NARUTO RATS

A shinobi hack of Maze Rats by Ben Milton

This document adapts the rules-light RPG Maze Rats (text CC BY 4.0, Ben Milton)
into a hack for running games set in the world of Naruto. Mechanics are
unchanged except where noted — only the flavor, tables, and names have been
reworked. Attribution: original text by Ben Milton,
[Link]

INTRODUCTION

Naruto Rats is a game of ninja missions, forbidden jutsu, hidden villages, and the
razor's edge between shinobi duty and personal will. One player is the Game
Master (GM), running the Elemental Nations, its villages, and every NPC. The rest
are Player Characters (PCs) — genin, missing-nin, wandering mercenaries, or clan
heirs making their way through a dangerous world.

The GM's job: play every NPC, run the villages and wilds, present concrete
situations, adapt to the players' choices, and rule fairly. The players' job: roleplay
their shinobi, engage with the missions and dangers in front of them, and try to
keep their team alive long enough to become legends — or retire quietly with their
earnings.

PLAYING THE GAME

Danger Rolls

When an action is risky and can't just be resolved by description, the GM calls for a
Danger Roll. Roll 2d6 and add the proper ability bonus. 10 or higher succeeds.
Danger rolls usually fail — smart shinobi stack the odds in their favor before they
roll.

STR — raw power, taijutsu, physical resilience.

DEX — speed, precision, reflexes; also governs weapon and ranged jutsu
accuracy.

WIL — chakra control, force of personality, perception, resisting genjutsu.

Opposed Danger Roll: both sides roll and compare totals instead of beating a 10.
Defenders win ties.
Advantage

If the PC's training, preparation, or a Shinobi Path reduces the risk, the GM grants
Advantage: roll 3d6, keep the best two. Only one advantage die ever applies to a
roll.

NPC Reactions

Meeting an NPC or beast of unknown disposition? Roll 1d6:

1 2–3 4–5 6

Hostile Wary Friendly Helpful

Hostile NPCs hinder, harass, or attack. Wary NPCs won't help without real
motivation. Friendly NPCs help if it costs them nothing. Helpful NPCs help even
when inconvenient.

Rank & Advancement

LVL XP Rank Feature

1 0 Genin. Starting rank.

2 2 +2 max Health, +1 to an ability bonus

Chunin candidate. +2 max Health. Pick one: Strike Bonus +1, gain a
3 6
new Shinobi Path, or gain a Jutsu Slot.

4 12 +2 max Health, +1 to an ability bonus

Jonin. +2 max Health. Pick one: Strike Bonus +1, gain a new Shinobi
5 20
Path, or gain a Jutsu Slot.

6 30 +2 max Health, +1 to an ability bonus

Elite/Kage-track. +2 max Health. Pick one: Strike Bonus +1, gain a

7 42
new Shinobi Path, or gain a Jutsu Slot.

At level 7 a PC may retire (becoming an NPC — a sensei, council member, or even

Kage candidate). The player rolls up a new level 1 genin.

Initiative

Both sides roll a d6, rerolling ties. Winner acts first, reroll each round (a side may
act twice in a row). On a side's turn, each character may move ~30 ft and take one
action: strike, cast a jutsu, use an item, move again, etc.
An ambush grants automatic initiative and advantage on all attacks that round.
The ambushed team's leader may attempt a WIL danger roll to avoid being caught
flat-footed.

Combat

Characters have a base Guard rating of 6 (representing evasive footwork and

reflexes, not literal armor). Light protective gear (mesh armor, reinforced gloves)
gives +1 Guard; a defensive tool (tanto used to parry, a wooden practice shield, a
puppet-panel) gives +1 Guard and uses one hand; heavy gear (samurai-style plate,
chakra-reinforced armor) gives +2 Guard but removes Advantage from DEX danger
rolls and surprise strikes.

Strike Roll: attacker rolls 2d6 + Strike Bonus. Ranged attacks are impossible while
in melee. Compare the total to the defender's Guard — if it beats Guard, the attack
hits for damage equal to the difference. Heavy weapons (fuma shuriken, war fans,
oversized blades) add +1 damage; unarmed strikes subtract 1 (minimum 1).
Double sixes = Critical Hit, damage doubled or another dramatic effect at the
GM's discretion.

If the defender is carrying a defensive tool, they may shatter/sacrifice it on a hit to

ignore all damage from that attack.

At 0 Health, a character is slain. When a PC dies, its player rolls a new level 1 genin
(or takes over a hireling/genin squadmate) and rejoins the group as soon as it
makes sense.

NPC Morale

When an NPC faces more danger than expected, the GM may call for a WIL danger
roll to see if they break or beg for mercy — typically when they lose half their
squad, half their own Health alone, their captain, or are hit by a jutsu. Most NPCs
won't fight battles they can't win.

Healing

A PC heals 1 Health after a proper meal and full night's rest. 24 hours resting safely
restores full Health. A dose of medicine restores 1 Health once per day. Medical
ninjutsu (a jutsu generated with a healing-flavored name) can restore more at the
GM's discretion.

Gear & Loadout

Every item has a location: hands, worn, on the belt (2 items max), or in the pack
(as much as reasonably fits). Belt items can be drawn instantly in combat; pack
items take 1d6 rounds to dig out.
CHARACTER CREATION

1. Roll or choose abilities

1d Strength Dexterity Will

1 +2 +1 +0

2 +2 +0 +1

3 +1 +2 +0

4 +0 +2 +1

5 +1 +0 +2

6 +0 +1 +2

Raise one ability by 1 at levels 2, 4, and 6. No ability may exceed +4.

2. Record max health

Start with 4 max/current Health. +2 max Health per level (current Health
unaffected).

3. Choose a starting feature

Pick one:

+1 Strike Bonus (add to all attack rolls).

One Jutsu Slot (cast one jutsu per day, generated from the Jutsu tables).

One Shinobi Path (advantage on related danger rolls):

Tracker — tracking, foraging, wilderness survival.

Sealmaster — fūinjutsu tinkering, disarming traps, picking locks.

Chakra Runner — tree-walking, water-walking, climbing, leaping, balance.

Shadow Operative — moving silently, hiding, infiltration.

4. Roll or choose six items

Roll 2d6 (first die = group, second die = item within group) or choose freely.

Group 1 Group 2 Group 3 Group 4 Group 5 Group 6

Wire
Exploding Soldier Chakra Grappling
1 Grease spool
tag pill (3) paper hook
(50 ft)
 Group 1 Group 2 Group 3 Group 4 Group 5 Group 6

Ninja
Smoke Ration Poison Rope (50 Ten Foot
2 wire
bomb bar (3) antidote ft) Pole
cutter

Medicine Iron Chain (10

3 Caltrops Waterskin Chalk
(3) spikes ft)

Lantern Steel Sensor

4 Flash bomb Bedroll Bear trap
& oil mirror tag

Camouflage Fishing Hand Ink &

5 Manacles Torch
cloak net drill brush kit

Animal Blank
6 Tinderbox Crowbar Hacksaw Chisel
scent lure scroll

5. Choose combat gear

PCs start with: light protective gear (+1 Guard), a defensive tool (+1 Guard, 1
hand), and two weapons:

Light weapons (1 hand): kunai, senbon, tanto, wakizashi, war fan, chain-sickle.

Heavy weapons (+1 damage, 2 hands): ninjato, fuma shuriken, naginata,

oversized blade, bo staff.

Ranged weapons (2 hands): shuriken set, bow, blowgun, kunai-launcher

gauntlet.

Base Guard 6. Light gear → 7. Holding a defensive tool → 8.

