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Assassin (Dragon 172)

Description: This kit was detailed for thieves in the Complete Thief's Handbook, on pages 26-27, and this section is recommended for reading by the players of fighter assassins. While 'assassin' is a general term for people of all classes who kill for pay, here it describes a particular type of hired fighter. An assassin may work freelance or belong to an assassins' guild.

Role: Assassins are paid killers. They care nothing about fair play or honorable combat, wishing only to carry out their contracts in the safest and most secret ways possible. Fighter assassins rely more on brute force than thief assassins, and the handiwork of the former is more evident as deliberate murder-which serves as a warning to other potential victims. While some assassins are dedicated to evil, others are just cynical or mercenary (neutral); a few might see their work as a necessary evil for a greater cause, particularly if they slay only evil-aligned beings. The assassin's goal is to remain unknown and unseen, a feared agent of his guild.

Secondary Skills: Any urban background skill is appropriate for the assassin. Agricultural or wilderness skills are possible, but unlikely.

Weapon Proficiencies: The assassin can use any weapon, though many prefer small stabbing weapons that are used with one hand (particularly the dagger and short sword, but not the bastard sword or spear) and small, piercing missile weapons (e.g., a hand crossbow or short bow, or thrown daggers, shuriken, etc.). Assassins can specialize but only with a melee weapon, as restricted earlier; such favored weapons are frequently seen and serve as "trademarks' for a particular assassin's style.

Nonweapon Proficiencies: Assassins may choose proficiencies from the general, warrior, or rogue lists, all at the listed costs (i.e., rogue skills are not doubled in cost). However, he cannot learn agricultural or wilderness skills. Required: Disguise, Trailing. Recommended: Alertness, Blind-Fighting, Gather Intelligence, Herbalism, Land-Based Riding, Observation, Tightrope Walking, Tracking, Tumbling, Voice Mimicry. (See the Complete Thief's Handbook, Chapter 2, for details on new proficiencies.)

Equipment: Assassins prefer to wear only leather armor. If they wear any heavier type of armor, they are unable to use their special benefits. Different types of deadly devices and unusual weapons are used by assassins, and fighter assassins might be trap or weapon collectors. In general, see the Complete Thief's Handbook, chapter 5, for details on items that fighter assassins might be allowed to use. Poison is also widely used because of its rapid killing power; see the Complete Thief's Handbook, chapter 7, for details.

Recommended Traits: Alertness, Light Sleeper, Inherent Immunity: Poison.

Benefits: The fighter assassin is able to move silently as a thief of equal level (use Table 19 in the Dungeon Master's Guide, page 23; dexterity and racial bonuses apply). If an assassin surprises an opponent, is not himself surprised, has a melee weapon in hand, and is within melee range, the assassin can automatically hit his opponent once and do double damage; this is in addition to his normal attack. This ability works only against humanoid-shaped creatures of small or medium size, and it assumes that the assassin does not require a magical weapon of greater power than he has in hand to hurt the target.

Hindrances: The assassin's main drawback is the unlawfulness of his trade. If found out as an assassin and captured, he can expect no mercy from the law. If an assassin is identified but not captured, a bounty of 10 X 1dlOO gp will be placed on his head.

Wealth: The assassin receives the normal 5d4 X 10 gp.

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Original content ©1999–2001 Brian D Swedorski. New content ©2025–2026 Jeff. User-submitted material remains the property of its respective authors.