Skills

New skills: The Ninja world is a very different place than a normal pathfinder setting. And as such Ninja developed very different needs and talents. As such the Standard Skills have been changed significantly from their default. Many have been consolidated and others changed or subsumed and some have been changed to trained only, or made available to use even without training. A Gm could choose to use the standard skills and simply add knowledge Ninjutsu and Knowledge Taijutsu if they desired.

Acrobatics (Dex): The Acrobatics skill is mostly unchanged from Pathfinder with a few exceptions. Firstly Ninja are natural born jumpers and as such ninja may always jump a distance equal to their acrobatics check result, whether they are going forward or up, and whether or not they have a running start.

Secondly all uses of the fly skill now fall under acrobatics and the fly skill no longer exists.

Athletics (Str): This skill serves as a combination of climb and swim and has all the functions of both.

Bluff (Cha): The Bluff skill is unchanged, however when used against nonhuman creatures capable of understanding speech the ninja takes a -4 penalty.

Craft (Int): The Craft skill is unchanged, though craft Alchemy is now simply called craft Chemistry

Diplomacy (Cha): The Diplomacy skill is unchanged, though a ninja using diplomacy on nonhuman creatures capable of understanding speech takes a -4 penalty

Disguise (Cha): The disguise skill maintains all previous usage but also gains two new uses. Determining the quality of a clone, and concealing objects.

Clone quality: Whenever a Ninja creates a clone using any kind of clone jutsu they may roll a disguise check to determine how close the clone is to their own appearance. This serves as the DC to see through the disguise and realise the clone is not the original. Unless otherwise noted all clone jutsu provide a +20 bonus on this check.

Create concealment: Disguise can also be used to hide something by creating camouflage. This allows the ninja to use their disguise result in place of stealth when applied to an object they wish to conceal. This could be something as simple as piling leaves atop an explosive seal to as complex as creating an entire fake tree or piece of furniture. Generally the disguise functions only as long as the subject remains completely motionless.

Handle Animal (Cha): Trained only. The Handle animal skill is unchanged but has been granted several new facets. Firstly all usage of the ride skill is now governed by handle animal, the two skills are combined. Secondly, Handle animal can be used as bluff, diplomacy or handle animal against nonhuman creatures, whether or not they are capable of speech and they do not take the penalties associated with the target not being human.

Heal (Wis): This skill is mostly unchanged however it can now also be used to craft medical items, functioning just as the craft skill. Additionally, as part of a 10 minute rest a ninja may use the heal skill on up to 4 creatures to remove 1 damage and all nonlethal damage.

Intimidate (Cha): This skill is Unchanged and works equally well on humans and nonhumans unlike most other charisma based skills.

'''Knowledge Academic (Int)': Trained only''. This knowledge skill covers a wide variety of topics, generally covering anything that would be taught in a higher institution of learning. It includes all the uses of Knowledge History, Knowledge Nobility and Knowledge geography, as well as covering Sciences and Politics. It does not cover rumors or conjecture, it is focused on fact and theory.

'''Knowledge Common (Int)'''- This known skill covers things that aren't taught in school, yet are crucial for daily life. It covers most uses of knowledge Local and Profession, as well as covering topics like holidays, customs, criminals, rumors, culture, superstition, navigating a city, appraising common goods and the performing of daily tasks such as cooking, cleaning, or the running of errands.

'''Knowledge Nature (Int)''':  This skill is mostly unchanged, though it also covers questions about Senjutsu, most Monsters and the Tailed beasts. In addition it also covers all uses of the survival skill.

'''Knowledge Ninjutsu (Int)': Trained only''. This skill represents both practical and theoretical knowledge of various Jutsus, their abilities and effects, their uses, and users. It serves as a knowledge check regarding most ninja, The Nature and science of chakra, Ninjutsu, Genjutsu and related ninja techniques. Additonally it covers Ninja Relics and the history and origins of techniques and jutsu.

This skills other primary application is recognizing enemy jutsu and providing information about them. The most common uses of Knowledge Ninjutsu and their DC's are listed below. Most Knowledge Ninjutsu DC's increase with the technique point cost of a jutsu, this is because more complex jutsu are rarer and harder to understand. Some jutsu, such as a ball of flames may not require a roll to recognize their element. Modifiers:

If a Ninja does not possess the basic elemental style of the jutsu they are trying to identify they take a -5 penalty. Thus a Ninja who had only basic wind and water style would have -5 to identify a fire style move. If a jutsu has more than one nature, such as a Kekei Genkai, this penalty is cumulative.

If a Ninja knows the technique they are seeing they gain a +10 Bonus to recognize it

Recognizing a Kinjutsu takes a -10 penalty as such moves are rare and prohibited in the extreme.

At the GM's discretion other jutsu may have an increase to the DC based on the region their from or their rarity or how new they are.

'''Knowledge Spiritualism (Int)': Trained only''. This skill governs knowledge of the ephemeral, the otherwordly, the hypothetical and the divine. It functions as knowledge Arcane, Knowledge Religion, and Knowledge Planes, as well as covering topics like alternate dimensions, philosophy, meditation, self actualization,  and matters of the soul, life, and death. Because there is little to no magic or divinity in a ninja world these topics are primarily explored for the sake of satisfying ones curiosity.

