Pale Mantis Assassin (Apath)

Unofficial rules compendium

Pale mantis assassins are a dread cult of bone-cold murderer.

Background

Pale mantis assassins are a sect dedicated to murder. In their philosophy, death is a cosmic force and the continued order of the universe requires that some creatures die so that others might live.

Dressed in bone and bone-colored clothes and often painting their skin bone white, Their weapons and methods of killing emulate those of the mantis, wielding dual saw-toothed sabres in a slowly swaying stance and making lighting-quick dual strikes. Pale mantis assassins strike mercilessly to eliminate their targets—and preferably only their targets. They strive to avoid general mayhem and look down on missions of larceny, but have been known to perform murder for pay or to open up a position for an ally to inherit. But these murders are not the holiest deaths. The pale mantis claims to have a certain quota of death to fill in order to support the universal order, assassinations that follow a strict divine mandate. The reason for these holiest of deaths follow a strict divine order, which is beyond mortal comprehension and can appear random to outsiders.

While not on sacred missions, pale mantis often live in seclusion, or masquerade as some other profession. Others live as recluses in the wilderness. The pale assassins seek to make themselves perfect agents of death, emulating their namesake the pale mantis. The mantis strikes all kinds of prey without discrimination, being universal killers. The mantis bringing order to chaos by perfecting their killing.

Laws of Death

The pale mantis assassins have certain rules they adhere to, upholding the laws of death. They will never knowingly accept a contract involving any of the following, and may turn on a client that tricked them into doing so. These laws apply to marks, but less so to general combat; not even the pale assassins bother to learn the pedigree of every guard they kill.

• Always strike precisely and surgically, needless slaughter breeds chaos.
• Never strike the captain of a ship, the ruler of a country, or the pathfinder of a caravan. People left leaderless are an invitation to chaos.
• Do not kill children or obliterate an entire family. A gardener prunes, to destroy is to leave room for chaos to grow.

Pale Mantis Assassins on Porphyra

The god Shankhil is venerated across Porphyra as the god of gates and passage. As the master of the porphyry passages that is the final hedge between elemental savagery and deist perfection he is responsible for the continuation of history on Porphyra, a god of discreet but strict law. He is also the main psychopomp diety, and has an uniquely neutral position; everybody and everything dies in time. Deist or elementalist, living or undead, intelligent, animal or mindless matters not. Death is absolute and claims all equally.

One sect of the church that is unknown even to most of the faith are the pale mantis assassins, who worship Shankhil as the master of deadly necessity. Just as some births are special and contribute to the order of the world, some lives must be ended at specific times for the system of the world to continue smoothly. The task of the pale mantis assassins is to find and execute these key persons while disturbing the world as little as possible.

The master of the pale mantis assassins reside in a bone temple in the city of Da'mulus, in New Watis. From there he sends his agents all over the world according to a pattern Shankhil alone knows. Shankhil is a mysterious god, and never gives clear signs to her worshippers, including the pale assassins, who are supposed to find the ones they are to slay through subtle clues. Over times, the sect has come to rely on one of Shankhil's symbols, the coin, to find their victims; provide the assassins with enough coin, and they might take it as a divine sign.

Class Information

This is a prestige archetype built on the red mantis assassin prestige class from Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Adventurer’s Guide combined with with elements of the slayer class.

Alignment: A pale mantis assassin’s alignment must be within one step of her deity’s, along either the law/chaos axis or the good/evil axis. Mantis assassins generally serve a lawful neutral or lawful evil god of necessity and death. Most gravitate towards evil alignments. Pale mantis assassins of good alignment are possible, but extremely rare as murder for pay is an inherently evil act.

Hit Die: d8.

Starting Wealth: 4d6 × 10 gp (average 140 gp.) In addition, each character begins play with an outfit worth 10 gp or less.

