Porphyran Assassin (Apath)

Unofficial rules compendium

The porphyran assassin is a highly trained agent of death. Just as death comes in many forms, porphyran assassins are not all the same. From raging fanatics to cold, detached killers-for-hire, the assassins of porphyra are a diverse lot.

Class Information

Role: Adventuring assassins are often fugitives from or or the last survivor of a guild that lost the war of assassins. On the run from other killers, they might be able to earn a place with a larger order of assassins or try and continue as freelancers, perhaps obeginning their own order in time. In an adventuring party, the assassin is almost always the point-man and scout, sometimes used as a living trap finder, bait, or canary. Few groups trust assassins fully and many try to keep the assassin in check by threatening to disclose his identity. It is generally impossible for an assassin in a tight adventuring team to keep his class secret.

Alignment: Any non-good. Due to its necessary selfishness and callous indifference toward taking lives, the assassin class attracts those with evil alignments more than any others. Neutral characters sometimes become assassins, frequently thinking of themselves as simple professionals performing a job, a pretense that rarely holds. More common is the neutral assassin doing evil deeds for a good cause. There is no penalty for an assassin trying to maintain a non-evil alignment, the act of assassination just naturally gravitates towards evil. An assassin can never be of good alignment. Starting age: Assassins are trained, but this training begins at a very early age. Assassins start in the lowest age bracket for their race.

Hit Die: d8.

Class Skills

The assassin's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Acrobatics (Dex), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Disable Device (Int), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (local) (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), Stealth (Dex), and Swim (Str). Assassins gain a number of additional class skills depending on their secret.

Skill Ranks at Each Level: The assassins number of class skills per level depend on their secret, but is usually 8 + Int modifier.

Class Features

These are all the class features of the porphyrean assassin.

Secret Training (Ex)

At 1st level, an assassin must select a secret in which he is being trained. Each secret has a number of class skills, and the number of skill points per level can also vary, tough it is usually 8 + the assassin's Intelligence modifier. A few secrets even change the assassin's base attack progression. At higher levels, secrets also confer special class features on their members, see the first, second, thrid, and fourth secrets class features, below.

Sneak Attack (Ex)

If a 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 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 assassin flanks her target. This extra damage is 1d6 at 1st level, and increases by 1d6 every two assassin levels thereafter. Should the assassin score a critical hit with a sneak attack, this extra damage is not multiplied. Ranged attacks can count as sneak attacks only if the target is within 30 feet.

With a weapon that deals nonlethal damage (like a sap, whip, or an unarmed strike), a 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 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 assassin cannot sneak attack while striking a creature with concealment.

Poison Use (Ex)

At level 2, assassins are trained in the use of poison and cannot accidentally poison themselves when applying poison to a blade (see Poison). At 3rd level, the assassin gains a +1 saving throw bonus against poisons. This bonus increase by +1 every three levels after level three. He also gains this bonus on Craft (Alchemy) checks to brew poisons.

Quiet Death (Ex)

At 2nd level, whenever an assassin kills a creature during a surprise round, he can also make a Stealth check, opposed by Perception checks of those in the vicinity to prevent them from identifying him as the assailant. If successful, those nearby might not even notice that the target is dead, depening on the situation.

Death Attack (Ex)

If an assassin of 4th level or higher studies his victim for 3 rounds and then makes a sneak attack with a melee weapon that successfully deals damage, the sneak attack has the additional effect of possibly either paralyzing or killing the target (assassin's choice). Studying the victim is a standard action. Once the assassin has completed the 3 rounds of study, he must make the death attack within the next 3 rounds. The death attack fails if the target detects the assassin or recognizes the assassin as an enemy (although the attack might still be a sneak attack if the target is denied his Dexterity bonus to his Armor Class or is flanked). If the victim of such a death attack fails a Fortitude save (DC 10 + ½ the assassin's class level + the assassin's Int modifier) against the kill effect, he dies. If the saving throw fails against the paralysis effect, the victim is rendered helpless and unable to act for 1d6 rounds plus 1 round per level of the assassin. If the victim's saving throw succeeds, the attack is just a normal sneak attack.

