[Clan Name]: Sasumi
[Clan Location]: Kumogakure
[Bloodline Name & Type]: The Spartan Way; Hiden
[Current Clan Leader]: Toga Sasumi (NPC)
Clan History/Description: The Sasumi have been a part of the Land of Lightning since recorded history. Their ancestral homelands belong on the south-eastern coast of the land, and they maintain a moderate holding there as a place to train their clan members outside of the village. They began life as a pirate clan, battling with the pirate clans of the archipelago now known as the Land of Water. This lasted for only a couple of centuries before a clan head known as Ichigo Sasumi took power for himself.
Ichigo reformed the clan from the inside out, laying the foundation for their modern day hierarchy. He also began the harsh training methods the clan is known for, each of his successors maintaining the severity of these lessons in their own time. At the age of three, children were given an array of weapons to pick from. The one they chose was the one they would be trained with initially, with adjustments for compatibility made as they got older. They were trained for ten hours a day until they reached an age from seven to ten, depending on talent. Every year, children in this range are taken to their estates where their training is put to the test in the clan's holdings on the southeast of the country. Most go multiple times, giving each child an incredible amount of hands on experience before they even enter the academy.
On these estates, clan members use a mix of summons and captured wild animals to test the children. For two months they're left to their own devices to survive and fight. Any who die are left until the end of the period, with the survivors moving onto further instruction. Once they reached the age of eleven, they were put into the academy within the village of Kumogakure where they are expected to graduate by the age of thirteen. Those who fail to do so are harshly punished for it, with some children reportedly dying from the abuse. Dishonor upon the clan name was not tolerated, not even in youth. Upon graduation, they are put through their ultimate trial. With special permission from the village that was conditional upon them agreeing to join, the new genin are sent out into the mountains of Kumogakure with nothing but their weapon of choice.
That means literally nothing, no food, no water, no clothing, and are expected to survive for at least six months. If they cannot manage this, they are forbidden from learning any of the advanced arts until they can survive for one year like this, with each failed attempt further doubling the amount of time needed. For those who did succeed, the path to a future within the clan was opened up and they decide upon which path they wish to master.
During Ichigo's ascension and after, the Sasumi got a reputation as mercenaries within the Land of Lightning. They were hired out by various clans within their homeland as well as the Hozuki in the archipelago when that clan needed a little more muscle to deal with a threat at hand. Their merciless instruction of the entirety of their clan made for elite warriors at a time when war was always on the horizon. The Sasumi name as it is today is Ichigo's legacy, and he is worshiped as a kind of demi-god within the clan itself. To curse Ichigo is worse than throwing dirt upon the clan's name as a whole, and it is a name nobody within the clan is allowed to bear.
The clan made a decent living as mercenaries for hire, perfecting their system along the way. Assassination and caravan guarding were among their primary sources of income, and for good reason. Some of the most infamous assassins in the pre-village history of the continent hailed from the Sasumi, though true to their nature as the most infamous assassins very few if any people know of their true identity. The assassins who killed the Scarlet Empire in the Land of Fire before it could assert its authority came from the Sasumi, and the skill that has built this reputation has not wavered in the centuries since.
In the modern day, the Sasumi live in the village of Kumogakure as part of their shinobi forces. Every one of their clan members is either in training to become a part of the military or is already a part of it, with many clan members reaching the higher ranks quickly. Within the village's special ops forces, there are many Sasumi as their clan training is similar in nature to that of the black ops.
Clan/Bloodline Traits & Characteristics: The Sasumi are an excessively proud clan, and for good reason. Each member is capable of fighting on their own, regardless of gender, and this dedication has produced many skilled shinobi throughout their long history. It's rare for a Sasumi to allow insults to his clan name to go unchallenged, even if the person who throws dirt on the name is stronger than they are. They believe that only the strong survive, and live by that motto until they day they die.
Clan members possess hair of the blackest color possible and their eyes are similarly a dark color in most cases. Some clan members have abnormally colored or lighter colored eyes from marriages outside of the clan. Body type varies, but a majority of the clan is fit and not overly muscular as a general rule of thumb. Most are scarred as a result of past battles, opting to keep them rather than have them healed away into perfect flesh. They were taught that each scar represented a mistake, and each mistake is a lesson.
