Base Class Assassin PEACH [Archive] - Wizards Community

Base Class Assassin PEACH [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
imakuni67
09-14-07, 03:02 PM Base class Assassin, with spellcasting and goodies.
Requirements:
Alignment: Any nongood
Game Rule Information
The Assassin has the following game statistics.
Hit Die: d6
Saving Throws: As rogue
Base Attack Bonus: As rogue
Class Skills: The Assassin's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Int), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Forgery (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge: Local (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Open Lock (Dex), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), Use Magic Device (Cha), and Use Rope (Dex).
Skill Points at Each Level: 6 + Int modifier.

Level BAB Fort Ref Will Special
1st +0 +0 +2 +0 Sneak attack +1d6, Poison Use, Trapfinding
2nd +1 +0 +3 +0 Quick Draw, Death Blow
3rd +2 +1 +3 +1 Evasion, Poison Resistance
4th +3 +1 +4 +1 Sneak attack +2d6, Improved Poison Use
5th +3 +1 +4 +1 Uncanny Dodge, Death Attack
6th +4 +2 +5 +2 Fast Movement
7th +5 +2 +5 +2 Sneak attack +3d6
8th +6/+1 +2 +6 +2 -
9th +6/+1 +3 +6 +3 Improved Uncanny Dodge
10th +7/+2 +3 +7 +3 Sneak attack +4d6, Resist Death +2
11th +8/+3 +3 +7 +3 Hide in Plain Sight
12th +9/+4 +4 +8 +4 Special Ability
13th +9/+4 +4 +8 +4 Sneak attack +5d6
14th +10/+5 +4 +9 +4 A Thousand Faces
15th +11/+6/+1 +5 +9 +5 Special Ability, Resist Death +3
16th +12/+7/+1 +5 +10 +5 Sneak attack +6d6,
17th +12/+7/+2 +5 +10 +5 Nondetection
18th +13/+8/+3 +6 +11 +6 Special Ability
19th +14/+9/+4 +6 +11 +6 Sneak attack +7d6
20th +15/+10/+5 +6 +12 +6 Resist Death +5

Weapon and Armor Proficiency:
Assassins are proficient with the bolas, blowgun (any), club, crossbow (hand, light, or heavy), dagger (any type, including barbed), dart, kukri, net, quarterstaff, rapier, sap, shortbow (normal and composite), short sword, and shuriken. Assassins are proficient with light armor but not with shields.
Sneak Attack:
As the rogue ability.
Poison Use:
Assassins are trained in the use of poison and never risk accidentally poisoning themselves when applying poison to a weapon or when attacking with a weapon.
Trapfinding:
Assassins can use the Search skill to locate traps when the task has a Difficulty Class higher than 20.
Finding a nonmagical trap has a DC of at least 20, or higher if it is well hidden. Finding a magic trap has a DC of 25 + the level of the spell used to create it.
Assassins can use the Disable Device skill to disarm magic traps. A magic trap generally has a DC of 25 + the level of the spell used to create it.
An assassin who beats a trap’s DC by 10 or more with a Disable Device check can study a trap, figure out how it works, and bypass it (with his party) without disarming it.
Quick Draw:
At 2nd level, an Assassin gains quick draw as a bonus feat, even if she doesn't meet the requirements.
Death Blow:
An assassin is always ready for an opportunity to kill. An assassin may make a coup de grace as a standard action rather than a full-round action.
Evasion (Ex)
At 3rd level and higher, an assassin can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with great agility. If he makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, he instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if the assassin is wearing light armor or no armor. A helpless assassin does not gain the benefit of evasion
Poison Resistance (Ex):
Due to frequent expose to poisons and knowledge of how they work, an Assassin gets a bonus to saves versus poison equal to 1/3 his class level (rounded down).
Improved Poison Use:
An assassin can quickly and skillfully apply poison, doing so as a move action rather than a standard action.
Uncanny Dodge (Ex):
Starting at 5th level, an assassin retains his Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) regardless of being caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. (He still loses any Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized.)
If a character gains uncanny dodge from a second class the character automatically gains improved uncanny dodge (see below).
Death Attack
At 5th level, if an assassin studies his victim for 3 rounds and then makes a sudden strike with a melee weapon that successfully deals damage, the sudden strike has the additional effect of possibly either paralyzing or killing the target (assassin’s choice). While studying the victim, the assassin can undertake other actions so long as his attention stays focused on the target and the target does not detect the assassin or recognize the assassin as an enemy. If the victim of such an attack fails a Fortitude save (DC 10 + 1/2 the assassin’s class level + the assassin’s Int modifier) against the kill effect, she dies. If the saving throw fails against the paralysis effect, the victim is rendered helpless and unable to act for 1d6 rounds plus 1 round per class level of the assassin. If the victim’s saving throw succeeds, the attack is just a normal sudden strike. Once the assassin has completed the 3 rounds of study, he must make the death attack within the next 3 rounds.
If a death attack is attempted and fails (the victim makes her save) or if the assassin does not launch the attack within 3 rounds of completing the study, 3 new rounds of study are required before he can attempt another death attack.
Fast Movement (Ex):
An assassin knows that mobility is the true key to winning a battle, and to survive. At 6th level, an assassin's land speed is faster than the norm for his race by +10 feet. This benefit applies only when he is wearing no armor or light armo rand not carrying a heavy load. Apply this bonus before modifying the assassin's speed because of any load carried or armor worn.
Improved Uncanny Dodge (Ex):
At 9th level, an assassin can no longer be flanked, since he can react to opponents on opposite sides of him as easily as he can react to a single attacker. This defense denies rogues the ability to use flank attacks to sneak attack the assassin. The exception to this defense is that a rogue at least four levels higher than the assassin can flank him (and thus sneak attack him).
If a character gains uncanny dodge (see above) from a second class the character automatically gains improved uncanny dodge, and the levels from those classes stack to determine the minimum rogue level required to flank the character.
Resist Death (Ex):
An assassin is so familiar with dealing death that he is aware of how fragile his own life is. An assassin gets a +2 insight bonus on saves versus death effects. This bonus increases to +3 at 15th and +4 at 20th level.
Special Ability
On attaining 12th level, and at every three levels thereafter (15th, 18th) an assassin gains a special ability of her choice from among the following options.

