this game and the (current) end of the series, rather than more.

So, if you take take his proposal, he's not the grandson of Sasuke and Naruto. He's Sasuke and Sakura's second child, Sarada's younger brother, and presumably the only son of the family. On the one hand, that takes away the union between two great lines idea, and Naruto is more of a close family friend and "uncle" rather than his grandfather. However, that still means a lot of pressure in succeeding the Uchiha line, and he is the son of Sasuke and Sakura Uchiha, two of the greatest shinobi in ever known. I'd still say the pressure's pretty high on him. Theoretically, it would be the same for Sarada, but she doesn't have quite the responsibility, seeing as females typically aren't held with continuing the family line the same way, at least not when there's a male around who can still continue it.

[Zaer Darkwail]

Aha! Well, I am fine with that also (I skipped generation because I thought Lust wanted more time between the canon events). I am fine with that I loose the 'Naruto' lineage albeit it bit dims down the concept of being direct heir of two lineages combined (and in theory able produce byakugan children or sharingan children, I do not believe single person should ever be able mix those two while sharinga users could develop rinnegan in extreme rare case).

[Inerrant Lust]

I was thinking of a team mate (her original team, at least) for Shiori could be a character I played long ago that could be adapted as an NPC... A blind swordsman. The original concept was that he was from an independent ninja family in Otogakure before Orochimaru took over. His clan had an unspecified but powerful doujutsu... and while good ol' Snakeyes was killing his parents, their kid blinded himself on his father's orders. Thus he was useless as a potential host and eventually found refuge in a friendly village. Of course this needs to be adapted a little.. and I'm not quite sure how. :P But yeah, he's pretty debilitated by blindness rules. So.. he might be a bit Lee-esque in these exams. He might fit the passionate role in Shiori's original team.. or the genius (since he is one..) but a disabled genius that has to work hard to overcome his disability.

I have about 9 teams of three drafted up... Only two have sheets that I felt like making. The rest are just level progressions and a sentence for myself to keep track of them. Example; 'Smart 3, Puppeteer 3; A puppeteer of the future.' In total, that's about 30 participants who will receive screen time (if I can fit them in, some might only be around for one scene or two...) The other hundred or so genin participating will be non-name nobodies. :P

Okay. Still think Warmonger would be a neat choice, though, even if he's going to be a Sacred Fist. Frenzy might be a problem at first, but as he levels in Sacred Fist and his Will saves get higher, it'll become less of an issue. Heck, he can even tap into his rage from time to time when it's beneficial for him, than make an easy Will save to cut the frenzy when he wants, making it something of a controlled, focused fury. The bonus feats for Warmonger are useful for a high Strength character, and Killing Spree is a nice ability for a melee character to have.

If you're going to stick with Sacred Fist, by the way, I highly recommend the Way of the Master supplement. It's basically made for the Sacred Fist, giving them a feat that lets them use their Wisdom modifier for the basis of their Taijutsu skill and DCs, and make attack rolls with Wisdom as well. It also gives them access to a unique set of Taijutsu focused around pressure points, disabling enemies as you beat them down. It's very neat stuff, and easily what can separate the Sacred Fist from just being a Wisdom-based Taijutsu Master.

I've actually been looking at Sacred Fist. It's an interesting class, but a little underwhelming.. I thought it let you use your wisdom score for attack rolls in the stance, but I was wrong. Therefore it still kind of demands you split your ability scores between Wisdom and either Str or Dex. If you took 2 levels of Taijutsu Master, you could use your wisdom score both for attack rolls and for the additional bonus to defense you can get at 3rd level of Sacred Fist... but that's basically spending 2 levels (which you can't at ECL 6 anyways) to replicate an effect Weapon Finesse and some armor can do.. Maybe. I dunno. Just some musings on it.

Actually, I think I got that wrong. I don't think Lust is suggesting Yoshi to be the son of Sasuke and Sakura's second child. Rather, I think what he's saying is that he should be their second child. I thought about it sounded weird, as he wanted less time between this game and the (current) end of the series, rather than more.

So, if you take take his proposal, he's not the grandson of Sasuke and Naruto. He's Sasuke and Sakura's second child, Sarada's younger brother, and presumably the only son of the family. On the one hand, that takes away the union between two great lines idea, and Naruto is more of a close family friend and "uncle" rather than his grandfather. However, that still means a lot of pressure in succeeding the Uchiha line, and he is the son of Sasuke and Sakura Uchiha, two of the greatest shinobi in ever known. I'd still say the pressure's pretty high on him. Theoretically, it would be the same for Sarada, but she doesn't have quite the responsibility, seeing as females typically aren't held with continuing the family line the same way, at least not when there's a male around who can still continue it.

Mmhm. That's what I meant.

As I said, some of the Jounin might be around for the first and third part of the exam.. Indeed, they'll likely be helping you train for the month between the 2nd and 3rd stage. I was planning on either having the 'generation Boruto' people fill these rolls.. or for non-Konoha players, their Jounin might be loosely related or associated to the canon characters. Hell, the theoretical lovechild of Samui and [url=http://naruto.wikia.com/wiki/Darui]Darui... :p

To be honest, that's more me being lazy... making characters with some loose connection to the canon rather than having to create entirely new ones because it's so far removed from the last event displayed in the canon.

[Vex]

I was thinking of a team mate (her original team, at least) for Shiori could be a character I played long ago that could be adapted as an NPC... A blind swordsman. The original concept was that he was from an independent ninja family in Otogakure before Orochimaru took over. His clan had an unspecified but powerful doujutsu... and while good ol' Snakeyes was killing his parents, their kid blinded himself on his father's orders. Thus he was useless as a potential host and eventually found refuge in a friendly village. Of course this needs to be adapted a little.. and I'm not quite sure how. :P But yeah, he's pretty debilitated by blindness rules. So.. he might be a bit Lee-esque in these exams. He might fit the passionate role in Shiori's original team.. or the genius (since he is one..) but a disabled genius that has to work hard to overcome his disability.

I think it could work out. I think a blind character is very workable in this system with some liberties taken. Here some unofficial rules that look pretty good to use on this basis. And the Blind-Fight feat is really good, as it reduces the miss chance in half, effectively (down to 25%). I'd also look into adapting Pathfinder's Blind-Fight feat tree. Naruto d20 has even more aid for such a character. If he has Doton affinity,Ninpou: Chisendou Tanchi can give him tremorsense for up to 60 ft for a minute or so at a time. Even if he isn't, the Relics Repository offers Earth Sense seals are available for a Foot slot that gives up to tremorsense for up to 40 ft twice a day. It also offers the Blindfold of True Sight, which would be the perfect item for him (granting blindsight 30ft), but it's an epic item. You might be able to have one at a lesser level that grants Blindsense instead. I'd think Mist Fighting training would apply just as well for blind characters. I think you could also develop a unique set of techniques that grant some kind of "chakra sight" that senses others via their chakra signatures. Requires the Keen Senses feat, but I think you could do something like that.

