Jutsu System [VERY BETA, WIP]

Introduction

Jutsu are the use of chakra, the inner energy of all ninja, to achieve a specific effect.  This can range anywhere from walking on water, to spitting fireballs, to healing people, to summoning animals from some obscure and hidden territory of sentient animals that can speak and write and make fun of you.  Jutsu are the most important tools to being ninja.  

Chakra

Every ninja has a reserve of chakra, which they expend to perform jutsu.  Jutsu of varying ranks require the use of different amounts of chakra.  Once expended, chakra is depleted for the remainder of the topic the person is in, and then they regain all missing chakra when the topic is over.  Chakra reflects a person's stamina as well.  As a ninja's chakra depletes, they will begin showing signs of exhaustion or fatigue.  At zero chakra, a ninja will pass out, unconscious for 5 when they then receive 20% of their chakra back.  Even if a ninja has only 1 chakra, they can perform any jutsu they know - they will simply pass out immediately afterward.

Chakra Values

Different ranks of ninja have different amounts of chakra, and, as stated, different ranks of jutsu cost different amounts.  Finally, ranks in potency can increase a ninja's total chakra.  The values for all this are listed below:

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	D-Rank	C-Rank	B-Rank	A-Rank	S-Rank
Ninja Rank	16	22	28	34	40
Jutsu Rank	1	2	3	4	5
Potency Rank	+2	+4	+6	+8	+10

---

There are also a few E-Rank jutsu.  These are considered training level jutsu, and require such inconsequential amounts of chakra that it is not measurable.  For the purposes of tracking your chakra in a topic, E-Rank jutsu are free.  Finally, some jutsu are maintained over multiple posts.  These jutsu will pay the normal jutsu cost upon activation, and then half that cost, rounding up, over each post after.

Applying For Jutsu

On TNW, players can create their own jutsu, and decide whether these created jutsu were created by their individual characters.  When applying for jutsu there are a few quick rules to keep in mind:  Only ever apply for one jutsu in each topic.  This makes it far more easy to locate jutsu for other members, and for staff.  You should always title the topic with the most well-known name of a jutsu, and then put in brackets whether the technique is Canon or Custom.  (Ex. Fire Release: Flame Bullet [Canon]).  When you are finished writing a jutsu, post a link to the topic in the jutsu requests section on discord.

Jutsu Template

Jutsu Name: Name of your jutsu.  
Rank: D-S
Primary Skill: Which skill is this jutsu mainly based on?  Memory Genjutsu? Elemental Ninjutsu? (Skill in primary skill must be equal to jutsu rank to perform.)
Secondary Skill: Some jutsu require some degree of skill in another area.  This is used both as a logical consistency and as a balancing mechanic.  D-A skill can be required in the secondary skill. (S-Rank in a secondary skill will not be imposed by staff, but you can write it in yourself.)


(Elemental) Element: Include this field if your jutsu uses nature transformation.  Which element is it? Include a link if it is a custom element.
(Weaponry) Weapon: Include this field if you jutsu requires a specific weapon or type of weapon, or its ability.  Which is it?  Include a link of it is a specific item.
(Genjutsu) Trigger: Genjutsu require a connection between the caster and the victim's senses.  (Ex. Eye contact, sound of the caster's voice.)
Focus: Speed, Power, or balanced.  You can focus your jutsu on speed or power specifically, gaining a +1 rank in either, at the expense of -1 rank in the other.  Balanced, however, keeps them equal to the rank of the jutsu.  Not just for attacks - can be included with ANY kind of jutsu, as power is a word for how effectively the jutsu does whatever it is designed for, and speed is how quickly the jutsu does it. Taijutsu that scale their damage from agility automatically cannot have a power focus, and Taijutsu that scale from strength cannot have a speed focus. Speed and power of a jutsu can only reach up to X-Rank (1 higher than S).

