Stealthiest Eliminations: Signature Silent Assassin Skills

[blackjack50]

So I am thinking about making a assassin type character. And what I’m looking for is not so much the “character/class.” I am researching the METHOD. What methods do you see being the quietest and quickest way to eliminate NPCs. Raising the fewest alarms. Silence the spell is important. But what about ridding yourself of the pesky body?

For context things mine sentries or maybe a noble alone in his room.

[Trickery]

So I am thinking about making a assassin type character. And what I’m looking for is not so much the “character/class.” I am researching the METHOD. What methods do you see being the quietest and quickest way to eliminate NPCs. Raising the fewest alarms. Silence the spell is important. But what about ridding yourself of the pesky body?

For context things mine sentries or maybe a noble alone in his room.

Subtle Polymorph (grub), drown in a tub.

[blackjack50]

Subtle Polymorph (grub), drown in a tub.

Would this make squishing easy? And what kind of results on making the body go away would there be?

[JackPhoenix]

Disi-
*Darth Vader enters* (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YaUgn72o3Q)

[Tharkun]

My favorite method is polymorph into small (rat,etc) then put said small thing in bag of devouring.

I like poisoning food, maybe snacks near the bed or the wine in the study. Putting glyphs of warding under the pillow. I like indirect methods

[Bjarkmundur]

I can't tell you I would do as an assassin, but I can tell you what I expect from an assassin if I were to hire one.

I'd expect someone willing to spend a lot of time watching and studying his mark. An assassin that knows his mark can then use that information to either let someone else take the blame, or make it look like an accident. An assassin isn't a person that eliminates targets, it's a person that eliminates consequences .

A mark always goes to the same bar and has the same expensive scotch? You can put poison in it that kills him over a month, which would raise much less suspicion than if he'd die from a single shot.

A mark that just had an argument with his business partner can be killed in a messy way at a time where the partner doesn't have an alibi.

A mark that likes to go hunting can have a not-so-happy little accident.

[Trickery]

Would this make squishing easy? And what kind of results on making the body go away would there be?

When they get squashed or otherwise go to 0hp, polymorph ends and they revert. That's why you drown them to impose the dying condition as that happens. Also makes transport to a remote location easy.

[JellyPooga]

I can't tell you I would do as an assassin, but I can tell you what I expect from an assassin if I were to hire one.

I'd expect someone willing to spend a lot of time watching and studying his mark. An assassin that knows his mark can then use that information to either let someone else take the blame, or make it look like an accident. An assassin isn't a person that eliminates targets, it's a person that eliminates consequences .

A mark always goes to the same bar and has the same expensive scotch? You can put poison in it that kills him over a month, which would raise much less suspicion than if he'd die from a single shot.

A mark that just had an argument with his business partner can be killed in a messy way at a time where the partner doesn't have an alibi.

A mark that likes to go hunting can have a not-so-happy little accident.

This. So much this. Spells and all can provide an effective method, but would still only be as effective as the most important aspect of the assassins job; observation. Of course, many spells and abilities can help with this, improving your ability to time the hit to be both the most effective and unobtrusive. Scrying and disguise spells are going to be the first spells in any good assassins book. After all, it's all well and good turning your mark into a newt, but if you're caught doing it or the crime is evident, you risk failure, capture and potentially, death, just as much as if you'd run in there with a sword (or dagger, or what-have-you).

[RickAllison]

The stealthiest method I can think of does require a more specific class (possibly a combination). Long Death Monks get the ability to kill with a touch. No bite to alert someone (like with Quivering Palm), no mess. Either with a Druid multiclass or a magic item, change into a Tiny being like a spider. Crawl up to them in their sleep, touch them with a leg, and flood them with necrotic energy.

[Damon_Tor]

The best way to mak sure the murder isn't discovered is to obscure the fact that there was ever a murder: make a simulacrum of the target and replace him. You can't expect that to last forever, so take the opportunity to make the simulacrum act out an elaborate and public suicide: jumping off a bridge is ideal.

Meanwhile, you'll keep the body fresh via gentle repose, and hidden in a bag of holding.

When the simulacrum jumps, it should die as soon as it hits the water, immediately reverting to snow, which will quicky dissolve. At this point all you have to do as add the real body to the river unobserved. When his body is discovered downriver nobody will question how he died.

[Misterwhisper]

Psychic damage would leave no marks. Not really sure what radiant would look like so stick to psychic.

You could make a very long lasting assassin with mind spike on a divination wizard but damage is not that high.

If you do not mind leaving marks:

Changeling is amazing as an infiltrator.
Also makes good sorcerers which is gold because of subtle spell.

Lore bard cherry picking the more assassin type spells is always handy.

Moon Druid has amazing infiltration and escape but not the best subtlety.

Arcane trickster is a Swiss Army knife of assassins.

[RickAllison]

Can we weaponize the Spore Druid? Because the reanimating could be solid for body disposal, the wild shapes are great for infiltration and you don’t need the high CR for it, but it Perhaps lacks a kill method.

[Daithi]

An assassin isn't a person that eliminates targets, it's a person that eliminates consequences.

This site needs a thumbs up button, because that is worthy.

[darknite]

The stealthiest? Not having a party of 5-6 other loud, clanking, bright-light-emitting murder hobos dogging your every step.

[blackjack50]

The stealthiest? Not having a party of 5-6 other loud, clanking, bright-light-emitting murder hobos dogging your every step.

I never would have though that. I thought loud armor added to stealth?!??!!?

[KorvinStarmast]

The best way to mak sure the murder isn't discovered is to obscure the fact that there was ever a murder: make a simulacrum of the target and replace him. You can't expect that to last forever, so take the opportunity to make the simulacrum act out an elaborate and public suicide: jumping off a bridge is ideal.

Meanwhile, you'll keep the body fresh via gentle repose, and hidden in a bag of holding.

When the simulacrum jumps, it should die as soon as it hits the water, immediately reverting to snow, which will quicky dissolve. At this point all you have to do as add the real body to the river unobserved. When his body is discovered downriver nobody will question how he died. This. Misdirection is a key to successful murder when one wants to make it look like an accident.

[Bobthewizard]

You could make sure you have a good alibi and send a summoned demon/devil/elemental to kill it in broad daylight with witnesses. Infernal calling would probably work best for this. It would just look like they were attacked by the creature. Warlock works well for this so that with Voice of the Chainmaster you can watch through the eyes of your invisible imp. You could maybe cast a touch spell through the Imp to help out.