With the advent of the new dual system books, we often have to make a number of difficult choices. Sometimes a new character option simply seems to work more smoothly in one system than the other, so that character option appears only for that system. Two examples of this are the Shadow Hunters and the Ikoma Spymasters who appeared in the recent Way of the Ninja Sourcebook. In that book, the Shadow Hunters were presented as a d20 prestige class and the Ikoma Spymasters were presented as a L5R 2^nd Edition Advanced School, but the other versions of these character options were not included.

This was a difficult choice, but then Way of the Ninja was a book full of so much cool stuff that some things had to go. For the sake of completeness we now present the L5R 2^nd Edition Shadow Hunters and the d20 Ikoma Spymasters, available only on the official L5R Website.

- Rich Wulf

The Shadow Hunters (L5R 2^nd Edition System)
By Shawn Carman

At first I thought the thing was human. I was annoyed more than scared, for no one was supposed to have access to my private chambers. I spoke sharply to what I thought was my own servant, only to have it turn to face me, and melt into a thing of pure shadow. There only darkness where its face should be. The thing that I looked upon was not Banshiro. It drew a long knife from its robes, and advanced.

I must admit that I panicked somewhat. My katana was out of reach on its stand. To distract the creature, I reached out and grabbed a small statuette from my desk. I hurled it at the beast. Its body rippled like water; my missile passed through with no effect. As it grew closer I began striking out at it with my knife, but it dodged my attacks as if its form were nothing more than smoke. It reached out for me, and where it touched my arm I felt a terrible cold.

And just as soon as it began, it was over. There was a blur of motion to my right, a streak of black and crimson. Then the beast screamed. It was a horrible sound, one I pray to the Fortunes each night that I will one day forget. There was a sound of tearing silk and the creature simply...  ceased to be. There was only a blackened mark upon the floor where it had stood.

My savior stood silently, regarding the mark on the floor with obvious disdain for several moments. He was a tall man in a gi of jet black. His face was entirely unremarkable; if I saw him today I would not remember him. He spat upon the blackened mark, and then fixed me with an unnerving stare. "You are a lucky man, Phoenix."

"What was that thing?" I asked.

"The answer is complex," he replied. "But that is how the Scorpion deal with their traitors."

And then he was gone.

There are those among the Scorpion who remember the service that their ancestors performed in the name of the Emperor. They remember the Goju and Ninube as loyal and devoted servants of the Empire. They remember the utter consumption of their kinsmen by the Lying Darkness. They cannot rest until the dishonor is purged.

Most shadow hunters are members of the Scorpion who are related to those lost to the power of the Lying Darkness. These hardy men and women knew full well the threat the clans faced at the Battle of Oblivion's Gate. They have vowed that the surviving minions of that foul entity will harm no one else. None shall suffer as they have while they live.

The Shadow Hunters – Advanced School

Requirements:

Rings/Traits: Awareness 4, Perception 4, Void 4

Skills: Hunting 3, Investigation 4, Lore (Lying Darkness) 3, Stealth 4

Advantage: Heart of Vengeance (Goju and Ninube)

Disadvantages: Driven (Destroy the Goju and Ninube)

Techniques:

Rank 1: Strike of the Righteous

The first requirement of the shadow hunter is a passion for their calling. The shadow hunter gains a number of extra dice (rolled, not kept) equal to his Insight Rank on all attack rolls versus manifestations of the Lying Darkness or against any individual who possesses Shadow Points or has possessed them in the past. The shadow hunter may choose to sacrifice two of these extra attack dice in exchange for one extra damage die (rolled, not kept). This must be declared before the attack roll.

Rank 2: Scent of the Prey

Once the shadow hunter has learned to combat his foes effectively, he learns to attune himself to the uneasy feeling that surrounds creatures of the Lying Darkness. By spending a Void point, the shadow hunter immediately becomes aware of any such creature within 100 feet of him. This ability detects any creature or individual who would be affected by the shadow hunter’s Rank 1 technique.

Rank 3: An End to Shadows

There is no room in the heart of the samurai for hatred, and yet it is that very emotion that fuels the shadow hunter’s life, driving him on to great prowess and fearsome ability. A number of times per day equal to his Rank in this school, the shadow hunter may choose to double a single damage roll against any enemy that would be affected by his Rank 1 technique. This must be declared before the attack roll. If the ability is declared and the attack roll misses, this ability is not lost. This effect is cumulative with any additional damage dice rolled as a result of the shadow hunter’s Rank 1 technique.

