New Class for review (assassin)

Navar

Explorer
Assassin

This is an exercise to make a nonspellcasting assassin base class. This is from the class construction engine. Using it and 250 to start or more to make the class I desire.

Good Base attack bonus 50
Adroit saves 25
16 to 20 class skills 25
4 skill points per level 30
d8 hit die 30
Weapon proficiency with all simple weapons plus 5 others 15
Proficiency with Light Armor 10
Prohibited alignment (non-good) -5
Lesser code -10
Wearing armor affects class abilities -10

The total for this part is 150 leaving only 90 points for class abilities.

The class abilities are.

Sneak attack 15
Killing Blow 15
Abilities (1,4, 8, 12, 16, 20) 30
Mark 10
Hide in plain sight 10
Uncanny Dodge 15

This brings the total for the class to 255, about the class average.

This makes the class look something like this

PRESTIGE CLASS TABLE: ASSASSIN

Level Base
Attack Bonus Fort Ref Will
Save Save Save

Special

1 +1 +0 +2 +2
Assassin ability, Mark +1, Sneak attack +1d6

2 +2 +0 +3 +3
Uncanny dodge (Dex bonus to AC), Killing Blow 1/day

3 +3 +1 +3 +3
Sneak attack +2d6, Hide in plain sight

4 +4 +1 +4 +4
Assassin ability

5 +5 +1 +4 +4
Uncanny dodge (can't be flanked), Sneak attack +3d6, Mark +2

6 +6/+1 +2 +5 +5
Killing Blow 2/day

7 +7/+2 +2 +5 +5
Sneak attack +4d6

8 +8/+3 +2 +6 +6
Assassin ability

9 +9/+4 +3 +6 +6
Sneak attack +5d6

10 +10/+5 +3 +7 +7
Uncanny dodge (+1 against traps), Mark +3, Killing Blow 3/day

11 +11/+6/+1 +3 +7 +7
Sneak attack +6d6

12 +12/+7/+2 +4 +8 +8
Assassin ability

13 +13/+8/+3 +4 +8 +8
Uncanny dodge (+2 against traps), Sneak attack +7d6

14 +14/+9/+4 +4 +9 +9
Killing Blow4/day

15 +15/+10/+5 +5 +9 +9
Sneak attack +8d6, Mark +4

16 +16/+11/+6/+1 +5 +10 +10
Uncanny dodge (+3 against traps), Assassin ability

17 +17/+12/+7/+2 +5 +10 +10
Sneak attack +9d6

18 +18/+13/+8/+3 +6 +11 +11
Killing Blow5/day

19 +19/+14/+9/+4 +6 +11 +11
Uncanny dodge (+4 against traps), Sneak attack +10d6

20 +20/+15/+10/+5 +6 +12 +12
Assassin ability, Mark +5

Alignment: Any non-good.
Hit Die: d8.
Starting Gold: 5d4 x 10

Class Skills: The assassin's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Disable Device (Int), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Forgery (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Open Lock (Dex), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), and Wilderness Lore (Wis).

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Assassins are proficient with all simple weapons, and they must choose 5 more weapons that they are proficient with 5 other weapons from the following list: Axe (any), Blowgun, Battlepick (Gnome), Blade Boot, Bolas, Bow (any), Chain and Dagger, Claw Bracer, Crescent Knife, Crossbow (hand), Crossbow (repeating), Gauntlet (bladed), Gauntlet (Spring-Loaded), Mouth Darts, Panther Claw, Rapier, Sap, Shuriken, Scimitar, Scourge, Scythe, Sickle, Sword (Elven Thinblade), Sword (long), Sword (short), Tortise Blade (Gnome), Whip, and Whip Dagger. If you select the blowgun, the hand crossbow, or the mouth darts you may give up two other weapon selections and become proficient with poison use.

When wearing armor heavier than light, an assassin loses mark, hide in plain sight, killing blow, and uncanny dodge. Furthermore, the rest of her special abilities all face the arcane spell failure chance that the armor type normally imposes.