Yeah, that could be neat. It could be an interesting contrast to Shiori herself, comparing their respective conditions. I sorta see him more as the "genius" member of the team more than the passionate one. I think calm, serene and tactically calculated works for a blind swordsman. I could see Shiori getting rather attached to him, both as a talented shinobi and someone who she could help (if not even more). It's a very different kind of genius, one that's quite different from the examples in the series. I like the idea.

I've actually been looking at Sacred Fist. It's an interesting class, but a little underwhelming.. I thought it let you use your wisdom score for attack rolls in the stance, but I was wrong. Therefore it still kind of demands you split your ability scores between Wisdom and either Str or Dex. If you took 2 levels of Taijutsu Master, you could use your wisdom score both for attack rolls and for the additional bonus to defense you can get at 3rd level of Sacred Fist... but that's basically spending 2 levels (which you can't at ECL 6 anyways) to replicate an effect Weapon Finesse and some armor can do.. Maybe. I dunno. Just some musings on it.

It is a little underwhelming. It's not a bad class, though. I just think it's not very exciting. Aside from the higher unarmed strike damage, the Wis to Defense, and Evasion, it's kinda bland. That said, stats-wise, it's a pretty solid class. d8 HD, 3/4 BAB, fantastic progression for all three saves, and a moderate defense progression. It's not as optimal as your typical Taijutsu master, but it doesn't suffer the typical weaknesses either. Will saves are usually the bane of a Taijutsu specialist, but not so with this class. It's probably your strongest save, and that's saying something.

That said, the class could definitely use some flavor. But, again, that's Way of the Master is for. The Exalted One is a high-level prestige class for Sacred Fist, in the same way that Exemplar is for Taijutsu specialists, Devastator is for Ninjutsu and Genjutsu specialists, and Exarch is for Medical-nin, and it offers some really neat tricks for them. One of them, Peaceful Master, lets you use your Wisdom modifier for attack and damage rolls while in the Sacred Fist stance, which basically means you get to eventually use Wisdom for damn near everything that's important to you (Will saves, Taijutsu calculations, attack, damage, defense, chakra if using Will over flesh, you're just missing HP, really, so make sure to have at least 14 Con). On top of that, the Kyushojutsu style of Taijutsu techniques is made for them, and it's a pretty unique style of Taijutsu, focused heavily on status afflictions and debuffing the opponent, leaving them wide open for your bigger strikes. It really makes them feel different than your standard DPR focused Taijutsu Master.

So, seeing as that's the end game, you don't focus much on Strength (10-12), run with a good Dex score (14+, always useful as a secondary stat, even after Way of Expertise, as it still adds to your defense, initiative and reflex saves), solid Con (14 will do), and max out Wisdom as high as possible (16+). That shouldn't be too hard to arrange. Take Weapon Finesse and Pressure Secrets as early as possible, three levels of Devoted Hero (pick up Faith if possible, awesome ability for Wis-builds), three levels of Sacred Fist, and two levels of Taijutsu Master to pick up Way of Expertise (maybe two more later for Weapon Specialization). After that, you make sure to go at least five levels of Sacred Fist (any more than that is optional, really), and bide your time with whatever until Exalted One becomes available. At level 15, you are the Grand Master Monk of Legend. Granted, you're going to struggle at low levels, but by as early as level 8, you could be rocking it pretty hard. Your strikes don't do as much as a Taijutsu Master at that point, but you have fewer weaknesses, and the Pressure Points style really can even the score with the right techniques.

But, you're right that it's probably a rough road to go for this game in particular. You won't really come into your own until level 8 or so, at the end of the game, although I think you could do reasonably okay through most of it, seeing as by level 6, you're at least getting Wisdom to Defense.

As I said, some of the Jounin might be around for the first and third part of the exam.. Indeed, they'll likely be helping you train for the month between the 2nd and 3rd stage. I was planning on either having the 'generation Boruto' people fill these rolls.. or for non-Konoha players, their Jounin might be loosely related or associated to the canon characters. Hell, the theoretical lovechild of Samui and Darui... :p

To be honest, that's more me being lazy... making characters with some loose connection to the canon rather than having to create entirely new ones because it's so far removed from the last event displayed in the canon.

Heh. Well, you could do that, I suppose. Certainly makes sense for the Konoha-nin (and the Kumo-nin, for the latter example). But, I'd like to take some liberties with some of us from lesser known villages. There are lots of neat idea to run with, and I certainly don't mind working with you to create a Jonin concept for Shiori's team, at least.

[Inerrant Lust]

Heh. Well, you could do that, I suppose. Certainly makes sense for the Konoha-nin (and the Kumo-nin, for the latter example). But, I'd like to take some liberties with some of us from lesser known villages. There are lots of neat idea to run with, and I certainly don't mind working with you to create a Jonin concept for Shiori's team, at least.

Well, if you have any ideas, I'm all ears. :p

[Inerrant Lust]

So... should I begin cutting off recruitment?

The only characters we have fleshed out in a lot of detail are Vex's and Zaer's. :P

I'll take one more, but I can also GM NPC it just fine.

[Zaer Darkwail]

Well, I cna round up sheet very fast for my char if him being son of Sansuke/Sakura is okay and is younger brother of Sarada.

[Vex]

Ha! Sorry for my abrupt silence for this week. I've been rather busy, and have been kept away from Elliquiy in general. I still owe you some backstory, don't I? ^.^;;

Well, if you're satisfied with Yoshi and Shiori, then I suppose we could run with them. You were only looking for a three person party, and you do have the option of a GM PC that way, if you're up for it. Still, I think it worth at least following up with ShadowFox, at least, seeing as he did start a sheet, even if he was a bit scant on the details. He's a player of yours in another game, anyway, so it shouldn't be hard to just ask if he's still interested. It might be worth checking up with FourthShade as well, as he did put a bit into a story, even if he hasn't worked it out much.

A minor side note that I simply forgot to mention, I had Shiori set with a Fuuton-affinity, as I thought it fit the character concept the best, as Wind is lighter on the damage but has a lot of trickery, a few battlefield control techniques and supportive elements. But, I'd be willing to move it to Suiton, if someone else wanted it. Seeing as this game is likely gonna be in Kirigakure, having someone with Water-affinity would be pretty useful, and I wouldn't mind it being her.

[Zaer Darkwail]

Well, my guy is going to be genjutsu/ninjutsu user and wind has more applications for things (and besides katon, fuuton is accepted affinity for advanced bloodline trait).

[Vex]

Which is a little strange, seeing as Wind doesn't seem to be very special to them. Fire seems to be a major thing for the clan. It should be noted that the Battle Mime class build around the Uchiha does require "Fire Affinity", so it would still require you to have Katon if you intend on going that route (although I wouldn't necessarily oppose it if Inerrant Lust let you ignore that bit).

