Assassin: Advanced Class
With the advent of any form of leadership, the urge to remove them by any means necessary inevitably crops up - thus the Assassin has a long and storied history. These often stealthy, but not always, combatants have struck fear into the hearts of leaders, bodyguards, and soldiers for their ability to sneak into protected places and kill targets of high value for millenia. Even more concerning is the ability for many of them to accomplish their goals without detection, and escape into the night sight unseen. Poison, blades, and the cover of darkness are all the tools of the Assassin: many assassins go years without truly facing danger head on.
A number of Assassin Powers reference attacking “from behind.” In order to count as an attack from behind, the Assassin must have one foot on the back side of a line created by the target’s shoulders and must strike with a hand that is also behind that line. This includes projectile and thrown weapon attacks. “From behind” Powers will always be usable against targets that are helpless or willing. An attack that must come “from behind” which doesn’t for some reason, does nothing at all: not even a single point. Often, an attack will begin as an attack “from behind” but will end up being a normal attack (the opponent turns, the attack hits the wrong target, etc.). In this case it is up to the Assassin to let the target know not to take any damage or Effects.
Class Level | Utility Powers | Basic | Advanced | Veteran Powers | Class |
1 | +1 | 0 | 0 | +1 | Out of Sight |
2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Poisoned Implements, Twist the Blade, +1 Base Maximum Spikes |
3 | 0 | 0 | +1 | 0 | Tools of the Trade |
4 | +1 | 0 | 0 | +1 | +1 Base Maximum Spikes |
5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Assassinate, +1 Base Spike Damage |
Requirement: Assassin Level 1
Incantation: None
Call: “Heal Full by Poison”
Target: Self Duration: Instantaneous
Delivery: None Refresh: Long Rest
Accent: Poison Effect: Heal, Refresh
Once per Long Rest, if you take an entire Short Rest in hiding where (as far as you can tell) no enemies can see you, you can call “Heal Full by Poison” and Refresh up to two Novice Powers or one Advanced Power with refreshes no greater than Long.
Requirement: Assassin Level 2
Incantation: None
Call: None
Target: Individual Duration: Instantaneous
Delivery: None Refresh: Long Rest
Accent: None Effect: Piercing
When the Assassin uses a Melee Attack Power that has the Wounding effect from behind, they may alter the Effect of the attack to Piercing. The Assassin may do this a number of times per Long Rest equal to their Assassin class-level.
Poisoned Implements [Innate]
Requirement: Assassin Level 2
Incantation: None
Call: None
Target: Individual Duration: Passive
Delivery: None Refresh: None
Accent: None Effect: None
When the Assassin makes a melee attack with a topical substance (i.e. poison, oils, etc), they may use the topical substance one additional time without it being expended. Additionally, while making a melee attack with a topical substance, they gain +1 Base Spike Damage.
Requirement: Assassin Level 3
Incantation: None
Call: None
Target: Self Duration: Passive
Delivery: None Refresh: None
Accent: None Effect: None
The Assassin has an additional Attunement slot. Normally this means the Assassin can be Attuned to up to four magical items, but with other enhancements, this might mean more.
Requirement: Assassin Level 5
Incantation: None
Call: “Death”, “[Name or Description] 10 Piercing by Poison”
Target: Individual Duration: Instantaneous
Delivery: Weapon, Verbal Refresh: Short Rest
Accent: Poison Effect: Death, Piercing
This Power can only be used out of combat. The Assassin can use a Hand Weapon to make an attack from behind which will immediately kill the target. If the Assassin places her weapon against her target (while validly “from behind”) and leaves it there, she can Call the attack at any time, including the initiation and first moments of combat. Note, the weapon should be placed against a valid hit location, not against the throat or head. If the Death effect is prevented the Assassin may expend a Spike to call “[Name or Description] 10 Piercing by Poison to the target which prevented the death effect.