Mark: At 1st level, an assassin may, once per day, select a creature as a mark. An assassin may only have one mark at a time. To select a mark an assassin must know of the existence of this creature, and must concentrate on the mark for at least 30 minutes. Selecting a mark is a supernatural ability. Due to his extensive study of his foe and training in the proper techniques for combating them, the assassin gains a +1 bonus to Bluff, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, and Wilderness Lore checks when using these skills against this creature. Likewise, he gets the same bonus to weapon damage rolls against this creature. An assassin also gets the damage bonus with ranged weapons, but only against targets within 30 feet (the assassin cannot strike with deadly accuracy beyond that range).

At 5th level and at every five levels thereafter (10th, 15th, and 20th level), the assassin may select one new mark per day, and the bonus associated with every mark goes up by +1.

Sneak Attack: Any time the assassin's target would be denied a Dexterity bonus to AC (whether the target actually has a Dexterity bonus or not), or when the assassin flanks the target, the assassin's attack deals extra damage. The extra damage is +1d6 at 1st level and an additional 1d6 every two levels thereafter. Should the assassin score a critical hit with a sneak attack, this extra damage is not multiplied.

Ranged attacks can only count as sneak attacks if the target is within 30 feet. The assassin can't strike with deadly accuracy from beyond that range.

With a sap (blackjack) or an unarmed strike, the assassin can make a sneak attack that deals subdual damage instead of normal damage. The assassin cannot use a weapon that deals normal damage to deal subdual damage in a sneak attack, not even with the usual –4 penalty.

An assassin can only sneak attack a living creature with a discernible anatomy. Any creature that is immune to critical hits is also not vulnerable to sneak attacks. The assassin must be able to see the target well enough to pick out a vital spot and must be able to reach a vital spot. The assassin cannot sneak attack while striking a creature with concealment or striking the limbs of a creature whose vitals are beyond reach.

Killing Blow: At 2nd level, an assassin gains the ability to make a coup-de-grace attack as a standard action once per day. This ability may be used when the assassin’s target would be denied his Dexterity bonus to AC (whether the target actually has a Dexterity bonus or not), or when the assassin flanks the target, just like the sneak attack ability. During a surprise round, a killing blow attack can be made as a partial action. The assassin may make an additional killing blow attack every four levels thereafter.

Unlike a coup-de-grace attack against a helpless opponent, the assassin must roll to attack normally. If his attack hits, he scores a critical hit. If the defender survives the damage, he still must make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + damage dealt) or die.

Delivering a killing blow provokes attacks of opportunity from threatening foes (but not a flat-footed target) because it requires intense concentration. You can’t deliver a killing blow against a creature that is immune to critical hits. The assassin must be able to see the target well enough to pick out a vital spot and must be able to reach a vital spot. The assassin cannot deliver a killing blow while striking a creature with concealment or striking the limbs of a creature whose vitals are beyond reach.

Ranged attacks can only count as killing blows if the target is within 30 feet. The assassin can't strike with deadly accuracy from beyond that range.

At 14th level, the assassin masters the killing blow and all such attacks receive a +2 attack bonus and no longer provoke attacks of opportunity.

Uncanny Dodge: At 2nd level and above, the assassin retains his Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) if caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker.

At 5th level, the assassin can no longer be flanked. The exception to this defense is that an assassin at least four levels higher than the assassin can still flank.

At 10th level, the assassin gains a +1 bonus to Reflex saves made to avoid traps and a +1 dodge bonus to AC against attacks by traps. At 13th level, these bonuses rise to +2. At 16th, they rise to +3, and at 19th they rise to +4.

Hide in Plain Sight: At 3rd level and above, assassins can use the Hide skill even while being observed. As long as they are within 10 feet of some sort of shadow, assassins can hide themselves from view in the open without anything to actually hide behind. They cannot, however, hide in their own shadows. Hide in plain sight is a supernatural ability.

