Assassin — Silent Killer & Infiltrator

Assassin — 5.5e / 2024

Prerequisites

• Character Level: 5th level or higher before taking your first Assassin level.
• Dexterity: 15 or higher.
• Skill: Proficiency in Stealth and either Deception or Sleight of Hand.
• Alignment: Any Evil.
• Special: You must be accepted by an assassin order or master after completing a deliberate killing recognised as your initiation.

Class Basics

Hit Point Die: d8 per Assassin level. Hit Points per Level: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier. Armour: Light armour. Weapons: Simple weapons, hand crossbow, rapier and shortsword. Tools: Poisoner’s Kit if you lack it. Saving Throws: No new saving throw proficiencies.

Death Attack DC: 8 + your Proficiency Bonus + your Intelligence modifier.

Sneak Attack

Once per turn, when you hit with a Finesse or Ranged weapon and meet the normal conditions for Sneak Attack, deal the bonus damage shown in the table. If another class already gives you Sneak Attack, add these dice to that feature rather than creating a second use.

Death Attack

You can study one creature you can see for three consecutive rounds. On each of those turns you must spend a Bonus Action observing it, and the creature must not recognise you as a hostile threat before the study is complete. For the next three rounds, the first time you hit that creature with an attack that qualifies for Sneak Attack, it becomes a Death Attack.

The target makes a Constitution saving throw against your Death Attack DC. On a failed save, roll the attack’s weapon and Sneak Attack damage dice twice instead of once, and the target is Stunned until the end of your next turn. On a successful save, the attack deals its normal damage. Once you attempt a Death Attack against a creature, you cannot study that creature again until you finish a Long Rest.

Poison Use

You gain proficiency with the Poisoner’s Kit. When game rules allow you to apply a poison to a weapon or piece of ammunition, you can do so as a Bonus Action rather than an action. This feature changes only the action economy of game-rule poisons; it does not create poison or replace an item’s own rules.

Venom-Hardened

At 2nd level, you have Advantage on saving throws you make to avoid or end the Poisoned condition, and you have Resistance to Poison damage.

Uncanny Dodge

At 2nd level, when an attacker you can see hits you with an attack roll, you can take a Reaction to halve the attack’s damage against you. If you already have Uncanny Dodge, you instead gain proficiency in Perception; if already proficient, you gain Expertise in Perception.

Patient Killer

At 3rd level, maintaining your three-round Death Attack study no longer requires you to remain in the same place. Moving, taking the Hide action, opening doors or interacting with objects does not break the study so long as you continue to spend the required Bonus Action and the target does not recognise you as hostile.

Ability Score Improvement

At 4th and 8th Assassin level, increase one ability score by 2 or two ability scores by 1, to the normal campaign maximum, or choose a feat for which you qualify if your campaign uses feats.

Hidden Weapons

At 4th level, you have Advantage on checks made to conceal a weapon on your person. A creature searching you has Disadvantage on its check to find a weapon you have deliberately concealed.

Improved Uncanny Dodge

At 5th level, you cannot be Surprised while conscious. If your campaign uses the optional flanking rule, flanking you does not by itself grant Advantage on attack rolls.

Quiet Death

At 6th level, when a Death Attack reduces a creature to 0 Hit Points, you can immediately take the Hide action without spending an action, provided you have a legal place or condition in which to hide.

Cold Read

At 7th level, after observing a creature for at least 1 minute, you have Advantage on Wisdom (Insight) checks and Intelligence checks made to identify that creature’s routines, disguises, magical protections or likely reactions for the next hour.

Hide in Plain Sight

At 8th level, while you are in dim light or darkness, you can attempt the Hide action when that lighting is your only concealment. This feature does not make you invisible and does not let you hide from a creature that has a clear view of you in bright light. After the check, you must still satisfy the normal conditions for remaining hidden.

Swift Death

At 9th level, once per Long Rest, when you hit a creature with an attack that qualifies for Sneak Attack, you can turn that hit into a Death Attack without studying the creature first.

Angel of Death

At 10th level, once per Long Rest when a non-Legendary creature fails its saving throw against your Death Attack, you can invoke Angel of Death. After the attack’s damage is resolved, if the target has 50 Hit Points or fewer remaining, it drops to 0 Hit Points. Otherwise, the normal failed-save effects of Death Attack apply.

Assassin — 5e / 2014

Prerequisites

• Character Level: 5th level or higher before taking your first Assassin level.
• Dexterity: 15 or higher.
• Skill: Proficiency in Stealth and either Deception or Sleight of Hand.
• Alignment: Any Evil.
• Special: Acceptance by an assassin order or master after a deliberate initiation killing.

Hit Die: d8. Hit Points per Level: 1d8 (or 5) + Constitution modifier. Armour: Light armour. Weapons: Simple weapons, hand crossbow, rapier and shortsword. Tools: Poisoner’s Kit if you lack it. Death Attack DC: 8 + proficiency bonus + Intelligence modifier.