6. Roll or create appearance

1 2 3 4 5 6

Barrel-
1 Wiry Athletic Lanky Brawny Willowy
chested

Square-
2 Chiseled Coltish Statuesque Gaunt Sinewy
jawed

3 Weathered Scrawny Trim Solid Craggy Delicate

Rosy-
4 Towering Slumped Handsome Hideous Wrinkled
cheeked
 1 2 3 4 5 6

Battle- Nimble-
5 Corpulent Slender Bullnecked Boney
hardened framed

6 Grizzled Gorgeous Ripped Haggard Pudgy Furrowed

7. Roll or create physical detail

1 2 3 4 5 6

Seal- Sharp
Battle Braided Broken
1 Burn scars mark canine
scars hair nose
tattoo teeth

Vertical
Clan crest scar Whisker- Curly
2 Dark tan Dreadlocks
tattoo over like scars hair
eye

Huge scar
Exotic Missing Gold Hoarse
3 Freckles across
accent finger tooth voice
chest

Long hair,
Matted Missing Chipped
4 headband- Mustache Sideburns
hair ear tooth
tied

Slicked-
Nine One- Pale Ritual
5 back Piercings
fingers eyed skin scars
hair

Sun-
Shaved Tangled Faded
6 Sallow skin worn Topknot
head hair tattoos
skin

8. Roll or create background

1 2 3 4 5 6

Black-
Chakra- Clan-
Academy market Bounty- Counterfeit-
1 paper disowned
dropout weapons hunter scroll forger
maker heir
dealer
 1 2 3 4 5 6

Fence for
Cursed-seal Disgraced Fallen
2 Deserter stolen Field medic
survivor sensei ANBU
jutsu

Grave-
Genjutsu
robber Hired
3 Fortuneteller Gambler street Hunter-nin
(scroll blade
performer
thief)

Mercenary Orphaned
Interrogation Kunai Missing- Poison-
4 caravan war
specialist smith nin tester
guard refugee

Puppet- Rat- Scroll- Sensor- Slave freed

Ronin
5 corps catcher house type from a labor
swordsman
washout for hire scribe recruit camp

Tea-
Spy Street Village
6 Smuggler Tattooist house
handler urchin guard
informant

9. Roll or create clothing

1 2 3 4 5 6

Bedraggled Blood- Faded

Standard Battle- Ceremonial
1 traveling stained academy
flak jacket torn robes clan robes
cloak bandages uniform

Decaying Eccentric Exotic Fashiona

Elegant silk Embroidered
2 missing- civilian foreign village
kimono clan sash
nin cloak fashion dress trend

Grimy Reinforced Livery of a Ostentatious Patched

Mud-stained
3 mercenary mesh noble merchant hand-m
field gear
gear armor house robes downs

Perfumed Practical Rumpled Singed from Tasteless

Sigil-marked
4 courtesan mission sleep a jutsu souvenir
ritual robes
wear gear clothes mishap garb

Wine-
Undersized Worn-out Oversized Frumpy Garish
stained
5 borrowed sandals & borrowed civilian gambler
festival
gear wraps cloak clothes coat
clothes
 1 2 3 4 5 6

Bandaged Formal
Frayed Antique clan Weather
from Kage- Cultural-
6 traveling heirloom beaten
recent audience village attire
gear robes cloak
injury attire

10. Roll or create personality

1 2 3 4 5 6

1 Bitter Brave Cautious Chipper Contrary Cowardly

2 Cunning Driven Entitled Gregarious Grumpy Heartless

Honor-
3 Hotheaded Inquisitive Irascible Jolly Know-it-all
bound

4 Lazy Loyal Menacing Mopey Nervous Protective

5 Righteous Rude Sarcastic Savage Scheming Serene

6 Spacey Stoic Stubborn Stuck-up Suspicious Wisecracking

11. Roll or create mannerism

1 2 3 4 5 6

Tells Speaks Chuckles Clipped Deep

1 Cryptic
anecdotes breathily often speech voice

Enunciates Flowery Gravelly Highly Hypnotic

2 Drawl
carefully speech voice formal tone

Laughs a Long Melodious

3 Interrupts Laconic Monotone
lot pauses voice

Narrates Shares
Overly Quaint
4 Mumbles own Rambles random
casual sayings
actions facts

Rapid-fire Robotic Slow Squeaky

5 Rhymes Speechifies
speech cadence speech voice

Street Talks to Trails

6 Stutters Very loud Whispers
slang self off
12. Record name, rank, and XP

Keep it short and memorable. Start at Genin rank (level 1), 0 XP.

Female Names

1 2 3 4 5 6

1 Akane Chiyo Emiko Hana Izumi Kaede

2 Kohana Mizuki Nanami Rin Sakumo Shiori

3 Tsuki Umeko Yoshino Aiko Botan Chika

4 Fuyu Haru Kagerou Kikyo Mayu Natsu

5 Ren Sango Tamaki Yuri Aya Hikari

6 Kohaku Miyuki Riko Suzume Tsubaki Yuina

Male Names

1 2 3 4 5 6

1 Akira Daichi Genma Hiroshi Isamu Kaito

2 Kenji Masaru Noboru Ryota Susumu Takumi

3 Yuudai Zenko Chikara Daisuke Eiji Fumio

4 Goro Haruki Ichiro Jiro Katsuo Michio

5 Nobuo Osamu Ryuunosuke Shiro Tetsuya Wataru

6 Yukio Hayate Ittan Kuro Mamoru Souta

Clan Surnames

Use this table for main-family, clan-heir, or noble-house names.

1 2 3 4 5 6

1 Uchiha Hyūga Senju Uzumaki Nara Yamanaka

2 Akimichi Inuzuka Aburame Sarutobi Hatake Shimura

3 Hozuki Yuki Kaguya Kamizuki Terumi Fuma

 1 2 3 4 5 6

Kaguya-
4 Kurama Momochi Karatachi Chinoike Otsutsuki
Fuuma

5 Rokudo Kagerou Tsurugi Hoshigaki Tsuchigumo Ryodoji

6 Kaisen Enma Fukasaku Shirogane Katasuke Amagiri

Commoner Surnames

1 2 3 4 5 6

1 Kurosawa Tanabe Ishida Nakagawa Yamashiro Kobashi

2 Furukawa Higashino Kawasumi Morioka Nishikawa Ogata

3 Shimada Takenouchi Umehara Yanagida Hattori Ibuki

4 Kagami Kurokawa Minagawa Otani Sagara Toyoda

5 Wakahisa Yuzuki Aoyagi Chikada Ebisawa Fukumoto

6 Hasegawa Kanou Mitarai Sakaguchi Tsukioka Yotsuba

JUTSU

Generating Jutsu

When a PC has an open Jutsu Slot, its player generates a jutsu — during character
creation and every morning after a full night's rest. Once cast, a jutsu is erased and
cannot be cast again until re-rolled.

Roll 2d6 for the formula (row/column below), then roll on the two indicated tables
to build the jutsu's name. The GM narrates the effect based on that name.
Offensive jutsu typically allow a danger roll to resist. Damage can be a flat number
or 1d6–6d6, GM's call.

1–3 4–6

1 Ninjutsu Effect + Ninjutsu Form Genjutsu Element + Ninjutsu Form

2 Ninjutsu Effect + Genjutsu Form Genjutsu Element + Genjutsu Form

3 Genjutsu Effect + Ninjutsu Form Ninjutsu Effect + Chakra Nature

 1–3 4–6

4 Genjutsu Effect + Genjutsu Form Ninjutsu Effect + Genjutsu Element

5 Chakra Nature + Ninjutsu Form Genjutsu Effect + Chakra Nature

6 Chakra Nature + Genjutsu Form Genjutsu Effect + Genjutsu Element

Players may suggest extra uses for a jutsu; if it fits the name and situation closely,
the GM should usually allow it. The GM can also freely roll jutsu from other old-
school spell lists and reskin them.

Casting a Jutsu

Casting takes one action in combat. The GM adjudicates how the jutsu manifests.
After casting, erase it from the slot.

Ninjutsu Effects

1 2 3 4 5 6

1 Animating Attracting Binding Blossoming Consuming Creeping

2 Crushing Diminishing Dividing Duplicating Enveloping Expandin

3 Fusing Grasping Hastening Hindering Illuminating Imprisoni

4 Levitating Opening Petrifying Phasing Piercing Pursuing

5 Reflecting Regenerating Rending Repelling Resurrecting Screamin

6 Sealing Shapeshifting Shielding Spawning Transmuting Transport

Chakra Natures (Ninjutsu Elements)

1 2 3 4 5 6

1 Fire Water Earth Wind Lightning Wood

2 Ice Lava Storm Boil Explosion Magnet

3 Crystal Dust Steel Scorch Swift Bone

4 Sand Ash Blood Ink Smoke Poison

5 Acid Metal Glass Salt Mud Swamp

 1 2 3 4 5 6

6 Thorn Vine Insect Bark Coral Yin-Yang

Ninjutsu Forms

1 2 3 4 5 6

1 Clone Dragon Shuriken Chain Wall Beast

2 Blade Golem Puppet Fist Gate Cauldron

3 Colossus Crown Servant Shield Spear Steed

4 Swarm Tentacle Throne Torch Trap Web

5 Armor Arrow Claw Cloak Eye Fountain

6 Hammer Horn Key Mask Monolith Sentinel

Genjutsu Effects

1 2 3 4 5 6

1 Avenging Banishing Bewildering Blinding Charming Comp

2 Concealing Deafening Deceiving Deciphering Disguising Dispe

3 Emboldening Encoding Energizing Enlightening Enraging Excru

4 Foreseeing Intoxicating Maddening Mesmerizing Mindreading Nullify

5 Paralyzing Revealing Revolting Scrying Silencing Sooth

6 Summoning Terrifying Warding Wearying Withering Comm

Genjutsu Elements

1 2 3 4 5 6

1 Ash Chaos Distortion Dream Dust Echo

2 Fear Fire Fog Spirit Harmony Heat

3 Light Lightning Memory Mind Mutation Negation

4 Nightmare Plasma Probability Rain Rot Shadow

 1 2 3 4 5 6

5 Smoke Snow Soul Stasis Steam Thunder

6 Time Void Warp Whisper Wind Moonlight

Genjutsu Forms

1 2 3 4 5 6

1 Aura Beacon Beam Blast Blob Bolt

2 Bubble Cascade Circle Cloud Coil Cone

3 Cube Dance Disk Field Gaze Loop

4 Moment Nexus Portal Pulse Pyramid Ray

5 Shard Sphere Spray Storm Torrent Touch

6 Vortex Wave Word Call Swarm Veil

Village-Scale Omens & Catastrophes

1 2 3 4 5 6

Birds
All steel Animals A rival Deadly
Animals attack
1 rusts flee the village fog rolls
mutate on
overnight forest appears in
sight

