Looking for Assassin Variant

[Kisanji Arael]

Hey Guys,

Well, so I'm in a game right now and we just had a new player join. And he was really hoping to play an assassin, but we already have a rogue in the group. This means, unfortunately, that there would be role overlap, and you know how well rogues handle that. Basically, it all revolves around sneak attack, though, so I was wondering if anyone happened to know of a variant that managed to do well without it. Or any other constructive suggestions people might have.

Thanks in advance.

 

[smootrk]

If you want a 'combat rogue', you should first take the Martial Rogue variant from Unearthed Arcana. Then pursue Assassin or variant Assassin classes.

If it helps, in my signature there is a proto-assassin PRC class you can look at... the Thayan Slaver (which could easily be dropped into any setting). It is very combat focused, but tends toward non-lethal attacks. -- originally from Unapproachable East book, but redesigned a bit.

Good luck

 

[Kerrick]

Here's a version I did. I took the base assassin and gave it paths - basically, you can choose what kind of assassin you want to be - a good sneak, a hunter, a poisoner, etc., and the abilities reflect that. If you're looking for assassin PrCs in general, check out Crimson Contracts. It's 3.0 format, unfortunately, but it shouldn't take much to convert a given class to 3.5, if you want to.

 

[szilard]

To expand on/clarify smootrk's comment: just replace every +1d6 sneak attack with a fighter bonus feat.

Personally, though, I don't see the problem. Let them be flank buddies.

-Stuart

 

[Nifft]

Here's a version I did long ago -- HOWEVER, Rogues handle role overlap AWESOMELY!!!oneone! Because, you see, a flanking partner who also wants to flank is AWESOME!!!oneone! Awesomelicious, perhaps.

But anyway. Here's the version I did a long time ago:


Assassin of the Hell God (AHG)

Prerequisites:
Alignment: any Evil
HD: d6
BAB: 3/4 (as Rogue)
Good Saves: Fortitude, Reflex / Bad Save: Will
Skill Points: 2 + Int bonus
Class Skills: Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Forgery (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowlege (Religion, Planes) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), and Tumble (Dex).

Weapons and Armor: Assassins of the Hell God are proficient with light armor and shields, and with all simple weapons. They are also proficient with Hand Crossbows, Saps, Shuriken, Spiked Chains, and Whips.

[u]
Level   BAB   Fort	Ref	Will	Special Abilities[/u]
 1	+0	+2	+2	+0	Dark Patron, Aura of Evil, 
					Sneak Attack +1d6
 2	+1	+3	+3	+0	Minor Dark Gift
 3	+2	+3	+3	+1	Sneak Attack +2d6
 4	+3	+4	+4	+1	Minor Dark Gift
 5	+3	+4	+4	+1	Sneak Attack +3d6
 6	+4	+5	+5	+2	Minor Dark Gift
 7	+5	+5	+5	+2	Sneak Attack +4d6
 8	+6	+6	+6	+2	Dark Gift
 9	+6	+6	+6	+3	Sneak Attack +5d6
10      +7	+7	+7	+3	Dark Gift
11      +8	+7	+7	+3	Sneak Attack +6d6
12      +9	+8	+8	+4	Dark Gift
13      +9	+8	+8	+4	Sneak Attack +7d6
14      +10	+9	+9	+4	Dark Gift
15      +11	+9	+9	+5	Sneak Attack +8d6
16      +12	+10	+10	+5	Aspect of Hell
17      +12	+10	+10	+5	Sneak Attack +9d6
18      +13	+11	+11	+6	Aspect of Hell
19      +14	+11	+11	+6	Sneak Attack +10d6
20      +15	+12	+12	+6	Infernal Agent

Special Abilities:

