Taijutsu encompasses the martial arts. The journey to improving taijutsu comes from learning and incorporating many different close combat styles and techniques into ones arsenal, while also building physical fitness to hone the body into a weapon.
Using taijutsu alone, one can easily put pressure on traditional ninjutsu users who rely on making hand seals. Taijutsu does not tap into chakra, making it a popular choice for many shinobi to supplement their talents with. Without supplementation, taijutsu is ineffective when an opponent can keep a martial artist out of range. This can be hard because developing taijutsu also increases agility with each rank.
Weapon skill proficiencies are a popular choice for all types of warrior. Like taijutsu, weapon use by itself consumes no chakra. In comparison to taijutsu, a novice in bukijutsu is much more deadly with their strikes, but learning weapon forms to improve accuracy and technique take more time investment than open handed martial arts. Increasing a bukijutsu proficiency also improves physical capabilities, but only half as much as taijutsu does.
As a bukijutsu user becomes more skilled they also often upgrade their equipment. Journeyman often possess equipment that can take to chakra to enhanced the physical properties of the blade. Highly skilled weapon experts that have dabbled in ninjutsu may have weapons that can project a basic elemental attack from itself or might possess some unique abilities. Grand masters often carry legendary weapons with a plethora of unique abilities. Make sure to describe your character's weapons in the ability description.
Each type of bukijutsu takes up a proficiency slot.
Clarification: Unlike taijutsu, which requires nintaijutsu to utilize elements in physical attacks and enhancement, bukijutsu users can start encorporating other proficiencies they have into their weapon strikes at around journeyman level. The effectiveness of application is determined by ranks in both proficincies. You will want to write these details in the bukijutsu section of the app. This trait does not grant buki users access to elemental armor techniques that are exclusive to some nintaijutsu.
Shurikenjutsu (Thrown Projectiles) Weapons predominantly made for throwing fall under shurikenjutsu, and this also includes using said weapons in melee combat (such as stabbing with a kunai). Shurikenjutsu is a good choice for mid-ranged combat and an excellent choice for engaging others quickly. Compared to other bukijutsu, shurikenjutsu is somewhat less lethal due to the size of the weapon, but very skilled hands can hit targets in all the right places to make up for that.
Shurikenjutsu also includes the usage of smokebombs, explosive tags, etc. Explosive tags are small localized explosions that would be capable of maiming/breaking bones on a small area of the body where the blast impacts.
Kenjutsu (Swordplay) Swords are the go to weapon of samurai and some shinobi. Able to deliver piercing or slashing attacks, swords come in many shapes and sizes. It is a superb choice for melee combat, as even the untrained can usually deal significant damage with these weapons. It takes skill and discipline to use the weapon with agility and accuracy. Swords normally make for lousy throwing weapons, but some masters can achieve a mid-ranged boomerang-like effect with their blades.
Kyujutsu (Archery) A weapon style that has superior range to any other weapon or ninjutsu, kyujutsu proficiency increases the accuracy and precision of archery. At high levels of skill an archer is able to shoot and run and perform incredible shots. Archery by itself isn't capable of being used to fire multiple arrows at a time, but a couple of avenues exist to overcome this weakness (Fuinjutsu & Shadow Clone). As a melee weapon, even a chakra enhanced bow is pretty ineffective.
Other Bukijutsu There are many other weapon styles one can choose from. Onojutsu (axes), Bojutsu (staves), Tessenjutsu (fans), and many more. If you can't figure out the Japanese name for it, it is perfectly fine just to put the weapon type in English for the proficiency. Keep in mind any weapon made predominantly for throwing is shurikenjutsu.
All shinobi are trained in at least the basics of moving quietly, but stealth is also employed by all manner of creatures from thieves to criminals.
In roleplay stealth is somewhat difficult to quantify, but generally speaking there are many factors that come into play including visibility, skill, environment, and the awareness of an opponent. Some shinobi are more or less impossible to sneak up on, such as those with an active byakugan or sensory ability active. Others possess traits that provide them additional means to passively detect (such as enhanced hearing or scent).
One trained in stealth is also better at detecting attempts of others to go unseen: it is easier to spot something when you know the techniques being used. Please use your best judgements and avoid no-selling stealth proficiency or the counters to it.
Special: You can incorporate some other proficiencies into stealth attempts in order to improve it, a classic example being the hidden mist technique.
For our purposes, ninjutsu encompasses the manipulation of chakra to create tangible effects. Typically through the moulding of hand seals, one can shape and manipulate chakra to exert their will in various forms. Ninjutsu offers a large variety of uses that will be covered individually. Ninjutsu can create the most devastating effects, but the more complex and powerful a technique is, the longer it takes to perform and more exhausting it is for the user.