Sudden
Mass Endless Endless Endless
2 Endless rain killing
nightmares night storm twilight
frost

Maggots
A forest Wails
Spirits Mass Graves infest
3 grows heard
return forgetfulness open the food
overnight at dusk
stores

Mirrors
Mass Mass Mass A star No stars
4 whisper
insanity mutation slumber falls falls appear
back

5 An People People Crops A Chakra

outsider shrink vanish wither sealed rifts tear
enters open
 1 2 3 4 5 6

portal
opens

Total A lost
Shadows Space Stones Rivers
6 silence tower
speak distorts speak run red
falls appears

Curse Mark Afflictions

Results in quotes are believed true by the afflicted. Use these for a failed jutsu, a
cursed seal, or tailed-beast chakra exposure.

1 2 3 4 5 6

"Beast- Cannot
1 Always lies Always polite Cannot lie Faceblind
form" count

Fears Fears
2 Fears birds Fears blood Fears fire Fears gold
scrolls darkness

Fears their Fears Fears Fears Fears

3 Fears the PC
own hand rain rivers silence sleep

Fears Fears the Fears Hates

4 "Genius" "Flawless"
sunlight moon trees violence

"Has a "Kekkei Must hum

5 "Invisible" "Invulnerable" "Sharingan"
Bijuu" Genkai" constantly

Says Sees Fears

New Fears their
6 thoughts the their "Immortal"
personality reflection
aloud dead sensei

Chakra Mutations

Use for jutsu backlash, cursed seals gone wrong, or tailed-beast chakra corruption.

1 2 3 4 5 6

Animal-
Rapidly Attracts Covered in
1 Child-form Bloating clawed
ages insects fur
arms

Animal- Full
Animal Digitigrade Elongated
2 shaped Scaled skin animal-
eyes legs mouth
head form
 1 2 3 4 5 6

Extra Forked
3 Extra eye Extra eyes Extra legs Hunchback
arms tongue

Weapon- Beast
Elongated Loses all Loses Beast trait
4 fused feature
arms hair teeth (claws/fangs)
limb (tail/ears)

Chakra-
nature- Second Sheds skin
5 No eyes No mouth Shrinks
marked face like a snake
skin

Boils Chakra Whisker

Translucent
6 Withers erupt on leaks Weeps blood marks
skin
skin visibly appear

MISSING-NIN, BEASTS & SUMMONS

Creating Threats

Naruto Rats assumes a world where nearly every threat is human or humanoid — a
rival shinobi, a missing-nin, a rogue puppet master. True monsters (tailed beasts,
ancient summons, chakra-corrupted creatures) should be rare and world-shaking
so they hit hard when they appear.

A quick threat can be built by combining a summon animal with a Ninjutsu Effect,
Chakra Nature, or Form. For more detail, use the tables below to build out abilities,
tactics, weaknesses, and personality.

Threat & NPC Stats

Health. Weak: 1d6. Typical: 2d6. Tough: 3d6. Elite: 4d6. Legendary (Bijuu-tier):
6d6.
Guard. Untrained: 6. Trained: 7. Skilled: 8. Elite: 9. Nigh-untouchable: 10.
Strike Bonus. Academy: +0. Genin: +1. Chunin: +2. Jonin: +3. Kage-tier: +4.
STR Bonus. Weak: +0. Average: +1. Strong: +2. Powerful: +3. Monstrous: +4.
DEX Bonus. Slow: +0. Average: +1. Nimble: +2. Swift: +3. Blurred: +4.
WIL Bonus. Dimwitted: +0. Average: +1. Sharp: +2. Brilliant: +3. Genius: +4.
Chakra. Most named NPCs use jutsu slots like a PC. Summons and Bijuu-tier
threats are innately magical and may have always-on or at-will abilities instead.

Summon Contract Base

Roll once, or twice and combine.

1–2: Aerial | 3–4: Terrestrial | 5–6: Aquatic

Aerial: Hawk, Crow, Owl, Falcon, Eagle, Butterfly, Dragonfly, Wasp, Bat, Vulture,
Firefly, Sparrow, Kite, Heron, Moth, Locust
Terrestrial: Toad, Snake, Dog, Wolf, Boar, Spider, Weasel, Rat, Bear, Fox, Monkey,
Tiger, Centipede, Mole, Slug, Tortoise
Aquatic: Salamander, Manta, Octopus, Eel, Turtle, Crab, Leech, Newt, Frog,
Catfish, Squid, Jellyfish

Threat Weakness

Optional, rewards research and prep.

Bells, Birdsong, Cold, Chakra-suppression seals, Conversation, Deformity, Fire,
Flattery, Gifts, Gold, Their Sensei's Name, Holy relic, Home cooking, Insanities,
Mirrors, Their true name, Moonlight, Music, Their contract's method, Their
phylactery/seal, One elemental nature, Puzzles, Riddles, Sacred ritual, Silver,
Sunlight, Tears, Val. materials, A weak spot, A specific weapon, Wine, Wormwood

Threat Abilities

Absorbing, Acid blood, Anti-chakra field, Blinding flash, Breath weapon,

Camouflaging, Duplicating, Electric discharge, Entangling, Genjutsu gaze,
Explosive, Flight, Hypnotizing, Nigh-impervious, Invisible, Chakra-draining,
Magnetic, Mimicking (Sharingan-style copy), Mind-reading, Paralyzing, Phasing,
Elemental burst, Poisonous, Chakra-radioactive, Reflective, Regenerating,
Shapeshifting, Jutsu-casting, Stealthy, Constricting, Super-strength, Chakra-
threads, Teleporting, Chakra-draining bite, Wall-crawling

Threat Personality

Alien, Aloof, Bored, Cautious, Cowardly, Curious, Devious, Distractible, Educated,

Embittered, Envious, Erudite, Fanatical, Forgetful, Generous, Hateful, Honorable,
Humble, Jaded, Jovial, Legalistic, Manipulative, Megalomaniac, Melancholy,
Meticulous, Mystical, Obsessive, Out of touch, Paranoid, Polite, Psychopathic,
Sophisticated, Touchy, Unimpressed, Vain, Xenophobic

Threat Traits

Amphibious, Bloated, Brittle, Chakra-cannibal, Clay-like, Colossal, Crystalline,

Decaying, Elemental-infused, Ethereal, Ever-young, Eyeless, Fearless, Fluffy,
Fungal, Gelatinous, Geometric, Hardened, Illusory, Intelligent, Iridescent, Luminous,
Many-headed, Mechanical (puppet), Nature-fused, Planar, Reflective, Rubbery,
Shadowy, Sharp, Skeletal, Slimy, Sticky, Stinking, Tiny, Translucent

Threat Features
Can be looted, crafted into gear, or sold to medicine-nin as ingredients.
Antlers, Beak, Carapace, Claws, Compound eyes, Eye stalks, Fangs, Fins, Fur, Gills,
Hooves, Horns, Long tongue, Many-eyed, Many-limbed, Mucus, Pincers, Chakra-
plates, Plumage, Proboscis, Scales, Segments, Shaggy hair, Shell, Spikes,
Spinnerets, Spines, Stinger, Suction cups, Tail, Talons, Tentacles, Trunk, Tusks,
Wings

Threat Tactics

Ambush, Call for backup, Capture alive, Charge, Climb foes, Compel loyalty, Create
barrier, Deceive, Demand a duel, Disorient, Encircle, Evade, Gang up, Gather
chakra, Go berserk, Harry, Hurl foes, Immobilize, Manipulate, Mock, Monologue,
Order minion, Protect leader, Protect self, Scatter foes, Stalk, Steal from, Swarm,
Target the insolent, Target leader, Target nearest, Target richest, Target strongest,
Target weakest, Toy with, Use terrain