Personality within the clan is not restricted to any one type. Individualism is encouraged more often than not, as ones personality typically compliments the path they choose to take within the clan's hierarchy. Likewise, there is no uniform style of dress worn within the clan, save for the clan's emblem somewhere on their clothing; a circle with a white background, but nothing else. It represents the endless paths one can take in life, and there is no symbol that can convey such a thing as well as a blank slate can.
Honor plays a large part in the clan, though in different ways depending on which path you chose to take within it. There is often conflict within the clan itself, and when these occur nothing is done to prevent them. Settling your feuds with arms was one way to cull the weak who had slipped through the cracks in their initial training. This is also how the clan leader is chosen, with the one most skilled at combat being selected in a trial by arms. The only way to become clan head is to kill the one before you, or if they should die in the field, by killing anybody else who would dare to claim the title.
Bloodline Description & Abilities:
The Sasumi clan does not have a bloodline that can be passed down. They are a clan devoted to honing their skills from as early as humanly possible, putting each and every one of their clan members of both genders through a meatgrinder of harsh training. This training is considered a hiden, as there is a reason clan members become exceptionally good shinobi. Their blood is strong, producing many very capable shinobi in their history with their grueling methods of training. Without a doubt, they are one of the few who still practice such things in the Land of Lightning, if not the only ones. Each clan member is trained in the art of mastery in one weapon before any other form of weaponry is taught to them, and many do not learn a second even when they have the chance to do so. The few weak members there are get weeded out as their lives progress, leaving only the strong to become fully fledged members. This training starts very young, with clan members being experienced in combat before they've even entered the academy in the village.
This strength possessed by the clan manifests itself with most clan members being dominant in their field of expertise, no matter who their opposition may be. They are particularly renowned for the high amount of assassins and bodyguards they produce compared to other clans. This focus on specializing in the martial arts grants clan members numerous benefits in their select field, with those who have been honing their art for the longest period receiving the most. As a result of their background, many within the Sasumi have also become skilled with fuuinjutsu which has only added to the repertoire of the clan as a whole.
Each clan member's special training with their weapon of choice results in a very high level of skill with said weapon. This focused training allows each clan member to gain one additional plus while using fighting styles that involve that weapon than would normally be allowed for the cost. This plus can only apply to the stats of Strength, Speed, or Coordination and cannot make a boost larger than ++.
For a 250 experience investment, a clan member gains access to even more specialized training and may utilize special techniques and abilities belonging to a specific set of skill training. There are 5 classes available to choose from with this specialization: Assassin, Warrior, Sniper, Shield, and Berserker.
Bloodline Limits & Drawbacks: Only one advanced class may be chosen, and most of the abilities granted within this clan can only be used with one particular type of weapon with each user. This makes clan members very specialized, leaving them little in the way of variation if they want to get the most out of their particular field. Other limits and drawbacks are listed alongside the description of the classes.
The intense focus on the martial arts and fuuinjutsu within this clan means it's more difficult for a clan member to learn other skills. Skills that are not an element, Kenjutsu, Bukijutsu, Fuuinjutsu, or Taijutsu cost 300 experience to be able to learn the skill point. Clan members must also begin with at least one of those physical skills learned at registration, and must denote which one is their primary skill. In the case of Bukijutsu, they must also note what their weapon of specialization is.
Clan members are expected to keep in good physical condition. Clan members must bring all of their physical stats to the same tier before they may advance past it. Once each physical stat is at C tier, this rule no longer applies. Physical stats are all stats except Intelligence and Perception.
Clan Techniques
Name: Assassin's Eye
Rank: C
Power: C
Activation Cost: N/A
Upkeep Cost: 1
Range: Eyesight
Speed: N/A
Element: N/A
Skill: N/A, Physical Ability
Classification: Secret, Sasumi
Requirements: Assassin Class
Parent Technique: N/A
Hand Seals: N/A
Description: The Assassin's Eye is one of the first techniques taught to promising young assassins within the Sasumi. The potential assassin hones in on their target, making them more aware of what it is their target is going to do next. Their Perception is increased by 2+ against their chosen target, and they are able to use a "Precognitive Strike". This allows the assassin to use a Precognition save to predict an opponent's movement beforehand, negating the ability to use a Precognition save on themselves. This makes it a contest of skill rather than gut instinct, a field where an assassin shines. More than one person may be targeted at once, though they must all be within the assassin's line of sight to be counted as a target.
