Dark Sun and the Assassin PrC - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Dark Sun and the Assassin PrC

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
xanthus
Jan 20, 2006 16:58:42 You guys will be sick of me before long, starting new and uninteresting threads.

But back to my thoughts, in my group we have a bard who's looking into the assassin PrC. He's kind of hesitant about it due to the whole it having spells and my DM is in that whole "Arcane Magic is the exclusive province of the Wizard class" in Dark Sun (something I am wholeheartedly behind) so I was curious if the collective intelligence here has any thoughts to add.

How do you run the sans-spells assassin? My DM was considering either upping its hit die and/or its attack bonus. Is that enough though to make it worth the loss of incredibly useful arcane spells?

Thanks in advance,
-X
#2
xlorepdarkhelm_dup
Jan 20, 2006 17:20:43 Doesn't the Athas.org PrC document have a Psionic-based Assassin or something? I remember seeing one before...
#3
Sysane
Jan 20, 2006 17:41:14 I use the dragon lance non-spellcasting assassin variant. Its basically the assassin PrC out of the DMG with no spells and replaces that by granting fast movement 10 at 3rd level and skill mastery at 7th. Skill mastery being that the assassin character can take 10 on a number of selected skills (3+Int mod) regardless of distractions.

Seems to fit DS prefectly.
#4
Kamelion
Jan 20, 2006 18:04:11 There is indeed a psionic version of the assassin - it's in Tyrian Conspiracy.
#5
kalthandrix
Jan 20, 2006 21:16:43 I have an assassin-like PrC in the works- the Honed Blade- because I do not really like either of the arcane or psionic using PrCs out thee right now. IMO there is no logical reason that they would have spells or psionic ability when their job and training is to stick the sharp, pointy metal thing in the other guy quietly and get away.

So keep your eyes out (not literally though ) because I may be able to get it out sometime soon. maybe.
#6
Zardnaar
Jan 22, 2006 22:07:53 You can always just ban the Assassin PrC and use rogues instead. A well built rogue is usually better than the assassin anyway. Once the Assasin can cast Greater Invisability though......
#7
darksoulman
Jan 23, 2006 3:03:58
I have an assassin-like PrC in the works- the Honed Blade- because I do not really like either of the arcane or psionic using PrCs out thee right now. IMO there is no logical reason that they would have spells or psionic ability when their job and training is to stick the sharp, pointy metal thing in the other guy quietly and get away.

I don't know about that - I see plenty of reason for an assassin to dabble in magic (or psionics on Athas) - simple spells like disguise self, jump, true strike and invisibility are invaluable to an assassin, making them way more efficient and deadly. Likewise with psionics, powers like conceal thoughts, cloud mind, psionic levitate etc are useful (although I must say, way worse than the arcane assassin's spells).

Creating an assassin-like PrC without any magic or psionics still sounds very useful though - I agree that not all assassins are going to be trained in magic/psionics, that's just lame
#8
darksoulman
Jan 23, 2006 3:35:42
You can always just ban the Assassin PrC and use rogues instead. A well built rogue is usually better than the assassin anyway.

How so? I'm no rules hacker...but it seems to me that the rogue's 4 skills points extra per level, trap sense and one 'special ability' doesn't come near to the assassin's death attack, poison use and spells - at least in pure power level (it can of course be argued that the 4 skills points are very nice).
#9
ruhl-than_sage
Jan 23, 2006 7:02:27 I don't see why you couldn't cover this with a multi-class between Bard, Psion, and/or Rogue. Bard is already a non-spell casting (or power manifesting) assasssin.
#10
darksoulman
Jan 23, 2006 7:11:44
Rouge

:P
#11
zombiegleemax
Jan 31, 2006 0:19:58 Rather than an assassin PrC, why not have him multiclass a couple of levels of rogue, followed by a couple of levels of soulknife, then alternate back and forth between rogue/ soulknife?
#12
zombiegleemax
Jan 31, 2006 0:56:06 As far as assassin spells are concerned, there is really nothing to stop you from making an exception. Assassins aren't really that unbalanced for the setting unless of course the prevailing DM decrees it thus.

