Naruto Wushu

This page will be a document of my changes to the basic Wushu engine to more properly emulate the setting from the manga and anime series Naruto.

Credits

Written by Ratix. Feel free to modify and add to this page, as long as you keep my name here. Special thanks to Broblawsky0 for original concept and feedback.

1. Essentials

Fighting Styles: All characters are defined with the following stats, called Fighting Styles or just Styles - Ninjutsu, Taijutsu, and Genjutsu. These Styles represent the Mental, Physical, and Social aspects of the character, respectively.

Ninjutsu (Mental) - Ninja combat arts. Includes shuriken/kunai throwing, water and wall walking, elemental powers, and anything else that requires precise Chakra control. Also covers knowledge and learning skills, stealth, and information gathering.

Taijutsu (Physical) - Basic martial arts. Covers physical prowess, melee weapon usage, and stamina. Also includes athletics, strength, and agility.

Genjutsu (Social) - Ninja sorcery. Covers illusions of all types, as well as summoning otherworldy beings, creating and dispelling seals and curses, and manipulating nature. Also covers social interactions such as persuasion and leadership.

Styles represent characters' die caps for related actions. These stats have no upper limit, but most characters range from 1 to 10, with ranges above that reserved for only the most powerful, legendary figures (village leaders like Hokage or Kazekage, legendary ninjas, etc).

Chakra: Chi is renamed to Chakra.

Dice: Yang (attack) and Yin (defense) dice are referred to as Strike and Stamina, respectively.

Details: Along with physical actions, Details may include introspective thoughts, revelations on life, and flashbacks to times that relate to the moment at hand. This is Naruto after all; relish in that fact. Extended flashback/explanation scenes are good candidates for Filibusters.

Extra Dice: Depending on the dramatic nature of the encounter, the GM may increase everyone's dice caps by +1 to +3. This is cumulative with any die cap increases recieved from Extras.

Dramatic Recovery: Once per session or adventure (GM's call), a character who has lost all Chakra can make a Dramatic Recovery check, using an appropriate personal Trait (Iron Willpower, Endless Stamina, Dedicated to Vengeance, or defaulting to 2). The first success means you're not out of the fight; you circumvent any coup de grace from the opponent. Each additional success restores a point of Chakra up to your maximum. For dice cap purposes, use the character's Specialty Style (described in Character Creation).

Dramatic Action: By spending a point of Chakra, a character with a personal Trait relating to a great purpose in life (Protect Comrades, Dedicated to Vengeance, Defend a Precious Person) can fight even more effectively, driven by this purpose. In addition to any successes rolled, the character gets 3 extra successes, which may be counted as Strike or Stamina, whichever is preferred. Any Details may be used, as long as they relate to the character's existing Traits, and are embellished with the theme of their personal Trait.

For example, a character with the personal Trait "Protect Comrades" can describe defending his comrades (jumping in to protect them from a deadly enemy, beating down the enemy who has severely injured a comrade, countering shuriken thrown at comrades with his own, etc) and by spending a point of Chakra, gains any rolled successes, plus 3 more.

Scab Rolls: The GM determines which Style is involved in the situation, and players roll a number of dice equal to their Style, trying to roll under a relevant Trait (default 2). The more successes they get, the better they did. Certain Extras reward more dice.

Held Dice and : It is recommended that these rules also be used, to represent characters preparing ahead of time for a sneaky action (think Kankurou and his first on-screen use of Karasu), or losing ground in a way besides loss of Chakra (loses will to fight, drops ninja equipment, etc).