CHARACTERS

Village NPCs

Academy Instructor, Actor, Apothecary, Baker, Barber, Blacksmith (weapon-forge),

Brewer, Bureaucrat, Chunin exam proctor, Clockmaker, Courier-nin, Council
member, Diplomat, Fishmonger, Gate Guard, Genin sensei, Innkeeper, Jeweler,
Jonin commander, Locksmith, Mason, Medic-nin, Merchant, Noble, Painter,
Priest/Shrine keeper, Scholar, Scribe, Sculptor, Shipwright, Soldier, Tailor,
Taxidermist, Village council aide, Weaponsmith

Underworld & Missing-nin

Alchemist, Bounty-hunter, Black-market dealer, Blackmailer, Chimney sweep,

Coin-clipper, Contortionist, Counterfeit-scroll forger, Cult member, Cutpurse,
Debt-collector, Deserter, Fence, Fortuneteller, Hired blade, Highwayman,
Housebreaker, Kidnapper, Mad prophet, Missing-nin, Peddler, Pit-fighter, Poisoner,
Puppet-master (rogue), Rat-catcher, Sealmaster-for-hire, Sellsword, Slave-trader
(target of missions), Smuggler, Spy, Street performer, Tattooist, Torturer, Urchin,
Usurer, Vengeful clan-exile

Wilderness & Border NPCs

Apiarist, Border patrol, Caravan Guard, Caravaneer, Chakra-beast handler, Exile,

Explorer, Farmer, Fisherman, Forager, Fugitive, Hermit sage, Hunter-nin,
Messenger-nin, Monk, Monster hunter, Outlander, Pilgrim, Poacher, Raider,
Ranger, Sage, Scavenger, Scout, Shepherd, Seer, Surveyor, Tea-house keeper,
Tomb raider, Trader, Trapper, Village elder, Wandering swordsman, Woodcutter,
Sensor-type recluse

Missions

Use with items, locations, NPCs, and factions to build D–S rank missions or
rumors.
Apprehend, Assassinate, Blackmail, Burgle, Chart, Convince, Deface, Defraud,
Deliver (a scroll/package), Destroy, Discredit, Escort, Exfiltrate, Extort, Follow,
Frame, Impersonate, Impress, Infiltrate, Interrogate, Investigate, Kidnap, Locate,
Plant (evidence/tag), Protect, Raid, Replace, Retrieve (a scroll/artifact), Rob, Ruin,
Sabotage, Smuggle, Surveil, Take Over, Terrorize, Threaten

Optional: assign a rank — D (chores, low risk), C (local trouble), B (rival-village

tension), A (regional stakes), S (village-threatening).

Liabilities

Addiction, Alcoholic, Corrupt ally, Coward, Decadent, Forbidden love, Gambler,

Glutton, Greedy, Heretic (anti-village), Huge debts, Imposter, Cursed-seal
instability, Jealous, Leaves evidence, Many enemies, Misinformed, Money trail,
Narcissist, Needs medicine, Obsessive routines, Paranoid, Partyer, Poor
equipment, Protective, Scandalous past, Softhearted, Strict routines, Superstitious,
Suspicious, Temper, Trusting, Vulnerable safehouse, Wanted (bingo book), Weak-
willed, Widely despised

Misfortunes

Abandoned, Addicted, Arrested, Blackmailed, Burgled, Challenged, Condemned,

Crippled, Cursed (seal), Defrauded, Demoted in rank, Depressed, Discredited,
Dismissed from the village, Disowned, Exiled, Famished, Forgotten, Framed,
Haunted, Humiliated, Impoverished, Kidnapped, Lost, Mobbed, Mutilated,
Overworked, Poisoned, Pursued, Rejected, Replaced, Robbed, Sick, Sued,
Suspected, Chakra-mutated

Assets

Authority, Avoids detection, Calls in favors, Charming, Cooks the books, Erases
evidence, Excellent liar, Extremely rich, Faction-leader, Faction-member, Feared
reputation, Fortified base, Gorgeous, Hears rumors, Huge family/clan, Huge library
of scrolls, Impersonator, Interrogator, Knows a guy, Knows a way in, Launders
money, Learned, Local celebrity, Local knowledge, Loyal squad, Bingo-book
infamy, Nothing to lose, Owns the guards, Powerful spouse, Procures gear, Pulls
the strings, Secret lab, Sells contraband, Smuggles goods, Spy network, War hero

NPC Goals
A better life, Acceptance, Acquire item, Craft item, Destroy faction, Destroy item,
Enlightenment (sage arts), Fame, Found faction, Freedom, Glory, Impress NPC,
Infamy, Infiltrate faction, Justice, Kidnap NPC, Lead faction, Learning (forbidden
jutsu), Locate NPC, Love, Mastery (of a jutsu), Power, Reach location, Rescue NPC,
Resolve dispute, Restore clan, Reveal a secret, Revenge, Sabotage faction, Serve a
deity/spirit, Serve evil, Serve faction, Serve ideology, Serve leader, Serve the needy,
Wealth

Methods

Alchemy, Blackmail, Bluster, Bribery, Bullying, Bureaucracy, Charm, Commerce,

Cronies, Debate, Deceit, Deduction, Eloquence, Espionage, Fast-talking, Favors,
Hard Work, Humor, Investigation, Legal maneuvers, Manipulation, Misdirection,
Money, Nagging, Negotiation, Persistence, Piety, Preparation, Quick Wit, Research,
Rumors, Sabotage, Teamwork, Theft, Threats, Violence

Reputations

Ambitious, Authoritative, Boor, Borrower, Celebrity, Charitable, Cheat, Dangerous,

Entertainer, Gossip, Hardworking, Holy, Honest, Hypochondriac, Idiot, Influential,
Layabout, Leader, Misanthrope, Miser, Neighborly, Nutjob, Obnoxious,
Overeducated, Partier, Pious, Proper, Prophet of doom, Repulsive, Respected,
Riffraff, Scandalous, Slime ball, Terrifying, Weirdo, Wise

Secrets

Addicted, Artificial (puppet/replica), Assassin, Bankrupt, Beholden, Counterspy,

Cult member, Jinchūriki, Clan-heir in hiding, Exile, Fence, Fugitive, Ghost
(presumed dead), Has a hidden child, Heretic, High-born, Huge fortune, Genjutsu
illusion, Insurrectionist, Low-born, Secretly married, Under mind-control,
Misfortune-cursed, Monster hunter, Non-human, Root agent, Bigamist, Protects a
relic, Scandalous birth, Secret police informant, Serial killer, Smuggler, Spy, Time-
displaced, Chakra-transformed, War criminal

Relationships

Adviser, Blackmailer, Business partner, Business rival, Buyer, Captor, Client,

Confidant, Debtor, Disciple, Guardian, Squadmate, Idol, Informant, Master, Sensei,
Rival, Offspring, Parent, Patron, Political rival, Prisoner, Protégé, Quarry, Right
hand, Romantic rival, Servant, Sibling, Social rival, Spouse, Stalker, Suitor,
Supplicant, Supplier, Sweetheart, Unrequited love

Appearances / Physical Details / Personalities / Mannerisms /

Clothing

Reuse the Character Creation tables above (sections 6, 7, 10, 11, 9) for any NPC.
Sacred Chakra Domains

Use to generate legendary figures, spiritual patrons, or align NPCs and clans with
cosmic forces.
Animal Spirits, Balance, Betrayal, Chance, Chaos, Conquest, Cycles of
Reincarnation, Death, Destiny, Dreams, Elemental Nature, Gateways/Portals,
Judgement, Love, Memory, Tailed Beasts, Moon, Motherhood, Ancestors, Oaths,
Order, Plague, Purification, Reason, Schemes, Secrets, Storms, Summer, Sun, The
Forge, The Sea, The Wild, Time, The Underworld, Wealth, Winter, Sage Arts

NINJA TOOLS & EQUIPMENT

Prices are a guideline — haggle for the rest.

Light weapons: kunai, senbon, tanto (1 hand). 20g

Heavy weapons: ninjato, naginata, fuma shuriken (+1 damage, 2 hands). 40g
Ranged weapons: shuriken set, bow, blowgun (2 hands). 20–40g
Defensive tool: tanto/war fan/wooden panel (1 hand, +1 Guard). 10g
Light protective gear: mesh armor/flak jacket (+1 Guard). 100g
Heavy protective gear: reinforced plating (+2 Guard, no DEX/surprise advantage).
400g
Common items: rope, candles, chalk, etc. 1–5g
Specialized items: exploding tag, chakra paper, lockpicks. 5–20g
Luxury items: scroll, mirror, chakra pill, etc. 20–100g
Animals: Pack mule (20g), Ninja hound (100g), Messenger hawk (100g), Chicken
(5g), Trained summon hatchling (1,000g).
Transport: Cart (30g), Wagon (100g), Coach (250g), Rowboat (50g), Fishing boat
(500g), War junk (5,000g), Warship (10,000g).
Property: Small house (1,000g), Tea-house (2,000g), Guildhall (5,000g), Clan manor
(10,000g), Fortified outpost (25,000g), Estate (50,000g), Fortress (200,000g).
Hirelings (per day): Servant (1–5g), Torchbearer (5–10g), Guide (10–20g), Hired
blade (20–50g), Specialist (50–100g), Jutsu-caster for hire (100–200g).

