Kunai Academy - Core Rules

KUNAI
ACADEMY
by Justin Kahler
KUNAI ACADEMY First Edition
GAME DESIGN AND GRAPHIC DESIGN

Justin Kahler
WITH DESIGN CONTRIBUTIONS FROM

Benjamin Loy, Nick Rome, and Ben ‘Sin’ Sanchez
ARTWORK
All art by Daniel Bretas (ToPpeRa-TPR) except for the illustra-
tion on page 139 by Marinna Romero (@marinklewinkle)
DEVELOPMENT TEAM
Alexander Berkowitz, Scott Brown, Reid Chandler, Liza Cor-
tright, Will Goodman, Derrick Long, Anastasia Okuonghae,
and Richard Ruane
EDITING
Derrick Long
CULTURAL CONSULTING
James Mendez Hodes
DESIGN INSPIRATION
Fate by Rob Donoghue and Fred Hicks, Legacy: Life Among
the Ruins by James Iles and Douglas Santana Mota, Masks: A
New Generation by Brendan G. Conway, Savage Worlds by
Shane Lacy Hensley with Clint Black
FONTS
Segoe UI and CC Wild Words
© Sweaterpunk Studios 2021. All rights reserved. Portions of this book are works
of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used
fictitiously. Other names, characters, places and events are products of the au-
thor’s imagination, and any resemblances to actual events or places or persons,
living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
6 INTRODUCTION
8 What You’ll Need
9 A Note On Cultural Touchstones
10 Character Creation
14 BASIC RULES
15 Scenes & Encounters
16 Initiative
18 Determining Success
21 Attributes
24 Edges
27 Obstacles
29 Energy
30 Strain & Strain Limit
31 Recovery
32 Resist
33 Flashbacks
34 Teamwork
35 Healing
36 Lingering Emotions
37 Experiences
39 Ninja Ranks
41 Scene Checks
43 ACTIONS
43 Attack
45 Prepare
45 Overcome
45 Recharge
46 Use a Technique
46 Extra Actions
47 NINJA ARCHETYPES
48 The Genius Ninja
49 The Cursed Ninja
51 The Loyal Ninja
52 The Determined Ninja
53 The Tireless Ninja
54 The Altered Ninja
55 The Prodigy Ninja
56 The Gutsy Ninja
57 VILLAGE BACKGROUNDS
58 The Village Agents
59 The Village Betrayal
60 The Village Leader
61 The Village Clans
62 The Village War
63 The Village Secret
64 The Village Spirits
65 The Village Murder
67 TRAITS
73 TECHNIQUES
74 Standard Techniques
81 Forbidden Techniques
83 Bloodline Techniques
86 GAMEMASTER
91 The First Game
97 RUNNING SCENES
99 Scene Goals
100 Scene Checks
101 Experience Scenes
102 RUNNING ENCOUNTERS

105 Enemies
107 Encounter Points
109 Using Obstacles
112 Obstacle Effects
117 CHARACTERS
120 Example Enemies
146 Character Lists
149 SETTINGS
155 Example Villages
159 Village Names List
INTRODUCTION
In Kunai Academy players will craft the story of young ninja in a
fantastical world. Most players will create a character and guide
them through imaginary adventures by describing what they are
thinking, saying, and doing. Sometimes, when a character at-
tempts to do something dangerous or difficult, they will roll dice to
determine the outcome. If all of that sounds difficult to navigate,
don’t worry! One player will take on the role of Gamemaster (or
GM for short). The Gamemaster will help facilitate the adventure
by structuring the conversation, guiding the pace, assisting with
rules, and playing as the other characters that inhabit the world.
KUNAI ACADEMY 6 INTRODUCTION

Kunai Academy encourages the players to create details that de-
fine their characters and the world they inhabit. But a few as-
sumptions can be made. All of the characters are ninja warriors
who go on dangerous missions. They are from the same village
and the missions they go on benefit the village. All of the char-
acters start out around 13-15 years-old and have just crossed an
important threshold in their ninjutsu training. This milestone may
be a transition from a lower school to a higher school, an assign-
ment to a field team, or a ceremonial entrance into adulthood.
The characters all start the game at the beginning of a new and
exciting chapter in their lives.
The tone of this game is meant to be lighthearted and fun. Many

of the game mechanics encourage colorful descriptions and play-
er creativity. The fantasy of being a teenage warrior is inherently a
bit silly. Lean into it! Expect fantastical settings, crazy adventures,
and colorful characters.
That’s not to say that characters won’t face trials and consequenc-
es as they mature. One of the major themes in Kunai Academy
is growing up. Players should consider how their characters deal
with immature desires and newfound responsibilities. Exploring
the dynamics of shifting relationships is highly encouraged. Each
character will explore their own personal coming-of-age journey
through story scenes that they create.
Pages 10-12 of this book cover the steps for Character Creation.
The Basic Rules found on pages 14-41 and the Actions section on
pages 43-46 will be the most important chapters to familiarize
yourself with once you’ve created a character. Pages 47-56 have
additional details on the 8 different Ninja Archetypes players can
choose from and pages 57-65 go in depth on the 8 available Vil-
lage Background options. There are also sections detailing the dif-
ferent character options should you run into any questions about
how a Trait (pages 67-72) or Technique (pages 73-84) works. The
Gamemaster section of the book starts on page 86 and generally
doesn’t need to be read by the players. But, it’s an invaluable re-
source for the GM.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED
When you get together with your friends to play Kunai Acad-
emy, you’ll need to make sure you have a few things:
Dice – You’ll need at least 1 six-sided die, 1 eight-sided die, 1

ten-sided die, and 1 twelve-sided die in order to determine
success when taking actions. However, it is recommended that
you have multiple of each die so that you can form dice pools.
Playbooks and/or Character Sheets – Each player will

need something to record their character’s details on. If you’re
playing in person and creating characters together for the first
time, then printing up a full set of Playbooks is recommended.
The Playbooks contain all of the player options needed as
well as simplified rules. If you’re playing digitally or players are
more familiar with the game, then you may want to use fillable
Character Sheets instead. If you did not receive digital cop-
ies of Playbooks and Character Sheets when purchasing this
book, you can access them at www.sweaterpunkstudios.com.
Pencils or Pens – All players will need to record character

options and track Strain and Energy levels. Pencils with erasers
are recommended, but any writing utensil will work.
Sticky Notes, Index Cards, or Scrap Paper – Edges and

Obstacles are game mechanics which will need to be written
down and displayed in a place where all players can see them.
Sticky notes work especially well, but any writing surface that’s
accessible to everyone will work.
Playing Cards – Initiative order during an Encounter is deter-

mined using a standard deck of playing cards. You’ll only need
1 suit with no Jokers. Remove one suit, such as Hearts, from a
standard deck of playing cards to use as Initiative Cards.

A NOTE ON CULTURAL
TOUCHSTONES
Kunai Academy is inspired by the real-life practitioners of nin-
jutsu and owes a great debt to the Japanese originators of
many concepts referenced in this game. But Kunai Academy is
not meant to be a historically-accurate representation of ninja.
It instead strives to emulate the romanticized representations
of ninja as seen in shōnen comics and after-school cartoons.
Kunai Academy embraces these fantastical depictions of ninja
as magical warriors who possess superhuman abilities.
Similarly, Kunai Academy employs many themes that are root-

ed in Japanese culture. It is inspired by art and media that
comes from an Asian perspective. But this game does not
specifically strive to emulate Japanese or Asian culture. Players
of Kunai Academy are encouraged to draw on a wide variety
of cultural references when creating characters and defining
setting details. The game is meant to be a playground where
different cultural concepts can interact and live together in the
same fantasy world.
We hope that you’ll treat the cultural touchstones that you use
in your games with the proper respect. Remember that you’re
pulling from the history of real people. Attempt to approach
each character as a multifaceted person with complex beliefs
and motivations. And always treat each culture that you draw
from with equal dignity.

CHARACTER CREATION
These are the steps for character creation in Kunai Academy.
Details and options for each step can be found later in this
book or on the Ninja Archetype and Village Background Play-
books. These steps are for creating a character at Ninja Rank 1.
CHOOSE A NINJA ARCHETYPE

There are 8 Ninja Archetypes to choose from that are differ-
entiated by their Special Abilities. Each player should select a
different Ninja Archetype so that there is variety amongst the
characters. When choosing a Ninja Archetype, be sure to dis-
cuss preferences amongst all players and try to keep different
options in mind. See the Ninja Archetypes section starting on
page 47 for more details.
CHOOSE A VILLAGE BACKGROUND

In addition to choosing a Ninja Archetype, each player should
choose one of 8 Village Backgrounds. Each player should
select a different Village Background as each one allows the
player to define a different aspect of the village. Village Back-
grounds also allow characters to create a Background Char-
acter that will inhabit the collaboratively created world. Make
sure to discuss your preferences with your fellow players. See
the Village Background section starting on page 57 for more
details.
DEFINE NINJA DETAILS

Give your ninja a name. Then, choose at least one option for
your character’s Pronouns, Personality, Outfit, Hair, and Ele-
ment. Note that your Element choice will define what natural
element your character can manipulate. This will be the de-
fault element used for your Elemental Attacks and Elemental
Techniques. The choice is largely narrative, but could have an
impact on situational bonuses or penalties during play.
KUNAI ACADEMY 10 I N T R O D U C T I O N
ASSIGN ATTRIBUTE RATINGS
Each ninja is rated on six different Attributes: Body, Spirit, Mind,
Martial Arts, Elemental Arts, and Illusion Arts. These ratings
are represented by the letter grades C, B, A, and S. A C-Rat-
ing represents a weak aptitude for an Attribute and having an
S-Rating represents mastery of an Attribute. At Rank 1, each
character can assign a C-Rating to two Attributes, a B-Rating
to 2 Attributes, and an A-Rating to two Attributes.
Each rating is associated with a certain dice size. When you

use your Attributes for different actions, you will roll the dice
associated with your Attribute Rating in order to determine
the success of that action. Make note of your Dice Size for
each Attribute according to its rating:
– C-Rating Attributes use 6-sided dice (D6).

– B-Rating Attributes use 8-sided dice (D8).
– A-Rating Attributes use 10-sided dice (D10).
– S-Rating Attributes use 12-sided dice (D12).
See the Attributes section on page 21 for more information on

how Attributes are used during play.
CHOOSE A TRAIT
Each character can choose 1 Trait and gains the unique benefit
of that Trait. Note that some Trait options cannot be selected
unless the character has achieved a specific Ninja Rank. See
the Traits section starting on page 67 for more information on
the benefits of specific Traits.
MAX ENERGY AND STRAIN LIMIT

A character’s Max Energy starts at 5 and their Strain Limit
starts at 8. However, these values may be modified by Traits
or by gaining Ninja Ranks. See Energy on page 29 and Strain
on page 30 for more info on how these game concepts work.

CHOOSE TECHNIQUES
Each character can choose 3 Techniques during character
creation. Give each Technique a unique name which reflects
how that Technique manifests for your character. A player
may be able to choose more Techniques that are granted by
Traits or additional Ninja Ranks. Keep in mind that Forbidden
and Bloodline Techniques cannot be chosen unless they are
granted by a Trait or Special Ability. See the Techniques sec-
tion starting on page 73 for more information on how specific
Techniques work.
VILLAGE BACKGROUND QUESTIONS

Each Village Background has questions which prompt players
to define an aspect of the game’s setting. Many of these ques-
tions establish historical events, current conflicts, and active
entities within the village. Each player is free to answer their
Village Background questions as they see fit, but players are
also encouraged to discuss these details and craft a cohesive
world together.
While answering the Village Background questions, each play-

er will also define a Background Character. This Background
Character will inhabit your collaboratively created setting and
will be a shared story resource. The Gamemaster and the oth-
er players can pull this character into Scenes in order to in-
teract with them. Think about the kind of character you want
to introduce into your world. Ask other players if they’d like to
establish connections to your Background Character.
BASIC RULES
A game of Kunai Academy is hanging out with friends and
playing make-believe. One player, the Gamemaster, will facil-
itate the game and keep things running smoothly. The other
players will craft interesting characters, imbue their actions
with personality, and make choices that lead to interesting
stories. All of the rules contained here are meant to support
and drive that story, not stand in its way. If the fiction of the
game and the rules of the game are ever in conflict, the fiction
should always win.
KUNAI ACADEMY 14 b a s i c r u l e s
SCENES & ENCOUNTERS
Games of Kunai Academy can be broken down into two parts:
Scenes and Encounters. Encounters are conflicts with danger-
ous opponents. Scenes are story moments where players can
interact with the characters and the setting. Game sessions will
usually consist of one Encounter and multiple Scenes.
SCENES
Scenes are character-focused moments rooted in the imagi-
nary world that the players have created. To set a Scene, es-
tablish the location within the fictional setting. Then establish
which characters are there. Describe the people and surround-
ings with specific details so that players can visualize the Scene
together. Once the Scene is set, players are free to explore
the story that’s unfolding around them. Players are encour-
aged to describe what their characters are doing and act out
their conversations. A character can do anything in a Scene
that would make sense within the fiction of the game. There
aren’t many game rules to worry about. But, occasionally a
player may be asked to make a Scene Check if their charac-
ter attempts to do something particularly difficult or risky. See
Scene Checks on page 41 for more information.
ENCOUNTERS
Encounters are clashes with dangerous enemies. When con-
fronting a threat, things move more quickly and failure be-
comes dangerous. Rules govern the passage of time and the
resolution of a character’s actions. See the Initiative, Turns, and
Rounds later in the section for details on the structure of an
Encounter. See the rest of the Basic Rules section, the Actions
section on page 43, the Ninja Archetypes section starting on
page 47, and the Techniques section starting on page 73 in
order to familiarize yourself with the options available to your
character during an Encounter.
INITIATIVE
At the beginning of each Encounter separate one suit from
a standard deck of playing cards. For example, take the 13
Hearts cards, 2 through Ace, from a deck of cards. Shuffle
them together. These will be the Initiative Cards for the En-
counter.
Deal 1 Initiative Card to each player’s character. Some game

effects may allow a player to draw extra Initiative Cards. When
this happens, deal them a number of extra cards as directed
by the game effect. Then they must choose one card to keep
as their Initiative Card. Take back the cards they do not choose
and put them on the bottom of the Initiative Card deck.
After dealing to players, deal Initiative Cards to the enemy

characters. Some enemy characters can take multiple Turns
per Round. Because of this, many enemy characters will be
dealt multiple Initiative Cards. Deal each enemy character an
Initiative Card for each Turn they take per Round.
Once all characters have their Initiative Cards, characters can

begin taking their Turns. Turn order proceeds from high card
to low card. Once every character has taken a Turn on each of
their Initiative Cards, then the Round ends. At the start of the
next Round, shuffle the 13 Initiative Cards back together and
deal them out in the same manner.
Note: While it’s not a rule, it’s often a good idea to deal Ini-
tiative Cards to players in the same order each Round. The
consistent order avoids confusion and conflict.
TURNS
Characters regain 1 expended Energy at the beginning of their
Turn. Characters also Recover at the beginning of their Turn by
rolling their Spirit Attribute Die and removing 1 Strain for each
Hit they score. Characters can resolve these beginning-of-Turn
effects in any order they’d like. Players can then take their ac-
tion for the Turn. They may also take 1 Extra Action on their
Turn if they are granted one by a Technique or other game
effect. They may take this Extra Action before or after their
normal action. Once they’ve finished with their Turn, the next
character in the Initiative Order may take their Turn.
ROUNDS
A Round consists of multiple Turns taken by characters one
at a time. Initiative Cards are dealt at the beginning of the
Round. Each player’s character will take 1 Turn per Round.
Each enemy character can take between 1-3 Turns per Round.
When each character has taken a Turn for each Initiative Card
they possess, the Round ends. All Initiative Cards will be shuf-
fled together at the end of the Round and dealt again to start
a new Round.
Each player’s character can use Teamwork once per Round.

Character’s are granted a new use of Teamwork at the begin-
ning of each new Round when Initiative Cards are dealt. See
Teamwork on page 34 for more information.
DETERMINING SUCCESS
When a player takes an action, they will roll dice in order to
determine whether they succeed or fail. Players generally roll
between 1-3 dice at a time. Once the dice are rolled, the player
will check the result to determine how many Hits they scored.
If a single die result is 4 or under, then that die scores 0 Hits.
If a single die result is 5-9, then that die scores 1 Hit. And, if a
single die result is 10 or higher, then that die scores 2 Hits. Add
up all the Hits scored on all of the dice rolled to determine
how many total Hits were scored. Scoring 1 Hit means that the
character was successful at their attempt, but each additional
Hit improves their success.
The dice rolled for an action are determined by the type of

action. Most actions are made by rolling a combination of dif-
ferent Attribute Dice. For example, a Martial Attack is made by
rolling a character’s Body Attribute Die and their Martial Arts
Attribute Die. See the Actions section on page 43 for more
information on which Attribute Dice to use.
Sometimes players will be able to choose which Attribute Dice

to use when they make a roll. In these cases, the Attribute
must always match the action that the character is taking. For
example, if a character is creating an illusion, then they should
choose their Illusion Arts Attribute Die for the roll. See the
Attributes section on page 21 for more information on which
Attributes apply to any given situation.
ADVANTAGE
When a player is granted an Advantage, they can add a
six-sided (D6) Advantage Die to their roll. Any Hits scored on
the Advantage Die add to the total number of Hits scored for
that roll. If you would have multiple Advantages, then you can
add a D6 Advantage Die for each Advantage you have. If you
would have a Disadvantage as well as an Advantage, they
cancel each other out and neither is applied to the roll. If an
ability would allow you to modify your roll result, such as by
re-rolling dice, then any Advantage Dice can also be modified.
DISADVANTAGE
When a player has a Disadvantage they must add a six-sided
(D6) Disadvantage Die to their roll. When rolling at Disadvan-
tage, the player must disregard the highest die result when
determining the total number of Hits scored. If you would
have a Disadvantage as well as an Advantage, they cancel
each other out and neither is applied to the roll. If an ability
would allow you to modify your roll’s result, such as by re-roll-
ing dice, then any Disadvantage Dice can also be modified.
If you have multiple Disadvantages, then you add a D6 Disad-

vantage Die to the roll for each Disadvantage and disregard
a number of the highest dice results equal to the number of
Disadvantages. For example, 2 Disadvantages means you’ll
add 2 D6’s to your roll and ignore the 2 highest dice results.
EXAMPLE ROLLS
You make a Martial Attack by rolling your Body and Martial
Arts Attribute Dice. Both of these dice are D10s, so you roll
two ten-sided dice. You get a result of a 4 on one die which
does not score any Hits. On the other D10 you get a result of
6, which scores 1 Hit. Therefore, you’ve scored 1 Hit total.
You make an Overcome roll using your Mind and Elemental

Arts Attribute Dice. Your Mind Die is a D6 and your Elemental
Arts Die is a D10 so you roll a six-sided die and a ten-sided die.
Your D6 result is a 5 and scores 1 Hit. Your D10 result is a 10
and scores 2 Hits. Therefore, you’ve scored 3 Hits total.
You make a Prepare roll using your Mind and Illusion Arts At-
tribute Dice. Your Mind Attribute Die is a D8 and your Illusion
Arts Attribute Die is a D12 so you roll an eight-sided die and
a twelve-sided die. Your D8 result is a 2 and does not score a
Hit. Your D12 result is a 3 and does not score a Hit. Therefore,
you didn’t score any Hits and failed your Prepare roll.
You make an Elemental Attack roll using your Spirit and El-
emental Arts Attribute Dice. Your ally Assists and grants you
Advantage on the roll. Your Spirit Attribute Die is a D10, your
Elemental Arts Attribute Die is a D8, and the Advantage Die
is a D6. So, you roll a ten-sided die, an eight-sided die, and a
six-sided die. Your D10 result is a 9 which scores 1 Hit. Your D8
result is a 7 which scores 1 Hit. And your D6 result is a 5 which
scores 1 Hit. Therefore, you’ve scored 3 Hits total.
You make a Verbal Attack roll using your Spirit and Mind At-
tributes, but an Obstacle gives you Disadvantage on the roll.
Your Spirit Attribute Die is a D10, your Mind Attribute Die is a
D6, and the Disadvantage Die is a D6. So, you roll a ten-sided
die and two six-sided dice. Your D10 result is a 10, but it is the
highest result and must be ignored due to Disadvantage. Your
D6 results are a 3 which scores no Hits and a 6 which scores 1
Hit. Therefore, your Verbal Attack roll scores 1 Hit.
ATTRIBUTES
Attributes represent six different skill groups that are needed
to be a great ninja. Each character has an Attribute Rating
for each Attribute that represents how strong or weak they are
in that skill. Attributes are rated by letter grades:
– A C-Rating Attribute needs improvement.