Weaknesses: The assassin's Perception is decreased by 1- for any around them who are not their targets, resulting in minor tunnel vision at times. Also must have Precognition saves to use in order to use the second ability, meaning a high level of Intelligence. Additionally, the strike can't be used if the target can see the assassin. It has to be a surprise attack or it's not an attack at all.
Name: Assassin's Kiss
Rank: C
Power: B
Activation Cost: N/A
Upkeep Cost: 3
Range: Varies depending on weapon used
Speed: N/A
Element: N/A
Skill: N/A, Physical Ability
Classification: Secret, Sasumi
Requirements: Assassin class, C rank in Speed and Coordination
Parent Technique: N/A
Hand Seals: N/A
Description: The Assassin's Kiss is a technique taught to new assassins after they have learned the Assassin's Eye. It teaches them how to quickly identify a weak spot on their targets to reach a vital spot. The assassin pushes themselves to move quickly and strike quickly before shifting to another target to do the same thing. Grants the assassin a boost of one tier to Speed and 1+ to Coordination. The boost to Coordination counts only for their strikes, not for their overall bodily Coordination. This skill was developed with the intention of combining its quick pacing with the movements of a fighting style, complimenting most any assassin in their chosen form of combat.
Weaknesses: The boost to Coordination counts only for offensive strikes. When put on the defensive after using this, the assassin instead receives a 1- to Coordination instead of the 1+.
Name: Nasty Surprise
Rank: B
Power: C
Activation Cost: 3
Upkeep Cost: N/A
Range: Thread
Speed: N/A
Element: N/A
Skill: N/A, Physical Ability
Classification: Secret, Sasumi
Requirements: Assassin Class level two, B tier in either Intelligence or Perception and C tier in the other.
Parent Technique: N/A
Hand Seals: N/A
Description: This skill allows an assassin to place an a physical object somewhere in the thread without disclosing exactly where it is at at the start of said thread. Said object must be listed with their gear, however. Upon their initial entrance, the assassin must list this technique as being used. The physical object must be revealed later in such a way so as to not have been obvious earlier on in the thread, and the cost for this technique is incurred when using the placed object. For example, a hidden blade in the marketplace would likely need to be hidden behind something or underneath some cloth rather than being just left on the ground somewhere. The only jutsu that may be used are Shadow Clone techniques, and only if the assassin can effectively hide that clone's presence. For instance, if the assassin couldn't suppress their chakra and they were facing a sensor then the assassin couldn't use a Shadow Clone since their target would have been able to sense the clone.
Weaknesses: The user must be in the same thread the object is placed in, obviously, and the technique can't be used in any other fashion aside from placing an object somewhere in the thread to use. Jutsu, aside from the clone exemption, can't be placed (such as using an earth style technique). This jutsu is intended to increase the odds of a successful assassination with a surprise, requiring a certain amount of mental capacity to be able to pull off correctly. If the environment is unsuitable to hiding things, such as the middle of the desert, this skill becomes very difficult to use.
Name: Critical Strike
Rank: B
Power: B
Activation Cost: 5
Upkeep Cost: N/A
Range: Range of user's weapon
Speed: N/A
Element: N/A
Skill: Ninjutsu and a Physical Skill
Classification: Secret, Sasumi
Requirements: Assassin Class level two, B tier Coordination or Strength and C tier in the other
Parent Technique: N/A
Hand Seals: N/A
Description: This is a combination attack utilizing ninjutsu and a physical attack. The assassin attacks their target, generating two separate masses of chakra from their weapon to strike once before their attack and then once after their attack. The shape and damage inflicted by the chakra depends on the manner of attack the assassin chooses, though this technique must be used with the weapon the assassin has chosen to specialize in. This means the damage can change from blunt to cutting to stabbing, depending on if a club, sword, or spear was used. Very versatile and useful for making sure a target gets hit.
The first chakra based attack must follow the same pattern as the original attack, but the second chakra attack can change its angle of attack slightly so that it does not come in at exactly the same angle as the first two. This can't be changed to a huge margin, such as attacking from the right instead of the left, but can be used to change the angle of an attack slightly to try and nail their opponent again.