If a death attack is attempted and fails (the victim makes his save) or if the assassin does not launch the attack within 3 rounds of completing the study, 3 new rounds of study are required before he can attempt another death attack.

Uncanny Dodge (Ex)

Starting at 4th level, a assassin can react to danger before her senses would normally allow her to do so. She cannot be caught flat-footed, nor does she lose her Dex bonus to AC if the attacker is invisible. She still loses her Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized. A assassin with this ability can still lose her Dexterity bonus to AC if an opponent successfully uses the feint action (see Combat) against her.

If a assassin already has uncanny dodge from a different class, she automatically gains improved uncanny dodge (see below) instead.

Assassin Secrets

At 6th level, and every 4 levels thereafter, the assasin gains an ability from the secret training he picked at first level. Each secret has a specific list of abilities taught at each level. Certain secrets give spellcasting abilities instead, as detailed in their description.

Improved Uncanny Dodge (Ex)

A assassin of 8th level or higher can no longer be flanked. This defense denies another rogue or assassin the ability to sneak attack the character by flanking her, unless the attacker has at least four more assassin levels than the target does.

If a character already has uncanny dodge (see above) from another class, the levels from the classes that grant uncanny dodge stack to determine the minimum assassin level required to flank the character.

Lingering Death (Ex)

At 8th level, the assassin learns how to leave a lethal flaw inside the bodies of their victims, a flaw that kills again when someone tries to resurect the victim. This is usually a sliver inserted along with the assassin's weapon and lodged in the victim's vital organs.

If a victim of the assassin's death attack is resurected, it must pass a Fortitude saving throw (DC 10 + 1/2 the assassin's level + the assassin's Dexterity modifier) or die again after 1 minute. This is a death effect.

A 15-minute close inspection of the corpse can find and remove lingering death with a Heal DC equal to twice the Save DC. It is possible to take 20 on this heal check with a 5-hour operation. Burning or otherwise destoying the body also negates lingering death, but the dead creature then requires resurection or more powerful magic to be revived.

Lingering death also gives the assassin the ability to use death attack to paralyze (but not slay) creatures that are normally immune to the effects of Fortitude saving throws, primarily constructs and undead. Such a creature that fails its Fortiude save against a death attack is paralyzed until the creature recovers at least one hit point.

Swift Death (Ex)

At 12th level, an assassin can make a death attack against a foe with only one round of study beforehand. The foes must still be unsuspecting and the assassin must sneak attack his foe using a melee weapon that deals damage.

Hide in Plain Sight (Su)

At 16th level, an assassin can use the Stealth skill even while being observed. As long as he is within 10 feet of some sort of cover or concealment, an assassin can hide himself from view in the open without having anything to actually hide behind. He cannot, however, hide in his own shadow.

Instant Death (Ex)

At 20th level, each sneak attack an assassin inflicts counts as a death attack, with no study required and regadless of the target's suspicions. The assassin still needs to inflict damage for this to be effective.

Ultimate Fear (Ex)

At 20th level, a victim slain by the assassin's death attack can only be raised from the dead at great difficulty. The murder was so horrible that the soul of the victim instinctively recoils and refuses to be restored to life unless it makes a Will save with a DC of 20 + the assassin's Charisma modifier. It is the soul that makes this saving throw, and it does so before it is resurected; it gains no benefit from any spell or effect on the body, but still benefits from any inherent resistances. This is a mind-affecting fear effect. Note that a victim that successfuly resiststs this can still be killed by lingering death, above.

