Pale Mantis Assassin (Apath)
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Crimson assassins form a dread and fanatical order promoting own their blood-soaked ideals.
Class Information
This is a prestige class archetype.
Prestige Class: crimson assassin.
Build Classes: Rogue.
Alignment: Lawful Evil. While cruel and even crude, the crimson assassins are fanatically devoted to their own long-range plans.
Hit Die: d8.
Class Skills
The crimson assassin's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Acrobatics (Dex), Appraise (Int), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Dex), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (dungeoneering) (Int), Knowledge (local) (Int), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Knowledge (nobility) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Linguistics (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Stealth (Dex), Swim (Str), and Use Magic Device (Cha).
Skill Ranks at Each Level: 6 + Int modifier.
Class Features
The crimson assassin has the class features of the rogue, except as follows.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency
Crimson assassins are proficient with all simple weapons, plus the hand crossbow, rapier, sap, sawtooth sabre, shortbow, and short sword. She is proficient with light armor but not shields. A Crimson assassin can cast spells while wearing light armor without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance. Like any other arcane spellcaster, a Crimson assassin wearing medium or heavy armor incurs a chance of arcane spell failure if the spell in question has a somatic component. A multiclass Crimson assassin still incurs the normal arcane spell failure chance for arcane spells received from other classes.
Sabre Fighting (Ex)
As she increases in level, the crimson assassin learns feats that make her a specialist with the sawtooth sabre. She need not fulfill the prerequisites of these feats. If she already knows a given feat, she gains a bonus combat feat instead, which she must fulfill the prerequisites for. This replaces trap sense.
- At 2nd level, the Crimson assassin gains Weapon Focus (sawtooth sabre) as a bonus feat.
- At 4th level, the Crimson assassin gains Weapon Specialization (sawtooth sabre) as a bonus feat.
- At 7th level, she gains Greater Weapon Focus (sawtooth sabre) as a bonus feat.
- At 10th level, she gains Greater Weapon Specialization (sawtooth sabre) as a bonus feat.
| Level | Spells Known | ||||
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | ||
| 1st | — | — | — | — | |
| 2nd | — | — | — | — | |
| 3rd | — | — | — | — | |
| 4th | 2 | — | — | — | |
| 5th | 3 | — | — | — | |
| 6th | 4 | — | — | — | |
| 7th | 4 | 2 | — | — | |
| 8th | 4 | 3 | — | — | |
| 9th | 5 | 4 | — | — | |
| 10th | 5 | 4 | 2 | — | |
| 11th | 5 | 4 | 3 | — | |
| 12th | 6 | 5 | 4 | — | |
| 13th | 6 | 5 | 4 | 2 | |
| 14th | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | |
| 15th | 6 | 6 | 5 | 4 | |
| 16th | 6 | 6 | 5 | 4 | |
| 17th | 6 | 6 | 5 | 4 | |
| 18th | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | |
| 19th | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | |
| 20th | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | |
Spells
A Crimson assassin casts arcane spells drawn from the sorcerer/wizard spell list, but is limited to illusion and transmutation spells. She can cast any spell she knows without preparing it ahead of time. To cast a spell, a Crimson assassin must have a Charisma score of at least 10 + the spell’s level. Her bonus spells are based on Charisma, and saving throws against these spells have a DC of 10 + the spell level + the caster’s Charisma modifier (if any).
In addition to learn sorcerer/wizard spells from the schools of illusion and transmutation, the crimson assassin adds the following spells to her spell list at the indicated spell levels.
- obscuring mist, true strike.
- darkness, fog cloud, see invisibility, summon swarm.
- clairaudience/clairvoyance, hold person.
- dimension door, modify memory.
Her selection of spells is extremely limited—at each Crimson level, she gains one or more new spells, as indicated on Table: Crimson Assassin Spells Known. At 7th, 13th, 16th, and 19th level, she can choose to learn a new spell in place of one she already knows, provided the new spell is of the same level as the one she is replacing.
This replaces rogue talents.
Prayer Attack (Su)
At 6th level, a Crimson assassin learns her signature assassination style. To initiate a prayer attack, she holds her sawtooth sabre (or sabres) out, point down, and weaves the blade in the air. She must be within 30 feet of and visible to her victim. Beginning a prayer attack is a standard action, and causes her victim to be fascinated by her unless he makes a Will save (DC 10 + ½ the Crimson assassin’s class level + her Charisma modifier—if she’s wielding two sawtooth sabres, this DC gains a +2 bonus). She can maintain the fascination effect by concentrating. The victim may attempt a new save to escape fascination each time a threat (other than the fascinating assassin) appears. At any point after 3 rounds, she may make a coup de grace attack against the target, provided the target is still fascinated. Activating or concentrating on maintaining a prayer attack does not provoke an attack of opportunity.
Red Shroud (Su)
At 8th level, a Crimson assassin gains the ability to create a veil of red mist a number of times per day equal to her Constitution bonus (minimum once per day) as a move-equivalent action. The red shroud persists for 1 round per class level. It grants a +1 dodge bonus to AC and fast healing equal to her Constitution bonus (minimum of fast healing 1). This mist cannot be dissipated by wind. If she is slain while this ability is active, she can choose whether to remain corporeal or to disintegrate into a cloud of red mist that leaves behind only her gear in order to deprive her enemies of access to her remains.