Weaknesses: The chakra formed attacks share the same range and similar damage as the assassin's physical attack does, meaning getting out of range of the weapon means getting out of range of this technique. While the technique does not cost as much as a normal B rank, the chakra is not as fast or as powerful as the actual attack would be, with the Strength and Coordination (for speed of the attack) both being counted as 1- less than the actual attack. It uses a smaller amount of chakra in a more focused manner, intended for inflicting regular wound rather than extremely bad wounds as most ninjutsu do.
[Clan Location]: Kumogakure
[Bloodline Name & Type]: The Spartan Way; Hiden
[Current Clan Leader]: Toga Sasumi (NPC)
- Akame Sasumi
Clan History/Description: The Sasumi have been a part of the Land of Lightning since recorded history. Their ancestral homelands belong on the south-eastern coast of the land, and they maintain a moderate holding there as a place to train their clan members outside of the village. They began life as a pirate clan, battling with the pirate clans of the archipelago now known as the Land of Water. This lasted for only a couple of centuries before a clan head known as Ichigo Sasumi took power for himself.
Ichigo reformed the clan from the inside out, laying the foundation for their modern day hierarchy. He also began the harsh training methods the clan is known for, each of his successors maintaining the severity of these lessons in their own time. At the age of three, children were given an array of weapons to pick from. The one they chose was the one they would be trained with initially, with adjustments for compatibility made as they got older. They were trained for ten hours a day until they reached an age from seven to ten, depending on talent. Every year, children in this range are taken to their estates where their training is put to the test in the clan's holdings on the southeast of the country. Most go multiple times, giving each child an incredible amount of hands on experience before they even enter the academy.
On these estates, clan members use a mix of summons and captured wild animals to test the children. For two months they're left to their own devices to survive and fight. Any who die are left until the end of the period, with the survivors moving onto further instruction. Once they reached the age of eleven, they were put into the academy within the village of Kumogakure where they are expected to graduate by the age of thirteen. Those who fail to do so are harshly punished for it, with some children reportedly dying from the abuse. Dishonor upon the clan name was not tolerated, not even in youth. Upon graduation, they are put through their ultimate trial. With special permission from the village that was conditional upon them agreeing to join, the new genin are sent out into the mountains of Kumogakure with nothing but their weapon of choice.
That means literally nothing, no food, no water, no clothing, and are expected to survive for at least six months. If they cannot manage this, they are forbidden from learning any of the advanced arts until they can survive for one year like this, with each failed attempt further doubling the amount of time needed. For those who did succeed, the path to a future within the clan was opened up and they decide upon which path they wish to master.
During Ichigo's ascension and after, the Sasumi got a reputation as mercenaries within the Land of Lightning. They were hired out by various clans within their homeland as well as the Hozuki in the archipelago when that clan needed a little more muscle to deal with a threat at hand. Their merciless instruction of the entirety of their clan made for elite warriors at a time when war was always on the horizon. The Sasumi name as it is today is Ichigo's legacy, and he is worshiped as a kind of demi-god within the clan itself. To curse Ichigo is worse than throwing dirt upon the clan's name as a whole, and it is a name nobody within the clan is allowed to bear.
The clan made a decent living as mercenaries for hire, perfecting their system along the way. Assassination and caravan guarding were among their primary sources of income, and for good reason. Some of the most infamous assassins in the pre-village history of the continent hailed from the Sasumi, though true to their nature as the most infamous assassins very few if any people know of their true identity. The assassins who killed the Scarlet Empire in the Land of Fire before it could assert its authority came from the Sasumi, and the skill that has built this reputation has not wavered in the centuries since.
In the modern day, the Sasumi live in the village of Kumogakure as part of their shinobi forces. Every one of their clan members is either in training to become a part of the military or is already a part of it, with many clan members reaching the higher ranks quickly. Within the village's special ops forces, there are many Sasumi as their clan training is similar in nature to that of the black ops.
Clan/Bloodline Traits & Characteristics: The Sasumi are an excessively proud clan, and for good reason. Each member is capable of fighting on their own, regardless of gender, and this dedication has produced many skilled shinobi throughout their long history. It's rare for a Sasumi to allow insults to his clan name to go unchallenged, even if the person who throws dirt on the name is stronger than they are. They believe that only the strong survive, and live by that motto until they day they die.
