How to add Ninja to Japanese and keep it unique and interesting

The Ninja unit is very similar to the Samurai, except it deals bonus damage against Hero units and Kings instead of other Unique Units. I propose the following additional mechanics and stats (the default unit stats are displayed below my proposed changes):

Unique Mechanic: Ninja starts off as a ranged unit. It throws shuriken. When the Ninja’s HP reaches 0, a smoke cloud will appear and the Ninja will immediately respawn where it “died”, which gives the unit the appearance of disappearing and reappearing… just like a real Ninja! The Ninja’s “second spawn” is a melee fighter and will die when its HP reaches 0. The Ninja’s “second spawn” has reduced base pierce armor.

Train Location: Castle, train button 4

Ninja 1st Spawn:
35 Hit Points
4 LOS, 4 Search Radius
1.1 Speed
3 Range
9 Melee Attack
1.8 Attack Speed
+2 vs. Standard Buildings
+4 vs. Castles
+9 vs. Armor Class 36 (Heroes/Kings)

Armor Classes: Infantry, Unique Unit
1 Melee Armor
1 Pierce Armor

Train Time: 18 seconds
Cost: 30 Food, 60 Gold

Ninja 2nd Spawn:
35 Hit Points
4 LOS, 4 Search Radius
1.1 Speed
0.1 Range (Melee)
9 Melee Attack
1.8 Attack Speed
+2 vs. Standard Buildings
+4 vs. Castles
+9 vs. Armor Class 36 (Heroes/Kings)

Armor Classes: Infantry, Unique Unit
1 Melee Armor
0 Pierce Armor

Yes, I have already modded this into my game. And it is awesome.

Default stats of the Ninja unit:

50 Hit Points
4 LOS, 4 Search Radius
1.1 Speed
0 Range (Melee)
9 Melee Attack
1.8 Attack Speed
+2 vs. Standard Buildings
+2 vs. Eagle Warriors
+9 vs. Armor Class 36 (Heroes/Kings)

Armor Classes: Infantry, 31 (Civilian)
1 Melee Armor
1 Pierce Armor

Train Time: 9 seconds
Cost: 60 Food, 30 Gold

3 Likes

But… ninjas are in the game already… Haven’t you seem them??? (sic)

Dude, please reeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaad. He did say “default stats”. What he is proposing is adding the connik-way to it and “really” implementing them for multiplayer games also.

I was trying to joke on the fact that ninjas make their way through places unnoticeable. Gotta start marking (sic) on comments made purely for humor.

Alright, I am sorry then, please do :slight_smile:

back to topic: Id love such a unit. For community games, this would be so awesome to watch having a professional king-sniping unit :open_mouth:

This is by far not AOE2 standards. This was a thing in AOE3…

And the dead form is used by Konniks, please find a better idea

Considering “stealth” isn’t an option in AOE2, having ninjas change form on death is the best idea I can come up with that is in anyway suggestive of ninjas being stealthy. An alternative idea would be to give them the ability to pack/unpack from a ninja unit to a gaia object, like a rock, tree, or bush, but that behavior is currently hard coded to trebuchets and I don’t particularly like the idea because it would be awkward and difficult to transact in game.

1 Like

what do you think about deception as some sort of invisibility for ninjas. They spawn from the castle as villagers without ability to work. For enemies they look like they pose no threat, until you turn them into ninjas on demand permanently.That could bring some funny moments to the game :smiley:

1 Like

How about crossing the wall?
Make Ninja have a super large light of sight and can cross 1 layer wall without Siege Tower. Allow it to gank the king, the hero, the villagers and even the trade carts.
It may be an unique infantry with low HP, high melee attack and fast moving, being available at the castle in Imperial age, throwing something sharp or fighting closely by chain-sickle (kusarigama).
Actually, the development team should add a class “Light Infantry” into the game for some infantry like Ninja, Shotel Warrior, Gbeto, Karambit Warrior, Woad Raider, etc. Then add Scout Infantry line into the barrack for infantry civ and let Eagles become an unique unit of Aztec.