Still, I'll look into an alternative technique list for Shiori with a Suiton affinity, just in case.

[Zaer Darkwail]

Well, he could enter battle mime later date as he gets additional affinity.

[Vex]

He could, but I'm not sure it would be worth it by then. One of the biggest benefits to the Battle Mime class is the ability to select the Sharingan bloodline feats as bonus feats for any class. If he makes it to level 11, though, he probably already has a few of those. He doesn't really need the added flexibility. The saves to the class are nice, but unless getting that and a +2 to one of Int, Cha, or Str while the Sharingan is active is important enough for you to invest three levels into it, then it's probably best to pass. It's more of a class that helps you going along than it is one that you add after your build is done.

Anyway, I'll get to work later on tonight for seeing what I can do with Suiton for Shiori. It's not as supportive an element as Fuuton is, and that water requirement is kinda pesky, but it does seem like a fun type to have for this game specifically. It shouldn't be a big problem either way, seeing as Shiori isn't really centered on elemental ninjutsu. Any suggestions, Zaer?

[Zaer Darkwail]

Well, you could pick a feat and have affinity to three elements; wind, water and ice. Besides her chakra vampirerism she could have Hyouton user. I could go for Katon then which is more offensive and fits for more sharingan lore.

[Vex]

I'm gonna pass on that. I like the concept of Hyouton, but it's supposed to be a rather rare ability. I'd like to respect the lore of it. As I said, elemental jutsu isn't a major focus for Shiori, and as such, being able to use the Ice release, something that would mark her as truly exceptional, wouldn't get the needed focus. I understand why, for gaming purposes, someone could just tack that onto a build if they wanted, especially seeing as they could create an AU where it's not so rare, but for the sake of loyalty to the setting, that's not something I'm going to do. Besides, she's already a Chakra Vampire, and I'd like that to be a major focus for her. If I made her a Hyouton user on top of that, it'd draw some of the focus away from that (not to mention, it would make me feel too much like I was trying to make my character this game's designated "special snowflake", no pun intended).

I thinking more in terms of techniques. I don't have much experience with Suiton ninjutsu specialists, mostly because that required water always felt like an unnecessary burden, but seeing where this game is set (and similarly, where Shiori is from), it makes for a sensible choice. I did give Masumi a Suiton-affinity, but she's a solid Taijutsu specialist, and her Ninjutsu were selected entirely to supplement her capabilities as a warrior. As such, I was looking for suggestions for Shiori, who is more of a technique-user. I figure Katsutai no Jutsu would be fun for some visuals, for obvious reasons. I'm eyeing Kirigakure pretty heavily. If she can find a method of seeing through the mist, it seems like good protection for her while she heals, and a good vehicle for her to perform sneak attacks.

As a side note, as it's a bit higher than what this game will pertain to, but I was strongly considering Shade for one of Shiori classes, post Chuunin Exam. I think it fits a Medical Expert rather well, thematically, as using their medical knowledge to an offensive end. It gives her a rather unique tool to center her battle strategy around. Any solo battle she takes part in is essentially trying to find a way to open the opponent up for that Death Attack. Even if they can avoid the death attack, Medical Specialists can eventually convert their sneak attack dice for Str or Dex ability damage. Against tough opponents, handing out up to -6 to their Strength and Dexterity sounds like it would be damn useful, even in group battles. She doesn't strike often, but when goes in for the strike, it hurts.

My only hesitation is that the Shade class is only exciting on odd-levels. It's benefit for levels 2, 4, and 6 are very, very lackluster. Almost wasteful. I'm half inclined to just go Genjutsu Master instead for a similar feel. Sure, we lose the Death Attack, but for those same seven levels, it still gets +3d6 Sneak Attack in the end (just -1d6 from a Shade), slightly better saves, lots of bonus chakra, two bonus feats, and Hide in Plain Sight, along with two other Genjutsu Masteries. I was much bigger fan of Shade when it was a five level class, but I understand why they changed it. +4d6 Sneak attack for five levels was a bit exploitative. Still, what they expanded it with feels like pointless filler, and even if they intended to do just that, it should be more subtle. That's something Pathfinder did right that 3.5e so often got wrong: no class level should feel like a waste, or that it was "the cost" for later levels (see the most even levels for 3.5e's Rogue, the odd levels for the Fighter, or almost the every level of the Sorcerer class). I think something like Evasion, an improved feint, the ability to run or charge from a hidden position without a penalty to Hide, a bonus to attack when striking an opponent unaware, or just Hide in Plain Sight would had been more interesting than just a bonus to saves against Poisons. It's kinda hard to justify the class as is, aside from those that build around sneak attack or death attack specifically. A shame, cause I really like the thematic quality to it otherwise.

[Zaer Darkwail]

Well, there is some suiton techniques which does not need bodies of water around (one jutsu which I call 'spit ball no jutsu' uses your own saliva for the jutsu). Also considering some scenes in anime the water users seem able 'explode' lots of water from their mouths (convert their saliva for water source in charging it with chakra to grow tremendous amount). There could be somekind ruling suiton users can use saliva but it costs extra chakra with techniques to do so than use natural bodies of water. Anycase cannot go wrong with water prison which can seal someone in and also get technique which allows swim better and also breath under the water longer periods of time. Also imagine default underwear choice for men and females from Amegakure would be swimsuits somekind (as normal underwear gets soggy wet and hard to dry clean).

[Inerrant Lust]

If we don't get a third person, the GM PC I'm inclined to play will be a Suiton user... But that won't matter much, since they would be more taijutsu-oriented anyways. Specifically, a sword. :P Then we'd have a good even mix of Genjutsu, Ninjutsu, and Taijutsu.

Also.. does it still rain in Amegakure? ::)

I'm genuinely curious... I'll wait until this evening to decide, as shadow has dropped out and shade said he'd have to think about a character some more.

[Jayna]

If we don't get a third person, the GM PC I'm inclined to play will be a Suiton user... But that won't matter much, since they would be more taijutsu-oriented anyways. Specifically, a sword. :P Then we'd have a good even mix of Genjutsu, Ninjutsu, and Taijutsu.

Also.. does it still rain in Amegakure? ::)

I'm genuinely curious... I'll wait until this evening to decide, as shadow has dropped out and shade said he'd have to think about a character some more.

Hey! I had to work a couple twelve hour shifts back to back and by the time I got back on I figured you had filled up.

If you still need a third I can throw something together for you to look over!

[Inerrant Lust]

Ah, it's fine. But yeah, I'm willing to take any newcomers. :P

The game will be very puzzle based, so I really don't want to play a GM PC since they'll either be useless for solving any of the puzzles... or they'll be too useful. It's a rather difficult threshold for a GM to manage, no?

