Codex Assassin (3.5e Class)

Sublime Ways.]] Length::20 Minimum Level::1 Base Attack Bonus Progression::Good Fortitude Save Progression::Poor Reflex Save Progression::Good Will Save Progression::Poor Class Ability::Martial Maneuvers Class Ability::Sneak Attack Class Ability Progression::Full

Allowed Alignments::Lawful Good Allowed Alignments::Lawful Neutral Allowed Alignments::Lawful Evil Allowed Alignments::Neutral Good Allowed Alignments::Neutral Allowed Alignments::Neutral Evil Allowed Alignments::Chaotic Good Allowed Alignments::Chaotic Neutral Allowed Alignments::Chaotic Evil

Assassin
Assassins are killers, experts at murder. They are more skilled in battle than Rogues but less skilled in infiltration, guile, and disarming. Being an Assassin is much more of a lifestyle than a profession. From the young hotblooded rebel taking out nobles at night and spilling their wealth to the poor to the extremely skilled and dedicated right hand of a brutal tyrant, assassins are everywhere. The role of assassin is timeless, mankind was killing itself since the very beginning of time. Since it was basically a question of "who has the bigger club", assassins first appeared within the ranks of those with the smaller clubs. Taking their opponents by surprise and taking their clubs... things evolved from that point. Now assassins use a wide variety of equipment, from a dagger to a bow.

Making a Assassin
Abilities: Assassin need dexterity, as it is their prime ability and many class features depend on it. Assassins also need wisdom or intelligence, as some class features require these abilities. intelligence determines skill points and constitution determines HP.

Races: Assassins can be of any races, however, smaller, dominated races tend to produce more assassins. Humans also tend to produce some of the finest assassins. Most races with a minimum amount of honor tend to frown upon and shun assassins, but many other races or vile beings actually welcome a friendly assassin as a very effective tool, no matter the race or gender. All cultures have their own form of assassins, from orcs with throwing axes or human armed with a crossbow.

Alignment: Any, assassins are more often than not evil. However every alignment have it own share of assassins, from the lawful religious-extremist to the chaotic and stealthy guerrilla fighter. Some are well-intentioned extremist, others may be driven by duty alone. Of course some kill because they like it.

Starting Gold: As rogue.

Starting Age: Simple

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Assassin.

Maneuvers: You begin your career with knowledge of three martial maneuvers. The disciplines available to you are Desert wind, Diamond Mind, Iron Heart, Shadow Hand and Setting Sun.

Once you know a maneuver, you must ready it before you can use it (see Maneuvers Readied, below). A maneuver usable by asssassin is considered an extraordinary ability unless otherwise noted in its description. Your maneuvers are not affected by spell resistance, and you do not provoke attacks of opportunity when you initiate one.

You learn additional maneuvers at higher levels. You must meet a maneuver's prerequisite to learn it.

Upon reaching 4th level, and at every even-numbered assassin level after that (6th, 8th, 10th, and so on), you can choose to learn a new maneuver in place of one you already know. In effect, you lose the old maneuver in exchange for the new one. You can choose a new maneuver of any level you like, as long as you observe your restriction on the highest-level maneuvers you know; you need not replace the old maneuver with a maneuver of the same level. For example, upon reaching 10th level, you could trade in a single 1st-, 2nd-, 3rd- or 4th-level maneuver for a maneuver of 5th level or lower, as long as you meet the prerequisite of the new maneuver. You can swap only a single maneuver at any given level.

Maneuvers Readied: You can ready all three of the maneuvers you know at 1st level, but as you advance in level and learn more maneuvers, you must choose which maneuvers to ready. You ready your maneuvers by exercising for 5 minutes. The maneuvers you choose remain readied until you decide to exercise again and change them. You need not sleep or rest for any long period of time to ready your maneuvers; any time you spend 5 minutes in practice, you can change your readied maneuvers.

You begin an encounter with all your readied maneuvers unexpended, regardless of how many times you might have already used them since you chose them. When you initiate a maneuver, you expend it for the current encounter, so each of your readied maneuvers can be used once per encounter (until you recover them, as described below).

You can recover all expended maneuvers with a Full round action. You cannot initiate a maneuver or change your stance while you are recovering your expended maneuvers, but you can remain in a stance in which you began your turn.

Stances Known: You begin play with knowledge of one 1st-level stance from any discipline open to warblades. At 4th, 10th, and 16th level, you can choose additional stances. Unlike maneuvers, stances are not expended, and you do not have to ready them. All the stances you know are available to you at all times, and you can change the stance you are currently using as a swift action. A stance is an extraordinary ability unless otherwise stated in the stance description.

Unlike with maneuvers, you cannot learn a new stance at higher levels in place of one you already know.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Assassin proficiency with all martial nd simple weapon. They also gain proficiency with Assassin Needles and Assassin Daggers. They gain proficiency with Light Armor but no shield.