Assassin Ability: On achieving 4th level and every four levels thereafter (8th, 12th, 16th, and 20th), an assassin chooses an assassin ability from among the following:

Always Stealthy: Once selected the assassin is always assumed to be taking a 10 on hide and move silently even if stress and distractions would normally prevent the assassin from doing so. The assassin must be at least 12th level in order to select this ability.

Crippling Strike: When the assassin damages an opponent with a sneak attack, the target also takes 1 point of Strength damage. The assassin must be at least 12th level in order to select this ability. This is an extraordinary ability.

Defensive Roll: Once per day, when an assassin would be reduced to 0 hit points or less by damage in combat (from a weapon or other blow, not a spell or special ability), the assassin can attempt to roll with the damage. She makes a Reflex saving throw (DC = damage dealt) and, if successful, takes only half damage from the blow. The assassin must be aware of the attack and able to react to it in order to execute the defensive roll — if the Dexterity bonus to AC is denied, the assassin can't roll. Since this effect would not normally allow a character to make a Reflex save for half damage, the assassin's evasion ability does not apply to the defensive roll. This is an extraordinary ability. The assassin must be at least 12th level in order to select this ability.

Evasion: If exposed to any effect that normally allows a character to attempt a Reflex saving throw for half damage, the assassin takes no damage with a successful saving throw. Evasion can only be used if the assassin is wearing light armor or no armor. This is an extraordinary ability.

Deadly Focus: The assassin gains a +2 bonus to saving throws against spells and effects from the Enchantment school

Improved Evasion: If exposed to any effect that normally allows a character to attempt a Reflex saving throw for half damage, the assassin takes no damage with a successful saving throw and only takes half damage on a failed Reflex saving throw. The assassin must have already selected the Evasion assassin ability to select this ability. This is an extraordinary ability.

Opportunist: Once per round, the assassin can make an attack of opportunity against an opponent who has just been struck for damage in melee by another character. This attack counts as the assassin's attacks of opportunity for that round. Even an assassin with the Combat Reflexes feat can't use the opportunist ability more than once per round. This is an extraordinary ability.

Poison Immunity: The assassin gains immunity to poison of all kinds. Poison Immunity is an extraordinary ability. The assassin must already have the Poison Use ability to select this ability. The assassin must be at least 12th level in order to select this ability.

Poison Use: The assassin becomes trained in the use of poison and never risk accidentally poisoning himself when applying poison to a blade. This is an extraordinary ability.

Ranged Sneak Attack: The assassin may add 30 feet to the range he may make sneak attacks, deliver killing blows, and apply his bonus mark or weapon specialization damage. This ability may be selected multiple times, each time it adds 30 feet to the range of these abilities. The maximum range these abilities will apply is limited to two range increments of whatever ranged weapon the assassin is using. If the assassin is under the effects of a spell or magical item that add to his Spot skill then the maximum range is increased to four range increments. This is an extraordinary ability.

Skill Mastery: The assassin selects a number of skills equal to 3 + Intelligence modifier. When making a skill check with one of these skills, the assassin may take 10 even if stress and distractions would normally prevent the assassin from doing so. The assassin may gain this assassin ability multiple times, selecting additional skills for it to apply to each time. This is an extraordinary ability. The assassin must be at least 12th level in order to select this ability.

Slippery Mind: If an assassin with slippery mind is affected by an enchantment and fails the saving throw, 1 round later the assassin can attempt the saving throw again. The assassin only gets this one extra chance to succeed. This is an extraordinary ability. The assassin must be at least 12th level in order to select this ability.

Traps: The assassins can now use the Search skill to locate traps when the task has a Difficulty Class higher than 20. Finding a non-magical trap has a DC of at least 20, higher if it is well hidden. Finding a magic trap has a DC of 25 + the level of the spell used to create it. This is an extraordinary ability.

