D&D 3E/3.5 [3.5e] Fixing the Assassin

[Nifft]

Spell-casting Assassins are bluh. However, non-magical Assassins are simply silly in a high-magic world. So, what do we do?

Let's examine my preconceptions of the Assassin class. What makes a good modern-day Assassin?

Who to consider: that Alias girl, that Bond guy, the Mission Impossible guy and of course both John Gaunt of Cynosure (a.k.a. Grimjack) and Horacio Valdemar Hellpop (a.k.a. Nexus). Batman is another decent exemplar, if we consider his "Dark Knight" incarnation. My namesake, Nifft the Ephisonite, was a consumate assassin when circumstances left him no more stylish option.

What are the requirements? (Please correct me if I've missed any):
- Skills out the wazoo, especially stelth, bluff, forgery, and physical ones like climb, balance, jump, tumble
- Charm, biting wit, nerves of steel
- "Where does he get those marvelous toys?" (gadgets: in D&D, probably alchemical & magic devices)
- Poison use
- Tracking / Stalking a target
- Sniping from a distance


So, what kind of class do we end up with:
- Good BAB
- Good Reflex save
- Good Skills
- Magic / Alchemical Device Use
- Sneak Attack Damage
- Poison Use

What do I not want:
- Spellcasting


So, I'm trying to incorporate a "tinker" mechanic instead of a spellcasting mechanic. The idea is that an Assassin makes magical and alchemical tools -- weapons, devices, gadgets, whatever -- and uses them instead of casting spells. I'll probably need some help in nailing the mechanics down. Here's a first go:


The Assassin


Requirements:
- Alignment: any Evil
- BAB: +5
- Skill Ranks: Hide 8, Move Silently 8, Disguise 5, Survival 5, Use Magic Device 8, Craft (Alchemy) 8
- Feats: Track, Magical Aptitude
- Special: Must be accepted by the Assassin's Cult, which requires that you kill someone for no other reason that to join the Cult (and for the glory of Baalzebub, but they don't know that just yet).


Class Benefits:
- BAB: as Fighter
- Good Save: Reflex
- Skill Points: 4 + Int bonus per level
- Skill List: Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Int), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Forgery (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (local) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Open Lock (Dex), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), Use Magic Device (Cha), and Use Rope (Dex).

Level  BAB   Will  Ref   Fort   Special
1      +1    +0    +2    +0     Poison Use, Craft Gadget (0th level)
2      +2    +0    +3    +0     Sneak Attack +1d6, +1 Save vs. Poison
3      +3    +1    +3    +1     Craft Gadget (1st level), Bonus Feat
4      +4    +1    +4    +1     Sneak Attack +2d6, +2 Save vs. Poison
5      +5    +1    +4    +1     Craft Gadget (2nd level)
6      +6    +2    +5    +2     Sneak Attack +3d6, +3 Save vs. Poison
7      +7    +2    +5    +2     Craft Gadget (3rd level), Bonus Feat
8      +8    +2    +6    +2     Sneak Attack +4d6, +4 Save vs. Poison, Hide in Plain Sight
9      +9    +3    +6    +3     Craft Gadget (4th level)
10     +10   +3    +7    +3     Sneak Attack +5d6, +5 Save vs. Poison, Bonus Feat

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

Sneak Attack (Ex): This is exactly like the rogue ability of the same name. The extra damage dealt increases by +1d6 every other level (2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th, and 10th). If an assassin gets a sneak attack bonus from another source the bonuses on damage stack.

Save Bonus against Poison (Ex): The assassin gains a natural saving throw bonus to all poisons gained at 2nd level that increases by +1 for every two additional levels the assassin gains.

Gadget: Charged-Baded Magic Item. Works exactly like a Wand, but it may be in any form, and it requires a Use Magic Device check to operate. The Gadget's creator gains a +5 Competence bonus to her Use Magic Device check. Gadgets are magical, and can be made as wand-like items or can occupy any standard item slot. Activating a Gadget is a standard action that draws an attack of opportunity.

Bonus Feat: Any Fighter Bonus Feat, any Metamagic Feat (which can only be applied to Gadgets), or the following Item Creation Feats: Brew Potion, Craft Magic Arms & Armor, Craft Wonderous Item.