Crippling Strike (Ex)
An assassin with this ability can sneak attack opponents with such precision that her blows weaken and hamper them. An opponent damaged by one of her sneak attacks also takes 2 points of Strength damage. Ability points lost to damage return on their own at the rate of 1 point per day for each damaged ability.

Eye of Night (Su):
An assassin values the dark embrace of the night. At 8th level, an assassin gains low-light vision (or the range of his racial low-light vision doubles) and dark vision out to 30 feet (or the range of his racial dark vision increases by 30 feet). In addition, an assassin can see through all forms of magical darkness as though it were regular darkness and thus subject to darkvision.

Fearful:
Add +2 to the save DC of any fear effect the assassin produces. The assassin gets a +4 bonus to resist fear.

Improved Evasion (Ex)
This ability works like evasion, except that while the assassin still takes no damage on a successful Reflex saving throw against attacks henceforth she takes only half damage on a failed save. A helpless assassin does not gain the benefit of improved evasion.

Improved Sneak Attack:
Sneak attack damage increases by +1d6. You may only select this ability once

Slippery Mind (Ex):
This ability represents the assassin’s ability to wriggle free from magical effects that would otherwise control or compel her. If a assassin with slippery mind is affected by an enchantment spell or effect and fails her saving throw, she can attempt it again 1 round later at the same DC. She gets only this one extra chance to succeed on her saving throw.

Spell Knowledge:
Add one spell known at each level from the assassin's spell list. You may only select this ability once.

Feat:
An assassin may gain a bonus feat in place of a special ability.

Hide in Plain Sight (Su):
At 13th level, an assassin can use the Hide skill even while being observed. As long as he is within 10 feet of some sort of shadow, an assassin can hide himself from view in the open without having anything to actually hide behind. He cannot, however, hide in his own shadow.
A Thousand Faces (Su):
At 14th level, an assassin gains the ability to change his appearance at will, as if using the disguise self spell. This affects the assassin’s body but not his possessions. It is not an illusory effect, but a minor physical alteration of the assassin’s appearance, within the limits described for the spell.
Nondetection (Su): At 17th level, an assassin has a continuous nondetection ability as the spell (caster level equal to class levels). If an assassin already has a natural nondetection ability (such as a svirfneblin's), the caster level increases by +2 instead.

