Arcane Assassin, 2nd Variant (5e Subclass)

Arcane Assassin

Rogue Subclass

Arcane assassins focus their training on the grim art of death, much like normal assassins. Where they differ, though, is that they learn to weave a little bit of magic into their weapon attacks to create some supernatural effects using various rituals and ancient techniques thought to have mostly originated from the underdark. The magic isn't particularly strong or plentiful, requiring that the weapon of choice penetrates deep into the target's skin for any notable effect to take place as opposed to a glancing blow or ordinary attack, but this isn't a problem for arcane assassins because rogues already specialize in precise and tactical strikes.

Rogue Level	Number of Arcane Ambush Options	Features
3rd	2 Options	Source of Magic, Insightful Strikes, Arcane Ambush
6th	3 Options	-
9th	4 Options	Magical Empowerment
11th	5 Options	-
13th	6 Options	Dependable Powers
15th	7 Options	-
17th	8 Options	Reliable Powers

Source of Magic

There are many ways an arcane assassin can exert their powers. At 3rd level, you gain either the Skilled Magic, Attuned Magic, or Gifted Magic feature. In addition to granting you a minor bonus, this decision affects most features you gain throughout this subclass and is a representation of how you're applying your magical powers.

Skilled Magic

Your arcane ability is Intelligence, since your magic is the result of your dedicated study and memorization over time. In addition, you learn two cantrips of your choice from the wizard spell list. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for these cantrips. You can perform the somatic components of these cantrips with a hand holding a finesse or a ranged weapon, and you can use a finesse or a ranged weapon as a spellcasting focus for them.

Attuned Magic

Your arcane ability is Wisdom, since your magic draws upon your ability to remain in tune with the world around you. In addition, while you're not wearing armor, not wielding a shield, and not wielding a melee weapon which lacks the finesse property, you can calculate your AC as 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Wisdom modifier.

Gifted Magic

Your arcane ability is Charisma, since your magic relies on your natural ability to project your will on the world. In addition, you can give yourself a bonus to your initiative rolls equal to your Charisma modifier.

Insightful Strikes

Also at 3rd level, you learn to gain some brief magical insight on your target's defenses. As a bonus action, you can point your finger or similar appendage, a finesse weapon, or a ranged weapon at a creature within an amount of feet of you equal to 30 feet or the range of the weapon you used (whichever is larger) as you begin examining the target. Once you do this, you must begin maintaining concentration as if concentrating on a spell. At the start of your next turn, if your concentration hasn't been broken, you magically gain temporary knowledge about the weaknesses in the target's defenses. You gain advantage on attack rolls against the target until the end of that turn.

Once you gain advantage on attack rolls against a target using this feature, you can't use this feature again until the start of your next turn.

Arcane Ambush

Finally at 3rd level, you learn enough about the magic of the world to be able to apply it to your attacks. When you gain this feature, you learn two Arcane Ambush options of your choice. You learn an additional Arcane Ambush option when you reach certain levels in this class: 6th, 9th, 11th, 13th, 15th, and 17th.

Once per turn when you take the attack action before making any attacks with it, you can use an Arcane Ambush option which you know. Until the end of your turn, you gain the effects of the Arcane Ambush option you used, the amount of extra damage inflicted by Sneak Attack increases by an additional 2d4, and any weapon attack you make counts as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage. You have one use of each Arcane Ambush option you know, and you regain all expended uses of this feature when you finish a long rest.

The Arcane Ambush options are presented here in alphabetical order. They are all magical effects, and each one is associated with one of the schools of magic. If an option requires a saving throw, your Arcane Ambush save DC equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + your arcane ability modifier.

Banishing Ambush

You use Abjuration magic to try and banish a creature off of the plane. If you deal your Sneak Attack damage to a creature, the attack forces the target to make a Charisma saving throw or be sent to a harmless demiplane. While banished in this way, the target's speed is 0, and it is incapacitated. At the end of your next turn, the target reappears in the space it vacated or in the nearest unoccupied space if that space is occupied.

In addition, the extra damage inflicted by Sneak Attack is radiant damage instead of the weapon's damage type.

Darkening Ambush

You use Illusion magic to try and obscure a creature's vision with hallucinations. If you deal your Sneak Attack damage to a creature, the attack forces the creature to make a Intelligence saving throw or have their vision blocked by illusionary shadows and darkness until the end of your next turn. During that time, the target is effectively blinded for the purpose of trying to see anything that is more than 5 feet away from them, though this effective blindness doesn't cause attack rolls against the target to have advantage.

In addition, the extra damage inflicted by Sneak Attack is psychic damage instead of the weapon's damage type.

