These agile fighters pride themselves on their skills with knives and daggers to make quick work of enemies. While thought by many to be mere common criminals, some would say they play an unseen hand in maintaining order in whatever work they go into. Trained as subtle bodyguards, scouts, or just straight up assassins, there are as many people trained in this area doing good, as well as bad.
Adventurer's who delve into the art of the assassin become people of high duelling esteem, unseen striking, and even eliminating targets without them knowing.
Hit Points (HP)
Hit Dice |
1d8 per level |
HP at Level 1 |
8 + CON modifier |
HP at higher levels |
1d8 (or 4) + CON modifier per level |
Proficiencies
Armour |
Light armour, bucklers |
Weapons |
Simple weapons, cane swords, bladed fans, blowguns, hand crossbows, longswords, rapiers, shortswords |
Tools |
Thieves' Tools |
Saving Throws |
DEX, INT |
Skills |
Choose four from Acrobatics, Athletics, Deception, Insight, Intimidation, Investigation, Perception, Performance, Persuasion, Sleight of Hand, and Stealth |
Assassin Table
Level |
Proficiency Bonus |
Abilities |
Skills Known |
Sneak Attack Damage |
1 |
+2 |
Expertise (1), Sneak Attack, Thieves' Cant |
1 |
1d6 |
2 |
+2 |
Cunning Action |
2 |
1d6 |
3 |
+2 |
Blitzkrieg |
3 |
2d6 |
4 |
+2 |
Ability Score Improvement |
4 |
2d6 |
5 |
+3 |
Uncanny Dodge |
5 |
3d6 |
6 |
+3 |
Expertise (2) |
6 |
3d6 |
7 |
+3 |
- |
7 |
4d6 |
8 |
+3 |
Ability Score Improvement, Opportune Backstab* |
8 |
4d6 |
9 |
+4 |
- |
9 |
5d6 |
10 |
+4 |
Ability Score Improvement |
10 |
5d6 |
11 |
+4 |
Reliable Talent |
11 |
6d6 |
12 |
+4 |
Ability Score Improvement |
12 |
6d6 |
13 |
+5 |
- |
13 |
7d6 |
14 |
+5 |
Slippery Mind |
14 |
7d6 |
15 |
+5 |
- |
15 |
8d6 |
16 |
+5 |
Ability Score Improvement |
16 |
8d6 |
17 |
+6 |
- |
17 |
9d6 |
18 |
+6 |
Elusive |
18 |
9d6 |
19 |
+6 |
Ability Score Improvement |
19 |
10d6 |
20 |
+6 |
Stroke of Luck |
20 |
10d6 |
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- (a) a rapier or (b) a shortsword
- (a) a shortbow and a quiver of 20 arrows or (b) a shortsword
- (a) a burglar's pack, (b) dungeoneer's pack, or (c) an explorer's pack
- Leather armour, two daggers, and thieves' tools
Or, you could choose to start with 4d4 × 10 gp and purchase your equipment.
Class Abilities
Sneak Attack
You know how to exploit a foe's distraction or unexpectancy when you strike. Once per turn, you can deal an extra 1d6 damage to one creature you hit with an attack if you have Advantage on the attack roll. The attack must use a finesse or a ranged weapon.
You don't need Advantage if another enemy of the target is within 2 metres of it, that enemy isn't Incapacitated, and you don't have Disadvantage on the attack.
The amount of extra damage increases by 1d6 for every 2 levels that you gain (e.g. at Level 5, this deals 3d6 damage)
Thieves' Cant
During your training you learned Thieves' Cant, a secret mix of dialect, jargon, and code that allows you to hide messages in seemingly normal conversation. Only another creature that knows thieves' cant understands such messages. It takes four times longer to convey such a message than it does to speak the same idea plainly.
In addition, you understand a set of secret signs and symbols used to convey short, simple messages, such as whether an area is dangerous or the territory of a thieves' guild, whether loot is nearby, or whether the people in an area are easy marks or will provide a safe house for thieves on the run.
Expertise
At Level 1, choose two of your skill proficiencies. Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses either of the chosen proficiencies. At Level 6, choose two more skill proficiencies (in skills or with Thieves' Tools) to gain this benefit.
Cunning Action
At Level 2, your quick thinking and agility allow you to move and act quickly. You can take a Bonus Action on each of your turns in combat. This action can be used only to take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide action.
