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[Snap]

Woah, this forum takes me back. Like, wow. I can't believe it's been years since I've last logged back on into Shinobi Legends after an extended period of hiatus. Yikes. In any case, I'm back! Anybody missed me? Anyone? Anyone?!?

Now onto to the point before this gets a tad too off-topic. Welcome to Snap's Naruto Character Guide! Here, you will find an extensive guide to making a creative and generally likeable Naruto character! If you have any questions or complaints, feel free to post here. To the forum moderators, keep in mind, I will double post every now and then in this thread as there are a lot to contribute in this very aspect.

Before any of you guys start enquiring me left and right, I am going to answer the basics first of all:

"What made you create this topic, Snap?"

Personally, the reason why I created this topic in the first place was probably because I hate all those Sues running around creating mayhem on Shinobi Legends when they aren't even made right. Especially the ones that get famous because of illegitimate reasons like how, "awsum sauce!1!1" they are, or how they are, "This is WHO I am!" Shadow the Hedgehog-level in edginess, or how they are, "kireiiii desuuuu, uguuu~!!!" It makes me cringe, and want to wipe my screen with a disinfectant when I see these sorts of characters, so to prevent more of the Sue-AIDS from contaminating others, I made this. Keep in mind you do NOT have to abide of this guide, you can just sweep it under the rug and continue on with what you're best at doing. I'm not here to dictate how you write your characters' or what their abilities should be or not, I'm simply here to help, and share my opinions.

"Are you sure you’re the proper person to do this? Are you even an expert in Naruto?"

For starters, I never claimed that I was an expert; I just want to help people and open up a room for some creativity. I think spending my decades on reading Naruto, and re-reading the manga every now and then made me knowledgeable on this, so maybe I'm one of those proper people to do this. Just maybe is the keyword.

"Yeah, well, your guide is freaking stupid; take it down, you prick!"

Twilight is stupid as well. Eat this delicious blueberry muffin and get away from my topic.

"Why are you so mean and pessimistic? Go screw yourself!"

Calm yo horses, son. I ain't fighting you. Lmfao. Like I told you above, you do NOT have to abide of this guide, you can just sweep it under the rug and continue on with what you're best at doing. You can RP whoever the heck you're supposed to be.

"Can you tone down your profanities?"

I'm sorry; the amount of profanity I write here is already kept to a bare minimum. I don't think I can tone it down any further.

Now with those words said, shall we begin, folks?

[Snap]

Guide #1

UCHIHA CHARACTERS

Oooh, boy. This very subject. It's the most touchy one within the Naruto fandom. Upon my return to Shinobi Legends, I was taken aback by the amount of Uchiha characters there. Like, I am fairly certain that pretty much all characters there, if not all, are of the Uchiha clan. I've seen Uchiha characters everywhere in the Naruto fandom that I don't even believe in the fandom's brains anymore concerning this idea. Anyway, for those who still want to pursue Uchiha as their character, it's a pretty tricky subject, so I'll try my best to give you guys standards for these types of characters.

The Uchiha clan is previously found in Konoha, and is probably the Senju's mortal enemies. They also come from the bloodline of the Sage of the Six Path's older son, Indra Ootsutsuki, who believed that power was the utmost important aspect in this world. They bear the Curse of Hatred because the Sage preferred the ideology of the younger brother, Ashura, which is Love and Peace. This explains their rivalry rivalry with the Senju.

Also, Tobirama mentions that the Uchiha have a deep, passionate love for others, and if that certain someone were to die, they fall into a bottomless pit of depression. This does not mean they turn emo. There's no such thing as "emo" in the World of Naruto, acting like Kiritsugu Emiya from Fate/Zero and writing corny Julius Caesar-esque poem out of nowhere. This depression stuff is a completely different thing.

Their Sharingan is connected to their emotions, as well. When they are placed in a situation where a person that they love the most (platonic or otherwise) dies, their brain releases special chakra that flows through the optic nerves, transforming their eyes into the Sharingan. Upon activation, they may either use it freely afterwards or they may forget ever doing so and may take years to reactivate it when placed in other extremely stressful conditions (in Sasuke's case).

As always, there are certain pointers with this clan, more so because they are one of the most tricky clans to use:

• FIRST AND FOREMOST, NO MORE OF THE HYUGA-UCHIHA HYBRID CHARACTERS WITH ONE BYAKUGAN AND ONE SHARINGAN. Aside from it being too cliche and Mary-Sueish, it's also extremely stupid. Genetics don't work like that, son. You either get a Byakugan or a Sharingan, not both. I haven't had news on the Byakugan or the Sharingan being transplanted to achieve this, but it's still extremely, tremendously STUPID and UNCREATIVE. Seriously, can't you just make two separate characters?

