[3.5] Help with Spooky Assassin NPC

[Pathloser]

Hey everyone. I'm running a campaign for a group of PCs who've recently drawn the ire of a cult (as adventurers so often do). The cult is going to attack the PCs, probably with assassins. Anyway, I don't want these to be conventional assassins. I'm looking for something a bit creepier. Fear effects are good; invisibility effects are good; any kind of necromantic effect is great.

Can anyone recommend me a good PrC for the assassins? I'd like each one to be around CR 6 or 7.

Thanks!

[John Longarrow]

Best bet would be a rogue / bard build. If you want spooky, I'm guessing the goal is to get the party a bit... paranoid before striking.

Illusions, ghost sounds, and a LOT of manipulation of locals (in disguise) can go a long way towards convincing the party something is up. If this is a changeling, you may even want to go rogue/beguiler.

Trick would be to start leaving them messages / moving things that the party will notice / doing some serious stalking. With a changeling, they can appear as a party member, go into a bar the party is heading to, and talk to the locals using that members name. Party comes in and everyone remembers "<Character's name>" from the night before, and even relates some of the tales they were telling (true, based off of the stalker keeping an eye on the party).

By having the changeling imitate each of the party members at different times, you should be able to build up a lot of paranoia before the actual attacks start. Once more, changeling should be hitting disguised as a party member. Bonus points if he can take on out then replace them in the party.

[Pathloser]

Ooh. That sounds fun. I really like the idea of a shapechanger building suspicion and tension from the background. Plus, one PC has some backstory enemies who really want him out of the picture. I can see the shapechanger leading these enemies right to him. I probably can't get away with replacing party members with the changeling though- this party metagames too much for this. But turning allies against the party and such- that will be interesting.

Also, noob question: what splat is the changeling from, and do you have a link to a changeling stat block?

[Pluto!]

Ghostly possession could turn into a creepy MO. The Ghostwalk Eidolon and Eidoloncer make it a reasonable option from very low levels. (And if these are NPCs, Ghostwalk's PC-unusable "when you reach Y level, you die permanently" rule won't be an issue.)

[John Longarrow]

Also, noob question: what splat is the changeling from, and do you have a link to a changeling stat block?

Races of Eberron or MM3. Basically think human without bonus skills/feat but gets a minor shape change ability that gives them a +10 to disguise. Not nearly as good as Alter Self, but better than the illusion from Change Self since it is physical. IIRC, favored class is rogue.

They are part doppleganger. If you can also get a level of Mindbender in there, they become really fun. Telepathy+Mind sight = VERY hard to sneak up on and very good at keeping tabs on someone out in the wilds.

[Pathloser]

Thanks, both of you. My PCs are definitely going to have to deal with some changeling stalking in the near future, as well as ghosts.

[mabriss lethe]

Hexblades make for some rather fun assassins to throw at a party, especially if you give them a ToB tricks or poisons.

[ArcanistSupreme]

Have you ever watched Trigun? The Gung-ho Gunmen are all pretty creepy and should be doable within D&D rules. The creepiest by far has got to be the one that can control the minds of the townspeople and send them after the heroes (Legato?). Judicious application of dominate person and similar effects should be able to produce that. I would be terrified of being confronted by hordes of innocent men, women, and children.