Incantation: None
Call: “Counter, Bladecraft”
Target: Weapon Duration: Instantaneous
Delivery: None Refresh: Short Rest
Accent: None Effect: Counter
The assassin’s blade is among their most important tools, thus many in the trade take extra precautions to ensure their tools do not go unprotected. When wielding a blade of either Hand or Short length and it is struck by a Shatter Effect you may spend a Spike to Counter that Effect.
Incantation: None
Call: None
Target: Self Duration: Instantaneous
Delivery: None Refresh: Immediate
Accent: None Effect: Obfuscate
If the Assassin's form is hidden by appropriate clothing, they may circumvent attempts to expose their location. The Assassin must be masked and hooded to use this skill, and they cannot have any skin showing except for the eye holes or eye slit in your mask or cowl. While they are dressed this way, they may expend a Spike to gain Obfuscate vs Expose. As with all Obfuscate powers, they do not need to announce when they are using this power.
Note: The Spike can be expended after the Expose Call is made to preemptively gain Obfuscate for that Call.
Incantation: None
Call: “Perfect Landing”
Target: Self Duration: Instantaneous
Delivery: None Refresh: Short Rest
Accent: None Effect: Counter
The character can Counter the damage and effects from one fall, reducing all of the damage and effects to take no damage. This, however, only works when there is something to land upon, and does not aid the Assassin in returning to where they fell from.
For Example: Avana, climbing across a narrow ledge, slips and falls forty feet to the sharp rocks below, normally taking 10 Damage and a Disable to both legs. Instead, she calls “Perfect Landing” and takes no falling damage or Effects.
Requirement: Assassin Level 3
Incantation: None
Call: None
Target: Self Duration: Passive
Delivery: None Refresh: None
Accent: None Effect: None
When the Assassin uses a Skill where the requirements include that the weapon be a Hand Weapon, the Assassin may instead use a Short Weapon.
Requirement: Assassin Level 5
Incantation: None
Call: “Refresh To Self”
Target: Self Duration: Instantaneous
Delivery: None Refresh: Event
Accent: None Effect: Refresh
Upon completion of a Contract (as per Contract Killing), the Assassin may revel in their success by buying a round of drinks with friends, teammates, or other individuals in the know (place ten wealth in the Ash Bin). Should they do so, they may choose to benefit from a Long Rest. This Power cannot be Refreshed.
Additionally, once per Event even if they have not completed a Contract, the Assassin may refresh a Basic or Advanced Assassin power.
Incantation: RP Quick 30
Call: “Shatter to Corpse by Acid”
Target: Individual Duration: Instantaneous
Delivery: None Refresh: Focus Quick 100
Accent: Acid Effect: Shatter
The Assassin’s work is rarely a welcome one for others, and disposal of evidence is often necessary to ensure the secrecy of the job. The Assassin may quickly produce a vial, jar, or other vessel, and roleplay covering a corpse with caustic liquid. When they have completed this RP, they may call “Shatter to Corpse by Acid,” causing the target to dissipate.
Incantation: None
Call: “Grant Insubstantial”
Target: Self Duration: Special
Delivery: None Refresh: Short Rest
Accent: None Effect: Grant Insubstantial
While in contact with a building, the Assassin may attempt to pierce the defenses of that building, allowing them entrance. While touching a door or other similar building entrance, the Assassin may call “Grant Insubstantial” and enter the building. The Assassin can manipulate the door or similar entrance. This Insubstantial condition ends when the Assassin is no longer touching the door, completes a Slow 30 count, or becomes Helpless. The Assassin cannot do anything besides enter the building while using this Power.
Note: This ability will pierce Havens and other such building defenses, however, Enhanced Havens will still prevent entry.
Incantation: None
Call: “[Name or Description], Subtle Discern by Mind: [Question]”, “Marshal, Subtle Discern: Lethal Intuition: [Question]”
Target: Individual Duration: Instantaneous
Delivery: Verbal Refresh: Long Rest
Accent: Mind Effect: Discern
Knowing a target’s weaknesses is fundamental to planning an attack. The more that is known, the better the outcome is likely to be. By engaging the mark beforehand, important information can be gleaned.