• Dark Patron: The Assassin swears fealty to the Insane Hell God, forswearing all other Powers. He may never take levels of Paladin or Druid. At the DM's option, he may convert previously acquired levels of Paladin or Druid directly into levels of Assassin.
• Aura of Evil (Su): The Assassin detects as [Evil]. Furthermore, the aura surrounding the Assassin grants a +2 bonus on all Intimidate checks, but causes a -4 penalty on Diplomacy checks against Good targets.
• Sneak Attack: As the Rogue class ability (and it stacks with other sources of Sneak Attack).
• Minor Dark Gift: The Hell God grants the Assassin a minor boon, chosen from the following list:
  - Evasion
  - Uncanny Dodge
  - Poison Use (as Blackguard class ability)
  - Bonus Feat chosen from the following list: Combat Reflexes, Dodge (Mobility, Spring Attack), Power Attack (Cleave, Great Cleave, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Overrun, Improved Sunder), Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus.
• Dark Gift: The Hell God grants the Assassin a boon, chosen from the following list:
  - Death Attack (as core Assassin class ability)
  - Immunity to Poison
  - Improved Evasion
  - Improved Uncanny Dodge
  - Smite Good +1/day (as Blackguard class ability) -- this Gift may be taken multiple times
  - Luck of Fiends (Su): +2 Luck bonus on all saving throws
  - Eyes of the Beast (Su): Darkvision 120 ft.
  - Hell's Comfort (Ex): Acid, Cold & Fire Resistance 10
• Aspect of Hell: The Hell God grants the Assassin a mighty boon, chosen from the following list:
  - Infernal Wound (Su): Melee damage delt by an Assassin causes a persistent wound. An injured creature loses 2 additional hit points each round. The wound does not heal naturally and resists healing spells. The continuing hit point loss can be stopped by a Heal check, a cure spell, or a heal spell. However, a character attempting to cast a cure spell or a heal spell on a creature damaged by an Assassin's melee attack must succeed on a caster level check, or the spell has no effect on the injured character. A successful Heal check automatically stops the continuing hit point loss as well as restoring hit points. The infernal wound is a supernatural ability of the Assassin, not of the weapon. The Heal & caster level check DC is 10 + 1/2 Assassin level + Con bonus.
  - Fear Aura (Su): Assassins can radiate a 5-foot-radius fear aura as a free action. Affected creatures must succeed on a Will save or be affected as though by a fear spell (caster level = Assassin level). A creature that successfully saves cannot be affected again by the same Assassin's aura for 24 hours. Devils are immune to the aura. The save DC is 10 + 1/2 Assassin level + Cha bonus.
  - Invisible in Light (Su): The Assassin becomes invisible in any area lit well enough for a human to see. In a darkened area, it shows up as a faintly glowing outline visible up to 30 feet away (60 feet if the viewer has low-light vision). Magical darkness smothers the glow and conceals the outline.
  - Eyes of the Pit (Su): The Assassin can see perfectly in darkness of any kind, even that created by a deeper darkness spell. (Note: this does NOT provide Darkvision.)
  - Regeneration (Ex): The Assassin takes normal damage from silvered weapons, good-aligned weapons, and spells or effects with the good descriptor. If the Assassin loses a piece of its body regrows it in 2d6x10 minutes. Holding the severed member against the stump enables it to reattach instantly.
• Infernal Agent (Ex): The Assassin becomes an Outsider with the [Native] and [Evil] descriptors. He gains DR 10/Magic.

 

[dvvega]

There was a book from Green Ronin for 3.0 that handled Assassins as a base class. I playtested it and it handled things as if the character was trained from birth.

That might work.

However he can be an Assassin using a base class that isn't Rogue ... it isn't easy to do but I've made one from a Fighter and a Ranger.

Yo could also look at the Lurk class from Complete Psionics. That is pretty much a psychic assassin. And then the Ebon Saint PrC.

 

[airwalkrr]

I would worry more about an assassin usurping a rogue's skills. Sneak attack is hardly a niche. Consider my assassin base class (found here). It uses rules from my house rules, but it very simple to accomodate into regular 3e. Just replace assassin skills with those in the DMG and skills per level with those in the DMG and its pretty much the same thing.

Another idea is to let him play a slayer of Domiel from the BoED.

 

[GreatLemur]

If you want a 'combat rogue', you should first take the Martial Rogue variant from Unearthed Arcana.

That would mean giving up sneak attack for fighter bonus feats. Since he said "Basically, it all revolves around sneak attack," I think that's the opposite of what the player wants. Now, if it were possible to start with a Fighter and trade the bonus feats for sneak attack (and maybe the d10 HD for more skill points?), now that'd be a different story. Sneak attacks and a 1/1 BAB might be a ridiculously deadly thing to allow, though. But I would love to see if someone could make it work, because precise attacks and reliable combat training go together pretty logically, in my book.

 

[smootrk]

That would mean giving up sneak attack for fighter bonus feats. Since he said "Basically, it all revolves around sneak attack," I think that's the opposite of what the player wants. Now, if it were possible to start with a Fighter and trade the bonus feats for sneak attack (and maybe the d10 HD for more skill points?), now that'd be a different story. Sneak attacks and a 1/1 BAB might be a ridiculously deadly thing to allow, though. But I would love to see if someone could make it work, because precise attacks and reliable combat training go together pretty logically, in my book.

I did see that, but thought he might want to look at another concept (so as to not step on the toes of the other rogue).

The Fighter who gives up feats for Sneak Attack is an interesting idea. Maybe some way of giving up individual feat slots for Sneak dice, but I would make the fighter have certain skill prerequisites to keep up with (like Move Silently &/or Bluff of 2 ranks for the first dice, 4 ranks for the second d6, etc), and I think the drop in HD from D10 to D8 for 2 extra skill points per level is a reasonable exchange - maybe even 4 extra skill points might be worthy.

 

[smootrk]

The Warrrior Rogue or Sneaky Fighter concepts could be made easily by making Sneak Dice equivalent to a Feat Choice.... the fighter gives up feats for sneak dice, and the rogue gives up sneak dice for a feat. The choice could be made at any level where one or the other the granted.... hmmm, makes me think a bit.