Non-spellcasting Assassin

[redking]

This is my variant assassin that does not cast spells. Any thoughts?

https://i.ibb.co/YjSLZvd/Non-magical-assassin-page-001.jpg (https://ibb.co/9Y0rtR4)
https://i.ibb.co/R6GWYgr/Non-magical-assassin-page-002.jpg (https://ibb.co/HPLQBKw)
https://i.ibb.co/vwtXJvr/Non-magical-assassin-page-003.jpg (https://ibb.co/Bz1ngK7)

[rel]

The capstone is strong. Might be possible to build something interesting around it.
The rest of the abilities don't seem like they would be as good as spellcasting though.

[redking]

The capstone is strong. Might be possible to build something interesting around it.
The rest of the abilities don't seem like they would be as good as spellcasting though.

The only way to make it stronger is to make it full BAB. It might make this assassin too strong though.

[noob]

I suggest poison immunity at tenth level: ten levels is quite an huge investment.
I also suggest to give something cool that is disguise related since it is an entry requirement for this prc.
I mean avoiding lazer focus on kill ability is probably why the original assassin class granted spells: you also want to focus on what happens before and after you kill if you want to be a good assassin.
Like how you make it look as if the target was not actually killed by an assassin or how you actually reach the target(you already have fast movement and hide in plain sight but you could also have some way to make disguising more efficient? maybe easily swappable disguises? Faster disguising? boost to bluff to pretend to be the original?) or escape afterwards.
The capstone looks strong until you figure out it is just an additive boost and not one that is multiplicative with the rest like the frenzied berskeker power attack boost.

[redking]

I suggest poison immunity at tenth level: ten levels is quite an huge investment.

I'd prefer not to give poison immunity when there is already a bonus to saving throws. That said, you brought something to my attention. This assassin has a bad fort save. I could give it good fort saves. That would be even stronger than poison immunity and effectively poison immunity when combined with the bonus to poison saves.


I also suggest to give something cool that is disguise related since it is an entry requirement for this prc.
I mean avoiding lazer focus on kill ability is probably why the original assassin class granted spells: you also want to focus on what happens before and after you kill if you want to be a good assassin.

It's true that the standard assassin has the disguise self spell. Maybe a +1 bonus to disguise at level 2 and every two levels thereafter? I'd prefer not to open a can of worms by messing with the actual mechanics if disguise. It's in the radical innovations that a most homebrew work is flawed.

[Nifft]

I like the idea of full BAB replacing spellcasting, and alongside that a good Fort save replacing the bonus vs. poison.

Good Fort + Ref with full BAB -> Ranger, so maybe give Favored Enemy (all humanoids) in some form or another. Rangers have some feats with Assassin-ish effects vs. their Favored Enemies; let the Assassin leverage those.

Consider removing things like Uncanny Dodge, and instead putting in a note that if you already have Uncanny Dodge, these class levels stack to determine what level Rogue you count as, but don't actually give the Uncanny Dodge perks to characters which lack it. That's technically weaker, but not functionally weaker for the iconic entry.

[noob]

The poison immunity comment was because by the time you reach that level there is multiple spells to gain poison immunity including one that lasts hours and works on the entire party and does other boosts thus meaning that poison resistance is way less relevant by that point.
But a better fort save have more effect than either poison resistance or immunity.

[redking]

I took the suggestions onboard. Here is the PDF to the new version (https://1drv.ms/b/s!At1QqAc0yBQTgYo25mCAlxodVVbWug?e=Ui3VSe).

Changes:

*Full BAB.
*Good Fort.
*Got rid of uncanny dodge, changed to progression instead.
*Got rid of feat at 1st level.
*Increased Hit Die to d8 from d6.

[Starbuck_II]

Another idea, maybe
Quick Death: At 3rd level, Assassins learn to speed up the death strike they can make, 1/day every 3 levels, can Death Attack with only 1 round of study instead of three.