An assassin who beats a trap's DC by 10 or more with a Disable Device check can generally study a trap, figure out how it works, and bypass it (with his party) without disarming it

Feat: An assassin may gain a feat from the following list of assassin feats in place of an assassin ability.

Assassin Feats: Acrobatic, Alertness, Ambidexterity, Athletic, Blind-Fight, Blind-sight (20 ft. Radius), Charlatan, Combat Reflexes, Dash, Death Blow, Death From Above, Dodge (Mobility, Spring Attack), Endurance, Exotic Weapon Proficiency*, Expert Tactician, Expertise (Chink in the Armor, Improved Disarm, Improved Trip), Improved Critical*, Improved Initiative, Low Blow, Nobody's Fool, Persuasive, Point Blank Shot (Far Shot, Precise Shot, Rapid Shot, Shot on the Run), Power Attack, Quick Draw, Run, Shadow (must be your Mark), Sneaky, Track, Trustworthy, Two- Weapon Fighting (Improved Two-Weapon Fighting), Weapon Finesse*, Weapon Focus*.

Some of the bonus feats available to an assassin cannot be acquired until the assassin has gained one or more prerequisite feats; these feats are listed parenthetically after the prerequisite feat. An assassin can select feats marked with an asterisk (*) more than once, but it must be for a different weapon each time. An assassin must still meet all prerequisites for a feat, including ability score and base attack bonus minimums.

Code of Conduct: An assassin must be of a non-good alignment and loses all special class abilities if she ever allows her alignment to become good. Additionally, an assassin's code requires that she respect children and those that are truly innocent (including not harming them, killing them, stealing from them etc.), also respecting the local law enforcement agencies, within the bounds of her mark of course, keep away from senseless from killing, stealing, raping, or any other senseless violence. Should the assassin violate this code she looses all special class abilities until she atones for her transgression.
 

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Looks overpowered to me.

Killing blow is absurd. Hide in plain sight is, also, absurd. In combination they are out of control absurd.

You've made a class (base class, mind you) that's better than the prc version in the dmg. I'd say tone it down. I'm not familiar with the class construction engine, but I'd say that killing blow ought to be worth at least 25 or 30 points. Hide in plain sight should be worth at least 20-25. I think you undervalue the synergy you can get with these two abilities in conjunction, too. These guys also have better saves, base attack bonus and HD than a rogue and all they really lose is four skill points per level.


Keep working on it! ;)
 

if you want another type of assassin, you can use multiclass.

Figther (NIV 1-4)
Assassin (Niv 1)
Rogue (1-6)
Shadowdancer(1-10)

With this classe, you can kame an exotic assassin.

An assassin without magic, for sorcerers and others
unavailabe Detect Magic, use poison and dagger
 

the Jester said:
Looks overpowered to me.

Killing blow is absurd. Hide in plain sight is, also, absurd. In combination they are out of control absurd.

You've made a class (base class, mind you) that's better than the prc version in the dmg. I'd say tone it down. I'm not familiar with the class construction engine, but I'd say that killing blow ought to be worth at least 25 or 30 points. Hide in plain sight should be worth at least 20-25. I think you undervalue the synergy you can get with these two abilities in conjunction, too. These guys also have better saves, base attack bonus and HD than a rogue and all they really lose is four skill points per level.


Keep working on it! ;)

I disagree with the killing blow being absurd. The killing blow is taken straight from the Green Ronin assassin base class, and is really not that overpowered considering the coup-de-grace weaon in the Psionics handbook, and the fact that the wizard will more than likely be doing save or die spells like crazy after about 7th level. I think that since it is only useable a limited number of times per day, and the fact that 20 is the highest point total anything can cost that 15 is a good point cost for it.

Hide is plain sight is just a new use for an existing skill. It is not "hide while in combat" as I have already had to allay people saying things like "you are just going to attack, hide in plain sight, and attack again." That is not it at all. It is just the shadowdancer ability.