• YOUR CHARACTER DOESN'T AWAKEN THE SHARINGAN THAT EASILY. The awakening of the Sharingan comes at a price: death of a dear loved one. While in Obito and Itachi's case, their Sharingan were woken up due to willpower (I'm assuming Itachi's reason was willpower, unless he had a best friend other than Shisui). The most common cause of a Sharingan waking up is because of emotional distress due to the loss of a person an Uchiha loves the most, whether platonic or romantic. Willpower could also be used as a reason, since there are some pretty heavy stress concerning the Uchiha, but nevertheless, the most common way is through someone's death.

• MANGEKYO SHARINGAN ISN'T ACTIVATED AND USED THAT EASILY. Gaining a Mangekyo Sharingan is even trickier, and requires even more emotional and mental sacrifice. Your character would have to kill his or her best friend (or someone equal to that status) before you gain your Mangekyo. And even then, the Mangekyo Sharingan's usage is also deadly for your character's eyes; just look how horrible Itachi or Sasuke's eyesight became. Your character would experience blood tears, eye problems, and worse, your character could even go blind. Not to mention, Mangekyo Sharingan isn't as common as black hair among the Uchiha; it's extremely rare.

• SPECIAL CASE: TRANSPLANTING THE SHARINGAN. If you want to create the next Kakashi (which is not advisable, by the way), and have a Sharingan transplanted to your character's eye socket, state your reason as to why a poor Uchiha bloke would be losing his or her Sharingan and it being transferred to another lad. Don't pull the Obito trick (which is getting into an fatal accident and giving your eye to the injured currently-one-eyed-person). There's lots of reasons for eye transplant. And remember, that once a Sharingan is transplanted, it can't be deactivated, that's why Kakashi wears his forehead protector like an eyepatch. Also, using a Sharingan when your character's physiology isn't built for the Sharingan (unlike your average Uchiha) tends to take its toll. Chakra consumption is greater than average, and abusing your character's poor-stolen transplanted Sharingan is even deadlier to your character's health.

[Snap]

Guide #2

JASHINISM AND YOU

Ah, Jashinism. While I don't mind characters who're followers of the Jashinism cult, I do however, get irritated when they all turn out to be Hidan's clones, children, or stuff like that. I mean, seriously, are you guys trying to replace him with a carbon copy or make a genderbent version of him? In any case, here's my advice for making characters who're worshippers of Jashin.

• AN IMPORTANT NOTE ON THE JASHINISM IMMORTALITY. The immortality of a Jashinist may or may not depend on whether they sacrifice to Jashin or not (there has been a lot of talk about this). While it could be a general notion that as long as you sacrifice to Jashin that your immortality will continue, it could also be plausible that the immortality is not dependent on the rituals themselves. Hidan hasn't been sacrificing in a while (given the fact that he's in pieces under the Nara clan forest) and he seems to be sustained by the immortality throughout. Kishimoto also implied that the immortality is only focused on not being able to die of critical wounds and other causes, but daily necessities (such as hunger and thirst) is not covered by the immortal insurance. It could look like they have a slower reaction to hunger and thirst, though, as Kishimoto said that Hidan is only dying of hunger as of press time (Kakuzu mentions that Hidan may still be alive since Hidan wasn't revived along with them).

• Next, the attitude. I really, really, REALLY hate characters, especially female characters, who are as psychotic and foul-mouthed as Hidan. Remember that Hidan became psychotic due to his excessive pride after learning that he can't die in battle and that he could toy with everyone he targets before killing them. While it makes him look entertaining, seeing characters like him in terms of personality is just distasteful. It's his key concepts; being a loud-mouthed, sailor-mouthed psycho-sadomasochist. Don't steal his characterization. While I could believe Jashinist characters who are, more or less, arrogant or has no sense of self-preservation, I hate it if creators behind their characters take it upon themselves to the extreme just because Hidan is the same. Not everyone has an exact copy of themselves, physically or otherwise.

• While Hidan uses that big-ass triple-bladed scythe of his, remember that it's pretty much extremely useless to use in fights and it drags down heavily on speed and stamina (why the hell do you think Hidan is the slowest member of the Akatsuki?), plus Hidan doesn't even use it too much for combat. In normal circumstances, Hidan only uses the blade to draw out blood from his victims and use it to activate the Death Controlling Possessed Blood Technique. I would generally advise against using any sort of scythe (excluding the war scythe, which is primarily used in wars and is effective for combat). I also think that Jashinists could do well with long-ranged weapons that can effectively cut skin and draw out blood in long ranges, plus doubling as the weapon that will be used to inflict harm on the target (and the Jashinist…).

All in all, that's pretty much all I have to say in regards to Jashinist characters. Just remember not to create a Jashinist character who is as equally-deranged as Hidan and NO SCYTHES PLS, and you're good to go. I don't mind Jashinist characters, and I never found them overall overpowered. While the immortality of a Jashinist has its benefits, it also has as many disadvantages in the long turn.

[Ѕhadow]

Guide #2

JASHINISM AND YOU

Ah, Jashinism. While I don't mind characters who're followers of the Jashinism cult, I do however, get irritated when they all turn out to be Hidan's clones, children, or stuff like that. I mean, seriously, are you guys trying to replace him with a carbon copy or make a genderbent version of him? In any case, here's my advice for making characters who're worshippers of Jashin.