Class Skills

The pale mantis 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 (Local) (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

These are all the class features of the pale mantis assassin.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency

Pale mantis assassins are proficient with all simple weapons, plus the hand crossbow, rapier, sap, sawtooth sabre, shortbow, and short sword. They are proficient with light armor but not with any shields.

A Pale mantis assassin can cast spells while wearing light armor without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance. Like any other arcane spellcaster, a Pale mantis assassin wearing medium or heavy armor incurs a chance of arcane spell failure if the spell in question has a somatic component. A multiclass Pale mantis assassin still incurs the normal arcane spell failure chance for arcane spells received from other classes.

Sabre Finesse (Ex)

At 1st level, the pale mantis assassin gains Weapon Finesse as a bonus feat. She can use a sawtooth sabre sized for her and wielded in one hand with weapon finesse.

The pale mantis assassin becomes an expert with the order's signature sawtooth sabre, gaining bonus feats at 2nd, 6th, 10th, 14th, and 18th level. She can choose feats from this list even if she does not have the normal prerequisites.

The benefits of the pale mantis assassin’s sabre finesse feats apply only to sawtooth sabres and only when she wears light, medium, or no armor. She loses all benefits of these bonus feats when wearing heavy armor.

The character can choose from the following list whenever he gains a combat style feat: Double Slice, Improved Shield Bash, Quick Draw, Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Focus (sawtooth sabre), Weapon Specialization (sawtooth sabre).

At 6th level, he adds these feats to the list. Greater Weapon Focus (sawtooth sabre), Greater Weapon Specialization (sawtooth sabre), Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Two-Weapon Defense.

At 10th level, he adds these additional feats to the list. Bleeding Critical, Blinding Critcal, Greater Two-Weapon Fighting, Two-Weapon Rend.

Studied Target (Ex)

A pale mantis assassin can study an opponent he can see as a move action. The pale mantis assassin then gains a +1 bonus on Bluff, Knowledge, Perception, Sense Motive, and Survival checks attempted against that opponent, and a +1 bonus on weapon attack and damage rolls against it. The DCs of pale mantis assassin class abilities against that opponent increase by 1. A pale mantis assassin can only maintain these bonuses against one opponent at a time; these bonuses remain in effect until either the opponent is dead or the pale mantis assassin studies a new target.

If a pale mantis assassin deals sneak attack damage to a target, he can study that target as an immediate action, allowing him to apply his studied target bonuses against that target (including to the normal weapon damage roll).

At 5th, 10th, 15th, and 20th levels, the bonuses on weapon attack rolls, damage rolls, and skill checks and to pale mantis assassin DCs against a studied target increase by 1. In addition, at each such interval, the pale mantis assassin is able to maintain these bonuses against an additional studied target at the same time. The pale mantis assassin may discard this connection to a studied target as a free action, allowing him to study another target in its place.

At 7th level, a pale mantis assassin can study an opponent as a move or swift action.

Sneak Attack (Ex)

If a pale mantis assassin can catch an opponent when he is unable to defend himself effectively from her attack, she can strike a vital spot for extra damage.

The pale mantis assassin’s attack deals extra damage anytime her target would be denied a Dexterity bonus to AC (whether the target actually has a Dexterity bonus or not), or when the pale mantis assassin flanks her target. This extra damage is 1d6 at 1st level, and increases by 1d6 every 2 pale mantis assassin levels thereafter. Ranged attacks can count as sneak attacks only if the target is within 30 feet. This additional damage is precision damage and is not multiplied on a critical hit.

With a weapon that deals nonlethal damage (such as a sap, unarmed strike, or whip), a pale mantis assassin can make a sneak attack that deals nonlethal damage instead of lethal damage. She cannot use a weapon that deals lethal damage to deal nonlethal damage in a sneak attack—not even with the usual –4 penalty.

The pale mantis assassin must be able to see the target well enough to pick out a vital spot and must be able to reach such a spot. A pale mantis assassin cannot sneak attack while striking a creature with total concealment.

This stacks with similar damage bonuses gained from other classes.