Neither are really absurd, as a spellcasting assassin get things like improved invisiblity.

It is very short sighted to say that loosing 4 skill points per level is a minor thing, but the class does not compaire well to a rogue. Compare it to a Ranger. You lose a HD and spells to gain sneak attack, uncanny dodge, and death blow.

The purpose of the class is to make something that is customizable. If you need to be a halfling sneaky assassin, but if you want to make a dwarf that uses an axe and splits open his marks skulls then you can do that too.

The argument you make about him being "better" than the assassin in the DMG is also odd because inho every PrC that WotC has made since the DMG has been better than the ones in it. Also this Assassin works well with the assassin in the DMG. They are not mutually exclusive so they can both be members of the same guild.

I was thinking of giving him a less generours sneak attack progression, but the abilities are where he really shines, and I was hopeing to get some feedback on weather on not those were overbalanced. The one I am most concerned about is ranged sneak attack.

Any more thoughts are happily welcomed.
 

I like the essence of this class immensely, but there are some major places for abuse. I'd like to use something similar, but I do like what you've got here as a starting point.

I also have a question. Is the Assassin Ability listed at first in the charted progression a mistake?
 
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Navar said:
I disagree with the killing blow being absurd. The killing blow is taken straight from the Green Ronin assassin base class, and is really not that overpowered considering the coup-de-grace weaon in the Psionics handbook, and the fact that the wizard will more than likely be doing save or die spells like crazy after about 7th level. I think that since it is only useable a limited number of times per day, and the fact that 20 is the highest point total anything can cost that 15 is a good point cost for it.

In that case, it's absured in the Green Ronin book too--it's not as if 3rd party publishers haven't ever printed broken material (for that matter, it isn't as if WOTC hasn't**cough** HARM, Armor of Speed, etc **cough**).

In any event, you're missing the fact that save or die spells actually give you a reasonable save--your ninja ability won't if the ninja is played with any intelligence at all. I noticed that they have scythes on their proficiency list. 4x (2d4+3)+3d6 averages out to 43 points of damage which means that your sixth level assassin forces his target to make DC 53 fort saves or die.

At 7th level--one level higher--a wizard's best bet for a save or die spell is Phantasmal Killer which gives two saves--one fort and one will. The will save negates the whole spell and making the fort save means that the character only takes a dozen points of damage on average. Far inferior to your Killing Blow. And, even a pumped 7th level wizard (18 int, +2 headband, Spellcasting Prodigy, Spell focus and greater spell focus: illusion) will only have a DC of 24 for the spell. Most 7th level wizards will have a DC more like 20 (16 int, headband, spell focus). The only other "save or die" 4th level spell is polymorph other which does no damage if the target saves, and also grants a fortitude save which probably doesn't exceed 24 either. Most significantly, the target isn't really dead if he blows the save--only polymorphed and that can be dispelled, etc.

What's worse is that you've chosen to combine this with Hide In Plain Sight which means that the assassin can pretty much use his unavoidable Killing Blow whenever he darn well feels like it. The ability to use this while flanking is what makes it ultimately ridiculous.

Player: Am I flanking the dragon? Kewl. I use my Killing Blow ability. (AoO misses or hits--maybe even doing lots of damage). I deal 65 points of damage (my average above assumed a 14 strength and a nonmagical scythe--Bull's Strength and magical scythes will pump that damage up really quickly). Does the dragon live? OK, now he has to make a DC 75 fort save or die.

Got Epic Level fort saves?

The worst bit about this is that sooner or later it will be used against PCs. Give a DM 6 6th level assassins and there's no reason that any party should survive--no matter what their level.


Hide is plain sight is just a new use for an existing skill. It is not "hide while in combat" as I have already had to allay people saying things like "you are just going to attack, hide in plain sight, and attack again." That is not it at all. It is just the shadowdancer ability.

