Valiant Views: Ninjak

While the Valiant Adventures Quickstart gives you a feel for what it is like to play a tabletop RPG set in the Valiant Universe, due to space limits it doesn’t provide character creation info or a deeper look at some of the signature Valiant characters. In this preview, we look at Valiant’s ultimate secret agent and super-spy, Ninjak.

Ninjak is a prime example of a “normal human” who, well, isn’t in that some of his abilities (Agility, Dexterity, and Intellect) are above the “normal human” limit that hovers around Rank 6 and his Fighting Ability is truly superhuman at 14, but then Ninjak is one of the best all-around combatants in the Valiant Universe. He relies on that high Attack Bonus because his Damage output is relatively low for his Power Level, meaning Ninjak is going to Power Attack when he can against lower Defense targets (if he’s not using his Gadgets Advantage to simply plant a bomb on them…).

Ninjak’s “powers” are all Devices, particularly built into his uniform. In particular, his Enhanced Armor Mode is a good example of Power Level trade-offs: It exchanges upping his Toughness (Protection) at a reduction in his Dodge and Parry, keeping his Power Level the same, but recognizing situations where Ninjak needs greater Toughness while still maintaining quite high Defense Class against attacks.

He has a formidable set of Equipment, including a variety of weapons, all cutting-edge tech, but not so advanced they count as Devices.

Ninjak was the true test for the layout of the Advantages section! He has a lot of them. Notable is his Gadgets Advantage, a new one in Valiant Adventures that lets him come up with his signature “I have a device for that” move in the comics. He’s naturally got the Assessment, Connected, and Well-Informed Advantages for intelligence gathering, along with a lot of Combat Advantages reflecting his training, cunning, and skill. Of note are new Valiant Adventures Advantages like Exploit Momentum, Opportunity Attack, Riposte, Sleeper Hold, and Split Attack. The first three make use of the addition of a once per Turn Reaction option, letting Ninjak respond to things his opponents are doing. The other two are a revision of the old Chokehold Advantage and an Advantage version of the Split Effect Modifier, allowing him to make two smaller attacks in place of a larger one.

Ninjak is also a Skill monster, adding to his already formidable Abilities in all of the ninja- and espionage-related Skills. In particular, his Skill Mastery in Stealth lets Ninjak routinely disappear and conceal himself under most circumstances unless dealing with an opponent with Senses Effects that allow them to detect him (as X-O Manowar did in their initial encounters).

Check out the Valiant Adventures Roleplaying Game on Kickstarter now!