Sneak Attack

Once per turn, when you hit with a finesse or ranged weapon and meet the normal Sneak Attack conditions, deal the listed extra damage. If another class gives you Sneak Attack, add these dice to it.

Death Attack

Study one creature you can see for three consecutive rounds, spending a bonus action on each of your turns. The target must not recognise you as hostile before the study is complete. For the next three rounds, the first attack that qualifies for Sneak Attack can become your Death Attack. The target makes a Constitution save against your Death Attack DC. On a failure, roll the weapon and Sneak Attack damage dice twice and the creature is stunned until the end of your next turn. On a success, resolve the attack normally. After an attempt, you cannot study the same creature again until you finish a long rest.

Poison Use

You gain proficiency with the poisoner’s kit. Applying a game-rule poison to a weapon or ammunition takes a bonus action when the poison’s own rules would normally require an action.

Venom-Hardened & Uncanny Dodge

At 2nd level, you have advantage on saving throws against poison and resistance to poison damage. You also gain Uncanny Dodge: when an attacker you can see hits you, use your reaction to halve the attack’s damage. If you already have Uncanny Dodge, gain proficiency in Perception, or Expertise if already proficient.

Patient Killer

At 3rd level, movement, hiding and ordinary object interactions do not interrupt your Death Attack study as long as you spend the required bonus action and the target does not recognise you as hostile.

Ability Score Improvement & Hidden Weapons

At 4th and 8th levels, gain the normal Ability Score Improvement used by your campaign, or a feat if allowed. At 4th level you also have advantage on checks to conceal a weapon, while creatures searching you have disadvantage on checks to find one you deliberately concealed.

Improved Uncanny Dodge

At 5th level, you cannot be surprised while conscious. If the optional flanking rule is in use, flanking you does not by itself grant advantage.

Quiet Death

At 6th level, when a Death Attack reduces a creature to 0 hit points, you can immediately take the Hide action without spending an action if the normal conditions for hiding are available.

Cold Read

At 7th level, after observing a creature for at least 1 minute, you have advantage for 1 hour on Insight checks and Intelligence checks made to identify its routines, disguises, protections or likely reactions.

Hide in Plain Sight

At 8th level, while you are in dim light or darkness, you can attempt to Hide when that lighting is your only concealment. This does not make you invisible and does not let you hide from a creature that has a clear view of you in bright light. After the check, you must still satisfy the normal conditions for remaining hidden.

Swift Death

At 9th level, once per long rest, turn a hit that qualifies for Sneak Attack into a Death Attack without studying the target first.

Angel of Death

At 10th level, once per long rest when a non-legendary creature fails its Death Attack save, resolve the attack and then reduce the creature to 0 hit points if it has 50 hit points or fewer remaining.

Assassin — Pathfinder 1e

Requirements

• Alignment: Any Evil.
• Skills: Disguise 2 ranks, Stealth 5 ranks.
• Special: The character must kill someone for no reason other than to become an Assassin.

Hit Die: d8. Skill Ranks per Level: 4 + Intelligence modifier.

Class Skills: Acrobatics (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Int), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Linguistics (Int), Perception (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Stealth (Dex), Swim (Str), and Use Magic Device (Cha).

Weapon and Armour Proficiency

Assassins are proficient with hand, light and heavy crossbows, daggers, darts, rapiers, saps, shortbows and short swords. They are proficient with light armour but not shields.

Sneak Attack

Gain +1d6 Sneak Attack at 1st level and another +1d6 at 3rd, 5th, 7th and 9th. These dice stack with Sneak Attack from other classes.

Death Attack

Study a target for three rounds; each round of study is a standard action. The target must not detect you or recognise you as an enemy. If you then deal Sneak Attack damage with a melee weapon within the next three rounds, choose death or paralysis. The target makes a Fortitude save against DC 10 + Assassin level + Intelligence modifier. Failure against death kills the target. Failure against paralysis leaves the target helpless for 1d6 rounds + your Assassin level. Success leaves the hit as an ordinary Sneak Attack. After an attempt or an expired opportunity, three new rounds of study are required.

Poison Use & Save Bonus

You do not risk accidental poisoning when applying a game-rule poison to a blade. Beginning at 2nd level, you gain a +1 saving throw bonus against poison, increasing by +1 every two Assassin levels thereafter.

Uncanny Dodge

At 2nd level you cannot be caught flat-footed, even by an invisible attacker, though immobilisation and a successful feint can still deny your Dexterity bonus to AC. If another class already grants Uncanny Dodge, you gain Improved Uncanny Dodge instead.

Hidden Weapons

At 4th level, add your Assassin level to Sleight of Hand checks made to keep concealed weapons from being noticed.

True Death

At 4th level, a creature slain by your Death Attack is harder to return to life. A caster using raise dead or similar magic must succeed on a caster level check against DC 15 + your Assassin level. A remove curse cast immediately before the attempt removes this obstacle if it succeeds against DC 10 + your Assassin level.