I don't know whether you use the same Shadowdancer ability that everyone else does but Hide in Plain Sight usually does function as Hide In Combat. Why wouldn't it? The restriction that usually prevents hiding in combat is the "can't hide while observed" restriction and Hide in Plain Sight removes that one.

Furthermore, it is not "just" the Shadowdancer ability. It is the core of the Shadowdancer class concept. Here it's just an add-on.
It's also worth noting that Shadowdancer is a prestige class (which are supposed to get funky abilities) and this is a core class (which are supposed to be more ordinary). More significantly, it's impossible to become a Shadowdancer at 3rd level which is where you place the ability. You have to wait until 6th or 7th level to become a Shadowdancer. And Shadowdancers have to have a number of feats which also serve to balance their abilities. Since this is a core class, there are no prerequisites to balance it.

Not to mention that Shadowdancers have far less synergy with the ability since they don't get sneak attack progression and the Assassin does.
Neither are really absurd, as a spellcasting assassin get things like improved invisiblity.

Not until very high level. And Improved Invisibility is a once or twice per day thing that is dispellable and detectable by see invisibility, True Seeing and invisibility purge--unlike Hide in Plain Sight which is whenever you darn well feel like it and is not dispellable or detectable except by Foresight.

I don't see how you can argue that it's balanced to give a core class ability X at level three because a prestige class gets it at clvl 8 or clvl 16. Maybe paladins should get whirlwind attack, great cleave, and the ability to cast Tenser's Transformation as a free action 1/day at 3rd level in return for spellcasting. After all, Frenzied Beserkers get Deathless Frenzy and Improved Power Attack. And spellcasting Paladins get Holy Sword.

It is very short sighted to say that loosing 4 skill points per level is a minor thing, but the class does not compaire well to a rogue. Compare it to a Ranger. You lose a HD and spells to gain sneak attack, uncanny dodge, and death blow.

No, you gain sneak attack, hide in plain sight, uncanny dodge, deathblow, Killing Blow, Mark (which is more flexible than Favored Enemy since assassins will almost always be targetting their marks while rangers will rarely fight their favored enemy more than once every 3 or four adventures), and five special class abilities, some of which are too powerful for any class at non-epic levels (ranged sneak attack) and others (slippery mind, opportunist, crippling blow, etc) of which are made available to the Assassin at 4th level while everyone else has to wait until after clvl 10 in order to get them.
The purpose of the class is to make something that is customizable. If you need to be a halfling sneaky assassin, but if you want to make a dwarf that uses an axe and splits open his marks skulls then you can do that too.

The core system is very customizable. If you need to make a halfling sneaky assassin, take rogue levels then shadowdancer levels, and then assassin levels. If you want a dwarf who uses an axe to split his marks' skulls, take fighter/barbarian/rogue.

This class is actually not very customizable at all. Note the code of conduct. (Which seems rather silly considering what the assassin does for a living--respect the law?!? (Presumably except the ones against murder, breaking and entering, etc.) Don't kill the "truly innocent"?!? (Presumably unless you're paid to and your employee assures you that they're not really as innocent as they look.)) Even if you think that this code is workable, it won't let you create more than one kind of assassin character. It'll give you the protagonist from The Professional but not the antagonist.

The argument you make about him being "better" than the assassin in the DMG is also odd because inho every PrC that WotC has made since the DMG has been better than the ones in it. Also this Assassin works well with the assassin in the DMG. They are not mutually exclusive so they can both be members of the same guild.

Well, first it's debatable whether every p-class wizards has published since the DMG is better than the DMG ones. Some have been but the DMG blackguard stacks up to the Holy Liberator (its most directly comparable p-class) pretty well and the Arcane Archer is competitive with the Order of the Bow Initiate and the Deepwood Sniper. Similarly the Bladesinger doesn't blow the Dwarven Defender out of the water.

More importantly, this assassin is a core class (20 levels, no entrance requirements) and the DMG Assassin is a prestige class. "But my core class isn't more powerful than a multiclassed Fighter/Barbarian/Forsaker/Tribal Protector/Frenzied Beserker" is not a valid argument.

