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Now summoning is a really cool ability, but thinking in the mindset of the player, I wonder if I would feel the same about having a combat ready bear vs a chicken that gives good advice. With that said, here are some ideas for injecting a bit of magic into the lesser lesser celestial animals.

These following animals are fine and fit for combat:
Bears
Dogs
Large cats (will probably allow ninjas who contract with cats to have a familiar that can switch between the two forms)

Some of the buffs will be a lvl 1 thematic wushu that is constantly on for the animal in question.

Rats will have The unnoticed from Way of the Unseen.
Hedgehogs will have Eagle eyes from Way of Beasts. (The better to find those rings with)
If there are celestial horses in the future they will probably have Surface running from Way of Movement
Ditto for celestial pigs who would have Foraging Technique from Way of Survival (Have you ever seen a pig go hungry? He’ll probably share if you ask.)

Others will be powerful (level 3 or 4) wushu that the animal can use 1/day

Monkeys will have Human form from Way of the twin beasts (Monkey see, Monkey do)
Roosters will have Fire-Breather from Way of fire (Blood of the Phoenix)

Finally, the celestial animal might enhance the combat ability of the ninja themselves

Snakes will allow the user to deliver a poison attack (20 difficulty to resist, choose 1 of +5L damage, weakening or sleep) when striking unarmed (+2 speed if using an unarmed attack so as not to punch the snake, no modifier if using a touch attack)
Rams can be “worn” as a sheepskin cape with massive horns that give the summoner a vicious headbutt. (+3NL damage when using the unarmed strike)

Hmmm, too powerful?

prototype00

I think giving them low level wushu is very appropriate. Even lesser animals know wushu and can teach them to ninja. So any that seem appropriate for the concept, id’ say, are good to go. Don’t think you should be able to wear them as clothes though. that’s a little much. lol. And them turning into humans, while cool, kinda makes it too easy for them to blend in. Having a big talking animal is part of the “what the hell” factor. lol.

I’d love to hear others’ opinons.

-Oni

Its just my humble attempt at bringing up the less combat-apt lesser celestial animals up to the utility of their more ferocious brethren (i.e. I probably wouldn’t have the lesser bears/dogs/large cats display any wushu, being too combat oriented for that kind of study).

About the monkey turning into a human, its just what came to mind when I thought of Sun Wukong and his 72 transformations. It can only be used once/day and the shenanigans that can be caused by it (acting as a perfect alibi while the ninja performs a crime in front of witnesses for example) play right into the idea of the monkey as trickster archetype. I’d probably limit it to the monkey though.

Hmm, maybe wearing the ram as a battering helmet is a bit much, perhaps the constant battering and butting the summoner takes at the hands of his ram buddy toughens his body giving him a vicious headbutt and a corresponding +3NL to unarmed attacks? Would that be in line with everything else I’ve suggested?

Oh, apparently rams are supposed to help in combat by running into enemies and knocking them down, yet we don’t have stats for rams (I don’t remember them at least). What would be appropriate for them?

prototype00

Eloy - 01 September 2010 05:30 PM

Having a big talking animal is part of the “what the hell” factor.

Wait a minute, is it not normal for animals to talk?

Woah… I need to take a hard look at my life right now—Maybe less drugs.