Way of the Ninja Review

 

The Way of the Ninja book is a sourcebook on the ninja and shinobi of Rokugan.  It was published containing mechanics for both Legend of the Five Rings second edition by Alderac Entertainment Group (AEG) and the d20 system by Wizards of the Coast (WotC).  It was published by AEG.  It was written by Shawn Carmen, Rich Wulf, Seth Mason, and Aaron Medwin.  This book is no longer available on Drivethru, and must be downloaded via torrent.

What Way of the Ninja is

It's a book describing how the ninja work in Rokugan, the land of Legend of the Five Rings. If you were expecting something like Kishimoto's Naruto, you're mistaken.  There are no mystical ninja clans with Genjutsu or even Taijutsu; just ninjutsu.  However, the ninja in Rokugan are treated as a myth and fairy tale around Rokugan, which helps the ninja of Rokugan immensely. Unlike the lands of Naruto, where the ninja operate fairly in the open, the ninja of Rokugan operate in the shadows.  However, like the ninja of Naruto, the ninja of Rokugan fulfill various contracts -- which can be anything from espionage to assassinations.

Way of the Ninja also goes into the history of the ninja and how Hantei I, Rokugan's first Emperor, was the first person to give the ninja a job.  He told his brother Bayushi to watch, and thus from this order, the ninja were born.  Of course, the Bayushi and Shosuro ninja first gathered intelligence on each of the Great Clans, and then started to strike on opportune moments to prevent terrible things to happen.  When one of the later Hantei learned of the ninja and their dishonorable acts, he called the then Scorpion champion to explain himself.  His brother, who was daimyo of the Bayushi ninja, was executed. This forced the ninja to work underground.  Splitting up into various factions and ninja families.  And they continued their tasks to watch over the Empire.  For the Hantei never rescinded his order, which was to "Watch!"

Overview 

The book begins describing what a ninja is, and of course they are more than just men and women wearing black and a mask committing the most heinous dishonorable acts.  Some of them do have access to Magic (the Shosuro), some of them work for the shadowlands (the Goju), some for the nefarious Kolat (the Kolat).  Still the book goes into other clans that might have ninja operations.  The Crane Clan, for instance, have the Daidoji harriers -- which act a lot like the ninja -- so they are included.

The book also goes into possible Ninja types that can be played, and a few contracts. Like sabotage and of course, assassinations.  This book also has various information on the dojo of the ninja families, which the Scorpion has two (two different families of ninjutsu is controlled and maintained by the Scorpion).  And also the Kolat has several ninja families working for them.  However, the book doesn't get into genjutsu or taijutsu.  But, it has suggested character classes and prestige classes that are trained in the book.

After the major ninja families are explained, minor ninja clans are covered.  Including a whole village of peasants that operate as ninja.  After this, the enemies of the ninja are explained.  Yes, in Rokugan, the ninja do have enemies.  While in Naruto the ninja war was conducted against another ninja faction, Rokugani ninja face enemies who are investigating their shadowy and criminal acts.  After this, the ninja's equipment, in Rokugan, is given.  Then new treatment on d20 skills and feats are given at the end of the book.

Critical Hits

This book is a valuable book for GMs as well as players.  The first, for information on conducting a ninja campaign within Rokugan.  The second, because it expands on the information given in Rokugan, which will be reviewed later.  While the ninja is given a full class in Rokugan, before that was the ninja spy prestige class given in WotC's Oriental Adventures (which will also be reviewed later). Much of the mystery of the Ninja of Rokugan is explained in this book.  Although to add mystery to an all Ninja campaign, the GM should read the Ninja and their Secret Techniques by Stephen K. Hayes.  Watching Naruto might give the GM some ideas on how to run a ninja campaign, but there are some high fantasy elements in Naruto that won't work in a Legend of the Five Rings campaign.

Critical Misses

The book doesn't go into Taijutsu or Genjutsu, which would frustrate a lot of Naruto fans.  However, it does what it does.  It describes how the ninja work in Rokugan and how they employ their secret arts in the world of Legend of the Five Rings.

Conclusion

You should get this book if you are planning a ninja campaign in your Rokugan game.  Although EDGE Studio hasn't put out a ninja book yet for Legend of the Five Rings 5th edition, they should because there are a lot of ninja fans out there.  Of course, you can get this book and use the information therein to convert to the current edition of Legend of the Five Rings. I would say that the EDGE Studio is missing out on an opportunity to put out a ninja book for their version of the game.  This book is useful, however, if you are running a d20 campaign based in Legend of the Five Rings.