Ninjutsu users often rely on a teammate, the environment, or other skills to distract or wear an opponent down long enough to perform a decisive finishing blow. That isn't to say all ninjutsu is deadly. Many proficiencies can be used to create various utilities that work in and out of battle. Shinobi are taught a variety of ninjutsu at the start of their career, such as the transformation technique which is useful for espionage.
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An Important Distinction on Deadliness
Characters do not have plot armor. A fireball jutsu is a very hot ball of fire that will have the effects one would expect of being enveloped in one (death or at the very least being unable to fight and needing medical attenion). Offensive based ninjutsu while costly in chakra and requiring hand seals is unrivaled in deadliness. It gets even worse with advanced releases as they are often more precise or can be punishing even on near misses, as well as being harder to counter in general.
An effective strategy is to have a partner capable of keeping physically based characters from reaching the ninjutsu specialist so that they can weave hand seals to perform devestating jutsu against foes.
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Elemental Ninjutsu
Each shinobi is born with a chakra nature, which is reflected by the first nature that your character learns. Changing nature is taxing, so it isn't something taught in academy as genin aren't expected to be able to achieve it. Elemental ninjutsu make up some of the most powerful techniques commonly used by higher level shinobi, but few rely on them alone because of their high chakra cost and hand seal requirement.
Katon (Fire Release) Fire is a volatile element that is known for its ability to quickly spread and get out of hand. At the lowest levels, the little sparks of fire an unpracticed user can produce are more or less harmless by themselves, but with the right fuel source even they can spread into a raging inferno. Examples of things that more advanced users can do is spitting balls of fire or manipulating it into shapes. Some masters can even manipulate walls of fire to entrap opponents. Fire by itself typically does not instantly kill if it is quickly extinguished, but even small minor burns can hamper combat ability and create a need for medical treatment.
When exposed to water, fire is easily extinguished unless an oily fuel source is used. Fire can also be smothered if it is cut off from oxygen. Strong winds may put out an ember, but for larger fires it only serves to fuel it and spread it further.
Futon (Wind Release) Control of the wind offers a balanced array of abilities to those who master it. At its lowest levels it is mostly good for small pranks like blowing hair or cutting leaves in half. As one grows in proficiency, wind techniques can be used to blow away incoming projectiles and to create force to knock opponents out of the way. More advanced uses of wind release include shaping compressed air into bullets with ones mouth. It is easier to mould wind into sheer cutting techniques with a folding fan, a rare piece of equipment, but some masters can achieve such effects without the need for tools.
Defending oneself against fire with wind is a poor choice, as it will only add fuel to the fire. Solid barriers also pose a challenge to wind techniques. Submerged in water only those capable of creating very concentrated blasts can use techniques. Wind is very effective at redirecting lightning currents, and a basic push technique is easy enough for the average user to perform quick enough to stop the incoming lightning.
Raiton (Lightning Release) Lightning is a chaotic element known for causing sudden and violent damage. It is the quickest moving of the elements, but typically comes with a tell (electricity sparking around the hands for example). At the lowest levels it can merely be used to create static shocks. Once one starts to understand the fundamentals, lightning is the most damaging of the basic elements. It is easiest to use with shocking grasp type attacks. At a range, the path of lightning is merely a suggestion, making it more accurate at middling ranges. An example of a masters level of the ability is chidori, where the user can mould hand seals to lightning charge their bodies temporarily. This boosts their speed and deliver a powerful shocking grasp, although it is difficult to use accurately.
Directing electrical currents can be disrupted by the wind. Lighting can also travel quickly through water and electrocute those within, although the user has no special protections from these effects if they are in the water as well. Lightning carves through earth and can severely weaken earthen constructs like barriers.
Doton (Earth Release) Earth release is perhaps the most defensive basic element in general application. At its lowest levels it can be used to create small crude objects of hardened earth. As a user advances the earth can be manipulated to create impressive earthen barriers. Users can even weaken the composition of the ground to make it easier to travel through, although chakra limits it from long term use. Earth release isn't without offensive capabilities, experiences users can launch boulders and spikes from the ground at an opponent. High level users can create rock clones, which are more durable than shadow clones but are limited only to using doton and physical attacks.
Exposed earth crumbles when exposed to lightning, but it is capable of absorbing water and stopping pressurized impacts. Earth can be manipulated no matter how wet it gets, creating an opportunity for users to manipulate things like mud.
Suiton (Water Release) Water is a very versatile element. In its lowest form techniques to move water allow for creating gentle currents or amusing squirts from the mouth. As one advances in technique things like pressurizing water into attacks that can bludgeon or pierce become possible. Even at a middling level, suiton users need a water source, with more advanced users finding ways to store it or even create it. Water clones are some of the easiest clones to create, which are capable of basic physical attacks and minor suiton action, though they must stay close to the user. More so than any other element, water is a transformative substance. Kneading it with oil can create fuel for fires, exposing it to the earth can create mud, and naturally conducts electricity. Experts learn to use substances inside of their bodies to mix with water. Water is at its most dangerous near natural water sources, where masters can stir up impressive waves and powerful currents to pull people under.
