Assassin

The assassin is a master of dealing quick, lethal blows. Assassins often function as spies, informants, killers for hire, or agents of vengeance. Their skill in a variety of dark arts allows them to carry out missions of death with shocking, terrifying precision. Unlike the blackguard, the assassin is not evil due to devotion to an evil power, but rather due to a complete lack of morals or ethics.

Requirements

Skills: Disguise 4 ranks, Hide 8 ranks, Move Silently 8 ranks

Alignment Restriction: Non-Good

Hit Die: d6

Proficiencies: Armor (Light), Weapons (Simple)

Skill Points: 4 + INT

Class Skills: Appraise, Bluff, Craft (all), Decipher Script, Disable Trap, Disguise, Escape Artist, Forgery, Heal, Hide, Intimidate, Knowledge (all), Listen, Lore, Move Silently, Open Lock, Profession (all), Search, Sense Motive, Set Trap, Spot, Tumble, Use Magic Device

Level progression

*Note: A sorcerer will not be able to learn new spells via leveling up Assassin, they must learn from sorcerer levels.

Lvl	BAB	Fort	Ref	Will	Special	Death Attack	Caster Progression
1st	+0	+0	+2	+0	Alter Self 3/Day, Use Poison, Assassinate	1d6	+1 level of existing arcane or divine spellcasting class*
2nd	+1	+0	+3	+0	Ghostly Visage, Uncanny Dodge I, Poison Save	1d6
3rd	+2	+1	+3	+1	Evasion, Trigger Stimulant	2d6	+1 level of existing arcane or divine spellcasting class*
4th	+3	+1	+4	+1	Undetectable Alignment 1/Day, Ultravision 1/Day	2d6
5th	+3	+1	+4	+1	Dimension Door 3/Day, Darkness, Uncanny Dodge II	3d6	+1 level of existing arcane or divine spellcasting class*
6th	+4	+2	+5	+2	Invisibility 1/Day, Cat's Grace 1/Day	3d6
7th	+5	+2	+5	+2	Spiderskin 1/Day, Fox's Cunning 1/Day	4d6	+1 level of existing arcane or divine spellcasting class*
8th	+6/+1	+2	+6	+2	Hide in Plain Sight, Freedom of Movement 1/Day, Invisibility Sphere 1/Day	4d6
9th	+6/+1	+3	+6	+3	Improved Invisibility 1/Day	5d6	+1 level of existing arcane or divine spellcasting class*
10th	+7/+2	+3	+7	+3	Ambush, Deeper Darkness 1/Day, Uncanny Dodge III	5d6

Assassins need sufficient intelligence to cast spells. This is equivalent to 10 plus the assassin's Intelligence modifier. Thus, they need 14 Intelligence to cast spells of the 4th circle. Their casting level is 3 plus assassin levels.

Alter Self

The assassin is able to better disguise themselves, gaining +10 to Disguise for 10 minutes per assassin level.

Assassinate

If an assassin studies their victim for 3 rounds and then makes a sneak attack with a melee weapon that successfully deals damage, the attack will be lethal if the victim fails a Fortitude save (DC 10 + the assassin's class level + the assassin’s Int modifier). If the victim's saving throw succeeds, the attack is just a normal sneak attack. Once the assassin has completed the 3 rounds of study, they must make the death attack within the next 3 rounds.

Trigger Stimulant

The assassin ingests a prepared concoction of drugs to immediately grant them a powerful but fleeting adrenaline boost. They temporarily gain AB equal to their assassin level plus their intelligence modifier for 2 rounds. This ability is a free action on a 2-minute cooldown.

Undetectable Alignment

The assassin is able to conceal their alignment from the Detect Evil spell. The spell persists for 24 hours.

Spiderskin

The spell grants the recipient +3 to natural AC, hide, and save vs poison, plus an additional +1 for every 3 assassin levels. The AC caps at 5. This ability lasts for 10 minutes per assassin level.

Ambush

While stealthed, the assassin may teleport a short distance behind an enemy target in an attempt to inflict a debilitating blow. If the target fails their reflex save vs traps, they take 6d6 physical damage and are rendered silenced and slowed, while also having their AC lowered by 3 and suffer 15% damage vulnerability for two rounds. Regardless if the attempt is successful, the assassin gains Haste and +2 APR for two rounds. The DC is equal to 20 plus their intelligence modifier and half their dexterity modifier. If the target is a player that's able to hear or see the assassin, the DC is halved. This ability is on a 30-second cooldown.

Tip: becoming an assassin

• Rogues, monks, rangers and bards are ideal candidates to become assassins.