– A B-Rating Attribute is satisfactory.
– An A-Rating Attribute is above average.
– An S-Rating Attribute is exceptional.
Each Attribute also has an Attribute Die that’s representative

of that Attribute’s Rating. A better Attribute Rating will mean a
larger dice size and a better chance for success when making
a roll.
C-Rating Attributes have 6-sided (D6) Attribute Dice.
B-Rating Attributes have 8-sided (D8) Attribute Dice.
A-Rating Attributes have 10-sided (D10) Attribute Dice.
S-Rating Attributes have 12-sided (D12) Attribute Dice.
BODY
A character’s Body Attribute represents their physical prow-
ess. It encompasses speed, strength, and endurance. It is an
indicator of physical toughness. A character might use their
Body Attribute in situations when quickness, muscle power, or
fortitude would be a critical factor.
SPIRIT
Spirit represents the potency of a character’s essence. It en-
compasses the power of a character’s personality, resolve, and
charisma. It also reflects their magical power and their abili-
ty to manipulate their spiritual energy. A character might use
their Spirit Attribute when they need to convince someone to
do something, channel their magical abilities, or display the
strength of their willpower.
MIND
Mind represents a character’s mental prowess. It encompass-
es the capacity for retained knowledge, their ability to de-
cipher new information, and the ability to think in stressful
situations. It also reflects a character’s cunning and their ability
to deceive and manipulate. A character might use their Mind
Attribute when they need to assess a new situation, remember
an important detail, weave a detailed fabrication, or spring a
complicated trap.
MARTIAL ARTS
Martial Arts represents a character’s ability to fight and defend
themselves. This applies to hand-to-hand combat, duels with
melee weapons, and proficiency with projectile weapons. A
character might use their Martial Arts Attribute when trying to
punch through a barricade, throw a Shuriken with precision,
or hold back an angry crowd with a swing of their sword.
ELEMENTAL ARTS
A character’s Elemental Arts Attribute represents their ability
to magically manipulate a natural element. Each character is
proficient in manipulating one element as chosen during char-
acter creation. Elemental Arts represent your ability to conjure
this element, finely control it, and unleash its raw power. A
character’s Elemental Arts Attribute might be used to subdue
a raging fire, freeze the surface of a lake, or erect a stone wall.
ILLUSION ARTS
A character’s Illusion Arts Attribute represents a character’s
ability to magically deceive the senses. This applies to manip-
ulating what a character sees, hears, tastes, feels, and smells.
A character’s Illusion Arts Attribute might be used to make
someone hear a command that wasn’t issued, see someone
that isn’t really there, or be overcome by a nauseating scent.
EDGES
Edges grant players the ability to re-roll dice. When an Edge
is created, it will have a number of Edge Levels (generally
1-3). Each individual Edge Level can be expended to re-roll
any number of dice on a single roll. And, when all of an Edge’s
Levels have been expended, the Edge leaves play. For exam-
ple, if a player has a Level 2 Edge, they will be able to expend
an Edge Level to re-roll any number of dice on one roll. When
they do, the Edge then becomes a Level 1 Edge. This Level 1
Edge can grant 1 more re-roll, but then leaves play when it’s
last Edge Level is spent.
Players create Edges by taking the Prepare action and occa-

sionally gain Edges through Traits and Techniques. An Edge
can narratively represent a wide variety of situational bene-
fits. When a player creates an Edge, they will give it a Edge
Name. The Edge’s name will define the benefit that a charac-
ter has gained in the fiction of the game. For example, a play-
er might name an Edge “Shadow Clones” to represent that
their character has summoned copies of themselves that will
confuse and distract their opponent. The Edge’s name helps
to paint a clear picture of what’s happening in the game and
also helps define when an Edge is applicable.
Edge Levels are actively spent when the player who created
the Edge wants to re-roll their own dice. An Edge Level can
also be spent to allow an ally to re-roll their dice. A player can
even expend an Edge Level to impose a re-roll on an ene-
my roll and chooses which dice must be re-rolled when they
do so. Spending an Edge Level allows a player to re-roll any
number of the original dice rolled. This means they can re-roll
all of the dice, just one die, or anywhere in between. Edge
Levels can be used to re-roll the same roll multiple times as
long as an Edge Level is expended for each re-roll. Only the
player who created the Edge can expend the Edge Levels for
re-rolls. When an Edge’s last Edge Level is spent, that Edge is
removed from play. Edges cannot be removed by enemies.
When an Edge is created, the Edge’s name and number of
Edge Levels should be written down where everyone can see.
Sticky notes work well for this, but any visible surface will do.
Check boxes are a great way to represent Edge Levels as they
will be actively spent across the course of an Encounter.
When a character names an Edge, it’s important that the Edge

created matches the Attributes rolled when Preparing. For ex-
ample, if a character rolled their Mind and Martial Arts At-
tribute Dice, it wouldn’t make much sense to name an Edge
“Ring of Fire”. Mind is always used when Preparing as this rep-
resents a character thinking strategically in order to gain a
benefit they can use against their opponent. But the Attribute
that’s chosen by the player should always match the fiction
of what’s happening in the game. See the Attributes section
starting on page 21 for more information on which Attributes
might apply in any given situation.
The name of an Edge creates narrative truth. This means that
all players, the Gamemaster included, should attempt to re-
spect the changes an Edge makes to the environment. For
example, if a player creates an Edge and names it “I’m Dis-
tracting the Enemy”, the Gamemaster should react to the
Edge appropriately. Edges may not be usable in circumstanc-
es where the fiction of the Edge doesn’t provide any benefit.
For example, an Edge named “Hidden in the Forest Brush”
may not help defend against a wave of fire which is engulfing
the forest. Players are encouraged to be creative when nam-
ing their Edges as they can represent a wide variety of assets.
Here are some examples of potential Edge names:
– Summoned Wind Spirits

– Spotted a Weakness
– Massive Stone Fists
– Hidden from Sight
– Whirling Monkey Stance
It is important to note that Edges can never fully restrict or

restrain an enemy. Edges represent advantages, not decisive
blows that end Encounters. For example, a player might cre-
ate an Edge named “Bound by Shadows”. This Edge might
narratively represent a foe being constricted by tendrils of
manifested darkness. The Gamemaster should treat this Edge
as narrative truth and might even decide that the bound char-
acter cannot make Martial Attacks because of it. But players
should not be surprised if that same enemy can still cast pow-
erful elemental magic, create dangerous illusions, or chastise
players with biting words. The bound character might even be
able to create an Obstacle that allows them to circumvent the
tendrils in play. Enemies in Kunai Academy are powerful and
resourceful foes. They’re rarely suppressed by one trick or the
first impediment that stands in their way. While Edges are a
great benefit to any team, players should approach their effect
on an Encounter with reasonable expectations.
OBSTACLES
Obstacles represent enemy powers and abilities as well as
hindering environmental conditions. Each Encounter will start
with a number of Obstacles in play and enemies can create
additional Obstacles over the course of an Encounter. Each
Obstacle has an Obstacle Name that represents the fictional
impediment imposed to the players. For example, an Obstacle
might be named “Impenetrable Sand Armor”. Each Obstacle
will also have an Obstacle Effect that impacts the characters
in some way. For example, the “Impenetrable Sand Armor”
might have an Obstacle Effect that makes an enemy immune
to Martial and Elemental Attacks. The Gamemaster will explain
the Obstacle Effects in play so that you can make informed
decisions about how your character will interact with them.
Each Obstacle has an Obstacle Level (generally 1-3) that rep-

resents how difficult it is to remove. When characters make an
Overcome action, they will negate an Obstacle Level for each
Hit scored (see page 45). A Level 1 Obstacle can be removed
with 1 Hit on an Overcome action, but a Level 3 Obstacle will
require 3 total Hits. Hits scored when Overcoming an Obsta-
cle will negate Obstacle Levels even if the roll did not score
enough Hits to remove the Obstacle. For example, if a player
only scored 1 Hit when trying to Overcome a Level 2 Obsta-
cle, then they can still negate 1 Obstacle Level. The Obstacle
will then become a Level 1 Obstacle and will be easier for the
next player to Overcome. But, the Obstacle Effect remains ac-
tive until the last Obstacle Level is negated. Hits scored when
Overcoming an Obstacle can be assigned to different Obsta-
cles as long as the player can narratively justify how they are
interacting with each.
Each Obstacle’s name should be written down so that all play-
ers can see them. The Obstacle Levels should be noted and
clearly visible to all players as well. Check boxes work great
to represent Obstacle Levels as they will actively be negated
during an Encounter. Obstacle Effects don’t need to be written
down as long as they are properly explained to all players. But
writing notes describing Obstacle Effects may be helpful.
Like Edges, the names of Obstacles create a narrative truth

within the game world. When players attempt to interact with
an Obstacle, they are required to adhere to the fictional cir-
cumstances that have been established. When attempting to
Overcome an Obstacle, players should always describe how
their character is engaging with the task at hand. And, the
Attribute Die they choose when rolling to Overcome an Ob-
stacle should always match up with the character’s actions.
Sometimes, it won’t make sense to use a certain Attribute to
engage with a specific Obstacle. For example, if a character
uses lightning as their element, then it may not make sense
for them to use their Elemental Arts Die to Overcome an Ob-
stacle named “Rock Wall”. And, in these cases, they should use
a different Attribute when attempting to make an Overcome
action.
The narrative cohesion of an Obstacle can work in the play-

er’s favor as well. The fiction of an Obstacle can dictate that
it shouldn’t apply to certain actions that a character makes.
For example, an Obstacle named “Blazing Fire Armor” may
normally give Disadvantage to Martial and Elemental Attacks,
but it doesn’t make sense to penalize a water-based Elemen-
tal Attack in the same way. Narrative cohesion and common
sense should always take precedence.
ENERGY
Energy represents the physical and spiritual life force con-
tained within each individual. Ninja train to harness this hid-
den power and unleash it with supernatural Techniques. They
can use Energy to fuel bursts of extreme speed and strength
or to mold and manipulate magical forces. A ninja’s ability to
draw on their Energy and use it to manipulate the physical
world is often the greatest tool at their disposal.
All characters start each Encounter with Energy equal to their

Max Energy value. Characters must expend Energy equal to a
Technique’s Energy Cost in order to use that Technique. Char-
acters regain 1 Energy at the beginning of each of their Turns.
Characters can also take the Recharge action in order to re-
gain Energy (see page 45).
Each Ninja Rank 1 character starts with a Max Energy value of

5. Characters can gain +2 Max Energy by taking the Energetic
Trait. Characters also gain +1 Max Energy each time they gain
a new Ninja Rank.
STRAIN & STRAIN LIMIT
Strain represents how much punishment a character has tak-
en over the course of an Encounter. It encompasses bodi-
ly damage, physical exertion, emotional turmoil, and mental
distress. Each character starts each Encounter with no Strain.
Characters often accumulate Strain over the course of an En-
counter, but there’s no negative effect from Strain until you
exceed your Strain Limit.
Each character’s Strain Limit represents how much punishment

they can withstand before something gives. When any char-
acter receives Strain that would push them past their Strain
Limit they’re knocked out of the Encounter. This could mean
that they fall unconscious, run away, lose the will to fight, or
even die. This choice can be made by the player who controls
the character, but should always fit the narrative circumstances
at hand. Note that being knocked out of the Encounter only
happens when a character’s current Strain value exceeds
their Strain Limit and not when their Strain value equals their
Strain Limit.
Each Rank 1 character starts with a Strain Limit of 8. A char-

acter can increase their Strain Limit by +2 if they choose the
Tough Trait. Each character also gains +1 Strain Limit when
they gain a new Ninja Rank.
RECOVERY
Each player can attempt to Recover at the beginning of their
character’s Turn by rolling their character’s Spirit Attribute
Die and removing 1 Strain from that character for each Hit
scored. This roll can be made at the beginning of each Turn
and does not count as an action or an Extra Action. No Strain
can be removed if a character is already at 0 Strain. Teamwork
and Advantage can be applied to Recovery rolls and any Hits
scored on Advantage Dice also remove 1 Strain. Edge Levels
and game effects that allow re-rolls can be used on Recovery
rolls. Obstacles and other game effects can potentially give
Disadvantage to Recovery rolls as well. See Healing on page
35 for rules on removing Strain at the end of an Encounter.
RESIST
Whenever a character takes Strain from an attack, they must
make a Resist roll in an attempt to avoid additional Strain. If
a character does not score a Hit on their Resist roll, then they
will take 1 additional Strain from the attack. Characters only
make 1 Resist roll per attack, regardless of how much initial
Strain the attack deals. For example, an attack that scores 1 Hit
will deal 1 Strain and trigger 1 Resist roll while an attack that
scores 4 Hits will deal 4 Strain and trigger 1 Resist roll. If an
attack against a character scores 0 Hits, then no Strain is dealt
and no Resist roll is needed. If a character takes Strain from a
game effect that is not an attack, no Resist roll is needed.
The Attribute Die rolled when making a Resist Roll is depen-

dent on the type of attack. Martial Attacks and Elemental
Attacks are Resisted using a character’s Body Attribute Die.
Illusion Attacks and Verbal Attacks are Resisted using a char-
acter’s Mind Attribute Die.
Resist rolls can be modified by any game effect that would

modify a roll. Teamwork can be used to give Resist rolls Ad-
vantage. Edge Levels can be expended to re-roll dice on Re-
sist rolls. Some Techniques can be used to improve Resist rolls.
Enemy Obstacles can potentially give Disadvantage to Resist
rolls. Remember that Martial Attacks and Illusion Attacks deal
an additional Strain when their targets fail to Resist them. A
character will take 2 Strain instead of 1 when they fail a Resist
roll against these Attack Types.
In the fiction of the game, Resist rolls represent a character’s
ability to maintain composure while being attacked. A suc-
cessful Resist roll might mean shielding oneself against the
flames of a fireball or suspecting that you’re caught in an il-
lusion. Similarly, a failed Resist roll might represent dropping
your guard against a barrage of punches or letting your self
image be affected by the cutting words of your opponent.
You’re encouraged to consider what these rolls mean for your
character and to describe these scenarios to the other players.
FLASHBACKS
Each player can invoke a Flashback once per Encounter in
order to grant your character a burst of encouragement. De-
scribe an impactful time in your character’s life to show how it
inspires them in the moment. Then, you may either grant your
character Motivation or allow them to use a Reversal.
When you make any roll, you can invoke a Flashback for Mo-
tivation. Motivation adds 1 Hit to the result of any roll your
character makes. Do so after the roll is made and after any
re-rolls have been used. Adding 1 Hit to a roll allows you to
change a failed roll with 0 Hits into a successful roll with 1 Hit.
It also allows a player to add extra Hits to an already successful
roll in order to increase the effectiveness of the action (deal
extra Strain, gain an extra Edge Level, ect.).
When your character makes an Overcome action, you can

invoke a Flashback in order to make it a Reversal. A Reversal
works just like an Overcome action, except the character gains
an Edge if they score enough Hits to remove an Obstacle in
play. The new Edge has Edge Levels equal to the number of
Obstacle Levels of the removed Obstacle. In other words, if
you perform a Reversal and remove a Level 2 Obstacle, then
you will gain a Level 2 Edge. The new Edge is named by the
player who creates it, but the name should reflect the Reversal
you’ve performed. You must invoke the Flashback and declare
the action is a Reversal before any roll is made.
TEAMWORK
Battles in Kunai Academy are often determined by a team’s
ability to work together. Each character can use Teamwork
once per Round to help an ally. Teamwork can be used for
one of the following effects:
Assist - When a player uses Teamwork to Assist, they grant

another character Advantage on a roll. They can invoke this
use of Teamwork once the player declares an action, but be-
fore the roll is made. Assist can be used to grant Advantage
to any action roll, Technique roll, Resist roll, or Recovery roll. A
single roll can be Assisted by any number of allies.
Cover - A player can use Teamwork in order to make their

character the target of an attack. This allows them to take the
Strain from an attack in place of another character. This use of
Teamwork must be invoked after the attack roll is made and
Hits are assigned, but before any Strain has been dealt. This
means that the character who uses Cover will also make any
Resist rolls as a result of taking Strain. When using Cover on
an attack that assigns Hits to multiple targets, you may only
redirect Hits from one target to your character. Cover cannot
be used to redirect Strain that would be dealt by Obstacles or
other game effects that are not attacks. Only one character
per attack may use Cover.
Set-Up - A player can use Teamwork to give an ally an extra

Initiative Card in the next Round. A player can invoke this use
of Teamwork at any time during a Round, but it is especially
useful at the end of a Round if a character has not used Team-
work and it would otherwise go to waste. The character who is
Set-Up will draw an extra Initiative Card when they are passed
out for the next Round, but must choose only 1 Initiative Card
to keep. Drawing multiple cards allows them a better chance
to keep a higher Initiative Card. A character can be Set-Up
any number of times and draws 1 additional Initiative Card for
each time an ally uses Teamwork to help them in this way.
Players are encouraged to track their usage of Teamwork each
Round on their character sheet or through the use of tokens.
Each character gains their use of Teamwork for the new Round
once Initiative Cards are dealt. Note that Teamwork is general-
ly used on a different character’s turn and is in no way restrict-
ed by a character’s Initiative Order or affected by the action
they take on their own turn.
HEALING
At the end of an Encounter, each character will make a Heal-
ing roll in order to determine how they are dealing with the
Strain they’ve accumulated. A Healing roll is made using a
character’s Body, Spirit, and Mind Attribute Dice. If none of
the dice rolled are greater than or equal to the amount of
Strain they have at the end of the Encounter, then they will
receive a Lingering Emotion. For example, if a character ends
an Encounter with 7 Strain, then they will need to roll a result
of 7 or more on one of their Healing dice. If they do not, they
recieve a Lingering Emotion. After the result of the Healing
roll is determined, characters remove all Strain and regain all
spent Energy.
Receiving lots of Strain in an Encounter makes it difficult to

Heal without suffering a Lingering Emotion (see page 36). In
fact, at times a character may have enough Strain that it is im-
possible for them to roll high enough on their Healing roll to
avoid a Lingering Emotion. But, Lingering Emotions are meant
as role-playing cues more than punishment. Think of them
as fun ways to explore your character’s personality and the
tough issues they are currently facing.
LINGERING EMOTIONS
Lingering Emotions represent powerful feelings that affect a
character’s outlook and mood. When a character receives a
Lingering Emotion from a tough Encounter, they can choose
which Lingering Emotion option manifests.
LINGERING EMOTION OPTIONS

– Combative – Lazy – Scattered
– Delusional – Obsessive – Self-Conscious
– Fatalistic – Reckless – Withdrawn
A character with a Lingering Emotion should consider how

it affects their character’s actions. This might mean that they
do things they wouldn’t do otherwise or display parts of their
personality that other characters have never seen. But a Lin-
gering Emotion never forces a player to do anything. Just be-
cause a character has a Lingering Emotion, doesn’t mean they
can’t have moments of clarity or display the full range of their
personality. Lingering Emotions are meant to be fun cues for
players. They should inspire you to explore your character’s
weaknesses and to tell the story of how they deal with them.
But Lingering Emotions should never impose mechanical con-
sequences and should never take agency away from players.
A character can remove all of their Lingering Emotions when

they gain a new Experience which brings their Responsibility
and Desire Experiences into equilibrium with each other. In
other words, if a new Experience would mean a character’s
accumulated Desire Experiences are now equal to their ac-
cumulated Responsibility Experiences, then they can remove
all Lingering Emotions they have. This represents a character
addressing the underlying issue they’ve been avoiding and at-
tempting to live a balanced life. Players should show how this
new Experience allows their character to come to terms with
the Lingering Emotions they’ve been carrying around.
EXPERIENCES
Experiences function as narrative prompts for character Scenes
and as a tally of a character’s progression. Each character will
gain a new Experience after each Encounter they participate
in. When they gain a new Experience, they will choose an Ex-
perience option and set a Scene inspired by this Experience
prompt. These Experience Scenes allow players to act out a
moment that’s important to their character’s growth. Once a
character has accumulated 4 Experiences, they will gain a new
Ninja Rank (see pages 39-40).
The different Experience options below represent thoughts,

feelings, or conflicts that a character is dealing with. Choose
one of these prompts when you gain an Experience and let
the choice guide your Experience Scene. But, remember, these
options are only meant as inspiration. They are there to help
you add personal story elements to the game. Players are free
to interpret them as they see fit.
DESIRE EXPERIENCES
– Trust your instincts – Avoid it
– Ask for help – Be the center of attention
– Reveal something – Visit a Background Character
– Share your true feelings – Player’s choice
RESPONSIBILITY EXPERIENCES
– Do as you’re told – Face it head on
– Go out of your way – Bring the team together
– Try to understand – Visit a Background Character
– Hide your true feelings – Player’s choice
Experience Scenes are an opportunity for players to take nar-
rative control of the story and personalize it. Setting an Expe-
rience Scene is as simple as describing where a character is
and what they are doing. Players are welcome to interact with
other characters, describe a Scene completely on their own,
or lean on the GM to facilitate different interactions. If you’re
ever unclear on what to do for your Experience Scene, ask
yourself “How does my character feel about what is happen-
ing?”. Let that guide your Experience choice and the Scene
you choose to set.
Each Experience option is categorized as either a Desire Expe-

rience or a Responsibility Experience. Desire Experiences rep-
resent the urge to hang on to childhood innocence and ex-
press pure emotions. Responsibility Experiences represent the
need to be taken seriously and put duty before selfish needs.
The two types of Experiences represent the opposing forces
that make growing up so difficult. While these forces are often
at odds, a young ninja will be more stable if they can balance
their Experiences. Keeping your Desires and Responsibilities
Experiences in equilibrium will make it easier to process Lin-
gering Emotions. See page 36 for more information about
Lingering Emotions.
NINJA RANKS
A Ninja Rank is a measure of a character’s abilities and ac-
complishments. Characters in Kunai Academy start the game
at Ninja Rank 1. As characters gain Experiences, they will gain
additional Ninja Ranks and grow more capable.
The significance of Ninja Ranks is something that you can de-

fine for your own setting. A good starting point is to think of
Ninja Rank 1 as a Freshman student. When a character gains
a new Ninja Rank it should be reflected within the story of the
game. This achievement could be accompanied by a ceremo-
ny, a test, a new set of responsibilities, or even a jump forward
in time. Here are some general guidelines on the power-level
of each Rank:
– Ninja Rank 1 represents a rookie ninja.

– Ninja Rank 2 represents an experienced ninja.
– Ninja Rank 3 represents an expert ninja.
– Ninja Rank 4 represents a legendary ninja.
Kunai Academy is meant to be a game about young ninja

who are just starting their adventures together. But, you may
decide that you’d like to start the game with characters of a
higher Ninja Rank. This is fine so long as everyone is in agree-
ment about the kind of game experience they’d like to have.
You may even decide that you’d like to play with characters
of different Ninja Ranks that work together. This type of game
can create interesting relationship dynamics, but higher rank
characters will out-perfrom any lower rank characters during
Encounters. This might not be fun for everyone involved, so
be cautious about this approach.
When building characters of a higher Ninja Rank, you should
still start with a Ninja Rank 1 character. Think about what this
character was like as a younger ninja and the adventures
they’ve had. You can mark Experiences on your character
sheet to represent moments from their past. Gain the benefits
of each additional Ninja Rank one at a time. Try to imagine
your character at each stage along their life path so that you’ll
have a good sense of what they’ve been through and how it
shapes their personality now.
RANKING UP
When a character gains a new Ninja Rank, they receive the
following benefits:
New Trait: Choose a new Trait and gain any associated ben-
efits. Note that when gaining a new Trait, you may be able to
choose Trait options that were unavailable at character cre-
ation.
New Technique: Choose a new Technique that your char-

acter has learned. Note that Bloodline Techniques and For-
bidden Techniques still cannot be chosen unless granted by a
Trait or Special Ability.
Attribute Increase: Increase one Attribute Rating by one

level. Make sure to also increase the associated Attribute Die
by one dice size. Note that a character can never have high-
er than an S-Rating or an Attribute Die that is larger than a
twelve-sided die (D12).
Energy Increase: Add +1 to your Max Energy.
Strain Limit Increase: Add +1 to your Strain Limit.
SCENE CHECKS
When characters do something in a Scene, they’ll usually suc-
ceed without needing to roll dice. But occasionally a charac-
ter will attempt to do something that’s especially challenging
or that might lead to an interesting consequence. When this
happens, the Gamemaster might ask your character to make
a Scene Check.
Scene Checks are made by rolling 1 Attribute Die. If the player

scores at least 1 Hit on the roll, then they are successful and a
positive outcome should be narratively explored. If they fail to
score a Hit, then the consequences of their failure should be
explored.
The Attribute Die chosen for a Scene Check should always be

narratively appropriate to the task the character is attempting.
For example, a character attempting to leap a great chasm
might roll their Body Attribute Die. But it probably wouldn’t
make sense for them to use their Illusion Arts Attribute Die
when attempting a long jump. See the Attributes section start-
ing on page 21 for more information about which Attributes
might apply in any given situation.
Teamwork, Edge Levels, and Techniques do not apply to Scene