2. Character Creation

[b]Styles:[/b] Using 12 points, assign values to the three Styles. Each starts at 0 and must have at least one point spent on it. Extras are also purchased along with Styles (see Extras below)
[b]Specialty Style:[/b] Select one Style. This is the character's specialty, which is used to assign personal Traits, and for use in Dramatic Recoveries and other actions that relate to the character's goals in life.
[b]Traits:[/b] Buy traits for each Style. The points available equals the value of the Style. Personal Traits include personality, motivation, resources, and other Traits that don't fall under a distinctive Style. This includes special bloodline limits like Sharingan.
[b]Weakness:[/b] Select a weakness. Most weaknesses should be exploitable in some way during combat.
[b]Done:[/b] And that's it. These rules will create starting Genin of a level appropriate for some good Wushu action, but giving more points and taking catchall Traits like "Leaf/Sand/Sound Ninja" can be done to create higher level Genin and beyond. Typically, a Ninja Trait rating of 3 is equivalent to Chuunin skill, 4 is a Jounin, and 5 is a Kage, or village leader who has mastered all techniques of a village.

3. Extras

These are special talents, resources, etc., that the character has access to. An extra costs 2 of the starting points to acquire.

Advanced Bloodline: The character possesses a superhuman genetic gift. An advanced bloodline increases the character's die cap by +2 when it comes into play, and gives 2 extra dice for any scab rolls using it. It also allows the character to take bloodline limit Traits, which define its specific uses and abilities.

Amazing Stamina: The character is tougher, bigger, more determined, lucky, etc., and lasts longer in a conflict. Starting Chakra is increased by +2

Demon Form: The character possesses a powerful spirit inside themselves. If the character's Chakra is reduced to 0, the spirit will begin awakening, and leak power to the character. If the character succeeds at a Dramatic Recovery, they can act afterwards with a +3 die cap, with 3 extra scab roll dice. When the immediate danger has subsided, the spirit force usually goes away. Combining this extra with a Weakness like "Uncontrollable Demon Form" can represent a spirit that takes over the character, has a more inhuman manifestation, or is more dangerous than helpful.

Eight Celestial Gates: The character can open the mystical gates that mediate the flow of Chakra, but at a cost to their body. The character's die cap is increased to as much as +8 while using this ability. Opening a gate is a special Detail that is rolled with a different die (usually a different color or size). Describing a gate being opened adds to the die cap immediately, essentially giving a free die for that round. Opened Gates carry over their die cap increases to subsequent rounds. If the roll on a gate die ever comes up 5 OR 6, the character automaticaly loses a point of Chakra. If a character ever opens all eight gates, they will die at the end of the scene. Gates may be closed at anytime with no further consequence (except for the last gate, which cannot be closed), but the character loses the bonus dice for that round. How many gates the character can open is up to the GM and player, since the bonus of opening more is outweighed by the risks involved.

Scab rolls are usually not rolled when opening gates, since the action is most likely serious enough to call for Details, but if necessary, the extra dice for scab rolls equals the current number of opened gates.

Familiar: Be it an animal companion, a living weapon, or a Chakra-controlled marionette, the character is effectively two in one, and commands a subordinate servant of some type. The die cap is increased by +2 when using the Familiar, and scab rolls get 2 extra dice. The character can also take familiar-related Traits. The familiar gets 3 Chakra, and opponents must split their Strike successes to attack both the character and the familiar. Every round the familiar automatically gets one Stamina success to defend, and the character must split his Stamina successes with the familiar to provide more defense.

4. Misc.

[b]Experience:[/b] The GM may award 1-3 points every adventure. These points can be spent to raise Styles just like in character creation, granting points to buy new Traits, or improve existing ones.

Examples of Play

With speed that renders him temporarily invisible,(1) Sasuke delivers a rising heel kick, sending his opponent high into the air.(2) He leaps after the opponent, assuming the Shadow Leaf Dance position in mid-air behind him(3), and delivers a roundhouse kick.(4) He follows this up with a series of blows to propel the opponent downward faster(5), and as he shouts "There's more!" uses his body's momentum to slam the opponent into the ground with a devastating axe kick,(6) shouting "Shishi Rendan!"(7)

 Using "Acrobatic Fighter"