• AN IMPORTANT NOTE ON THE JASHINISM IMMORTALITY. The immortality of a Jashinist may or may not depend on whether they sacrifice to Jashin or not (there has been a lot of talk about this). While it could be a general notion that as long as you sacrifice to Jashin that your immortality will continue, it could also be plausible that the immortality is not dependent on the rituals themselves. Hidan hasn't been sacrificing in a while (given the fact that he's in pieces under the Nara clan forest) and he seems to be sustained by the immortality throughout. Kishimoto also implied that the immortality is only focused on not being able to die of critical wounds and other causes, but daily necessities (such as hunger and thirst) is not covered by the immortal insurance. It could look like they have a slower reaction to hunger and thirst, though, as Kishimoto said that Hidan is only dying of hunger as of press time (Kakuzu mentions that Hidan may still be alive since Hidan wasn't revived along with them).

• Next, the attitude. I really, really, REALLY hate characters, especially female characters, who are as psychotic and foul-mouthed as Hidan. Remember that Hidan became psychotic due to his excessive pride after learning that he can't die in battle and that he could toy with everyone he targets before killing them. While it makes him look entertaining, seeing characters like him in terms of personality is just distasteful. It's his key concepts; being a loud-mouthed, sailor-mouthed psycho-sadomasochist. Don't steal his characterization. While I could believe Jashinist characters who are, more or less, arrogant or has no sense of self-preservation, I hate it if creators behind their characters take it upon themselves to the extreme just because Hidan is the same. Not everyone has an exact copy of themselves, physically or otherwise.

• While Hidan uses that big-ass triple-bladed scythe of his, remember that it's pretty much extremely useless to use in fights and it drags down heavily on speed and stamina (why the hell do you think Hidan is the slowest member of the Akatsuki?), plus Hidan doesn't even use it too much for combat. In normal circumstances, Hidan only uses the blade to draw out blood from his victims and use it to activate the Death Controlling Possessed Blood Technique. I would generally advise against using any sort of scythe (excluding the war scythe, which is primarily used in wars and is effective for combat). I also think that Jashinists could do well with long-ranged weapons that can effectively cut skin and draw out blood in long ranges, plus doubling as the weapon that will be used to inflict harm on the target (and the Jashinist…).

All in all, that's pretty much all I have to say in regards to Jashinist characters. Just remember not to create a Jashinist character who is as equally-deranged as Hidan and NO SCYTHES PLS, and you're good to go. I don't mind Jashinist characters, and I never found them overall overpowered. While the immortality of a Jashinist has its benefits, it also has as many disadvantages in the long turn.

Did you ever happen to meet Bocc?

[Snap]

Guide #3

ELEMENTAL KEKKEI GENKAI

Another touchy topic within the Naruto fandom. People love them some Kekkei Genkai. Most of us, if not all, are using them for our characters. Including myself. I would lie to myself and look like a blithering hypocrite if I didn't say I did so too. Anyway, starting with the Elemental Kekkei Genkai, I'll tell you what to avoid. These aren't bad techniques, but they are generally really overdone or exclusive, and it would be best to avoid them:

The Blaze Release for starters is a complete no-go, as only a oh-so few people were able to utilize this advanced nature transformation (Sasuke and Itachi), as is the Dust Release. I'd definitely stay away from the Wood Release too due to the recent chapters, which gave the Wood an immense power-up. I'd also avoid the Dark Release, as it is movie-only and excruciatingly overpowered.

Now, onto the good stuff!

Personally, I think the Swift Release is fine. It's not canon to the manga, but it's nothing too overpowered or cliche either. You just go really, really fast. It's quite strong against Taijutsu, but doesn't do much against Nin or Genjutsu per se. In order to counterbalance it, I'd give your character poor stamina or maybe poor strength.

The Scorch Release is good, as well. It is something I've only seen Pakura use, and it's quite powerful, as it literally mummifies your opponents, but I think it's doable if done right. Again, poor stamina/strength, or perhaps small chakra reserves and limited Taijutsu prowess will definitely keep your character at a reasonable powerlevel.

The Explosion Release is something I'm 50/50 on. However, I think it's plausible, as Iwagakure has an entire division dedicated to explosions and this technique. I wouldn't copy directly from Deidara though. I'd suggest studying Gari's techniques rather than Deidara's, as the only reason Deidara could do half the stuff he did was because he stole a Kinjutsu. Again, find a way to balance this out, whether it’s poor stamina or small chakra reserves, or something else entirely.

The Boil Release should be fine. Just don't pull a Mei Terumi and give your character one Elemental Kekkei Genkai at a time, please. Just keep it balanced, and you should be fine.

