It Was Probably Just The Wind [3.5, PrC, PEACH]

Cunning Assassin

HD: d6

Requirements
Skills: Hide 8 ranks, Move Silently 8 ranks, Craft: Trapmaking 4 ranks
Class Features: Sneak Attack +3d6
Alignment: Any non-Lawful Good

(thanks to ngilop for the updated table code)

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special	1st	2nd	3rd	4th
1st	+0	+0	+2	+0	Sneak Attack +1d6, Death Attack (full round), Spells	0
2nd	+1	+0	+3	+0	Poison Use, Acrobatic Pinnacle	0
3rd	+2	+1	+3	+1	Sneak Attack +2d6, Predator's Sight (Low Light)	1	0
4th	+3	+1	+4	+1	Invisible Spell, Trapsmith (-10)	1	0
5th	+3	+1	+4	+1	Sneak Attack +3d6, Predator's Sight (Dark), Death Attack (standard)	2	1	0
6th	+4	+2	+5	+2	Silent Spell, Poison Mastery	2	1	0
7th	+5	+2	+5	+2	Sneak Attack +4d6, Predator's Sight (Tremor), Trapsmith (-5)	3	2	1	0
8th	+6	+2	+6	+2	Still Spell, Hidden Poison	3	2	1	0
9th	+6	+3	+6	+3	Sneak Attack +5d6, Predator's Sight (Life)	4	3	2	1
10th	+7	+3	+7	+3	Omnislayer, Death Attack (move) Trapsmith (-0)	4	3	2	1

Class Skills (6+INT Modifier per level): Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Int), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Forgery (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Open Lock (Dex), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), Use Magic Device (Cha), and Use Rope (Dex).

Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: The Cunning Assassin is proficient with all simple weapons, hand crossbow, rapier, sap, shortbow and short sword. Cunning Assassins are proficient with light armour but not with shields.

Sneak Attack: As the Rogue ability of the same name. Stacks with other sources of Sneak Attack.
Death Attack (Ex): The Cunning Assassin strikes where it counts. If the Cunning Assassin studies a target within 30 feet of him for at least one round, he may make a Death Attack against that target. If the Death Attack deals Sneak Attack damage, the target must make a Fortitude save (10+ Cunning Assassin's class level + Cunning Assassin's INT modifier) or be reduced to 0hp. Every additional round in which the Cunning Assassin studies his target increases the DC by 1, up to his class level. It's a full round action to study a target. For a 5th level Cunning Assassin, it's a standard action, and for a 10th level Cunning Assassin, a move action.
Spells: Beginning at 1st level, the Cunning Assassin learns to cast Arcane spells from the Cunning Assassin spell list, according to the table above. The Cunning Assassin uses his Intelligence score to determine the DC of his spells and spells per day. The Cunning Assassin casts spells just like a Beguiler does.
Acrobatic Pinnacle (Ex): Beginning at 2nd level, the Cunning Assassin gains a bonus equal to his class level to Balance, Climb, Escape Artist, Jump, Swim and Tumble.
Poison Use: A 2nd level or higher Cunning Assassin never risks poisoning himself when applying poison to a blade.
Predator's Sight(Ex): The Cunning Assassin gains Low Light Vision at 3nd level, Darkvision (60ft) at 5th, Tremorsense (30ft) at 7th and Lifesense as a bonus feat at 9th. If the Cunning Assassin already has any of these modes of vision, double their range.
Invisible Spell: At 4th level, the Cunning Assassin gains Invisible Spell as a bonus feat.
Trapsmith (Ex): At 4th level, the Cunning Assassin learns to create and use traps with greater efficiency. He pays half the normal GP and XP price when crafting a trap with a location trigger, and may deploy traps he crafts himself as a full-round action that provokes attacks of opportunity. A Cunning Assassin deploying a trap takes a -10 penalty to his Hide and Move Silently checks; this penalty becomes -5 at 7th level and disappears at 10th.
Silent Spell: At 6th level, the Cunning Assassin gains Silent Spell as a bonus feat.
Poison Mastery (Ex): At 6th level, the Cunning Assassin makes the most of his poisons. When making a Sneak Attack with a poisoned weapon, the Assassin may reduce his sneak attack dice to add the number of dice reduced to his poison's initial DC.
Still Spell: At 8th level, the Cunning Assassin gains Still Spell as a bonus feat.
Hidden Poison (Ex): At 8th level, the Cunning Assassin can poison his foes without them noticing. If he succeeds on a Sleight of Hand check with a -5 penalty opposed by the target's Spot, and then makes a successful attack with the poisoned implement (that the target is not aware of and that deals no damage) the target becomes poisoned. A poison used this way takes effect 2d6 rounds after the target has been poisoned.
Omnislayer (Su): The Cunning Assassin's Sneak Attack and Death Attack affects all creatures, even those normally immune, as long as they are denied their Dexterity bonus to AC against him.


Spell List
As standard Assassin, plus:
1st: Hold Portal, Grease, Silent Image, Ventriloquism, Reduce Person, Entangle
2nd: Phantom Trap, Blindness/Deafness, Ghoul Touch, Knock, Levitate, Rope Trick, Silence
3rd: Sepia Snake Sigil, Illusory Script, Shrink Item, Water Breathing, Keen Edge, Haste, Lesser Telepathic Bond, Meld Into Stone, Water Walk
4th: Fire Trap, Minor Creation (poisons only), Telepathic Bond, Symbol of Sleep

<hr>
This Assassin was designed primarily to be useful to the party, instead of sitting in the corner for the first 3 rounds of combat. He has been given the ability to shape the battlefield somewhat while scouting ahead of the party by setting traps and poisoning a few opponents.

Nearly 150 views and not a comment? There's absolutely no way the class is completely ideal. :smallconfused:

Death Attack: I'm worried that this may be a little too strong. I might add language requiring the target to be deigned dexterity to AC for the death attack to work. Flanking just seems like too easy of a condition to meet when one can death attack every other round (or every round at lvl 10).

Spells: The assassin definitely needs a larger number of spells know, but I think you took it too far. The Spell Compendium alone adds 35 spells to his list. How about giving him a base list that all assassins know (say around 20 spells) and then let each individual assassin choose one more spell known at every class level.

Metamagic Feats: Invisible Spell is nice flavor but in reality only applies to maybe 3 or 4 Assassin spells. Still Spell and Silent Spell are OK, but in reality what Assassin is going to use them with any regularity, a +1 spell level penalty is pretty steep when you only have four spell levels. I would consider making then Sudden Still and Sudden Silent.

Acrobatic Pinnacle and Predator's Sight: My two favorite additions to the class. Nice flavor and very useful.