Spellcasting
Spells:
Beginning at 3rd level, an assassin gains the ability to spontaneously cast a number of arcane spells. To cast a spell, an assassin must have an Intelligence score of at least 10 + the spell’s level, so an assassin with an Intelligence of 10 or lower cannot cast these spells. Assassin bonus spells are based on Intelligence, and saving throws against these spells have a DC of 10 + spell level + the assassin’s Intelligence bonus. When the assassin gets 0 spells per day of a given spell level he gains only the bonus spells he would be entitled to based on his Intelligence score for that spell level.
An assassin suffers no arcane failure while in light or no armor.
Through 2nd level, an assassin has no caster level. At 3th level and higher, his caster level is one-half his assassin level (rounded down).
The assassin’s spell list appears below.
Upon reaching 7th level, at every odd-numbered level after that (9th, 11th and so on), an assassin can choose to learn a new spell in place of one he already knows. The new spell’s level must be the same as that of the spell being exchanged, and it must be at least two levels lower than the highest-level assassin spell the assassin can cast. An assassin may swap only a single spell at any given level, and must choose whether or not to swap the spell at the same time that he gains new spells known for that level.

Table B-3: Spells Per Daylvl 0 1 2 3 4
1. - - - - -
2. - - - - -
3. 1 - - - -
4. 1 - - - -
5. 1 0 - - -
6. 2 0 0 - -
7. 2 1 0 0 -
8. 2 1 1 0 -
9. 2 1 1 1 0
10. 2 2 1 1 1
11. 3 2 2 1 1
12. 3 2 2 2 1
13. 3 3 2 2 2
14. 3 3 2 2 2
15. 3 3 3 2 2
16. 4 4 3 3 2
17. 4 4 3 3 3
18. 4 4 4 3 3
19. 4 5 4 3 3
20. 4 5 4 4 3

Table B-3: Spells Knownlvl 0 1 2 3 4
1. - - - - -
2. - - - - -
3. 1 - - - -
4. 1 - - - -
5. 2 1* - - -
6. 2 1* 1* - -
7. 3 2 1* 1* -
8. 4 2 1 1* -
9. 4 3 1 1 1*
10. 5 3 2 1 1
11. 5 3 2 2 1
12. 6 4 2 2 2
13. 6 4 3 2 2
14. 6 5 3 3 2
15. 6 5 3 3 2
16. 6 6 4 3 3
17. 6 6 4 4 3
18. 6 6 4 4 3
19. 6 6 5 4 3
20. 4 6 5 4 4
*Provided the assassin gains bonus spells per day to cast a spell at this level.

Spell List:

0 Level
daze, detect poison, detect magic, ghost sound, light, lullaby, mage hand, open/close, read magic

1st Level
animate rope, cause fear, death watch, detect secret doors, disguise self, expeditious retreat, feather fall, grease, hold portal, jump, minor image, obscuring mist, silent image, sleep, true strike, ventriloquism.

2nd Level
alter self, arcane lock, blindness/deafness, blur, cat’s grace, darkness, fox’s cunning, knock, invisibility, misdirection, pass without trace, pyrotechnics, scare, spider climb.

3rd Level
blink, deathknell, deep slumber, deeper darkness, fear, hasten decay*, hold person, keen edge, major image, nondetection, silence, water walk.

4th Level
clairaudience/clairvoyance, dimension door, freedom of movement, glibness, greater invisibility, haste, hold monster, locate creature, modify memory, poison.

New Spell:
Hasten Decay
Necromancy (Evil)
Level: Clr 2, Sor/Wiz 3, Asn 3
Components: V,S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: Corpse touched
Duration: Instant
Saving Throw: Will negates (object)
Spell Resistance: Yes (object)
You taint the remains of a dead creature so that they decay much faster. Doing so effectively decreases the time limit on raising that creature from the dead (see raise dead) by 1/2.

The spell also works on severed body parts and the like. Hasten Decay dispels and counters gentle repose.

Arcane Material Component:
A pinch of bone powder and a maggot.
imakuni67
09-15-07, 01:27 PM :bump: mid-sized update. :P
Ecureuil_Diabolique
09-18-07, 02:45 PM Alright, I have one comment.

Why in the name of God would anyone choose low-light vision for one of their three special abilities? Make it so they can see in any darkness, even magical. Honestly, that still doesn't match up to strength damage or improved evasion, etc.
imakuni67
09-19-07, 12:20 PM Alright, I have one comment.

Why in the name of God would anyone choose low-light vision for one of their three special abilities? Make it so they can see in any darkness, even magical. Honestly, that still doesn't match up to strength damage or improved evasion, etc.