Check rolls. But Advantages and Disadvantage should be ap-
plied by the Gamemaster based on the fictional conditions
of the attempt. The Advantages and Disadvantages should
take into account a character’s available abilities, any pressing
environmental factors, and assistance they might receive from
their allies.
ACTIONS
When players are engaged in an Encounter, they can take one
of the following actions on their turn.
ATTACK
When a character wants to lash out at another character, they
will make an attack action. Make an attack roll against a target
of your choice. Then, deal Strain to them equal to the number
of Hits scored. If a character is dealt any amount of Strain from
an attack, they must make a Resist roll. And, if they fail to score
a Hit on their Resist roll, they will take 1 additional Strain.
There are four different Attack Types a player can choose

from when making an attack. The Attack Type determines
which Attribute Dice will be used to make the attack roll, which
Attribute Die will be used to make the Resist roll, and will also
add a special property to the attack. The four Attack Types
are:
MARTIAL ATTACKS
– Use Body and Martial Arts for the attack roll.
– Use Body for the Resist roll.
– Special: Deals +1 Strain on failed Resist rolls.
ELEMENTAL ATTACKS
– Use Spirit and Elemental Arts for the attack roll.
– Use Body for the Resist roll.
– Special: Hits can be split between different targets.
KUNAI ACADEMY 43 A c t i o n s
ILLUSION ATTACKS
– Use Mind and Illusion Arts for the attack roll.
– Use Mind for the Resist roll.
– Special: Deals +1 Strain on failed Resist rolls.
VERBAL ATTACKS
– Use Spirit and Mind for the attack roll.
– Use Mind for the Resist roll.
– Special: Hits can be split between different targets.
EXAMPLE ATTACKS
The character Muto makes an Elemental Arts attack against
two summoned beasts. He rolls his Spirit Attribute Die which
is a D8 and his Elemental Arts Attribute Die which is a D10. He
rolls a 4 on his Spirit Die and a 10 on his Elemental Arts die.
He has scored 2 Hits on the attack roll. He assigns 1 Hit to the
Toad and 1 Hit to the Snake. The Toad takes 1 Strain and rolls
their D8 Body Attribute Die to Resist. The Toad rolls a 3 and
therefore does not score a Hit on their Resist roll. The Toad
takes an additional 1 Strain due to their failed Resist attempt.
The Snake also takes 1 Strain and rolls their D6 Body Attribute
Die to Resist the attack. They score a 6 on the roll and there-
fore take no additional Strain. The total result of the attack is
that the Toad received 2 Strain and the Snake received 1 Strain.
The character Rin makes an Illusion Attack against a criminal

she’s chasing. She rolls her Mind Attribute Die which is a D10
and her Illusion Arts Attribute Die which is also a D10. She rolls
a 5 and a 9 and has therefore scored 2 Hits total on the attack
roll. The criminal takes 2 Strain and rolls their D6 Mind Attri-
bute Die to Resist the attack. The criminal rolls a 4 and there-
fore does not score a Hit on their Resist roll. The criminal takes
2 Strain when they fail to Resist the attack. The total result of
the attack is that the criminal received 4 Strain.
PREPARE
When a character attempts to gain an Edge that will aid them
in their fight against an enemy, they will make a Prepare ac-
tion. Roll a character’s Mind Attribute Die and an Attribute Die
that reflects the change you’re making to your environment.
If you score any Hits on the roll, then create an Edge with a
number of Edge Levels equal to the number of Hits scored.
You can expend these Edge Levels to re-roll any number of
dice on any subsequents rolls. Give the Edge a name that rep-
resents the benefit you’ve created. See Edges on page 24 for
more information.
OVERCOME
When a character attempts to destroy an Obstacle that stands
in their way, they will make an Overcome action. Roll a charac-
ter’s Mind Attribute Die and an Attribute Die that reflects how
your character engages with the Obstacle. Negate 1 Obstacle
Level for each Hit you score. Obstacles often have multiple
Obstacle Levels and are removed from play when their last
Obstacle Level is negated. A character can remove Obstacle
Levels from multiple different Obstacles using the same Over-
come action, but they must be able to narratively justify how
they simultaneously interact with these Obstacles. See Obsta-
cles on page 27 for more information.
RECHARGE
When a character wants to take a moment to focus and re-
gain Energy, they can make a Recharge action. Roll a charac-
ter’s Body, Spirit, and Mind Attribute Dice and regain 1 Energy
for each Hit scored.
USE A TECHNIQUE
Many Techniques require you to take an action on your Turn
in order to use them. You must expend Energy equal to the
Technique’s Energy Cost in order to use a Technique. See the
Techniques section starting on page 73 for information on
how to resolve individual Techniques.
EXTRA ACTIONS
Some Techniques are performed as an Extra Action. A char-
acter can take one Extra Action in addition to their normal
action for the Turn when they are granted one by a Technique.
The Technique which grants the Extra Action will also tell you
how to resolve the Extra Action. An Extra Action can be taken
before or after the character’s normal action, but must always
be taken as a part of the character’s Turn. A character can
only take one Extra Action per Turn, even if they would
be granted multiple Extra Actions from different Techniques.
NINJA
ARCHETYPES
Each character in Kunai Academy will pick one of eight Ninja
Archetypes. These Archetypes are defined by a Special Abili-
ty which allows them to do something that other ninja can’t.
Ninja Archetypes imply something about the personality of
the character. This chapter will detail the difference between
Ninja Archetypes so you can decide which one is right for you.
Generally, each player should pick a different Ninja Archetype

to ensure that there’s variety between characters. Because of
this, you should discuss Ninja Archetype choices with the oth-
er players and identify a few options that interest you. Occa-
sionally, there may be situations where you want two of the
same Ninja Archetype in a group. If it serves the character
concepts and everyone is in agreement, two characters can
choose the same Ninja Archetype.
KUNAI ACADEMY 47 a r c h e t y p e s
THE GENIUS NINJA
The Genius Ninja’s Special Ability is Tactical Mind. This Spe-
cial Ability gives the character Advantage on rolls to Prepare
or Overcome. This Advantage applies when a character takes
a normal action, but it also applies when they make a Prepare
or Overcome roll as a part of a Technique. This makes the
Genius Ninja a master of battlefield control. They are great
at shifting a battle in their team’s favor and suppressing their
opponent’s special powers.
The Genius Ninja’s unique advanced Trait is Cunning Gam-

bit. This Trait allows the Genius Ninja to add Advantage or
Disadvantage when they spend an Edge Level to re-roll a roll.
This means that they can add a D6 Advantage Die that was
not part of the original roll when they make a re-roll. Or they
can add a D6 Disadvantage dice to a re-roll and ignore the
highest die result when the roll is resolved. This makes the
Genius Ninja great at using Edges to help their team and trip
up their enemies. The Genius Ninja can choose this Trait if they
are Ninja Rank 3 or higher.
When creating a character using the Genius Ninja Archetype,

consider what their aptitude for quick thinking implies about
their character. Perhaps they’re a bookworm who studies
everything there is to know about the ninja world. Perhaps
they’re normally quite lazy but have an uncanny knack for
improvising. Think about interesting ways to juxtapose their
analytical abilities with their experiences and personality when
creating your own unique character.
THE CURSED NINJA
The Cursed Ninja’s Special Ability is Lurking Voices. This
Special Ability requires the Cursed Ninja to roll Mind and Spirit
whenever they recieve Strain. And, if they fail to score a Hit on
this roll, their curse manifests until the end of the Encounter.
When the curse is manifested, an Attribute Die of the player’s
choice becomes a D12 and the Energy Costs of all Techniques
are reduced by 1. While the curse is manifested, the GM will
tell the player what the curse desires at the beginning of each
turn. If the character acts in accordance with these wishes,
they suffer no penalty. If they disobey the curse’s wishes, then
they will take 2 Strain at the end of their Turn.
The volatile nature of the Lurking Voices ability means that
sometimes it will be a great benefit and other times it will
cause great harm. It invites the GM to tempt and push the
player’s character. A player can always choose to ignore the
“temptations” that the GM offers. But allowing another play-
er to define aspects of your character may make some play-
ers uncomfortable. This Ninja Archetype is great for players
who want to embrace random chance and who like putting
their characters in difficult positions. It is not a great choice for
those who like consistency and feel uncomfortable giving up
control of their characters.
The Cursed Ninja’s unique advanced Trait is Controlling the

Darkness. This Trait allows the Cursed Ninja to add Advan-
tage or Disadvantage to their rolls when determining if their
curse manifests. They can choose either Advantage or Dis-
advantage each time they recieve Strain and make this roll.
This gives the Cursed Ninja more control over when the curse
manifests. They can attempt to draw the power forth when it
would benefit them. Or they can attempt to suppress it when
it would be dangerous to unleash it. The Cursed Ninja can
choose this Trait if they are Ninja Rank 3 or higher.
When creating a character using the Cursed Ninja Archetype,

consider how their life has been affected by the curse. Per-
haps the curse has caused them to be shunned and they have
lived as a misunderstood outcast. Perhaps they were specially
chosen and bearing the cuse is a great honor. Also, the curse
represents an entity with goals and a personality. Consider
what the curse is and what it wants. Perhaps it’s the trapped
soul of an evil spirit that’s hellbent on destruction. Perhaps it’s
the shard of a divine spirit that yearns to be whole again. Think
about your character’s relationship with their curse and how it
has affected them when creating your character.
THE LOYAL NINJA
The Loyal Ninja’s Special Ability is Reliable Ally. This Special
Ability allows them to use Teamwork twice per Round. Each
use of Teamwork must be applied to a different action. In oth-
er words, the Loyal Ninja cannot use Teamwork to Assist the
same action twice. The Loyal Ninja regains both uses of Team-
work after Initiative Cards are dealt for the new Round, as
normal.
The Loyal Ninja’s unique advanced Trait is Got Your Back.

This Trait allows the Loyal Ninja to add 2 Advantages to a roll
when they use Teamwork to Assist. This means that a charac-
ter who is Assisted by the Loyal Ninja can add two D6 Advan-
tage Dice to their roll. The Advantages granted count as two
separate instances of Advantage. This means that if a Disad-
vantage would be applied to the roll, one Advantage would
be negated but the second instance of Advantage would still
apply.
When creating a character using the Loyal Ninja Archetype,

consider what their need to help others implies about their
personality. Perhaps they are a friendly character who is driven
to help others out of sheer kindness. Perhaps they are inse-
cure and they try to help others in order to earn their friend-
ship. Perhaps they are elitist and they help others because
they have little faith they can do it correctly on their own.
Think about how to juxtapose the character’s personality with
their obligation to help others when creating your own unique
character.
KUNAI ACADEMY 51 archetypes

THE DETERMINED NINJA
The Determined Ninja’s Special Ability is Push the Limits.
This Special Ability allows them to receive 1 Strain in order to
change the result on a single die to any other result on that
die. This Special Ability can only be used on rolls that the De-
termined Ninja makes and can only be used once per Round.
This ability will generally be used to change a low die roll into
a higher result. For example, if a ten-sided die was rolled and
had a result of 2, the Determined Ninja could use their Special
Ability to change that die result to a 10. In this example, Push
the Limits would add 2 Hits to the total result of the roll. This
ability should be used after any other re-rolls have been ap-
plied. The Determined Ninja regains use of this ability after Ini-
tiative Cards are dealt to start a new Round. Strain taken from
this ability is applied after the results of the roll are resolved.
The Determined Ninja’s unique advanced Trait is Past the

Limits. This Trait allows the Determined Ninja to use their
Special Ability twice per Round. They can use Push the Limits
to change two different dice that are a part of the same roll or
they can use this ability on two different rolls. They still receive
1 Strain each time they use their Special Ability. They regain
both uses of their Special Ability after Initiative Cards are dealt
at the beginning of a new Round, as normal. The Determined
Ninja can choose this Trait at Ninja Rank 3 or higher.
When creating a character using the Determined Ninja Ar-

chetype, consider what drives them to accomplish their goals.
Perhaps they aren’t naturally gifted as a ninja and they’re driv-
en to prove they belong. Perhaps they have been wronged in
the past and are driven by the quest for justice. Also, consider
how their Special Ability manifests when they use it. Are they
just capable of succeeding through sheer willpower alone? Or,
is there something supernatural that allows them to exceed
their normal limitations? Consider what pushes them to be so
tenacious and how they harness this tenacity when creating
your own unique character.
THE TIRELESS NINJA
The Tireless Ninja’s Special Ability is Energy Wellspring.
This Special Ability allows them to regain 1 additional Energy
whenever they would gain Energy. This means that the Tireless
Ninja regains 2 Energy at the beginning of each turn instead
of just 1. If the Tireless Ninja regains any Energy from the Re-
charge action, then they can add 1 to the total amount of En-
ergy regained. If the Tireless Ninja possesses the Power Drain
Technique and scores at least one Hit, then they add 1 to the
total amount of Energy regained from this Technique as well.
The Tireless Ninja’s unique advanced Trait is Last Ninja

Standing. This Trait allows the Tireless Ninja to remove 1
Strain at the beginning of their turn. The character still rolls
and benefits from Recovery as normal. The Tireless Ninja can
choose this Trait if they are Ninja Rank 3 or higher.
When creating a character using the Tireless Ninja Archetype,

consider why they are such a wellspring of Energy. Do they
possess a special power that grants them these abilities? Do
they use a fighting style that maximizes efficiency? Also, con-
sider how their abilities are reflected in their personality. They
may be a calm and unwavering person who is in touch with
their spirituality. Or they might be hyper due to their acceler-
ated metabolism. Consider how the core themes of persever-
ance and vitality might manifest in the unique character you
create.
THE ALTERED NINJA
The Altered Ninja’s Special Ability is Prohibited Powers. This
Special Ability allows them to choose Bloodline Techniques
and Forbidden Techniques whenever they learn a Technique.
Normally, such Techniques would require a Trait in order to
access them. But the Altered Ninja can choose any number
of Bloodline Techniques or Forbidden Techniques. This applies
when they choose their 3 starting Techniques at Rank 1 as well
as when they choose new Techniques gained from new Ninja
Ranks or Traits.
The Altered Ninja has a few unique Traits. The first, Infinite
Adaptability, allows the Altered Ninja to learn an additional
Technique. The Technique learned through this Trait can then
be exchanged for a different Technique between Encounters.
Players should mark which Technique is granted by the In-
finite Adaptability Trait as only that Technique is allowed to be
swapped between Encounters.
The Altered Ninja’s second unique Trait is Curious Collec-

tor. Taking this Trait allows the Altered Ninja to use a Special
Ability from a different Ninja Archetype. The Altered Ninja can
take this Trait twice in order to have access to two different
Special Abilities. But they cannot choose to have the same
Special Ability twice. They cannot choose this Trait unless they
are Ninja Rank 2 or higher.
When creating a character using the Altered Ninja Archetype,

consider how they have been modified to grant them for-
bidden powers. Perhaps experimental surgeries granted them
extraordinary gifts and strange body parts. Perhaps a glimpse
into their own subconscious unlocked the psychic powers of
their mind. Perhaps magical rituals linked them to the ele-
mental entities and they manifested flaming hair and rock-
hard skin. Think about what happened to them and how their
transformation changed the trajectory of their life when cre-
ating your own unique character.
THE PRODIGY NINJA
The Prodigy Ninja’s Special Ability is Gifted and Talented.
This Special Ability allows the character to increase their Mar-
tial Arts, Elemental Arts, or Illusion Arts Attribute by one Rank.
A player chooses one of these three Attributes to increase
at character creation. This Rank increase means that the as-
sociated Attribute Die will also increase in size. However, no
Attribute Rank can ever exceed S-Rank and no Attribute Die
can ever be larger than a twelve-sided die (D12).
The Prodigy Ninja’s unique Trait is True Savant. This Trait

grants the Prodigy Ninja Advantage whenever they use either
their Martial Arts, Elemental Arts, or Illusion Arts Attribute.
Choose one of these three Attributes when you gain this Trait.
You do not have to choose the same Attribute as the Gifted
and Talented Special Ability. This Advantage applies to all rolls
in which you would roll the chosen Attribute die. This Advan-
tage Die can be canceled out by a Disadvantage as normal.
The Prodigy Ninja can choose this Trait if they are Ninja Rank
3 or higher.
When creating a character using the Prodigy Ninja Arche-

type, consider how being naturally talented has affected their
personality. Perhaps they think they’re better than everyone
and they look down on their peers. Perhaps they are embar-
rassed by their natural talents and they hide them so they
won’t stand out. Also, consider how others might react to their
gifts. Are they praised for their talents? Is more expected from
them? Do others constantly look to best them? Think about
how their natural abilities have shaped their personality and
their relationships when creating your own unique character.
THE GUTSY NINJA
The Gutsy Ninja’s Special Ability is Powerful Persona. This
Special Ability allows the Gutsy Ninja to use Hits scored on
Verbal Attacks as though they were Hits scored on a Prepare
or Overcome action. They may spend individual Hits scored
on the same Verbal Attack in different ways. For example, if a
Gutsy Ninja made a Verbal Attack and scored 3 Hits, they can
use 1 Hit to deal Strain to an enemy, 1 Hit to create a Level
1 Edge, and 1 Hit to negate 1 Obstacle Level. All Verbal At-
tack Hits must be assigned by the player before any Hits are
resolved. The Gutsy Ninja must be able to narratively justify
how they create an Edge or interact with an Obstacle through
speech in order to use this Special Ability.
The Gutsy Ninja’s unique Trait is Inspiring Presence. This

Trait allows all teammates to remove 1 Strain whenever the
Gutsy Ninja scores at least 1 Hit on a Verbal Attack. Characters
must be able to narratively hear what is being said in order
to benefit from the Trait in this way. The nature of what is said
should narratively inspire, motivate, or focus the characters in
order for them to remove 1 Strain. The Gutsy Ninja does not
benefit from Inspiring Presence and does not remove Strain
as a result of this Trait.
When creating a character using the Gutsy Ninja Archetype,

consider how their powerful personality manifests when they
speak. Are they an inspiring figure capable of swaying others
through emotional speeches? Are they an intimidating barker
capable of instilling great fear through threats and insults? Are
they a cunning negotiator capable of manipulating people
through lies and deception? Think about what makes them
so compelling and how this aspect of their personality was
forged when creating your own unique character.
VILLAGE
BACKGROUNDS
Village Backgrounds allow players to define the town they live
in and establish details for the game’s setting. Each player will
choose one of eight Village Backgrounds and will answer ques-
tions about a specific aspect of the imaginary world. When
answering Village Background questions, players are encour-
aged to introduce new story elements into the setting. Each
player defines their own Village Background independently,
but everyone should discuss their choices and draw connec-
tions. The Gamemaster will help fill in details and mold the
different Village Backgrounds into a cohesive setting.
Each Village Background asks players to define a Back-

ground Character. Background Characters populate the
imaginary world and provide personal connections to the sto-
ry elements that players create. Once they are defined, no one
player controls the Background Characters. Instead, they’re
used as a shared story resource. The GM will often play as
the Background Characters when they appear in Scenes, but
all players are encouraged to form connections with different
Background Characters and draw them into the story.
KUNAI ACADEMY 57 b a c k g r o u n d s
THE VILLAGE AGENTS
When you choose this Village Background, answer the follow-
ing questions:
– Who are the elite agents of the village?

– What specialized role do they fulfill?
– What adornment marks their order?
– Were you chosen to be an agent? Why or why not?
The Village Agents background allows you to define an elite

force of specialist ninja. The role they play in the village is up
to you, but you should define a specialization that sets them
apart. The agency can be village protectors, elite assassins,
secretive spies, or anything else! Think about how they dress,
the way they carry themselves, and the hierarchy of the orga-
nization.
When you choose this Village background, you’ll also be

asked to create a Background Character that is connected to
you and the story details you’ve created. Answer the following
questions about them:
– What is your Background Character’s name?

– What role does this character play in your life?
– What is your relationship with this character like?
– Are any other characters connected to them? How?
The Village Agents Background Character should also have

some connection to the agency you create. This character
could be the stoic agency leader, a reliable agency partner,
or another agent that you secretly admire. It could also be a
more antagonistic character, such as a rival agent that con-
stantly one-ups you or a devious contact with a hidden agen-
da. Once you have a general idea of who this Background
Character is, present them to the other players and ask if any-
one else might have a connection to them as well.
THE VILLAGE BETRAYAL
ing questions:
– Who betrayed the Village?

– How did they betray the village?
– What was last heard from the betrayer?
– How are you connected to the betrayal?
The Village Betrayal background allows you to define a trea-

sonous act that has happened within the village. The nature
of the betrayal is up to you. It could have taken place in the
distant past or it could be an ongoing plot. Think about who it
was that committed this betrayal and what happened to them
afterward. Also, think about who is aware of the betrayal. Was
it a public act or something that happened in the shadows?
When you choose this Village Background, create a Back-

ground Character that is connected to you and the story de-
tails you’ve created. Answer the following questions:

The Village Betrayal Background Character should also have

a connection to the act of treason. This will usually mean that
they have a relationship to a traitor or are tasked with bringing
them to justice. Maybe your teacher, your old friend, or the
object of your affection was hurt by the betrayal. Or perhaps
your mentor or your close friend was one of the traitors? Con-
sider how these connections might affect other players as well.
THE VILLAGE LEADER
ing questions:
– Who is the leader? How long have they led?

– How did they come to power?
– How do they portray themselves?
– What special connection do you have to the leader?
The Village Leader background allows you to define the fig-

urehead of the village. This could be a powerful ninja, a sea-
soned politician, a cruel oppressor, or a secluded council. Feel
free to use your imagination, but remember that your choice
will set a tone for the entire village. Consider how your char-
acter is specifically connected to the village leader. Are they
a relative or mentor? Perhaps they are a long-standing rival
who killed one of your distant family members. Make this con-
nection interesting and tailor it to your character’s personality.


Your Background Character should have a connection to the

leader of the village. Perhaps they are the second-in-com-
mand or the leader’s child. Or, perhaps they are a scorned
rival who was passed over for consideration. Consider your
established relationship with this Background Character. They
could be a guardian who closely watches over you or a charis-
matic figure you admire. Attempt to find connections that oth-
er characters might have with the village leadership as well.
THE VILLAGE CLANS
ing questions:
– What role do the clans play in the village?

– What clan is most prominent? Why?
– What clan is most dangerous? Why?
– What relationship do you have to the clans?
The Village Clans background allows you to define the dif-

ferent clans of the village. You can define what function they
serve and how they are structured. Are the clans familial struc-
tures bound by lineage and traditions? Or are they bound by
common interest and skills? They could be schools of different
martial arts, followers of different religions, or artisans who
practice different disciplines. You’ll also be able to define a few
specific clans that exist in the world.


The Village Clans Background Character should also have a

connection to clans in some way. Perhaps they are a clan lead-
er or a sibling clan rival. They could be a romantic interest that
you’re forbidden from dating because of clan politics. They
could even be someone cast out from the clans for disobey-
ing rules and tradition. Whoever this character is, try and form
a connection to them that is affected by clan dynamics. Ask
the rest of the group if any other characters might have inter-
esting connections to them and the clans in general.
KUNAI ACADEMY 61 backgrounds

THE VILLAGE WAR
ing questions:
– Who fought in the war?

– What event started the war?
– What reminder of the war looms ever-present?
– What did you lose to the war?
The Village War background allows you to define a conflict

that erupted into open warfare. It could be a great war in the
history of your village or one that is still ongoing. It might be a
war that your village wasn’t directly engaged in, but it should
be a conflict that affected your village in some way. Specifically,
you should define how your character was affected by the war.
Even if it was something that happened a long time ago, the
fallout of the conflict is something that can impact a person’s
upbringing and outlook.


The Village War Background Character should also have a

connection to this conflict. They can be a family member sent
away to war or a rival from the enemy nation. It could be a
mentor who fought in the war or a loved-one who seems too
eager for battle. Either way, it should be a character deeply
touched by the conflict. You should ask if any other character’s
might have connections to your Background Character and
the war as well.
THE VILLAGE SECRET
ing questions:
– What is the secret?

