A SINGLE STRIKE

Assassins are trained to kill efficiently, to strike at vital areas with the intent of ending life and the dance of combat quickly. Unlike warriors, who brutally hew at any creature that stands in their path, an assassin has a singular focus and tends to view any violence except against an identified target – those marked for death – as a distraction and waste of motion. The perfect kill is one that wastes little motion or resources and perhaps is never even noticed — not even by the victim.

When it comes to combat, assassins are unwavering in their purpose, prioritizing the elimination of a single chosen target over any other distractions; cunning or brute strength does not matter, only the end result. Most assassins would rather make a single precise strike, placed exactly where it will inflict the most damage. While seemingly entirely focused on offense, assassins do have effective defensive skills and an almost supernatural knack for avoiding danger.

ASHES of LIFE

Whereas most killers can be adept with weapon and the arts of infiltration and mimicry, trained assassins transcend the normal skill level; learning to make use of dark energies generated through the pain and fear of their target. This energy is often referred to as the "ashes of life" or simply "ash" and forms as a miasmic cloud where violence occurs to living beings. Ash is not a form of arcane or necrotic power, seemingly manifesting from the psychic energies associated with throes of violence and death. It is described as a black ash-like substance that floats in the air and settles on surrounding surfaces though this description is not universal – some assassins even refer to it as the “dark water” or “black tears” and describe it as more of a liquid while others may refer to it as "the mist". Invisible to the untrained eye, more philosophic assassins believe that the ash is the very essence of fear and pain as well as the residue of the soul as it is extinguished.

Assassins adept in the use of ash are able to draw upon this substance to create powerful effects and exceed their body's physical capabilities; certain assassin features harness this power to directly manipulate the life force of their opponents.

Hit Points

• Hit Dice: 1d8 per Assassin level
• Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier
• Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per assassin level after 1st

Proficiencies

• Armor: Light armor
• Weapons: Simple weapons, martial weapons
• Tools: Disguise kit

• Saving Throws: Strength, Intelligence
• Skills: Choose two skills from Acrobatics, Athletics, Deception, Insight, Intimidation, Investigation, Perception, Performance, Persuasion, Sleight of Hand, and Stealth

Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

• (a) a martial weapon of your choice
• (a) light crossbow and quiver with 20 bolts or (b) three daggers
• (a) burglar's pack or (b) an entertainer's pack or (c) an explorer's pack
• (a) Leather armor, a short sword, and a disguise kit

Assassin Saving Throws

Some of your class features and deathcrafts require your target to make a saving throw to resist the effect. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows:

DC: 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier.

ASSASSINATE

Your training provides insight into a creature's vulnerabilities, allowing you to identify weak points and exploit them.

Once per turn, as long as you are wielding an assassin weapon, which are any simple melee weapons that do not have the two-handed or heavy property or martial melee weapons with the finesse property, your weapon attacks score a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20 and the weapon’s damage increases by an amount based on your level in this class, as shown in the Precision Damage column of the Assassin table.

In addition, when you deal damage to an opponent with a weapon attack using an assassin weapon and reduce the target to 0 hit points, the creature suffers disadvantage on all death saving throws.

The Blackened Coin Upon initiation into the ranks of the Death Sworn, every new member receives a large rough black iron coin. There are no markings on the coin and the workmanship is crude, but it is a Death Sworn’s dearest possession. When the time comes for a Death Sworn to take a contract, the name of the victim appears on the coin and stays writ on its surface until the contract has been completed. It is unknown how the name appears or who issues the contracts; rumors abound of assassins who ignore the contract too long and meet their demise, the coin somehow playing a prominent role. Some Death Sworn wear the coin on a necklace, some incorporate it into a favored weapon, while others carry it freely – flipping in the air as a matter of habit (or menace).

MERCENARY TRADITION

As much mercenary as assassin, you have extensive training in the arts of combat and warfare. At 3rd level, you gain proficiency with medium armor and shields and can use a shield and still benefit from the Reflexive Strength feature.