Duration: The duration of your jutsu.  
Cooldown: The cooldown of your jutsu measured in posts.  This will be used as a balance mechanic.
Description: Describe what your jutsu does here.  Be specific, include all of the information the first time, and follow the rest of the rules listed below.  The faster the jutsu is approved, the happier you will be.

Code:

[b]Jutsu Name[/b]: Name of your jutsu.  
[b]Rank[/b]: D-S
[b]Primary Skill[/b]: Which skill is this jutsu mainly based on?  Memory Genjutsu? Elemental Ninjutsu? (Skill in primary skill must be equal to jutsu rank to perform.)
[b]Secondary Skill[/b]: Some jutsu require some degree of skill in another area.  This is used both as a logical consistency and as a balancing mechanic.  D-A skill can be required in the secondary skill. (S-Rank in a secondary skill will not be imposed by staff, but you can write it in yourself.)


[b](Elemental) Element[/b]: Include this field if your jutsu uses nature transformation.  Which element is it? Include a link if it is a custom element.
[b](Weaponry) Weapon[/b]: Include this field if you jutsu requires a specific weapon or type of weapon, or its ability.  Which is it?  Include a link of it is a specific item.
[b](Genjutsu) Trigger[/b]: Genjutsu require a connection between the caster and the victim's senses.  (Ex. Eye contact, sound of the caster's voice.)
[b]Focus[/b]: Speed, Power, or balanced.  You can focus your jutsu on speed or power specifically, gaining a +1 rank in either, at the expense of -1 rank in the other.  Balanced, however, keeps them equal to the rank of the jutsu.  Not just for attacks - can be included with ANY kind of jutsu, as power is a word for how effectively the jutsu does whatever it is designed for, and speed is how quickly the jutsu does it. Taijutsu that scale their damage from agility automatically cannot have a power focus, and Taijutsu that scale from strength cannot have a speed focus. Speed and power of a jutsu can only reach up to X-Rank (1 higher than S).

[b]Duration[/b]: The duration of your jutsu.  
[b]Cooldown[/b]: The cooldown of your jutsu measured in posts.  This will be used as a balance mechanic.
[b]Description[/b]: Describe what your jutsu does here.  Be specific, include all of the information the first time, and follow the rest of the rules listed below.  The faster the jutsu is approved, the happier you will be.

Power and Speed

Power and speed of jutsu will be rather generalized, in order to avoid a stat-check type of RP style.  Because of this, the speed of projectile jutsu, as well as all projectiles, would be the speed at which someone with the jutsu's speed could throw a kunai.  In other cases, speed determines how quickly a jutsu's effects take place. If it is a healing jutsu, speed would determine how quickly the jutsu heals, where power would determine how much it heals.  Power, on the other hand, for projectiles, is mostly comparative, when clashing with other techniques, and things of that nature.  In jutsu applications where the application of speed and power would be confusing or unclear, it is to be denoted in the jutsu's description.

For Genjutsu, the speed stat will be replaced with Grip.  Grip is the stat that Genjutsu: Kai is measured against, and basically denotes how difficult the Genjutsu is to break.  Power, on the other hand, will denote the allowed severity of the effects of Genjutsu.  This is meant to be purposefully vague, as we do not want to limit the creativity of Genjutsu, but do remember, that Genjutsu descriptions still have to be specific in their effects, which should reflect Genjutsu's power, not depend on them.  For example, you would say "Reducing the victim's speed by 1" rather than "slowing them with 3 power" and things like this.

The Potency stat allows for adding ranks of "potency", depending on a character's rank in the stat.  These clan be applied to a jutsu's speed or power in order to increase them; 1 potency stack for one rank in speed or power.  If there is more than 1 potency stack, they can both be applied to the same stat or to different ones. 