– Who keeps the secret?
– What danger does the secret pose?
– Why do you know the secret?
The Village Secret background allows you to define a great

cover-up that remains hidden from the masses. This secret
could be known to a network of informed secret keepers or it
could be known only to your character. Maybe your character
doesn’t know the secret, but is impacted by it regardless. The
ramifications of the secret being uncovered should be signifi-
cant and the job of keeping the secret under wraps will likely
be daunting.


The Village Secret Background Character should also be con-

nected to the secret in some way. Perhaps it’s a mentor that
told you the secret or a confidant you shared the secret with.
It could also be someone who is trying to unravel the se-
cret. Consider the relationship you have with this Background
Character and how it might be strained or intensified by the
secret. Then, invite other players to build a connection with
your Background Character and the secret as well.
THE VILLAGE SPIRITS
ing questions:
– What are the spirits?

– How do people communicate with the spirits?
– What can be gained from the spirits?
– What special connection do you have with the spirits?
The Village Spirits background allows you to define other-

worldly forces that are connected to your village. These spirits
could be ghosts of the deceased, animalistic avatars, or ser-
vants of good and evil. Not only do you get to define what the
spirits are, but also how people interact with them. Who can
contact the spirits? How do they contact the spirits? Or is your
character the only one who can see and hear them?


The Village Spirits Background Character should also have

some connection to the spiritual beings you define. Perhaps
they’re your spiritual guide or a rival spirit-touched ninja. It
could be a powerful spiritual being or a dangerous anom-
aly from beyond. Whatever role they fulfill, think about your
character’s relationship to them and ask how other character’s
might be connected to the spirits as well.
THE VILLAGE MURDER
ing questions:
– Who was murdered?

– What was so mysterious about the crime scene?
– Why did the death shock the village?
– What connection do you have to the murder?
The Village Murder background allows you to define a deadly

crime that happened in your village. This could be an unsolved
murder that happened recently or the death of a famous nin-
ja that happened long ago. Perhaps it isn’t a well-known or
publicized crime, but your character has a connection to the
victim, the suspect, or even the crime scene.


The Village Murder Background Character should also have

some connection to the crime you define. It could be someone
connected to the investigation, such as a detective, suspect,
or witness. It could be someone connected to the deceased
such as a surviving child or apprentice. Think about how your
character is connected to them through these unfortunate
events and ask how other characters might be connected to
the crime as well.
KUNAI ACADEMY 66 I tN TrR OaD U
i CtT IsO N
TRAITS
Traits give your character a specific benefit that is always in ef-
fect. At Ninja Rank 1, a character can choose 1 Trait. Each time
a character gains a new Ninja Rank, then they gain 1 new Trait.
Some Traits, such as Forbidden Knowledge, cannot be chosen
unless your character has achieved a certain Ninja Rank.
ENERGETIC
The Energetic Trait gives a character +2 to their Max Ener-
gy value. For example, choosing this Trait at Ninja Rank 1 will
mean you’ll have 7 Max Energy instead of 5. See Energy on
page 29 for more information.
TOUGH
The Tough Trait gives you +2 to your Strain Limit value and
also adds +2 to your die results when making a Healing roll.
Having a higher Strain Limit means your character will be able
to sustain more Strain before they are knocked out of an En-
counter. For example, a Ninja Rank 1 character who selects
this Trait will have a Strain Limit of 10 instead of 8. Also, when
rolling to Heal at the end of an Encounter, you can add +2 to
the result of each individual die roll. For example, if your dice
results on your Healing roll were 7, 4, and 1, then having the
Tough Trait would change these results to 9, 6, and 3, respec-
tively. This will mean that your character is much less likely to
sustain a Lingering Emotion after a battle.
KUNAI ACADEMY 67 t r a i t s
SIGNATURE WEAPON
The Signature Weapon Trait allows your character to start
each Encounter with a Level 1 Edge. This Edge should be rep-
resentative of the unique weapons and/or equipment your
character possesses. Name this Edge at the beginning of each
Encounter and write it down for everyone to see. This Edge
acts like an Edge created from any other source. But, remem-
ber that you can only spend Edge Levels to re-roll dice when
the Edge itself could narratively benefit the action at hand. See
Edges on page 24 for more information.
CHARISMATIC
This Trait gives enemies Disadvantage when they attempt to
Resist your Verbal Attacks. This Disadvantage works just like
Disadvantage gained from any other source. It will add a D6
Disadvantage Die to all Resist rolls made in response to re-
ceiving Strain from your Verbal Attacks. This Disadvantage is
canceled out if the Resist roll would have Advantage, as nor-
mal.
CLAN MEMBER
This Trait grants you a Bloodline Technique. You gain this
Technique in addition to any starting Techniques received at
character creation or through gaining a new Ninja Rank. For
example, if you choose this Trait at Ninja Rank 1, you will be
able to choose 3 regular Techniques and 1 Bloodline Tech-
nique. Connect this Trait to the clans that exist in your game. If
you choose this Trait when gaining a new Ninja Rank, explain
how your character obtained a guarded clan ability within the
fiction of your world. You can find descriptions of the specific
Bloodline Techniques available on pages 83-84.
FAST
If you have this Trait, you are dealt an additional Initiative
Card each Round. You must choose 1 Initiative Card to keep.
Your unused Initiative Cards are given back to the dealer and
placed on the bottom of the deck. If another effect would also
grant you an additional Initiative Card, then the effects stack.
You can draw an additional Initiative Card for each game ef-
fect that grants you one. But you must always choose only 1
Initiative Card to keep for the Round. For example, if you have
the Fast Trait and are also Set Up by a teammate, then you are
dealt 3 Initiative Cards and choose 1 to keep.
CUSTOM TECHNIQUE
When you choose this Trait, choose a Technique that your
character knows and change an Attribute or Attack Type ref-
erenced in that Technique to a different Attribute or Attack
Type. Note that you can never add the same Attribute Die to
a roll more than once.
As an example of using this Trait, let’s say you want to make

a Technique that throws a barrage of shuriken at multiple en-
emies. You can choose Elemental Blast as one of your char-
acter’s Techniques and then use this Trait to change it from
an Elemental Attack to a Martial Attack. The Technique will
then become “Make a Martial Attack. Each enemy receives
Strain equal to the total number of Hits scored.” You can then
give this Technique the unique name “Shuriken Storm” to
drive home the flavor of your character’s Custom Technique.
Here are the specific examples of how each Technique can be
changed by this Trait:
– Power Strike: You can change the Attack Type from a

Martial Attack to an Elemental, Illusion, or Verbal Attack.
– Quick Strike: You can change the Attack Type from a
– Coordinated Strike: Cannot be modified by this Trait.
– Elemental Strike: You can change the Attack Type
from a Martial Attack to an Elemental, Illusion, or Verbal
Attack. Alternatively, instead of adding your Elemental
Arts die to the attack roll, you can change the Technique
to add your Spirit, Mind, or Illusion Arts die instead.
– Fluid Stance: You can change the Attack Type from a
– Elemental Control: You can change any number of
the Attribute Dice used for the Overcome roll to Body,
Martial Arts, or Illusion Arts.
– Elemental Blast: You can change the Attack Type
from an Elemental Attack to a Martial, Illusion, or Verbal
Attack.
– Elemental Barrier: You can change one or both of the
Attribute Dice used for this Technique to Body, Mind,
Martial Arts, or Illusion Arts.
– Elemental Breakthrough: You can change one or
both of the Attribute Dice used to make an Overcome
roll to Body, Martial Arts, Mind, or Illusion Arts. Then
you can change the Attack Type granted as an Extra
Action to any Attack Type that would use that Attribute
(Martial, Illusion, or Verbal Attack).
– Elemental Charge: You can change one or both of
the Attributes added to the Prepare roll to Body, Mind,
Martial Arts, or Illusion Arts. Then you can change the
Attack Type that benefits from the created Edge to an
Attack Type that uses one of these Attributes (Martial,
Illusion, or Verbal Attack).
– Illusory Feint: Change the Attack Type from an Illusion
Attack to a Martial, Elemental, or Verbal Attack.
– Grand Illusion: You can change any number of the
Attribute Dice used to make the Prepare roll to Body,
Martial Arts, or Elemental Arts.
– Persistent Illusion: Change the Attack Type from an
Illusion Attack to a Martial, Elemental, or Verbal Attack.
– Terrifying Illusion: You can change the Attack Type
from an Illusion Attack to a Martial, Elemental, or Verbal
Attack.
– Illusory Clone: You can change one of the Attack
Types to Verbal Attack.
– Body Substitution: You can change the Attribute Die
added to the Resist roll to Mind, Martial Arts, Elemental
Arts, or Illusion Arts.
– Healing Palm: You can change one or both of the
Attribute Dice used for this Technique to Body, Martial
Arts, Elemental Arts, or Illusion Arts.
– Power Absorption: Cannot be modified by this Trait.
– Speed Flicker: Cannot be modified by this Trait.
– World Shaping: You can change one or both of the
Attribute Dice used to Prepare to Body, Mind, Martial
– Summon: You can change one or both of the Attribute
Die used to Prepare to Body, Martial Arts, Elemental
Arts, or Illusion Arts. Doing so will also change the Attri-
butes used to attempt to control your Summon.
– Transformation: You can change the Attribute Die
which is effected to Spirit, Mind, Martial Arts, Elemental
– Piercing Eyes: Cannot be modified by this Trait.
– Analyzing Eyes: Cannot be modified by this Trait.
– Loyal Pet: Cannot be modified by this Trait.
– Elemental Fusion: You can change the Attack Type
affected by this Trait from Elemental Attacks to Martial,
Illusion, or Verbal Attacks.
– Mind Control: Change the Attack Type from an Illu-
sion Attack to a Martial, Elemental, or Verbal Attack.
FORBIDDEN KNOWLEDGE
The Forbidden Knowledge Trait allows you to learn a Forbid-
den Technique. You gain this Forbidden Technique in addi-
tion to any other Techniques granted through gaining a Ninja
Rank. For example, if you choose this Trait when you gain a
new Ninja Rank, you will be able to choose a normal Technique
for gaining a Ninja Rank and a Forbidden Technique granted
by this Trait. You cannot choose this Trait unless your char-
acter is at least Ninja Rank 2. This means you cannot choose
this Trait as a character who starts at Ninja Rank 1 until after
you’ve gained some Experiences. You can find descriptions of
the specific Forbidden Techniques available on pages 81-82.
ARCHETYPE-SPECIFIC TRAITS
Each Archetype has at least one unique Trait. Generally, these
are advanced Traits that cannot be taken until the character is
at least Ninja Rank 3. See the Ninja Archetypes section starting
on page 47 for more information about each Archetype-spe-
cific Trait.
TECHNIQUES
Techniques are powerful abilities that are fueled by a ninja’s
Energy. At Ninja Rank 1 each player can choose 3 Techniques
that their character knows how to use. Additional Techniques
are granted by Traits and by gaining new Ninja Ranks. A char-
acter can expend Energy in order to use a Technique they’ve
learned. Each Technique has a different Energy Cost and a
different effect. When you learn a Technique, give it a unique
name which describes how the power manifests for your
character. For example, you may choose the Power Strike
Technique and give it the unique name “Flying Crescent Kick
Explosion” in order to define your character’s fighting style.
Techniques come in a wide variety and are used at different

times during an Encounter. The Technique descriptions in this
section define when a Technique can be used, but generally
Techniques will work in one of three ways:
– Some Techniques are used as an action on your Turn.

Technique descriptions in the Playbooks that start with
“Make” are performed this way.
– Some Techniques are performed in reaction to a spe-
cific condition. They do not count against your action
or Extra Action limits and often trigger during anoth-
er character’s Turn. Technique descriptions in the Play-
books that start with “When” are performed in reaction
to a specific condition.
– Some Techniques grant Extra Actions. Extra Actions
granted by a Technique are performed on your Turn in
addition to your normal action. You can use your Extra
Action before or after your normal action on your Turn,
but you may only ever take one Extra Action per Turn.
You can use a Technique as an action on your Turn and
also use a Technique which can be performed as an
Extra Action on the same Turn as long as you have the
Energy to spend for each.
KUNAI ACADEMY 73 T e c h n i q u e s
STANDARD TECHNIQUES
All characters can learn any Standard Technique.
POWER STRIKE
Energy Cost 2
A character can expend 2 Energy in order to make a Martial
Attack as an action on their Turn. Resist rolls made against this
attack have Disadvantage.
QUICK STRIKE
Energy Cost 4
Attack as an action on their Turn. If they do, they may then
make another Martial Attack as an Extra Action. This second
attack can target a different character than the first. The first
Martial Attack does not need to be successful in order to take
the second Martial Attack.
ELEMENTAL STRIKE
Energy Cost 3
Attack as an action on their Turn. When they do, they can add
their Elemental Arts Attribute Die to the attack roll. However,
this attack counts as a Martial Attack and not an Elemental
Attack. It deals 2 Strain if the target fails their Resist roll. The
Hits scored must all be dealt to the same target.
COORDINATED STRIKE
Energy Cost 1
When a character uses Teamwork to Assist an attack, they may
expend 1 Energy in order to add +1 Hit to the attack. They
must do so before the attack roll is made and they can only
do so once per attack. The attack roll does not need to score
any Hits naturally in order to benefit from gaining +1 Hit. This
Technique can change a failed attack with 0 Hits into a suc-
cessful attack with 1 Hit.
FLUID STANCE
Energy Cost 2
When a character is targeted by a Martial or Elemental Attack,
they can expend 2 Energy in order to make a Martial Attack
in response. The original attack does not need to deal Strain
in order to use this Technique in response. You may only use
this Technique once per attack made against you. The Mar-
tial Attack made in response happens immediately after the
original attack is resolved and does not count as an action
or Extra Action. You cannot use another Technique in place
of the Martial Attack granted by this Technique. The Martial
Attack made in response can benefit from Teamwork, Edges,
or Special Abilities.
ELEMENTAL BREAKTHROUGH
Energy Cost 3
A character can expend 3 Energy in order to make an Over-
come roll using their Spirit and Elemental Arts Attribute Dice
as an action on their Turn. Then, they may make an Elemental
Attack as an Extra Action. The Elemental Attack granted by
this Technique automatically scores Hits equal to the number
of Hits scored on the Overcome roll that preceded it. For ex-
ample, if a character uses this Technique and scores 2 Hits on
their Overcome roll, they may then make an Elemental Attack
which scores 2 Hits automatically as an Extra Action. No roll is
needed for this Elemental Attack and therefore it cannot ben-
efit from Teamwork, Edges, or other game effects that modify
dice rolls.
ELEMENTAL BLAST
Energy Cost 3
A character can expend 3 Energy to make an Elemental At-
tack as an action on their turn. Each enemy receives Strain
from this Elemental Attack equal to the total number of Hits
scored. In other words, this attack targets all enemies. Hits do
not need to be split between targets. Each enemy that is dealt
Strain must then roll to Resist the attack. For example, if you
use this Technique against 3 enemies and score 2 Hits, all 3
enemies will receive 2 Strain and must then make a Resist roll.
ELEMENTAL BARRIER
Energy Cost 2
When a character is targeted by a Martial or Elemental At-
tack, they can expend 2 Energy in order to roll their Elemental
Arts and Spirit Attribute Dice in response. Ignore 1 Strain that
would be dealt by the attack for each Hit that’s scored on this
roll. Make this roll after the attack roll is made but before any
Strain is dealt. Then, deal any Strain that isn’t ignored to the
targeted character and make a Resist roll as normal. If all of
the Strain dealt by the attack would be ignored, then no Resist
roll is needed. For example, if you use this Technique against a
2-Hit attack and you score 1 Hit, then you will ignore 1 Strain,
receive 1 Strain, and make a Resist roll. But, if you use this
Technique against a 2-Hit attack and you score 2 Hits, then
you ignore all Strain that would be dealt and do not make a
Resist roll. The roll granted by this Technique can benefit from
Teamwork, Edges, and other game effects that affect rolls.
ELEMENTAL CONTROL
Energy Cost 3
A character can expend 3 Energy to make an Overcome roll
using their Mind, Spirit, and Elemental Arts Attribute Dice as
an action on their Turn.
ELEMENTAL CHARGE
Energy Cost 2
A character can expend 2 Energy to make a Prepare roll using
their Elemental Arts and Spirit Attribute Dice as an action on
their Turn. An Edge that’s created by this Technique grants +1
Hit to the Elemental Attacks of the character who created it.
This effect persists until the last Edge Level is expended. This
Technique can be used multiple times to create different Edg-
es that each add +1 Hit to the character’s Elemental Attacks.
This effect stacks and Elemental Attacks will gain +1 Hit for
each Edge with this effect that is in play.
ILLUSORY FEINT
Energy Cost 1
A character can expend 1 Energy to make an Illusion Attack
as an action on their turn. Resolve the attack as normal. Then,
when initiative is determined for the next Round, you may
swap 1 Initiative Card dealt to the target of your attack. You
may swap the Initiative Card between the target of your at-
tack and any other character. This means that the Initiative
Card can be exchanged between you and the target, between
an ally and the target, or between a different enemy and the
target. All Initiative Cards should be passed out before choos-
ing which card to swap. If characters would be dealt multiple
Initiative Cards, resolve choosing which Initiative Cards will be
kept before resolving the Initiative Card swap granted by this
Technique. Initiative Cards are always swapped 1-for-1 and
a character may never end up with more or fewer Initiative
Cards then they would normally have.
GRAND ILLUSION
Energy Cost 3
their Mind, Spirit, and Illusion Arts Attribute Dice as an action
on their Turn.
PERSISTENT ILLUSION
Energy Cost 3
as an action on their Turn. Then they may make a Prepare
action as an Extra Action. The Prepare action granted by this
Technique automatically scores Hits equal to the number of
Hits scored on the Illusion Attack roll that preceded it. For ex-
ample, if a character uses this Technique and scores 2 Hits on
their attack roll, they may then make a Prepare action which
creates a Level 2 Edge automatically as an Extra Action. No
roll is needed for the Prepare action granted by this Tech-
nique and therefore this Prepare action cannot benefit from
Teamwork, Edges, or other game effects that modify dice rolls.
TERRIFYING ILLUSION
Energy Cost 2
A character can expend 2 Energy and an Edge Level in order
to make an Illusion Attack as an Extra Action on their Turn. The
Edge Level spent must be narratively relevant to the situation
at hand. The Extra Action granted by this Technique can be
taken before or after your action for your Turn, but the Edge
Level must be spent before attempting your roll. If you start
your Turn without an Edge Level to spend, but gain one as a
part of your action for the Turn, then you may expend a newly
gained Edge Level to use this Technique on the same Turn.
ILLUSORY CLONE
Energy Cost 2
When a character is targeted by a Martial, Elemental, or Illu-
sion Attack, they may expend 3 Energy and an Edge Level in
order to avoid the attack completely. The Edge Level spent
must be expended from an Edge which could narratively ben-
efit the player in this circumstance. This Technique must be
used after the attack roll is made but before any Strain is dealt.
BODY SUBSTITUTION
Energy Cost 3
When a character rolls to Resist a Martial or Elemental Attack,
they can expend 3 Energy in order to add their Spirit Attribute
Die to the roll. Then, if they score at least 1 Hit on the Resist
roll, they can avoid the attack completely. They ignore any
Strain which would have been caused by the attack. Addition-
al Hits scored on the Resist roll have no effect.
FORBIDDEN TECHNIQUES
A character can only learn a Forbidden Technique by taking
the Forbidden Knowledge Trait or by having the Altered Nin-
ja’s Special Ability: Prohibited Powers.
HEALING PALM
Energy Cost 3
A character can expend 3 Energy in order to make a Mind
and Spirit roll as an action on their Turn. They may remove 2
Strain for each Hit scored on this roll. The Strain can be re-
moved from themselves or an ally. The Strain removed may
be divided between multiple characters in a way that makes
narrative sense.
POWER ABSORPTION
Energy Cost 1
A character can expend 1 Energy to make a Martial or Ele-
mental Attack as an action on their Turn. Resolve the attack as
normal. Then regain 2 Energy for each Hit scored on the at-
tack roll. You cannot gain more Energy than your Max Energy
value using this Technique.
SPEED FLICKER
Energy Cost 3
A character can expend 3 Energy when a roll is made in order
to re-roll any number of the dice rolled. You may do so after
the roll is made but before the action is resolved. You may use
this Technique to re-roll any roll made by an ally or enemy as
long as your character could narratively justify helping or hin-
dering the action with an extreme burst of speed.
WORLD SHAPING
Energy Cost 4
their Spirit and Elemental Arts Attribute Dice as an action on
their Turn. The Edge created by this Technique allows each
ally, including the character who created it, to re-roll 1 of their
dice per Round. The die which is re-rolled can be a part of an
action taken on their turn, a Resist roll, a Recovery roll, or a
Technique. They cannot re-roll enemy dice with this free re-
roll. The use of this free re-roll resets each time Initiative Cards
are dealt at the beginning of a new Round. You may still ex-
pend Edge Levels from the Edge created by this Technique as
normal to re-roll any number of dice on any character’s roll.
The effect of this Technique ends when the last Edge Level is
expended and the Edge leaves play.
SUMMON
Energy Cost 5
their Spirit and Mind Attribute Dice as an action on their Turn.
The Edge that is created by this Technique is a special Sum-
mon Edge that represents a called or conjured entity. Such
entities do not always do as they are told and in order to
command your summoned ally to help you, roll Mind and
Spirit as an Extra Action on your Turn. On a Hit, your summon
will immediately take an Attack, Prepare, or Overcome action.
The Hits scored on this action are equal to the number of
Edge Levels that your Summon Edge possess. The player may
choose which Attack Type the Summon uses when making
an Attack. Extra Hits scored when attempting to command
your Summon have no effect. If no Hits are scored, the GM
controls your summoned ally this turn instead. In addition to
being able to command your Summon Edge to take actions, it
still functions like a normal Edge. You can expend Edge Levels
in order to re-roll any number of dice on a roll and the Edge
leaves play when the last Edge Level is expended.
BLOODLINE TECHNIQUES
A character can only learn a Bloodline Technique by taking
the Clan Member Trait or by having the Altered Ninja’s Special
Ability: Prohibited Powers.
TRANSFORMATION
Energy Cost 1
When a character makes a roll, they can expend 1 Energy in
order to turn their Body Attribute Die into a D12 for that roll.
This Attribute Die remains a D12 if any re-rolls or other game
effects modify the roll. But once the action is resolved, the
Attribute Die reverts back to its normal value.
PIERCING EYES
Energy Cost 3
A character may expend 3 Energy on their Turn to Overcome
as an Extra Action.
ANALYSING EYES
Energy Cost 3
A character may expend 3 Energy on their Turn to Prepare as
an Extra Action.
LOYAL PET
Energy Cost 2
A character with this Technique has a pet which fights by their
side. A character may expend 2 Energy on their Turn in order
to command their pet as an Extra Action. The pet can be com-
manded to Attack, Prepare, or Overcome and automatically
scores 1 Hit. No roll is needed in order to use this Technique
and therefore it does not benefit from effects that let you re-
roll or modify dice rolls.
ELEMENTAL FUSION
Energy Cost 2
When a character makes an Elemental Attack, they may ex-
pend 2 Energy to give Disadvantage to all Resist rolls made
against this attack. This Technique can be used when a char-
acter makes a normal Elemental Attack roll or it can be used
when a character makes an Elemental Attack as a part of an-
other Technique. When a character gains this Technique, they
may choose a second Element type that they are proficient in
using.
MIND CONTROL
Energy Cost 4
as an action on their Turn. Resolve the attack as normal. If the
target of the attack fails their Resist roll, then the attacking
character may control their next turn. A controlled character
may make an Attack, Prepare, or Overcome action using their
own Attribute Dice. They will attack their allies when under the
effect of this Technique, but they will never attack themselves.
Any Edges gained as a part of this controlled character’s Turn
belong to the character who used this Technique. Any game
effects which can modify dice rolls can modify the dice of the
controlled character’s Turn as if they were an ally.
GAMEMASTER
The Gamemaster makes things happen. They are the facilita-
tor for the game and they make it run smoothly. They assist in
transitioning between Scenes and Encounters. They introduce
exciting conflicts and dangerous foes. They help to highlight
interesting character moments. They should root for the play-
ers and help them tell an incredible tale. So what does all
that mean exactly? Here’s what the Gamemaster does in more
concrete terms:
ORGANIZING GAMES
The Gamemaster is generally the one who puts the game to-
gether in the first place. They will likely schedule the event and
coordinate between players. They should prepare character
sheets. They should provide extra game materials, such as
pencils and dice, just in case people don’t have them. Some
of these responsibilities can be delegated to others, but play-
ers will rely on the Gamemaster unless duties are specifically
assigned.
TEACHING THE GAME