The Lava Release is also fine! Again, just have one, and don't pull off a Mei. And based on your character's country of origin, the chakra natures this entails will vary. I noticed that they used the radical for "Mizu" (Water) when they wrote about Mei's version of this Kekkei Genkai, and "Hi" (Fire) when they spoke about the others. There are also multiple variations for this technique, so your character isn't limited when they use this at all. But if they are from Kirigakure, I'd suggest giving them the water/liquid-related version which Mei uses. And whatever else, please don't pull all the lava from the planet. Stick to one lava form.

The Magnet Release is a really nice and fairly underrated Kekkei Genkai that deserves more recognition in my opinion. I use it for one of my characters, and I really like it. It's an interesting power, and it has a lot of room for development. However, do not make your character control sand, please. It's just... That's Gaara and Shukaku's thing. Some Suna shinobi can use sand, but not on his level. Stick to magnetizing weapons, please.

I know there wasn't a lot to be said here, but Kishimoto hasn't exactly created a ton of Elemental Kekkei Genkai in the manga. My apologies. You can feel free to leave me questions pertaining this sbuject.

• HERE IS A REALLY IMPORTANT NOTE. The majority of these Kekkei Genkai are not inherited. Making your character a Terumi isn't going to give you instant access to these Kekkei Genkai regardless of your reasoning, so please stop doing that. I know I'm being particular, but writing a fan character with a ridiculous amount of powers just because they share the same last name as a canon character is just... Not plausible. Mei's Kekkei Genkai are all (almost, anyway) shared amongst people she is totally unrelated to, and it's the same for most of these others too.

[Eric]

They are called KG (bloodline) limits for a reason. Of course they're inherited (they are the narutoverse's SL Uchiha in that they aren't necessarily kept to one village) and even among different villages the actual usage has a tendency to vary. The Boil and Lava release of Kirigakure is not technically shared by Iwagakure because each of those were granted to their respective jinchs from the 4-tails and 5-tails respectively.

Just felt the need to point that out.

[Rusaku]

They are called KG (bloodline) limits for a reason. Of course they're inherited (they are the narutoverse's SL Uchiha in that they aren't necessarily kept to one village) and even among different villages the actual usage has a tendency to vary. The Boil and Lava release of Kirigakure is not technically shared by Iwagakure because each of those were granted to their respective jinchs from the 4-tails and 5-tails respectively.

Just felt the need to point that out.

There are a number of things that could be pointed out for this entire topic, but as the title says; this is Snap's guide to making a character, not ours.  So we should probably hold our peace unless asked for feedback.

[Ѕhadow]

They are called KG (bloodline) limits for a reason. Of course they're inherited (they are the narutoverse's SL Uchiha in that they aren't necessarily kept to one village) and even among different villages the actual usage has a tendency to vary. The Boil and Lava release of Kirigakure is not technically shared by Iwagakure because each of those were granted to their respective jinchs from the 4-tails and 5-tails respectively.

Just felt the need to point that out.

There are a number of things that could be pointed out for this entire topic, but as the title says; this is Snap's guide to making a character, not ours.  So we should probably hold our peace unless asked for feedback.

" If you have any questions or complaints, feel free to post here. "

But I'm on the same page with Eric. A guide like this would make the most sense if it followed the SL verse.

[Rusaku]

They are called KG (bloodline) limits for a reason. Of course they're inherited (they are the narutoverse's SL Uchiha in that they aren't necessarily kept to one village) and even among different villages the actual usage has a tendency to vary. The Boil and Lava release of Kirigakure is not technically shared by Iwagakure because each of those were granted to their respective jinchs from the 4-tails and 5-tails respectively.

Just felt the need to point that out.

There are a number of things that could be pointed out for this entire topic, but as the title says; this is Snap's guide to making a character, not ours.  So we should probably hold our peace unless asked for feedback.

" If you have any questions or complaints, feel free to post here. "

But I'm on the same page with Eric. A guide like this would make the most sense if it followed the SL verse.

Welp, I didn't see that tid bit. *Cracks fingers* Time to write some constructive criti----Nah I'm too lazy. I'm sure someone else will write something helpful.

[UettoSenju]

They are called KG (bloodline) limits for a reason. Of course they're inherited (they are the narutoverse's SL Uchiha in that they aren't necessarily kept to one village) and even among different villages the actual usage has a tendency to vary. The Boil and Lava release of Kirigakure is not technically shared by Iwagakure because each of those were granted to their respective jinchs from the 4-tails and 5-tails respectively.

Just felt the need to point that out.

There are a number of things that could be pointed out for this entire topic, but as the title says; this is Snap's guide to making a character, not ours.  So we should probably hold our peace unless asked for feedback.

" If you have any questions or complaints, feel free to post here. "

But I'm on the same page with Eric. A guide like this would make the most sense if it followed the SL verse.

Welp, I didn't see that tid bit. *Cracks fingers* Time to write some constructive criti----Nah I'm too lazy. I'm sure someone else will write something helpful.

Where does 8 Gates fit into all this and Sage Mode?

[Snap]

Guide #4

NINJA TOOLS

Weapons are a very important part of a character's design. Your choice of weapon chooses how your character fights, what missions they go on, and even their health, among many other things. So, how do you choose a weapon? You could always just go with the default (kunai, shuriken) or you could do something common, like a sword. And that’s perfectly fine. Your character doesn't need a unique weapon. But you should, at least, know how your character fights.