Assassin Secrets

Assassins base their training on a series of secret teachings. A secret is the life-path of the assassin, sometimes even a spiritual path. An assassin chooses a secret at first level, and is assumed to have been trained in this secret since childhood. Though the assassin might since have escaped the direct control of his order, his early training still determines the path his powers will develop. An assassin can change secret, but this is both a momentous personal change and a horrendous break with tradition; members of his order are likely to do everything to chase him down, as might members of the new order whose secrets he is trying to usurp. When advancing in level, the assassin must declare that he is abandoning his old secret, and immediately loses the use of all abilities. He must then survive an entire level without a secret. When advancing to the next level, the assassin can chose a new secret to focus on, provided he has some kind of instruction; a teacher, scroll of secret lore, painting depicting training methods, an esoteric glyph, or even divine inspiration.

Note that these secrets and orders are not the same. A small order is likely to practice only one secret, but a larger guild might have access to several, and might even accept a stranger into their organization if he can teach them a new secret. Nor does a secret have to be very deep or profound; a bravo's secret is usually just an acceptance of that a life means very little, either another's life or the bravo's own.

Arcane Assassin

Arcane assassins use arcane magic in their deadly work, and are often affiliated with orders of wizardry or witch covens.

Class Skills: Knowledge (Arcana) (Int), Linguistics (Int), Spellcraft (Int).

Skill Ranks at Each Level: 6 + Int modifier.

Secret Training (Ex): An arcane assassin adds half his level to all Sleight of Hand checks, and to Bluff spells to cast spells with verbal components without being noticed. Disguising the verbal components of spells as innocuous actions requires a Bluff check with a penalty equal to the level of the spell, opposed by each observer's Perception. Disguising focus, material, and somatic components uses Sleight of hand in the same way. Note that all the usual penalties on Perception checks apply, including distraction penalties.

Arcane assassins have no specific secret abilities. Instead, beginning at 4th level, they cast arcane spells as a wizard, except as noted here. The arcane assassin has no caster level until level 4. At fourth and higher level, his caster level is his assassin level -3. The number of spells of each level he can prepare each day is given on Table: Assassin. At 4th level, an assassin gains a spellbook containing a number of first level arcane assassin spells equal to his Intelligence modifier (minimum 1). At each level, the assassin can add any one spell from his spell list to his spell book, provided he can cast spells of that level. Bravo A warrior with assassin abilities, the bravo is the most happy-go-lucky of all assassins.

Class Skills: Handle Animal (Cha), Ride (Dex). Skill Ranks at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier. Secret Training (Ex): The bravo adds half his assassin level to Acrobatics checks and to Bluff checks to feint in combat. A bravo gains Improved Feint as a bonus feat at first level. A bravo has a base attack bonus equal to his assassin level (but does not gain 1d10 hit dice).

A bravo does not gain any abilities form his secret.

Divine Assassin

Divine assassins serve the gods directly and slay at their calling. Many serve Rajuk Amon-Gore in his aspect as the end of the dance.

Class Skills: Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Knowledge (Religion) (Int), Perform (Cha), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), Survival (Wis).

Skill Ranks at Each Level: 8 + Int modifier. Secret Training (Ex): A divine assassin adds half his class level to all Sense Motive checks and to Disguise checks to impersonate a specific person. A divine assassin that repeatedly observes a creature at least one hour each day and makes a successful Sense Motive check to get a hunch about that creature reduces any Disguise penalty to impersonate that creature by one for each day of observation.

Divine assassins have no specific secret abilities. Instead, beginning at 4th level, they cast divine spells as a cleric, except as noted here. The divine assassin has no caster level until level 4. At fourth and higher level, his caster level is his assassin level -3. The number of spells of each level he can prepare each day is given on Table: Assassin.

Dusk Assassin

Dusk assassins were trained in the shadow of Morah'Silvanath and fight a guerrilla war to destroy the great tree and restore their homeland.

Class Skills: Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Knowledge (Nature) (Int), Ride (Dex), Survival (Wis), Use Magic Device (Cha).

Skill Ranks at Each Level: 8 + Int modifier.