For now, just having fluff and a general idea of the crunch is sufficient. There won't be very much dice-rolling for the first few pages of the thread, I should imagine.

[Vex]

Good to hear you're still interested, Janya. If you need any help, don't hesitate to let us know. I'm sure we can figure something out for you, if you're still interested.

In the mean time, I figure, since we're waiting anyway (and the heat in my place isn't making me swelter not being by the fan), I'll get back to adding a little more to Shiori's background.

Well, if you have any ideas, I'm all ears. :p

Ha! Well, no specific ideas. But I can throw some ideas at the wall and see if any of them sticks.

Ideally, you want a Jonin that compliments the skills and attributes of the genin, and we don't know too much about all of them yet. You've indicated a blind-swordsman for one of them, which I think is pretty neat. For the sake of balance, I suppose a hot-headed offensive ninjutsu focus would make more sense for the other, an unusual choice for the team's Red Oni, but not unheard of (Jiraiya, for instance), or someone who blends ninjutsu and taijutsu to an extend (as the Shinobi Swordsman class embraces). That said, I've always kinda liked the thematic angle for a team as well. Ino-Shika-Cho had a fun ring to it (a play on a card game tactic).  Team Gai's Chinese-flavored Taijutsu theme was the best (subjective, obviously, but screw it, they're awesome!). And speculation, I know, but I always thought Team 8 had a bit of a forest theme, seeing as all their abilities seem to rely on abilities that would be extremely helpful within the context of scouting and tracking in a forested area (Shino's bugs, Kiba's animal instincts and scent, and Hinata's Byakugan and suiton-affinity, Kurenai didn't fit the theme well herself, but her Genjutsu did seem to favor using vines and trees). Not sure what kind of theme Shiori and the blind swordman would suite (disability theme sounds weird), so maybe it's not such a hot idea.

Anyway, it would be helpful if her Jonin was a Medical-nin, or at least had some passable experience with medical knowledge. It would help explain any progression she makes on her medical ninjutsu in that time (not that I expect much major development on that angle), and help explain how they were able to pick up on her condition. I see her Jonin as the first to figure out there was something off with her on a more physical level than simple rookie mistakes and inexperience. Although, I could just see them just having a perceptive eye or an innate talent with sensing chakra on a deeper level than most (Sensor-nin?). She could half a separate mentor who's a Medical-nin, I suppose. I see them as more of a calm, cool but sensible and perceptive sort (more like Kakashi or Asuma than, say, Gai). 

Lastly, I sorta imagined there was one adult in Shiori's life that she had a rather close relationship to, as something of a surrogate parent (she is an orphan, after all). One of the characteristics I imagined for Shiori is that she is a truly "devoted" shinobi. She is truly appreciative of those who are there for her in her times of need, and repays such kindness with unquestioned loyalty. One of the reasons she decided to become a shinobi is to repay the village for taking in someone like her, and being fairly accepting of her, despite having no previous ties to the area. It's also one of the reasons she's truly ashamed of her condition, believing it to be a burden on her village, whom she swore to serve. Similarly, as someone who has come to care about her and whom is the only person she feels she can truly lay her soul and worry upon, even in this difficult time, she ought to have a rather extreme loyalty to them, despite any flaws they might have. Maybe even Haku-level.

I think it interesting to play with from a story context, as to what kind of trouble that unquestioned and unwavering loyalty might bring to her, but I'll admit, it's perhaps a bit too much for this Chuunin-exam story to bring enough light upon. So, it's probably best to shelve the idea for now, and possibly pick it up if we assume to go further with the character. Besides, I'm not sure the Jonin in particular is a good fit. I thought it might, but now I'm thinking it'll be a separate adult instead.

[Zaer Darkwail]

Perhaps Shiori's surrogate parent is shrine maiden? I imagine as orphan she was taken in by the local shrine and raised there (shrine in hidden village that is, it's used for old ceremonies and also for weddings and funerals etc). So for time Shiori worked as shrine maiden until she went academy and she may part time in the shrine (during festivals or big events or whenever her mentor needs go short trips and acts as priestess of the shrine).

[Inerrant Lust]

Working on an initial post now.

It's taking quite a bit of time because I realized I had to create pretty much 9 new characters from scratch. (Since a lot of the NPCs I had in mind didn't quite fit the mold..)

Even though the Jounin will disappear not long after the exams begin. :P

[Zaer Darkwail]

Nice, post up link either here or in PM when post is done :)

[Inerrant Lust]

And we're off!

Took quite some time. I apologize for the delays... :P

[Vex]

No worries about the delay. I've been pretty distracted of late with more personal concerns, so I was in no hurry anyway. In fact, I might not get to posting for that until tomorrow. My apologies, but I've still got some things to sort out, and I owe at least one lengthy IC post to a different game already.  ^.^;;

I'm also aware I hadn't completely fleshed out Shiori's description either, so I'll get around to that when I post her sheet on the OOC. But let me know if you have any personal questions that you would like to know about her, and I'll be happy to answer those for you as soon as I can.

[Inerrant Lust]

In the event that Jayna does not return before I run out of material for the other two PCs in the 'putzing about' phase prior to the actual exams... I am willing to entertain another applicant if anyone else is interested.

The putzing about phase will last a week IC, and the cut-off or a third PC to appear would be right about that time, when the first stage of the exam begins proper and the teams that everyone came from are mixed up.

[EvilMegaCookie]

Hm. I suppose it'd be possible to sorta make this a past event from Emi's life? Or just have this be her chuunin exam in the present. >.<

I'll be trying to finish her background and polish the personality a bit more before applying if possible. :P

If not I will just have to create a new character.

[Jeufufns]

Just asking if this was still accepting?

[Zaer Darkwail]

Well, we got just one spot for the short chuunin exam game, Lust will decide who get in if you two are quick about making sheets :). Or perhaps form 4 man?

[EvilMegaCookie]

So I guess it is better to make an entirely new character rather than recycle Emi? :P

[Zaer Darkwail]

Up to you :)

[EvilMegaCookie]

Honestly I would prefer to just recycle Emi since it'd be such a waste to see the hard work you put into making the sheet go to waste. :P

[Inerrant Lust]

Jeufufns, EvilMegaCookie; Yeah, this is still open, just in case a third player does not return in time for when the game begins proper. Right now all that's going on is the genin arriving at the village.

EvilMegaCookie; You can reuse the idea you had for Emi, but it needs to be ECL 6. Also I'll help you out with any of the crunch as needed. I'm on AIM fairly regularly as MShelleysMonster. Least I should be... I think that's my handle. <_<

If you could repost everything you have on her here or in a Pm or whatnot, I'd like to take a look at it rather than approving as-is, you know? That being said, pregnancy isn't quite one of my biggest ons... not because of anything inherent to it other than the effects it might have on a plot and a character- can't exactly keep adventuring when you've got to raise a child, you know? Also, this came takes place over the course of about two months, tops... Pregnancy could be an angle- but it wouldn't likely actually be played out to completion during this game. Then again, I may very well continue to GM for the group beyond this short campaign, but don't count on it being guaranteed.

