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View Full Version : The Hidden Assailant: a class for stabby rogues



Brendan
2010-02-20, 11:00 AM
Here is a class I made while procrastinating on work. It is for rogues who like jumping out of shadows and cutting off an enemy's foot as a pot to hold petunias in. Essentially, jump and stab.

The Hidden Assailant
{table=head]Level|Base Attack<br>Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special

1st|
+0|
+0|
+2|
+0|SA+1d6, fade out

2nd|
+1|
+0|
+3|
+0|Ankle strike

3rd|
+2|
+1|
+3|
+1|SA+1d6, Fade to black

4th|
+3|
+1|
+4|
+1|Bleeding strike

5th|
+3|
+2|
+4|
+2|SA+1d6, Perfect precision[/table]

The Hidden assailant
D6 hit die


Prerequisites:
any nongood, SA+3d6, hide 8 ranks, move silently 8 ranks

Class skills: 6+int mod/level
Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Int), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Forgery (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (local) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Open Lock (Dex), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), and Use Rope (Dex).


This class is meant to emulate a rogue focused on sneaking and removing an unknowing enemy from the picture.

Sneak Attack: the Assailant gains sneak attack every other level as a rogue. this stacks with all sneak attacks and sudden strike gained from other classes.

Fade out: this ability lets an assailant hide easily after a first attack. An assailent only takes a –8 to hide immediately after an attack. This decreases to a –4 at 3rd level.

Hampering strike: when an assailant attacks a target for whom sneak attack would effect in that situation, up to 5d6 can be removed and instead give the enemy a –5 foot/round movement rate per d6. This shows the enemy having one foot essentially torn to pieces by the attack.

Bleeding strike: knowing to strike the most vulnerable places, the assailant is able to have the enemy be hurt over a long period of time. The Assailant can designate one sneak attack per 2 rounds as a bleeding strike. If it hits, the target takes 1d6 damage every round for a number of rounds equal to how many levels in this prestige class the assailant has.

Perfect precision: when an assailant attacks an enemy who is not aware of the presence of the hidden assailant (aware that the assailant is going to attack, that is. The enemy could be aware that the castle has an intruder or something vague like that) all attacks made are counted as touch attacks.



So, any suggestive criticism?
I know the name is a bit subpar, but it was all I could think of.

Spiryt
2010-02-20, 12:04 PM
I think that "Ankle strike" should be renamed, and rid off " If this occurs to both feet...", beacuse:

There are no called shots or other effects like that in 3.5, so giving something that's essentially just attacking a foot to specific class looks silly unfortunately.

It also raises other fluff and mechanical problems - what with ankles are hidden ec.

Just make it " hampering strike" or something like that, often aimed at legs, and it will be OK.

I also can't see why it couldn't work with bludgeoning weapons.

And :

a –8 to hide immediately after an attack. This decreases to a –4 at 3rd level.

What it's based on? I can't see anything in hide rules, save sniping.

EDIT: It needs requirements, and BAB and weak save should be lower on 5th level.

Brendan
2010-02-20, 12:32 PM
normally you take a -20 to hide after attacking or charging. this changes it to -8 and then -4.

Bludgeoning weapons cannot sever tendons. However, they can break legs, so I suppose they would work.

Spiryt
2010-02-20, 12:47 PM
normally you take a -20 to hide after attacking or charging. this changes it to -8 and then -4.

Bludgeoning weapons cannot sever tendons. However, they can break legs, so I suppose they would work.

You take - 20

while attacking, running or charging.

After you attacked, you cannot hide, you've got to be at least 10 feet away to snipe.

And by logic, there probably could be instances where you could attack constantly while hiding whole time, but not in most instances.

And bluedgeoning weapons can do many nasty things to tendons, so I don't see how severing should be required.

ArcanistSupreme
2010-02-20, 05:23 PM
If you want to keep the reduced penalty to hide shtick, you'll need some either Hide in Plain Sight or a similar ability. Consider switching it to dimension hop so many times per day to allow the Hidden Assailant to do a full attack without fear of retaliation.

Also, the hampering strike ability seems remarkably similar to the hamstring feat (http://crystalkeep.com/d20/rules/DnD3.5Index-Feats.pdf) (pg 87), if not slightly worse. With the humanoid races typically having a speed of 30ft, I'd rather spend 2d6 than 3d6 to reduce it to 15ft, and this gap increases with speed. On the other end of the spectrum, high level sneak attackers will be able to use that ability to paralyze (speed=0ft) an opponent with a speed lower than 50ft automatically, which seems a tad OP.

Finally, beware that creating yet another SA PrC that invites easy dips (most rogues will meet the requirements without even meaning to) will mean that PCs will most often just take the first level to grab the +1d6 SA, although this is offset somewhat by the BAB. Consider making the entry requirements a little tougher.