The assassin’s attack deals extra damage any time her target would be denied a Dexterity bonus to AC (whether the target actually has a Dexterity bonus or not), or when the assassin flanks her target. This extra damage is 1d6 at 1st level, and it increases by 1d6 every two assassin levels thereafter. Should the assasssin score a critical hit with a sneak attack, this extra damage is not multiplied.

Ranged attacks can count as sneak attacks only if the target is within 30 feet.

With a sap (blackjack) or an unarmed strike, a assassin can make a sneak attack that deals nonlethal damage instead of lethal damage. She cannot use a weapon that deals lethal damage to deal nonlethal damage in a sneak attack, not even with the usual –4 penalty.

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



This ability can only be used when the assassin wear light or no armor. This bonus does not stack with the monk AC bonus.

 (Ex): At 2nd level and higher, a assassin can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with great agility. If she makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, she 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.

At 12th level the assassin gain improved evasion. This functions exactly like evasion, but the damage is halved if the assassin fails her saving throw.

 (Ex): At 3rd level the assassin may add her intelligence or wisdom (whichever is higher) to the confirmation roll of Critical hit.

 (Ex): Starting at 4th level, a assassin can react to danger before her senses would normally allow her to do so. She retains her Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) even if she is caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. However, she still loses her Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized.

A assassin of 8th level gain improved uncanny dodge and can no longer be flanked.

This defense denies another rogue the ability to sneak attack the character by flanking her, unless the attacker has at least four more rogue levels than the target does.

If a character already has uncanny dodge (see above) from a second class, the character automatically gains improved uncanny dodge instead, and the levels from the classes that grant uncanny dodge stack to determine the minimum rogue level required to flank the character.

 (Ex): If an 10th level 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 a Fortitude save (DC 10 + the assassin’s class level + the assassin’s wis 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 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.

 (Su): At 6th 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 herself from view in the open without having anything to actually hide behind.

 (Ex): The assassin now lands much more terrifying blows when she lands a critical. The assassin now increases the critical hit multiplier by one (x3 to x4) with all weapons she is proficient with.

Epic Assassin
Sneak Attack: The epic assassin’s sneak attack damage increases by +1d6 at every 2 level.



Epic assassin Bonus Feat List: Blinding Speed, Combat Archery, Dexterous Fortitude, Dexterous Will, Epic Dodge, Epic Reputation, Epic Skill Focus, Epic Speed, Improved Combat Reflexes, Improved Sneak Attack, Legendary Climber, Lingering Damage, Self-Concealment, Sneak Attack of Opportunity, Spellcasting Harrier, Superior Initiative, Uncanny Accuracy. The rogue may choose a special rogue ability instead of a bonus feat.

Low-Powered Assassin
The current progression was made with "compete with monster" mindset. Therefore I present you the low-powered assassin, for less optimized games.

Human Assassin Starting Package
Weapons: Shortsword.

Skill Selection: Pick a number of skills equal to 4 + Int modifier.

Feat: Stealthy.

Bonus Feats: Skill Focus (Move Silently).

Gear: Masterwork Leather Armor.

Gold: 1d4 gp.

Playing a Assassin
Religion: Assassins can follow any deitiy or belief. However, many tend to go with the least hostile ideology toward killing. In fact, assassins of good deities may find themselves complexed, and lawful deities tend to frown the illegal act of stealthy killing.

Other Classes: Assassins get along well with rogues, and have conflict with Paladins and good party members. Otherwise they does not tend to have conflict with other classes.

Combat: An assassin is a combat rogue, she fights and kills on par with a fighter or a martial adept and is able to pack a huge punch with sneak attack. However the d6 make you a glass cannon and you are not a good skillmonkey or trapfinder. You extend your use of stealth to only one thing: combat.

Advancement: An assassin should remain an assassin from 1 to 20. Few classes offer her a countinuity in all of her abilities, and no martial adept or roguish PrC really fit her need.

Assassin in the World
"Some kill for duties, some kill for revolutionary causes, some kill for power or fun. Some even kill for good. No matter why you kill, the method is always the same."

Daily Life: Assassins must know how to blank their emotions, and killing people isn't always easy for the good assassin. But really, assassins have no fixed daily lives. An orc assassin will live a very different life than a human guild assassin.

Notables: The Righteous Plague, a mysterious female assassin who lived in the great metropolis of Thereleflor. She killed about one hundred crime lords and thugs during her rather short career. Shortly after killing the last big crime boss she surrendered herself to the local police and was hanged. However, she still remain a legendary and beneficial figure among the common people of the city. She is a prime example of a lawful good assassin.

Organizations: Assassin organizations are widely different. Some are cult-like organizations who kill for dark deities. Some are guilds who kill for profit, other are justiciars killing criminals. No matter the origin and purpose, assassin organizations are many and worldwide.

NPC Reactions: NPCs almost always react negatively to the assassin, if they know she is one. In fact most people tend to think assassins are rogues.

Assassin Lore
Characters with ranks in knowledge (local) can research assassins to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs.

Assassin in the Game
Adaptation: COMING SOON.

Sample Encounter: COMING SOON.

EL whatever: COMING SOON.