Spells: Assassins do not cast spells. They can create magic items which produce spell-like effects, though. These are the spells they consider on their spell list when creating items:

• 0th-level: Dancing Lights, Daze, Detect Magic, Flare, Ghost Sound, Know Direction, Light, Lullaby, Mage Hand, Message, Open/Close, Resistance, Detect Poison, Acid Splash, Ray of Frost, Touch of Fatigue, Guidance
• 1st-level: Alarm, Cause Fear, Detect Secret Doors, Disguise Self, Expiditious Retreat, Feather Fall, Lesser Confusion, Nystul's Magic Aura, Obscure Object, Sleep, True Strike, Undetectable Alignment, Jump, Ray of Enfeeblement, Obscuring Mist, Magic Weapon
• 2nd-level: Fog Cloud, Glitterdust, See Invisibility, Daze Monster, Touch of Idiocy, Darkness, Blur, Invisibility, Misdirection, False Life, Alter Self, Bull's Strength, Cat's Grace, Knock, Spider Climb, Levitation, Align Weapon (Evil or Lawful only), Darkvision, Silence
• 3rd-level: Dispel Magic, Nondetection, Stinking Cloud, Clairaudience/Clairvoyance, Deep Slumber, Hold Person, Ray of Exhaustion, Vampiric Touch, Blink, Fly, Gaseous Form, Poison, Magic Weapon (Greater), Glibness
• 4th-level: Dimensional Anchor, Dimension Door, Solid Fog, Arcane Eye, Detect Scrying, Locate Creature, Scrying, Confusion, Invisibility (Greater), Shadow Conjuration, Bestow Curse, Fear, Enervation
• 5th-level: Cloudkill, Teleport, Prying Eyes, Rary's Telepathic Bond, Feeblemind, Hold Monster, Mind Fog, Seeming, Shadow Evocation, Waves of Fatigue, Overland Flight, Passwall, Slay Living
• 6th-level: Dispel Magic (Greater), True Seeing, Mislead, Shadow Walk, Veil, Find the Path, Disintegrate, Acid Fog
• 7th-level: Sequester, Phase Door, Plane Shift, Teleport (Greater), Scrying (Greater), Hold Person (Mass), Power Word Blind, Shadow Conjuration (Greater), Finger of Death, Ethereal Jaunt
• 8th-level: Dimensional Lock, Mind Blank, Protection from Spells, Discern Location, Trap the Soul, Power Word Stun, Shadow Evocation (Greater), Temporal Stasis
• 9th-level: Shades, Energy Drain, Soul Bind, Etherealness, Astral Projection, Power Word Kill

(5th, 6th, 7th, 8th & 9th level spells are included for the Epic Assassin, which will follow the obvious progression. I think they're easier to critique in context with the normal Assassin's spells.)



Mechanics: I think that the Use Magic Device mechanic more accurately represents the Gadget archtype than having things fail on creation -- failure "in the field" is so much more interesting.

-- Nifft

 

[Technik4]

I made a spell-less assasin, but honestly imo if you go spell-less don't try and emulate spells. For instance, I looked at your class and if you take away assasin it seems more suited to killer tinker gnome mechanics.

I changed it by giving 2 more sneak attack dice than regular, as well as a couple options for Death Attack (there were 2 bonus feats that could be chosen from a very small list). I like 3.5 better than the previous incarnation, and the spontaneous casting makes sense (more than a spellbook anyway) but I'd really like to start seeing alternate forms of spellcasting on prcs. Like maybe their own progression but an option to improve existing spellcasting.

So the halfling Rog5/Sor1 who becomes an assasin eventually gets 3rd level sor spells (At 16th level) instead of 3rd level Assasin spells.

Technik

 

[hong]

Have a look at the ninja class in AEG's Rokugan book. You might be able to steal some ideas from that, since what you're designing is basically a ninja.

 

[Argus Decimus Mokira]

Hey

I like the "spell emulators" you're going for with the gadgets. Definitely take a look at the Gnome Tinker PrC from Magic of Faerun - it uses precisely the same mechanics, and has ... interesting outcomes. I'll post 'em later today.

One thing I think you forgot ... Death Attack! I dunno if it was intentional or not - a lot of people seem to dislike it, but my assassin PC tried and tried but was never able to abuse it. Remaking the PrC gives you a chance to fix a WotC flub ... put Death Attack where it belongs at a high level (at least 5th). What kind of assassin learns everything there is to the art of killing in his first year?

Thanks
-Matt

 

[Nifft]

Argus:
I've got MaoF, and I liked the idea of the Tinkerer far more than the implementation. IMHO it's annoying to have bulky, non-magical but magic-effect-like items. Why not just allow guns? That's why I wanted to make this class deal with magic items, plain & simple.

I dropped Death Attack. I should probably allow the Assassin to gain the ability to imbue his weapon with some sort of magical death energy, though... like an Arcane Archer's Death Arrow, but for any weapon. I think he has all the parts needed to make his own Arrows of Slaying, but it's best to be explicit.


Technik4:
IMHO a non-magic-using Assassin isn't going to be very effective in a D&D universe. However, like you, I dislike the idea of Assassin-ness granting spellcasting. So, I opted for a hybrid of standard Rogue tactics (Use Magic Device) and spellcasting.


hong:
Sadly, my D&D budget won't fit another setting right now. Perhaps I'll get a chance to look at it in a store. In the mean time, any suggestions?