Text wall ahead. So brace yourself:

So, firstly, let's talk about if you don't want some unique weapon. Well, that's perfectly fine. But don't think your character will always be able to get by with just a mere kunai and shuriken. A great strategy if your character doesn't need a signature weapon, have your character use kunai and shuriken, but have them also know how to use a weapon. For example…

Our character Noriaki is a male shinobi. His rank, chunin. He doesn't have a signature weapon, and usually uses kunai and shuriken. He's assigned to a mission. The mission involves recovering a stolen scroll. He receives a file, describing the people he'll be fighting.

Our enemies? They're larger than our character on average, and masters of hand-to-hand combat. They rarely use weapons and are deadly fast. They have great motion tracking skill. They also use armor.

So, our character's ability to throw weapons is useless. Shuriken are out. They can't throw kunai, but they can use them to slice/stab up close. But the armor is too strong for the kunai to cause much damage, and the enemy's hand-to-hand ability means our character would likely be killed before they could kill with the kunai.

What's the best option for our character? A katana! Ninja often use swords, and, as a weapon, swords are amazing. Traditional katana are forged so that they are strong, razor sharp, and easy to swing. They grant 4 feet easily to your reach, and have the power to slice a body in half. Our enemy's armor may be good, but with the information he's given before the mission and the power of the katana, our character would have a great chance of survival and success. Katana are common weapons, easy to incorporate into any character, and overall are great. I recommend your character at least know how to use a katana, but that's not required by any means.

What if you have a medic character or a non-shinobi? Well, it'd be great for your character to know how to use a weapon, but they don't have to. Actually, medics who know how to use a weapon are a great idea! If your character is healing someone on a battlefield and an enemy approaches, they need to, like any shinobi, fight off the enemy to protect their comrade (or retreat with the patient, but…)

In fact, most medic characters in the canon series are parts of normal three-man cells. They fight and train just like any ninja, but study as a medic as well. The only characters that have really been just medics are ninja with an inability to fight and non-shinobi civilians. Even Hana Inuzuka goes on missions and knows how to fight. This, of course, doesn't denote times of war. I'm getting off-topic. Gotta stay focused.
 
So, how do you come up with a unique weapon for your character? Well, first, throw out the word “unique.” Your character shouldn't have something ultra-bizarre and illogical. It's not too hard to make a good character that has a strange but logical weapon.

Take into account your character's fighting style. Are they agile and quick? Do they focus on defense or offense? Do they have a temper? Are they unusually strong? Think about your character first and the weapon, and try to weed out major problems. Thin, small female character shouldn't really have giant war hammers. Alternately, huge hulk characters probably shouldn't use kama.

Remember, though, that this guide is just to help you out. Don't take it too seriously. If your character is worked out so that a weapon works right, go for it! Feel absolutely free to come up with solutions to problems posed.

One last comment on signature weapons, try to have primary and secondary choices, or primary and supporting choices. If your character uses a sword, what do you do if your sword snaps in half?

Let's talk about classes and types of weapons, then:

THE BASICS

Kunai: Great support weapons, and pretty flexible in use. You have, in a small package, a knife usable for hunting, fighting, cutting obstacles, carving, creating shelter, and loads of other things. Downside? They're small and don't cause much damage unless used in high numbers or on fatal targets, like the heart, eyes, base of the skull, throat, liver, etc. They can, however, cause grievous damage to tendons, and can pin an enemy to a wall or tree. (see, Iruka Vs. Mizuki in the beginning of the series).

Shuriken: Shuriken are inarguably a ninja’s bread and butter. They have plenty of points of razor-sharp blades to ensure an accurate hit will equal some damage. Imagine if your kunai, somehow, turned in-air and you hit with the side or the back? On top of that, they're thrown with a spin, like a football. Footballs move straight and fast because of the spin. Imagine what that does to a weapon. Shuriken can be thrown extremely fast. Once again, they don't cause much damage, but can easily sever tendons, arteries, flesh, etc. if thrown to hit specific points. Your character should probably carry a few of these (they’re small and convenient!) and definitely know how to use them.

Swords: Like I said, swords are great. You get additional length to your reach, they have enough weight to sever necks, joints, etc. and are light enough to carry anywhere. They're easy to come across, pretty easy as far as upkeep goes, and they're close to perfect. Downsides… They're open to snapping if not taken care of (your character should know how to care for their weapons) and can be heavy for small characters. They also reflect a lot of the force you put into them. As a person who’s used a lot of these weapons, I'll tell you that hitting something that you can't slice through completely will reflect a lot of that energy back. It’ll travel through your arms and feel almost like an electric shock.

