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Legendary Hybrids: Kinetic Shinobi
[978-1534836730]
$6.99
Publisher: Legendary Games
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by Vladimir C. [Verified Purchaser] Date Added: 02/20/2017 11:03:30

First of all, what is a hybrid? For those of you that may not know, a “hybrid class” mixes things from two different classes to make something new. The magus class is the first hybrid class, before the controversial Advanced Class Guide came out and made ten new classes, a complete mixed bag. Anyway, kinetic shinobi? At first I thought this was the Naruto class, and in some ways it is, but really, there was nothing quite like this in PF. N. Jolly, famed master of all things kineticist, is the author.

So, the kinetic shinobi (KSh from now on) is a class that mixes the ninja and kineticist, with a bit of flavor/visuals from the soulknife psionic class. The KSh gets a d8 for HP, good REF and WILL saves medium BAB, proficiency in light armors and simple weapons, plus some ninjaish ones, 6 skill points and a decent list of class skills, this last one gets a bonus depending on the element chosen.

From the ninja, the KSh inherits a ki pool (which power the “burn” cost of their infusions), sneak attack of up to 7d6, the No Trace and Evasion class features, and some others part of the Shinobi Talents selectable class features. From the kineticist, the KSh inherits the Elemental Focus and Kinetic Blast, plus some “Meta” abilities (as if using extend, maximize or persistent spell metamagic feats) and the Gather Power class feature, which reduces the ki cost of infusions. The KSh, however, cannot “blast” normally without using one of two special form infusions (called jutsus) which basically give you a melee weapon that does very little damage, the physical jutsu gives you a physical weapon that targets normal AC, and the elemental jutsu gives you a magical attack targeting touch AC that lowers your sneak attack dice to d4. Since you create a weapon, you can full attack, vital strike and spring attack with both jutsus.

New toys for the class come via the ki pool, which gives you a bonus to attack (for physical jutsu) or damage (for elemental jutsu) that increases with level, as well as ye olde huge bonus to acrobatics. Just having one ki point in your pool gives you, at second level, the ability to modify your weapon via Hadou Techniques, which can give you a two hander, dual blades, or a 30 ft with no range increment ranged attack. From there, the KSh gives you at first and every odd levels a Shinobi Talent, a substance infusion via the Ninjutsu Training class feature they receive at fourth, twelfth and twentieth levels, plus a special Ninjutsu Specialist class feature that reduces the ki cost of their infusions incrementally by one point at fourth, tenth and sixteenth levels.

Shinobi Talents not only give you options to modify your blast, but also access to some other ninja, kineticist, unchained monk, and unchained rogue abilities! There are many of these and let you specialize or diversify in many ways.

Then we go to the archetypes section, first introducing the Arsenal Sniper. This one gives you the special ability of channeling your element through a ranged weapon! Basically you create elemental ammo for it, and you get to use feats and enhancement for the weapon! They also get the studied strike of the investigator instead of the sneak attack, as well as some exclusive new talents. Perfect archetype for sniping!

Brutal Assassin is next, gaining more martial and visceral powers. They can only use physical jutsus! You get increased sneak attack damage under certain circumstances. Basically a melee focused BAMF for those who want a melee ninja.

The Burglar is a relatively short archetype that gives you a Safe House (as the Vigilante’s social talent) and the Hide in Plain Sight class feature, at the cost of your third level Shinobi Talent and Evasion (ouch!).

Elemental Shinobi is next, gaining the elemental defense of their element, Elemental Overflow which works differently for them, and a ki pool that also works differently. Basically this archetype gives you a more mystical character but reduces your combat prowess since you lose Sneak Attack. You do get attack and damage bonuses from Elemental Overflow though.

The Fading Shadow is the next archetype, which get incredible powers of stealth and invisibility, at higher levels negating your scent and even your magical aura! This comes at the cost of only +5d6 Sneak Attack (a die every fourth level), and reduced damage when not invisible.

The Hand of the Kami would be the unarmed specialist archetype. They have different weapon proficiencies (more monkish). They also lose Sneak Attack and instead get full BAB and a weakened version of the unarmed attack damage of monks. They also get access to more monk toys, basically turning you into a monk/ninja/kineticist hybrid.

The Hi-Den Noble mixes the KSh with a bit of vigilante, getting a dual identity and some social abilities and talents, but this archetype comes with a kind of order. You must be member of a Hi-Den clan, which dictates some of your abilities and gives you an in-game relation to the shadow war of the clans. Of course as always you can just forget about the fluff and make your own, but the de facto clans sound intriguing. You also forego the Sneak Attack to get the vigilante’s hidden strike.

Metaformer are the masters of metajutsu, or well not really. They can change any instance of metajutsu they get with a form infusion appropriate for their element. They can also apply a form infusion to a blast already modified by the kunai hadou technique, giving them a ghetto version of a kineticist ranged blast modified by an infusion. They can’t get access to any form infusion that works as a weapon, like kinetic blade, kinetic fist etc.

Needler is an archetype that again mixes the base with another class, this time with the swashbuckler. As such, their ki pool works like panache, they can expend and regain it during the day. They get less skill points per level but gain an expanded weapon proficiency list plus a special elemental main-gauche hadou technique. They also exchange No Trace and Sneak Attack for the Nimble and Deeds class features of the Swashbuckler. They also get some special talents more fit for a swashbuckler than a ninja. This one really changes the mechanics and playstyle of the class, since being able to regain ki is a blast (pun fully intended).

Shadow Stepper is an archetype open only to void shinobi. These individuals reduce their skill points and get more caster-y class skills, since they cast spells as a bloodrager of their level. They cast illusion, light, darkness and shadow spells only, drwing them from the wizard and psychic spell lists. They pay for this with 5 talents and the no trace ability. Their ki pool also work differently, gaining the ability to spend a point and a spell slot to cast specific spells. Another crazy mixed archetype that pushes the boundaries of an already versatile class.

Shikon is the final archetype, and it is really crazy! It mixes the base class with black blade magus, but doesn’t cast spells. They get access to a spell list (from a sixth level casting class) and have a caster level, so they can use spell completion and trigger items. They get acces to some magus arcana and can fuel them with their ki, and they also get spell strike! But since they don’t cast spells, you can use spell completion or trigger items! Again, this archetype is made for those who wanted to play a kineticist, ninja and magus at the same time, but getting access to spell lists like the hunter, inquisitior or mesmerist is really crazy! I’m amazed and awed!

After the archetypes, we get favored class bonuses for ALL races in the Advanced Race Guide! Then we get some feats, three exclusive for the KSh and one that could benefit any Charisma-based class.

We finish the book with an NPC, Valerie Jette, a ninth level half drow void shinobi with a tragic past but a very positive outlook of life. As is the tradition of the author, she can give the PCs a boon!

This… book is not what I expected, in a good way. I expected a lesser hack of the parent classes, with a non-defined niche, like some of the classes form the Advanced Class Guide. N. Jolly delivers in spades with an intriguing class that plays exactly like a hybrid class should, but with its own unique tricks. The author’s most impressive feat is that it can work with most if not any ninja and kineticist book out there! There are some nice ninja talents from a nice new shiny ninja book you want for your KSh? You can have them! You want to play a KSh with a crazy element like viscera, time, or dream? You can! You want to play with a techno shinbi from the author’s newest element? Yep, you can! Kudos to the author, again showing how much you can stretch the kineticist engine. If you love the kineticist, ninjas, Naruto or fighting games, this book is for you!



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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Legendary Hybrids: Kinetic Shinobi
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