Miscellaneous Items

Bowl, brass bell, brooch, carved figurine, cup, deck of cards, drawing, foreign coin,
game piece, glass eye, chakra-paper scrap, hair comb, handkerchief, hinged box,
hourglass, human tooth, hunting horn, loaded dice, long fork, numbered key, oil
lamp, old doll, paint pot, pencil, purse, quill pen, medicinal salve, scissors, blank
scroll, sealed letter, sewing needle, shaving razor, silver button, skull, tobacco pipe,
sake bottle

Worn Items
Belt, flak jacket, boots/sandals, bracelet, breastplate, mesh-armor shirt, cincture
sash, cloak, coat, dress/kimono, earring, eyepatch, gauntlets, forehead protector,
glove, gown, hat, helmet, leg wraps, leather armor, locket, mesh shirt, mask,
necklace, padded armor, plate mail, ring, robe, sandals, scarf, shirt, shoes, skirt,
slippers, socks, trousers, veil

Weapon Items

Kunai, senbon, ninjato, wakizashi, katana, tantō, war fan, chain-sickle, fuma
shuriken, bo staff, naginata, war hammer, whip, sickle, blowgun, bow, hunting
knife, throwing axe, spiked chain, garrote wire, poisoned needle set, sword-cane,
hidden blade, puppet control strings, exploding kunai, senbon launcher, gauntlet
blades, tri-pronged kunai, halberd, glaive, claymore, pike, mace, morningstar,
sling, staff

Scroll Subjects

When a PC finds a useful scroll, roll 1d6 for the number of questions it can answer.
Alchemy, Art, Bingo book entries, Blackmail, Charts & maps, Clan history,
Cookbook, Criminal records, Chakra theory, Etiquette, Fashion, Genealogy,
Hagiography, History, Journal, Sealing formulas, Laws, Letters, Lost jutsu, Lost
places, Love poems, Missing-nin dossiers, Mythology, Odd customs, Oratory,
Propaganda, Prophecies, Siegecraft, Songs, State secrets, Swordfighting, Theology,
Village treasuries, War chronicle, Who's-who, Kekkei genkai research

Valuable Materials

Alabaster, Amber, Aquamarine, Azurite, Beryl, Black pearl, Bloodstone, Bone china,
Chalcedony, Cinnabar, Coral, Diamond, Ebony, Emerald, Fire agate, Garnet, Gold,
Ivory, Jade, Jasper, Jet, Lapis lazuli, Malachite, Moonstone, Onyx, Opal, Pearl,
Platinum, Porcelain, Ruby, Sapphire, Serpentine, Chakra-conductive silver, Star
iron (meteoric metal), Topaz, Turquoise

Medicine & Poison Ingredients

Ancient liquor, Rare animal part, Blind eye, Boiled toad, Scroll page, Bottled mist,
Coffin nail, Corpse's hair, Crossroad dust, Cursed-cult entrails, Edible plant, Exotic
spice, Killer's hand, Kage's tooth, Last breath, Liar's tongue, Lightning-charged
stone, Lodestone, Sage's vow, Threat feature, Newborn's cry, Oil portrait, Chakra
element, Poisonous plant, Chakra pill, Pyre ember, Queen bee, Royal blood,
Barnacle, Star-metal, Thief's finger, Tomb flower, Valuable material, Wedding ring,
Widow's tears, Sage's skull

Treasure Traits
Altered, Ancient, Blessed, Bulky, Compact, Consumable, Cultural value, Cursed,
Damaged, Disguised, Draws enemies, Effect-imbued, Elemental-infused,
Embellished, Encoded, Exotic, Extra-planar, Famous, Forbidden, Fragile, Heavy,
Immovable, Impracticable, Indestructible, Intelligent, Masterwork, Military value,
Non-human origin, Owned/claimed, Partial, Political value, Religious value,
Repaired, Royal, Toxic, Vile

Chakra Pill Effects

Figuring out a chakra pill's effect may require testing. Bad batches cause
mutations or curse-mark afflictions.
Animal-form, Body swap, Camouflage, Control animals, Control chakra nature,
Cure affliction, Detect malicious intent, Detect gold, Detect hidden, Direction
sense, Elemental-form, Elemental-skin, Extra arm, Flight, Ghost-speech, Heat
vision, Insanity, Jutsu immunity, Item-form, Mirror image, Threat ability, Threat
feature, Threat trait, Mutation, Night vision, Random jutsu, Restore health, Speed
burst, Stretchy limbs, Super-jump, Super-strength, Chakra threads, Tongues,
Water-breathing, Water-walking

Ninja Tool Items

Acid flask, Bear trap, Bellows, Bolt-cutters, Wire spool, Chisel, Crowbar, Ram, Ear
trumpet, Fire oil, Fishing hook, Goggles, Grappling hook, Grease, Hacksaw,
Hammer, Hand drill, Lantern, Lens, Lock/key, Lockpicks, Manacles, Metal file,
Mortar/pestle, Needle, Pickaxe, Pitchfork, Pliers, Pole, Pulleys, Rope, Scissors,
Shovel, Spikes, Steel wire, Tongs

Treasure Items

Alchemy recipe, Amulet, Astrolabe, Blueprints, Calligraphy set, Carpet, Compass,

Contract, Ceremonial crown, Chakra crystal, Deed, Embroidery, Fine china, Fine
liquor, Instrument, Forbidden jutsu scroll, Microscope-like device, Music box,
Orrery, Painting, Perfume, Prayer book, Printing block, Rare textile, Kage robes,
Sacred relic, Scrimshaw, Sextant, Sheet music, Signet ring, Silverware, Spices,
Spyglass, Tapestry, Telescope, Treasure map

THE VILLAGE

Village Themes

Aristocracy, Art, Bureaucracy, Castes, Catacombs, City Activity, City Event, Clan
rivalries, Cruelty, District Theme, Sacred Domain, Faction, Festivals, Feuds,
Intrigue, Low-class building, Martial law, Meritocracy, Named NPC, Opulence,
Chakra Nature, Pilgrimages, Piracy, Plutocracy, Poverty, Rituals, Slavery, Spices,
Theocracy, Thievery, Trade, Tyranny, Upper-class building, Sealing arts,
Xenophobia

Village Events

Assassination, Carnival, Conscription (of shinobi), Coronation (new Kage), Coup,

Cult activity, Curfew, Discovery (of a jutsu), Earthquake, Faction war, Fashion trend,
Fire, Flood, Heavy fog, Heavy taxes, Holy day, Hysteria, Purge/Inquisition,
Insurrection, Invasion, Jailbreak, Mass eviction, Mass pardon, Peace negotiations,
Plague, Proclamation, Prohibition (of a jutsu), Public games (Chunin exams),
Refugees, Rioting, Roundup, Scandal, Serial killer, Shortage, Tournament, Trial

District Themes

Catacombs, Village NPCs, Construction, Crafts, Criminality, Culture, Dining,

Academy/Education, Entertainment, Finance, Foreigners, Ghettoes, Government
(Kage tower), Graveyards, Green space, Industrialization, Judgement, Livestock,
Low-class building, Marketplace, Memorials, Military (barracks), Opulence,
Pollution, Poverty, Punishment, Shrine district, Science (labs), Trade, Trash,
Underworld NPCs, Upper-class building, Vices, Wilderness NPCs, Sealing arts,
Wonders

Upper Class Buildings

Academy annex, Alchemist, Archive, Art dealer, Barber, Bookbinder, Scroll-seller,

Kage's residence, Clockmaker, Clothier, Courthouse, Furrier, Gallery, Garden,
Haberdashery, Jeweler, Law office, Locksmith, Lounge, Clan manor, Museum,
Observatory, Fine restaurant, Park, Physician's clinic, Printer, Public baths,
Restaurant, Salon, Stables, Taxidermist, Shrine, Tobacconist, Townhouse, Winery,
Zoo/menagerie

Lower Class Buildings

Apothecary, Asylum, Baker, Brewery, Butcher, Candlemaker, Catacombs,

Cheesemaker, Criminal den, Curiosity shop, Docks, Fighting pit, Weapon forge,
Gambling hall, Leatherworks, Marketplace, Mason, Mill, Moneylender, Orphanage,
Outfitter, Prison, Sewers, Shipyards, Small shrine, Stockyard, Stonecarver,
Tattooist, Tea-house, Theater, Veterinarian, Warehouse, Watchtower, Weaver,
Workshop

Village Activities

Inspiration for random encounter tables per district.