Clan members possess hair of the blackest color possible and their eyes are similarly a dark color in most cases. Some clan members have abnormally colored or lighter colored eyes from marriages outside of the clan. Body type varies, but a majority of the clan is fit and not overly muscular as a general rule of thumb. Most are scarred as a result of past battles, opting to keep them rather than have them healed away into perfect flesh. They were taught that each scar represented a mistake, and each mistake is a lesson.
Personality within the clan is not restricted to any one type. Individualism is encouraged more often than not, as ones personality typically compliments the path they choose to take within the clan's hierarchy. Likewise, there is no uniform style of dress worn within the clan, save for the clan's emblem somewhere on their clothing; a circle with a white background, but nothing else. It represents the endless paths one can take in life, and there is no symbol that can convey such a thing as well as a blank slate can.
Honor plays a large part in the clan, though in different ways depending on which path you chose to take within it. There is often conflict within the clan itself, and when these occur nothing is done to prevent them. Settling your feuds with arms was one way to cull the weak who had slipped through the cracks in their initial training. This is also how the clan leader is chosen, with the one most skilled at combat being selected in a trial by arms. The only way to become clan head is to kill the one before you, or if they should die in the field, by killing anybody else who would dare to claim the title.
Bloodline Description & Abilities:
The Sasumi clan does not have a bloodline that can be passed down. They are a clan devoted to honing their skills from as early as humanly possible, putting each and every one of their clan members of both genders through a meatgrinder of harsh training. This training is considered a hiden, as there is a reason clan members become exceptionally good shinobi. Their blood is strong, producing many very capable shinobi in their history with their grueling methods of training. Without a doubt, they are one of the few who still practice such things in the Land of Lightning, if not the only ones. Each clan member is trained in the art of mastery in one weapon before any other form of weaponry is taught to them, and many do not learn a second even when they have the chance to do so. The few weak members there are get weeded out as their lives progress, leaving only the strong to become fully fledged members. This training starts very young, with clan members being experienced in combat before they've even entered the academy in the village.
This strength possessed by the clan manifests itself with most clan members being dominant in their field of expertise, no matter who their opposition may be. They are particularly renowned for the high amount of assassins and bodyguards they produce compared to other clans. This focus on specializing in the martial arts grants clan members numerous benefits in their select field, with those who have been honing their art for the longest period receiving the most. As a result of their background, many within the Sasumi have also become skilled with fuuinjutsu which has only added to the repertoire of the clan as a whole.
Each clan member's special training with their weapon of choice results in a very high level of skill with said weapon. This focused training allows each clan member to gain one additional plus while using fighting styles that involve that weapon than would normally be allowed for the cost. This plus can only apply to the stats of Strength, Speed, or Coordination and cannot make a boost larger than ++.
For a 250 experience investment, a clan member gains access to even more specialized training and may utilize special techniques and abilities belonging to a specific set of skill training. There are 5 classes available to choose from with this specialization: Assassin, Warrior, Sniper, Shield, and Berserker.
- Spoiler:
- Assassin- Members who belong to this category are able to sneak up on all but the most perceptive of people. They are excellent in one on one confrontations and sneak attacks, typically being very powerful duelists. Basic training gives them more intricate knowledge on how to avoid being noticed than is offered either within the clan normally or at the academy of Kumogakure. If their targets have equal Perception or lower, they receive a penalty of 2- to their Perception for the purpose of detecting the assassin.
Once they have attained 2,000 experience accumulated in character and invested 250 experience further into this class, clan members are granted the insight of the master assassins within the clan. . They're taught advanced arts passed down within the clan and become truly deadly. Their experience grants them a permanent boost of 1+ to their Perception. Their attentiveness is near its peak level at this stage, meaning that this boost lowers the maximum potential boost from techniques that may be gained. This boost does, however, count towards comparisons of Perception for the first ability granted to this class.
Finally, upon reaching 4,000 earned experience and investing an additional 500 experience, a member devoted to the art of assassination is granted the title of Master Assassin. They are taught secret methods of assassination passed down to only a select few, granting them the ability to erase their presence in a thread. The post limit to how often this can be done is set on a 1:1 ratio with the member's base Perception and includes things such as chakra signature, heat, sound, scent, etc. They learn how to blend in to their environment with ease, making it very difficult to spot them.
