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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Jacob Marley" data-source="post: 5603426" data-attributes="member: 89537">I think it is important to separate "assassins" from "Assassins." There are lots of low-level thugs who are perfectly willing to assassinate someone for a few bits of platinum (or gold); the vast majority of NPC assassins are exactly this. They will be classed out as "Warrior 2" or "Rogue 1" or even "Sorcerer 3," whatever.Assassins -- as in the prestige class -- are exceedingly rare. They are highly-skilled at their craft, patient, and command a great deal of money for their work. Most importantly, they do not fight fair. I'll repeat, THEY DO NOT FIGHT FAIR. They may study their target for weeks, learning their tactics, strengths, and weaknesses. They will wait for an opportune moment to strike (i.e. when the party is split up, or has expended the bulk of their resources). They will strike when they are fully buffed and have no qualms about fleeing should their target survive the initial assault.The challenge comes not from the combat itself but from the skill checks leading up to the combat as well as player intuition. In many respects it will work similar to a 4th Edition skill challenge; success results in the PCs thwarting the Assassin while failure leads to an attack and the possible death of a PC.</blockquote>