Studied Mark (Ex)

At 3rd level, when a pale assassin is given a target to assassinate, that target (a single individual creature) counts as a studied enemy. This is in addition to the one studied enemy a pale mantis assassin can normally have. If a pale mantis assassin has not been assigned a mark by her superiors, she can choose a mark for the day when she prepares spells.

Spells

Table: Pale mantis Assassin Spells Known

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

Beginning at 4th level, a pale mantis assassin gains the ability to cast a small number of 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 Pale mantis 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 sorcerer/wizard spells from the schools of illusion and transmutation, the pale mantis assassin adds the following spells to her spell list at the indicated spell levels. She must learn these spells in the normal manner.

1. obscuring mist, true strike.
2. darkness, fog cloud, see invisibility, summon swarm.
3. clairaudience/clairvoyance, hold person.
4. dimension door, modify memory.

Her selection of spells is extremely limited—at each Pale mantis level, she gains one or more new spells, as indicated on Table: Pale mantis 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.

A pale mantis assassin only ever learns spells up to level 4, and cannot learn cantrips (level zero spells). Sorcerer/wizard illusion and transmutation spells of level zero or of level 5 or higher are not on the pale mantis assassin's spell list.

Through 3rd level, a pale mantis assassin has no caster level. At 4th level and higher, her caster level is equal to her class level – 3.

Sabre Finesse Damage (Ex)

At 3rd level, whenever she makes a successful melee attack with a sawtooth sabre, she adds her Dexterity modifier instead of her Strength modifier to the damage roll. If any effect would prevent the pale mantis assassin from adding her Strength modifier to the damage roll, she does not add her Dexterity modifier.

Keen Pool (Ex)

At 3rd level, a pale mantis assassin gains a pool of keen points, a measure of her preparedness, planning, and mental balance. The number of points in a pale mantis assassin’s keen pool is equal to half her class level plus her Charisma modifier (minimum 1 point).

By spending 1 point from her keen pool as a swift action at the end of her turn, a pale mantis assassin can make one additional melee attack at her highest attack bonus. This bonus attack stacks with those from haste and similar effects. A pale mantis assassin gains additional powers that consume points from her keen pool as she gains levels.

The keen pool is replenished when the pale mantis assassin prepares spells.

Prayer Attack (Su)

At 4th level, a Pale mantis assassin learns her signature assassination style. To initiate a prayer attack, she holds her sawtooth sabre(s) out, point down, weaves the blade in the air, and expends a point from her keen pool. 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 Pale mantis 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, the assassin 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.

Track Mark (Ex)

At 4th level, whenever the pale mantis assassin is following the tracks of her mark (see studied mark, above), a pale mantis assassin can take 10 on her Survival skill checks while moving at normal speed, without penalty. In addition, she gains a +2 insight bonus on attack rolls made against her mark, and all critical threats against her mark are automatically confirmed.

Pale Shroud (Su)

At 6th level, a Pale mantis assassin gains the ability to create a veil of pale mist as a move-equivalent action that expends one point from her keen pool. The pale shroud persists for 1 round per class level. It grants a +1 dodge bonus to AC and fast healing equal to her Charisma 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 pale mist that leaves behind only her gear in order to deprive her enemies of access to her remains.

Mantis Form (Su)

At 8th level, a Pale mantis assassin may transform into a pale giant praying mantis as a standard action by expending one point from her keen pool, 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(s) 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.

At 14th level, her claw attacks inflict 1d6 bleed on a hit. She also gains damage reduction 5/good while in this form.

At 20th level, whenever she uses her mandibles to attack, she inflicts 1 negative level. Each negative level inflicted in this manner grants the Pale mantis assassin 5 temporary hit points that last for 1 hour. The save DC to remove these negative levels is equal to 20 + the pale mantis assassin’s Charisma modifier. In addition, her damage reduction increases to 10/good while in this form.

