Assassin

by CyanBlade

Assassins are experts in the art of killing and have an intimate knowledge of the workings of many poisons. They possess stealth that might match or even surpass that of Thieves, and their knowledge of weapons is second only to those of the Warrior and Weaponsmith disicplines. Assassins believe in being exact and observing their target, focusing more on precision and stealth than brute strength.

There are assassin guilds in many of the large cities of Barsaive, most being incredibly hard to find and often requiring more than a few silvers to reach. Assassins hold themselves to a strict code which they cannot willingly violate. This code includes the obligation to finish any assassination once begun and to never let emotions influence important decisions.

Important Attributes: Dexterity, Perception, Willpower

Racial Restrictions: Obsidimen

Karma Ritual: To begin his Karma ritual, the Assassin sits in quiet meditation, with his preferred weapon by his side. The Assassin spends twenty minutes planning the assassination of an important or well-known person in Barsaive, going over every detail twice. The Assassin then executes the plan, killing the target in their mind. The ritual is complete whent the target is dead.

Artisan Skills: Weapon Rune Carving, Dancing, Sculpture

First Circle

Talents: Avoid Blow
Climbing
Karma Ritual
Melee Weapons (D)
Silent Walk (D)
Tracking (D)

Second Circle

Talents: Disguise Self
Durability (6/5)
Throwing Weapons (D)

Third Circle

Talents: Anticipate Blow
Poison

Fourth Circle

Karma: The Assassin may spend a karma point on Dexterity.

Talents: Thread Weaving (Assassin Weaving) (D)
Surprise Strike (D)

Fifth Circle

Physical Defense: Increase the Assassin's Physical Defense by 1.

Talents: Read/Write Language
Second Weapon

Sixth Circle

Spell Defense: Increase the Assassin's Spell Defense by 1.

Talents: Conceal Weapon
Missile Weapons (D)

Seventh Circle

Initiative: Increase the Assassin's Initiative by 1.

Talents: Paralyze (D)
Sense Poison (D)

Eighth Circle

Social Defense: Increase the Assassin's Social Defense by 1.

Talents: Poison Resistance (D)
Trap Initiative

Ninth Circle

Physical Defense: Increase the Assassin's Physical Defense by 1.
Recovery Tests: The Assassin gains an additional Recovery Test per day.

Talents: Critical Hit (D)
Read/Write Magic
Second Attack

Tenth Circle

Karma: The Assassin may spend a karma point on Perception.
Spell Defense: Increase the Assassin's spell defense by 1.

Talents: Spellcasting
Spirit Strike

Eleventh Circle

Nightcloak: For the cost of 2 strain, the Assassin may create a Nightcloak. The Assassin needs a 10 or better on an Assassin Weaving test and must be in darkness in order to create a Nightcloak. Creating the cloak takes one minute. Characters attempting to spot or otherwise sense a nightcloaked assassin must reduce their Perception or sensing ability by 2 steps. The Nightcloak lasts one day or until exposed to direct sunlight, at which point it crumbles to dust.

Talents: Spell Matrix
Thread Weaving (Illusion)

Twelfth Circle

Karma: The Assassin may spend a karma point to increase the damage of any melee or throwing weapon attack.
Initiative: Increase the Assassin's Initiative by 1.

Talents: Chameleon
Quickblade

Poison

Step Number: Rank + Willpower Step
Action: Yes	Skill Use: No
Karma: No	Strain: 2
Discipline Talent: None

Using the Poison talent, a character can add poison either to the tip of a weapon, or into a drink or food. The character first pricks himeself, letting a drop of blood fall onto the food or weapon. The drop then begins to hiss and boil, becoming poisonous. The poison uses the step number as both its damage step and its spell defense. If taken internally, mystic armor provides no protection, otherwise the target's mystic armor reduces the damage.

When used on a weapon, the weapon remains poisonous for rank minutes. The target may make a toughness test each round vs. the spell defense of the poison. The poison remains in the target doing damage each round until either the character makes a successful toughness test, or until rank rounds have passed. Each use of Poison creates only enough poison to affect one target. Multiple uses of the Poison talent are required to poison multiple targets when used on a weapon.

Paralyze

Step Number: Rank + Dexterity Step + 3
Action: Yes	Skill Use: No
Karma: Yes	Strain: 2
Discipline Talent: Assassin

The Paralyze talent allows an Assassin to paralyze or severely handicap a target by striking part of their spinal cord or other vital areas. This talent may only be made using a melee weapon. To perform this talent, the Assassin must make an attack test against the target's physical defense using the step number and take two points of strain. The character then leaps into the air and drives the weapon into the target's body. If the attack is successful, the required karma die is added to the damage test. The result of Paralyze is:

Average -2 steps to all actions for rank rounds

Good -3 steps to all actions for rank rounds

Excellent Paralysis for rank rounds

Extraordinary Paralysis for rank minutes

What's New	Main Page	Disciplines	Eternal Library
Campaign	Web Guide	E-mail	Links

Questions? Comments? See something that's missing? Contact the Webmaster.

Average	-2 steps to all actions for rank rounds
Good	-3 steps to all actions for rank rounds
Excellent	Paralysis for rank rounds
Extraordinary	Paralysis for rank minutes