Senbon: Remember the Zabuza arc? Kakashi said it: Senbon are only fatal, or even useful, if pin-pointed for your enemy's arteries, nerves, spine, etc. They can be easily poisoned, though! Historically, there are two types of senbon: metal ones that can slice through things like flesh and go through the other end if not hindered by bone or muscle, and wood ones that will hold poisons for months easily. Great for medics, though, as a tool and not a weapon.

Fuma Shuriken: These are one of those common but rare weapons. They fold, which makes their huge size easier to handle. They're also a great weapon to slice things. If you put enough force into them, they'll chop a person in half with no effort. Of course, they're heavy, hard to carry and store, bound to get rusty easily (the connecting parts are hard to clean out) and it would take someone with unbelievable strength to throw one hard enough to cause major damage. Remember when Iruka got hit with that giant, absolutely illogical shuriken by Mizuki? The only difference is, really, that Fuma Shuriken are curved with longer blades, and would deliver the excess inertia from the spin into the body without sticking like shuriken. When folded, as well, they're as useful as a 2x4 and you'll probably chop off a finger when using one if you're not careful.

CLASSES OF WEAPONS

Blades: Sharp wedges that are generally sword- or dagger-shaped. Great for travel, and often useful for all sorts of things. Machete-type weapons can hack off body parts and destroy obstacles. Sword-type blades can cause endless damage and are sharpe enough to cause the maximum damage with the fewest strikes. Knives, daggers, etc. are great for close combat and serve endless purposes. Axe-type weapons can cut down things, destroy doorways, etc. and are great for hitting necks, joints, or boney areas to snap and separate them. You'll want to use a battle axe or hatchet type weapon moreso than something like an equivalent fireman’s axe or a lumberjack's. Blades depend heavily on maintenance.

Smashing weapons: Things like hammers, maces, and other bashing weapons. They're great for strong ninja, and can cause painful damage without killing. Good for sadistic individuals. A well-placed hit to the head will cause instant death. They're often heavy and cumbersome and you need great accuracy to get the money shot.

Ranged: Weapons like shuriken and other thrown weapons, bows, and slingshots. Designed to hit people at a distance. Bows are good and have decent accuracy, but people don't understand you need a lot of strength to pull back the string. Not necessarily a “Ninja weapon” but a great weapon for a shinobi in hindsight. Slingshots are extremely similar but are often smaller and launch small projectiles. Can cause death by hitting the skull, but aren't necessarily good for killing, as their projectiles are often too small to break bones other than the skull.

Long-Pole weapons: They're heavy and inaccurate. Generally, you just swing in the hopes of hitting something. If your enemy moves, you have to break all your inertia or let it play out, which puts you in danger. Things like spears are good (you can stab and also throw at a distance) but they break easily. On top of that, how will a ninja carry a long pole weapon quickly? You have to carry it, like the bashing weapons. If it were foldable, if might fold during battle and then you're up the creek. You can't fight in a small area or even among trees without hitting something other than your enemy. Long-pole weapons can be good, but are often a bad choice and merely chosen because it's 2kool4u awsum sauce.

Short-Pole weapons: These are less heard of, but are probably your best bet for pole weapons. You've got kama, which are like a scythe but about a foot or two long. They can have razor-sharp blades and are often cut with holes in the middle so they move fast. You can slap someone with them to cause some damage without hurting them too badly, or hit with the butt to break a jaw or neck. They're curved in, so they can hook things. They often have a sharp point, which can be stabbed. Some have spikes on the back, which serve as an additional weapon. Great weapon. The handle is often thick enough to not snap, the blades are durable but may snap, and they’re easy to carry. They don't pack much punch, but they work well.

Claws: Claws are any weapon that covers the hand, going up the arm in some cases. While claws on the fingers can be great weapons, they can deliver force to your fingers and make them snap in half like twigs. Ones up on your hand can limit movement, and ones only on the fingers make gripping things as hard as wearing crazy-long acrylic nails. A good idea would be a claw-type weapon that hooked on the wrist, covered the back of the hand like armor, and went over the fingers (like Wolverine from X-Men) or covered the fingers and allowed the ability to grip and hold things.

Darts: Like senbon, they can be great with poison, but are often hard to be accurate with and might not cause a kill.

Projectile weapons: Outside of ranged weapons, these use a force that isn’t delivered by the user to launch a projectile. A gun is a projectile weapon. Thing is, ninja don't have guns. And things like chakra cannons... Remember the Chunin Exam arc? Yeah. Cannons are great for big battles, but aren't good for carrying if you're not humongous. Overall, projectile weapons for ninja aren't great. You have to carry the weapon, the projectiles, a “gun powder” type substance, and things for upkeep, as projectile weapons are really easy to mess up. I don't reccommend them.

Spikes: Things like just a spike on a handle can be great for quickly killing an enemy. You often have to use a backfist movement, but other than that they're usually thick, don't need much upkeep, and are lightweight. The tips might snap off, though. Good for blacksmiths, I suppose. Reinforced tips are a must, especially after snapping happens once.

Fans: These are an unorthodox weapon and are generally something I'd recommend you stay away from. You can use them for all I care, but personally, I wouldn't recommend using them for fighting style. Temari is a fan-wielder, and she logically has to use a lot of strength to just wield it.

