Board Thread:Naruto Discussions/@comment-26636534-20151016181609/@comment-734582-20151022194616

Archangel489 wrote: with the shadow clone technique, doesn't the chakra return to naruto when they disperse? It's a technique, so it does use chakra. So the chakra returned is less than the amount you initially split. besides, the problem is not that the technique itself is chakra consuming.

Imagine a jutsu that takes up, say, 10% of your chakra.
 * You cast it, you're fine.
 * You make a shadowclone. Each clone casts it. each has 50% of your chakra and after it 40%. you're fine.
 * You make ten shadowclones. each has 10% your chakra. You cast it. You run out of chakra and die.
 * you make ten shadowclones. You need to cast the jutsu to save yourself in a split second. You can't perform the jutsu and die.

The problem is that using shadowclones makes it very easy to misjudge and cast a jutsu that's more than you can handle, or misjudge the amount of chakra you have left.

Also: you create a bunch of shadowclones and they all perform a complex taijutsu and ninjutsu mix. You undo the jutsu for the final blow, but you're hit by more fatigue than you anticipated. alternatively, you have less chakra than anticipated.