Summon Mantis (Sp)

At 11th level, as a standard action that costs a keen point, a pale mantis 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 pale as bone.

At level 14, using this ability becomes a swift action. At level 16, it becomes a free action.

Fading (Su)

At 12th level, the Pale mantis 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 that consumes a point from the mantis assassin's keen pool. She must choose to activate this ability before the weapon’s attack roll or the spell’s effects are adjudicated. This works as a blink spell until the end of the mantis assassin's next turn, affecting both her attacks and defenses. Force effects and effects that affect ethereal creatures ignore this defense.

Mantis Dream (Sp)

At 12th level, the pale mantis assassins begins to have visionary dreams about her marks when she sleeps. This functions as dream scan once per day when the pale mantis assassin sleeps, with a caster level equal to her class level and a save DC of 16 + her Charisma modifier. If she has a mark (see the studied mark ability) she will dream about this mark. If she does not have a mark, she might receive a new mark from her patron. She can accept such a mark for herself or order others under her command to take on this new mark.

Resurrection Sense (Su)

At 16th level, a Pale mantis assassin senses if a creature she has slain within the last year has been restored to life or been turned into an intelligent undead creature, as long as they are both on the same plane.

Keen Escape (Ex)

At 18th level, the pale mantis assassin attains more importance in the eyes of her patron. When she kills her mark (see studied mark), she recovers all points of her keen pool. Cult protocol interprets this to mean the mantis should expend her full power to slay the mark, then the patron gives her new power to secure her own escape.

Mantis Doom (Sp)

At 18th level, a Pale mantis assassin may use creeping doom as a spell-like ability at the cost of one point to her keen pool. This version of the spell summons swarms of venomous praying mantises, but the effects are otherwise the same as the spell.

Improved Track Mark (Ex)

At 19th level, the pale mantis assassin’s ability to hunt her mark improves. She can now take 20 while using Survival to track her mark, while moving at normal speed without penalty. Her insight bonus to attack her mark increases to +4.

Table: Pale Mantis 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	Finesse training, sneak attack +1d6, trapfinding	—	—	—	—
2nd	+1	+0	+3	+0	Evasion, sabre finesse	—	—	—	—
3rd	+2	+1	+3	+1	Finesse training, sneak attack +2d6, Weapon Focus	—	—	—	—
4th	+3	+1	+4	+1	Debilitating injury, prayer attack, uncanny dodge	0	—	—	—
5th	+3	+1	+4	+1	Rogue's edge, sneak attack +3d6	1	—	—	—
6th	+4	+2	+5	+2	Red shroud, Weapon Specialization	1	—	—	—
7th	+5	+2	+5	+2	Sneak attack +4d6	1	0	—	—
8th	+6/+1	+2	+6	+2	Improved uncanny dodge, mantis form	1	1	—	—
9th	+6/+1	+3	+6	+3	Sneak attack +5d6, Greater Weapon Focus	2	1	—	—
10th	+7/+2	+3	+7	+3	Advanced talents, rogue's edge, summon mantis	2	1	0	—
11th	+8/+3	+3	+7	+3	Finesse training, sneak attack +6d6	2	1	1	—
12th	+9/+4	+4	+8	+4	Fading, Greater Weapon Specialization	2	2	1	—
13th	+9/+4	+4	+8	+4	Sneak attack +7d6	3	2	1	0
14th	+10/+5	+4	+9	+4	Mantis form (bleed)	3	2	1	1
15th	+11/+6/+1	+5	+9	+5	Rogue's edge, sneak attack +8d6, Bleeding Critical	3	2	2	1
16th	+12/+7/+2	+5	+10	+5	Resurection sense	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	Blinding Critcal, mantis doom	4	3	2	2
19th	+14/+9/+4	+6	+11	+6	Finesse training, sneak attack +10d6	4	3	3	2
20th	+15/+10/+5	+6	+12	+6	Master strike, mantis form (drain), rogue's edge	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

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