3e SRD:Assassin

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Assassin

Hit Die: d6.

Requirements

• Alignment: Any evil.

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

• Special: In addition, he must kill someone for no other reason than to join the assassins.

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, exclusive skill), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Int), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Forgery (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Innuendo (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Intuit Direction (Wis), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Open Lock (Dex), Pick Pocket (Dex), Read Lips (Int, exclusive skill), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), Use Magic Device (Cha, exclusive skill), and Use Rope (Dex).

Table: The Assassin

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special	Spells per Day
						1st	2nd	3rd	4th
1st	+0	+0	+2	+0	Sneak attack +1d6, death attack, poison use	0	—	—	—
2nd	+1	+0	+3	+0	+1 save against poison, uncanny dodge (Dex bonus to AC)	1	—	—	—
3rd	+2	+1	+3	+1	Sneak attack +2d6	1	0	—	—
4th	+3	+1	+4	+1	+2 save against poison	1	1	—	—
5th	+3	+1	+4	+1	Sneak attack +3d6, uncanny dodge (can't be flanked)	1	1	0	—
6th	+4	+2	+5	+2	+3 save against poison	1	1	1	—
7th	+5	+2	+5	+2	Sneak attack +4d6	2	1	1	0
8th	+6	+2	+6	+2	+4 save against poison	2	1	1	1
9th	+6	+3	+6	+3	Sneak attack +5d6	2	2	1	1
10th	+7	+3	+7	+3	+5 save against poison, uncanny dodge (+1 vs. traps)	2	2	1	1

Class Features

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Assassins are proficient with the crossbow (hand, light, or heavy), dagger (any type), dart, rapier, sap, shortbow (normal and composite), and short sword. Assassins are proficient with light armor but not with shields.

Sneak Attack: Any time the assassin's target would be denied her Dexterity bonus to AC (whether she actually has a Dexterity bonus or not), the assassin's attack deals +1d6 points of damage. This extra damage increases by +1d6 points every every other level (+2d6 at 3rd level, +3d6 at 5th level, and so on). Should the assassin score a critical hit with a sneak attack, this extra damage is not multiplied.

It takes precision and penetration to hit a vital spot, so Ranged attacks can only count as sneak attacks if the target is 30 feet away or less.

With a sap or an unarmed strike, the assassin can make a sneak attack that deals subdual damage instead of normal damage. He cannot use a weapon that deals normal damage to deal subdual damage in a sneak attack, not even with the usual –4 penalty, because he must make optimal use of his weapon in order to execute a sneak attack.

An assassin can only sneak attack living creatures with discernible anatomies—undead, constructs, oozes, plants, and incorporeal creatures lack vital areas to attack. Additionally, any creature that is immune to critical hits is similarly immune to sneak attacks. Also, an assassin must be able to see the target well enough to pick out a vital spot and must be able to reach such a vital spot. The assassin cannot sneak attack while striking a creature with concealment or striking the limbs of a creature whose vitals are beyond reach.

If an assassin gets a sneak attack bonus from another source (such as rogue levels), the bonuses to damage stack.

Death Attack: If the assassin studies his victim for 3 rounds and then makes a sneak attack with a melee weapon that successfully deals damage, the sneak attack 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 her Fortitude save (DC 10 + 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's mind and body become enervated, rendering her completely helpless and unable to act for 1d6 rounds plus 1 round per level of the assassin. 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, 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.

Poison Use: Assassins are trained in the use of poison and never risk accidentally poisoning themselves when applying poison to a blade.

Spells: Beginning at 1st level, an assassin gains the ability to cast a number of arcane spells. To cast a spell, the 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 modifier (if any). When the assassin gets 0 spells per day of a given level, such as 0 1st-level spells at 1st level, the assassin gets only bonus spells. An assassin without a bonus spell for that level cannot yet cast a spell of that level. The assassin's spell list appears below. An assassin prepares and casts spells just as a wizard does.

Saving Throw Bonus vs. Poison: Assassins train with poisons of all types and slowly grow more and more resistant to their effects. This is reflected by a natural saving throw bonus to all poisons gained at 2nd level that increases by +1 for every two levels the assassin gains (+1 at 2nd level, +2 at 4th level, +3 at 6th level, and so on).

Uncanny Dodge: At 2nd level and above, the Assassin retains a Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) if caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker.

At 5th level, the Assassin can no longer be flanked. A rogue at least four levels higher can still flank.

At 10th level, the Assassin receives a +1 bonus to Reflex saves made to avoid traps and a +1 dodge bonus to AC against attacks made by traps.

Assassin Spell List

Assassins choose their spells from the following list:

1st Level: change self, detect poison, ghost sound, obscuring mist, spider climb.

2nd Level: alter self, darkness, pass without trace, undetectable alignment.

3rd Level: deeper darkness, invisibility, misdirection, nondetection.

4th Level: dimension door, freedom of movement, improved invisibility, poison.

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