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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Nifft" data-source="post: 1048720" data-attributes="member: 6562">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 distanceSo, what kind of class do we end up with:- Good BAB- Good Reflex save- Good Skills- Magic / Alchemical Device Use- Sneak Attack Damage- Poison UseWhat do I not want:- SpellcastingSo, 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 AssassinRequirements:- 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).[code]Level  BAB   Will  Ref   Fort   Special1      +1    +0    +2    +0     Poison Use, Craft Gadget (0th level)2      +2    +0    +3    +0     Sneak Attack +1d6, +1 Save vs. Poison3      +3    +1    +3    +1     Craft Gadget (1st level), Bonus Feat4      +4    +1    +4    +1     Sneak Attack +2d6, +2 Save vs. Poison5      +5    +1    +4    +1     Craft Gadget (2nd level)6      +6    +2    +5    +2     Sneak Attack +3d6, +3 Save vs. Poison7      +7    +2    +5    +2     Craft Gadget (3rd level), Bonus Feat8      +8    +2    +6    +2     Sneak Attack +4d6, +4 Save vs. Poison, Hide in Plain Sight9      +9    +3    +6    +3     Craft Gadget (4th level)10     +10   +3    +7    +3     Sneak Attack +5d6, +5 Save vs. Poison, Bonus Feat[/code]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:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">4th-level: Dimensional Anchor, Dimension Door, Solid Fog, Arcane Eye, Detect Scrying, Locate Creature, Scrying, Confusion, Invisibility (Greater), Shadow Conjuration, Bestow Curse, Fear, Enervation</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">6th-level: Dispel Magic (Greater), True Seeing, Mislead, Shadow Walk, Veil, Find the Path, Disintegrate, Acid Fog</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">8th-level: Dimensional Lock, Mind Blank, Protection from Spells, Discern Location, Trap the Soul, Power Word Stun, Shadow Evocation (Greater), Temporal Stasis</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">9th-level: Shades, Energy Drain, Soul Bind, Etherealness, Astral Projection, Power Word Kill</li> </ul>(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</blockquote>

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