[EvilMegaCookie]

ECL 6?

Also, here are the ideas and feedback I have gotten:

But here is my concept: My character belongs to a family that has specialized in the art of seduction and virility/fertility, using their natural beauty and ability to manipulate pheromones to infiltrate villages or secure their own bloodline via entering pacts or marriages with other families.

So basically my character would be focused around my #1 fetish: Pregnancy. >.< And would the pheromone ability be possible? Of course, it wouldn't be powerful right away but it could perhaps make my charisma (if I understand this correctly) gain some form of boosts as well as being able to have a fairly high success rate at seduction or anything sexual.

Basically a ninja specialized in diplomacy and honeytraps. :P

Quote from: Zaer Darkwail on August 10, 2015, 04:22:00 AM
Actually in Naruto universe there is clan who specializes on 'seduction-no-jutsu' stuff. Not sure where I heard the info but they were based on land of water (the clan anyways). Or this is mere rumor or fanfiction but there was not much details about them when it came up (besides them being skilled water element users who use water for entertainment purposes). A sort 'geisha clan' or so.

Anycase no doubt in shinobi world there can be clans who specialize to be honeytraps or simply seduce a shinobi heir, bed them and then run off with the genetic material stolen from another clan and give birth a child who has the clan secrets in his/her blood. Example many bloodline limits (kenkei genkai) are genetic inherited and many clans pay large sums of money for heirs with those abilities to either research or raise said heir as their secret weapon.

That is basically the idea I had in mind. Not to mention that bloodlines that wants to persevere their own will want someone from her family to marry so as to ensure a child. So it goes a bit of both ways and a feature of this family is that is has quite a few Kekkei Genkai users. Or something like that.

And that sounds interesting. Besides, water and earth are my preferred element either way. :P

Yeah, I see what you mean. I was thinking of it being more of a... alliance of sorts? Fertility is highly desirable in both men and women, especially in bloodlines that desire to be around for long. And I take it by closely resembling the father you mean raising the chances of the child receiving his or her heritage? If so, yeah. That is what I was going for.

I was thinking of a clan that has plenty of social connections due to how out-spread they are.

If you allow one of our men/women to be one of your clan in exchange for your allegiance... we will help to produce a suitable heir

... I can easily see this getting dark fairly quickly what with all the implications. Gee, sometimes I wish i was better at explaining. Of course, bloodlines aren't the only option. There could be members within the higher ranks like the Daimyo, however far fetched that sounds. :P

Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide

The user has complete control over the pheromones, a secreted or excreted chemical factor that triggers a social response in members of the same species, of oneself and others, including releasing pheromones that induce attraction between subjects (or within a subject for oneself), to exuding pheromones strong enough to induce sleep, change emotions and draw crowds.

Pheromones may induce a pleasure, or may put subjects into a state of high suggestibility (either of which is useful for limited mind control). Other uses of these pheromones can be used to mark territory (causing people to feel the compulsion to not go into a certain area), or to leave a pheromone path which others can follow. The user's pheromones may even increase stamina, slightly stimulate the healing process or (used offensively) cause foes to become disoriented, violent or extremely sick.

The power I had in mind for my character. Although not as potent in the beginning as described here. But I guess it'd be potent enough for an artificial boost in charisma. Or to lower it, depending on the situation.

I will copy the sheet I have been trying to tinker around with. So far the attributes are the only thing I have something of a clue to do with. >.<

Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide

Tsukuda Emi
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Basic Information

Character Name  : Tsukuda Emi                        Height :  5'11
Player Name     : EvilMegaCookie                        Weight : 140 lbs.
Character Race  : Human                       Eyes   : Blue
Gender          : Female                         Hair   : Red
Size            :                          Age    : 18
ECL             : 8                        Speed  :
Primary Element :                          Rep    : +0
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Character Class Information

Class and Level     :
Class and Level     :
Class and Level     :
Bloodline Levels    :

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ability Scores

Strength     : 08 (+0)     00 point buy + 0 racial + 0 level + 0 misc
Dexterity    : 12 (+0)     00 point buy + 0 racial + 0 level + 0 misc
Constitution : 08 (+0)     00 point buy + 0 racial + 0 level + 0 misc
Intelligence : 16 (+0)     00 point buy + 0 racial + 0 level + 0 misc
Wisdom       : 16 (+0)     00 point buy + 0 racial + 0 level + 0 misc
Charisma     : 16 (+0)     00 point buy + 0 racial + 0 level + 0 misc

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Combat Statistics

Hit Points        : xx/xx
Action Points     : 0
Initiative        : +0     0 Dex + 0 misc

Base Attack (BAB) : +0
Base Melee        : +0     0 BAB + 0 Str + 0 misc
Base Ranged       : +0     0 BAB + 0 Dex + 0 misc

Combat Maneuver   : +xx         0 BAB + 0 Str + 0 misc          <- CMB
Maneuver Defense  : +xx    10 + 0 BAB + 0 Str + 0 Dex + 0 misc  <- CMD

Armor Class       : 00     10 base + 0 armor + 0 class + 0 Dex + 0 misc
Touch AC          : 00     10 base +         + 0 class + 0 Dex + 0 misc
Flat-Footed AC    : 00     10 base + 0 armor + 0 class +       + 0 misc

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Saving Throws

Fortitude  : +0    0 base + 0 Con + 0 misc
Reflex     : +0    0 base + 0 Dex + 0 misc
Will       : +0    0 base + 0 Wis + 0 misc

Conditional Bonuses and Penalties :

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Background Abilities and Features

Occupation Name
Skills:
Feat:
Reputation:
Wealth:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bloodline/Template Abilities and Features


----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Class Talents and Features


----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Feats

Racial Feat :
Occupation Feat :
Level 1 Feat :
Level 1 Feat : Genin
Level 3 Feat :
Level 5 Feat :
Level 6 Feat : Chunin
Level 7 Feat :