I was thinking of giving him a less generours sneak attack progression, but the abilities are where he really shines, and I was hopeing to get some feedback on weather on not those were overbalanced. The one I am most concerned about is ranged sneak attack.

Any more thoughts are happily welcomed.

Ranged Sneak attack is also a very bad idea. At the moment, all of the class abilities that grant extra ranged damage (with the possible exception of some Peerless Archer abilities but then again from what I've seen, Peerless Archer is the definition of Unbalanced) limit it to within 30 feet. It is not coincidental that thirty feet is also the normal movement for most creatures. Instead, it is a balance factor. A ranged character who wishes to make good use of his abilities has to expose himself to the danger of a charge (even a halfling wearing full-plate can reach him with a charge) and possibly a sunder or trip attack.

If you extend the range at which sneak attacks are possible, you make it possible for archers to use their full (massive) damage bonusses without fear of retribution. What's worse is that it also allows the archer to get beyond the range of much anti-invisibility magic. An Improved Invisibiltied assassin (flying or not) will make a flying improved invisible wizard with fireball look like a pansy in terms of damage inflicted. And fireballs are much easier to track to their origin than arrows are.
 


The Attack Continues...

My sentiments lie very much with Elder-Basilisk, and I'd like to add my comparison to his analysis.

First off, let us compare it with the most directly comparable class, the rogue.

Comparing the assassin to the rogue:
The rogue has four more skill points/level and a marginally broader skill selection.
The assassin has
  • Better Hit Dice
  • Better Will saves
  • Better weapon proficiencies
  • Mark
  • Killing Blow
  • Better Uncanny Dodge
  • Hide in Plain Sight
  • Better Special Abilities, at Earlier Levels
  • Better BAB

This is a phenomenal step up on a class which is already good. The assassin is clearly superior in nearly all situations. Four more skill points cannot hope to compensate with the veritable arsenal of advantages that the assassin has over the rogue.

Now, let us compare it to the multiclass ranger/rogue

The ranger/rogue has two more skill points per level, marginally better armour/weapon proficiencies, Track, two-weapon fighting, a few spells at high level, better Fort saves and an animal companion (whose CR relative to the PC is so low as to make it barely worthwhile.) The assassin has
  • Better BAB
  • Better Reflex and Will saves
  • Better Sneak Attack
  • Better Uncanny Dodge
  • Hide in Plain Sight
  • Killing Blow
  • Better and More Special Abilities
  • Mark (superior to favoured enemy)

Note that the assassin can take one level in ranger to nullify the proficiencies, Track and two-weapon fighting disparity. This seems closer, but on examination, the assassin is still the superior. Most of the special abilities outstrip the ranger's abilities, and, to be fair, the ranger's spells at level 10 are fairly feeble compared to the assassin's abilities. The substantial advantage of the assassin in terms of sneak attack also tilts the odds strongly in its favour.

Finally, consider the ranger against the assassin. The ranger has marginally better weapon/armour proficiencies, better Fort saves, better hit dice, two-weapon fighting, Track, spells and an animal companion.
The assassin has:
  • A substantial advantage in sneak attack
  • Better Reflex and Will saves
  • Uncanny Dodge
  • Hide in Plain Sight
  • Killing Blow
  • Five special abilities
  • Mark (still superior to favoured enemy)

This seems to shape up well. But examining the abilities closely reveals (once again) a problem. The assassin can take one level of ranger to negate some of its problems there. The saves outweigh the ranger substantially. The spells are weak compared to the assassin abilities. The sneak attack damage disparity is so heavily in favour of the assassin as to nearly make up the difference alone.

To summarise: compared with the rogue, ranger and a combination of the two, the assassin proposed is clearly the superior class. There is little doubting that it is stronger than these core classes; hence, it is unbalanced.
 

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