Undoubtedly, I missed a couple of few. But try and think about the weapon you want to use with the logic I used. That'll help more than I have space to say. It is arguably necessary for your character's weapon to be tailored for them. But don't make a hipster weapon. Anything neon, overly decorative, or frilly will get you killed. Try to avoid ribbons on your swords or weapons at all, as they just get in the way. Explosive tags are very different from ribbons, but try not to put explosive tags on your primary weapon. If you don't know why maybe you shouldn't play with weapons at all.

Things like the hilt of your sword are great places to add your own flare. A woven hilt is beautiful and individual, and adds flare to your weapon easily. Try not to have seals on your blades, as they might snap off, get in the way, or harm your hand. A hilt guard is important for swords.

Most blades are shiny. But look at shuriken, with their low luster. That's a great thing for ninja, because the shine off of your weapon can get you killed. Having a dark weapon is good, and having brushed metal is also good, except that ninja might not have the ability to blacken their metals.

Avoid weapons made of crystal, onyx, and other ohsospeeshul materials. They'll snap or be heavy or just be a hot mess. Steel and other common weapon materials are perfectly fine. Try researching other materials if you really want something different. Research anything to your weapon, or character, that you don't know for sure.

DO NOT:

• Copy already-existing weapons.
  

• Justify a weapon based on aesthetic. Your character is a ninja. Not a freaking fashion model.
  

• STOP WITH THE GLOWING WEAPONS. Your weapon is not a kryptonite. You are not at a freaking rave. Your character is a MASTER OF STEALTH. What is a giant glow stick going to do? Earn them a kunai in the neck, that's what.

• Don't have ribbons, neon colors, etc. on your weapons. You're just asking for trouble.

• Guns. Just don't. Chakra cannons (like the guy from Otogakure during the Chunin Exam arc) are a different story, but are extremely problematic. They're implanted in your body. You get a jam, something stuck in it, etc. Remember how that fight turned out?

• Choose a weapon without thinking “Can my character use this?”
  

[Hazama]

In my defense, I'm a Warrior, not a Shinobi. D:

[Rusaku]

And we have a guy who uses guns now lol

[Deathstroke]

Guns. Just don't.

The dot of a laser sight appears on Snap's forehead. >_>

[Snap]

Guide #5.1

JUTSUS

Today, I'll be bringing up a topic which I was asked through PM by a friend of mine on Shinobi Legends: Creating and giving your character his/her jutsus.

Since this guide will be extremely extensive, I'll separate it in two parts. Okay~?

Anyway, jutsus, in the Naruto series, is an essential part of the ninja life. To utilize this, one must tap into their chakra reserves, perform necessary handseals (if needed) and the manifestation of the desired jutsu will be achieved. It is a trained skill, meaning you just don't randomly learn it; you have to study about the jutsu, its strength and weaknesses, its rank and range, and train it until you get the desired result. Depending on the ranking of the jutsu and the skill of your character, it usually varies on how long you would train.

Anyway, let's discuss the rest of the jutsu realm, shall we?

Basics: What Usually Comprises A Jutsu

Normally, a jutsu can be broken down to several categories. First, we have the type, which usually involves Ninjutsu, Genjutsu, and Taijutsu. Next, we have the handseals which are usually involved with Ninjutsu and Genjutsu. Afterwards, we have the rank, which will determine how powerful the jutsu is and how hard is it to be trained. It also helps determine what rank of a ninja is usually required for jutsus per rank and how much chakra you may need. We then have the range, whether Short, Mid or Long-range. Afterwards, the classification rolls in, which determines if the jutsu is used offensively, defensively, or as a supplement.

With this in mind, let's start with this:

I. The Types of Jutsus

Main Types of Jutsus

Ninjutsu

Ninjutsu, or “Ninja Techniques”, is one of the most common abilities seen in the Naruto series. It is coined as “allowing its users to do something which they are otherwise incapable of doing” (like breath fire and all that). Ninjutsu techniques range from allowing one to copy appearances of others, “teleport” to places, and in more complex forms, manipulate elemental forces and even heal injuries. More often than not, Ninjutsu are associated with Nature Transformation and Shape Transformation.

Nature Transformation, like its name says, allows the user to incorporate elements of nature into their jutsus. We usually have five basic natures for jutsus: Fire, Water, Lightning, Wind, Earth.

Here we have the diagram for the conflict between chakra natures. One element is always stronger then the other, and weaker against another. Let's put this in a list.

- Fire: Weak against Water (it douses it out) and strong against Wind (Wind makes it stronger)
- Wind: Weak against Fire and strong against Lightning (it is an insulator for Lightning)
- Lightning: Weak against Wind and strong against Earth (it breaks Earth)
- Earth: Weak against Lightning and strong against Water (Earth absorbs Water)
- Water: Weak against Earth and strong against Fire

While this is the basic weakness diagram for the natures, I do believe, regarding real-life phenomena, that there is a greater diagram we can make from it.