You are right. I had low-light vision as a class ability at first but I moved it to the special abilities. And now I'll remove it.... :0
Ecureuil_Diabolique
09-19-07, 02:25 PM You should have replaced it with something better. Assassins should be able to get around in the dark. Give them the equivalent of the devil sight (I tink) invocation for the warlock. In short, allow them to see through normal and magical darkness.
Animana
09-19-07, 03:15 PM You should have replaced it with something better. Assassins should be able to get around in the dark. Give them the equivalent of the devil sight (I tink) invocation for the warlock. In short, allow them to see through normal and magical darkness.
Agreed.
imakuni67
09-20-07, 06:31 PM Added "eye of night" and a new special ability. :)
The_Shaman
09-20-07, 07:14 PM Alright, I have one comment.

Why in the name of God would anyone choose low-light vision for one of their three special abilities? Make it so they can see in any darkness, even magical. Honestly, that still doesn't match up to strength damage or improved evasion, etc.

I disagree. A spell with long duration would imo be more fitting than a class ability. Just because you're an assassin doesn't mean you're bound to working night shifts. BTW, I'm noticing that the class doesn't use the standard spellcasting progressions. Spellcasting is spontaneous, right?
Ecureuil_Diabolique
09-20-07, 07:18 PM I don't think they should have to waste a spell per day for that.

Just because you have something usable at will doesn't mean you will use it. Seeing in the dark simply means that they can see int he dark, it doesn't mean that they have to take every opportunity to use it.
The_Shaman
09-20-07, 07:29 PM This ability means that they aren't just good at seeing in the dark, but have visual acuity well beyond what is normal among humans - and with an added magical touch that few races have. This can only be achieved either with incredible training, such as that few PrCs offer, or with magic. Mechanically, it might be just useful, but conceptually, it's not easy to come by imo. Magic is a good way to explain what would normally give you problems :) .
Ecureuil_Diabolique
09-20-07, 07:38 PM Magic doesn't need to be in the form of spells. The assassin gets nondetection, thousand faces, and personally I find improved evasion to be beyond normal human limitation. What makes seeing in the dark any different?
DM Zoc
09-20-07, 07:44 PM I think this class is just a very small amount overpowered. I was going to say that it was well-balanced, since the spellcasting makes up for the reduced sneak attack progression, but then I noticed that this class can just take improved sneak attack as a class feature later on.

I would consider this class to be very well balanced against the rogue if you removed the improved sneak attack and improved spellcasting special abilities (especially since there is still the option to take a feat, and there already exist the Deadly Precision and Practiced Spellcaster feats to represent someone who is better than expected at sneak attacking and spell casting).
The_Shaman
09-20-07, 08:00 PM Magic doesn't need to be in the form of spells. The assassin gets nondetection, thousand faces, and personally I find improved evasion to be beyond normal human limitation. What makes seeing in the dark any different?

IEvasion and nondetection, imo, could be considered a form of training - physical and mental. Thousand faces is worse, true, as it is an emulation of a low-level spell (ironically, on the assassin spell list). At least it comes at a latter level. I'd prefer it if assassins could eventually get a choice of spells they could cast at will - say a lvl 0 spell at lvl 6 and 9, a llv 1 spell at levels 11 and 15, etc. Of course, these spells should be from a certain list - I wouldn't want them to cast True strike at will.

Overall, I might be a bit biased. Between the rogue, lurk, psy-rogue and I don't know how many others, I'm not sure if a PrC isn't a better option for such a specialized training. Or was the alignment restriction the big problem with the DMG assassin?
Ecureuil_Diabolique
09-20-07, 08:05 PM Using nondetection as an example, what makes training your mind in that respect different than training your vision to see in the dark (and your mind to ignore the effects of magical darkness)? I just don't like the idea of having to spend resources to do that, and it could very well just be added to the special ability list as an option for the "night owl" assassins.

You may very well be right that by flavor, it should have to rely on magic to see so well, but it should be continual magic much like the warlock's invocation for it.
imakuni67
09-21-07, 11:41 AM Using nondetection as an example, what makes training your mind in that respect different than training your vision to see in the dark (and your mind to ignore the effects of magical darkness)? I just don't like the idea of having to spend resources to do that, and it could very well just be added to the special ability list as an option for the "night owl" assassins.

You may very well be right that by flavor, it should have to rely on magic to see so well, but it should be continual magic much like the warlock's invocation for it.

Night Eye is now a special ability!

