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Scarey Nerd
2010-08-14, 11:28 AM
This is my attempt at a Good-aligned assassin Prestige Class. It was designed for a Ranger in my party, and the Order of Mercy is an organisation in my campaign setting, which anyone is welcome to use. I am aware that the tables' information doesn't match up with its headings, but I can't seem to make the spaces fit.


Order of Mercy Neophyte

A member of the Order of Mercy is an assassin on the side of Good. A Neophyte could slay a tyrannical ruler, infiltrate a Slaver camp and deal with their leader, or ensure that a Blackguard never terrorises a city again. Trained in swordplay and skills of infiltration, a Neophyte can do his dirty work quickly, and escape before his enemies are any the wiser.
Most Rogues, Bards and Rangers that join the Order of Mercy excel at tracking down a target of the Order and assassinating them quietly save the lives of others. Fighters, Clerics, Barbarians or even Paladins that take this class are more skilled in close-combat, and as such can perform the wishes of the Order and defend themselves against the hordes of enemies that will surely follow their deed.
As NPCs, Neophytes of the Order of Mercy are rarely seen, only their actions are heard about as they are long gone before they can be questioned. They usually stay within the Order's Citadel, although some take their abilities on the road and do the work of Good as they journey across the world.
Hit Die: d8.

Requirements
To qualify to become an Order of Mercy Neophyte, a character must fulfil all the following criteria.
Alignment: Any non-evil.
Skills: Disguise 6 ranks, Bluff 6 ranks, Hide 8 ranks, Move Silently 8 ranks.
Feats: Track, Stealthy, Skill Focus (Move Silently)
Special: Must be made a member of the Order of Mercy by their leader in the Citadel of Truth

The Order of Mercy Neophyte’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are 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), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Open Lock (Dex), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spot (Wis), Tumble (Dex), and Use Rope (Dex). See Chapter 4 of the Player’s Handbook for skill descriptions.
Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier.

Class Features:
Weapon and Armour Proficiency: A Neophyte’s weapon training focuses on weapons suitable for stealth and sneak attacks. Neophytes are proficient with the crossbow (hand, light, or heavy), dagger (any type), dart, rapier, sap, shortbow (normal and composite), and short sword. Neophytes are proficient with light armour but not with shields.

Sneak Attack: This is exactly like the rogue ability of the same name. The extra damage dealt increases by +1d6 every other level (1st, 3rd and 5th). If a Neophyte gets a sneak attack bonus from another source (such as rogue levels), the bonuses on damage stack.

Death Attack: If a Neophyte studies his target 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 (Neophyte’s choice). While studying the target, the Neophyte can undertake other actions so long as his attention stays focused on the target and the target does not detect the Neophyte or recognize the Neophyte as an enemy. If the target of such an attack fails a Fortitude save (DC 10 + the Neophyte’s class level + the Neophyte’s Int modifier) against the kill effect, she dies. If the saving throw fails against the paralysis effect, the target’s mind and body become enervated, rendering her helpless and unable to act for 1d6 rounds plus 1 round per level of the Neophyte. If the target’s saving throw succeeds, the attack is just a normal sneak attack. Once the Neophyte has completed the 3 rounds of study, he must make the death attack within the next 3 rounds. If a death attack is attempted and fails (the target makes her save) or if the Neophyte 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.

Poison Use: Neophytes are trained in the use of poison and never risk accidentally poisoning themselves when applying poison to a weapon.

Spells: Beginning at 1st level, a Neophyte gains the ability to cast a small number of arcane spells. To cast a spell, a Neophyte must have a Intelligence score of at least 10 + the spells level, so a Neophyte with a Intelligence of 10 or lower cannot cast these spells. Neophyte bonus spells are based on Intelligence, and saving throws against these spells have a DC of 10 + the spell's level + the Neophyte's Intelligence modifier. When the Neophyte gets 0 spells per day of a given spell level (For instance 1st level spells for a 1st level Neophyte), he gains only the bonus spells he would be entitled to based on his Intelligence score for that spell level. The Neophyte’s spell list appears below. A Neophyte casts spells just as a Bard does.

Hide in Plain Sight (Su): At 4th level, a Neophyte can use the Hide skill even while being observed. As long as he is within 10 feet of some sort of shadow, a Neophyte can hide himself from view in the open without having anything to actually hide behind. He cannot, however, hide in his own shadow.