In addition, you gain expertise with the twin sword, a signature weapon of your guild. When using a twin sword, you can separate and combine the blades using a bonus action rather than an action.

DEADLY MASTERY

When you join this guild at 3rd level, you are trained in the fighting styles of war and adopt a particular style of fighting as your specialty.

Choose one of the following options: archery, dueling, great weapon fighting, or two-weapon fighting. You can’t take a fighting style option more than once, even if you later get to choose again.

VERSATILE ASSAILANT

Your training gives you a masterful degree of control with heavier weapons. At 9th level, though more comfortable with finesse weapons, you are skilled with the use of some of the heavier and deadlier weaponry of the warrior. You ignore the heavy property on any weapon and while wielding a weapon with the versatile property in two hands, you may treat the weapon as if it also had the finesse property.

BRUTAL ASSAILANT

Starting at 13th level, you are at your deadliest when you get the drop on your enemies. You have advantage on attack rolls against any creature that hasn’t taken a turn in the combat yet.

DEVASTATING STRIKE

Beginning at 18th level, you can roll two additional weapon damage die when determining the extra damage for a critical hit with a melee attack.

POISON CRAFTER

At 3rd level, you gain proficiency with the poisoner’s kit and have advantage on any Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) checks made to move or manipulate poisons as long as the item or container is no larger than your palm. Other creatures have disadvantage on rolls to detect poison that you are employing, whether smeared on a blade or mixed with food or drink.

POTENT DELIVERY

When you reach 3rd level, you can apply an injury poison to your weapon as a bonus action. You must have a poison on your person in order to use this feature.

In addition, your attacks are designed to exploit the weaknesses of any creature suffering from poison. You have advantage on weapon attacks against poisoned creatures.

POISON ARTISAN

At 9th level, you add your Intelligence modifier to the DC of the saving throw for any poison you use.

In addition, due to extended exposure to poisons, you are able to pick up the subtle signs of poisoning. By spending 1 minute in concentration, you can detect and identify any poison within a range of 30 feet, even if located inside a creature’s body.

DEADLY ALCHEMY

At 13th level, you are trained in the esoteric art of assassin’s alchemy and gain proficiency with alchemist’s supplies.

During a short rest, you can use of your alchemist’s supplies to create a single vial of basic poison or modify a single flask of acid, antitoxin, or alchemist’s fire to create a viscous acid, an enhanced antitoxin, or clinging fire.

TOXIC SECRETS

At 18th level, through further research in the alchemical arts, you learn the secrets of mind altering chemicals and herbs. You can create a number of non-lethal “poisons” using your poisoner’s kit or alchemist’s supplies. These poisons mimic the effects of certain spells and are applied either through contact, injury, ingestion, or inhalation (your choice at time of creation). You gain a number of recipes for these poisons equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of 1).

During a long rest, you can spend 1 hour and a number of gp equal to 50 multiplied by twice the level of the base spell (shown in parenthesis) to create a special poison, making 1 dose. You may make a total number of poisons equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of one).

Only you know how to correctly apply or use the poison, anyone else trying to use the poison finds it to be inert. A special poison remains active for 24 hours before losing its potency.

The following recipes can be created (as per the spell): bane (1), beacon of hope (3), blindness/deafness (2), charm person (1), compulsion (4), confusion (4), death ward (4), dissonant whispers (1), enhance ability (2), enthrall (2), faerie fire (1), false life (1), fear (3), hold person (2), levitate (2), phantasmal force (2), ray of enfeeblement(2), ray of sickness (1), sleep (1), Tasha’s Hideous Laughter (1), suggestion (2), zone of truth (2).

If the spell has a concentration requirement, the creature instead gets a saving throw at the end of each of its turns, even if it has already made a saving throw against the effect that turn. If the base spell affects multiple targets or an area, the poison instead affects only a single target and the range is always considered to be touch. Any creature can choose to fail a saving throw and accept the effect of the poison.