Out of Combat, The Assassin may ask the following Subtle Discerns (once per Long Rest):
In addition, on a Marshaled encounter, such as a mod, before the encounter begins you may ask the Marshal each of these (once per Long Rest):
Incantation: RP Focus 100 - Applying a substance to the assassin’s weapon.
Call: “Short Grant Poison Accent”
Target: Self Duration: Short Rest, Passive
Delivery: None Refresh: Short Rest, None
Accent: None Effect: Grant Poison Accent
The assassin is very familiar with the art of poisons, and always carries some amount on them at all times, replenishing their stock from the myriad flora and fauna that abound throughout nature. By spending a Focus Quick 100 applying these substances, they may call the Poison Accent at-will on any otherwise Unaccented Melee Weapon Attacks made until their next Short Rest.
Additionally, they may apply 1 Topical Substance (i.e. poison) to a melee weapon they use per class-level of Assassin simultaneously (normally only 1 Topical Substance may be applied at one time to a particular melee weapon). For instance the Assassin could have 5 Topical Substances on their blade that are used twice each per Poisoned Implements.
Incantation: None
Call: ”Resist”
Target: Self Duration: Immediate
Delivery: None Refresh: Instantaneous
Accent: None Effect: Resist
The Assassin may expend a Spike to resist one Poison-accented Attack or Effect.
Incantation: Focus Quick Count 30
Call: “Wounding [Life Point Maximum]” or “Quick Sleep”, or “Short Silence”
Target: Individual Duration: Instantaneous, Quick 100, Short Rest
Delivery: Thrown Weapon Refresh: Short Rest
Accent: None Effect: Sleep, Wounding, Silence
This Power can only be used with a Thrown weapon and it can only be used out of combat, generally to start a fight. The attack can be used to do one of three effects. It can do a Wounding attack that does damage equal to the Assassin’s Maximum Life Point total, it can do a Quick Sleep Effect, or it can cause a Short Silence Effect.
Incantation: Quick 30, Roleplay coating weapon
Call: “Quick Drain by Poison”
Target: Individual Duration: Quick 100
Delivery: Weapon Refresh: Short Rest
Accent: Poison Effect: Drain
The Assassin may roleplay coating their weapon with a poisonous substance for a Quick 30, then on their next melee attack from behind using that weapon, they may call “Quick Drain by Poison.”
Incantation: Focus Quick 30, Roleplay coating weapon
Call: “Quick Weakness by Poison”
Target: Individual Duration: Quick 100
Delivery: Weapon Refresh: Immediate
Accent: Poison Effect: Weakness
The Assassin may roleplay coating their weapon with a poisonous substance for a Focus Quick 30, then on their next melee attack using that weapon, they may call “Quick Weakness by Poison.”
Incant: RP: Give a vaguely reasonable alibi for a thing they are accused of (Quick 30)
Call: “[Names or Description] Short Obey by Will: Believe the reason I gave you until I break line of sight.”
Target: Individual Duration: Short Rest
Delivery: Verbal Refresh: Short Rest
Accent: Will Effect: Obey
Even the wittiest interrogator will be dazzled by an Assassin's confident words… if only for a short while.
It’s not about outrunning the bear, it’s about outrunning your friend who’s slower than you. Assassins have mastered the tactic of getting out of town when the coins are down. After explaining they could not have possibly done the thing (that they likely did) for a Quick 30 and provided a somewhat believable excuse (“Couldn't have been me, I was blind that day. Eyes got eaten by birds. It was the one armed man!”), the Assassin may force their victims to believe their lie long enough for them to escape unharmed.
Incantation: Focus Quick 100
Call: “Grant Short Rest to Self”
Target: Self Duration: Instantaneous
Delivery: None Refresh: Long Rest
Accent: None Effect: Refresh
The Assassin may quickly prepare themselves for the situation at hand. They, while in shadow, may complete a Focus Quick 100, if they do so without being interrupted, they may complete a Short Rest immediately. This Power cannot be refreshed by any Power.