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Skills and Languages

[ ] Acrobatics         : +00    0 ranks + 0 Dex + 0 misc - 0 armor
[ ] Artisan            : +00    0 ranks + 0 Int + 0 misc
[ ] Athletics          : +00    0 ranks + 0 Str + 0 misc - 0 armor
[ ] Chakra Control     : +00    0 ranks + 0 Wis + 0 misc
[ ] Conversation       : +00    0 ranks + 0 Cha + 0 misc
[ ] Deception          : +00    0 ranks + 0 Cha + 0 misc
[ ] Fuinjutsu          : +00    0 ranks + 0 Int + 0 misc
[ ] Gamble             : +00    0 ranks + 0 Wis + 0 misc
[ ] Genjutsu           : +00    0 ranks + 0 Cha + 0 misc
[ ] Handle Animal      : +00    0 ranks + 0 Cha + 0 misc
[ ] Investigate        : +00    0 ranks + 0 Int + 0 misc
[ ] Kn()               : +00    0 ranks + 0 Int + 0 misc
[ ] Mechanic           : +00    0 ranks + 0 Int + 0 misc
[ ] Medicine           : +00    0 ranks + 0 Wis + 0 misc
[ ] Ninjutsu           : +00    0 ranks + 0 Int + 0 misc
[ ] Outdoorsmanship    : +00    0 ranks + 0 Wis + 0 misc
[ ] Perception         : +00    0 ranks + 0 Wis + 0 misc
[ ] Professional       : +00    0 ranks + 0 Wis + 0 misc
[ ] Ride               : +00    0 ranks + 0 Dex + 0 misc - 0 armor
[ ] Stealth            : +00    0 ranks + 0 Dex + 0 misc - 0 armor
[ ] Taijutsu           : +00    0 ranks + 0 Str + 0 misc

Conditional Skill Bonuses/Penalties

Synergies

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wealth and Equipment

Wealth Bonus: +??

Drugs Consumed


Equipment (Weight):


Total Weight:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
LOAD:  Light   Medium (-3) Heavy/Max (-6)  Lift (x 2)  Push/Drag (x 5)
          lb         lb           lb             lb            lb
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sealed Item Slots

Armor     :
Back      :
Feet      :
Head      :
Neck      :
Ring #1   :
Ring #2   :
Waist     :
Wrists    :
Weapon    :
Weapon    :

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Techniques

Chakra Pool: xx/xx
Chakra Reserve: xx/xx
Meta-Chakra: x/x

Primary Affinity: -
Secondary Affinities: -



Chakra Control +?? (? ranks) - ?? Techniques; ? Masteries

Save DC 10+Wis+Rank

Fuinjutsu +?? (?? ranks) - ?? Techniques; ? Masteries
Save DC 10+Int+Rank

Genjutsu +?? (?? ranks) - ?? Techniques; ? Masteries

Save DC 10+Cha+Rank

Ninjutsu +?? (?? ranks) - ?? Techniques; ? Masteries

Save DC 10+Int+Rank


Taijutsu +?? (?? ranks) - ?? Techniques; ? Masteries

Save DC 10+Str+Rank

Training and Mastery Benefits

And there we go. I'll see if I can get a more coherent explanation when my brain has hoarded enough grey matter.

Tsukuda Emi.

Personality: She is a bit of a mixed bag. On one hand she takes great pride her lineage however diluted it might be in the eyes of others, On another she wants an escape from her duties, an escape from just being another to be married off to a rich family in order to ensure their influence. Emi has had a strict upbringing and it shows in her efforts to maintain the rules whether it be social etiquette or at dinner. She is someone who tries to be as flexible as possible but finds herself relying on alcoholic beverages to truly let loose.

So she often tries to strike a balance between being a ''proper'' lady and someone that simply wants to have fun. So depending on the place and time, one might very well feel that she has two different personalities.

OOC: I sorta wanted to try and RP someone that has a difficulity in balancing two aspects of her life and perhaps at the very end manage to tie these two aspects without taking a ''one or the other'' approach to everything. I had in mind someone that is proud about their body, their lineage and way of life but also constantly feeling like there is some sort of invisible pressure on her. As a result I had in mind that she is fairly weak to group pressure. But at the same time I feel like it would somewhat contradict her high charisma, as I often find someone with a high stat like that to be very leader-like. Of course, it might not have to be exclusively like that. Either way I am tinkering away at her background and finally managed to settle on a personality that is, I hope, a bit away from the norm that I tend to write in a setting with a fair amount of erotic action. :P

Feedback is appreciated. >:3

[Zaer Darkwail]

Oh yeah, I created the sheet for you :P. Well, it can work still, only question is do we drop 2 levels from charismatic hero (would loose ability to call favors) or drop shinobi adept levels and focus on genjutsu master after charismatic hero 5th level. As mentioned pregnancy is unlikely played out in chuunin exam (and I think if shinobi is pregnant when exams start they are by default not allowed to participate). As chars this point are 16-17 years old in age. Where as your background fits for more older char.

I think this point she may indeed rebel for the 'marriage' purpose of the family, not mind the sex, seduction and all that (and excel in it). However your promised to some daimyo or shinobi clan and marry once chuunin exams would be over.

[Inerrant Lust]

I could see this as being a learning experience for Emi- being away from her Jounin and her old team for nearly two months will allow her to act the way she wants to- without worrying about what's proper or what's expected of her. At least during the second stage, she'd be completely by herself in the wilderness with only the other PCs.

Though reality will ensue when, in the month between the second and third stage, her old life comes rushing back at her...

That being said, this game will involve some social maneuvering, particularly in the written exam first... but a good portion of the second stage will be more practical, where scouting and surviving in a free-for-all Hunger-games type situation... and the third stage is just straight-up 1v1 battles.

[Jeufufns]

Gonna leave the spot to cookie, dnd things aren't my thing(yet, never did one before)

[Inerrant Lust]

Ah, that's too bad. To be fair, this particular system is really complex and not really a good place to jump in if you want to try D&D for the first time. ::)

[Zaer Darkwail]

Yeah, it's step further more complex than regular 3.5 DnD :P

[EvilMegaCookie]

Well I am practically diving headfirst into it. :P

And yeah, expecting pregnancy tropes to be played during the chuunin exam would be a bit silly. I expect this would only happen later on when/if she gets married. I mean it is plausible that she has a change of heart and decides to not go with what her family expects of her. Then again this road will only start to show when she goes through the ordeals and starts to think about why she participates. Is it for herself? Her family? Things like that.

But at the same time it might also be a bit more interesting to have her play it straight and still be in the family, get married and see how she adjusts to it from there. I think there is potential in such a direction, since I expect her to still be active in some form. Information broker is something I can see being a forte of hers.

[Inerrant Lust]

One thing I'm unclear about is Emi's origins. Or her clan. You mentioned they have some pheromones or special fertility...

Given how important bloodlines and genetics are in the Naruto setting, a clan that has fertility as their 'special ability' would be highly valuable. For a clan like the Uchiha, which is currently constrained to three surviving members... it might be quite appealing to find women who are able to almost guarantee the clan's genetic survival. I believe in the other thread you mentioned the possibility that her clan might have the ability to speed up the entire pregnancy process. Considering all the whacky chakra science stuff, this doesn't seem entirely implausible and would make her an enticing bride.

Of course most of this is all RP stuff and not mechanical. :P

It is a shame that we have already begun RPing the pre-game a little bit... as Emi might be sought out as an ideal mate for Zaer's character... who is the son of Sasuke and Sakura. Though... I am trying to avoid making one character inherently more 'important' than any other. Hence why I preferred you not play an Uchiha to begin with, Zaer. But it's not too big a deal. ;)

[EvilMegaCookie]

I will try and write up an origin story tomorrow. I always find the background to be the hardest part. :P

Edit: I will do a rough sketch of her background and then work my way from there so I will simply write down a few keypoints.