Abduct, Beg, Brawl, Burgle, Celebrate, Chase, Construct, Cook, Dance, Duel,
Underworld Activity, Execute, Extinguish, Extort, Follow, Gamble, Haul, Interrogate,
Marry, Mission, Mourn, Party, Patrol, Perform, Play, Preach, Process, Proclaim,
Protest, Release, Repair, Riot, Rob, Search, Sell, Wilderness Activity

Factions

Art movement, Beggar's guild, Black market ring, Hidden village council, ANBU-
style black-ops squad, Conspiracy, Craft guild, Clan family, Crime ring, Dark cult,
Explorer's club, Free mercenary company, Gourmand club, Heist crew, Heretical
sect, High council, Hired killers, Local militia, National shrine order, Noble clan
house, Outlander clan, Outlaw gang, Political faction, Religious order, Religious
sect, Resistance movement, Village army, Ruling house, Scholar's circle, Secret
society, Spy network, Street artists, Street gang, Street musicians, Theater troupe,
Trade company

Faction Goals

Advise leader, Avoid detection, Awaken a sealed being, Collect artifacts, Construct
a base, Control faction, Control village politics, Create a forbidden jutsu, Create a
chakra-beast, Defeat rival faction, Defend borders, Defend leader, Destroy
artifacts, Destroy a sealed being, Destroy a rival, Enforce law, Enrich members,
Entertain, Exchange goods, Hear rumors, Indulge tastes, Infiltrate a rival, Map the
wild, Overthrow the council, Preserve clan lineage, Preserve lost lore, Produce
goods, Promote the arts, Promote craft, Purge traitors, Sell services, Share
knowledge, Spread beliefs, Summon/release evil, Survive, Transport goods

Faction Traits

Bankrupt, Bureaucratic, Charitable, Confused, Connected, Corrupt, Decadent,

Decaying, Delusional, Divided, Dwindling, Efficient, Esoteric, Expanding, Hunted,
Incompetent, Incorruptible, Insane, Insular, Manipulative, Martial, Distinct
personality, Pious, Popular, Righteous, Ruthless, Secret, Subversive, Suppressed,
Threatened, Thriving, Unpopular, Up-and-coming, Wealthy, Well-prepared,
Xenophobic

Building Rooms

Arboretum, Atrium, Attic, Aviary/hawk mews, Ballroom, Baths, Bed chamber,

Storage cabinet, Shrine chapel, Cloakroom, Dining room, Dressing room,
Interrogation room, Garden, Garret, Greenhouse, Junk room, Kitchen, Larder, Scroll
library, Map room, Menagerie, Aviary, Nursery, Pantry, Parlor, Privy, Root cellar,
Kitchen storeroom, Scullery, Smoking room, Spice room, Cold storage, Study,
Trophy room, Wardrobe

Tactical Building Features

Beast/summon nests, Balconies, Basement access, Brightly lit, Broken furniture,
Broken glass, Cabinets, Carpeted floors, Chandeliers, Crawlspaces, Drain pipes,
Dumbwaiters, Echoing marble, Hanging chains, Huge fireplace, Narrow ledges,
Open windows, Ornate weapon displays, Overgrown garden, Patrols, Piles of trash,
Pillars, Rotting ceiling, Rotting floors, Rotting walls, Paper screens, Servant
passages, Sewer access, Shadowy alcoves, Skylights, Spyholes, Staircases, Tall
bookshelves/scroll racks, Unlit, Watchdogs/ninja hounds, Window drapes

Tactical Street Features

Combine with Village Activities for street combat.

Arcade, Awnings, Balconies, Barricades, Bridge, Canal, Carriages, Catwalks, Village
Activity, Climbable walls, Clotheslines, Crowd, Dead end, Dense fog, Downpour,
Underworld Activity, Flooding, Food stalls, Fountain, Gates, Ladders, Livestock,
Muddy streets, Overgrown lot, Rooftop access, Roof gardens, Sewer access,
Sinkhole, Slick surfaces, Steep roofs, Steep streets, Steps, Torn-up street, Vermin
swarms, Well, Wilderness Activity

THE FRONTIER

Elemental Nation Regions

Ashlands, Badlands, Bay, Beach, River delta, Desert, Dry lands, Dune sea, Dust
bowl, Fjords, Flood lands, Foothills, Deep forest, Glaciers, Heath, Highlands, Hills,
Ice fields, Jungle, Lowlands, Mesas, Moor, Mountains, Petrified forest, Plains,
Rainforest, Riverlands, Salt pan, Savanna, Steppe, Taiga, Thickets, Tundra, Volcanic
plain, Wetlands, Woodlands

Frontier Region Traits

Combine with Regions above.

Ashen, Blasted, Blighted, Broken, Consuming, Corrupted, Creeping, Desolate,
Hideout Layout, Eternal, Genjutsu-Warped, Forsaken, Frozen, Haunted, Howling,
Jagged, Lonely, Misty, Perilous, Petrified, Phantasmal, Ravenous, Savage, Shadowy,
Shifting, Shivering, Sinister, Sinking, Smoldering, Sweltering, Thorny, Thundering,
Torrential, Nature-Corrupted, Wandering, Withered

Frontier Landmarks

Bog, Boulder field, Butte, Cave, Cliff, Crag, Crater, Creek, Border crossing, Ditch,
Field, Forest, Grove, Hill, Hollow, Hot springs, Beast lair, Lake, Lakebed, Marsh,
Mesa, Moor, Mountain pass, Pit, Pond, Rapids, Ravine, Ridge, Rise, River,
Rockslide, Spring, Swamp, Thickets, Valley, Waterfall
Frontier Structures

Altar, Aqueduct, Bandit's camp, Battlefield, Bonfire, Bridge, Cairn, Crossroads,

Crypt, Dam, Hidden lab/hideout, Farm, Ford, Border fortress, Gallows, Graveyard,
Hedge maze, Hunter-nin camp, Roadside inn, Lumber camp, Mine, Monastery,
Monument, Orchard, Border outpost, Ruin, Secluded shrine, Shack, Ancestral
shrine, Standing stone, Temple, Village, Wall, Watchtower, Waystone

Frontier Discoveries

Blood stains, Bones, Broken weapons, Burrow, Village activity, Village NPC, Cut
ropes, Dead animal, Hideout activity, Food scraps, Grave marker, Human corpse,
Sealed item, Lost NPC, Jutsu effect residue, Map, Coded message, Migration trail,
Chakra mutation, Nest, Sealed portal, Resources, Chakra rift, Strange plant,
Stunned NPC, Supplies, Torn village flag, Tracks, Trap, Treasure cache, Underworld
NPC, Wilderness activity, Wilderness landmark, Wilderness structure, Wilderness
NPC, Jutsu duel aftermath

Frontier Activities

Ambush, Argue, Birth, Build, Bury, Capture, Village Activity, Convene, Demolish,
Die, Duel, Hideout Activity, Eat, Excavate, Feast, Felling, Fish, Flee, Forage, Hunt,
March, Raid, Rescue, Rest, Sacrifice, Scout, Sing, Skin, Skirmish, Slay, Sleep, Swim,
Track, Trap, Wander, Train

Frontier Hazards

Avalanche, Blizzard, Brushfire, Cloudburst, Cyclone, Dense fog, Downpour, Drizzle,

Dust storm, Earthquake, Eruption, Flooding, Forest fire, Hail, Heat wave, Hurricane,
Ice storm, Light mist, Locust swarm, Magma flow, Meteor strike, Monsoon,
Mudflow, Mudslide, Predator beast, Quicksand, Rain of frogs, Rockslide,
Sandstorm, Sleet, Snow, Stampede, Thunderstorm, Tsunami, Whirlpool, Windstorm

Poisonous Plants

Angel's Trumpet, Baneberry, Belladonna, Black Truffle, Bleeding Heart, Celandine,

Cocklebur, Columbine, Crowncup, Death Cap, Dumbcane, Foxglove, Hemlock,
Hogweed, Holly, Horse Chestnut, Hyacinth, Ivy, Jessamine, Kudu, Larkspur,
Mandrake, Mangrove, Mistletoe, Moonflower, Nightshade, Oleander, Ragwort,
Reindeer Lichen, Snakeweed, Spindle, Stinkhorn, Waxcap, Wine-Cap, Wolfsbane,
Wormwood

Edible Plants

Acorns, Apples, Asparagus, Blackberries, Blueberries, Carrots, Cattail, Cherries,