Thanks for all the input guys, I've made quite a few updates.
imakuni67
10-05-07, 11:19 AM :bump: for life
Vaalingrade Ashland
12-16-07, 10:36 AM There seems to be absolutely no reason for this to be 'nongood'.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
imakuni67 09-14-07, 03:02 PM	Base class Assassin, with spellcasting and goodies. Requirements: Alignment: Any nongood Game Rule Information The Assassin has the following game statistics. Hit Die: d6 Saving Throws: As rogue Base Attack Bonus: As rogue Class Skills: The Assassin's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Int), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Forgery (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge: Local (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Open Lock (Dex), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), Use Magic Device (Cha), and Use Rope (Dex). Skill Points at Each Level: 6 + Int modifier. Level BAB Fort Ref Will Special 1st +0 +0 +2 +0 Sneak attack +1d6, Poison Use, Trapfinding 2nd +1 +0 +3 +0 Quick Draw, Death Blow 3rd +2 +1 +3 +1 Evasion, Poison Resistance 4th +3 +1 +4 +1 Sneak attack +2d6, Improved Poison Use 5th +3 +1 +4 +1 Uncanny Dodge, Death Attack 6th +4 +2 +5 +2 Fast Movement 7th +5 +2 +5 +2 Sneak attack +3d6 8th +6/+1 +2 +6 +2 - 9th +6/+1 +3 +6 +3 Improved Uncanny Dodge 10th +7/+2 +3 +7 +3 Sneak attack +4d6, Resist Death +2 11th +8/+3 +3 +7 +3 Hide in Plain Sight 12th +9/+4 +4 +8 +4 Special Ability 13th +9/+4 +4 +8 +4 Sneak attack +5d6 14th +10/+5 +4 +9 +4 A Thousand Faces 15th +11/+6/+1 +5 +9 +5 Special Ability, Resist Death +3 16th +12/+7/+1 +5 +10 +5 Sneak attack +6d6, 17th +12/+7/+2 +5 +10 +5 Nondetection 18th +13/+8/+3 +6 +11 +6 Special Ability 19th +14/+9/+4 +6 +11 +6 Sneak attack +7d6 20th +15/+10/+5 +6 +12 +6 Resist Death +5 Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Assassins are proficient with the bolas, blowgun (any), club, crossbow (hand, light, or heavy), dagger (any type, including barbed), dart, kukri, net, quarterstaff, rapier, sap, shortbow (normal and composite), short sword, and shuriken. Assassins are proficient with light armor but not with shields. Sneak Attack: As the rogue ability. Poison Use: Assassins are trained in the use of poison and never risk accidentally poisoning themselves when applying poison to a weapon or when attacking with a weapon. Trapfinding: Assassins can use the Search skill to locate traps when the task has a Difficulty Class higher than 20. Finding a nonmagical trap has a DC of at least 20, or higher if it is well hidden. Finding a magic trap has a DC of 25 + the level of the spell used to create it. Assassins can use the Disable Device skill to disarm magic traps. A magic trap generally has a DC of 25 + the level of the spell used to create it. An assassin who beats a trap’s DC by 10 or more with a Disable Device check can study a trap, figure out how it works, and bypass it (with his party) without disarming it. Quick Draw: At 2nd level, an Assassin gains quick draw as a bonus feat, even if she doesn't meet the requirements. Death Blow: An assassin is always ready for an opportunity to kill. An assassin may make a coup de grace as a standard action rather than a full-round action. Evasion (Ex) At 3rd level and higher, an assassin can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with great agility. If he makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, he instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if the assassin is wearing light armor or no armor. A helpless assassin does not gain the benefit of evasion Poison Resistance (Ex): Due to frequent expose to poisons and knowledge of how they work, an Assassin gets a bonus to saves versus poison equal to 1/3 his class level (rounded down). Improved Poison Use: An assassin can quickly and skillfully apply poison, doing so as a move action rather than a standard action. Uncanny Dodge (Ex): Starting at 5th level, an assassin retains his Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) regardless of being caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. (He still loses any Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized.) If a character gains uncanny dodge from a second class the character automatically gains improved uncanny dodge (see below). Death Attack At 5th level, if an assassin studies his victim for 3 rounds and then makes a sudden strike with a melee weapon that successfully deals damage, the sudden strike has the additional effect of possibly either paralyzing or killing the target (assassin’s choice). While studying the victim, the assassin can undertake other actions so long as his attention stays focused on the target and the target does not detect the assassin or recognize the assassin as an enemy. If the victim of such an attack fails a Fortitude save (DC 10 + 