Purchase the Ninja Faction on Forgefire! (link coming soon)
If you can see a ninja, chances are you're already dead (and if you can see them while dead, click over to the zombie page). I don't want to give away the secrets or anything, but most of what this faction does is sneaky, happens fast, and at the last second. So look out for that.
Ninjas are from the Core (Base Game) set and have a Titan card - Invisible Ninja.
Complexity Level: Medium-High
Mechanics
- Assassination
- Sneaking and Swapping
Ninjas' main mechanic is being sneaky, and they kill stuff. They hide agents everywhere, walk in shadow, move in silence, leap into action for thievery and violence. Ninjas swap with teammates and wear disguises. You've got to be patient, deceptive, and opportunistic for any change you can make to swing a base your way
Strategy
Smash Up maintains a measure of mystery by holding everyone's hands hidden from one another. Ninjas hide themselves in your hand and bust out suddenly at unusual times to help you win. Like other card games, players might watch each other for cues hinting what their opponents have at hand. Try not to give away your plans, and maybe if you're good you can give away false plans. Experienced opponents will be wise to Ninjas' tricks, and can mitigate them by protecting their minions and over-breaking bases.
Ninja minions have the basic standard spread of power, and no boosts to push that higher. They aren't good at overwhelming bases, but they can secure the bases with surprise additions if they break with everyone at roughly the same contribution. Make that happen with subterfuge and destruction at the last moment with great on-play abilities, so your enemies can't do anything about it. The fewer players in the game, the greater control Ninjas have.
Synergy
Ninjas provide support to any other faction whose minions have useful on-play abilities. They lose a bit of utility alongside predictable factions, or if other players are able to see your hand. Pairing with a powerhouse faction affords them the groundwork to bump themselves to the top when bases score. Ninjas also pair well with factions that like to destroy minions and actions.
- Aliens: The Aliens' Invader minions score you 1 free VP when you play them, making them great candidates for bouncing with Disguise. Scout places itself back into your hand after the base scores, making it a good candidate for Hidden Ninja. Master Ninja and Tiger Assassin are brutal to bounce with Abduction and Beam Up.
- Dinosaurs: The two factions have a high amount of power and destruction that opponents will have a difficult time resisting. Dinosaurs provide immediate bursts of power, supporting Ninja's fast-acting nature.
- Robots: Hidden Ninja is great for a surprise swarm on a base about to score. Master Ninja is one of the few cards able to actually destroy Nukebot and thus trigger its ability, allowing for a devious combo where you play a Nukebot on a base, let another player go through the trouble of breaking it, then Hidden Ninja Master Ninja onto that base to destroy Nukebot and sweep the base of all other players' minions.
- Bear Cavalry: Together these factions are a machine of death, sweeping aside those of all shapes, sizes, and numbers.
- Vampires: Vampires have a few cards that benefit from your destroying minions, The Coutnt and Opportunist in particular.
- Thieves: Bouncing Pickpockets and Fences lets you re-use their abilities, and Ninjas offer plenty of minion destruction to destroy monsters and earn more treasure for Thieves.
- Werewolves: Werewolves provide power at exactly the times when Ninjas provide utility. While Ninjas don't add power to any minions, reducing your opponents' power helps put you on top.
- Mythic Horses: Starlyte and Encouragement Power provide more raw power, and Seastar is a great minion to bounce with Disguise or to sneak out with Hidden Ninja.
- Sharks: Sharks love to destroy minions, and Ninjas have plenty of minion destruction to offer.
- Mega Troopers: Mega Troopers' special abilities trigger before the base scores, exactly when Ninjas like to play Shinobi and Hidden Ninja.
- Samurai: The Samurai have abilites that trigger when your minions go to the discard pile from play, which Ninjas can help facilitate with their minion destruction. Final Haiku followed by Master Ninja or a Tiger Assassin can be a great way to burst a base.
- Teens: The ability to fetch power-3 minions with Prep and New Kid, power them up with Prep, draw cards with Brain and Booty Trap, move them with Rebel, and recycle cards with Slacker makes Shinobi exceptionally useful here. (Now where are the Mutants and the Turtles...?
Cards - Minions
1x Ninja Master
Power 5 - You may destroy a minion on this base.
Errata? Yes/No
Clarifications:
- A
- B
- Etc.
2x Tiger Assassin
Power 4 - You may destroy a minion of power 3 or less.
Errata? Yes/No
Clarifications:
- A
- B
- Etc.
3x Shinobi
Power 3 - Special: Before a base scores, you may play this minion there. You can only use one Shinobi’s ability per base.
Errata? Yes/No
Clarifications:
- A
- B
- Etc.
4x Ninja Acolyte
Power 2 - Special: On your turn, if you have not yet played a minion, you may return this minion to your hand and play an extra minion on this base.
Errata? Yes/No
Clarifications:
- A
- B
- Etc.
Cards - Actions
1x Assassin
Play on a minion. Ongoing: Destroy this minion at the end of the turn.
Errata? Yes/No
Clarifications:
- A
- B
- Etc.
1x Disguise
Choose one or two of your minions on one base. Play an equal number of extra minions there, and return the chosen minions to your hand.
Errata? Yes/No
Clarifications:
- A
- B
- Etc.
1x Hidden Ninja
Special: Before a base scores, play a minion there.
Errata? Yes/No
Clarifications:
- A
- B
- Etc.
2x Infiltrate
Play on a base. Destroy another action that has been played here. Ongoing: You may ignore this base's ability. Destroy this card at the start of your turn.
Errata? Yes/No
Clarifications:
- A
- B
- Etc.
1x Poison
Play on a minion. Destroy any number of actions on it. Ongoing: This minion has -4 power. (Minions have minimum power of 0.)
Errata? Yes/No
Clarifications:
- A
- B
- Etc.
2x Seeing Stars
Destroy a minion of power 3 or less.
Errata? Yes/No
Clarifications:
- A
- B
- Etc.
1x Smoke Bomb
Play on one of your minions. Ongoing: This minion is not affected by other players’ actions. Destroy this card at the start of your turn.
Errata? Yes/No
Clarifications:
- A
- B
- Etc.
1x Way of Deception
Move one of your minions to another base.
Errata? Yes/No
Clarifications:
- A
- B
- Etc.
Cards - Bases
1x Ninja Dojo
Breakpoint ## - VPs: # # # - Replace with base card text.
Errata? Yes/No
Clarifications:
- A
- B
- Etc.
1x Temple of Goju
Breakpoint ## - VPs: # # # - Replace with base card text.
Errata? Yes/No
Clarifications:
- A
- B
- Etc.
Card - Titan
1x Invisible Ninja
Special: On your turn, if this titan was not in play at the start of your turn, you may discard a card to play this titan at a base where you have a minion. Ongoing: Once per turn, after you destroy another player's card or return one of your minions to your hand, you may look at the top two cards of your deck, draw one, and shuffle the other into your deck. Special: At the start of your turn, you may destroy this titan to play an extra minion of power 3 or less.
Errata? Yes/No
Clarifications:
- A
- B
- Etc.