Relatively young clan in comparison to the others. Despite that they have quite the wealth gathered through various means, but mostly via marriage and securing that a bloodline survives.

Might or might not have a brothel/love hotel. Been toying around with this idea although I am not sure if this would break canon but seeing as Japan has them and this is Naruto, it seems plausible what with the mix-and-match of modern and old technology and culture. Could be just me derping.

So for now I will only focus on Emi and then try and give a bit more clear picture of the clan as inspiration stops being an asshat.

Background: Emi is currently the only child of her familys generation, a rarity in and of itself due to how fertile the men and women of it were. On the plus side it meant that she didn't have any sibling rivalry, but it also meant that the pressure on her was twice as high. There were times when she wanted to run away but she never truly caved in, feeling a sense of pride in that she had such trust from her family. So she continued to push herself, sometimes on the brink of collapse. The proper way to talk, walk, smile and any other forms of human expression were drilled into her. But just like how a candle ceases to burn, so too did her body.

While it didn't quite crash and burn, it took a toll on her, making her physical performance suffer. But while she could not quite jump as high or run as far as most people, she made up for it via cunning, stealth and the means available to her as well as her own pride.

While her parents weren't too fond of their daughter undertaking a physical life like that of the shinobi, they knew very well that she was headstrong to a fault and arguing futile. Besides, they thought, she would soon see the errors of her way and return to the safety of her home.

Their hopes were misplaced.

-----------------------

I'll try and make it a bit more coherent in terms of chronological order as it feels a bit all over the place right now. But this is what I managed to squeeze out in about ten minutes so far. >.<

-----------------------

The Tsukuda Clan: Their exact origin are unclear, but it is believed they sprung up not too long after the Third Raikge in the Cloud Village, notable in part due to how fast their family grew. Of course, quite a few clans that were in danger of being wiped out, from the paltry to the exquisite, arranged marriages were common for this new bloodline. While it could be said that they don't offer anything special like a Bloodline Limit or one of the three sacred eyes, they do offer a certain security to thin blood thanks to their highly unusual fertility that resided within both men and women.

Over time they started to deal in information gathering and the production of perfume, gaining some reputation as information brokers and perfumery. But they were still mostly relied upon as a way to secure the continued lineage of ones family. It is believed that they use some form of technique to control their bodies, but whatever secrets they have are yet to be uncovered due to their secretive nature as per the usual of any respectable bloodline. Rumors are abound as to whether it is a genetic mutation or the former, one that they themselves perpetuate via their information network.

But it doesn't end there as their specializations culminated in the opening of brothels, where these three aspects weave endlessly with eachother like a whirlpool. It would be no meager boast to say that they have quite a few strings attached to wherever they go.

Despite their young age compared to the rest of the families scattered throughout the Hidden Villages and the Five Great, they have managed to gain some respect through their efforts. Something that they take great pride in, while some would view them as nothing more than glorified prostitutes or ''broodmothers''. But they know better. They know that their webs extend far more than one could imagine, threads so thin that they are invisible to the naked eye.

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... I might've used the spider motif a bit much there. XD So whatcha think?

[EvilMegaCookie]

And... There we go. Sort of. Bumping so you can see my updated post. :P

[Inerrant Lust]

Brothels are a thing, sure, and love hotels definately. :P

Hmm.. So she's from a non-ninja clan (a 'breeding' clan?) and decided to become a ninja against their wishes? What village did you say she was from? Ideally, I'd prefer it be anything but Leaf or Waterfall.

[Zaer Darkwail]

Well, it's possible there is a non-ninja clan which specializes in breeding and thus have their own custom secret jutsus which surround in pregnancy and bloodline preservation. In short they make business with shinobi but are not shinobi themselves, so Cookie's char is expection to the rule.

[EvilMegaCookie]

They could also be information brokers which I might have already mentioned. But yeah, that is pretty much what I had in mind. I'll try and work on it some more tomorrow when I get back from... well, work. If you can call it that. :P

[EvilMegaCookie]

I was thinking she'd be from the Cloud Village or Wind Village or whatever the hell it is called.

[EvilMegaCookie]

Gee. I am not fond of triple posting but for the sake of alarming thee to my updated post, I will humiliate myself a bit. :P

[Zaer Darkwail]

I am aware of the update but Inerrant Lust haven't posted since you made latest update even IC :P.

[Inerrant Lust]

I am a little apprehensive, to be honest- both because you're fairly new to the system and I'm unable to find a sample of your forum writing anywhere in your previous posts... I'm not ruling anything out, but I do have to be careful.

A game like this, requiring teamwork and close relationships taking place only over the course of a few days.. can easily go sour quickly if one of the PCs suddenly leaves, and I do not like to take over someone else's character, even if they have to bow out of the game.

So I'm just saying I might need a bit of convincing.. I hope that doesn't sound too unreasonable. x_x

[EvilMegaCookie]

Weird. I do remember being in a Skyrim RP a few years back. And another which was about an expedition to a new planet or something. Might've gotten lost through the server reboots or something. Just a random guess, mind you. I can always post examples of my writing style from other boards or just write out a scene per demand. :P

[Inerrant Lust]

If you'd like. It may console me. :P

Though I'm still worried about the mechanical difficulties.. this is.. not a friendly system, I understand.  :-\

[EvilMegaCookie]

The soldier marched onwards. A gait that knew no retreat. A gaze that were much like daggers; cold and piercing. Dressed entirely in black, like an imitation of night. But it was day. And this day was chaos. The infected were running about, climbing about and crawling about. The soldier spoke, as if talking to no one in particular: ''You know what they say about death. The final destination. The end of everything and so on and so forth. All of that is bullshit. Atleast in my case.'' He raised his rifle and fired, striking the infected with bullets and death as the final toll. He continued to walk about, as if nothing could kill or harm him.

As if seeking to punish the man for his arrogance, a wave of flesh and insanity came charging at him, ripping him apart in seconds, much like that of piranhas. These were the infected, former humans that had fallen prey to the virus that now plagued New York. After having devoured the man, they went on about to do mindless things which mindless things do.

------ Somewhere in New York -------

He was somewhere. In a room. A very bland one at that. Grey walls and a wooden floor. A small bed and what seemed to be a makeshift campfire of newspapers and sticks. Whomever had lived here had apparently been fairly poor. Not that currency mattered anymore. Not for the moment. People were too busy avoiding this ''plague'' that the government had so conveniently called it. Sometimes he wondered if they merely draped wool over their eyes and let it be at that. But who would really think that something like a ''plague'' could transform a human into a genetic abomination of putrid flesh and rotten bone?