1/2 the assassin’s class level + the assassin’s Int modifier) against the kill effect, she dies. If the saving throw fails against the paralysis effect, the victim is rendered helpless and unable to act for 1d6 rounds plus 1 round per class level of the assassin. If the victim’s saving throw succeeds, the attack is just a normal sudden strike. Once the assassin has completed the 3 rounds of study, he must make the death attack within the next 3 rounds. If a death attack is attempted and fails (the victim makes her save) or if the assassin does not launch the attack within 3 rounds of completing the study, 3 new rounds of study are required before he can attempt another death attack. Fast Movement (Ex): An assassin knows that mobility is the true key to winning a battle, and to survive. At 6th level, an assassin's land speed is faster than the norm for his race by +10 feet. This benefit applies only when he is wearing no armor or light armo rand not carrying a heavy load. Apply this bonus before modifying the assassin's speed because of any load carried or armor worn. Improved Uncanny Dodge (Ex): At 9th level, an assassin can no longer be flanked, since he can react to opponents on opposite sides of him as easily as he can react to a single attacker. This defense denies rogues the ability to use flank attacks to sneak attack the assassin. The exception to this defense is that a rogue at least four levels higher than the assassin can flank him (and thus sneak attack him). If a character gains uncanny dodge (see above) from a second class the character automatically gains improved uncanny dodge, and the levels from those classes stack to determine the minimum rogue level required to flank the character. Resist Death (Ex): An assassin is so familiar with dealing death that he is aware of how fragile his own life is. An assassin gets a +2 insight bonus on saves versus death effects. This bonus increases to +3 at 15th and +4 at 20th level. Special Ability On attaining 12th level, and at every three levels thereafter (15th, 18th) an assassin gains a special ability of her choice from among the following options. Crippling Strike (Ex) An assassin with this ability can sneak attack opponents with such precision that her blows weaken and hamper them. An opponent damaged by one of her sneak attacks also takes 2 points of Strength damage. Ability points lost to damage return on their own at the rate of 1 point per day for each damaged ability. Eye of Night (Su): An assassin values the dark embrace of the night. At 8th level, an assassin gains low-light vision (or the range of his racial low-light vision doubles) and dark vision out to 30 feet (or the range of his racial dark vision increases by 30 feet). In addition, an assassin can see through all forms of magical darkness as though it were regular darkness and thus subject to darkvision. Fearful: Add +2 to the save DC of any fear effect the assassin produces. The assassin gets a +4 bonus to resist fear. Improved Evasion (Ex) This ability works like evasion, except that while the assassin still takes no damage on a successful Reflex saving throw against attacks henceforth she takes only half damage on a failed save. A helpless assassin does not gain the benefit of improved evasion. Improved Sneak Attack: Sneak attack damage increases by +1d6. You may only select this ability once Slippery Mind (Ex): This ability represents the assassin’s ability to wriggle free from magical effects that would otherwise control or compel her. If a assassin with slippery mind is affected by an enchantment spell or effect and fails her saving throw, she can attempt it again 1 round later at the same DC. She gets only this one extra chance to succeed on her saving throw. Spell Knowledge: Add one spell known at each level from the assassin's spell list. You may only select this ability once. Feat: An assassin may gain a bonus feat in place of a special ability. Hide in Plain Sight (Su): At 13th level, an assassin can use the Hide skill even while being observed. As long as he is within 10 feet of some sort of shadow, an assassin can hide himself from view in the open without having anything to actually hide behind. He cannot, however, hide in his own shadow. A Thousand Faces (Su): At 14th level, an assassin gains the ability to change his appearance at will, as if using the disguise self spell. This affects the assassin’s body but not his possessions. It is not an illusory effect, but a minor physical alteration of the assassin’s appearance, within the limits described for the spell. Nondetection (Su): At 17th level, an assassin has a continuous nondetection ability as the spell (caster level equal to class levels). If an assassin already has a natural nondetection ability (such as a svirfneblin's), the caster level increases by +2 instead. Spellcasting