Tools Of Trade for Ninjas

Tools of the Trade

Weapons

Entangling Attacks

Prone and Entangled Opponents

Tools of the TradeOriental cultures feature many weapons not commonly found in western cultures, and the ninja uses tools that are uncommon even within his own culture. This article describes many ofthe weapons and gadgets that the presence of ninja will bring to a campaign.

Weapons

Some of the weapons are new to the AD&D® game, while others appeared previously in the Player’s Handbook. The reason some weapons are repeated here is to show players which “normal” weapons are also available in Oriental cultures. A hand axe may have a differentconfiguration and a different name in an Oriental setting, but it has the same weapon statistics as its cousin from a western setting.

Entangling Attacks

When attacking with a weapon that makes an entangling attack (as noted in many of the weapon descriptions), the attacker must specify that he’s aiming for either his opponent’s upper body or lower body. If the attack roll succeeds, one end of the weapon wraps around that part of the body and pins it, at least for a moment.If the upper body is entangled, the opponent cannot make attacks that require use of the arms. If the lower body is entangled, the opponent cannot make attacks that require use of the legs, nor can he move from that spot.

To break free of an entangling weapon, the opponent must make a successful saving throw vs. paralyzation in place of his next attack in combat. The weapon takes no damage. If he is unsuccessful, he remains entangled but can try again to break free on his next available attack.

Once an attacker has made an entangling attack, he can make other attacks on the same. If the attack was made against the opponent’s lower body, the attacker can spend his next attack to yank the opponent’s feet out from under him, throwing him to the ground. Also, if the attacker’s entangling weapon has an attacking part at both ends, as do many of the weapons described in this chapter, he can make subsequent attacks against the target with the weapon’s other end.

Prone and Entangled Opponents

A character who is entangled is easier to hit; all attacks made against him get a +2 bonus to the attack roll. When a character is on the ground, he is also easier to hit; all attacks made against him get a +2 bonus to the attack roll. The poor character who is both entangled and on the ground suffers doubly; the bonuses are cumulative, and his attacker gets a +4 bonus to the attack roll.

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