This replaces improved uncanny dodge.
Summon Mantis (Sp)
Once per day at 10th level, a Crimson assassin may summon an advanced fiendish giant mantis, 1d3 fiendish giant mantises, or 1d4+1 giant mantises, as if using summon monster V. She can mentally direct the actions of these summoned vermin as a free action. All mantises summoned by this spell-like ability are blood red, and gain no racial bonus on Stealth checks in forests.
Resurrection Sense (Su)
At 10th level, a Crimson assassin senses if a creature she has slain within the last year has been restored to life, as long as they are both on the same plane.
Mantis Form (Su)
At 12th level, a Crimson assassin may transform into a bloodred giant praying mantis once per day as a standard action, as if using vermin shape II (caster level equals her class level). In addition to the normal adjustments to Strength, Dexterity, and natural armor provided by this spell effect, she gains the giant mantis’s darkvision 60 feet, grab, lunge, mandibles, and sudden strike extraordinary abilities, but not its immunity to mind-affecting effects or its racial modifiers to Perception or Stealth. If she wields a magical sawtooth sabre in her hand when she transforms, the magical enhancements for that weapon apply to her corresponding claw attack—if she wields two of them, then the weapons each apply to a different claw attack.
Blood Mantis: At 16th level, her claw attacks inflict 1d6 bleed on a hit. She also gains damage reduction 5/good while in this form.
Death Mantis: At 20th level, whenever she uses her mandibles to attack, she inflicts 1 negative level. Each negative level inflicted in this manner grants the Crimson assassin 5 temporary hit points that last for 1 hour. The save DC to remove these negative levels is equal to 20 + the Crimson assassin’s Constitution modifier. In addition, her damage reduction increases to 10/good while in this form.
This replaces advanced rogue talents.
Fading (Su)
At 14th level, the Crimson assassin can become ethereal for an instant as she is attacked by a weapon or is forced to make a Reflex saving throw. This is a free action and can be used a number of times each day equal to her Constitution modifier (minimum 1/day). She must choose to activate this ability before the weapon’s attack roll or the spell’s effects are adjudicated. This grants the Crimson assassin a 50% chance to avoid taking damage from the attack or effects.
Mantis Doom (Sp)
At 18th level, a Crimson assassin may use creeping doom as a spell-like ability three times per day. This version of the spell summons swarms of venomous praying mantises, but the effects are otherwise the same as the spell.
Table: Crimson Assassin
| Class Level |
Base Attack Bonus |
Fort Save |
Ref Save |
Will Save |
Special | Spells per Day | |||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | ||||||
| 1st | +0 | +0 | +2 | +0 | Sneak attack +1d6, trapfinding | — | — | — | — |
| 2nd | +1 | +0 | +3 | +0 | Evasion, Sabre Focus | — | — | — | — |
| 3rd | +2 | +1 | +3 | +1 | Sneak attack +2d6 | — | — | — | — |
| 4th | +3 | +1 | +4 | +1 | Sabre specialization, uncanny dodge | 0 | — | — | — |
| 5th | +3 | +1 | +4 | +1 | Sneak attack +3d6 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 6th | +4 | +2 | +5 | +2 | Prayer attack | 1 | — | — | — |
| 7th | +5 | +2 | +5 | +2 | Sneak attack +4d6, sabre greater focus | 1 | 0 | — | — |
| 8th | +6/+1 | +2 | +6 | +2 | Red shroud, resurrection sense | 1 | 1 | — | — |
| 9th | +6/+1 | +3 | +6 | +3 | Sneak attack +5d6 | 2 | 1 | — | — |
| 10th | +7/+2 | +3 | +7 | +3 | Sabre greater specialization, summon mantis | 2 | 1 | 0 | — |
| 11th | +8/+3 | +3 | +7 | +3 | Sneak attack +6d6 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — |
| 12th | +9/+4 | +4 | +8 | +4 | Mantis form | 2 | 2 | 1 | — |
| 13th | +9/+4 | +4 | +8 | +4 | Sneak attack +7d6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 14th | +10/+5 | +4 | +9 | +4 | Fading | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 15th | +11/+6/+1 | +5 | +9 | +5 | Sneak attack +8d6 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| 16th | +12/+7/+2 | +5 | +10 | +5 | Blood mantis form | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| 17th | +12/+7/+2 | +5 | +10 | +5 | Sneak attack +9d6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| 18th | +13/+8/+3 | +6 | +11 | +6 | Mantis doom | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| 19th | +14/+9/+4 | +6 | +11 | +6 | Sneak attack +9d6 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| 20th | +15/+10/+5 | +6 | +12 | +6 | Death mantis form | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
Summary of Changed Class Abilities
These abilities of the rogue are lost or modified in this archetype:
- Rogue Talents (all)
- Trap Sense
- Improved Uncanny Dodge
- Advanced Rogue Talent