Buffing Stats

Ninja can use jutsu to increase their stats temporarily.  There are two different types of stat buffs: constant buffs and instant buffs.  Constant buffs are sustained buffs through a designated period of time.  Instant buffs, however, only last a single movement - a dash in a target direction, a punch, and things like that.  Buffs always have a balanced focus.  Finally, only one buff can be in effect at a time.  If a character is using a constant buff, and, while using that constant buff, uses an instant buff, the instant buff's changed stats will apply to the exclusion of the constant buff's stats, and then after the instant buff's stats are over, the constant buff's stats are reapplied.  When buffing stats, there is a hard cap at X-Rank, which is one rank above S, and functions the same as S, for all purposes except when compared to other stats or, for agility and strength, movement as well.

All constant buffs have to be of at least B-Rank.  B-Rank techniques can increase 1 total stats throughout their duration, A-Rank can increase 2, and S-Rank can increase 3.  These can all go to one stat, or can be distributed among multiple. 

Instant buffs can be of any rank, and can increase the total amount of stats as follows:

• D-Rank: 1
  
• C-Rank: 2
  
• B-Rank: 3
  
• A-Rank: 4
  
• S-Rank: 5
  

Similarly to constant buffs, these can all be applied to one stat, or split among multiple.  

Concentration

Some jutsu require concentration for part or all of their durations. Concentration is not the same a simply charging a technique. When concentration is required, the caster cannot cast or maintain any other jutsu, nor can they move. If they do, the jutsu requiring concentration fails and the chakra is still spent.

Some jutsu only require partial concentration. When a jutsu requires partial concentration, the user cannot cast or maintain other jutsu, but they can still move. If the user attempts to cast or maintain another jutsu, the jutsu requiring partial concentration fails and the chakra is still spent.

Restrictions

There are a few thing that are restricted, and not allowed to be done with jutsu.  As the need arises, and we are forced to deny more jutsu because of unforeseen reasons, we will be updating this list.  List items that were added as a result of this will include a link to the topic where it was done in order to maintain context and consistency.

• Any techniques that hit without possibility to avoid
  
• Techniques that instantly kill or win no matter what
  
• Absolute defenses that cannot be penetrated by reasonable means
  
• Passive effects that do not require the use of chakra.
  

Learning Jutsu

Learning jutsu is simple.   There is a price for each rank of jutsu, and when you pay that price, your character gains the jutsu as a part of their arsenal.  It is assumed your character learned the jutsu during their regular training during a time when you were not directly RPing them.  Unless you want to RP them during that time.  It is completely up to the player.  The prices for the different ranks of jutsu are as follows.

• D-Rank: 4 Training Points
  
• C-Rank: 6 Training Points
  
• B-Rank: 8 Training Points
  
• A-Rank: 10 Training Points
  
• S-Rank: 12 Training Points
  

For Scaling Jutsu, or jutsu that can exist as multiple ranks (Ex. D-B Rank jutsu, A-S Rank jutsu), the character pays the price of the highest rank, and half the price of the others.

Jutsu Caps

There is a limit to the amount of jutsu of each rank a person can learn, and it depends upon their rank in that specialty. For example, a person with B in Taijutsu would be able to have more C-Rank Taijutsu techniques than a person with C-Rank Taijutsu specialty.  These limits are detailed in the table below:

	D-Rank Jutsu	C-Rank Jutsu	B-Rank Jutsu	A-Rank Jutsu	S-Rank Jutsu
D-Rank Spec	2	1	---	---	---
C-Rank Spec	4	2	1	---	---
B-Rank Spec	∞	4	2	1	---
A-Rank Spec	∞	∞	4	2	1
S-Rank Spec	∞	∞	∞	4	2

There is one final limit to how many jutsu each character can have in each specialty.  Those numbers are as follows:

• D-Rank Specialty: 3
  
• C-Rank Specialty: 7
  
• B-Rank Specialty: 14
  
• A-Rank Specialty: 19
  
• S-Rank Specialty: 24
  

Don't worry - you can "forget" a jutsu later to learn more if you hit the cap.