Entangling Ambush

You use Conjuration magic to try and create toxic brambles that surround a creature. If you deal your Sneak Attack damage to a creature, the attack forces the target to make a Dexterity saving throw or be surrounded and restrained by the toxic brambles. While restrained in this way, the target takes 1d6 poison damage at the start of each of its turns. The target or any creature that can reach the target can use its action to try and remove the brambles with a successful Strength (Athletics) check against your Arcane Ambush save DC, taking 1d6 poison damage immediately before making the ability check. If the target succeeded their initial saving throw or if the brambles are later removed successfully, the brambles go away.

In addition, the extra damage inflicted by Sneak Attack is poison damage instead of the weapon's damage type.

Mutating Ambush

You use Transmutation magic to try and alter a creature's body to be less resilient to a certain element. If you deal your Sneak Attack damage to a creature, choose a damage type from acid, cold, fire, lightning, necrotic, poison, psychic, radiant, and thunder. If the target is ordinarily resistant to the chosen damage type, they lose that resistance. If the target is ordinarily immune to the chosen damage type, they are instead resistant to the chosen damage type. In any case, this effect lasts for 1 minute.

In addition, the extra damage inflicted by Sneak Attack is a damage type of your choice from acid, cold, fire, lightning, and thunder instead of the weapon's damage type.

Revealing Ambush

You use Divination magic to try and continuously seek out a creature of your choice. When you use this Arcane Ambush option, choose a creature you've seen in the past minute. You learn the target's current location, and the target can't gain any benefit from the invisible condition against you until the end of your turn. If you deal your Sneak Attack damage to the target, you imbue your target with your divination magic for 1 minute. During that time, you always know the target's location, and the target can't be hidden from you.

In addition, the extra damage inflicted by Sneak Attack is force damage instead of the weapon's damage type.

Seducing Ambush

You use Enchantment magic to try and beguile a creature into not hurting you for a bit. If you deal your Sneak Attack damage to a creature, the attack forces the creature to make a Wisdom saving throw or be charmed by you until the start of your next turn. This effect ends early if you or any of your allies attack the target, deal damage to it, or force it to make a saving throw. If this condition doesn't end early, you have advantage on the first attack you make against the target during your next turn.

In addition, the extra damage inflicted by Sneak Attack is psychic damage instead of the weapon's damage type.

Sickening Ambush

You use Necromantic magic to try and temporarily weaken and sicken a creature to their core. If you deal your Sneak Attack damage to a creature, the attack forces the creature to make a Constitution saving throw or become poisoned until the end of your next turn. While poisoned in this way, the target has disadvantage on Strength saving throws, and any damage dealt by its weapon attacks is halved.

In addition, the extra damage inflicted by Sneak Attack is necrotic damage instead of the weapon's damage type.

Unrelenting Ambush

You use Evocation magic to try and make your attack hurt even more incase you do land a well placed strike. If you deal your Sneak Attack damage to a creature, the attack forces the creature to make a Strength saving throw or be pushed 10 feet away and be knocked prone. If you had advantage on the attack roll, didn't have disadvantage on the attack roll, and didn't have a speed of 0 during the attack, the amount of extra damage inflicted by Sneak Attack increases by an additional 2d12.

In addition, the extra damage inflicted by Sneak Attack is force damage instead of the weapon's damage type.

Magical Empowerment

At 9th level, you can use your arcane ability, instead of Dexterity, for the attack and damage rolls of weapon attacks using finesse weapons and ranged weapons. In addition, you gain the following benefits for any weapon attack you make which uses your arcane ability for the attack and damage rolls:

• When you roll a 1 on the attack roll, you can reroll the die. You must use the new roll, even if it is another 1.

• The attack counts as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.

Dependable Powers

At 13th level, you gain the ability to reprepare your Arcane Ambush during downtime as you learn more about the mental techniques many casters use to prepare their spells and regain their spellcasting capabilities. You regain all expended uses of your Arcane Ambush feature when you finish a short or long rest.

Reliable Powers

At 17th level, you learn more about spellcasting techniques and gain the ability to regain your Arcane Ambush options even on the fly. As an action, you can enter a state of deep arcane focus, during which you must maintain concentration as if concentrating on a spell to remain in your state of focus.

As an action while in this state of focus, you can regain an expended use of an Arcane Ambush option you know. Doing so causes your state of focus to end. Once you take this action, you can't benefit from your Sneak Attack feature until the start of your next turn. For each Arcane Ambush option you know, you can use this action to regain an expended use of it an amount of times equal to 1 + half your arcane ability modifier (minimum one use), and you regain all expended uses of this action for all Arcane Ambush options when you finish a long rest.

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