Water can't do much against the forces of earth, as it dictates the shape it can take in liquid form and also tends to absorb its force easily. Electricity travels through it with ease. Using water is an easy way to put out fires, although with oil fires it can sometimes make things worse.
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Other Ninjutsu
Medial Ninjutsu Medical ninjutsu uses techniques to provide medical assistance to other shinobi. At its lowest levels shinobi are able to use chakra to sterilize wounds, while as they grow they can assist in the healing process. This starts with minor cuts and bruises at first to being able to heal large flesh wounds and even broken bones as they gain expertise. Medics also learn how to perform basic surgeries assisted with chakra scalpels and how to treat poisons. It can be used for other nefarious purposes such as temporarily animating corpses, making poison, or doing medical experiments.
Using chakra scalpels as weapons, chakra enhanced strength, and body pathway derangement are all considered to be medical nintaijutsu in our system (see here for details). Techniques that heal without hand seals and channeling require a high level of fuinjutsu skill to create.
Sensory Ninjutsu Sensory ninjutsu is a useful proficiency for finding the unseen. Sensory abilities require that the user knead chakra and concentrate, making it possible that they may miss out on events happening around them if they are not careful. At the lowest level the ability is only able to be used to detect in a very localized area, and there is no distinction between different people. As they grow they are able to gradually extend the range of their abilities as well as their ability to read chakra. Experienced users might be able to see several miles out and recognize a signature that they have encountered before (exerting more chakra the further they look). Those reaching into the ranks of master can often use their abilities without heavy concentration, but chakra limits keep them from using it indefinitely.
Non-Elemental Ninjutsu Without intimate knowledge of a specific art, or the innermost functions of chakra, non-elemental ninjutsu is generally seen as only being capable of manipulating something that already exists. While clans teach specific, unique ways to manipulate non-elemental ninjutsu, most shinobi cannot use it for much more than the basic (and advanced) academy techniques.
Any ninjutsu that uses inorganic processed materials fall under this category. Examples include paper, chewing gum, plastics, etc. Any material ninjutsu can be applied for and its effects and weaknesses can be worked out with the staff. Note that certain overlaps may occur- lava release already has access to rubber and wood release could potentially be used to manipulate paper. The mention of this is mostly to establish that things like this fall in the "public domain". Custom clans based around a concept like this will not be allowed.
It can also encompass less material concepts such as manipulating sound. Using sound is a versatile technique that can aid in combat or in stealth, or to distract. At its core though, sound is just that, sound. Chakra travels through the sound waves to amplify their effects, meaning that while everyone might hear a sound only targets in a specific area might be affected. Generally speaking the more concentrated the chakra is the greater the effect.
Special: Non-Elemental ninjutsu is not a single all encompassing proficiency, when applying to add it a theme must be applied. You wouldn't put "Non-Elemental Ninjutsu [Rookie]" in your app, you would put "Hair Manipulation [Non-Elmental | Rookie]" or some other title that encompasses the theme. You can take multiple non-elemental ninjutsu.
Illusion is a subtle craft, and one that is somewhat uncommon for shinobi to dedicate themselves towards. Delivered through a variety of methods, genjutsu tricks the human mind into thinking it is perceiving something it is not. Jutsu such as the clone jutsu taught in academy are not considered genjutsu even though they are intangible, because it is a trick of the eye and does not directly influence the mind.
Shinobi are taught to break genjutsu in academy. In most cases, this is sufficient to escape (Tsukuyomi being the notable exception), but expelling a genjutsu takes a considerable amount more chakra than it does for a user to place them under an illusion. In a battle of pure chakra attrition, the genjutsu user is favored. Recasting illusions is also fairly easy. Defeating a genjutsu user often requires identifying it, breaking the illusion, and preventing it from being cast again.
Using genjutsu comes with a variety of approaches. Some will attempt to use very subtle illusions to lure an opponent into a trap, others will go for more obvious effects and run the opponent out of chakra as they try to counter the illusions. Oftentimes an opponent will try to fight through an illusion, weary of wasting chakra before finding a way to stop the trigger. Characters can only cast more illusions to affect other senses while they are maintaining them, so they must rely on mundane skills like taijutsu or bukijutsu during these times. Causing significant pain will break a genjutsu as well.
Any genjutsu that binds the user in from movement requires an advanced user, and they must not move themselves while it is in effect.
Genjutsu is broken up into the triggers used to cast them. Each type of genjutsu is a separate proficiency.