Order of Mercy Neophyte Spell List
Neophytes choose their spells from the following list:
1st Level: disguise self, detect poison, feather fall, ghost sound, jump, obscuring mist, sleep, true strike.
2nd Level: alter self, cat ’s grace, darkness, fox’s cunning, illusory script, invisibility, pass without trace, spider climb, undetectable alignment.
3rd Level: deep slumber, deeper darkness, false life, magic circle against evil, misdirection, nondetection.
4th Level: clairaudience/clairvoyance, dimension door, freedom of movement, glibness, greater invisibility, locate creature, modify memory.

---- Spells per Day ----
Level BAB Fort Ref Will Special 1 2 3 4
1st 0 1 2 1 SA +1d6, DA, PU, Spells 1 - - -
2nd 1 2 3 1 ----- 2 0 - -
3rd 2 2 3 2 SA +2d6 2 1 0 -
4th 3 3 4 2 ----- 3 2 1 0
5th 3 3 4 3 SA +3d6 3 3 2 1

---- Spells Known ----
Level 1st 2nd 3rd 4th
1st 2^1 — — —
2nd 2 2^1 — —
3rd 2 2 2^1 —
4th 3 3 2 2^1
5th 3 3 3 3
1 Provided the Neophyte has sufficient Intelligence to have a bonus spell of this level.

DrWeird
2010-08-14, 11:33 AM
Doesn't this one already exist? I thought I saw this somewhere... :smallcool:

Also, I highly suggest putting the class in a class table; you can find the how-to for it here:

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10313

Scarey Nerd
2010-08-14, 11:34 AM
Doesn't this one already exist? I thought I saw this somewhere... :smallcool:

You might be thinking of the Order of the Bow Initiate. The names are very similar, but I didn't realise until about a week after I made the PrC.

DrWeird
2010-08-14, 11:36 AM
Well, what I mean is a good-aligned assassin. I could've sworn I've seen it somewhere before. That is, in an official book.

Edit: Wait, I found it. The Slayer of Domiel of the Book of Exalted Deeds.

Scarey Nerd
2010-08-14, 11:39 AM
Well, what I mean is a good-aligned assassin. I could've sworn I've seen it somewhere before. That is, in an official book.

I haven't seen one, but then again my observation skills are low :smallredface:


Edit: Wait, I found it. The Slayer of Domdaniel of the Book of Exalted Deeds.

I've just found it too, it doesn't fill the niche that I intended, as its focus is too heavy on Good for my idea.

DrWeird
2010-08-14, 11:59 AM
Eh...it just feels like you stripped out uncanny dodge and poison resistance to give it (edit)a ranger stint. While I can't really knock it, I would say you're selling yourself short when it comes down to it; assassins get uncanny dodge, after all. Also, I would drop the hit die to a d6. I understand this is a 5-level mini version of the assassin, that makes it that much harder to effectively fit everything inside of it that makes it a good assassin.

Dante & Vergil
2010-08-14, 03:19 PM
WotC made one here (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/prc/20070401a).

Starbuck_II
2010-08-14, 03:53 PM
Well, it isn't a good Assassin, but a non-evil one.
Slayer of Domiel is a good Assassin.

I guess it is fine, but I'd rather the Avenger (non-Chaotic).

Granted Avenger is 10 levels and yours is 5: so, you could do both.
Ranger 5/Order 5/Avenger 10

DracoDei
2010-08-18, 01:13 AM
Put this on the spell list at the highest level they get access to: http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=151376

Latronis
2010-08-18, 01:23 AM
It's kinda hard to read without a table but it seems the same as the WoTC april fools (i believe) assassin. Just take the default assassin tweak the spell list and change any references to evil.

Lord_Gareth
2010-08-18, 01:26 AM
It's kinda hard to read without a table but it seems the same as the WoTC april fools (i believe) assassin. Just take the default assassin tweak the spell list and insert moral realism.

Altered for sense.

Latronis
2010-08-18, 01:30 AM
well if that were the case good and evil wouldnt exist at all as mechanics.

My point was if it's just an assassin tweaked for a good character in such a way then there's not much we can we do. Just compare the spell lists and see how balanced it is against the PrC