The Gamemaster will often be the resource players turn to
for questions about game rules. The Gamemaster should fa-
miliarize themselves with the rules contained in this book and
the different character options available to the players. They
should provide reminders on how to resolve actions and the
options that players have at their disposal. Reminders that will
be especially helpful to players during an Encounter are: the
availability of Teamwork, the uses of Flashbacks, regaining En-
ergy at the start of the Turn, and rolling for Recovery at the
beginning of each player’s Turn. The rules are something that
hopefully all of the players will engage with and wish to learn.
Everyone at the tabe can discuss the rules as a group. But, in
most cases, the Gamemaster will be looked to as the mediator
and prime source of rules knowledge.
KUNAI ACADEMY 86 g a m e m a s t e r
CREATING A SAFE ENVIRONMENT
It is important that each player feels safe while playing the
game. This will make everyone feel comfortable while playing
make-believe with each other. And it will help avoid any re-
al-world conflicts between players. Below are a few safety tools
which can be employed to ensure a comfortable environment
for everyone involved. Even if you don’t often invoke these
tools during play, expressing that they are available helps to
set the tone for the game. The Gamemaster is the central fig-
ure of the group and establishing that you value each player’s
safety will set an example for the other players to follow.
The X-Card is a safety tool created by John Stavropoulos. It

is a physical card with an “x” drawn on it that is placed within
reach of all players. If a player ever touches the X-Card that
means they are uncomfortable with the current discussion
and would like to move off of it. All players should immedi-
ately change the topic and progress forward with the game.
No discussion is needed unless the person who touches the
X-Card wants to initiate it. A person can also verbally say
“X-Card” or cross their arms in an “x” in order to invoke the
same effect. You can find more information on how to use the
X-Card at http://tinyurl.com/x-card-rpg.
Lines and Veils are tools created by Ron Edwards which you
can use to restrict certain topics before they arise. An estab-
lished Line is a topic that should be completely avoided in
play. For example, a group may decide that violence against
animals is not something they would like to ever happen and
would therefore establish it as a Line. A Veil is a topic that can
come up, but it should never be lingered on or explored in
detail. For example, if romance is defined as a Veil then it is OK
for romantic scenes to occur. But, they should never be explic-
it or lingering. Discuss Lines and Veils before you start your
game so you can avoid uncomfortable topics. A playgroup
should always respect the wishes of the other players and any
request for a Line or Veil should be honored.
BRINGING CHARACTERS TOGETHER
One of the Gamemaster’s most basic jobs is to give the char-
acters a reason to work together. This may be as simple as
establishing that they are on the same ninja team. But it could
involve more complex motivations depending on the world
you’ve established and the kind of story you want to tell. In
addition to helping them align their motivations, it’s important
to allow them time to communicate. Make sure the characters
have time to talk to one another. The Gamemaster should
help them figure out group dynamics by pointing out where
their characters are similar and what things set them apart. If
you give them the opportunity to interact, they’ll likely figure
this out on their own and have a fun time doing it.
SETTING SCENES
The Gamemaster will usually initiate the fiction of the game by
setting Scenes. You should establish where characters are and
describe their surroundings with details like the time of day,
the weather, the noises they hear, and the smells in the air.
Specific details help set the tone of the story and help players
figure out how to interact with the world around them. Once
you’ve set the Scene ask the players what their characters are
doing. Scenes give characters a space they can act in. Re-
member, they are the stars of the show and the Scenes should
facilitate their decisions and actions. See the Running Scenes
section starting on page 97 for more information.
RUNNING ENCOUNTERS
The Gamemaster will initiate Encounters when a conflict
breaks out. That means you’ll be responsible for dealing Ini-
tiative Cards each Round, putting Obstacles into play, and
controlling the enemy combatants. You should always strive
to give the enemies personality and motivation that can be
expressed during the Encounters. Describe the attacks they
make with a flourish. Enemies should talk to the characters
while they engage with them in battle. The foes that players
fight should be memorable characters and each fight should
have stakes that impact the world around them. See the Run-
ning Encounters section starting on page 102 for more infor-
mation.
SUPPORTING EXPERIENCES
Players will be able to set their own Scenes in order to fulfill
one of their Experience prompts after each Encounter. Remind
them that they should do so and help them figure out these
Scenes. The immediate fallout of an Encounter will often be
explored in Experience Scenes. But sometimes the Gamemas-
ter will need to nudge the plot forward with additional Scenes
until players figure out their own Experience Scenes. Players
may want to interact with other characters in their Experience
Scenes and you should offer to play as these characters when
appropriate. Players may want to interact with new aspects
of the world that they have questions about. Do your best to
support their Scenes with any details you can provide and be
prepared to do a little improvising. Always try to support their
vision the best you can.
GUIDING THE STORY
One of the most important jobs of the Gamemaster is to cre-
ate drama. It’s important to fill the world with threats and se-
crets that have an impact on the lives of the characters. Draw
inspiration straight from the Village Background details that
the players establish. Allow goals to be met, conflicts to be re-
solved, and mysteries to be uncovered. Keep the momentum
of the game moving and make sure you’re always ready to
introduce new story threads. While you should always present
something for the characters to do, make sure you stay open
to the character’s decisions. If they approach a problem from
an angle you didn’t expect, do your best to embrace it. Always
remember that it’s their story. You’re there to support them
and to make the world they live in exciting.
THE FIRST GAME
The first game is when players will create characters and de-
fine setting details through their Village Backgrounds. Much
of the world building in Kunai Academy will be done in the
first session, which can make preparing more difficult for the
Gamemaster. You’ll need to provide some direction for the
players, but you’ll also need to leave a lot of details undefined.
This section provides goals to guide you and assets you can
use to ensure the experience runs smoothly.
One of your primary goals for the first game is walking char-
acters through the character creation process. Make sure that
someone is providing character sheets and pencils as this will
be important. Familiarize yourself with the Character Creation
steps found on pages 10-12 so that you can explain and ad-
vise as needed. Ask questions about the characters that the
players are creating. Give them a chance to describe what
their characters look like and inquire about their personali-
ties. Help them to see where other characters have similarities
or differences. Establishing group dynamics will help to make
characters memorable and more defined.
Another important aspect of the first game session is estab-

lishing the ninja village that the characters live in. Give each
player a chance to talk about their Village Background ques-
tions and allow the group to discuss how their different sto-
ry details might interact. Help them find story connections
and offer suggestions to resolve any narrative contradictions.
Make sure each player describes their Background Character
and attempt to connect other players to these Background
Characters as well.
KUNAI ACADEMY 91 gamemaster

Make sure that you take good notes during the first session.
You will want to familiarize yourself with the characters and
the Village Background details that are defined by the play-
ers. The plots and conflicts of the subsequent game sessions
should center around the characters and the storylines they
create. As the Gamemaster there will be ample opportuni-
ty to add your own ideas and unique touches to the game.
But your primary goal should be to facilitate the story that
the players want to tell. It’s very hard to do this if you can’t
remember all the cool things they made up! Make sure you
log all the character names, their connections to one another,
their personalities, and their motivations. Keeping good notes
will make preparing for later game sessions much easier.
While coming up with new ideas in a collaborative setting can

be fun, it can also be daunting. Sometimes the ideas don’t
come. Creating specific details can be tough when put on the
spot. Whenever you or the other players are having trouble
coming up with specific details for characters, you can refer to
the Characters section starting on page 117 and the Character
Lists starting on page 146. If you’re looking for guidance on
village names and setting details, you can refer to the Settings
section starting on page 149 and a Village Names List on page
159. Don’t be afraid to use these resources! Even if you don’t
pull from them directly, they provide great inspiration when
you’re brainstorming.
Once all the characters have been created and the village has
been loosely defined, set some Scenes and allow the charac-
ters to inhabit the fictional world. Establish scenery details that
reinforce the Village Backgrounds. Allow players to interact
with the Background Characters they created. And make sure
you allow the players to interact with one another in the imag-
inary world. The Running Scenes section on page 97 has more
information on how to run Scenes and the goals you should
set for yourself. These are especially important for the first ses-
sion as you’ll be setting the tone of the game and signalling
what players should expect.
You should try to include an Encounter in the first game ses-
sion so that players can get a feel for how conflicts will work. It
will also let them try out all the cool abilities they have. Since
so much of the world will be defined during the first game,
it’s important to plan for an Encounter which can be inserted
without disruption. Here are a few Example Encounters which
can slip easily into most settings while still leaving room for
you to connect them to the Village Backgrounds that players
define.
EXAMPLE ENCOUNTER: FIRST TEST

An older ninja in the village wants to test the newly formed
team’s ability to work together. This character might be some-
one who becomes a central figure in the character’s lives going
forward. Connect them to a character’s Village Background if
possible, but don’t make them too familiar. They should be an
intimidating and imposing figure that functions as the gate-
keeper to the dangerous world the players are about to enter.
The older ninja will warn the characters that if they don’t give
it their all, they could get seriously hurt during the test.
For 3 Players: Use the example enemy Ge on page 135 and

the Starting Obstacle “First Day Jitters” described below.
For 4 Players: Use the example enemies Kro-Kro on page

127 and Ge on page 135.
For 5 Players: Use the example enemies Trin on page 134,

Ge on page 135, and the Starting Obstacle “First Day Jitters”
described below.
– First Day Jitters: Start the Encounter with a Level 2

Obstacle named “First Day Jitters” in play that gives all
players Disadvantage on all Spirit rolls.
EXAMPLE ENCOUNTER: PILGRIMAGE
The young ninja must make a pilgrimage through the wilder-
ness to a site of cultural significance. Connect the site to one
of the character’s Village Backgrounds if possible. It could be
a monument to a historical event, a shrine of religious signif-
icance, or the grave of a village hero. Along the way to this
cultural site, the young ninja will run into scouts from a rival
ninja faction. If possible, you can link these ninja to a Charac-
ter Background as well. See the Example Villages on pages
155-159 for potential rival village ideas.
For 3 Players: Use the example enemies Rin on page 120 and
Drager on page 129.
For 4 Players: Use the example enemies Oromati on page

126, Drager on page 129, and use the Starting Obstacle “Murky
Footing” described below.
For 5 Players: Use the example enemies Rin on page 120,

Oromati on page 126, Drager on page 129 and use the Start-
ing Obstacle “Murky Footing” described below.
– Murky Footing: Start the Encounter with a Level 2

Obstacle named “Murky Footing” that gives all players
Disadvantage to Resist Drager’s Elemental Attacks.
EXAMPLE ENCOUNTER: RIVALS
After a long first day at the academy, the players are confront-
ed by a group of ninja who want to cause trouble. Perhaps
these are older students who want to pick on the new arrivals.
Or they may already be rivals with one or more characters
based on established relationships, village politics, or clan dy-
namics. Try to connect one or more of these rivals to a Village
Background. If any of the characters have already established
a rival Background Character, throw them in!
For 3 Players: Use the example enemies Lyrica on page 123

and Rikari on page 132.
For 4 Players: Use the example enemies Tyko on page 131

and Rikari on page 132.
For 5 Players: Use the example enemies Lyrica on page 123,

Tyko on page 131, and Rikari on page 132.
RUNNING SCENES
Scenes are the core of any Kunai Academy game. They are
where your world will come to life through sensory details.
They allow characters to display their personalities and devel-
op their relationships. And they are where players can make
personal choices that affect the story. Most game sessions will
consist of multiple different Scenes that are set in different lo-
cations and revolve around the player’s characters.
Setting a Scene is as simple as answering the following ques-

tions:
Where are we? Establishing a location in your imaginary

world is crucial to making the Scene vivid in the player’s minds.
Describe the surroundings with sights, sounds and smells. You
can allow the other players to contribute details too. Most
of the time the Gamemaster will determine where a scene
takes place, but sometimes you might pose this question to
the players. Allowing them to decide where the characters are
or where they are going will allow them to explore the world
around them in new ways.
Who is there? Establishing the characters in a Scene will al-

low players to decide who to interact with. Establish who is
in the Scene and make sure it always includes at least one
player’s character. Sometimes you can set a private Scene for
one player. Sometimes you can involve all the players. And,
sometimes you can let the players decide if their character
might be there or not. By varying who is around in differ-
ent Scenes, you’ll allow players to develop different aspects
of their personality and explore both one-on-one and group
relationships.
KUNAI ACADEMY 97 running scenes

What is happening? Players will often look to you, the Gam-
emaster, for guidance on what is happening in a Scene. Near-
ly anything you can think up can happen so make sure you
explore a variety of different Scene types. Conversations are
great reasons to have a Scene and are a great way to explore
the growth of a relationship. But you can also have a Scene
that takes place in the middle of an epic battle between na-
tions. You can have Scenes that incorporate a mission, a train-
ing exercise, or a festival. And occasionally you can establish
that nothing is happening. After all, trying to avoid boredom
with your friends is a common teenage experience.
When running Scenes, it’s important to remember that most

players are deeply invested in their own characters. They want
to express how their characters feel and explore what their
characters would do in different situations. Give characters the
opportunity to express their personality to the group. Giving
them freedom to act within a Scene is a great start, but it’s
important to ask questions in order to draw out these details.
Questions are also a great way to ensure players are equally
involved. Some players may be naturally less talkative than
others, but you should try to give everyone some time in the
spotlight. These simple questions are great tools for engaging
a player and gaining a wealth of personality from their char-
acter:
– What is your character doing right now?

– What is your character thinking right now?
– How does that make your character feel?
– How does your character respond to that?

SCENE GOALS
Each session the Gamemaster should be fulfilling the Scene
Goals. These goals will help you focus on the important as-
pects of the game: the characters and the ideas the players
have generated. Scenes can fulfill many of these Scene goals
at once. But these goals are a minimum. Gamemasters are
encouraged to set as many Scenes as needed to tell the story.
Set a Scene that allows the characters to interact with

each other. The game will be enriched by characters actively
building relationships with one another in Scenes. Make sure
to set a Scene where two or more of the players are allowed
time to interact. Sometimes, this is the easiest type of Scene
for the Gamemaster to run. Players will often take it upon
themselves to speak to one another and explore the relation-
ships between their characters. If they are reluctant to do so,
the Gamemaster can help establish relationships by asking
how the characters feel about one another and how they are
reacting to each other.
Set a Scene that allows a character to interact with a

Background Character. Players will often be excited to see
their Background Characters used in Scenes and will be in-
vested in them. This makes Background Characters an excel-
lent tool for the Gamemaster. Use them to provide informa-
tion about the world, seed plot hooks, and create a sense of
history for the village. Gamemasters can also use Background
Characters to present new situations that inspire characters to
react in new ways. Remember that Background Characters
are a shared resource. Gamemasters should try their best to
fulfill the player’s original vision. Don’t be afraid to ask the
players how a Background Character might act in a particular
situation.

Set a Scene that allows a character to interact with their
Village Background. The parts of the world that players de-
fine should be an active part of your game. Make sure you set
Scenes that reinforce their impact on the world. Show how
the cultural events and organizations that the players created
affect their characters in real time. Allow them to interact with
these aspects of the world and shape their trajectory. Don’t
be afraid to use one character’s Village Background to effect
a different player’s character. The important details of the fic-
tional world should affect everyone and be present in your
Scenes.
SCENE CHECKS
Many things that characters want to do in a Scene should just
happen. They are capable young ninja and are rarely hindered
by difficult terrain, locked doors, or idle guards. But there are
some situations where failure could provoke interesting con-
sequences. In these cases, the Gamemaster should ask for a
Scene Check. Present the challenge at hand and allow the
character to decide how they handle the situation. They can
then pick one of their Attributes that’s related to their ap-
proach. They’ll make a roll using that single Attribute Die. If
they score a Hit, then they are successful and you should ex-
plore what happens when they triumph over adversity. If they
do not score a Hit, then they fail and you should explore what
that failure means for the character.
While characters should only roll one Attribute Die for Scene
Checks, the Gamemaster is encouraged to give the roll Ad-
vantage or Disadvantage based on the situation, the charac-
ter’s approach, and their relevant skills. Only one Scene Check
should be rolled for any given task. If multiple characters wish
to help in a task, factor this into the Advantages and Disadvan-
tages you grant to the roll. It is possible you may even award
multiple Advantages or multiple Disadvantages depending on
the situation.

EXPERIENCE SCENES
In addition to Scenes that are set by the GM, players can set
Scenes as well. In fact, each player will be asked to set their
own Scene after each Encounter in order to fulfill one of their
Experience prompts. When a player sets a Scene, you should
support them. This may mean helping them fill in details
about the world. It might involve you playing as a character
that they want to interact with. Or it may involve helping them
figure out the Scene they want to set in general. Exploring the
fallout of an Encounter is a great place to start. You can also
ask questions about how their character is feeling and what
their character is motivated to do. Players shouldn’t be limited
to only setting a Scene to fulfill their Experiences. If a player is
inspired to have a Scene, accommodate it!

RUNNING
ENCOUNTERS
Encounters are tense conflicts and major story moments
in Kunai Academy. The Gamemaster uses Encounter Points
(page 107) to craft interesting battles that challenge the play-
ers. You will control the enemies (page 105) and describe what
they do. You will establish Obstacles (page 109) that represent
harmful or hindering conditions the players have to deal with.
And you will guide the pace of the Encounter through the use
of Initiative Cards (page 16).
KUNAI ACADEMY 102 e n c o u n t e r s

Starting an Encounter is as simple as introducing a threat and
dealing out Initiative Cards. But, the threats you introduce
shouldn’t be nameless assailants or random creatures. Think
of each Encounter as a major milestone for the characters.
The stakes should be high and the Enemies should be memo-
rable. Strive to connect Encounters to the Village Background
details that players establish whenever possible.
When any character accumulates Strain which exceeds their

Strain Limit, they are knocked out of the Encounter. This may
mean that they lose the will to fight, are scared and run away,
are incapacitated, or that they are killed. You should always
attempt to match the fiction of their defeat with the actions
taken to cause them Strain. For example, it is possible that a
character might never be physically injured during the course
of a fight. They may be convinced that they should stop fight-
ing by a barrage of Verbal Attacks. Or they could become
so lost in a web of Illusion Attacks that they are completely
neutralized.
When all Enemies or all of the players are knocked out of

the Encounter, then the Encounter ends. Establish Scenes that
explore the fallout of the Encounter, allow players to set their
own Experience Scenes, and allow characters to make Healing
rolls. If any characters receive Lingering Emotions, take time to
ask how the characters were affected by the conflict and allow
players to interpret how their Lingering Emotions manifest.
When running an Encounter, remember that being engaged in

an intense conflict doesn’t mean that character development
can’t happen. Tense moments that test a person’s capabilities
often bring out interesting character traits. Take time to ask
what characters are feeling in the heat of battle. Allow them
a moment to speak to one another if they want to. Have the
enemies talk to the characters. Display enemy personalities
and motivations through their words and actions. Encounters
aren’t just moments of fighting that take place between the
story. They are important story moments themselves.

When building an Encounter you should aim to have 1-4 En-
emies. Any more than this will become hard to track, both
logistically and in the players’ imaginations. Each Encounter
should have 2-3 Starting Obstacles that represent the En-
counter’s environment and the Enemy abilities. If you’d like
to have a large number of weak enemies, such as a swarm of
insects or a small army of animated plants, you can represent
them as an Obstacle (see Using Obstacles on page 109).
While you should always be rooting for and supporting the

players, you should also make sure they have dangerous
threats to deal with. It should never be your goal to specif-
ically knock players out of an Encounter, but the characters
involved should be accumulating Strain. It’s important to keep
a tense pace for the Encounter. A good goal for Encounter
length is 3 Rounds, but anywhere in the range of 2-5 Rounds
is acceptable.
If players are routinely not taking much Strain or dealing with

an Encounter in 2 or less Rounds, then you may need to start
making things more difficult. Consider adding more Obstacles
over the course of an Encounter or allowing yourself more En-
counter Points. If Encounters often last more than 4 Rounds or
characters are routinely getting knocked out, then you should
reduce the difficulty. Try reducing the number of Obstacles
you put into play or reduce your Encounter Points allowance.

ENEMIES
Each enemy that a player faces should be a distinct character
with motivations and a unique personality. Think of them as
major characters in the story. Each enemy has Attribute Dice
for their Body, Spirit, Mind, Martial Arts, Elemental Arts, and Il-
lusion Arts Attributes, just like players. They don’t have Energy,
but they do take Strain and have a Strain Limit. Enemies aren’t
restricted to taking only one Turn per Round. Enemies can
take Extra Actions if granted one by an Obstacle (see page
46). An enemy’s Attribute Dice, Strain Limit, and number of
Turns per Round are all determined by their Enemy Type.
ENEMY TYPES
Normal Enemies represent threats that are approximately
equal to a character starting at Ninja Rank 1. Players can fight
them in equal numbers and be challenged. These Enemies
may be peers in the village, rival students from other villages,
or low-level monsters. They can take one Turn per Round and
have a Strain Limit of 8. They can distribute 2D6, 2D8, and
2D10 between their Attributes.
Elite Enemies represent threats that are a little more expe-

rienced than a starting ninja. A one-on-one fight with a Nin-
ja Rank 1 character would be extremely tough. Elite Enemies
might be older ninja, infantry soldiers, or dangerous criminals.
They can take 2 Turns per Round and are therefore dealt 2 Ini-
tiative Cards. They have a Strain Limit of 14 and can distribute
1D6, 2D8, 2D10, and 1D12 between their Attributes.
Villain Enemies are imposing threats. A team of young ninja

would need to work together to take down a single Villain.
Villain Enemies represent experienced ninja or beings of great
power. They can take three Turns per Round and are therefore
dealt three Initiative Cards. They have a Strain Limit of 20 and
can distribute 2D8, 2D10, and 2D12 between their Attributes.

