Assassin

Assassin is a prestige class in NWN2.

Description: The Assassin is the master of dealing quick, lethal blows. Assassins often function as spies, informants, killers for hire, or agents of vengeance. Their training in anatomy, stealth, poison, and the dark arts allows them to carry out missions of death with shocking, terrifying precision. Most Rogues, Monks, and Bards who choose this class become examples of the classic assassin skulking in the shadows with a blade carrying certain death. Fighters, ex-Paladins, Rangers, Druids, and Barbarians operate as warrior-assassins, with as much ability to kill in combat as from the shadows. Sorcerers, Wizards, and Clerics may be the most terrifying assassins of all, for with their spells they can infiltrate and slay with even greater impunity.

Requirements
Alignment: Any evil

Skills: Hide 8 ranks, Move Silently 8 ranks

Death Attack
At 1st level, the Assassin can make a special sneak attack called a Death Attack. This ability adds to the Rogue's Sneak Attack ability, adding an extra 1d6 points of damage. This bonus rises to +2d6 at 3rd level, +3d6 at 5th level, +4d6 at 7th level, and +5d6 at 9th level. If used against an opponent not already in combat, a successful death attack forces the victim to make a fortitude save or become paralyzed.

The DC for a target to become paralized is equal to; 10+AssasinLevel+INT modifier.

Poison Resistance
The Assassin's expertise with deadly toxins gives them an unnatural resistance to poisons of all types. The Assassin gains a +1 bonus on fortitude saves against poison at 2nd level. This bonus increases to +2 at 4th level, +3 at 6th level, +4 at 8th level, and +5 at 10th level.

Uncanny Dodge
At 2nd level, the Assassin retains their dexterity bonus to AC even when caught flat-footed.

Improved Uncanny Dodge
At 5th level, the Assassin can no longer be sneak attacked except by a character with 4 or more total levels in classes that grant sneak attack than the character levels of the Assassin.

Hide in Plain Sight
At 8th level, the Assassin may enter stealth mode even while being observed.

Spells
At 2nd level, the Assassin gains the ability to cast Ghostly Visage once per day. At 5th level, the Assassin gains the ability to cast Darkness once per day. At 7th level, the Assassin gains the ability to cast Invisibility once per day. At 9th level, the Assassin gains the ability to cast Greater Invisibility once per day.

NWN Comparison

 * This class was introduced in the Shadows of Undrentide NWN expansion.
 * The NWN Death Attack was incorporated as the Assassin Sneak Attack ability (a separate sneak attack ability was not given). The first Death Attack would only provide a chance of paralysis but did not require the 3 round study period.
 * Assassins did not get Hide in Plain Sight as a bonus feat. They also didn't get Improved Uncanny Dodge.

DnD 3.5 Comparison

 * The Parry skill was created by NWN and is not a feature of DnD 3.5. It has returned in NWN2 for the same reasons it was in NWN.
 * Assassins in DnD 3.5 are proper spellcasters, with a spell list and associated rules, instead of limited to the handful of pre-chosen spells of NWN and NWN2.
 * Assassins in DnD 3.5 have the option to kill, rather than paralyse, their opponents on a successful Death Attack.
 * Assassins in DnD 3.5 gain Use Poison at 1st level as Blackguards do.

External Resources

 * NWNWiki:Assassin
 * DnD 3.5 Assassin