Chickweed, Chicory, Clover, Dandelion, Dead-nettle, Elderberries, Fireweed,
Gooseberries, Hazelnuts, Henbit, Hickory nuts, Honeysuckle, Leeks, Milk thistle,
Mint, Mulberries, Mushrooms, Mustard, Onion, Pecans, Persimmons, Raspberries,
Strawberries, Walnuts, Watercress, Wild garlic, Wild grapes, Wood sorrel

Inn/Teahouse Adjectives

Bellowing, Blazing, Bleak, Blessed, Bloody, Crimson, Cunning, Copper, Dancing,

Dead, Drunken, Flying, Ghastly, Golden, Helpful, Hideous, Howling, Hungry, Moldy,
Muttering, Nimble, Oozing, Petrified, Prancing, Romantic, Salty, Singing, Shivering,
Shrieking, Silver, Smoking, Thirsty, Wicked, Tipsy, Whistling, Wanton

Inn/Teahouse Nouns

Kunai, Barrel, Bear, Bell, Sandal, Bowl, Bucket, Candle, Rooster, Cow, Dragon, Egg,
Elephant, Flea, Fork, Giant, Griffin, Hart, Hog, Hound, Lamb, Lion, Mackerel,
Maiden, Monk, Moon, Pipe, Prince, Rat, Skull, Spoon, Star, Swan, Sword, Whale

Inn/Teahouse Quirks

100 years in the past, Always night, Beast fights, Bard duels, Bigger inside, Black
market, Brand new, Cannibals, Village Activity, Constant party, Dancing contest,
Dead drop, Hideout Form, Expensive, Faction hangout, Faction Traits, Famous
chef, Fey patrons, Fight club, Five floors, Ghost staff, Haunted, Hideout,
Inn/Building, Sealed weapon on display, Magically moves, Mercs for hire, NPC
hangout, Preaching, Secure storage, Staff are all children, Talking painting,
Underground, VIP lounge, Voice in the well, Women only

THE HIDEOUT

This replaces "the dungeon" — abandoned labs, missing-nin lairs, sealed ruins,
underground bases, and forbidden research facilities.

Hideout Entrances

Hollow library shelf, Beaver dam, Behind a waterfall, Chalk rectangle on a wall,
Chest bottom, Chimney, Cupboard, Dolmen shadow, Down a well, Fiery pit, Fog-
shrouded road, Forest spring, Giant scroll, Merchant's wagon, Hollow tree, Huge
keyhole, Sealed iron maiden, Living tattoo, Genjutsu painting, Man-shaped hole,
Chakra-marked door, Mirror, Beast's mouth, Old battle wound in the earth, Narrow
alley, Rain door, Sewer grate, Sudden rift, Tidal cave, Tower top, Tree roots, Under
the bed, Unfolded map, Up a tree, Whirlpool, Sake barrel

Hideout Forms

Arena, Asylum, Aviary, Bank, Baths, Body, Building Room, Casino, Catacombs,
Cave, Court, Dungeon Room, Forge, Garden, Hideout, Hotel, Low-class Building,
Laboratory, Library, Market, Mine, Monastery, Museum, Nursery, Orphanage,
Palace, Prison, Sewer, Ship, Slave pit, Temple, Theater, Upper-class Building,
University, Vault, Zoo

Hideout Layout

Ant colony, Central hub, Claustrophobic, Crisscrossing, Curved, Disorienting,

Galleria, Geometric, Gonzo, Haphazard, Highly regular, Honeycomb, Intertwined,
Isolated wings, Layered, Linear, Loops, Many corridors, Mazes, Mix of layouts,
Multiple hubs, No corridors, Open plan, Open voids, Organic, Oversized, Recursive,
Repetitive, Sprawling, Suspended, Symbol-shaped, Tall and narrow, Themed
zones, Vertical, Winding, Ziggurat

Hideout Ruinations

Arcane/jutsu disaster, Army invasion, Cannibalism, Civil war, Collapse, Crystal

growth, Curse, Degeneration, Earthquake, Eruption, Sealed evil unearthed, Failed
experiments, Explosion, Famine, Fire, Flooding, Fungus overgrowth, Haunting, Ice,
Insanity outbreak, Lava flow, Genjutsu-sleep, Melted by jutsu, Beast attack, Chakra
mutation outbreak, Outsider attack, Overgrowth, Petrification, Plague, Chakra-
realm overlay, Poison gas, Resources gone, Revolt, Risen dead, Too many traps,
War

Hideout Rewards

Ancient jutsu lore, Beast ally, Army/squad, Blessing, Blueprints (a weapon), Clan
artifact, Enemy weakness intel, Faction ally, Forewarning, Guide, Sacred relic,
Influential ally, Instructions, Jewels, Key, Lost jutsu formula, Chakra-tech machine,
Magic item, Beast/summon ally, Piles of loot, Sealed portal, Prophecy, Marital
alliance, Masterwork weapon, Renown, A jutsu, Transformation potion, Transport,
Treasure Item, Uncovered plot, Valuable material, Vision, Legendary weapon

Hideout Activities

Besiege, Capture, Village Activity, Demolish, Escape, Feed, Fortify, Guard, Collect
intel, Construct, Control, Deliver, Hide, Hunt, Loot, Map, Mine, Threat Tactic,
Negotiate, Patrol, Perform ritual, Research (forbidden jutsu), Purge, Question, Raid,
Repair, Rescue, Revive, Riddle, Scavenge, Seize, Tunnel, Unearth, Vandalize,
Wilderness Activity, Worship

Trap Triggers

Blow, Break, Burn, Choice, Countdown, Darkness, Drain, Eat, Insert, Kill, Knock,
Light, Chakra, Melody, Noise, Open, Phrase, Pour, Press, Proximity, Pull, Read,
Reflect, Release, Remove, Retrieve, Rudeness, Shut, Sit, Sleep, Slide, Touch, Turn,
Unbalance, Unearth, Write
Hideout Tricks

Weird effects, puzzles, or challenges — dangerous, amusing, or both.

Absorption, Activation, Animation, Blessings, Communication, Confusion,
Consumption, Creation, Curses, Deception, Duplication, Genjutsu Effect,
Exchange, Imprisonment, Instructions, Interrogation, Mind-control, Mission,
Mood-alteration, Nullification, Ninjutsu Effect, Planeshift, Protection, Rejuvenation,
Release, Reversal, Rotation, Scrying, Size-alteration, Summoning, Theft, Time-
alteration, Transformation, Transmutation, Transportation, Wonder

Trap Effects

A good trap is either already active or has an obvious trigger — the challenge is
avoiding its effect, its trigger, or disarming it.
Acid pool, Adhesive, Alarm seal, Gear melts, Bear trap, Blinding flash tag, Blunt
pendulum, Boiling tar, Collapsing floor, Beast pit, Crushing walls, Deep pit, Falling
cage, Falling ceiling, Fills with sand, Flooding, Giant magnet seal, Hard vacuum
seal, Lava flow, Lightning tag, Living statues (puppets), Missile trap, Threat freed,
Net trap, Pendulum blade, Poison gas, Poison needle, Quicksand, Rage-inducing
genjutsu, Rolling boulder, Room freezes, Room ignites, Sleeping gas, Spiked pit,
Sealed vault opens, Wall spikes

Hideout Room Details

Bas-relief, Blood trail, Bones, Chains, Chalk marks, Claw marks, Corpses, Cracked
beams, Crumbling walls, Decaying food, Decaying nest, Dripping water, Fading
murals, Faint breeze, Faint footsteps, Fallen pillars, Fungus, Furniture, Graffiti,
Mosaics, Recent repairs, Rotting scrolls, Rubble, Shed skin, Chakra-residue trails,
Spider webs, Stalactites, Stench, Scorch marks, Thick dust, Torn clothes, Tree
roots, Unusual smell, Vibrations, Vines, Whispers

Hideout Rooms

Armory, Banquet hall, Barracks, Building Room, Catacombs, Cavern, Chasm,

Courtyard, Crypt, Dormitory, Fighting pit, Forge, Fountain, Gate house, Guard
room, Kennel, Low-class Building, Laboratory, Mess hall, Mine shaft, Museum,
Oubliette, Pool, Prison, Record room, Shrine, Slaughterhouse, Stables, Storeroom,
Throne room, Torture room, Treasury, Upper-class Building, Vault, Well, Workshop

Hideout Hazards

Acid drip, Bloodsuckers, Cave-in, Choking dust, Crude oil, Crystal shards,
Deafening noise, Dense fog, Ensnaring vines, Fallen floor, Flooding, Freezing,
Geysers, Magma, Chakra-disrupting field, Mud flow, Narrow ledge, Narrow
passage, Poison goo, Poison plants, Precipice, Quicksand, Chakra-radiation,
Rockslide, Rotten ceiling, Rotten floor, Sinkhole, Slippery slope, Spider webs,
Spores, Steam vents, Strong winds, Tar pit, Tight passage, Toppling object, Toxic
fumes

GAMEMASTER'S GUIDE

Sample Game

GM: You're woken by the sound of breaking glass. The teahouse common room is
quiet, but you catch whispering from the kitchen.