ENEMY ACTIONS
On their Turn, an enemy can take one of the following actions.
Attack: Enemy attacks work the same way as player character

attacks. The enemy will pick an Attack Type and make a roll
using the Attributes associated with that Attack Type. They
will deal Strain to their targets equal to the Hits scored on
the attack roll. Any characters who are dealt Strain will then
need to roll to Resist. See Attacks on pages 43-44 for more
information.
Create an Obstacle: When an enemy creates an Obstacle

they will roll 2 Attribute Die of their choice. If any Hits are
scored on the roll, then an Obstacle is put into play with Ob-
stacle Levels equal to the Hits scored. Pick an Obstacle Effect
and explain it to all players (see Obstacle Effects on page 112).
Give the Obstacle a name that is evocative of the Obstacle
Effect and the narrative change the enemy made to their en-
vironment. Also, make sure the Attributes used when Creating
an Obstacle fictionally match the Obstacle that is created. If an
enemy has any Obstacle Upgrades, then they will also have
access to Upgraded Obstacle Effects (pages 114-115). But,
nothing extra is needed for an enemy to create an Obstacle
with a Standard Obstacle Effect (pages 112-113).

ENCOUNTER POINTS
Encounter Points are a tool Gamemasters can use to build an
Encounter that is appropriately challenging. You’re allotted a
number of Encounter Points based on how many players will
engage in the Encounter and what Ninja Rank they are. Gain
Encounter Points as follows:.
5 Encounter Points for each Ninja Rank 1 character.

Once you’ve calculated your Encounter Points, spend them to

buy the Enemies, Starting Obstacles, and Obstacle Upgrades
as listed in this section. You should strive to have 1-4 Enemies
and 2-3 Starting Obstacles per Encounter. Obstacle Upgrades
can be applied to Starting Obstacles or can allow an enemy to
create an Upgraded Obstacle during an Encounter.
NORMAL ENEMY
4 Encounter Points
Turns per Round: 1 (Deal them one Initiative Card)
Strain Limit: 8
Attributes: Distribute 2D6, 2D8, and 2D10 between their six
Attributes.
ELITE ENEMY
8 Encounter Points
Turns per Round: 2 (Deal them two Initiative Cards)
Strain Limit: 14
Attributes: Distribute 1D6, 2D8, 2D10, and 1D12 between their
six Attributes.

VILLAIN ENEMY
12 Encounter Points
Turns per Round: 3 (Deal them three Initiative Cards)
Strain Limit: 20
Attributes: Distribute 2D8, 2D10, and 2D12 between their six
Attributes.
STARTING OBSTACLE
1 Encounter Point
A Starting Obstacle is a Level 2 Obstacle that is already in
play at the beginning of the Encounter. Each Encounter should
generally have 2-3 Starting Obstacles. Starting Obstacles have
a regular Obstacle Effect of your choice or you can apply an
Obstacle Upgrade to make them even more powerful.
OBSTACLE UPGRADE
1 Encounter Point
When you gain an Obstacle Upgrade, name a specific Obsta-
cle that can be created by an enemy and give that Obstacle
an Upgraded Obstacle Effect (pages 114-115). That enemy can
create the defined Upgraded Obstacle once per Encounter.
Alternately, you can give a Starting Obstacle an Upgraded
Obstacle Effect. Each enemy character can have multiple Ob-
stacle Upgrades. Multiple Obstacle Upgrades can be applied
to the same Obstacle. See Example Enemies starting on page
120 for examples of how Obstacle Upgrades are used to de-
fine specific Obstacles that Enemies can create.

USING OBSTACLES
Obstacles are one of the greatest tools at your disposal as the
Gamemaster. They can represent a wide variety of enemy abil-
ities and interesting situations. They make Encounters more
dynamic by giving players multiple ways to interact with their
environment. And, they help paint the picture of what is hap-
pening in the fiction of the game through evocative names
and effects.
Each Encounter should have a variety of different Obstacles in

play that players have to deal with. There should be 2-3 Start-
ing Obstacles in play when the Encounter begins. As Obsta-
cles are Overcome by the players, Enemies should create new
Obstacles on their Turn (see Create an Obstacle on page 106).
No more than 3 Obstacles should be in play at any giv-
en time. The Gamemaster should eventually allow players to
dwindle the number of Obstacles in play so that the fight can
come to a conclusion. A fight should never feel like an infinite
stream of Obstacles generated by the enemies. To avoid this,
make sure you never impose the same Obstacle Effect
more than once in an Encounter. Players should feel like
they make progress when they Overcome an Obstacle and
the same trick should never work twice.
Most of the Obstacles you create will reflect an enemy’s spe-

cial abilities. If an Obstacle is directly linked to an enemy, but
that enemy is knocked out of the Encounter, use common
sense to determine whether the Obstacle should remain in
play or be removed.

Some Obstacles you create will be the result of environmen-
tal factors rather than enemy powers. These could represent
terrain, weather, or tactical positioning. They could also rep-
resent more narrative hindrances like innocent bystanders or
a complicated relationship. Since environmental Obstacles ar-
en’t created by any one character, you should generally em-
ploy them using the Starting Obstacle feature. These types of
Obstacle will often impact all players equally so don’t hesitate
to use the Obstacle Upgrade options that allow you to target
multiple characters. Here are a number of environmental Ob-
stacle examples:
– An Obstacle named “Intimidating Crowd” that instills

characters with stage fright and gives them Disadvan-
tage on all Spirit rolls.
– An Obstacle named “Battle on the Lake” that represents
the need to use concentration to walk on water and
drains 1 Energy from each player’s character at the be-
ginning of their Turn.
– An Obstacle named “Thunder Storm” that represents an
atmosphere charged with electricity and gives Disadvan-
tage to all Resist rolls against target player’s (Lightning)
Elemental Attacks.
– An Obstacle named “Surrounded on All Sides” that rep-
resents poor defensive positioning and gives each enemy
character Advantage on Body rolls equal to the Obstacle
Levels.
– An Obstacle named “Small Militia” that represents hos-
tile villagers with crude weapons and deals 1 Strain to
each player’s character at the beginning of their Turn.

OBSTACLE STRUCTURE
Obstacles are made up of three parts:
Obstacle Name: An Obstacle’s name defines an Obstacle in

the fiction of the game. Many Obstacles will represent enemy
abilities and will have names like “Blades of Piercing Wind”
or “Perfect Defense Spinning Palms”. Some Obstacles may
represent environmental conditions and will have names like
“Crumbling Cavern” or “Rooftop Scramble”. Make sure that the
Obstacle names you create paint a clear picture and match up
with the Obstacle’s Effect. Write down each Obstacle Name
where all players can see them.
Obstacle Level: Each Obstacle has a number of Obstacle

Levels that define how difficult an Obstacle is to remove. Ob-
stacles usually have between 1-3 Obstacle Levels. The Obsta-
cle Levels should be written down where all players can see
them. An Obstacle Level is removed when a player scores a
Hit on an Overcome action (see page 45). The Obstacle is
removed from play when the last Obstacle Level is removed.
Obstacle Levels can be removed even if a player does not
score enough Hits to remove all Obstacle Levels. For example,
a player who scores 1 Hit when attempting to Overcome a
Level 3 Obstacle will reduce it to a Level 2 Obstacle.
Obstacle Effect: The Obstacle Effect defines the impact the

Obstacle has on the rules of the game. Sometimes an Ob-
stacle Effect will make it harder for a player to do something.
Sometimes an Obstacle Effect will make an enemy more ca-
pable of attacking or defending. And sometimes an Obstacle
Effect will impose a static condition that players will have to
deal with. See Obstacle Effects starting on page 112 for a list of
the different effects and examples of each.
KUNAI ACADEMY 111 encounters

OBSTACLE EFFECTS
Each Obstacle that is in play imposes an Obstacle Effect on the
Encounter. There are a variety of different Obstacle Effects to
choose from, as detailed below. Some Obstacle Effects hinder
the player while other Obstacle Effects make Enemies more
dangerous. When you introduce a new Obstacle, make sure
you define the Obstacle Effect for the players so that they
can make informed decisions. Some Obstacle Effects target a
specific character and you should declare which character is
targeted when you create the Obstacle. Some Obstacles ask
you to choose an Attribute or Attack Type and you should
declare this choice when you create an Obstacle as well. Each
Obstacle’s Effect impacts the Encounter until its last Obstacle
Level is Overcome.
STANDARD OBSTACLE EFFECTS

Any of the following Standard Obstacle Effects can be chosen
when an enemy creates an Obstacle:
Hinder: Target character has Disadvantage on all rolls made

with a chosen Attribute. Example: An Obstacle named “Water
Prison” that gives target character Disadvantage on all Body
rolls.
Pierce: When the target character uses a chosen Attack Type,

Resist rolls have Disadvantage. Example: An Obstacle named
“Bone Sword” that gives Disadvantage to Resist rolls made
against target character’s Martial Attacks.
Barrage: When the target character uses a chosen Attack

Type, they can deal Strain equal to the Hits scored to any
number of characters. Example: An Obstacle named “Lacerat-
ing Wind Fan” that allows a character to deal Strain equal to
the Hits scored on their Elemental Attacks to any number of
characters.

Harm: Each player’s character receives one Strain at the be-
ginning of their turn. Example: An Obstacle named “Puppet
Explosion: Poison Cloud” that deals 1 Strain to each player’s
character at the beginning of their turn.
Defense: Martial and Elemental Attacks made against the

target character get Disadvantage for each Obstacle Level.
Example: An Obstacle named “Flowing Water Form” that gives
Martial and Elemental Attacks made against target character
Disadvantage for each Obstacle Level.
Awareness: Illusion and Verbal Attacks made against the tar-

get character get Disadvantage for each Obstacle Level. Ex-
ample: An Obstacle named “Bestial Acuity” that gives Illusion
and Verbal Attacks made against target character Disadvan-
tage for each Obstacle Level.
Empower: The target character gains Advantage for each

Obstacle Level when making rolls using a chosen Attribute.
Example: An Obstacle named “Eye of Warped Realities” that
gives target character Advantage for each Obstacle Level
when using their Illusion Arts Attribute.
Retaliate: Attacking the target character deals Strain to the

attacker equal to the Obstacle’s Levels. Example: An Obstacle
named “Guardian Skeletal Spirit” that deals Strain equal to the
Obstacle Levels to any character that makes an attack against
the target character.
Regenerate: Target character removes 1 Strain at the begin-

ning of their Turn. Example: An Obstacle named “Cellular Re-
generation Prism” that removes 1 Strain from target character
at the beginning of each Turn.
Drain: Target character loses 1 Energy at the beginning of

their Turn. Example: An Obstacle named “Leeching Insect
Swarm” that drains 1 Energy from the target character at the
beginning of their Turn.

UPGRADED OBSTACLE EFFECTS
Obstacle Upgrades grant characters even more powerful
options. When building an Encounter and defining Obstacle
Upgrades, choose one of the Upgraded Obstacle Effects be-
low. Multiple Upgraded Obstacle Effects can be applied to the
same Obstacle, but you can never apply the same Upgraded
Obstacle Effect twice.
Combo: Give an Obstacle two Standard Obstacle Effects. Ex-

ample: An Obstacle named “Infinite Nightmare World” that
deals 1 Strain to each player character at the beginning of
their turn and allows the target character to deal Strain equal
to the number of Hits scored on their Illusion Attacks to any
number of characters.
Expertise: Allow a Standard Obstacle Effect that targets just

one character to target any number of characters. Example:
An Obstacle named “Demon Flute Paralyzing Song” that gives
any number of target characters Disadvantage on all Body
rolls.
Quick: Allow an Obstacle to be created as an Extra Action.

Example: An Obstacle named “Hidden Wrist Blade” that can
be created as an Extra Action and grants Advantage on Mar-
tial Attacks for each Obstacle Level.
Perfect Defense: Give an Obstacle the upgraded effect “Tar-

get character ignores Martial and Elemental Attacks” instead
of a Standard Obstacle Effect. Example: An Obstacle named
“Shifting Sand Armor” that allows the target character to ig-
nore all Martial and Elemental Attacks.
Perfect Awareness: Give an Obstacle the upgraded effect

“Target character ignores Illusion and Verbal Attacks” instead
of a Standard Obstacle Effect. Example: An Obstacle named
“Supernatural Senses” that allows a character to ignore Illusion
and Verbal Attacks.

Onslaught: Give an Obstacle the upgraded effect “Target
character can make an attack of a chosen Attack Type as an
Extra Action” instead of a Standard Obstacle Effect. Example:
An Obstacle named “Summoned Snake Arms” that allows the
target character to make a Martial Attack as an Extra Action.
CUSTOM OBSTACLE EFFECTS

You may decide that you want to create a Custom Obstacle
Effect. This can add variety to your game and create memora-
ble Encounters. But if the Custom Obstacle Effect is oppressive
or ineffective, it can ruin an otherwise great Encounter. Make
sure you spend some time playing with the provided Obsta-
cle Effects in order to get a good understanding of how they
work and the role they play in an Encounter before creating
your own. Make sure that the desired result isn’t something
you can already accomplish with the Standard and Upgraded
Obstacle Effects available.

CHARACTERS
The Gamemaster is responsible for all of the characters in the
world that aren’t directly controlled by the players. This means
you’ll get to create an interesting cast as the game progresses.
You will describe what they do and say and you can act-out
conversations they might have. Sometimes you’ll have time
to plan out who the players will interact with. And other times
you might need to make up a character on the spot. No mat-
ter how much time you’ve had to prepare, you should always
strive to give characters the following:
Distinct Physical Feature: Players should be able to visual-

ize the characters you introduce. Giving a character a distinct
facial feature, a style of dress, or an eccentric piece of visual
flair helps make them more memorable.
Unique Personality: Each character should have at least

one personality trait that players associate with them. This trait
should be distinguishable by talking to them for just a few
moments. Knowing if a character is grumpy, serious, relaxed,
or playful allows characters to make decisions about how they
interact with them.
Background: Characters don’t need to explain their life story,

but you should have a sense of where they come from and
what they’ve been through. Connecting your characters to
historical events established by the players is a great way to
add depth to the fiction of the game.
Motivation: Your characters should want something. This

doesn’t mean that each character is planning a complicated
scheme. Simple desires, such as wanting to do a good job or
to be left alone, are extremely relatable. Knowing what a char-
acter wants helps you figure out what a character would do in
any given situation. And it creates consistency for the players.
KUNAI ACADEMY 117 c h a r a c t e r s

Filling the world with interesting people is important, but make
sure that you don’t introduce too many characters too quickly.
At the start of the game, players will be interested in getting to
know the other players’ characters first. Each player will have
a Background Character that inhabits the world as well. This
is already a lot to remember and a lot of interactions to navi-
gate. Try to only introduce a few characters per game session.
And when you can, use Background Characters or characters
you’ve already established to fulfill the needs of the story.
CHARACTER TYPES
When you do need to create new characters, consider adding
at least one of the following character types. They will help
reinforce genre tropes and provide a variety of characters that
players can interact with.
Foils: A foil is completely different from a character in a spe-

cific way. This doesn’t mean that they have to be an enemy,
per se. But, it does mean that they will challenge a character.
They could possess qualities that a character wishes they had.
They could have opposing ideals that are hard to ignore. Or
they could simply be different in a way that’s refreshing. What-
ever the angle, a foil provides characters an opportunity to
display their own character’s values and reexamine them in a
new context. The interaction could even cause lasting chang-
es that are important to the character’s growth.
Friends: There should be characters in the game who are like-

able. Allowing players to establish friendships with non-play-
er characters helps connect them to the world. Friends help
establish the village as home. And having friends outside of
the village, possibly even friends from enemy factions, helps
create drama. Once characters have established friends in the
world, explore where these relationships can go. What hap-
pens when the relationship begins to dwindle due to separa-
tion? Does the friendship intensify to cause jealousy? Is there
a possibility the friendship could lead to romance?

Mentors: Characters in Kunai Academy should have older
authority figures in their lives, like parents, teachers, and older
siblings. Establish accomplished ninja in the village who they
look up to. Allow characters to establish relationships with
their elders. Use these mentor characters to build a sense of
history in the world. They can serve as great connections to
long-standing conflicts and complicated village politics.
USING BACKGROUND CHARACTERS

The Background Characters that players create are an excel-
lent resource for the Gamemaster. They are a perfect tool for
explaining aspects of the world and giving players a connec-
tion to the plots that are unfolding. Players should be encour-
aged to interact with all of the different Background Charac-
ters and the Gamemaster is encouraged to lean on them as
story assets. Do your best to make them major players in the
game’s story.
When a player creates a Background Character, make sure

you ask questions and take good notes. Inquire about their
personality and what they look like. Ask questions about
the relationships between characters. Using a character that
someone else created should be done carefully. Track the rel-
evant details so that you can be true to the original concept.
And don’t be afraid to continue to ask questions about what
a Background Character might think, feel, or do in a given
situation. After all, it’s a shared story you’re telling.
One of your Scene Goals for each session is to involve a play-

er’s Background Character. This Scene could be a mundane
morning spent training or an intense eruption of a long-brew-
ing conflict. Try to mix up the locations, scope, and tone of
these Scenes during play. And make sure you allow players
to interact with the Background Characters they didn’t create
themselves.

EXAMPLE ENEMIES
Here are a number of example characters you can use in your
game. They each have Encounter Point costs and can be used
as Enemies in Encounters. But, they can also be used as allies
that inhabit your village or as inspiration when creating your
own characters. Feel free to modify any details as needed to
fit your setting.
RIN, THE APPRENTICE WEAVER

Strain Limit: 8
Turns per Round: 1
Encounter Points: 5
ATTRIBUTES
Body: D10
Spirit: D6
Mind: D8
Martial Arts: D10
Elemental Arts: D6
Illusion Arts: D8
STARTING AND UPGRADED OBSTACLES

Sewn Together: As an Extra Action, Rin can attempt to cre-
ate the Obstacle “Sewn Together” which gives target enemy
Disadvantage on all Body rolls.
FEATURES
Rin wears fashionable clothes and has a single long braid of
hair. She rarely smiles and often looks perturbed. She fights
with a giant needle and often uses large amounts of thread to
bind and hinder her opponents.

PERSONALITY
Rin seems cold to most upon first impression. She’s a bit stand-
offish, but she doesn’t hesitate to speak her mind. She acts like
she’s better than her peers. But this elitist persona is used to
cover up her insecurities about not being from an established
ninja clan.
BACKGROUND
Rin is from a family of simple weavers and she is the first of
them to train as a ninja. She is seen as one of the most prom-
ising ninja in terms of talent and drive, but she doesn’t have
the benefit of private training, family secret techniques, or vil-
lage connections.
MOTIVATION
Rin is determined to be the top of her class and pushes her-
self extremely hard. She wants to make her family proud. The
approval of her parents means the world to her, but they are
so busy trying to survive that even her great accomplishments
often go unnoticed.
NIRO, THE FRANTIC FLASH

Strain Limit: 8
Turns per Round: 1
Encounter Points: 5
ATTRIBUTES
Body: D10
Spirit: D8
Mind: D6
Martial Arts: D10
Elemental Arts: D8
Illusion Arts: D6

Lightning Speed: Niro can attempt to create the Obstacle
“Lightning Speed” which allows him to make Martial Attacks
as an Extra Action.
FEATURES
Niro’s hair always needs combing and his clothes are perpetu-
ally wrinkled. He’s a bit short compared to the other ninja his
age. He’s naturally quick, but he can also harness the power of
electricity to energize himself and move even faster.
PERSONALITY
Niro is very energetic. He talks all the time and is fast to make
friends. But he can also be annoying after a while. He always
wants to be involved and sometimes inserts himself in places
he doesn’t belong. He’s a bit mischievous, but good natured.
BACKGROUND
Niro’s parents died when he was very young. They were ninja
who were killed on a mission. He doesn’t really remember
them. He was raised by an old friend of theirs and has always
had a pretty good life. People in his village pity him and tell
him stories of his dead parents, but he’d rather forget about
them. He just wants to be treated like a normal kid.
MOTIVATION
Niro hates the idea of being a charity case and tries to blend
in like a normal ninja. He tries to prove that he’s OK by being
super nice. He tries to make friends with everyone. He really
is a very happy-go-lucky kid. The only thing that really upsets
him is when other kids talk about his parents.

LYRICA, THE LEAD VOCALIST
Strain Limit: 8
Turns per Round: 1
Encounter Points: 5
ATTRIBUTES
Body: D8
Spirit: D10
Mind: D10
Martial Arts: D6
Elemental Arts: D8
Illusion Arts: D6

Show-stopping Performance: Lyrica starts each Encoun-
ter with the Level 2 Obstacle “Show-stopping Performance”
in play which deals 1 Strain to each enemy character at the
FEATURES
Lyrica has curly hair and a cheery face. She wears elaborately
decorated dresses and carries a microphone with her every-
where she goes. She never misses an opportunity to perform.
She uses elemental wind powers to empower her voice and
lung power.
PERSONALITY
Lyrica is very full of herself. She tries hard to make others like
her and always needs to be the center of attention. She can
be quite a brat if she doesn’t get her way.

BACKGROUND
Lyrica’s mother is a low rank ninja who has never been pro-
moted. Lyrica has watched for years as her mother dutifully
fulfilled her obligations without complaint or recognition. It
makes her angry that her mom lacks ambition. Lyrica is deter-
mined to be as ambitious as possible and to call attention to
herself whenever she can.
MOTIVATION
Lyrica dreams of being a famous singer, but she is not very
good at singing. This fact only drives her more. She wants to
shine like a bright star. She wants to be admired for her talent
and her showmanship.
MOY, THE MASKED MYSTERY

Strain Limit: 8
Turns per Round: 1
Encounter Points: 5
ATTRIBUTES
Body: D6
Spirit: D6
Mind: D10
Martial Arts: D8
Elemental Arts: D8
Illusion Arts: D10

So Dreamy: Moy starts each Encounter with a Level 2 Ob-
stacle “So Dreamy” which gives Disadvantage to Resist rolls
made against their Illusion Attacks.

FEATURES
Moy wears a bright yellow mask and a dark coat with a high
collar. They have a long face and a big nose. Moy uses illu-
sions to project the image of an incredibly attractive person
under their mask. The image that’s projected is different for
each person that gazes upon Moy’s face.
PERSONALITY
Moy is very shy. They generally aren’t great at making friends
and lots of people find them weird. They often stick to them-
selves, but they are funny and friendly once you get to know
them.
BACKGROUND
Moy’s parents are famous ninja and Moy has been groomed
to follow in their footsteps. Moy never felt like they could
match up to their parents’ expectations. So Moy started cre-
ating illusions of the ideal child they expected. Eventually, Moy
became an expert at projecting the things people want to see.
Moy has crafted this into a dangerous fighting style.
MOTIVATION
Moy tries to stay out of things. They tell themselves that they
don’t really need anyone else to be happy. They’ve been
able to survive thus far with that mentality. But they yearn for
friendship and acceptance.

OROMATI, THE MEDICAL STUDENT
Strain Limit: 8
Turns per Round: 1
Encounter Points: 8
ATTRIBUTES
Body: D10
Spirit: D10
Mind: D8
Martial Arts: D8
Elemental Arts: D6
Illusion Arts: D6

Energy Scalpel: Oromati starts each Encounter with a Level
2 Obstacle named “Energy Scalpel” which gives Disadvantage
to Resist rolls made against his Martial Arts attacks.
Healing Aura: Oromati can attempt to create the Obstacle

“Healing Aura” which removes 1 Strain from each ally at the
beginning of their Turns.
Severed Systems: Oromati can attempt to create the Ob-

stacle “Severed Systems” which gives target character Disad-
vantage on all Spirit rolls and drains 1 Energy from them at the
FEATURES
Oromati has spiky hair and determined eyes. He wears a ban-
dage over his nose and two stripes of red paint under his eyes.
He has a large variety of belts, packs, and pouches that hold
medical supplies.