This erasure of presence may be used even in the middle of combat to make it difficult to ascertain where exactly the member's next attack will come from. This results in the penalty to an opponent's Perception being calculated whenever the assassin is erasing their presence, even if they can be seen (NOTE: This does not mean the assassin becomes invisible if they were within eyesight before, it means that other aspects of perceiving the assassin fail to work such as by sound, scent, etc). This erasure of presence when the assassin can be seen can only be done when wielding their specialized weapon since performing such a feat requires incredible amounts of focus. In addition, if the opponent has higher Perception than the assassin does they do not receive the penalty and the assassin can't hide their presence from them.
- Spoiler:
- Warrior- A member who has chosen the path of the warrior is one who likes to face their opponents in an upfront manner. Usually they're skilled in both offense and defense without specializing in one or the other. They can go toe to toe with just about anybody when it comes to tests of physical prowess, with their basic training teaching them about crushing an enemy's defense while maintaining their own. Warriors are the most capable of fighting multiple opponents at once, with many seeking out such challenges. A warrior typically has numerous different styles of fighting to draw upon to increase their chance of success in a confrontation. When using their specialized weapon, they gain 1+ to Strength.
When they reach 2,000 earned total experience and pay 250 they are considered to be a seasoned warrior, with other veterans showing the member higher level forms of fighting. They come to understand the art of combat better than the average person could. A seasoned warrior reads opposing styles easier, allowing them to figure out the best way to break their opponent's defense as well as maximize their offense. Fighting styles and techniques utilizing their specialized weapon cost 1 stamina point less per rank of power, with E rank techniques costing .5 stamina rather than being free. In addition, they are capable of effectively reading an opponent's fighting style and may negate up to 1- worth of debuffs from opposing styles to one stat at any given time. Once chosen in the thread, it can't be changed.
At 4,000 earned experience, a warrior is considered a veteran within the clan. Not many reach this level, as this class is one of the most confrontational within the clan's hierarchy. Those who do are very powerful in their own respect. A 500 experience investment is required on the part of the member once reaching this level. Those capable of fighting at this level are masters in the art of combat, able to guess at an opponent's patterns of attack and defense with ease after being exposed only briefly to their style of combat. Veteran warriors receive an additional 3 precognition saves per thread to utilize and gain a single + to invest in any stat except Intelligence and Perception, giving them an edge over those foolish enough to fight them in their field of expertise. The precognition saves count only towards opponents who are engaged in physical combat with the warrior which means things like ninjutsu battles do not receive this benefit.
- Spoiler:
- Sniper- A sniper takes their enemies out with one well placed strike, quickly putting down potential threats. This class is considered the most offensive oriented, as all of their skills lie in attacking their foe. A favored class for those who utilize ranged weapons, though not necessarily exclusive to them. A sniper has superior aim, able to hit their targets consistently without effort. Their Coordination is increased by 1+ while fighting with their special weapon.
Once a sniper has earned 2,000 experience and has invested 250, they are considered experienced enough to be taught advanced tracking techniques and are drilled in advanced lessons for approaching and eliminating a target as efficiently as possible. The boost to Coordination they receive for their strikes is improved to one tier, making them deadly foes to engage within their comfort zone.
Snipers who manage to attain enough kills to have 4,000 earned experience along with a 500 experience investment reach the pinnacle of accuracy. When a sniper of this caliber targets somebody, it would be a safe bet that that person was soon going to be a corpse. They are capable of analyzing most situations and adjusting their aim to suit on the fly without any effort on their part. When a veteran sniper attacks an opponent, the opponent will be unable to use a precognition save in response to this attack if their Perception is less than the sniper's Coordination.
- Spoiler:
- Shield- Members who dedicate themselves to the art of endurance and defending, shields make very good guards and are usually capable of fighting for longer durations than other shinobi are capable of. Those who devote themselves to this art are difficult to damage, as they focus on defending against their opponent and making it a war of attrition. They have trained their bodies for endurance, granting them a passive recovery of 1 point of stamina per post that caps at 5 points per tier of Stamina. They also receive a boost of 1+ to Constitution.
