Assassin

Base Classes | Prestige Classes

Countless lives have been spent, lost, and taken, in the pursuit of power and skill to face conflicts. Whether it be the savagery of the tribes, the grace of the fencer, or even the incantations of the priests. An equal devotion has been given to the study of the art of murder; the intentional and deliberate act not of conflict, but of the snuffing of lives through the path of least resistance and defense. If entirely as effective as the other pursuits of arms and battle and struggle, the art of murder has a more disreputable reputation, if only due to the views of those who often fail to see themselves in a true light.

Assassins, practitioners of the art of murder, hail from many diverse origins and studies, drawn to their labors and efforts for a myriad of reasons, though coin generally prevails. They bring with them unique talents and approaches, to which they add training in subterfuge, diversion, precision, surprise, and a score of other skills and means as suit their dispositions and abilities. The only consistency between these practitioners of murder is a focus on the end result; a cooling corpse replacing a living being, on their terms, at their chosen place and time.

Individuals who tread this path do so at their own risk, both physically, and morally. Once someone begins to embrace such, they may very well find that they become a victim of the art of murder as much as their own victims, descending into a morally bleak and dark life from which there is no return.

NOTE: This class only has a progression of five levels.

Requirements:

Skills: Acrobatics (8 ranks), Disguise (4 ranks), Stealth (8 ranks), Sleight of Hand (4 ranks)
Base Attack Bonus: +6
Feats: Stealthy, and one of: Sneak Attack 2d6, Improved Favored Enemy (Any), or Purity of Body

Class Features:

Hit Dice: d6
Proficiencies: Light Armor; Simple, Martial and Exotic Weapons
Skill Points: 4 + INT modifier
Class Skills: Acrobatics (DEX), Bluff (CHA), Diplomacy (CHA), Disguise (CHA), Escape Artist (DEX), Intimidate (CHA), Perception (WIS), Sense Motive (WIS), Sleight of Hand (DEX), Stealth (DEX), Use Magic Device (CHA)
Base Attack Bonus: High
High Saving Throws: Reflex

Poison Use (Ex): Assassins are skilled with the use of poisons and have no risk of poisoning themselves whether when applying them or using them in combat.

Sneak Attack (Ex): Assassins gain 1d6 sneak attack damage every odd level, which acts like the rogue ability of the same name.

Death Attack (Ex): At 1st level, the assassin can make a special sneak attack called a Death Attack. This ability adds to the Sneak Attack ability, inflicting paralysis on his enemy if the sneak attacks are made when the target is out of combat. The paralysis effect has a Fortitude saving throw with a DC of 10 + Assassin level + INT modifier. Making the saving throw nullifies the effect.

Poison Resistance (Ex): At 1st level, and every level thereafter, the assassin gains a cumulative +1 bonus to all saving throws against poisons and poison effects, due to the assassin's developing tolerance for their use.

Uncanny Dodge (Ex): Starting at 1st 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.)

Bonus Feats: At every even-numbered level, the assassin can make a selection from the rogue bonus feats list.

Improved Uncanny Dodge (Ex): At 3rd level, the assassin can no longer be sneak attacked except by a character with 4 or more total levels in classes that grant sneak attack than the character levels of the assassin.

Assassin's Invisibility (Su): At 5th level assassins learn to fade from sight and blend with their surroundings, granting 5 rounds of Greater Invisibility (allowing attacks while invisible), this ability has a cooldown of 1 minute and is a Supernatural Effect (cannot be dispelled).