PERSONALITY
Oromati is brash and hotheaded. He’s not purposefully mean,
but he has no patience and doesn’t hesitate to speak his mind.
He often has moments of clarity after the fact and is constant-
ly apologizing for the things he says.
BACKGROUND
Oromati always dreamed of being a great warrior. He prac-
ticed hard and studied to be the top of his class. He was so
talented that he was chosen for the elite medical ninja corps
at a young age. Oromati was crushed when he was assigned
to be a medical ninja because now he spends all of his time
healing instead of fighting. He still resents the assignment.
MOTIVATION
Oromati is motivated by pride to be great at whatever he
does. But he also feels confused. His dreams of being a great
warrior are slipping away from him. He fulfills his duties as a
medical ninja, but he feels internally conflicted and unsettled
in his role.
KRO-KRO, THE BATTLE PELICAN

Strain Limit: 8
Turns per Round: 1
Encounter Points: 8
ATTRIBUTES
Body: D8
Spirit: D10
Mind: D6
Martial Arts: D8
Elemental Arts: D10
Illusion Arts: D6

Birdbrained: KroKro starts each Encounter with the Level 2
Obstacle “Birdbrained” which gives all Illusion and Verbal At-
tacks against him Disadvantage equal to the Obstacle Levels.
Soaring Speed: KroKro starts each Encounter with the Level

2 Obstacle “Soaring Speed” which gives all Martial and Ele-
mental Attacks against him Disadvantage equal to the Obsta-
cle Levels.
Windstorm: KroKro can attempt to create an Obstacle called

“Windstorm” which gives Resist rolls made against his Elemen-
tal Attacks Disadvantage and allows him to deal Strain equal
to the Hits scored on his Elemental Attacks to any number of
characters.
FEATURES
KroKro is a pelican. He has a huge beak and an expansive
wingspan. He’s cross-eyed. He can speak as if he were a hu-
man and has an obnoxiously loud voice. He can fly. He fights
by conjuring slashing gusts of wind.
PERSONALITY
KroKro isn’t too smart. He has just enough intelligence to hold
a conversation, but he is not capable of deep thought or sub-
tlety. He tries to be helpful and will come to the aid of his allies,
but he can’t follow complicated directions. He’s forgetful and
always hungry.
BACKGROUND
KroKro is a spiritual being from the great wind sea. He was
summoned by a powerful ninja and got lost. He can’t remem-
ber how to get back home. He is not a powerful being and he
wonders if anyone is even looking for him.

MOTIVATION
KroKro’s purpose is to assist the person who summoned him.
However, that person is long gone and now he is looking for
a new friend to follow. He would like to find his way home. He
confuses easily and will interpret things in the simplest man-
ner. He loves to eat and will sample anything he believes to
be edible.
DRAGER, THE MELLOW MUD-DIVER

Strain Limit: 14
Turns per Round: 2
Encounter Points: 10
ATTRIBUTES
Body: D8
Spirit: D10
Mind: D10
Martial Arts: D8
Elemental Arts: D12
Illusion Arts: D6

Mud Clones - Drager starts each Encounter with the Level 2
Obstacle “Mud Clones” which allows him to deal Strain equal
to the Hits scored on his Elemental Attacks to any number of
characters.
Subterranean Mud Walking - Drager can attempt to cre-

ate the Obstacle “Subterranean Mud Walking” which makes
him immune to Martial and Elemental Attacks.

FEATURES
Drager wears a bandana on his head and always has dried
mud caked on his worn clothes. His face generally looks weary
and a bit sunken. He is a natural elementalist and specializes
in manipulating mud. He can slip into any ground that’s wet
enough and can create multiple clones of himself made en-
tirely out of mud.
PERSONALITY
Drager seeks the path of least resistance. He’s non-confronta-
tional and will try to slip out of a situation if he can. He never
abandons his missions, but he always considers it. Ultimately,
his sense of duty is just barely stronger than his own laziness.
BACKGROUND
Drager has always tried to find the easy way out. He special-
ized in surveillance with the assumption that it would allow
him to avoid fighting. He thought he’d have lots of freedom to
travel on his own and goof off. Instead, he is constantly sent
behind enemy lines into extremely dangerous situations.
MOTIVATION
Drager is lazy and often seeks to avoid anything that causes
him more work or puts him in danger. But he is loyal to his
village and has a sense of duty. He won’t ignore his responsi-
bilities. He will simply do the bare minimum if he thinks he can
get away with it.

TYKO, THE BUBBLEGUM BRUISER
Strain Limit: 14
Turns per Round: 2
ATTRIBUTES
Body: D12
Spirit: D10
Mind: D8
Martial Arts: D10
Elemental Arts: D6
Illusion Arts: D8

Bubblegum Blitz: Tyko starts each Encounter with the Lev-
el 2 Obstacle “Bubblegum Blitz” which gives her Advantage
on Body rolls for each Obstacle Level and gives Martial and
Elemental Attacks made against her Disadvantage for each
Obstacle Level.
FEATURES
Tyko is stocky and muscular. She wears barrettes in her short,
dark hair. She is always chewing gum and blowing bubbles.
She is an expert boxer and wears athletic gear. She can make
her body super bendy and stretchy like bubblegum. This
makes her punches hard to dodge and her body hard to hit.
PERSONALITY
Tyko is a sports fanatic. She loves to compete, but she’s also a
good sport. She loves a good challenge and seeks to test her
own abilities. She tries to have a good time and abides by the
motto “work hard, play hard”.

BACKGROUND
Tyko was never great at manipulating magical forces. The
harder she tried, the more frustrated she became. She nearly
quit being a ninja, but her teacher introduced her to a flam-
boyant boxing coach that changed her life. Tyko was imme-
diately drawn to boxing and formed a close relationship with
her coach. She has committed herself to pugilist training ever
since and hopes to be the greatest boxer the world has ever
seen.
MOTIVATIONS
Tyko is driven to be the best. She wants people to remember
her name. She pushes herself to train as hard as she can. She
gives everything she has when she’s in a fight. She wants even
her enemies to like and respect her.
RIKARI, THE LOUDMOUTH BULLY

Strain Limit: 14
Turns per Round: 2
ATTRIBUTES
Body: D8
Spirit: D10
Mind: D12
Martial Arts: D8
Elemental Arts: D6
Illusion Arts: D10

Intimidating Upperclassman: Rikari starts each Encounter
with a Level 2 Obstacle “Intimidating Upperclassman” which
gives enemy characters Disadvantage to Resist his Verbal At-
tacks.
Constant Stream of Insults: Rikari can attempt to create

the Obstacle “Constant Stream of Insults” which allows him to
make Verbal Attacks as an Extra Action.
FEATURES
Rikari has slick hair and a menacing smile. He wears pants that
are far too big for him. He has a cocky attitude and constantly
belittles those around him. He uses illusion techniques against
his enemies to heighten their insecurities.
PERSONALITY
Rikari doesn’t take anything seriously. He gets enjoyment out
of making others feel scared or weak. He is angry at the world
and expresses it through jokes and insults. His aggression and
pessimistic outlook on life make him unpleasant to be around.
BACKGROUND
Rikari lost his mother at a young age and was raised by an
overbearing father. His dad constantly belittled him in an ef-
fort to make him tough. He has always been a mediocre ninja,
but he learned he could throw his opponents off-guard by
making fun of them. It’s a trick he has leaned on ever since.
MOTIVATION
Rikari doesn’t want to be a ninja, but he doesn’t see any path
out of the life chosen for him. He doesn’t really care about
what happens to him and he thinks he’s already destined to
live a terrible life. He lashes out at those around him in order
to gain a sense of control. It makes him feel powerful when he
can make others feel weak.

TRIN, THE SPIRIT SCRYER
Strain Limit: 14
Turns per Round: 2
ATTRIBUTES
Body: D8
Spirit: D12
Mind: D10
Martial Arts: D6
Elemental Arts: D10
Illusion Arts: D8

Eyes of True Soul Seeing!: Trin starts each Encounter with
a Level 2 Obstacle “Eyes of True Soul Seeing!” which gives Il-
lusion and Verbal Attacks made against her Disadvantage for
each Obstacle Level.
Raging Spirit Dragon Unleashed!: Trin can attempt to

create the Obstacle “Raging Spirit Dragon Unleashed!” which
gives her Advantage on Spirit rolls equal to the Obstacle Lev-
els and allows her to deal Strain equal to the Hits scored on
her Elemental Attacks to any number of characters.
Reflecting Pool of Karmic Dissonance!: Trin can attempt

to create the Obstacle “Reflecting Pool of Karmic Dissonance!”
which drains 1 Energy from each enemy at the beginning of
their Turn.
FEATURES
Trin has two pigtails and wears light, linen clothes. Her blue,
glowing eyes can see a person’s soul. She is a water-shaper
and often floods the battlefield with Energy-draining pools.

PERSONALITY
Trin is a very centered person. She’s easy to talk to and a great
listener. She has a calming tone of voice and a gentle smile.
She is very non-judgemental of people’s feelings and actions.
BACKGROUND
Trin’s ability to see a person’s soul manifested when she was
very young. At first, she was overwhelmed by the darkness
hidden in people’s hearts. She eventually realized that people
have much more goodness within them than they do evil. As
she gained control of her abilities, she became a powerful
ninja and a spiritual beacon within her village. Even elders oc-
casionally turn to her for advice on matters of morality.
MOTIVATION
Trin is on a path of enlightenment. She hopes to understand
why good people do bad things. When she gains enough
knowledge, she hopes to eradicate suffering.
GE, THE YOUNG FIELD LEADER

Strain Limit: 14
Turns per Round: 2
ATTRIBUTES
Body: D10
Spirit: D8
Mind: D8
Martial Arts: D10
Elemental Arts: D6
Illusion Arts: D12

Crescent Moon Sword Style: Blade Displacement: Ge
starts each Encounter with the Level 2 Obstacle “Crescent
Moon Sword Style: Blade Displacement” which gives them
Advantage on Martial Arts rolls for each Obstacle Level and
gives Martial and Elemental Attacks against them Disadvan-
tage for each Obstacle Level.
Crescent Moon Sword Style: False Slash: As an Extra Ac-

tion, Ge can attempt to create the Obstacle “Crescent Moon
Sword Style: False Slash” which gives Resist rolls against their
Martial Attacks Disadvantage.
Crescent Moon Sword Style: Mirror Self: Ge can attempt

to create the Obstacle “Crescent Moon Sword Style: Mirror
Self” which allows them to make an Illusion Attack as an Extra
Action.
FEATURES
Ge has wild hair that they keep tame with a headband. They
have a serious face. They wear tactical gear that they keep
pristine. They have a nondescript, straight-bladed sword that
they wear on their back. Ge uses a sword-style that employs
illusions to hide their movements and confuse their enemies.
PERSONALITY
Ge feels the weight of responsibility all the time. They are se-
rious and always thinking about the task at hand. They are
anxious and cope by overpreparing.
BACKGROUND
Ge was chosen to be a field leader from a young age. While
they’ve had some experience, they are still overwhelmed by
the responsibilities that come with the position. Older ninja
often don’t take them seriously. One of Ge’s closest friends
was seriously injured on an early mission they led and Ge is
still plagued by the guilt.

MOTIVATION
Ge is afraid that someone under their command will get killed.
They work as hard as they can to prevent this from happen-
ing. But, they are still determined to accomplish their assigned
missions and be a great ninja. They will try to avoid killing
when they can and they will try to defend an ally who is in
danger at all cost.
HIRO KOTSU, VOID’S SHIMMER

Strain Limit: 20
Turns per Round: 3
ATTRIBUTES
Body: D10
Spirit: D12
Mind: D12
Martial Arts: D8
Elemental Arts: D8
Illusion Arts: D10

Mesmeric Tongue: Hiro Kotsu begins each Encounter with
the Level 2 Obstacle “Mesmeric Tongue” which allows his Ver-
bal Attacks to deal Strain equal to the Hits scored to all enemy
characters.
Obscuring Eye: As an Extra Action, Hiro Kotsu can attempt

to create the Obstacle “Obscuring Eye” which gives enemy
characters Disadvantage to Resist his Illusion Attacks.
Radiant Butterfly: Hiro Kotsu can attempt to create the Ob-

stacle “Radiant Butterfly’’ which makes him immune to Martial
and Elemental Attacks.

FEATURES
Hiro Kotsu wears colorful flower-patterned robes, has long
hair that flows down his back, and is rarely seen without a
pleasant smile on his face. In battle he wears the cool blue
mask of a raging ogre and carries a sword on his hip, but
his greatest weapon is his tongue. He weakens his opponents
with mesmeric tales and spell-touched lies. He has been seen
summoning a giant, shimmering butterfly to aid him in battle.
There are rumors that he possesses an eye with the power to
reach into people’s minds, but few have escaped his sight with
such memories entact.
PERSONALITY
Hiro Kotsu is talkative and charismatic. He is quick to make
friends and entertain those around him with stories and jokes.
He cares for the plight of the common people and is capable
of great empathy. But the smile he wears on his face hides a
vengeful heart. He is driven by a deep anger.
BACKGROUND
Most people think Hiro Kotsu is dead. It’s one of his better lies.
Make no mistake, he is very much alive. It’s rumored that Hiro
Kotsu was born to a traitor. Legends claim it was Hiro’s unlucky
lot in life to strike down his own father in the service of his vil-
lage. But this is likely a fabrication meant to weaken the bonds
of village loyalty. He’s been known to travel the countryside
inciting violence with Bandi Fujioka. After inspiring rebellions
in multiple villages, they faked their own deaths in order to
escape the consequences.
MOTIVATION
Hiro Kotsu is one of the few known members of The Void.
They seem hellbent on inspiring peasant uprisings and weak-
ening the power structures of the ninja world.

BANDI FUJIOKA, VOID’S WHISPER
Strain Limit: 20
Turns per Round: 3
ATTRIBUTES
Body: D12
Spirit: D10
Mind: D10
Martial Arts: D12
Elemental Arts: D8
Illusion Arts: D8

Smiling Puppet Arsenal: Bandi Fujioka begins each En-
counter with the Level 2 Obstacle “Smiling Puppet Arsenal”
which allows him to make a Martial Attack as an Extra Action
on his Turn.
Towering Puppet of Warding Protection: Bandi Fujio-

ka can attempt to create the Obstacle “Towering Puppet of
Warding Protection” which gives Martial and Elemental At-
tacks against him Disadvantage for each Obstacle Level and
deals Strain equal to the Obstacle’s Levels to any character
who makes an attack against him.
Skirmishing Puppet of Deadly Razors: As an Extra Action,

Bandi Fujioka can attempt to create the Obstacle “Skirmish-
ing Puppet of Deadly Razors,” which gives him Advantage on
Martial Arts rolls for each Obstacle Level.
FEATURES
Bandi Fujioka is wrapped in bandages that cover the scars of
1,000 battles. His face and arms are wrapped tightly in white
cloth strips and he wears the bright red mask of a raging ogre.
His outfit is a common ninja gi and he carries a worn, wooden
box on his back. Inside the box are several puppets with wide
smiles, bright eyes, and rosey cheeks. This cast of puppets is
used to entertain people in his traveling show. But, they also
hide an arsenal large enough to equip a small militia. Smaller
puppets possess hidden blades, poison needles, and explosive
charges. A large, towering puppet possesses magical warding
that makes it extremely durable. Surviving an encounter with
his puppet army means being haunted by nightmares of their
wide, grinning faces.

PERSONALITY
Bandi Fujioka doesn’t seem like a dangerous person. He rare-
ly speaks and some might even think he’s shy. But he is ca-
pable of expressing great emotion in the puppet shows he
puts on. He appears to be a mild-mannered entertainer to
the untrained eye. But he is capable of extreme violence. He
kills without hesitation and appears unaffected by the trail of
blood he’s left in his wake.
BACKGROUND
Nearly nothing is known about Bandi Fujioka. It’s suspected he
worked as a mercenary assassin for different ninja villages in
the past. But no record of these assassinations exists. There’s
no indication of his country of origin. There’s also no record
of anyone seeing his face. His life before traveling with Hiro
Kotsu and working with The Void is an enigma.
MOTIVATION
Bandi Fujioka is one of the few known members of The Void.
He is loyal to their cause of disrupting the ruling class. He
spreads stories of oppression and rebellion through his pup-
pet shows in an attempt to incite the peasants to violence.

PANTAKAI, THE CLOUD GAZER
Strain Limit: 20
Turns per Round: 3
ATTRIBUTES
Body: D8
Spirit: D10
Mind: D12
Martial Arts: D8
Elemental Arts: D10
Illusion Arts: D12

Swimming Through Air: Pantakai starts each Encounter
with a Level 2 Obstacle “Swimming Through Air” which gives
all enemy characters Disadvantage on all Body rolls.
Forever Falling: Pantakai starts each Encounter with a Level

2 Obstacle “Forever Falling” which gives all enemy characters
Disadvantage on all Spirit rolls.
Rushing Wind and Whirling Clouds: Pantakai starts each

Encounter with a Level 2 Obstacle “Rushing Wind and Whirl-
ing Clouds” which gives all enemy characters Disadvantage
on all Mind rolls.
Cloud Shaping: Flock of Birds: Pentakai can attempt to cre-

ate the Obstacle “Cloud Shaping: Flock of Birds” which grants
her Advantage on Elemental Arts rolls for each Obstacle Level
and allows her to make Elemental Attacks as an Extra Action.

Cloud Shaping: Tendriled Beast: Pentakai can attempt to
create the Obstacle “Cloud Shaping: Tendrilled Beast” which
deals 1 Strain to each enemy character at the start of their Turn
and allows Pentakai to deal Strain equal to the Hits scored on
her Elemental Attacks to any number of characters.
FEATURES
Pentakai wears a dark blue coat and has a stern face. She
looks fashionably unapproachable. She carries very few ninja
weapons. She is a master of illusion techniques and is capable
of trapping her enemies in a dream-like state where they are
eternally falling through the sky. She is also a seasoned ele-
mentalist and can manipulate clouds to form deadly beasts.
PERSONALITY
Pentakai is all business. She’s standoffish, confident, and has a
quick wit. Talking to her feels like she’s always sizing you up.
BACKGROUND
Pentakai is a village ambassador and is often sent as a rep-
resentative to rival ninja villages. She observes enemy weak-
nesses in her travels and attacks her political rivals whenever
she can. She is the daughter of a previous village leader and
has immense pride for her country. She strives to protect her
mother’s legacy. She’s worked hard to get where she is today
and some think she could be a village leader in the future.
MOTIVATION
Pentakai wants to represent her village as strong and pow-
erful. She views any person who is not from her village as a
threat and is constantly looking for a weakness she can ex-
ploit. She has risen in the ranks of her ninja village by acting
decisively. She will sabotage a village or kill an enemy when-
ever she thinks she can get away with it. She’s done bad things
in order to protect her village’s interests. She isn’t held back
by morality, but she does not take pleasure in her duty. Regret
often plagues her after the deed has been done.

JAGA, DESERT JACKAL DEMON
Strain Limit: 20
Turns per Round: 3
ATTRIBUTES
Body: D10
Spirit: D12
Mind: D10
Martial Arts: D8
Elemental Arts: D12
Illusion Arts: D8

Crazed Jackal Beast: Jaga starts each Encounter with the
Level 2 Obstacle “Crazed Jackal Beast” which gives Verbal and
Illusion Attacks made against him Disadvantage for each Ob-
stacle Level.
Impenetrable Sand Armor: Jaga starts each Encounter with

the Level 2 Obstacle “Impenetrable Sand Armor” which makes
him immune to Martial and Elemental Attacks.
Swirling Sandstorm: Jaga starts each Encounter with the

Level 2 Obstacle “Swirling Sandstorm” which deals 1 Strain to
each player’s character at the beginning of their Turn and al-
lows Jaga to deal Strain equal to the Hits scored on his Ele-
mental Attacks to any number of characters.
Syphoning Sinkhole: Jaga can attempt to create the Obsta-

cle “Syphoning Sinkhole” which will give all characters Disad-
vantage on all Body rolls and will drain 1 Energy from them at
the beginning of their Turn.

Summoned Sand Claws: As an Extra Action, Jaga can at-
tempt to create the Obstacle “Summoned Sand Claws” which
gives targets of his Martial Attacks Disadvantage on Resist
rolls.
FEATURES
Jaga has the body of a man and the face of a jackal. He’s cov-
ered in fur that has patches of brown, black, and grey. The fur
sticks out in wild tufts in some places and is terribly matted in
others. He wears armor made of shifting sand. He has a wild
look in his eyes and foams at the mouth. He has razor sharp
teeth and claws.
PERSONALITY
Jaga is wild and evil. He laughs in delite at the pain of others
and enjoys watching people suffer. He is a rabid dog with in-
credible power.
BACKGROUND
Jaga is a supernatural embodiment of destruction. He is a
powerful demon from the spiritual desert of suffering. Only
the most powerful ninja are capable of connecting to Jaga’s
realm and only the most insidious would attempt to form a
pact with such a depraved creature.
MOTIVATION
Jaga lives to torment those that enter the spiritual desert of
suffering. A powerful ninja has harnessed the power to sum-
mon him, but has little control of his actions. He has been
unleashed and few have any hope of being able to stop him.

CHARACTER LISTS
This section has a number of lists that you can use to random-
ly generate different character details in your game.
CHARACTER NAMES
01 - Akora
02 - Bindo
03 - Daek
04 - Edoru
05 - Gorrick
06 - Hanzara
07 - Jandi
08 - Karmesto
09 - Loes
10 - Moramer
11 - Nindora
12 - Oenik
13 - Pim
14 - Ranette
15 - Tato
16 - Umir
17 - Varsella
18 - Winte
19 - Yorah
20 - Zek
PERSONALITY TYPES
01 - Friendly
02 - Mean
03 - Shy
04 - Boisterous
05 - Lazy
06 - Energetic
07 - Goofy
08 - Serious
09 - Sophisticated
10 - Eccentric

PHYSICAL FEATURES
01 - Hair (Very Long, Tightly Braided, Brightly Dyed)
02 - Face (Colorful Eyes, Button Nose, Eerie Smile)
03 - Dress (Fancy Coat, Ripped Pants, Bright Patterns)
04 - Habit (Shuffles Cards, Never Blinks, Twirls Hair)
05 - Voice (Pitch Cracks, Strong Accent, Very Deep)
06 - Accessory (Cool Glasses, Pretty Parasol, Wide Hat)
07 - Scar (Missing Eye, Broken Nose, Facial Burns)
08 - Pet (Mean Dog, Bird in Hair, Wild Monkey)
09 - Markings (Painted Hands, Scarification, Emblem)
10 - Form (Scaled Skin, Four Eyes, No Mouth)
BACKGROUNDS
01 - Meager Life
02 - Luxurious Life
03 - Criminal Record
04 - Star Pupil
05 - Legacy of Greatness
06 - Legacy of Failure
07 - Burdened by Prophecy
08 - Burdened by Tragedy
09 - A Famous Past
10 - A Secret Past
MOTIVATIONS
01 - Peace and Quiet
02 - Acceptance and Love
03 - Glory and Fame
04 - Duty and Honor
05 - Freedom and Independence
06 - Fun and Satisfaction
07 - Wealth and Prosperity
08 - Knowledge and Enlightenment
09 - Justice and Revenge
10 - Power and Control

KUNAI ACADEMY 148 s e t t i n g s
SETTINGS
The setting for Kunai Academy should be shaped by the Vil-
lage Background details that players define. The Gamemas-
ter should avoid conceptualizing too much about the game
world until player’s have answered their Village Background
questions. As the GM, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to
introduce your own ideas into the world. But your primary
goal should be weaving the Village Backgrounds into a set-
ting that feels alive. You should strive to heighten the players’
concepts using people, places, and things.
When players define their Village Backgrounds, they may look

to you for some baseline definitions about the world they’ll be
inhabiting. There’s no right or wrong answers, but some guid-
ance about the setting can be helpful for decision making.
Here’s some general aspects of the setting that players may
have questions about. Default assumptions are provided for
a baseline Kunai Academy world, but don’t be afraid to make
unique choices and build a more inventive setting. Consider
your preference beforehand or discuss with the group during
the first session.
TIME PERIOD
Players may generally want to know the “time period” that
the world is set in. Even if your game takes place in a fantasy
world that is completely removed from our notion of history,
it will still likely reflect the technology level and social customs
of a real world time-period.