My suggestion for that situation is to substitute similar psionic abilities for magic spells. Messing with hit dice and skill points are generally more unbalancing than approximating other abilities in the scope of the setting such as a psionic form of invisibility in place of arcane invisibility.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 xanthus Jan 20, 2006 16:58:42	You guys will be sick of me before long, starting new and uninteresting threads. But back to my thoughts, in my group we have a bard who's looking into the assassin PrC. He's kind of hesitant about it due to the whole it having spells and my DM is in that whole "Arcane Magic is the exclusive province of the Wizard class" in Dark Sun (something I am wholeheartedly behind) so I was curious if the collective intelligence here has any thoughts to add. How do you run the sans-spells assassin? My DM was considering either upping its hit die and/or its attack bonus. Is that enough though to make it worth the loss of incredibly useful arcane spells? Thanks in advance, -X
#2 xlorepdarkhelm_dup Jan 20, 2006 17:20:43	Doesn't the Athas.org PrC document have a Psionic-based Assassin or something? I remember seeing one before...
#3 Sysane Jan 20, 2006 17:41:14	I use the dragon lance non-spellcasting assassin variant. Its basically the assassin PrC out of the DMG with no spells and replaces that by granting fast movement 10 at 3rd level and skill mastery at 7th. Skill mastery being that the assassin character can take 10 on a number of selected skills (3+Int mod) regardless of distractions. Seems to fit DS prefectly.
#4 Kamelion Jan 20, 2006 18:04:11	There is indeed a psionic version of the assassin - it's in Tyrian Conspiracy.
#5 kalthandrix Jan 20, 2006 21:16:43	I have an assassin-like PrC in the works- the Honed Blade- because I do not really like either of the arcane or psionic using PrCs out thee right now. IMO there is no logical reason that they would have spells or psionic ability when their job and training is to stick the sharp, pointy metal thing in the other guy quietly and get away. So keep your eyes out (not literally though ) because I may be able to get it out sometime soon. maybe.
#6 Zardnaar Jan 22, 2006 22:07:53	You can always just ban the Assassin PrC and use rogues instead. A well built rogue is usually better than the assassin anyway. Once the Assasin can cast Greater Invisability though......
#7 darksoulman Jan 23, 2006 3:03:58	I have an assassin-like PrC in the works- the Honed Blade- because I do not really like either of the arcane or psionic using PrCs out thee right now. IMO there is no logical reason that they would have spells or psionic ability when their job and training is to stick the sharp, pointy metal thing in the other guy quietly and get away. I don't know about that - I see plenty of reason for an assassin to dabble in magic (or psionics on Athas) - simple spells like disguise self, jump, true strike and invisibility are invaluable to an assassin, making them way more efficient and deadly. Likewise with psionics, powers like conceal thoughts, cloud mind, psionic levitate etc are useful (although I must say, way worse than the arcane assassin's spells). Creating an assassin-like PrC without any magic or psionics still sounds very useful though - I agree that not all assassins are going to be trained in magic/psionics, that's just lame
#8 darksoulman Jan 23, 2006 3:35:42	You can always just ban the Assassin PrC and use rogues instead. A well built rogue is usually better than the assassin anyway. How so? I'm no rules hacker...but it seems to me that the rogue's 4 skills points extra per level, trap sense and one 'special ability' doesn't come near to the assassin's death attack, poison use and spells - at least in pure power level (it can of course be argued that the 4 skills points are very nice).
#9 ruhl-than_sage Jan 23, 2006 7:02:27	I don't see why you couldn't cover this with a multi-class between Bard, Psion, and/or Rogue. Bard is already a non-spell casting (or power manifesting) assasssin.
#10 darksoulman Jan 23, 2006 7:11:44	Rouge :P
#11 zombiegleemax Jan 31, 2006 0:19:58	Rather than an assassin PrC, why not have him multiclass a couple of levels of rogue, followed by a couple of levels of soulknife, then alternate back and forth between rogue/ soulknife?
#12 zombiegleemax Jan 31, 2006 0:56:06	As far as assassin spells are concerned, there is really nothing to stop you from making an exception. Assassins aren't really that unbalanced for the setting unless of course the prevailing DM decrees it thus. My suggestion for that situation is to substitute similar psionic abilities for magic spells. Messing with hit dice and skill points are generally more unbalancing than approximating other abilities in the scope of the setting such as a psionic form of invisibility in place of arcane invisibility.