CLASS TRAITS

Role: Striker. Your sense of timing, skill with weapons, and ability to use the shadows as a weapon allow you to strike with lethal effect against an unsuspecting foe. You even mix in some shadow magic when appropriate.

Power Source: Martial and Shadow.

Key Abilities: Dexterity, Charisma

Armor Proficiencies: Cloth, leather.

Weapon Proficiencies: Simple one-handed melee, military one-handed melee, simple ranged, blowgun, bola, garrote, shortbow.

Implement: Ki focuses

Bonus to Defense: +1 Fortitude, +1 Will.

Hit Points at 1st Level: 12+ Constitution Score.

Hit Points per Level Gained: 5

Healing Surges per Day: 7+ Constitution Modifier.

Trained Skills: Stealth. From the class skills list below, choose 4 more trained skills at 1st level.

Class Skills: Acrobatics (Dex), Arcana (Int), Athletics (Str), Bluff (Cha), Endurance (Con), Insight (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Perception (Wis), Stealth (Dex), Streetwise (Cha), Thievery (Dex).

Class features: Assassin's Strike, Attack Finesse (Executioner), Guild Attacks, Poison Use, Quick Swap (Executioner), Versatile Defense.

Assassins embrace shadow magic and pledge a shard of their souls to the Shadowfell to gain their power. By replacing a fundamental part of themselves with a dark reflection, they can manifest that piece of shadow to accomplish incredible things. The infusion of shadow magic allows assassins to identify weak points in an opponent’s defenses so that with a few moments of study they can reduce the stoutest enemies to corpses.

An assassin usually keeps his or her profession a secret, since few trust those who regularly deal in death. Assassins’ guilds provide some measure of protection, especially in those regions where the study of shadow magic and assassination as an art form are banned.

As an assassin, you are an outcast. You traded away a part of your soul for the power of death, and only the most-loyal companions accept your skills into their midst. Whatever drew you onto the assassin’s path, you become a trained killer from whom few can escape unharmed.

ASSASSIN (EXECUTIONER) CLASS FEATURES

Level 1:

ASSASSIN'S STRIKE

You gain the assassin’s strike power.

Assassin AttackAssassin's Strike

You strike with precision at the exact right moment, landing an attack that can be instantly fatal.

Encounter

Martial

No Action Personal

Trigger: You hit a creature within 5 squares of you with an attack using a weapon.

Target: The creature you hit

Effect: The target takes 1d10 extra damage from the triggering attack. If the target is helpless, this damage is maximized.

Level 3: 2d10 extra damage.

Level 7: 3d10 extra damage.

Level 13: 4d10 extra damage.

Level 17: 5d10 extra damage.

Level 23: 6d10 extra damage.

Level 27: 7d10 extra damage.

Special: Nothing but a short or an extended rest can allow you to regain the use of this power.

ATTACK FINESSE (EXECUTIONER)

You can use Dexterity instead of Strength for your melee basic attacks.

In addition, once per turn you can deal 1d8 extra damage with a weapon attack using a one-handed weapon, a garrote, a blowgun, or a shortbow. The extra damage increases to 2d8 at 11th level and 3d8 at 21st level.

GUILD ATTACKS

You become a member of an assassin guild. You can choose to join the Red Scales, the League of Whispers or the Way of the Ninja.

League of Whispers

You gain the powers bola takedown, precision dart, and quick shot.

Assassin AttackBola Takedown

You whirl your bola over your head and take careful aim before hurling it at a foe’s legs.

At-Will

Martial, Weapon

Standard Action Ranged weapon

Requirement: You must use this power with a bola.

Target: One creature

Attack: Dexterity vs. Reflex

Hit: 1[W] damage, and the target falls prone.

Level 21: 2[W] damage.

Assassin AttackPrecision Dart

The poisoned dart flies from your blowgun with unerring accuracy.

At-Will

Martial, Weapon

Standard Action Ranged weapon

Requirement: You must use this power with a blowgun.

Target: One creature

Attack: Dexterity vs. Reflex

Hit: 1[W] + Dexterity modifier damage. If you deliver an assassin poison with this attack, the target takes a -4 penalty to its first saving throw, if any, against the poison’s effect.

Level 21: 2[W] + Dexterity modifier damage.

Effect: If the ammunition has an assassin poison on it that is normally delivered on a hit, you can deliver that poison to the target even if the attack misses.