Blitzkrieg
At 3rd Level, you can build on the momentum of a successful blow to your target, creating a swifter end for your foes. If you bring a creature to 0 HP, you can choose to use this feature. For this turn, you are able to take one extra action or one extra bonus action, but this action cannot be used to cast a spell. After using this feature, you can use it again after you complete a short or long rest.
Ability Score Improvement
At Levels 4, 8, 10, 12, 16, and 19, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this skill.
You can forgo taking this feature to take a Feat of your choice instead.
Uncanny Dodge
Starting at 5th Level, when an attacker that you can see hits you with an attack, you can use your reaction to halve the attack's damage against you.
Opportune Backstab*
From 8th Level onwards, you are able to capitalise on the distraction when your enemy is hit by your ally. You can choose to forgo spending a skill point to learn the Opportune Backstab reaction below:
Reaction Trigger: A creature within your reach is hit by a melee attack from one of your allies.
Effect: Make a melee weapon attack against the creature.
*Attack of Opportunity variant: You can only learn this feature if you are using this variant.
Reliable Talent
At Level 11, you have refined your chosen skills until they approach perfection. Whenever you make an ability check that lets you add your proficiency bonus, you can treat a d20 roll of 9 or lower as a 10.
Slippery Mind
By 14th Level, you have acquired greater mental strength. You gain proficiency in Wisdom Saving Throws.
Elusive
From 18th Level onwards, you are so evasive that attackers rarely gain the upper hand against you. No attack roll has Advantage against you while you aren't
.
Stroke of Luck
At 20th Level, you have an uncanny knack for succeeding when you need to. If your attack misses a target within range, you can turn the miss into a hit. Alternatively, if you fail an Ability Check or a Saving Throw, you can treat the d20 roll as a 20.
Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a short or Long Rest.
Ninjutsu
The traditional espionage of the ancient ages. These spies and assassins have woven tradition into their abilities and attacks, tapping into the chakra within. These are the ones whose agility is unmatched – who disappear into the night – the ones whose title brings an undisputed sense of their power. Ninja.
Ki. For each skill point you put into this skill tree, increase your maximum Ki points by 1. Your Ki replenishes when you take a short or long rest.
Some skills in this tree force creatures to make a saving throw. This is calculated as:
Ki save DC: 8 + your proficiency bonus + your WIS modifier
Some Ninjutsu skills require hand sigils, and thus have a somatic component to their activation. You must have at least 2 free hands to use any of the Jutsu skills in this tree.
Upon putting at least 5 points into this skill tree, you gain proficiency with the katana and the wakizashi. The katana is considered to be a finesse weapon for you, however it cannot trigger Sneak Attack.
Upon putting at least 10 points into this skill tree, you gain the ability to cast the Minor Illusion cantrip using your chakra.
Frenetic Fighting
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PASSIVE
Requires: Level 2
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You are able to fluidly weave your attacks with sheathing and drawing your weapons.
Whenever you deal damage to an enemy with a weapon, you may choose to either sheath a non-heavy weapon or draw a non-heavy weapon.
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Throw
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Ability Time: 1 bonus action
Range: Weapon range
AoE: Single
Duration: Instantaneous
Ki Cost: 1 Ki Point
Magickal
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You imbue your weapon with some of your ki, causing your throw to be more accurate.
Make a thrown weapon attack against a creature using a weapon you are holding. The weapon is considered to have the Thrown (6/20m) property if it doesn't already. Furthermore, you gain a +2 bonus to the attack roll, or a +2 bonus to the damage roll.
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Shadow Jutsu: Doppelganger
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Ability Time: 1 reaction
Range: Self
AoE: Single
Duration: 1 round
Ki Cost: 2 Ki Points
Requires: 2 points in Ninjutsu
Requires: Level 5
Magickal
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Double the trouble.
Reaction Trigger: At the start of your turn.
Effect: You project an illusory clone of yourself in an unoccupied space up to 2m from your current position. This clone lasts until the end of your next turn, at which point, it dissipates.
Your clone copies all actions and movement you perform, but you can choose different targets for the attacks/abilities, and different directions for movement.
The clone looks exactly like you, but it is intangible and thus can't deal or take any physical damage. However, it can still deal magickal damage from the Jutsu in this skill tree, and it can take magickal damage.