He sighed. It were at times like these that he wished that he had a name. But for now his codename would do. He walked outside and as expected: A base. A base of camaraderie. Or potential sacrifices. Well, atleast they had something in common. Didn't matter. They usually died like flies anyways. He went outside and a mirror was standing in the hallway for some awkward reason. Or an awkward message. Sometimes he wondered if he shouldn't just run away from the whole thing. He had already died in their services several times now. Black hair, a rugged face like that of a thug and a wildly growing beard. Two brown eyes and lips that were dry and cracked unlike the smooth surface of the mirror. A pair of grey pants and a white tank-top. An extremely muscular body, a result from years of training and time spent in the battlefield. Time that should've been spent elsewhere, if he had to voice an opinion. But he was a soldier. And a soldier obeyed orders.

--------------------

Good enough? >.<

As for how the hell he got to that room in the first place? If I remember correctly he has this ability to spread ''spores'' that then, after his death, overwrites the body with his own. He has no way of controlling where he ''resurrects'' so there is that. And yes, I am fully aware that I am making anyone with a degree in biology or science weep. And I am not apologizing. :P

Didn't paste the entire thing as I felt it'd be a bit too long.

As for getting used to the D20 rules... well, practice makes perfect, no? :D

[Inerrant Lust]

That should suffice. :p

What else do you need? I noticed your sheet is missing quite a few things.. I could introduce you to the team quite handily in the next few posts (though you don't know that they are your team yet :p)

I don't think Jayna will come back..

[EvilMegaCookie]

Looks like it. And I have yet to figure out how I should edit the sheet since that one are a few levels higher if I remember correctly. Or is it fine the way it is?

And that sounds like an idea. If I remember correctly genin and shinobi in general tends to be somewhat casually dressed for the most part, no? I guess that is partly due to the transformation jutsu or just inexperience seeing as Chuunin and up wears military-style clothing. Or maybe that is just a sign of grade.

So now I am sorta wondering what clothing Emi ought to have. I have a few ideas but suggestions from others would be pretty sweet. :P

[Zaer Darkwail]

I would need edit your sheet as I made it originally :P. But too busy today and tomorrow to do it but can do hopefully at friday.

[EvilMegaCookie]

Aight. That works. :P

Thanks for the help.

[Inerrant Lust]

The thread so far can be found here.

Also, I'm still just hazy on your character in general. I know her clan and her origins and some of her personality quirks- but what is your goal for her character's development during these exams? Other things involve a little uncertainty about your character, mechanically. Honestly, it's cool that Zaer's helping you with it and all but in the end I'm the GM and I kind of would like to know what's going on. :P Is she ninjutsu focused, genjutsu focused, taijutsu? If you wanted to round out the team, the last option might be the best.

I'd like to have the team well equipped to deal with a multitude of things and also for the fights to be interesting rather than just blasting out damage or save-or-die/save-or-suck rolls...

[Zaer Darkwail]

I build her genjutsu focused to fit for her theme to seduce and mind fuggle her targets. If want her taijutsu focused, then would need rework her entirely and then develop taijutsu techniques which emphasis grace of movement/dancing and probably use drugs or perfume to create sort hybrid taijutsu/genjutsu combat style (drug enemies by engaging them in melee/close range).

[EvilMegaCookie]

What Zaer said. The idea was to make her genjutsu focused with a lot of that Charisma to get some extra 'oomph'. And to seduce, of course.

Once Zaer is done with the edit... I am going to have a bit of trouble joining the RP smoothly it seems. :P

Well, i'll see if I can cook something up in the weekend.

[Inerrant Lust]

Well, Genjutsu just might not work well. The exam will be split into three or more stages, composing at least;

A written phase, which is more of a puzzle than anything else.
A team vs. team phase, which will involve survival techniques and subterfuge more than actual confrontations.
And a tournament-style series of 1v1 fights, which by that point will be more of an epilogue to the game than a real substantial part of it.

At my whim, at any stage between the two phases, an elimination round which might compose of a race/puzzle/mini-tournament might be staged.

As it is, Genjutsu might not work well with the party we have- even if it fits Emi... Also, I find it terribly dumbs down fights. When I GM fights in this system, they are really more like puzzles. You find an enemy's weakness and exploit them, outthink them. Or you figure out how their techniques work and devise a counter to it. Genjutsu is... well, rather boring. Can you see the enemy? Cast a spell! Do they fail a will save? Match complete. If they didn't, try again!

I could simply give every NPC 'Iron Will' or have them burn action points to resist genjutsu, but that's not very fair if your build is centered around it. That and Yoshi already kind of covers these bases.. even if he isn't the big seducer that she is, mechanically they might fill the same role and that will lead to some rather... uninteresting encounters.

In short, I'd really appreciate if you let me in on the process a bit more... Please read over the thread before anything else and think about what niche your character might fit in best. Personality-wise, most. Both characters are kind of chaste (despite my attempts to tempt them :P) and frankly I am a little worried about a character just storming in oozing sex and throwing the entire tone set by the party so far off.

[EvilMegaCookie]

Could also make her genjutsu be dependent on perfume. Which could add in some more tactical depth to it, like position and which way the wind goes. While she is seductive, that is only when the situation requires it. Or when drunk, really. While her looks basically makes any clothing sexy, it is no fault of hers! :P

Maybe also have it have some requirements perhaps? Like the closer she is the more effective and so on. While that might not be too fitting for her as her physical abilities are fairly low, I can see her being the stealthy type. If that is even possible with the current build.

Genjutsu actually has a few layers to it and there are those that have a different medium to travel through. Like how the Sound Shinobi Girl used bells to induce them. More powerful genjutsu users can simply use handseals or point at them (Itachi).

She could also fulfill the role of a tactician what with her INT stat. Or is it wisdom? Although that depends more on my ability to think out strategies. >.<

I think I will brainstorm this a bit more. But so far, what do you think could be changed?

[Zaer Darkwail]

Well, as I mentioned one approach is that your taijutsu specialist (would need swap some scores around but keep charisma high) who uses moves and maneuvers which bedazzle foes into genjutsu and you use genjutsu enchance your melee combat prowess. Perhaps our GM allows custom feat which allows use charisma instead Str (or custom talent) with melee attacks so long their seductive or used specific manner?

I could very easily pick taijutsu techniques which could be reflavored or even make custom jutsus (which may have material component; perfume to help create wanted effect).

[EvilMegaCookie]

Personality-wise, most. Both characters are kind of chaste (despite my attempts to tempt them :P) and frankly I am a little worried about a character just storming in oozing sex and throwing the entire tone set by the party so far off.

Heh. It sorta makes me think of this song:

:D

[EvilMegaCookie]

Aight. Currently reading through Where The Mist Settles. Would you prefer I jump over this entirely? If nothing else it doesn't seem like the right opportunity to hop in. >.<