Assassin AttackQuick Shot

You loose a quick bolt from your crossbow, thereby creating a momentary opening for your escape.

At-Will

Martial, Weapon

Standard Action Ranged 1

Requirement: You must use this power with a hand crossbow.

Target: One creature

Attack: Dexterity vs. AC

Hit: 1[W] + Dexterity modifier damage.

Level 21: 2[W] + Dexterity modifier damage.

Effect: You shift up to 2 squares.

Special: Using this power doesn’t provoke opportunity attacks.

Red Scales

You gain the powers garrote strangle, poisoned dagger, and quick lunge.

Assassin AttackGarrote Strangle

You wait for the perfect moment when your foe is within reach, then strangle it with your garrote.

At-Wil

l Martial, Weapon

Standard Action Melee weapon

Requirement: You must use this power with a garrote.

Effect: You shift up to 2 squares before the attack.

Target: One creature you are hidden from

Attack: Dexterity vs. Reflex

Hit: 2[W] + Dexterity modifier damage, and the target is grabbed until the end of your next turn. While the grab persists, the target takes a -2 penalty to attack rolls against you and cannot speak, and you cannot make other attacks.

Level 21: 4[W] + Dexterity modifier damage.

Sustain Standard: The grab persists, and the target takes 2[W] + your Dexterity modifier damage.

Level 21: 4[W] + Dexterity modifier damage.

Assassin AttackPoisoned Dagger

Your piercing blade delivers poisons quickly and cleanly, making them difficult to shake off.

At-Wi

ll Martial, Weapon

Standard Action Melee weapon

Requirement: You must use this power with a dagger.

Target: One creature

Attack: Dexterity vs. AC

Hit: 1[W] + Dexterity modifier damage. If you deliver an assassin poison with this attack, the target takes a -4 penalty to its first saving throw, if any, against the poison’s effect.

Level 21: 2[W] + Dexterity modifier damage.

Effect: If the dagger has an assassin poison on it that is normally delivered on a hit, you can deliver that poison to the target even if the attack misses.

Assassin AttackQuick Lunge

You lunge forward quickly, upending your foe with a kick and a thrust of your weapon.

At-W

ill Martial, Weapon

Standard Action Melee 1

Effect: You shift 1 square before the attack.

Target: One creature

Attack: Dexterity vs. AC

Hit: 1[W] damage, and you knock the target prone. You can then shift 1 square back to your starting position.

Level 21: 2[W] damage.

Way of the Ninja

You gain the powers ninja-to rush, poisonous shuriken, and whirling kusari-gama. In addition, you have proficiency with shuriken and the kusari-gama, your Attack Finesse class feature also applies to kusari-gama and shuriken, and your assassin poisons that can be applied to ammunition can also be applied to your shuriken.

Assassin AttackNinja-to Rush

Coming from an unexpected direction, surprise and momentum combine to form a powerful strike.

At-

Will Martial, Weapon

Standard Action Melee weapon

Requirement: You must use this power with a short sword.

Target: One creature

Attack: Dexterity vs. AC. If you have jumped, fallen, or flown this turn, you gain combat advantage against the target for this attack.

Hit: 1[W] + Dexterity modifier damage.

Level 21: 2[W] + Dexterity modifier damage.

Special: When charging, you can use this power in place of a melee basic attack.

Assassin AttackPoisonous Shuriken

Your foes barely feel it when the sharp metal pierces their skin. They certainly feel it after that.

At

-Will Martial, Weapon

Standard Action Ranged weapon

Requirement: You must use this power with shuriken.

Target: One, two, or three creatures

Attack: Dexterity vs. AC

Hit: 1[W] damage.

Level 21: 2[W] damage.

Special: If you deliver an assassin poison with this attack, it applies to each target hit by this attack, even if the poison would normally be applied to only a single piece of ammunition.

Assassin AttackWhirling Kusari-gama

Though your foe is watching the chain, it really should be watching the sickle.

A

t-Will Martial, Weapon

Standard Action Melee weapon

Requirement: You must use this power with a kusari-gama.

Target: One creature

Attack: Dexterity vs. Reflex

Hit: Dexterity modifier damage, and the target falls prone. You can shift 1 square and make the secondary attack with the secondary end of the kusari-gama.

Secondary Target: One creature

Secondary Attack: Dexterity vs. AC

Hit: 1[W] damage.

Level 21: 2[W] damage.

POISON USE

You learn the recipes for two 1st-level assassin poisons of your choice. During an extended rest, you can prepare one vial of a 1st-level assassin poison.