Ikoma Spymasters (d20 system)
By Aaron Medwin

The first Ikoma was not particularly honorable. He was a simple man who dealt with violence and intrigue with equal aplomb. His strength was in his wisdom, his practicality, and his ability to learn from past mistakes. The great kami Akodo One-Eye valued Ikoma above all others save Matsu, knowing that such a man was necessary for the Lion Clan to prosper in the face of its enemies.

In the long centuries since the Lion Clan's founding, a small number of Ikoma's descendants have continued the practice of their founder, using practical subversive tactics to undermine their foes and gather vital military information. That these practices are dishonorable is of little concern to these men and women; after all, they have an oath to their family's founder to defend and protect the Lion Clan with every means at their disposal, and they do not take their vow lightly.

Ikoma Spymasters (Prestige Class)

Hit Die: d6

Requirements:
To qualify to become an Ikoma Spymaster, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.

Clan: Lion
Bluff: 5 ranks
Gather Information: 8 ranks
Sense Motive: 8 ranks
Spot 5 ranks
Feats: Skill Focus (Gather Information), Taking the Measure
Other: Must be a student of Honor’s Sacrifice Dojo (see Way of the Ninja, page 74-76.)

Class Skills

The Ikoma Spymaster’s class skills (and key ability for each skill) are Battle (Wis), Bluff (Cha), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Forgery (Int), Games (Varies), Gather Information (Cha), Innuendo (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge(Etiquette, History, Law, Local, Nobility and Royalty) (Int), Listen (Wis), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Read Lips (Int), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis) (See Core Rulebook I for skill descriptions. The Games skill is in Rokugan.)

Skill Points at Each Level: 6 + Int modifier

Table XX-YY: The Ikoma Spymaster

Level    BAB    FS        RS       WS      Special
1st       +0        +0        +0        +2        Skillful
2nd      +1        +0        +0        +3        Words, Not Steel
3rd       +2        +1        +1        +3        Bonus Feat
4th       +3        +1        +1        +4        Guiding the Fallible
5th       +3        +1        +1        +4        Command the Weak Mind

Class Features:

All of the following are class features of the Ikoma Spymaster prestige class

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The spymaster is proficient in all simple weapons and the wakizashi. The spymaster gains no proficiency in armor.

Skillful: Upon achieving first level as an Ikoma Spymaster, the spymaster gains an additional 4 skill points to be spent on any one class skill.

Words, Not Steel (Ex): At second level, the spymaster has learned a conversational trick that loosens tongues. After at least one minute of conversation, the Spymaster may use this ability on a single target, forcing the target to make a Will save (DC of 10 + the spymaster’s class level + the spymaster’s Charisma modifier). If this save is failed, the target reveals one piece of information that they otherwise would not have let slip. This information will not necessarily be specifically what the spymaster wishes to hear, but it will relate somehow to the topic of discussion. The target must mention something that he believed that the spymaster did not know, and must tell the truth. If the target has absolutely nothing to hide regarding the current topic, and he fails his save, then nothing happens and the spymaster knows that this is the reason nothing happened.

The target is aware of this effect after its attempt, successful or not. If the spymaster has the Eyes Betray the Heart courtier ability, the save DC of Words, Not Steel is increased as if it were a courtier ability.

Bonus Feat: At third level the spymaster gains a bonus feat. This feat must be a Lion Technique feat.

Guiding the Fallible (Ex): At fourth level, the spymaster may make an Innuendo check (DC 20) when using the Words, Not Steel class ability. If successful, the may make a statement of exactly five words. This is considered the topic revealed by the Words, Not Steel ability. If that ability is used successfully, the subject will not realize why he suddenly said what he did, it will seem as if he simply misspoke and revealed something accidentally.

Command the Weak Mind (Ex): At fifth level, the spymaster learns to use misleading gestures and verbal taunts to influence his enemies to react in a way he desires. If the spymaster’s initiative check is greater than his opponent’s, he may spend two Void Points to force the target to make a Will save (DC 16 + the spymaster’s Charisma modifier). If they fail, the target must take one of the following actions as the spymaster directs: attack, full attack, charge, fall prone, move, double move, full defense, or run. The spymaster does not choose specifically how the target carries out this command, he simply chooses the action and the target must somehow carry it out that round. If this action is obviously destructive to the target or his allies he receives a second save to resist the effects.

The target is aware of this effect after its attempt, successful or not, and knows that the spymaster attempted to influence him. If the spymaster has the Eyes Betray the Heart spymaster ability, the save DC of Words, Not Steel is increased as if it were a courtier ability.

Note: If you are using this prestige class in your campaign, it is recommended that you adjust Ikoma Sume’s stats so that he is a Courtier 5/Samurai 6/Ikoma Spymaster 5 rather than a Courtier 7/Samurai 9.