SAGACIOUS REVELATION

At 3rd level, you may use your Wisdom modifier or Intelligence modifier to calculate the saving throw DC of your deathcrafts, whichever is higher. You may also use your Wisdom modifier for the extra damage of the Calculated Cruelty feature.

DIVINE STUDIES

As part of your studies when you join this guild at 3rd level, you gain the Intelligence (Religion) skill and learn two cantrips of your choice from the Cleric spell list. Wisdom is your spell casting attribute for these spells.

At the end of a long rest, you may replace one of the cantrips that you know with another cantrip of your choice from the Cleric spell list.

UNERRING DIRECTION

At 9th level, you gain the Wisdom (Survival) skill. If you are tracking a creature that is fleeing judgment, you have advantage on all tracking checks.

FAVORED JURIST

At 13th level, you gain proficiency with Wisdom saving throw.

FOCUSED JUDGMENT

At 18th level, you have the power to pronounce judgment upon a creature. When you use the Mark Target feature, you gain the following additional benefits:

• You have resistance to a single damage type of your choice chosen when you mark your target. This resistance cannot be changed until such time as you select a new target to be marked
• You have advantage on any savings throws against spells or special abilities used by a marked creature if you are the direct target

SHADOW’S EMBRACE

Beginning at 3rd level, your essence has been touched by the realm of shadow. When you are in dim light or darkness, special vision such as darkvision does not work to detect your presence (treating those with darkvision as if they did not have the feature) and you have advantage on any Dexterity (Stealth) attempts.

SHADOW SERVANT

At 3rd level, through a one hour ritual, you are able infuse your own shadow with a semblance of life. The shadow springs into existence in an unoccupied space on the ground within 5 feet of you. It has AC 10, 5 hit points, and a Strength of 9. If it is reduced to 0 hit points, the shadow fades and reappears in its normal position in relation to your body. During this time, unless you order you shadow to remain at your side, you do not cast a shadow.

This shadow can perform simple tasks at your command. Once on each of your turns as a bonus action, you can mentally command the shadow to move up to 15 feet and interact with an object or make a single attack. The shadow servant can perform simple tasks that a humanoid could do, such as fetching things, cleaning, mending, serving food, and pouring wine. Once you give the command, the servant performs the task to the best of its ability until it completes the task, then waits for your next command. When making an attack, the shadow servant uses your proficiency bonus and deals damage equal to your assassin bonus damage die.

For each odd level you gain after 3rd, the shadow gains an additional hit die (d8) and increases its hit points accordingly.

You can only have a single Shadow Servant at any one time, which lasts for one hour or until destroyed. If you command the servant to perform a task that would move it more than 60 feet away from you, the shadow dissolves. A shadow servant does not count as an ally for purposes of determining attack advantage.*

SHADOW CALL

At 9th level, you can create items out of raw shadow. You can replicate any item from the Adventuring Gear table (PHB, p. 150) with a value under 10 gp or any weapon with the light property. The item or weapon lasts as long as you maintain concentration or until it leaves your possession.

Rations created from shadow stuff, while not very sustaining, allow you to make any saves against exhaustion due to starvation with advantage.

DARK PATHS

Beginning at 13th level, you can see the hidden doorways and paths of the realm of shadow. When you are in dim light or darkness, you ignore all difficult terrain and your base speed increases by 10 feet.

OPEN HAND

At 3rd level, you have learned the art of hand fighting and various techniques to disable your opponents with your unarmed strikes by using a simple but forced push on various nerves. Unarmed strikes are considered an assassin weapon and you can roll a d4 in place of the normal damage of an unarmed strike. The damage from your unarmed strikes increases to 1d6 at 11th level and 1d8 at 17th level.

GRAPPLE CONTROL

At 3rd level, you have advantage on grapple attempts. While attempting to move an opponent you have successfully grappled, your speed is not reduced.

As a reaction, as long as you have a target grappled, you can gain ½ cover against an attack that you are aware of, adjusting your hold and using the grappled creature as a barrier.