Spells: Beginning at 3rd level, an assassin gains the ability to spontaneously cast a number of arcane spells. To cast a spell, an assassin must have an Intelligence score of at least 10 + the spell’s level, so an assassin with an Intelligence of 10 or lower cannot cast these spells. Assassin bonus spells are based on Intelligence, and saving throws against these spells have a DC of 10 + spell level + the assassin’s Intelligence bonus. When the assassin gets 0 spells per day of a given spell level he gains only the bonus spells he would be entitled to based on his Intelligence score for that spell level. An assassin suffers no arcane failure while in light or no armor. Through 2nd level, an assassin has no caster level. At 3th level and higher, his caster level is one-half his assassin level (rounded down). The assassin’s spell list appears below. Upon reaching 7th level, at every odd-numbered level after that (9th, 11th and so on), an assassin can choose to learn a new spell in place of one he already knows. The new spell’s level must be the same as that of the spell being exchanged, and it must be at least two levels lower than the highest-level assassin spell the assassin can cast. An assassin may swap only a single spell at any given level, and must choose whether or not to swap the spell at the same time that he gains new spells known for that level. Table B-3: Spells Per Daylvl 0 1 2 3 4 1. - - - - - 2. - - - - - 3. 1 - - - - 4. 1 - - - - 5. 1 0 - - - 6. 2 0 0 - - 7. 2 1 0 0 - 8. 2 1 1 0 - 9. 2 1 1 1 0 10. 2 2 1 1 1 11. 3 2 2 1 1 12. 3 2 2 2 1 13. 3 3 2 2 2 14. 3 3 2 2 2 15. 3 3 3 2 2 16. 4 4 3 3 2 17. 4 4 3 3 3 18. 4 4 4 3 3 19. 4 5 4 3 3 20. 4 5 4 4 3 Table B-3: Spells Knownlvl 0 1 2 3 4 1. - - - - - 2. - - - - - 3. 1 - - - - 4. 1 - - - - 5. 2 1* - - - 6. 2 1* 1* - - 7. 3 2 1* 1* - 8. 4 2 1 1* - 9. 4 3 1 1 1* 10. 5 3 2 1 1 11. 5 3 2 2 1 12. 6 4 2 2 2 13. 6 4 3 2 2 14. 6 5 3 3 2 15. 6 5 3 3 2 16. 6 6 4 3 3 17. 6 6 4 4 3 18. 6 6 4 4 3 19. 6 6 5 4 3 20. 4 6 5 4 4 Provided the assassin gains bonus spells per day to cast a spell at this level. Spell List: 0 Level daze, detect poison, detect magic, ghost sound, light, lullaby, mage hand, open/close, read magic 1st Level animate rope, cause fear, death watch, detect secret doors, disguise self, expeditious retreat, feather fall, grease, hold portal, jump, minor image, obscuring mist, silent image, sleep, true strike, ventriloquism. 2nd Level alter self, arcane lock, blindness/deafness, blur, cat’s grace, darkness, fox’s cunning, knock, invisibility, misdirection, pass without trace, pyrotechnics, scare, spider climb. 3rd Level blink, deathknell, deep slumber, deeper darkness, fear, hasten decay, hold person, keen edge, major image, nondetection, silence, water walk. 4th Level clairaudience/clairvoyance, dimension door, freedom of movement, glibness, greater invisibility, haste, hold monster, locate creature, modify memory, poison. New Spell: Hasten Decay Necromancy (Evil) Level: Clr 2, Sor/Wiz 3, Asn 3 Components: V,S, M Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Touch Target: Corpse touched Duration: Instant Saving Throw: Will negates (object) Spell Resistance: Yes (object) You taint the remains of a dead creature so that they decay much faster. Doing so effectively decreases the time limit on raising that creature from the dead (see raise dead) by 1/2. The spell also works on severed body parts and the like. Hasten Decay dispels and counters gentle repose. Arcane Material Component: A pinch of bone powder and a maggot.
imakuni67 09-15-07, 01:27 PM	:bump: mid-sized update. :P
Ecureuil_Diabolique 09-18-07, 02:45 PM	Alright, I have one comment. Why in the name of God would anyone choose low-light vision for one of their three special abilities? Make it so they can see in any darkness, even magical. Honestly, that still doesn't match up to strength damage or improved evasion, etc.
imakuni67 09-19-07, 12:20 PM	Alright, I have one comment. Why in the name of God would anyone choose low-light vision for one of their three special abilities? Make it so they can see in any darkness, even magical. Honestly, that still doesn't match up to strength damage or improved evasion, etc. You are right. I had low-light vision as a class ability at first but I moved it to the special abilities. And now I'll remove it.... :0
Ecureuil_Diabolique 09-19-07, 02:25 PM	You should have replaced it with something better. Assassins should be able to get around in the dark. Give them the equivalent of the devil sight (I tink) invocation for the warlock. In short, allow them to see through normal and magical darkness.
Animana 09-19-07, 03:15 PM	You should have replaced it with something better. Assassins should be able to get around in the dark. Give them the equivalent of the devil sight (I tink) invocation for the warlock. In short, allow them to see through normal and magical darkness. Agreed.