Improved Uncanny Dodge

At 5th level, you cannot be flanked except by a rogue whose rogue level is at least four higher than your Assassin level. Levels in classes that grant Uncanny Dodge stack where the normal rules say they do.

Quiet Death

At 6th level, if you kill a creature with Death Attack during a surprise round, make a Stealth check opposed by nearby Perception checks. Success prevents observers from identifying you as the assailant and may delay their recognition that the target has died.

Hide in Plain Sight

At 8th level, you can use Stealth while observed if you are within 10 feet of dim light. Your own shadow is not enough.

Swift Death

At 9th level, once per day, make a Death Attack without first studying the target. You must still deal Sneak Attack damage with a melee weapon.

Angel of Death

At 10th level, once per day, declare Angel of Death before attempting a Death Attack. If the Death Attack succeeds, the target’s body crumbles to dust, preventing raise dead and resurrection; true resurrection still functions. If the attack misses or the target saves, the daily use is lost.

Assassin — D&D 3.5e

Requirements

• Alignment: Any Evil.
• Skills: Disguise 4 ranks, Hide 8 ranks, Move Silently 8 ranks.
• Special: The character must kill someone for no reason other than to join the Assassins.

Hit Die: d6. Skill Points per Level: 4 + Intelligence modifier.

Class Skills: Balance, Bluff, Climb, Craft, Decipher Script, Diplomacy, Disable Device, Disguise, Escape Artist, Forgery, Gather Information, Hide, Intimidate, Jump, Listen, Move Silently, Open Lock, Search, Sense Motive, Sleight of Hand, Spot, Swim, Tumble, Use Magic Device and Use Rope.

Weapon and Armour Proficiency

Assassins are proficient with hand, light and heavy crossbows, daggers, darts, rapiers, saps, shortbows and short swords. They are proficient with light armour but not shields.

Sneak Attack

Gain +1d6 Sneak Attack at 1st level and another +1d6 at 3rd, 5th, 7th and 9th. Sneak Attack from other sources stacks. This corrects the old page’s mismatch between its table and prose: the increases occur at 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th and 9th.

Death Attack

Study a target for three rounds while it remains unaware of you as an enemy. If you then make a successful melee Sneak Attack within the next three rounds, choose death or paralysis. The target makes a Fortitude save against DC 10 + Assassin level + Intelligence modifier. Failure against death kills the target; failure against paralysis leaves it helpless for 1d6 rounds + Assassin level. Success leaves the attack as an ordinary Sneak Attack. After an attempt or an expired opportunity, three new rounds of study are required.

Poison Use & Save Bonus

You cannot accidentally poison yourself when applying a game-rule poison to a blade. At 2nd level you gain +1 on saving throws against poison, increasing by +1 every two additional Assassin levels.

Uncanny Dodge & Improved Uncanny Dodge

At 2nd level, retain your Dexterity bonus to AC while flat-footed or attacked by an invisible foe unless immobilised. If another class already grants Uncanny Dodge, you gain Improved Uncanny Dodge instead. At 5th level, you cannot be flanked except by a rogue at least four levels higher than your Assassin level; qualifying class levels stack as described by the normal rules.

Hide in Plain Sight

At 8th level, you can use Hide while observed whenever you are within 10 feet of a shadow other than your own.

Assassin Spellcasting

Beginning at 1st level, you cast arcane Assassin spells using Intelligence. You need Intelligence 10 + spell level to cast a spell. Bonus spells are based on Intelligence, and saving throw DCs are 10 + spell level + Intelligence modifier. You cast spells as a bard does. At 6th level and every even Assassin level thereafter, you may replace one spell known with another Assassin spell of the same level, provided the replacement is at least two spell levels below the highest Assassin spell level you can cast.

* You know the spell only if your Intelligence is high enough to grant a bonus spell of that level.

Core Assassin Spell List

1st: Disguise Self, Detect Poison, Feather Fall, Ghost Sound, Jump, Obscuring Mist, Sleep, True Strike.

2nd: Alter Self, Cat’s Grace, Darkness, Fox’s Cunning, Illusory Script, Invisibility, Pass without Trace, Spider Climb, Undetectable Alignment.

3rd: Deep Slumber, Deeper Darkness, False Life, Magic Circle against Good, Misdirection, Nondetection.

4th: Clairaudience/Clairvoyance, Dimension Door, Freedom of Movement, Glibness, Greater Invisibility, Locate Creature, Modify Memory, Poison.

Epic Assassin — 3.5e

A ten-level prestige class can continue into epic progression once the character meets the epic-level rules. The Assassin retains d6 Hit Dice and 4 + Intelligence modifier skill points per additional level.

Beyond 10th Assassin level, Death Attack counts only half of additional Assassin levels when increasing its save DC. Assassin spell slots do not increase beyond the 10th-level table, the poison save bonus continues every two levels, and an epic Assassin gains a bonus epic feat every four levels after 10th.