Ninjas are courtly and charismatic, often trained in such arts of language, poetry, and drama. However, the ninjas of The Path pursue these noble arts as a matter of enlightenment. Members of The Path believe that true enlightenment can only be found through academic study, and their Ninjas aspire to learn all they can of their arts.
Scholarly Pursuits
The scholar of the path is lives her life in pursuit of hidden knowledge and dangerous secrets. She uses her Intelligence score and modifier in place of her Charisma score and modifier for all class features.
Life of Research
A scholar of the path gains all Knowledge skills as class skills.
This replaces poison use
Resolve (Su)
At 2nd level, the scholar of the path gains the resolve class feature of a samurai of her level. She does not regain resolve when she defeats the target of her challenge, even if she gains the ability to make a challenge from another class feature.
This replaces the ninja trick gained at 2nd level
Ki Study
At 4th level, the scholar of the path’s studies reveal new abilities she can perform with her ki and resolve. She may choose 1 ability from the following list at 4th level, and another at 8th level and every 4 levels thereafter. This replaces the ninja tricks gains at 4th, 8th, 12th, 16th, and 20th levels
As My Breath (Sp): The scholar of the path may expend a use of resolve in response to an attack as an immediate action by briefly becoming vaporous and insubstantial, allowing the attack to pass harmlessly through her. The scholar of the path gains DR 10/magic against this attack and is immune to any poison, sneak attacks, or critical hit effect from that attack. She cannot use this ability against an attack of opportunity she provokes by casting a spell, using a spell-like ability, or using any other magical ability that provokes an attack of opportunity when used.
Like The Rushing River (Sp): The scholar of the path may use spend a ki point as a standard action to cast hydraulic push as a spell-like ability using her ninja level as her caster level and her Intelligence as her spellcasting ability score.
An Extension Of My Soul (Su): When the scholar of the path hits with a sneak attack, she may choose to expend 3 ki points as an immediate action to maximize her sneak attack damage. The scholar of the path must be at least 12th level to select this ki study.
From Whence You Came! (Sp): When the ninja strikes an extraplanar or summoned creature with a sneak attack, she can spend 4 ki points as a swift action to attempt to send the creature back to its home plane. This functions as dismissal, with a DC equal to 10 + 1/2 the scholar of the path’s level + her Int modifier. The scholar of the path must be at least 12th level to select this ki study.
As I Suspected... (Ex): When an opponent targets the scholar of the path with a melee or ranged attack, she can expend a use of resolve as an immediate action to make a relevant Knowledge skill check. The scholar of the path uses the result as in place of her AC or touch AC against that attack. She must be aware of the attack and not flat-footed.
My Honor Or My Death! (Ex): When the scholar of the path attempts a Will saving throw, she may expend a use of resolve to gain a sacred bonus on her saving throw equal to Intelligence modifier.
By Might and Magic (Sp): The scholar of the path may use a standard action to exchange a ki point for a use of resolve, and vice versa.
The scholar of the path is lives her life in pursuit of hidden knowledge and dangerous secrets. She uses her Intelligence score and modifier in place of her Charisma score and modifier for all class features.
Life of Research
A scholar of the path gains all Knowledge skills as class skills.
This replaces poison use
Resolve (Su)
At 2nd level, the scholar of the path gains the resolve class feature of a samurai of her level. She does not regain resolve when she defeats the target of her challenge, even if she gains the ability to make a challenge from another class feature.
This replaces the ninja trick gained at 2nd level
Ki Study
At 4th level, the scholar of the path’s studies reveal new abilities she can perform with her ki and resolve. She may choose 1 ability from the following list at 4th level, and another at 8th level and every 4 levels thereafter. This replaces the ninja tricks gains at 4th, 8th, 12th, 16th, and 20th levels
As My Breath (Sp): The scholar of the path may expend a use of resolve in response to an attack as an immediate action by briefly becoming vaporous and insubstantial, allowing the attack to pass harmlessly through her. The scholar of the path gains DR 10/magic against this attack and is immune to any poison, sneak attacks, or critical hit effect from that attack. She cannot use this ability against an attack of opportunity she provokes by casting a spell, using a spell-like ability, or using any other magical ability that provokes an attack of opportunity when used.
Like The Rushing River (Sp): The scholar of the path may use spend a ki point as a standard action to cast hydraulic push as a spell-like ability using her ninja level as her caster level and her Intelligence as her spellcasting ability score.
An Extension Of My Soul (Su): When the scholar of the path hits with a sneak attack, she may choose to expend 3 ki points as an immediate action to maximize her sneak attack damage. The scholar of the path must be at least 12th level to select this ki study.
From Whence You Came! (Sp): When the ninja strikes an extraplanar or summoned creature with a sneak attack, she can spend 4 ki points as a swift action to attempt to send the creature back to its home plane. This functions as dismissal, with a DC equal to 10 + 1/2 the scholar of the path’s level + her Int modifier. The scholar of the path must be at least 12th level to select this ki study.
As I Suspected... (Ex): When an opponent targets the scholar of the path with a melee or ranged attack, she can expend a use of resolve as an immediate action to make a relevant Knowledge skill check. The scholar of the path uses the result as in place of her AC or touch AC against that attack. She must be aware of the attack and not flat-footed.
My Honor Or My Death! (Ex): When the scholar of the path attempts a Will saving throw, she may expend a use of resolve to gain a sacred bonus on her saving throw equal to Intelligence modifier.
By Might and Magic (Sp): The scholar of the path may use a standard action to exchange a ki point for a use of resolve, and vice versa.