Rin: I look at Daichi and motion toward the kitchen. We creep that way, careful not
to wake the other guests.

Daichi: I follow her.

GM: Rin, DEX danger roll to stay undetected.

Rin: Shadow Operative path, so I get Advantage. [Rolls] A 2, 4, and 5 — I take the 4
and 5, plus my +2 DEX. 11! I succeed.

GM: Since Daichi's following your lead, he stays quiet too. Peeking around the
corner, you see the innkeeper you met last night, asleep on the floor with a bottle
of sake.

Daichi: I whisper, "Hey — wake up!" and shake him.

GM: He startles awake. Reaction roll — 2. He's wary and needs a reason to help.

Rin: "We heard glass break! Someone's breaking into your storeroom!"

GM: That's enough — he grabs his bottle and sticks with you. More whispering
comes from the back storeroom. Peeking in, you see the small window's been
forced open. A cloaked figure is helping a second man climb down through it.

Rin: Let's hit them by surprise — I rush the first one with my kunai.

GM: You've got surprise — no initiative roll needed, and Advantage on your attack.

Rin: [Rolls] 1, 1, and 5. Using the 1 and 5, plus my +1 Strike Bonus: 7 total.

GM: His Guard is 6, so that's 1 damage. He spins, and his partner slips, falling into
the storeroom. Daichi?

Daichi: I cast my jutsu — Blinding Beacon.

GM: A flash of concentrated chakra bursts from your palm. Both intruders need a
WIL save to avoid being blinded. [Rolls] The one who fell fails — blinded. Erase the
jutsu. The innkeeper swings his bottle — [rolls] — misses, shattering it on the wall.
Intruders' turn: the blinded one has to make a WIL morale check. [Rolls] Fails — he
throws down his kunai and begs for mercy. His partner attacks you with a tantō,
Rin — [rolls] 11 total. Your Guard?

Rin: Light gear plus a defensive tool — 8.

GM: You take 3, +1 for the heavy grip — 4 total.

Rin: My Health's low — I shatter my tanto to block it entirely.

GM: Tool's gone, but you take no damage. New round — roll initiative. [Rolls] 5.

Daichi: I got a 4.

GM: The remaining intruder sees his partner's down and decides this isn't worth it
— he scrambles for the window.

Daichi: I grab his ankles and pull him back.

GM: STR vs STR opposed roll...

PREPPING A SESSION

Situations, Not Plots

Never prep a plot. Instead, prep a handful of nearby situations — reasons to get
involved, problems to solve, and (optionally) a threat that worsens if ignored. Open
the first session mid-action to hook the players fast.

Keep it loose enough to bend around the players' choices. Unused prep recycles
into later sessions. After each session, ask what the team wants to do next and
prep accordingly — let the players steer, not the GM.

Player Skill, Not PC Skill

Naruto Rats character sheets are minimal on purpose — mostly there for when a
plan goes wrong. Players solve problems with ingenuity, not dice. Present
problems that:

Can be solved with common sense

Have no single "correct" solution

Have many difficult solutions

Examples: A genjutsu barrier only breaks if you disbelieve it convincingly. A seal

only opens for someone bleeding. A rival team has already stolen the scroll you
were sent to retrieve.

Tools, Not Upgrades

Give players tools, not stat bumps. A good tool doesn't raise damage — it does one
very specific, odd thing that rewards clever use.

Examples: A tag that silences a 10-foot radius when struck. A senbon that always
lands where you last looked. A scroll that seals any liquid, but only once. A mask
that makes your voice sound like whoever you're thinking about.

RUNNING THE GAME

Be Fair and Impartial

Roll in the open. Never roll dice you aren't prepared to honor.

You may add, remove, or alter rules — just tell the players first, and apply
rulings consistently.

If the dice say a shinobi dies, they die. Protecting PCs from death removes the
tension that makes clever play matter. When a PC dies, have the player roll a
new genin and reenter as soon as plausible.

Reveal the World

Don't hide information a PC could reasonably know. Good decisions require

good information.

The more dangerous something is, the more obvious the warning signs should
be. A PC's death should always, in hindsight, be their own fault.

Offer Tough Choices

Make players weigh risk vs. reward as they go deeper into hostile territory or
enemy hideouts — dwindling supplies, chakra, and light should keep them
asking "is this worth pushing further?"

Low Health should push combat toward the question: "Do I retreat, or finish
this now?" That's the heart of shinobi combat.

Look for situations where every obvious choice costs something. These breed
lateral thinking.

Reward Clever Solutions

A clever solution should usually just work, as long as it's plausible. Call for a
danger roll only if it's risky; forbid it outright only if it's flatly impossible.

Combat isn't fair. PCs should regularly face foes stronger and more numerous
than themselves. Teach players to out-plan and out-maneuver, not out-roll.

Bring the World to Life

 Naruto Rats runs on improvisation, not rigid plot. Ask "what are the logical
consequences?" of what the PCs do, and let clans, villages, and factions
respond in kind.

Lean on random tables to keep the game fresh — the surprise they add is hard
to fake by improvising alone.

Treat NPCs like people. They want to survive and rarely pick unwinnable fights.
Only fanatics fight to the death. Rivals and enemies can be turned with the
right motivation.

As players accumulate wealth from missions and loot, let them buy property,
found a dojo, back a faction, or found their own clan compound — this gives
them a real stake in the world's future.

BUILDING THE WORLD

The Hideout

Hideouts are the classic infiltration environment: claustrophobic, underground or

abandoned settings built around risk, problem-solving, exploration, and lurking
danger.

Draw a map, and write each room's contents right on it to save time running it —
keep the map itself secret; if players want one, they draw their own as they
explore.

Hideouts typically mix: enemies to fight or evade, traps to avoid, puzzles/seals to

solve, valuable or forbidden items to loot, weird hazards, and NPCs (prisoners,
informants, rival teams) to talk to. Hide secret areas and treasures to reward
thorough players. Build a random encounter table (usually dangerous) — every 10
in-game minutes, there's a 3-in-6 chance of an encounter. Don't be shy about
lethal threats; morale rules and the reaction table give players outs.

One-more-thing method: put one vague thing in each room (an enemy, a trap, a
prisoner, a lab). Then find connections — how are they related, what explains
what? Add one more detail per room based on what you now know. Repeat until it
feels done.

Good hideouts have loops, branching paths, secret passages, and shortcuts —
players should be able to plan ambushes, avoid threats, and choose their own kind
of fun rather than march down a hallway.

The Frontier

Start by mapping the local area: at least one safe haven (a village or waystation)
and several possible destinations — hideouts, ruins, mines, watchtowers, camps.
Hex-grid paper helps track distance; expand the map as the party ventures
further.

On a 6-mile hex grid, a PC travels ~18 miles/day by road, 12 across open frontier, 6
through difficult terrain (forest, mountains). Give players multiple viable routes with
real trade-offs.

Fill terrain types in and build a random-discovery table per region (dangerous foes,
neutral NPCs, points of interest). 2-in-6 chance of a discovery each day and each
night; night discoveries run more dangerous. Permanent discoveries get marked
on the map and replaced with something new. Weather is a great complication —
heavy rain, snow, storms.

Hide unique locations that only reveal themselves to players who spend a full day
searching carefully, or who already know exactly where to look.

The Village

Build a village around distinct themes — decadent and bureaucratic? A pilgrimage

site? Famous for a kekkei genkai clan? All three? Themes anchor what players
should expect.

Decide what's currently happening — a disaster, a festival, an assassination, a

succession crisis. One polarizing event makes a village far easier to run, since it
tells you what everyone's up to.

Break the village into districts, each with its own theme, well-known locations, and
notable NPCs/factions. Give each district hidden features that only reveal
themselves to players who know where to look.

Build a random encounter table per district, based on its themes — not all
dangerous, some just flavorful. 1-in-6 chance per pass through a district;
automatic if players go looking for trouble.

Villages are where PCs rest, recover, and pick up new missions. Make sure they
hear a couple of rumors each time they return — always give them options so they
can pick missions they'll enjoy.

LICENSE

The text of Naruto Rats is a derivative work based on Maze Rats by Ben Milton,
whose original text is licensed under Creative Commons CC BY 4.0
([Link] This adaptation
retains the CC BY 4.0 license for the mechanical/structural text drawn from the
original. Naruto and all related characters, villages, clans, and jutsu are trademarks
and copyrights of their respective owners (Masashi Kishimoto, Shueisha, Studio
Pierrot, VIZ Media, etc.); this document is an unofficial, non-commercial fan
conversion for personal tabletop use and claims no ownership over that
intellectual property.