Incantation: None
Call: “Counter, Dodge”
Target: One Attack Duration: Instantaneous
Delivery: None Refresh: Short Rest
Accent: None Effect: Counter
After the Assassin has used an attack from behind, the Assassin may use this Power to gain a Dodge against a Melee or Ranged Attack from the target. This defense expires if the Assassin takes a Short Rest.
Incantation: Quick 30, Roleplay coating weapon
Call: “Shatter Physical Armor by Poison”
Target: Individual Duration: Instantaneous
Delivery: Weapon Refresh: Short Rest
Accent: Poison, Acid Effect: Shatter
Attacking with a Melee Weapon, the Assassin can forgo simply stabbing the opponent and can, instead do ruinous damage to the target’s physical armor, leaving it with no protections against further attacks. This power immediately refreshes if the target calls a “No Effect” defense to it.
An Assassin may Sacrifice a rare mineral to alter the Accent of this power from Poison to Acid.
Incantation: RP: “Bounty against [Individual’s Name]”
Call: “Grant Bounty”
Target: Individual Duration: Event
Delivery: None Refresh: Event
Accent: None Effect: Grant Plus Damage
The Assassin may place a contract on a named individual by going to the Plot Staff and paying a Bounty of 20 Wealth. This Bounty will be held by Plot Staff, and may be added to by characters and NPCs as outlined below.
For the duration, all characters who have this power (or similar ones), may provide proof to the Plot Staff of the death of the target, and collect the Bounty.
For the duration of the Bounty, the Assassin gains +1 Base Damage against the Target. They may only have one bonus against a single target at any one time.
For this Bounty to be active, the Assassin must post the individual’s name, likeness, and description in at least three conspicuous locations. If the posters are removed and the Assassin does not replace them after becoming aware, the Bonus is removed and Bounty ends.
If an Assassin has this power, and finds a Bounty poster, they may add 10 Wealth to the Bounty (by going to Plot) to gain the same Bonus without expending their use of this power.
Incantation: 1 minute negotiations / conversation
Call: “Piercing X by Poison”
Target: Individual Duration: Instantaneous
Delivery: Spell-Packet Refresh: Short Rest
Accent: Poison Effect: Piercing
This power may only be used out of combat. Should the Assassin engage in at least one minute of conversation with the target, they may activate this power to call “Piercing X by Poison,” (where X is equal to two times the Assassin’s class-level, plus half (round up) the character’s class-levels of Socialite) by spell-packet.
Incantation: RP: Throw a handful of coins
Call: “By My Voice: Quick Obey by Mind: Pick up these coins.”
Target: Individual Duration: Quick 100
Delivery: Voice Refresh: Long Rest
Accent: Mind Effect: Obey
The Assassin taps into the baser greed of individuals and tosses a handful of coins (minimum 10 wealth). These individuals are compelled to frantically search for and pick up the coins thrown until they have all been gathered.
Incantation: None
Call: “[Name or Description] Short Obey by Mind: Act as though I belong here.”
Target: Individual Duration: Short Rest
Delivery: Verbal Refresh: Long Rest
Accent: Mind Effect: Obey
The Assassin’s trade always risks getting caught, however, stealth is not simply the act of going about unseen, but altering the perceptions of those around you, even to the extent of exerting control over the minds of the unwary.
Out of Combat, the assassin may approach a target in an attempt to exert their will over the target and force them to ignore the assassin’s presence.
Incantation: None
Call: “Silence by [Agony/Force]”
Target: Individual Duration: Permanent
Delivery: Weapon Refresh: Short Rest
Accent: Agony, Force Effect: Silence
The character can strike another in the throat or vocal chords (for those creatures without a throat) and cause it to go quiet. This lasts until the silenced Condition is Cured. The strike should not actually target the player’s throat.
