The assassin is a master of dealing quick, lethal blows. Assassins often function as spies, informants, killers for hire, or agents of vengeance. Their skill in a variety of dark arts allows them to carry out missions of death with shocking, terrifying precision. Rogues, monks and bards are ideal candidates to become assassins.
Alignment: Any non-good.
Skills: Hide 8 ranks, Move Silently 8 ranks.
| Lvl | BAB | Saves | Feats | HP | Poison Save | Death Attack | Bonus CL | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort | Ref | Will | ||||||||
| 1st | +0 | +0 | +2 | +0 | Use Poison, Death Attack | 6 | - | 1d6 | ||
| 2nd | +1 | +0 | +3 | +0 | Uncanny Dodge I, Poison Save | 12 | +1 | 1d6 | ||
| 3rd | +2 | +1 | +3 | +1 | 18 | +1 | 2d6 | +1 | ||
| 4th | +3 | +1 | +4 | +1 | 24 | +2 | 2d6 | +2 | ||
| 5th | +3 | +1 | +4 | +1 | Uncanny Dodge II, Light Armor Mastery | 30 | +2 | 3d6 | +2 | |
| 6th | +4 | +2 | +5 | +2 | 36 | +3 | 3d6 | +2 | ||
| 7th | +5 | +2 | +5 | +2 | 42 | +3 | 4d6 | +2 | ||
| 8th | +6 | +2 | +6 | +2 | Hide in Plain Sight | 48 | +4 | 4d6 | +2 | |
| 9th | +6 | +3 | +6 | +3 | 54 | +4 | 5d6 | +2 | ||
| 10th | +7 | +3 | +7 | +3 | Uncanny Dodge III | 60 | +5 | 5d6 | +4 | |
Assassin Bonus Caster Level: Scales past the normal progression as the Assassin gains levels. +1 caster level at level 3. +2 caster level from level 4 to 9. +4 caster level at level 10+. This bonus stacks with the Practiced Spellcaster feat, but cannot go past total Hit Dice.
Death Attack: At first level, an assassin may use a death attack, which functions similarly to a sneak attack in that if the target is not in combat they become victim to the death attack. The successful attack forces the target to make a Fortitude save or become paralyzed. Even if they succeed with the saving throw they still suffer +1d6 points of damage in addition to the normal damage the attack caused. This damage increases to 2d6 at level 3, 3d6 at level 5, 4d6 at level 7, and 5d6 at level 9. (Note: The additional damage occurs even if the target is engaged in combat.)
Use Poison: The character is trained in the use of poison and never has to make a dexterity check when applying poison to a blade.
Uncanny Dodge: The character retains his dexterity bonus to AC, even if caught flat-footed or attacked by a hidden or invisible creature. Every following rank of Uncanny Dodge grants a +1 bonus on reflex saving throws made to avoid traps.
Light Armor Mastery: The assassin has learned how to cast without Arcane Spell Failure in Light Armor as long as they do not use a shield larger than 'small'
Poison Save: Starting at second level, an assassin gains a natural saving throw bonus to all poisons of +1 for every 2 levels.
Hide in Plain Sight: The assassin is able to use the hide skill even while being observed.
To function, Hide in Plain Sight requires the character have spent 10 points in both Hide and Move Silently and have at least 10 in both skills after modifiers for HIPS to function.
| Base spells per day | Known spells | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lvl | 0 | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 0 | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | ||
| 1 | 1 | 0 | - | - | - | 1 | 2 | - | - | - | ||
| 2 | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | 1 | 3 | - | - | - | ||
| 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | - | - | 1 | 4 | 2 | - | - | ||
| 4 | 1 | 3 | 1 | - | - | 1 | 4 | 3 | - | - | ||
| 5 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 0 | - | 1 | 4 | 3 | 2 | - | ||
| 6 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 1 | - | 1 | 4 | 4 | 3 | - | ||
| 7 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | ||
| 8 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | ||
| 9 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | ||
| 10 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | ||
Death attack: improves by +1d6 every two levels after 9th.
Poison saving throws: an additional +1 for every two class levels after 10th on the assassin's saving throws against poison.
Bonus feats: The epic assassin gains a bonus feat every four levels. In other words, at levels 14 and 18.
Epic bonus feats: epic reflexes, epic skill focus (hide, move silently only), great dexterity, improved combat casting, improved sneak attack, self concealment, superior initiative