-- Nifft

 

[Technik4]

For Fun

Here's my spell-less assasin.

I think the assasin class from the DMG is good, but I just had a thought for a more lethal, yet weaker assasin. Tell me what you think.

Hit Die: d6

Requirements:

Alignment: Any Evil
Move Silently: 10 ranks
Hide: 10 ranks
Disguise: 4 ranks
Special: As Assasin

1 Death Attack, Poison Use
2 +1d6 Sneak Attack
3 +2d6 Sneak Attack
4 +3d6 Sneak Attack, Special Ability
5 +4d6 Sneak Attack
6 Fast Death Attack
7 +5d6 Sneak Attack, Special Ability
8 +6d6 Sneak Attack
9 +7d6 Sneak Attack
10 Greater Death Attack 1/day

BAB: As Rogue
Class Skills: As Assasin
Skill Points at Each Level: 4+Int Modifier

Class Features:

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: As Assasin

Sneak Attack: As Assasin

Death Attack: As Assasin and "An assasin always adds her class level to her saving throw against another assasin's death attack."

Poison Use: As Assasin

Special Ability: As a rogue but the options are limited to: Crippling Strike, Death's Protection, Hide in Plain Sight, Improved Uncanny Dodge, Lethality, Opportunist, Resist Poison, and Skill Mastery.

Death's Protection: Your focus is unrivaled when you have marked someone for death. You gain a +4 dodge bonus and a +4 profane bonus to saving throws against someone you have studied long enough to make a death attack. This bonus lasts until you make a death attack or your death attack duration expires.

Hide in Plain Sight: As 3.5 Assasin

Improved Uncanny Dodge: As Rogue. Also all assasin levels stack with regards to Uncanny Dodge progression.

Lethality: The saving throw DC of any poison you apply to a weapon is 2 higher. Your death attack DC is also 2 higher.

Resist Poison: You gain a +4 bonus to saves against poison. If you pass the first save you do not have to make a second one, it is automatically passed.

Fast Death Attack: Instead of 3 rounds of study, only 2 rounds are required. The death attack duration is 1 minute instead of 3 rounds (the time before it expires).

Greater Death Attack: If the assasin scores a critical hit while making a greater death attack, the number of sneak attack dice are multiplied by the crit modifier (Max 40d6). For instance, an assasin making a death attack with a rapier who scores a critical rolls double the normal number of sneak attack dice. You must choose to use this ability after you score a critical hit, and it may only be performed 1/day.



Ok, no spells, no automatic Uncanny Dodge, no automatic Saves vs Poison. 2 extra sneak attack dice, Fast Death Attack, 2 Special Abilities, and Greater Death Attack. The requirements are also for a level 7 rogue meaning Greater Death Attack is obtained when wizards and clerics get 9th level spells.

My original thought was to give sneak attack dice every level, but I toned it back. The prc name can be tailored to any campaign setting or it can replace the standard assasin.

Technik

 

[Technik4]

With regards to Death Attack at first level, I think it makes sense. I mean the Death Attack does not represent learning everything there is to kill someone, it merely represents a specific style. Over time the style should be faster and eventually incredibly potent (see above). Saying the assasin shouldn't get Death Attack is like saying Rangers shouldnt get track and barbarians shouldn't get rage at first level. These things are useful at first, but grow with your own power. A 1st level assasin's death attack will barely kill a commoner (DC is 11+ INT) 50% of the time!

Technik

 

[haiiro]

I picked up Cityworks at GenCon in part for its 20-level, spell-less assasin class -- something I've always wanted to see done well. Mike Mearls goes with a weaker (well, more specific) death attack at 1st level, full sneak attack and BAB, and quirky special abilities with specific small weapons. Overall, it's a great take on the class. I haven't seen it in play yet, but it looks to be fairly balanced.

It does have some similarities to the ninja class from Rokugan, which (as hong mentioned) is an excellent -- and balanced -- source of ideas.

Personally, if I were designing a spell-less assassin PrC from the ground up, I'd probably go with spell-like abilities -- sort of like the ghost-faced killer PrC from Dragon #289 (another good source of ideas). Cop-out? Perhaps, but the concept works for me.

 

[Grazzt]

Spell-casting Assassins are bluh. However, non-magical Assassins are simply silly in a high-magic world. So, what do we do?

No sillier than any other non-spellcasting class (rogue, fighter, etc.)

I use a non-spellcasting Assassin PrC in my campaign (and have since the debut of 3e). Works very well (at least for my campaign it does).

 

[hong]

hong:
Sadly, my D&D budget won't fit another setting right now. Perhaps I'll get a chance to look at it in a store. In the mean time, any suggestions?

Actually, the ninja is available as a pdf download from AEG's website:

http://www.legendofthefiverings.com/rpg/rokugan_ninja.pdf

(The good Will save should be a good Ref save.)