Secret Training (Ex): Dusk assassins add half their class level to Survival checks and to Craft (Alchemy) checks to make poisons and alchemical items based on fungi. Any poison resistance the dusk assassin has also applies against exceptional and supernatural attacks of fungoid plant creatures.

First Secret: Spore Breath (Ex) The dusk assassin deliberately cultivates a symbiotic mould in his lungs, and can exhale the spores of this mould in a 15 ft. cone as a swift action. Creatures in the cone must make a Reflex save (DC 10 + half the assassin's level + the assassin's Constitution modifier) or become dazzled for one round. Dazzled creatures are considered distracted if the assassin uses the Stealth skill this turn.

The assassin can take a standard action that does not trigger attacks of opportunity to ingest a poison in the same round he uses spore breath. If the poison type was originally gas or ingested, the assassin himself is exposed when drinking the poison. The spores absorb and transmit the poison, all who fail their saving throw against spore breath are exposed to the poison regardless of what type of poison it originally was.

Second Secret: Vermin Bond (Ex) The dusk assassin forms a link with vermin. Vermin start out with an attitude of indifferent towards the dusk assassin (instead of the usual unfriendly) and generally won't attack the dusk assassin (or his companions) unless they stumble into its nest or feeding ground. The dusk assassin can use Survival as if it was Diplomacy to change the attitude of vermin. The dusk assassin can use Survival as if it was Handle Animal to train vermin to perform tricks as if they were animals, but each vermin can only learn one trick. Both these effects bypass vermin's usual immunity to mind-affecting effects.

Third Secret: Fungus Bond (Ex) The dusk assassin forms the same bond with fungoid plant creatures as with vermin, above. The dusk assassin can also use Survival to teach tricks to fungal plant creatures of Intelligence 1 or 2.

Fourth Secret: Spore Meld (Ex) The dusk assassin can duplicate the spore effects of plant creatures by ingesting their spores, using spore breath to infect others with spores instead of a poison. The spores grant the same kind of saving throw they originally do (usually a Fortitude save), based on the fungus melded with, but the DC is always DC 10 + half the assassin's level + the assassin's Constitution modifier. If the fungal creature's spores normally do not grant a saving throw, the spore meld version still allows a Fortitude save to negate the effect. Using spore breath like this inflicts 1 point of Constitution damage on the dusk assassin.

The dusk assassin must have ingested the spores of a live fungus within the last week, and he can only spore meld with one fungal creature at a time; melding with a new creature destroys any meld he currently has.

Elemental Assassin

Elemental assassins channel the wrath of the elements.

Class Skills: Fly (Dex), Handle Animal (Cha), Knowledge (Planes), Selight of Hand (Dex), Survival (Wis), Use Magic Device (Cha).

Skill Ranks at Each Level: 8 + Int modifier.

Secret Training (Ex): At 1st level, an elemental assassin gains a bonus equal to half her class level on Intimidate checks and on Stealth checks in her element. The elemental assassin must chose one element and gains advantages when hiding in situations marked by that element; air (mist, fog, fumes), earth (stone, bare soil), fire (smoke, fumes, fire), or water (rain, underwater). She can use the Stealth skill regardless of cover when she gains this bonus.

First Secret: Elemental Fury (Ex) At 6th level, any melee weapon, natural attack, or unarmed attack the elemental assassin uses is sheathed in energy that deals an extra 1d6 points of damage on a successful hit, like the flaming weapon property. The type of damage depends on the element chosen at level 1; air (electricity), earth (acid), fire (fire), or water (cold). This does not harm the elemental assassin or her weapon. In a sneak attack with elemental fury, the additional damage from sneak attack is either elemental damage or weapon damage, whichever inflicts more damage.

Second Secret: Elemental Resistance (Ex) At 10th level, the elemental assassin is protected from the type of energy she deals with elemental fury The elemental assassin gains resistance to this damage type equal to her class level.

Third Secret: Elemental Grace (Ex) At 14th level, the assassin's attacks gain the flaming burst property, doing the same kind of damage as elemental fury, above.