imakuni67 09-20-07, 06:31 PM	Added "eye of night" and a new special ability. :)
The_Shaman 09-20-07, 07:14 PM	Alright, I have one comment. Why in the name of God would anyone choose low-light vision for one of their three special abilities? Make it so they can see in any darkness, even magical. Honestly, that still doesn't match up to strength damage or improved evasion, etc. I disagree. A spell with long duration would imo be more fitting than a class ability. Just because you're an assassin doesn't mean you're bound to working night shifts. BTW, I'm noticing that the class doesn't use the standard spellcasting progressions. Spellcasting is spontaneous, right?
Ecureuil_Diabolique 09-20-07, 07:18 PM	I don't think they should have to waste a spell per day for that. Just because you have something usable at will doesn't mean you will use it. Seeing in the dark simply means that they can see int he dark, it doesn't mean that they have to take every opportunity to use it.
The_Shaman 09-20-07, 07:29 PM	This ability means that they aren't just good at seeing in the dark, but have visual acuity well beyond what is normal among humans - and with an added magical touch that few races have. This can only be achieved either with incredible training, such as that few PrCs offer, or with magic. Mechanically, it might be just useful, but conceptually, it's not easy to come by imo. Magic is a good way to explain what would normally give you problems :) .
Ecureuil_Diabolique 09-20-07, 07:38 PM	Magic doesn't need to be in the form of spells. The assassin gets nondetection, thousand faces, and personally I find improved evasion to be beyond normal human limitation. What makes seeing in the dark any different?
DM Zoc 09-20-07, 07:44 PM	I think this class is just a very small amount overpowered. I was going to say that it was well-balanced, since the spellcasting makes up for the reduced sneak attack progression, but then I noticed that this class can just take improved sneak attack as a class feature later on. I would consider this class to be very well balanced against the rogue if you removed the improved sneak attack and improved spellcasting special abilities (especially since there is still the option to take a feat, and there already exist the Deadly Precision and Practiced Spellcaster feats to represent someone who is better than expected at sneak attacking and spell casting).
The_Shaman 09-20-07, 08:00 PM	Magic doesn't need to be in the form of spells. The assassin gets nondetection, thousand faces, and personally I find improved evasion to be beyond normal human limitation. What makes seeing in the dark any different? IEvasion and nondetection, imo, could be considered a form of training - physical and mental. Thousand faces is worse, true, as it is an emulation of a low-level spell (ironically, on the assassin spell list). At least it comes at a latter level. I'd prefer it if assassins could eventually get a choice of spells they could cast at will - say a lvl 0 spell at lvl 6 and 9, a llv 1 spell at levels 11 and 15, etc. Of course, these spells should be from a certain list - I wouldn't want them to cast True strike at will. Overall, I might be a bit biased. Between the rogue, lurk, psy-rogue and I don't know how many others, I'm not sure if a PrC isn't a better option for such a specialized training. Or was the alignment restriction the big problem with the DMG assassin?
Ecureuil_Diabolique 09-20-07, 08:05 PM	Using nondetection as an example, what makes training your mind in that respect different than training your vision to see in the dark (and your mind to ignore the effects of magical darkness)? I just don't like the idea of having to spend resources to do that, and it could very well just be added to the special ability list as an option for the "night owl" assassins. You may very well be right that by flavor, it should have to rely on magic to see so well, but it should be continual magic much like the warlock's invocation for it.
imakuni67 09-21-07, 11:41 AM	Using nondetection as an example, what makes training your mind in that respect different than training your vision to see in the dark (and your mind to ignore the effects of magical darkness)? I just don't like the idea of having to spend resources to do that, and it could very well just be added to the special ability list as an option for the "night owl" assassins. You may very well be right that by flavor, it should have to rely on magic to see so well, but it should be continual magic much like the warlock's invocation for it. Night Eye is now a special ability! Thanks for all the input guys, I've made quite a few updates.
imakuni67 10-05-07, 11:19 AM	:bump: for life
Vaalingrade Ashland 12-16-07, 10:36 AM	There seems to be absolutely no reason for this to be 'nongood'.