Shields who endure and attain the neccesary 2,000 earned experience may pay 250 experience and be recognized as a seasoned defender. Veteran shields recognize their talent and teach them the art of "Suspended Combat", a skill passed down for generations that has a shield devote their every movement to defense. They become able to block any blow that is equal to or lower than their Coordination, but cannot launch any offensive maneuvers of their own while doing so. If their opponent's Coordination exceeds their own, they receive a 1+ to Coordination to make their defense more difficult to break through than it had been before though not as impossible as it would be should the opponent be slower than they are.
Veteran shields who accumulate 4,000 earned experience and pay 500 more are the ones who are extremely difficult to kill through conventional means. They are capable of outstripping almost any opponent in terms of endurance and defensive skill, and have trained their bodies to be more resilient against damage. The boost to Constitution is improved to 2+ with their stamina recovery rate increasing to 2 and the limit increasing to 6 per tier of stamina.
- Spoiler:
- Berserker- Berserkers are the black sheep of this clan, with very few members devoting themselves to the teachings of the art. It is a style of combat that has seemingly no pattern to it, with the member often seemingly flailing about. This could not be further from the truth however. A berserker's movements are all earned through muscle memory, each one purposefully made to confuse an opponent and make reacting more difficult than it would be against another skill. People defending against a berserker receive a penalty of 1- to their Coordination if it is not higher than the berserker's.
Few berserkers make it to 2,000 earned experience to attain the label of an experienced berserker. At this level and with a payment of 250 experience, a berserker is taught how to use rage as their catalyst for improving their skill and winning the fight. They receive a boost of 2+ that may be split in any way between any physical stat. Additionally, a berserker may give in to the bloodlust of battle and incur a one tier penalty to their Intelligence to gain an additional 2+ boost to distribute among their stats however they see fit.
In the clan's history, only a couple berserkers have ever made it to the level of a veteran. At 4,000 experience and with 500 paid, a berserker reaches the pinnacle of their evolution as a shinobi. Pain is no longer a factor in their mind when they decide to get serious, with their unconscious mind blocking the feeling from reaching their mind when they give in to their rage. When a veteran berserker has an intelligence debuff of one tier or more, their bodies become able to take more pain. This manifests in a 2+ to pain resistance allows them to fight through serious wounds even if they do not have very high base Constitution, one reason why there are so few veteran berserkers within the clan.
Bloodline Limits & Drawbacks: Only one advanced class may be chosen, and most of the abilities granted within this clan can only be used with one particular type of weapon with each user. This makes clan members very specialized, leaving them little in the way of variation if they want to get the most out of their particular field. Other limits and drawbacks are listed alongside the description of the classes.
The intense focus on the martial arts and fuuinjutsu within this clan means it's more difficult for a clan member to learn other skills. Skills that are not an element, Kenjutsu, Bukijutsu, Fuuinjutsu, or Taijutsu cost 300 experience to be able to learn the skill point. Clan members must also begin with at least one of those physical skills learned at registration, and must denote which one is their primary skill. In the case of Bukijutsu, they must also note what their weapon of specialization is.
Clan members are expected to keep in good physical condition. Clan members must bring all of their physical stats to the same tier before they may advance past it. Once each physical stat is at C tier, this rule no longer applies. Physical stats are all stats except Intelligence and Perception.
Clan Techniques
Name: Assassin's Eye
Rank: C
Power: C
Activation Cost: N/A
Upkeep Cost: 1
Range: Eyesight
Speed: N/A
Element: N/A
Skill: N/A, Physical Ability
Classification: Secret, Sasumi
Requirements: Assassin Class
Parent Technique: N/A
Hand Seals: N/A
Description: The Assassin's Eye is one of the first techniques taught to promising young assassins within the Sasumi. The potential assassin hones in on their target, making them more aware of what it is their target is going to do next. Their Perception is increased by 2+ against their chosen target, and they are able to use a "Precognitive Strike". This allows the assassin to use a Precognition save to predict an opponent's movement beforehand, negating the ability to use a Precognition save on themselves. This makes it a contest of skill rather than gut instinct, a field where an assassin shines. More than one person may be targeted at once, though they must all be within the assassin's line of sight to be counted as a target.
Weaknesses: The assassin's Perception is decreased by 1- for any around them who are not their targets, resulting in minor tunnel vision at times. Also must have Precognition saves to use in order to use the second ability, meaning a high level of Intelligence. Additionally, the strike can't be used if the target can see the assassin. It has to be a surprise attack or it's not an attack at all.