'''Knowledge Taijutsu (Int)': Trained only''. This skill governs all knowledge of hand to hand combat. It includes knowledge about fighting styles and Taijutsu, Covers all non-relic ninja tools (not just weapons), and also provides information on Ninja known for their Taijutsu. Additionally it allows a Ninja to gain a tactical advantage over an opponent by assessing their strengths and weaknesses. Unlike most knowledge skills, knowledge Taijutsu can be used repeatedly on a foe as they continue to fight. Each round of combat after the first a Ninja can make a knowledge taijutsu check as a swift action to gain more information about them, the Information and DC's are available below and a Ninja may choose what knowledge they're seeking to learn. Linguistics (Int): The linguistics skill is primarily unchanged, however in most Naruto settings it's assumed there is only one dominant language, and most other languages are regional rather than racial. Though there are several new languages as well. Creating and detecting forgeries functions as normal and sees much more frequent use in a Naruto game. Additionally linguistics can be used to forge false exploding tags which can be recognized either by an opposed linguistics check to detect forgery, or by a security check with the same DC.

New languages:

Animal language: Animals in the ninja world are often quite intelligent, and have a rich and complex language that humans can learn. Each time this language is taken the player chooses a gorup of related animals such as canines, or felines, the player is able to communicate with animals in that group as if they shared a language, though their intelligence may limit how useful such communication can be.

Morse code: While technically a code, this language is essentially the ability to communicate by spelling out words or numbers using only a series of long and short taps, this makes it useful in covert communication, or for "speaking" when unable to use one's mouth.

Ninja sign language: This language allows the user to communicate with anyone who can see their hands, regardless of distance and without making a sound. It can be used to express complex ideas than tactical sign language and requires tactical sign language be known before it can be taken.

Smoke signals: By using a campfire and a cloak or blanket a ninja can send smoke signals into the air denoting a specific message to anyone who can see the smoke, which can sometimes be up to 50 miles or more under the right conditions. This language can only communicate basic ideas such as the need for help, the presence of enemies, a camp willing to share food, and other simple messages. Optionally each villiage may develope their own complex smoke signal language.

Tactical sign language: This set of hand signals and signs can be used to explain basic battle plans. It includes words like "Wait" and "attack" and "on my signal" and can be used to convey enemy numbers and relative strength but not in any significant detail.

Village Markings: This language represents a set of simple lines and dots that can be drawn using a kunai on nearly any solid surface. The language can convey basic information such as "Traps" or "wild animals" or "Enemy occupied area". These signs are usually intentionally made shallow enough that after a week they no longer remain, though they can be made to last longer if desired. Each village has their own set of markings and each set can be learned as a separate language.

''Making and breaking codes'': Linguistics can be used to encode, decode, and crack, important messages. When encoding a message the user makes a linguistics check to determine how strong the code is. Breaking the code requires an opposed linguistics check with a DC of 10+the result of the check made to encode it. This takes 1 hour to create the code and 1 hour per 5 points of the DC to attempt to crack it. Instead of creating a new code each time a Ninja may also use an existing code, possibly created by someone else, which will have a set DC regardless of the person actually encoding the message. The Downside to this is that if someone were to get a hold of the cipher, that is an object explaining how the code works, they can automatically decipher all messages made using that code without a roll.

Perception (Wis): The Perception skill is mostly unchanged however it is no longer used for searching an area, that is now the purview of the security skill.

Perform (Cha): The Perform skill is unchanged however it needs only to be taken once in order to cover all uses of perform, including all instruments suitable for the character and campaign.

Ride (Dex): The Ride skill has been fully incorporated into the handle animal skill, which does everything ride once did.

Sense motive (Wis): This skill is unchanged however a ninja attempting to sense the motive of a nonhuman creature takes a -4 penalty.

Security (Int): Trained Only. This skill serves as a combination of several existing skills. Firstly, Security is used whenever a Ninja is searching an area. This is used in addition to perception whenever a Ninja is examining an area, looking for traps, or trying to find hidden doors, mechanisms or creatures. The Ninja rolls both perception and security and takes the better of the two results. Additionally this skill now handles all uses of the Appraise, Disable device, Escape artist, knowledge dungeoneering, and Knowledge Engineering skills, which it replaces.

Sleight of hand (Dex): This skill is mostly unchanged save for two additional uses. Weaving defensively, and covert weaving.

Weaving defensively: As part of weaving a jutsu the ninja may increase the amount of time they take in order to try and avoid being disrupted. The time it takes to weave a jutsu is increased by one step. A free or immediate action becomes swift, a swift action becomes a move, a move action becomes standard, a full round action becomes 1 round, and any time more than 1 round is doubled. In exchange the Ninja may make a sleight of hand check as part of using the jutsu. Any ninja who does not exceed the sleight f hand result with a perception check does not get an attack of opportunity against the jutsu user.

Covert weaving: As part of weaving a jutsu the ninja may increase the amount of time they take in order to try and avoid having their hand signs read by mixing in fake signs and moving their body to try and obfuscate their motions. The time it takes to weave a jutsu is increased by one step. A free or immediate action becomes swift, a swift action becomes a move, a move action becomes standard, a full round action becomes 1 round, and any time more than 1 round is doubled. In exchange the Ninja may make a sleight of hand check as part of using the jutsu. Any Ninja failing an opposed perception check is unable to read the hand signs and thus cannot attempt a Knowledge Ninjutsu check to identify the jutsu being used based on hand signs. Other means of identifying a jutsu still function normally.

Stealth (Dex): This skill functions normally.

Survival (Wis): This skill has been removed and all of it's former functions are included in knowledge Nature.