Fourth Secret: Elemental Stride (Ex) At 18th level the elemental assassin gains a movement speed based on the element chosen at level 1. Air: fly 50 ft. (perfect). Earth: Burrow 10 ft. without leaving a tunnel. Fire: land speed 70 ft. Water: swim 50 ft.

Gruesome Assassin

Gruesome assassin revel in the spectacle of death, and use shock and awe to great effect.

Class Skills: Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Knowledge (Religion) (Int), Perform (Cha), Sense Motive (Cha), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Use Magic Device (Cha).

Skill Ranks at Each Level: 8 + Int modifier.

Secret Training (Ex): At 1st level, a professional assassin becomes a master of intimidation and of appearing unassuming. He adds half his assassin level (minimum +1) to all Intimidate checks and to Disguise checks to assume a generic appearance rather than to immitate a specific person. The gruesome assassin gains Dazzling Display as a bonus feat, and can use it with any weapon.

First Secret: Gruesome Death (Ex) At 6th level, the gruesome assassin can use Dazzling Display as a swift action after having killed an enemy.

Second Secret: Gruesome Critical (Ex) At 10th level, the gruesome assassin can use Dazzling Display as a swift action after scoring a critcal hit.

Third Secret: Gruesome Sneak Attack (Ex) At 14th level, the gruesome assassin can use Dazzling Display as a swift action after inflicting sneak attack damage.

Fourth Secret: Gruesome Entrance (Ex) At 18th level, the gruesome assassin can use Dazzling Display as a swift action in a surprise round or when revealing himself from disguse or stealth.

Necrotic Assassin

Necrotic assassins seek a mystical union with death.

Class Skills: Diplomacy (Cha), Knowledge (Religion) (Int), Lingusitics (Int), Perform (Cha), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Use Magic Device (Cha).

Skill Ranks at Each Level: 8 + Int modifier.

Secret Training (Ex): A necrotic assassin adds half his class level (minimum +1) to Use Magic Device checks and to Acrobatics checks to move out of a threatened space. First Secret: Nondetection (Su) At 6th level, a necrotic assassin can use nondetection as a spell-like ability once per day as a wizard of his assassin level. At 10th, 14th, and 18th level, the assassing gains an additional daily use of the ability. Second Secret: Resurrection Sense (Su) At 10th level, a necrotic assassin senses if a creature he has slain within the last year has been restored to life, as long as they are both on the same plane. Third Secret: Angel of Death (Su) At 14th level, the necrotic assassin becomes a master of death. Once per day, when the assassin makes a successful death attack, he can cause the target's body to crumble to dust. This prevents raise dead and resurrection (although true resurrection works as normal). The assassin must declare the use of this ability before the attack is made. If the attack misses or the target successfully saves against the death attack, this ability is wasted with no effect. At 18th level, the assassin can use this ability with every death attack. Fourth Secret: Soul Bind (Ex) At 18th level the necrotic assassin can use soul bind once per day as a wizard of his assassin level. When used against a target the assassin has just slain, this is a free action and also has the effect of the angel of death ability above. The assassin needs an appropriate sapphire gem to hold the soul, see the soul bind spell.

Professional Assassin

Professional assassins are highly skilled mercenaries of murder.

'Class Skills: Appraise (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Knowledge (Nobility) (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Survival (Wis), Use Magic Device (Cha).

Skill Ranks at Each Level: 8 + Int modifier. Secret Training (Ex): At 1st level, a professional assassin becomes a master at concealing his identity and hiding weapons on his body. He adds half his assassin level (minimum +1) to all Disguse checks and to Sleight of Hand skill checks made to hide weapons or draw hidden weapons unobtrusively. Secrets: (Ex) At 6th level, and every 4 levels thererafter, the proffessinal assassin can chose a assassin talent, as the assassin class feature. He cannot select talents that expand on class features he does not have, such as evasion. At 12th level and higher, the proffessional assassin can select advanced assassin talents.