Name: Assassin's Kiss
Rank: C
Power: B
Activation Cost: N/A
Upkeep Cost: 3
Range: Varies depending on weapon used
Speed: N/A
Element: N/A
Skill: N/A, Physical Ability
Classification: Secret, Sasumi
Requirements: Assassin class, C rank in Speed and Coordination
Parent Technique: N/A
Hand Seals: N/A
Description: The Assassin's Kiss is a technique taught to new assassins after they have learned the Assassin's Eye. It teaches them how to quickly identify a weak spot on their targets to reach a vital spot. The assassin pushes themselves to move quickly and strike quickly before shifting to another target to do the same thing. Grants the assassin a boost of one tier to Speed and 1+ to Coordination. The boost to Coordination counts only for their strikes, not for their overall bodily Coordination. This skill was developed with the intention of combining its quick pacing with the movements of a fighting style, complimenting most any assassin in their chosen form of combat.
Weaknesses: The boost to Coordination counts only for offensive strikes. When put on the defensive after using this, the assassin instead receives a 1- to Coordination instead of the 1+.
Name: Nasty Surprise
Rank: B
Power: C
Activation Cost: 3
Upkeep Cost: N/A
Range: Thread
Speed: N/A
Element: N/A
Skill: N/A, Physical Ability
Classification: Secret, Sasumi
Requirements: Assassin Class level two, B tier in either Intelligence or Perception and C tier in the other.
Parent Technique: N/A
Hand Seals: N/A
Description: This skill allows an assassin to place an a physical object somewhere in the thread without disclosing exactly where it is at at the start of said thread. Said object must be listed with their gear, however. Upon their initial entrance, the assassin must list this technique as being used. The physical object must be revealed later in such a way so as to not have been obvious earlier on in the thread, and the cost for this technique is incurred when using the placed object. For example, a hidden blade in the marketplace would likely need to be hidden behind something or underneath some cloth rather than being just left on the ground somewhere. The only jutsu that may be used are Shadow Clone techniques, and only if the assassin can effectively hide that clone's presence. For instance, if the assassin couldn't suppress their chakra and they were facing a sensor then the assassin couldn't use a Shadow Clone since their target would have been able to sense the clone.
Weaknesses: The user must be in the same thread the object is placed in, obviously, and the technique can't be used in any other fashion aside from placing an object somewhere in the thread to use. Jutsu, aside from the clone exemption, can't be placed (such as using an earth style technique). This jutsu is intended to increase the odds of a successful assassination with a surprise, requiring a certain amount of mental capacity to be able to pull off correctly. If the environment is unsuitable to hiding things, such as the middle of the desert, this skill becomes very difficult to use.
Name: Critical Strike
Rank: B
Power: B
Activation Cost: 5
Upkeep Cost: N/A
Range: Range of user's weapon
Speed: N/A
Element: N/A
Skill: Ninjutsu and a Physical Skill
Classification: Secret, Sasumi
Requirements: Assassin Class level two, B tier Coordination or Strength and C tier in the other
Parent Technique: N/A
Hand Seals: N/A
Description: This is a combination attack utilizing ninjutsu and a physical attack. The assassin attacks their target, generating two separate masses of chakra from their weapon to strike once before their attack and then once after their attack. The shape and damage inflicted by the chakra depends on the manner of attack the assassin chooses, though this technique must be used with the weapon the assassin has chosen to specialize in. This means the damage can change from blunt to cutting to stabbing, depending on if a club, sword, or spear was used. Very versatile and useful for making sure a target gets hit.
The first chakra based attack must follow the same pattern as the original attack, but the second chakra attack can change its angle of attack slightly so that it does not come in at exactly the same angle as the first two. This can't be changed to a huge margin, such as attacking from the right instead of the left, but can be used to change the angle of an attack slightly to try and nail their opponent again.
Weaknesses: The chakra formed attacks share the same range and similar damage as the assassin's physical attack does, meaning getting out of range of the weapon means getting out of range of this technique. While the technique does not cost as much as a normal B rank, the chakra is not as fast or as powerful as the actual attack would be, with the Strength and Coordination (for speed of the attack) both being counted as 1- less than the actual attack. It uses a smaller amount of chakra in a more focused manner, intended for inflicting regular wound rather than extremely bad wounds as most ninjutsu do.