Incantation: None
Call: None
Target: Self Duration: Short Rest
Delivery: None Refresh: Long Rest
Accent: None Effect: Obfuscate vs. Discern by Mind
The Assassin’s line of work requires a certain amount of discretion, and some practice a rhyme or mantra to clear their minds when under the scrutiny of the law or other opposition. For a Short Rest, they may choose to answer Discerns with the Mind Accent however they like, and need not indicate that this power was used. This Obfuscate does not protect against Expose Effects.
Incantation: RP, One minute of conversation
Call: “[Name or Description] Long Charm by Mind”
Target: Individual Duration: Long Rest
Delivery: Verbal Refresh: Short Rest
Accent: Mind Effect: Charm
Out of Combat, the Assassin can engage with a target for a minute of conversation and unravel their concerns about the target’s intentions. After a minute of conversation, the assassin may call “[Name or Description], Long Charm by Mind.”
Incantation: None
Call: “Death by Agony”
Target: Individual Duration: Instantaneous
Delivery: Weapon Refresh: Short Rest
Accent: Agony Effect: Death
Attacking with a melee weapon from behind, the Assassin may attempt to simply kill the target outright.
Incantation: None
Call: “[Name or Description] Quick Obey by Mind: Flee”
Target: 3 Individuals Duration: Quick 100
Delivery: Verbal Refresh: Short Rest
Accent: Mind Effect: Obey
Those that deal regularly with death know that a good portion of any job hinges on the reputation of those who have undertaken the contract. A well-guarded target is only as protected as their willingness to stand before the certain death that comes in the night.
The Assassin may attempt to use this to their advantage by selecting up to three targets in roughly melee range of the Assassin who are aware of the assassin and call “Quick Obey by Mind: Flee” against all three.
Incantation: None
Call: “Counter, Dodge”
Target: Self Duration: Instantaneous
Delivery: None Refresh: Short Rest
Accent: None Effect: Counter
The Assassin can Counter any one attack, regardless of delivery, that has the Death Effect. This may be used against effects that would otherwise be Final including Maelstrom and Malediction.
Incantation: RP, one minute conversation
Call: “[Name or Description] Subtle Dispel all Protections Final”
Target: Individual Duration: Instantaneous
Delivery: Verbal Refresh: Long Rest
Accent: None Effect: Dispel
The Assassin may, outside of combat after a minute of conversation, subtly lay bare the individual they are conversing with of all their protections. The Assassin may call “[Name or Description] Subtle Dispel all Protections Final.”
Incantation: None
Call: “Paralyze by Agony”
Target: Individual Duration: Permanent
Delivery: Weapon Refresh: Short Rest
Accent: Agony Effect: Paralyze
While striking an opponent from behind or using a Thrown Weapon from any direction, the Assassin can do terrible damage to the target’s nerve-centers, paralyzing them.
Incantation: None
Call: "[Name or Description]: Subtle [X] by Ingested Poison"
Target: Individual Duration: Instantaneous
Delivery: Verbal Refresh: Short Rest
Accent: Poison Effect: None
The assassin knows that getting away clean is the hardest part of a job, and every second of lead time is worth more than gold. Utilizing carefully constructed poisons, the Assassin may cause the death of an individual by carefully palming a sachet of poison or other ingestible substance.
With this power you can poison a non-clear beverage without leaving an obvious trace. You must have the poison card in-hand, and must touch the intended container for at least a Slow 5. Unlike normal poisoning, you do not need to attach the poison card.
If the target ingests the beverage, and you observe it, you may call "[Name or Description]: Subtle [X] by Ingested Poison", where “X” is the poisons effect that was used. Any effect that would Discern whether the beverage is poisoned must be answered properly (by you or a marshal) unless you have somehow Obfuscated the beverage itself (Obfuscates active on you don't affect the beverage). If you fail to answer the Discern for some reason or fail to observe the first sip, you lose your opportunity to call the effect.
If a marshal is available in advance the marshal may call "[Name or Description]: Subtle [X] by Ingested Poison" instead of you if they observe the first sip of the beverage. Support for this power must be arranged in advance and will only be available if resources are free, it should not be assumed a Marshal will be free.