You must know the poison’s recipe and have a poisoner’s kit. The vial contains a single use of the poison, which expires if it isn’t used before the start of your next extended rest. An item can benefit from the effects of only one assassin poison at a time.

Only you can use your assassin poisons, and you are immune to the effects of the ones you create.

QUICK SWAP (EXECUTIONER)

Once during each of your turns, you can take a free action to draw or stow a weapon and then draw another weapon.

VERSATILE DEFENSE

You choose a bonus feat, either Shield Proficiency: Light or Two-Weapon Defense. You don’t have to meet the feat’s prerequisite.

Level 2:

LEVEL 2 EXECUTIONER UTILITY POWER

You gain a 2nd-level assassin utility power of your choice.

Assassin Utility 2Distracting Illusion

The image of a creature flickers and then solidifies as you craft an illusion meant to cover your dark deeds.

En

counter Illusion, Shadow

Minor Action Close burst 10

Effect: You create the illusion of a Medium creature of your choice in an unoccupied square in the burst. The illusion is silent but moves and acts as though it was the creature it appears to be. Creatures that closely examine the illusion can make an Insight check to discover the illusion for what it really is. The check is opposed by a Bluff check that you make when you create the illusion. The illusion lasts until the end of your next turn.

Sustain Minor: The illusion persists until the end of your next turn, and you can move it up to 6 squares.

Assassin Utility 2Silent Stalker

You pad quietly toward your victim, unseen and unheard.

At-Will Martial

Move Action Personal

Requirement: You must be hidden.

Effect: You move up to your speed to a square within 2 squares of an enemy. You remain hidden until the end of this turn or until you make an attack.

Assassin Utility 2Summon the Mists

A thick fog rises around y

ou.

Daily Shadow, Zone

Minor Action Close burst 5

Effect: The burst creates a zone of lightly obscured squares that lasts until the end of the encounter.

Level 3:

DEATH ATTACK

When you hit an enemy with a melee or a ranged attack that deals damage, you can choose to reduce the enemy to 0 hit points automatically if it has 10 hit points or fewer after the damage is dealt.

Level 4:

NIMBLE DROP

When you take falling damage, you can take a free action to reduce the damage by 6 + your level. If this reduces the damage to 0, you don’t fall prone.

Level 5:

LEVEL 5 IMPROVED POISON USE

You learn the recipe for another 1st-level assassin poison of your choice. During an extended rest, you can now prepare two vials of 1st-level assassin poison.

Level 6:

LEVEL 6 EXECUTIONER UTILITY POWER

You gain a new assassin utility power of your level or lower.

Assassin Utility 6Darkness

A cloud of pure shadow expands from you, shrouding the area in darkn

ess.

Daily Shadow, Zone

Minor Action Close burst 2

Effect: The burst creates a zone that lasts until the end of your next turn. To creatures other than you, the zone is totally obscured and blocks line of sight.

Sustain Minor: The zone persists until the end of your next turn. You must be in the zone to sustain it.

Assassin Utility 6Ghost of the Rooftops

Your skill at climbing and leaping allows you to move across the rooftops unhinder

ed.

At-Will Martial

Move Action Personal

Effect: You climb or make a long jump, moving a number of squares up to your speed, without making an Athletics check.

Special: You can use this power only once per round.

Assassin Utility 6Vanish

Without warning you disappear from the sight of all around you. By the time you reappear, you are far from where you once stoo

d.

Encounter Shadow, Teleportation

Immediate Reaction Personal

Trigger: You are hit by an attack.

Effect: You become invisible until the start of your next turn, and you teleport up to your speed.

Level 7:

HIDDEN STAB

You gain the hidden stab power.

Assassin AttackHidden Stab

With a quick grab from behind, you cause your enemy to lower its defenses, allowing you to land a deadly blow even as they struggle to break

free.

At-Will Martial, Weapon

Standard Action Melee 1

Requirement: You must have a hand free and use this power with a light blade.

Target: One creature

Attack: Dexterity vs. AC

Hit: 1[W] damage, and the target is grabbed until the end of your next turn. While the grab persists, the target grants combat advantage, and it takes a -2 penalty to its first escape attempt. If you make a melee weapon attack against the target before the grab ends and your assassin’s strike is not expended, you can use that power against the target even if the attack misses.

Level 21: 2[W] damage.

Sustain Minor: The grab persists until the end of your next turn.