Neji activates his Byakugan,(1) and gazes intensely into Hinata's eyes.(2) He notices her looking to the upper left corner, indicating she is recalling a troubling memory.(3) She then looks to the bottom right, indicating she is imagining the pain that is to come.(4) She then puts her arms up in a shielding, meek way.(5) "You cannot fool my eyes," he says.(6)

 Using "Intimidation" (with Byakugan bloodline)

Naruto catches Kabuto's kunai-holding hand in his left,(1) and creates a Shadow Clone at his side.(2) As he holds his right hand out, the Shadow Clone swipes both palms over Naruto's, rotating its own Chakra and using it to spin the ball of Chakra Naruto is forming.(3) The clone cups both hands over Naruto's, and the ball becomes a perfectly round sphere.(4) As he mutters "Spin the Chakra... compress the Chakra... and control it!" he shoves the ball into Kabuto's chest. "Rasengan!"(5) The ball explodes into a whirling blast of Chakra(6), propelling Kabuto backwards at high speed and slamming him into a boulder some distance away.(7)

 Using "Advanced Techniques"

Kakashi whipes his thumb on his bloody uniform,(1) and withdraws a scroll, sliding his thumb along its open page.(2) He then twirls it around his body artfully,(3) then throws it into the air, spinning it so it rolls back up in mid-air, and catches it.(4) He then performs a series of hand seals, then slams it into the ground(5) shouting "Summoning Technique! Earth Tracking Fang!".(6) Numerous ninja dogs leap out of the ground and grab Zabuza, immobilizing him.(7)

 Using "Summon Dogs"

Sample Characters

[b]Konya Suichi[/b]
Description: Slacker leaf Genin, he's gotten by with charm and wit. His clan uses techniques where he controls leaves with his chakra, causing whirlwinds, or slicing his opponents with chakra-controlled razor leafs.

Chakra: 3
Extras: [i]None[/i]

*Ninjutsu (4)
Leaf Techniques (4), Analytical Fighter (4)

Taijutsu (4)
Surprisingly Strong (3), Acrobatic Fighter (3), Subtle Hands (4)

Genjutsu (4)
Illusions (4), Sweet Talking (4)

Weakness: Poor memory (1)

[b]Hyuuga Hibiki[/b]
Description: Kunoichi (female ninja) from the Hyuuga clan, and a member of the Branch Family. She uses the Byakugan to see the tenketsu points, and disables an opponent's body parts by striking them.

Chakra: 3
Extras: [i]Advanced Bloodline (Byakugan)[/i]

Ninjutsu (3)
Stealth (4), Chakra Control (3)

*Taijutsu (5)
Byakugan (3), Tenketsu Strikes (4), Agile Fighter (4)

Genjutsu (2)
Interrogation (3), Illusions (3)

Weakness: Branch Family (1)

[b]Shin Kyosuke[/b]
Description: Genjutsu specialist. He is one of few Genin who can perform summoning techniques. He is motivated to protect his friends at all costs, but does not function well on his own.

Chakra: 3
Extras: [i]None[/i]

Ninjutsu (4)
Stealth (4), Analytical Fighter (4)

Taijutsu (2)
Leaf Basic Combat (3), Acrobatics (3)

*Genjutsu (6)
Illusions (5), Summon Dogs (3), Dedicated to His Friends (4)

Weakness: Dependent on Teammates (1)

[b]Gensao[/b]
Description: Leaf Jounin, leader of Team 6 (Suichi, Hibiki, Kyosuke). A veteran of a past war, he will see the mission through no matter what. An injury during the war still haunts him.

Chakra: 5
Extras: [i]Amazing Stamina[/i]

*Ninjutsu (9)
Leaf Ninja (4), Chakra Control (5), Will Not Let The Mission Fail (5), Analytical Fighter (3)

Taijutsu (8)
Chakra Fists (5), Speedy Fighter (4), Acrobatic Fighter (5)

Genjutsu (8)
Leader In Battle (4), Illusions (5), Summon Wolves (5)

Weakness: Back Injury (1 if back is attacked)

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