The clone has AC equal to 10 + your DEX modifier, and upon taking 1 or more damage, the clone dissipates into thin air.
This clone counts as an allied creature for all intents and purposes.
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Myriad Copy
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UPGRADE
Requires: 4 points in Ninjutsu
Requires: Level 9
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Triple the terror.
You may pay an additional 1 Ki point when you trigger this ability to create an extra clone in an unoccupied space within 2m of you.
Furthermore, at the start of a turn where this ability is still active, you can expend 1 Ki Point to extend the duration that the clones last for an extra round.
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Forbidden Jutsu: Shukuchi
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Ability Time: 1 action
Range: 10m
AoE: Single
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
Ki Cost: 2 Ki Points
Requires: 2 points in Ninjutsu
Requires: Level 5
Magickal
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You sink into the shadows, emerging from another creature's shadow, using the dark energy therein to weave together threads of shadow, creating a kunai of solidified gloom in your hand.
Select a creature within 10m that is casting a shadow, and teleport to a space adjacent to it. You conjure a cursed kunai, which lasts for the duration. As part of the same action, you may make a weapon attack using the kunai.
On hit, it deals 2d10 DARK damage to the target, and the creature who wielded it last takes half of that damage as well. This damage doesn't force you to make a Concentration check.
It has the finesse, light, and thrown properties (range 6m/20m). In addition, when you use the kunai to attack a target that is in dim light or darkness, you make the attack roll with Advantage.
If you drop the weapon or throw it, it dissipates at the end of the turn. Thereafter, while this ability persists, you can use a bonus action to cause the kunai to reappear in your hand.
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Shikkokujou
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UPGRADE
Requires: Level 7
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Your kunai weaves together even darker energies, which can be imparted onto your foes.
In addition to the damage on hit, the target now becomes marked with a cursed mark that lasts for the duration of this ability.
As a bonus action, you can choose to trigger the curse, consuming the cursed marks and causing dark energies to erupt from each afflicted creature within 40m of you. Each cursed creature takes Xd8 DARK damage, where X is the number of curse stacks it has (X has a maximum of 3).
You regain HP equal to the amount of damage dealt by this effect.
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Wind Jutsu: Fuuma Shuriken
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Ability Time: 1 action
Range: Self
AoE: Single
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
Ki Cost: 1 Ki Point
Magickal
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You gather strands of wind energy, forging a maelstrom of wind in the palm of your hand, which can be thrown at a creature, where it bursts into a howling gale.
You conjure a Fuuma Shuriken made of wind, which lasts for the duration. As part of the same action, you may make a thrown weapon attack using the shuriken.
On hit, it deals 2d6 WIND damage to the target.
Whether the attack hits or misses, the shuriken explodes into a 2m radius sphere of razor, sharp wind. All creatures within range must make a DEX saving throw | Fail: 2d6 WIND damage | Success: half damage.
The Fuuma Shuriken is ranged, and has the finesse, light, and thrown properties (range 10m/40m).
A creature hit by multiple Fuuma Shuriken in the same turn takes half damage from all subsequent Fuuma Shuriken after the first.
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Enter the Maelstrom
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UPGRADE
Requires: 3 points in Ninjutsu
Requires: Level 7
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Your control over the air around you now allows you to form two shuriken.
The explosion radius increases by 2m (total: 4m radius).
Effect addition: You may pay an additional 1 Ki Point to conjure an extra Fuuma Shuriken in your other palm.
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Illusion Jutsu: Dream Within a Dream
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Ability Time: 1 reaction
Range: Self
AoE: Single
Duration: Instantaneous
Ki Cost: 1 Ki Point
Requires: 5 points in Ninjutsu
Requires: Level 11
Magickal
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Did that really happen? Or was it only just a dream...?
Reaction Trigger: At the end of any creature's turn.
Effect: Travel back in time to the position that you were at the start of this turn. You regain all Ki points that you spent this turn and all HP lost since the beginning of this turn.
You can only use this ability once every long rest.
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Kakugo
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PASSIVE
Requires: 7 points in Ninjutsu
Requires: Level 14
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Your agility and reaction speed has become peerless.
Whenever you could take a reaction, if you have already used your reaction this round, you may pay 1 Ki Point and take that reaction as an additional reaction.
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