Level 8:

FLAWLESS DISGUISE

During a short rest, you can craft an excellent disguise that makes you appear to be another humanoid of your size (either a specific person or a nondescript member of a race or an organization). Any creature that attempts to see through your ruse makes an Insight check opposed by your Bluff check, with a +5 bonus to your check. You must use a disguise kit to create the disguise.

Level 9:

LEVEL 9 IMPROVED POISON USE

You learn the recipe for another 1st-level assassin poison of your choice. During an extended rest, you can now prepare three vials of 1st-level assassin poison.

Level 10:

LEVEL 10 EXECUTIONER UTILITY POWER

You gain a new assassin utility power of your level or lower.

Assassin Utility 10Death Mark

A black mark appears on the target’s form, appearing to be burned in with a hot iron. It warns of impendin

g death.

Daily Shadow

Minor Action Close burst 5

Target: One creature in the burst

Effect: Until the end of your next extended rest, you always know the direction and approximate distance to the target. In addition, the target cannot become invisible to you.

Assassin Utility 10Eyes Unseen

You conjure a sensor of shadow that appears nearby and allows you to see through walls and other barr

iers.

Encounter Shadow

Minor Action Personal

Effect: Choose a square within 5 squares of you, even a square on the other side of blocking terrain. Until the end of your next turn, you can see and hear from that square, as well as from your own.

Assassin Utility 10Walk Through Shadow

A swirling mass of shadow surrounds you before transporting you instantaneously a short dis

tance.

Encounter Shadow, Teleportation

Move Action Personal

Effect: You teleport up to 5 squares. You do not need line of sight to the destination space. If you try to teleport into a space that you cannot occupy, the teleportation is negated.

Level 13:

LEVEL 13 IMPROVED DEATH ATTACK

When you hit an enemy with a melee or a ranged attack that deals damage, you can choose to reduce the enemy to 0 hit points automatically if it has 20 hit points or fewer after the damage is dealt.

Level 15:

LEVEL 15 IMPROVED POISON USE

You learn the recipe for a 15th-level assassin poison of your choice. When you prepare vials of assassin poison during an extended rest, one of them can be up to 15th level.

Level 16:

UNTRACEABLE STEP

You gain the untraceable step power.

Assassin Utility 16Untraceable Step

The air wavers for a moment before a veil of invisibility covers you from head

to toe.

Encounter Shadow

Move Action Personal

Effect: You become invisible and move up to your speed. You remain invisible until the end of your next turn.

Level 17:

SHADOW COFFIN

You gain the shadow coffin power.

Assassin UtilityShadow Coffin

You trap the target of your assassination in a small object, which keeps the body out of sight until you are ready to rel

ease it.

Encounter Shadow

Free Action Melee 1

Trigger: You kill an adjacent creature and don’t already have a corpse trapped by this power.

Target: The creature’s corpse

Effect: The target disappears and is trapped in a nonmagical object of your choice on your person (such as a handheld mirror, a small gem, or a piece of jewelry). The target remains trapped until you release it or until the object is destroyed. To release the target into an adjacent square, you must hold the object and concentrate for 1 minute.

Level 19:

LEVEL 19 IMPROVED POISON USE

You learn the recipe for another 15th level assassin poison of your choice. When you prepare vials of assassin poison during an extended rest, two of them can be 15th level.

Level 22:

IGNORE BARRIERS

You gain the ignore barriers power.

Assassin Utility 22Ignore Barriers

Your physical form becomes as unstable as a shadow, allowing you to step through physical barriers with ease.

Daily Shadow

Minor Action Personal

Effect: You are phasing until the end of the encounter.

Level 23:

LEVEL 23 IMPROVED DEATH ATTACK

When you hit an enemy with a melee or a ranged attack that deals damage, you can choose to reduce the target to 0 hit points automatically if it has 30 hit points or fewer after the damage is dealt.

Level 25:

LEVEL 25 IMPROVED POISON USE

You learn the recipe for a 25th-level assassin poison of your choice. When you prepare vials of assassin poison during an extended rest using your Poison Use feature, one can be up to 25th level and two can be up to 15th level.

Level 29:

LEVEL 29 IMPROVED POISON USE

You learn the recipe for another 25th level assassin poison of your choice. When you prepare vials of assassin poison during an extended rest using your Poison Use feature, two of them can be up to 25th level and one can be up to 15th level.

Published in Heroes of Shadow, page(s) 15.