For instance, Fire can be stronger than Water if it overpowers the amount of Water. If it is hot enough, it can bring Water to a boil and render Water useless.
Wind can be stronger than Earth provided that it can be redirected in slices of air sharp enough to cut down rocks and other Earth jutsus.
Lightning IS weak against Water because Water is a good conductor of lightning. Lightning can also overpower Earth because Earth has a lot of minerals in it that can conduct electricity.
Earth can overpower Fire because it can easily extinguish flames.

Anyway, it's a rather difficult subject to tackle about. I hope I got you guys to understand it, though.

Do also remember that when you use jutsus of a higher caliber that is initially weaker than the jutsu it is charged against (for example: Water vs. Wind-enhanced Fire), it can defeat the stronger jutsu.

Also, it is very evident that the nature that entails a character's affinity stems up from the place where they or their parents are from. Characters with Fire affinity are most seen in Konohagakure, Wind-type ninjas are most abundant in Sunagakure, Water-type ninjas are found in Kirigakure, Lightning-based users are from Kumogakure, and Earth-styled ninjas frequently are from Iwagakure.

Next is Shape Transformation. It is the ability to mold chakra and jutsus in shapes, most usually a sphere. It involves gathering and compressing chakra into its desired shape. The best example for this is the jutsu Rasengan, a jutsu of the highest Shape Transformation caliber. It required rotating and compressing chakra in a strong force to transform it into a sphere and deal maximum damage due to the heavy compression. The “Bijuu cloak” for the Jinchuuriki is another example of shape transformation, which usually involves the Bijuu's chakra taking the shape of the Bijuu itself, albeit a smaller version that fits the Jinchuuriki's size, and the tails that he/she may have activated.

Genjutsu

Genjutsu, or “Illusionary Technique” involves “tricking” the senses of another by disrupting their chakra flow from their cerebral nervous system to their brains and thus makes the five senses believe that the illusion is real. Most of the time, the victim is not aware of the genjutsu taking place in their brains, though some genjutsu are easier to spot (though can be hard to counter, just like Tsukuyomi). Genjutsu is also extremely hard to master, and can be done so only with people who have precise chakra control (that is why Kishimoto once stated that Sakura Haruno may have an affinity for Genjutsu) and those with high intelligence.

Genjutsu, like Ninjutsu, has a massive range of abilities, Usually, one can subdue opponents though genjutsu by rendering them immobile and out of conscious reality. Tobi also exhibited the ability to control another person using genjutsu. Interrogation can also be a by-product of genjutsu, using it to break the will of others so prying information from them is easily and effortless afterwards.

There are three known sub-types of genjutsu, as seen in both manga and anime.

- Handseal-based Genjutsu - This is how I call the Genjutsu that requires perfoming handseals and most probably resembles casting Ninjutsu. Kurenai Yuhi is the most prominent user of this type of Genjutsu. It is also the most common Genjutsu type in the Naruto series.
- Ocular-based Genjutsu - This is very evident with the Uchiha clan and those with the Sharingan. Simple eye contact with the Sharingan can effectively place a person under its simple but highly-effective genjutsu, where they experience the sensation of attacking and subduing the Uchiha, only to see them unharmed a second later. Through the evolved form of the Sharingan, Mangekyo Sharingan, the Uchiha, particularly Itachi, can use Tsukuyomi, Izanagi, Izanami and Kotoamatsukami. Notable users include Sasuke, Itachi, Obito, Shisui, Kakashi and Danzo.
- Sound-based Genjutsu - According to Shikamaru, this is the most powerful type of genjutsu, because it only requires the use of sound to deliver the genjutsu to the victim, enabling the user to hide and perform the jutsu at long distances. Tayuya of the Sound Four is known internationally for her extensive use of this type of Genjutsu.

Taijutsu

Taijutsu, simply put, is physical combat, using an array of kicks and punches to attack and subdue foes. It requires little to no chakra usage, and if chakra is indeed used, it is only as a supplement rather than a necessity for Taijutsu attacks. Taijutsu requires speed, stamina and strength to be able to deal maximum power and damage to enemies. Physical and mental energies are the necessary components of Taijutsu.

Nearly every ninja in existence uses some form of Taijutsu, and there exists specialists in that field such as Might Guy and Rock Lee. The Hyuuga clan also use a wide array of hand-related Taijutsu, called the Gentle Fist, but contrary to what little usage of chakra is used in Taijutsu, their attacks are heavily-dependent on their own chakra and their Byakugan.

In incorporating Taijutsu, one can take examples and hints from many forms of martial arts in the real world. Lee and Guy's moves are inspired from Bruce Lee, who in turn used Jun Fang Gung Fu (later Bruce Lee's Kung Fu) and Jeet Kune Do.

Taijutsu can also be done in collaboration with Ninjutsu to create Nintaijutsu.

Well, with those words said, I'll continue on with the second part tomorrow. I don't have the energy to keep my eyes awake for that stuff.