[WoT] The Professional PrC

[Eosin the Red]

Hello,

Looking for feedback on a non-magical assassin for the WoT setting.

The Professional

Thanks in advance.

 

[Plane Sailing]

Hi Eosin,

There are some things that I like and some things that I don't like.

I really like the "Hide in plain sight" ability, but it might be less of a terminology conflict with the Shadowdancer ability in D&D if this was called "Hide in a Crowd" - since that is what it actually amounts to.

I particularly like the focused attack ability; it is one that makes sense.

I don't like the sniper ability, since sneak attacks/death attacks from beyond 30' break a fairly fundamental rule in the games (about 30' being the maximum range for benefits from aiming) and it would also be a particularly powerful ability. One of the limiting factors of the 30' range for sneak attacks is that within 30' even the heaviest fighters can charge attack the missile using attacker. If they can sneak attack from 60' there will be many armoured foes who simply can't touch them. I would replace Sniper with Poison use.

I'm don't see why they should particularly gain the "opportunist" ability.

In terms of the critical stuff, I think it is a little too much. I would eliminate the greater critical and critical focus abilities, and move free "improved critical" feat from 4th level to 9th level. This gives one special ability per level, so there is still something to look forward to at each level of the prestige class.

I'm sorry if this seems more negative than positive, I do appreciate the work you have put in here, and I like the prestige class overall.

My suggestions would leave the class abilities looking like this

1 Sneak Attack +1d6, Death Attack
2 Uncanny Speed
3 Hide in a Crowd
4 Sneak Attack +2d6
5 Poison use
6 Opportunist
7 Sneak Attack +3d6
8 Focused Attack
9 Improved Critical
10 Sneak Attack +4d6

- one other thing - I would be inclined to require Disguise 5+ or something... the basis for the hide in plain sight/getting close to someone bit. Plus its an otherwise sub-optimal skill which wouldn't normally be taken, so a bit of sacrifice has to be made to reach the class.

Cheers

 

[Eosin the Red]

Hi PS -

I prefer honest critism and this PrC in particular needs some. I waffel about its power. Seeing what comes up in these forums and my e-mail is the only way for me to get a good feel.

Hide in Plain Sight -

Good call - I will see about renaming it.

Sniper

I stole (re-phrased) this ability from somewhere, I just dont remember where. That is not to imply that it is not rude - and may not belong to this kind of assassin. I will look into it.

Disguise

Again, nice call.

Killer Critical Combo

This is very powerful, but did you note that for maximum stackability they need to be using a small weapon?

Poison Use

What do you think about Poison in WoT? This class was based off of Millie Skane? the female darkfriend. It seems to me, that only wise one, wisdoms, and mothers really get into poisons? I am not sure that poison use fits with THIS kind of killer. Now Mother Grubb, sure she should have some poison use!


Thank you for the comments, and taking the time to see how it fits together. I will consider your points.

 

[Ashrem Bayle]

Hide in plain sight.

I would definatly rename Hide in Plain Sight.

For the Shadowdancer I am led to beleive that either they sink into the shadows or they cause people to look past them similar to the way Gray Men do. Either way, it is a supernatural ability.

This does not work within the WoT setting. If you have supernatural abilities you have the One Power or your a Forteller, Wolf Brother, Sniffer or whatever. Supernatural stuff is very rare in WoT.

Works good using the hide in crowds idea though. I'd call it something based on that and say that their must be a certain number of people for the ability to be used. Maybe give a -10 penalty for less than 10 people and say it's impossible for fewer than 5. Something like that.

If you wanted the Gray Man effect, I would make this the basis for the entire class.

Just my to copper penies, YMMV

 

[Eosin the Red]

Did not want the Greyman effect or the Shadowdancer one --- Just an ability to approach a target unseen, in a crowd.

The supernatural, or lack thereof is the hardest part about making PrC's for WoT. Next to none of the published PrC's are built without using supernatural or magical abilities.

When I get home, I will rename it

 

[Eosin the Red]

As recommended I changed-

HiPS to Blend with the Crowd

Added Disguise +5 to prereqs

Removed Sniper (Did not fit with the up close killler concept).

I elected to leave the critical feat chain - it really restricts them to being deadly with small weapons, and the character is far less deadly than the blademaster.

I also elected not to include Poisons (funny, since toxicology is my profession). I don't feel that the main stay of assassinations in WOT involve poison use. I could be persuaded, with a good argument.

Thank you Ashrem and PS for the input. Additional feed back is always welcome. There are more PrC's if folks want to comment on them

 

[Plane Sailing]

Good calls, Eosin. I missed the "small weapon" issue, which mitigates my original "complaint".

I'm not good with names from the books, but back in Eye of the World there was the girl in the village who attacked Rand and Mat with the dagger whose blade was apparently very heavily poisoned - but that may well have been a magic poison supplied by the Darkfriends. Apart from that I can't really think of other examples of poison (the wounds caused by trollocs to Perrin in book 4? or was that just dirty weapons a la pungee sticks?)

I don't think those are good arguments though - so I'd now agree on not using poison use.

Cheers