Auditory Genjutsu Encompasses the use of sound. It is probably the most common genjutsu type, as it can be triggered quickly with the voice, a whistle, etc. Starting out auditory genjutsu can be used to misdirect sound. As skill increases things like silencing or increasing volume becomes possible. Expert users can move beyond controlling the sense of hearing to cause hallucinations that effect other senses. Although sound can travel in many directions, it would take a lot of chakra to push an illusion in multiple directions. Only advanced users can typically target multiple people and even then it is less efficient and potent than using an illusion on one person. Auditory genjutsu does not work if sound can not reach the target or if they are deafened.
Visual Genjutsu Visual genjutsu typically involves forming hand seals. In its lowest form it can be used to create small visual disturbances that only the individual under the effects can perceive. As one advances in skill the complexity of visual illusions can increase, and at higher levels these hallucinations can include other senses. Ocular genjutsu is included in visual genjutsu, which allows for the eschewing of hand seals, but this can only be done with the sharingan or an occular enhancement surgery performed by a someone with a medical science proficiency. Much like auditory genjutsu, multiple targets take more chakra. If someone cannot see the source of the trigger then they are not affected.
Olfactory Genjutsu Genjutsu produced through smell is one of the rarest forms. By kneading chakra into powders, perfumes, or even their breath a user can afflict a genjutsu on others. At low levels this typically just allows the scent to linger, which can be a detriment to things like tracking animals. Like other genjutsu at a higher level it can trigger other senses and cause hallucinations. A significant amount of the scent particles must be inhaled, so affecting a wide area is difficult.
Puppetry allows for the control of objects using chakra threads. These can be used with things like kunai and other small objects, but most commonly it is used with puppets filled with mechanical traps and other gadgets. Rookies in these arts will require the fingers on both hands to clumsily maneuver a single puppet, with piloting skills getting better as they advance. As they advance they are able to begin using less effort to control a puppet, with veterans of the proficiency usually able to use two at a time. By the rank of master as many as four puppets can be used at once, with rumors of grand masters being able to use six. It is important to note that puppeteers cannot use chakra in other ways while they are performing their art.
Puppeteers can include their puppets in the description, with puppets becoming more complex as the puppeteer gains skill. Characters can attach as many puppets as they can use to the description, and more if they have a fuinjutsu skill to keep extras (Things like human puppets would require a strong medical background as well).
The sealing arts allow for the conversion of objects, jutsu, or even living things into another object. In its basic form, fuinjutsu can be used as a means to lighten the load by sealing small objects into scrolls. As one gets better at using it, packing more objects into tighter spaces becomes possible. Advanced users can learn to weaponize fuinjutsu by quickly ejecting materials or placing traps that can trigger if disturbed. At journeyman level small critters like rodents can be sealed into objects, although they must be kept extremely still in order to perform the conversion, requiring incapacitation. Veterans can seal away things like larger animals like dogs or even humans with low levels of chakra. Masters of the art can often seal away incapacitated humans regardless of chakra levels, and grand masters could seal away tailed beasts. Humans with shinobi levels of chakra and tailed beasts require proper mediums to contain them, alternately, humans can make for great vessels for storing chakra.
Fuinjutsu does not offer abilities one does not already possess, but it can be used to store techniques to create traps or use certain techniques without the need for hand seals at higher levels (although chakra is still required to activate a scroll or body seal containing a technique).
Heritage Heritage proficiencies are always dormant, requiring a single slot and no further investment. These allow the character possessing them to awaken their clan’s kekkei genkai, and while using it, not suffer drastic shortages of chakra. No character may have more than one heritage proficiency, and it must be taken at creation. A heritage proficiency cannot be stolen, transferred, or otherwise exchanged. Note that this should not be confused with the kekkei genkai itself, it is the potential to have a kekkai genkai.
Kekkei Genkai Kekkei Genkai (Bloodline Limits) are an inheritable ability via a Heritage proficiency (detailed above). However, they also possess a unique trait of being acquirable via player character death - to the victor go the spoils. If one wishes to start with a kekkei genkai proficiency, they need to have the prerequisite heritage proficiency. The same is true if one wishes to unlock a kekkai genkai without another character’s death, but as a result, they will suffer no unnatural drawbacks from the use of it.
If you possess a transplanted kekkei genkai proficiency, you will inherently start at the level it was acquired. Unfortunately, this does not mean your character will be able to control it - in fact, the higher level the kekkei genkai, the more detrimental it can be. Whether it be through chakra exhaustion, failure in long-term use, or simply being too much to bear, one must have a way to control it. Dojutsu is the easiest, as covering the eye prevents it from drawing chakra. Otherwise, the most common method for this is Juinjutsu, detailed below.
Clan Hijutsu Clan Hijutsu proficiencies are specialized jutsu that are taught to members of a clan. Hijutsu that deal predominantly with taijutsu replace a character's taijutsu proficiency, while others act as their own proficiceny.