A great place to start is the Feudal Era. The general populace
was largely made up of farmers and commoners. Gunpowder
existed, but working firearms were extremely rare. Academic
arts and sciences were found in major cities, but were unfamil-
iar to most people. Warriors went into battle armed with steel
melee weapons or long-range projectiles. City-states were
generally ruled by strong central leaders who were beholden
to larger regional leaders. Here are other potential eras that
might inspire your game’s setting:
– A stone age game in which ninja protect their village

from from rival tribes and chieftains
– An industrial age game in which ninja traditions are fall-
ing out of favor due to new technologies
– A cold-war era game in which ninja arts are employed in
international espionage
While thinking about the time-period is helpful for defining

the setting, historical accuracy is not the goal. In fact, much of
the source material for a game like Kunai Academy features
wildly different technologies coexisting in the same world.
Player concepts should always take precedence over attempts
at any historical restrictions. Afterall, your world will likely fea-
ture magical powers and mystical beings. It should be a world
of awe and whimsy with just enough detail to make it feel real.
MAGIC
The Special Abilities and Techniques available to players sug-
gest that magic exists in the world they inhabit. It’s possible
that the nature of magic will be defined by one of the players
through their Village Background. But, if it is not, you may
want to discuss how magic works.

You can start with the assumption that using magic is a care-
fully guarded secret known only by ninja. The source of the
magic’s power is an individual’s spiritual power and life force.
Tapping into this hidden Energy takes a lifetime of practice and
perhaps an innate aptitude as well. This approach to magic
makes the characters extremely special as they can harness a
power that most people do not possess. Here are other po-
tential types of magic that might inspire your game’s setting:
– Magic can only be obtained by forming a bond with a

supernatural being
– Magic is used freely by everyone and the world is a place
of never-ending wonders
– Magic does not exist but advanced technology grants
the ability to do magical things
There’s no need to define the nature of magic in excruciating

detail. After all, magic is wild and unknowable. It’s possible
that multiple sources of magic exist in your world. Perhaps
new sources of magic will be found as you play. While discuss-
ing how magic works, leave room for players to interact with
the magical aspects of your world in inventive ways.
POLITICAL STRUCTURE
Many of the Village Backgrounds give players an opportunity
to define, or at least imply, how the village works. They can
create the village leadership and influential organizations as
well as define conflicts between different entities in the village.
But they may also look to you for the baseline power structure
of the village so that they can expand on it.

You can start with the assumption that the village is run by
a masterful ninja leader. This leader protects the village and
serves the citizens by disseminating orders through the ninja
hierarchy. There is a council of advisors that help the leader
and appoint a new leader if an absence arises. But the leader
is the one who makes the decisions and holds power in the
village. Here are other potential types of political structures
that might inspire your game’s setting:
– An assembly of elders that are called together in only the

most dire of circumstances
– A non-ninja leader who is chosen by a popular vote and
ninja must answer to them
– A foreign power that has removed all ninja leadership
and made being a ninja illegal
There’s likely no need to get too specific about the dissemina-

tion of political power in your world. Broad strokes are usually
enough to paint a clear picture. As long as the players know
who is in charge, they should be able to make informed deci-
sions. Lean on political power structures only when they pro-
vide fun tensions for the story.
NINJA TRAINING
The very nature of being a young ninja implies that you’re on
a journey to hone your craft. The exact manner in which ninja
novices learn and grow can be defined by you and the play-
ers. Characters will gain Ninja Ranks as they progress and you
can incorporate story elements related to these milestones.

You can start with the assumption that players have gradu-
ated from a beginner ninja school and have just entered the
advanced ninja school. They are new students surrounded by
older and more experienced ninja. They are part of a home-
room with their freshman peers. They’ve also been assigned
to a field team and entering the advanced school means go-
ing on missions for the first time. Ninja students in the ad-
vanced school are separated by Ninja Ranks and each new
Ninja Rank requires an exam that must be passed. Here are
other potential types of ninja training that might inspire your
game’s setting:
– Ninja training is done through competing schools and

you must defeat your rivals to earn new Ninja Ranks
– Ninja training is done through apprenticeship with a
master. Ninja Ranks are granted through their approval
only
– Ninja training is done by hunting angry spirits. New
Ninja Ranks are gained only by defeating the legendary
beasts that lurk in the ethereal shadows.
Providing some guidance on ninja training will help get players

in the mindset of being a young person learning their place in
the world. But don’t feel like you need to explain every small
detail. It’s possible a young ninja may not know what challeng-
es await them as they enter an intimidating new academy. It’s
also possible that special circumstances might arise for excep-
tional students. Allow the structure of ninja training to serve
the story as needed.
BEYOND THE VILLAGE

You’ll spend a lot of time defining the village your characters
inhabit, but there’s also a whole wide world full of mystery
and adventure beyond the village. Village Background details
could hint at aspects of this greater world. Players may also
want you to define what lies beyond the village boundaries.

You can start with the assumption that there are other ninja
villages in the world and that each ninja village serves as the
elite fighting force of their respective countries. There are likely
some ninja villages that are openly hostile and some that are
tenuous allies. There are other cities in the world that do not
train ninja. And there are also wide swaths of wilderness and
rural communities. Here are other potential worlds that might
inspire your game’s setting:
– The world outside the village is a desolate wasteland. It

was destroyed with powerful magic and your village isn’t
sure who else has survived.
– The world outside doesn’t know ninja exist and your vil-
lage stays hidden with powerful magic.
– The ninja village constantly travels through different
dimensions and materializes in a new reality every full
moon.
A ninja village is daunting enough to define, let alone an en-

tire fantasy world. Keep the definitions loose and leave lots of
room to add in new details as the story progresses. Afterall,
the young characters in the game may not know much about
the world outside their village. It’s always more fun to allow the
characters to learn about the world as they explore it them-
selves.

EXAMPLE VILLAGES
Here are a number of example villages to use as a resource.
Insert them into your world as needed or use them as inspira-
tion when you’re brainstorming.
THE VILLAGE WITHOUT SHADOWS

The Village Without Shadows exists deep within the Blue Basin
Desert. It is a complicated network of subterranean dwellings
that encircle a grand oasis. They possess advanced technol-
ogy that surpasses every other nation. Their glassmiths use
powerful fire magic to create super-strong blue-tinted shim-
mer-glass. The water that springs from the oasis is imbued
with a magical essence that allows it to fuel shimmer-glass
devices. A network of magical power and bright, blue-tint-
ed light flows through their underground society. They have
copters that allow them to fly across the desert skies, artificial
creatures that perform simple tasks, and a complex network of
levers, pumps, and pulleys that provide power to their village.
The Village Without Shadows is an isolationist enclave. They

use illusion magic and a network of mirrors to hide themselves
from the world. Ninjas from the village take long expeditions
to gather resources and explore their surroundings, but stay-
ing hidden is a top priority. Legends exist outside of the vil-
lage, but few believe the tales of a city hidden in the desert.
The population of the village is small and each member is seen

as an invaluable resource. Advances in medicine and technol-
ogy allow them to replace lost limbs and empower each cit-
izen to achieve their greatest potential. Because of the harsh
nature of the desert environment and the constant expedition
missions, almost every ninja from The Village Without Shad-
ows is equipped with a shimmer-glass prosthetic. This may
be a limb, an eye, or even a vital organ. But each prosthetic
allows them advanced abilities that pushes them beyond their
previous capabilities.

THE VILLAGE OF PAINTED PILLARS
The Village of Painted Pillars is widely known as an artistic hub.
It has amazing schools for drawing, painting, sculpture, dance,
and music. Each thoroughfare is lined with statues and mu-
rals that display the prowess of the local artists. People from
many different villages move there to hone their artistic craft.
The city is welcoming to outsiders and has a diverse, growing
population.
Many of the schools in The Village of Painted Pillars teach

a fusion of art and ninja techniques. Ninjas from the village
weave dancing, painting, and sculpting into their fighting
styles. The village is best known for a group of legendary war-
rior musicians called The Fives Staves. These ninjas each pos-
sess mastery over music and sound manipulation. They travel
the world and perform for large crowds. When one of The
Five Staves is killed or retires, a new ninja is chosen to take
their place. Being chosen to join The Five Staves is one of the
greatest honors a ninja can achieve.
Each member of The Five Staves wields a legendary staff. The

Soprano Staff grants the wielder the ability to emit hypersonic
sounds which allow them to communicate with animals and
utilize echolocation. The Alto Staff grants the wielder a mag-
ically-soothing voice which can be used to calm others or lull
them to sleep. The Tenor Staff grants the wielder a magical-
ly-invigorating voice which can be used to inspire and incite
those around them. The Bass Staff grants the wielder control
of powerful subsonic frequencies which can cause extreme
nausea and destructive vibrations. And the Maestro Staff
grants the wielder super-heightened hearing and the ability
to transform living beings into soundwaves which can travel
quickly over great distances. These staves are passed down
through the generations and have been wielded by many dif-
ferent ninja masters throughout the village’s history.

THE VILLAGE OF WILDFLOWERS
The Village of Wildflowers is a small and idyllic community
located in a fertile plain. The vast fields are rich with flowers
that grow uncontrollably. The people of the town are most-
ly farmers and artisans who live in the surrounding hills. The
buildings in town are old and simple. The newest building, the
ninja academy, is towering and pristine.
Ninjas from the Village of Wildflowers are masters of manip-

ulating plant life. They can summon vines from the earth,
conjure razor-sharp leaf blades, and disperse themselves into
clouds of dandelion tufts. They often incorporate a distinctive
camo pattern that has multiple colorful flowers interspersed
between green foliage. Small squadrons from their village are
used as specialist strike forces in the armies of the Verdant
Empire.
Years ago, the Verdant Empire appeared in the village and

conscripted townsfolk to fight in their army. They renamed the
small village after the flowers that covered the land. They left
an aging ninja master there to build a school and train ninja
to fight. Every few years they collect the best ninja from the
village to fight in their never-ending wars. But there are still
people in the village who remember the old name of Zhan-
toland. They whisper it in the shadows and dream of the days
when their village wasn’t beholden to the power of the Ver-
dant Empire.

THE ENCLAVE OF EELS
The Enclave of Eels is a migrating band of seafarers. They nev-
er stay in any one place too long. Sometimes they harbor their
fleet of ships and build a temporary island settlement. Oth-
er times they anchor in calm waters and connect their ships
with an elaborate system of planks and rope bridges. They are
masters of fishing and often follow schools of sea creatures as
they migrate. They have a network of sea plants which grow
on submerged lattices. They pull this underwater garden be-
hind their ships and harvest it on a regular basis.
The Enclave of Eels are proud people. They don’t attack set-
tled villages or civilian ships unless provoked. They seek to
be recognized as a powerful nation, but many countries view
them as a threat. They have become extremely self-sufficient
because other nations refuse to trade with them. There are
those in the enclave who think they need to settle permanent-
ly in order to be taken seriously as a major nation. But the way
of the eel is deeply ingrained in their society and most hold
on to it firmly.
Ninja from the Enclave of Eels are masters of water manipu-

lation. Fighting them in the open sea is incredibly difficult as
they can control the currents and stay submerged underwater
for days at a time. They often fight with spears, knives, and
nets. They are distinguishable by the warpaint they wear into
battle.
THE CITY OF SNOWY PEAKS

In the center of a vast island there is a grand mountain range
that guards the entrance to the City of Snowy Peaks. This pris-
tine city covers the mountainside with beautiful towers, won-
derous statues, and immaculate parks. The city bustles with
activity even late into the night. The high walls that surround
the city were crafted with 10,000 perfectly placed bricks. Snow
falls nearly year-round, but the city is warmed by magical
heat-globes that line the city streets.

The City of Snowy Peaks is located in the middle of many
powerful villages. Their steep slopes and city walls make in-
vasion difficult and their diplomatic efforts have established
neutral relationships with the surrounding nations. They serve
as a hub for international trade and diplomacy. They have
hosted many negotiations and treaties between rival nations.
They’ve enjoyed great prosperity from their neutrality, but
many think it is cowardly. There is a growing sentiment in the
City of Snowy Peaks that they should fight with other nations
when the cause is just.
Ninjas from the city of snowy peaks are masters of cold and
light. They create hazardous snowstorms and dazing light
strobes to hinder and confuse their opponents. They focus on
defense and surveillance rather than destruction. Ninjas from
other villages are wary of their inescapable ice cages. They
wear large coats and tinted goggles. They can travel at great
speeds through the snowy mountain ranges by riding atop
slick wooden planks.
VILLAGE NAMES LIST

Here are a number of example village names you can use to
randomly generate details for your game or to inspire your
own creations.
01 - The Village of Wondering Lights

02 - The Village of Heavenly Roars
03 - The Village of Raging Rapids
04 - The Village of Broken Gates
05 - The Village of Tangled Vines
06 - The Village of Hollow Bones
07 - The Village of Teetering Paths
08 - The Village of Silent Bells
09 - The Village of Red Waves
10 - The Village at World’s End

SPECIAL THANKS
This game owes a great deal to everyone who helped playtest
and provided insightful feedback that shaped the final prod-
uct: Derrick Long, Reid Chandler, Liza Cortright, Richard Ru-
ane, Anastasia Okuonghae, Alex Berkowitz, Scott Brown, Will
Goodman, Sebastian del Castillo, Alden Bishop, Laura Bishop,
Dan Raspler, Leo Jenicek, Adam Dickstein, Mike Sette, Sharang
Biswas, Mana Pot Studios for letting us stream playtesting live,
and all of the lovely people at Metatopia.
This game would not be possible without all of the generos-

ity and faith put into it by all of the Kickstarter backers: Sar-
ah Reece, Benjamin Loy, Nick Rome, Ben ‘Sin’ Sanchez, Liza
Cortright, Jacob Lund, Yves SIMON, Lloyd Rasmussen, Duan
Bailey, Jonathan “Buddha” Davis, Anastasia Okuonghae, Ad-
dison Allen, hiei82, Zach Norton, Mike Sette, Adam Coker, Ja-
son Duncan, Ian McFarlin, Sebastian del Castillo, Derrick Long,
Leeanne Kahler, Andrea Kahler, Luke Skeirik, Alon Elian, Matt
McManus, Deu, Joseph Barreiro, Patrice Mermoud, Leo “By-
rning Fists” Jenicek, Adam Albright, Tylah Davies, Cj Gilbert,
Scott Brown, Seth Lee True Love Hero, Bellhound, Beth B.,
Phil Pestinger, Volsung, Holly Rennex, Trip Space-Parasite, A.
Bishop, Adam Reynolds, AlexIsAok, Kyle Barone, Ryan Percy,
Geoffrey (Jetstream) Walter, Harry Patrick, Derek, Jacob Hare,
JTB3, Trevor A. Ramirez, Matthew Hernandez, Alain Stephens,
Chrifu Bernal, Calvin Gustafson, Juan Francisco “Zeromegas”
Gonzalez Garza, Kyle Perdew, Victoria R, Reid C Chandler, Niki
and Celina, Benjamin “BlackLotos” Welke, Thom E Shartle, Ken
J Breese, Clay Gardner, Jeff Zitomer, Dr. Tyler Brunette, E. Con-
tesse, Levi Dwyer, Richard Ruane, Ryan Kent, Kalysto, Laucien,
THE Donnie, Marek Benes, Sean McCormack, and Loki, Tilly,
& Murphy.
And. lastly, I’d like to thank my wife Alicia. I couldn’t ask for a
better partner. Thank you for always supporting my dreams.
KUNAI ACADEMY 160 Spec i a l T h a n k s

INDEX
A D
Actions 43 Determining Success 18
Advantage 19 Desire Experiences 37
Altered Ninja 54 Determined Ninja 52
Analysing Eyes 83 Disadvantage 19
Assist 34
Attack 43 E
Attack Type 43 Edge Levels 24
Attributes 21 Edge Name 24
Attribute Die 21 Edges 24
Attribute Ratings 21 Elemental Arts 23
Elemental Attack 43
B Elemental Barrier 77
Background Character 57, 119 Elemental Blast 76
Bloodline Techniques 83 Elemental Breakthrough 76
Body 21 Elemental Charge 77
Body Substitution 80 Elemental Control 77
Elementa Fusion 84
C Elemental Strike 74
Characters 117 Elite Enemy 105, 107
Character Creation 10 Encounters Points 107
Character Lists 146 Encounters 15, 102
Character Types 118 Enemies 105
Charismatic 68 Enemy Actions 106
Clan Member 68 Enemy Types 105
Controlling the Darkness 50 Energetic 67
Coordinated Strike 75 Energy 29
Cover 34 Energy Wellspring 53
Create an Obstacle 106 Example Encounters 93-95
Cunning Gambit 48 Example Enemies 120
Curious Collector 54 Example Villages 155
Cursed Ninja 49 Experience Scenes 37-38, 101
Custom Obstacle Effects 115 Experiences 37
Custom Technique 69 Extra Actions 46
F M
Fast 69 Martial Arts 23
First Game 91 Martial Attack 43
Flashback 33 Mind 23
Fluid Stance 75 Mind Control 84
Forbidden Knowledge 72 Motivation 33
Forbidden Techniques 81
N
G Ninja Archetypes 47
Gamemaster 86 Ninja Ranks 39
Genius Ninja 48 Normal Enemy 105, 107
Gifted and Talented 55
Got Your Back 51 O
Grand Illusion 78 Obstacle Effect 27, 111, 112
Gutsy Ninja 56 Obstacle Levels 27, 111
Obstacle Name 27, 111
H Obstacle Structure 111
Healing 35 Obstacle Upgrade 108
Healing Palm 81 Obstacles 27, 109
Hits 18 Overcome 45
I P
Illusion Arts 23 Past the Limits 52
Illusion Attack 44 Persistent Illusion 79
Illusory Clone 79 Piercing Eyes 83
Illusory Feint 78 Power Strike 74
Infinite Adaptability 54 Powerful Persona 56
Initiative 16 Prepare 45
Initiative Cards 16 Prodigy Ninja 55
Inspiring Presence 56 Prohibited Powers 54
Power Absorption 81
L Push the Limits 52
Last Ninja Standing 53
Lingering Emotions 36 Q
Loyal Ninja 51 Quick Strike 74
Loyal Pet 83
Lurking Voices 49
R V
Ranking Up 40 Verbal Attack 44
Recharge 45 Village Agents 58
Recovery 31 Village Backgrounds 57
Reliable Ally 51 Village Betrayal 59
Resist 32 Village Clans 61
Responsibility Experiences 37 Village Leader 60
Reversal 33 Village Murder 65
Rounds 17 Village Names List 159
Village Secret 63
S Village Spirits 64
Scene Checks 41, 100 Village War 62
Scenes 15, 97 Villain Enemy 105, 108
Scene Goals 99
Set-Up 34 W
Settings 149 World Shaping 82
Signature Weapon 68
Speed Flicker 81
Spirit 22
Standard Obstacle Effects 112
Standard Techniques 74
Starting Obstacle 108
Strain 30
Strain Limit 30
Summon 82
T
Tactical Mind 48
Teamwork 34
Techniques 73
Terrifying Illusion 79
Tireless Ninja 53
Tough 67
Traits 67
Transformation 83
True Savant 55
Turns 17
U
Upgraded Obstacle Effects 114

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KUNAI

GAME DESIGN AND GRAPHIC DESIGN

WITH DESIGN CONTRIBUTIONS FROM

102 RUNNING ENCOUNTERS

KUNAI ACADEMY 6 INTRODUCTION

The tone of this game is meant to be lighthearted and fun. Many

KUNAI ACADEMY 7 INTRODUCTION

Dice – You’ll need at least 1 six-sided die, 1 eight-sided die, 1

Playbooks and/or Character Sheets – Each player will

Pencils or Pens – All players will need to record character

Sticky Notes, Index Cards, or Scrap Paper – Edges and

Playing Cards – Initiative order during an Encounter is deter-

KUNAI ACADEMY 8 INTRODUCTION

Similarly, Kunai Academy employs many themes that are root-

KUNAI ACADEMY 9 INTRODUCTION

CHOOSE A NINJA ARCHETYPE

CHOOSE A VILLAGE BACKGROUND

DEFINE NINJA DETAILS

Each rating is associated with a certain dice size. When you

– C-Rating Attributes use 6-sided dice (D6).

See the Attributes section on page 21 for more information on

MAX ENERGY AND STRAIN LIMIT

KUNAI ACADEMY 11 INTRODUCTION

VILLAGE BACKGROUND QUESTIONS

While answering the Village Background questions, each play-

Deal 1 Initiative Card to each player’s character. Some game

After dealing to players, deal Initiative Cards to the enemy

Once all characters have their Initiative Cards, characters can

Each player’s character can use Teamwork once per Round.

The dice rolled for an action are determined by the type of

Sometimes players will be able to choose which Attribute Dice

If you have multiple Disadvantages, then you add a D6 Disad-

You make an Overcome roll using your Mind and Elemental

– A C-Rating Attribute needs improvement.

Each Attribute also has an Attribute Die that’s representative

C-Rating Attributes have 6-sided (D6) Attribute Dice.

B-Rating Attributes have 8-sided (D8) Attribute Dice.

A-Rating Attributes have 10-sided (D10) Attribute Dice.

S-Rating Attributes have 12-sided (D12) Attribute Dice.

Players create Edges by taking the Prepare action and occa-

When a character names an Edge, it’s important that the Edge

– Summoned Wind Spirits

It is important to note that Edges can never fully restrict or

Each Obstacle has an Obstacle Level (generally 1-3) that rep-

Like Edges, the names of Obstacles create a narrative truth

The narrative cohesion of an Obstacle can work in the play-

All characters start each Encounter with Energy equal to their

Each Ninja Rank 1 character starts with a Max Energy value of

Each character’s Strain Limit represents how much punishment

Each Rank 1 character starts with a Strain Limit of 8. A char-

The Attribute Die rolled when making a Resist Roll is depen-

Resist rolls can be modified by any game effect that would

When your character makes an Overcome action, you can

Assist - When a player uses Teamwork to Assist, they grant

Cover - A player can use Teamwork in order to make their

Set-Up - A player can use Teamwork to give an ally an extra

Receiving lots of Strain in an Encounter makes it difficult to

LINGERING EMOTION OPTIONS

A character with a Lingering Emotion should consider how