Assassins - cost of hiring one

[Dirty Magurdy]

Been approached by a player who is considering settling a score in the party via an assassin.
I generally don't run evil campaigns, and this one, for the most part has been CN, but tensions have come to a boiling point as one might expect it to with a pack of lunatics gallivanting off together on quests and adventures.
So, the assassin. I'm just looking for any personal ideas or price ranges anyone may have come up with in their campaigns. My characters are around 13th and 14th level and are about on par for treasure and money for their level.
Just curious to see some other ideas on the matter before I make any final descisions before our session Saturday.

 

[Theo R Cwithin]

I don't know if there's an "official" way to handle it, but you might just consider the job to be equivalent to an "encounter" from the assassin's perspective, and pay according to the target's "encounter level".

For example, if the target is 12th level, look on the "Treasure per encounter" table to find that that is worth about 9800gp. Add on a little extra for assassin guild fees, special equipment, or whatever, and allow for bargaining, etc to get something in that general range.

 

[shadyizok]

I think it should depend on wether or not the assasin is likely to have to fight the entire party or not and wether or not he's allowed to keep the spoils and if the player is helping the character (he goes to sleep at about 12 o' clock in room 7 in that tavern, here is a key and a list with his items, keep whatever you want. I'll make sure all of his friends will be out that evening vs kill this guy, he's got powerfull friends so watch it! And don't be touching his valuables! Those are mine!).

After these options have been made clear, you as DM set the CR that the targeted player forms for the assasin. (First example: lvl 13-2 (for info) makes cr11 vs Second example: 4 lvl 13 makes cr17). Then look up the assasin's ECL vs the CR table's award. Add to that or lower it according to how much loot the assassin could get. Say count all loot as 1/4 of normal price and lower the hiring price with this, not going below half.

 

[Dandu]

Been approached by a player who is considering settling a score in the party via an assassin.
I generally don't run evil campaigns, and this one, for the most part has been CN, but tensions have come to a boiling point as one might expect it to with a pack of lunatics gallivanting off together on quests and adventures.
So, the assassin. I'm just looking for any personal ideas or price ranges anyone may have come up with in their campaigns. My characters are around 13th and 14th level and are about on par for treasure and money for their level.
Just curious to see some other ideas on the matter before I make any final descisions before our session Saturday.

The assassin should be priced out of the PC's price range since assassinating high level characters is extremely dangerous and handling interparty conflict in this manner produces no winners.

 

[Dirty Magurdy]

Thanks for the responses everyone.

I'm inclined to agree with Dandy in that it should be very expensive to discourage this sort of resolution for intra-party conflicts.
It will be at the top end of the price scale and them some, but I won't put it fully out of the price range. If he really wants to do it so badly that he'll spend a good portion of his money and then some he can go ahead.

A party of this level is most likely going to find out who was behind it or at least eventually get their hands on the assassin. Sure ther'll be no winners, but this is what the party has been building toward for a while, honestly it's been nothing but friction and conflict for a very long time. CN is just not a condusive alignment for getting along with others, especially when the element of greed is added, as it seems to be with this group.