VISAGE STEALER

Starting at 3rd level, when you kill or render a foe of the same race as yourself unconscious, you can use an action to assume the appearance of that target as if using the disguise self spell. You keep the stolen face until you take a new face from another victim, you dismiss it as a bonus action, or 24 hours pass. The save to see through this disguise with an Intelligence (Investigation) attempt is equal to your assassin feature’s DC.

At 9th level, Visage Stealer works on any humanoid creature and acts as the change appearance option of the alter self spell, with the exception of duration.

This effect is considered magical and requires concentration to maintain.

ENDURING PURSUIT

At 3rd level, you have well learned how to bypass most obstacles or barriers in order to reach difficult targets. You gain proficiency with Thieves’ Tools and climbing or swimming no longer costs you extra movement. In addition, when making a long or high jump, the distance you cover increases by a number of feet equal to your Intelligence modifier.

STOLEN MEMORIES

Beginning at 9th level you can sometimes gain glimpses of the thoughts and memories of those whose form you take through your visage stealer feature. You gain knowledge in regards to five things that the creature knew in life. These memories are usually brief, cryptic, or repetitive.

ASHEN CASTING

When you reach 3rd level, you augment your skills with the ability to manipulate arcane energy by using ashen essence.

Cantrips. You learn two cantrips of your choice from the any spell list, though the cantrips must be from illusion or necromancy schools. You learn an additional cantrip of your choice at 10th level.

Ashen Essence. You use ashen essence to cast your spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these spells, you must expend a number of ashen essence equal to the spell’s level. For example, if you know the 1st-level spell shield, you can cast shield by expending one ashen essence.

Spells Known of 1st-Level and Higher. You know one 1st-level spells of your choice.

The Spells Known column of the Bloodknife Spellcasting table shows when you learn more spells of 1st level or higher. For instance, when you reach 8th level in this class, you can learn one new spell which can be of either 1st or 2nd level.

Whenever you gain a level in this class, you can replace one of the spells you know with another spell of your choice. The new spell must be of a level for which you have access to.

Any spells that you learn must belong to the necromancy school.

Spellcasting Component. All spells that you cast require only a somatic component, the forbidden sigils of your guild traced into the air.

Spellcasting Ability. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for your spells, since you learn your spells through study and memorization. You use your Intelligence whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Intelligence modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a wizard spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.

Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier **Spell attack modifier **= your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier

UNDERFOOT

You can move through a hostile creature's space if the creature is a minimum of one size larger rather than two sizes (PHB, p. 191).

In addition, as long as you are within 5 feet of a creature that is at least one size larger than you, that creature has disadvantage on all attacks rolls made against you.

VOICE MIMICRY

When you enter this guild at 3rd level, you are trained to expertly mimic voices and sounds. Using this ability requires either a Charisma (Performance) or Charisma (Deception) check, and creatures hearing the voice can make an opposed Wisdom (Perception) check to discover the ruse. You can attempt to emulate any creature or other sound you’ve heard clearly for at least 1 minute.

FEATHERED FOOTFALLS

At 9th level, your movements barely touch the surface underneath you. You ignore difficult terrain and any surface will support you. This allows you to move across water, lava, or even the thinnest tree branches though you must end your move on a surface that can support you. You cannot move across air in this way, nor can you walk up walls or other vertical surfaces. When moving in this manner, you do not take damage from surfaces or hazards that react to being touched, such as lava or caltrops, nor do you need to make Acrobatics checks to avoid falling on slippery or rough surfaces. Finally, you ignore any mechanical traps that use a weight- or location-based trigger.

(100 GP) POISON, BASIC

You can use the poison in this vial to coat one slashing or piercing weapon or up to three pieces of ammunition. A creature hit by the poisoned weapon or ammunition must make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or take 1d4 poison damage. Once applied, the poison retains potency for 1 minute before drying.

(150 GP) POISON, INTERMEDIATE

You can use the poison in this vial to coat one slashing or piercing weapon or up to three pieces of ammunition. A creature hit by the poisoned weapon or ammunition must make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or take 1d6 poison damage. Once applied, the poison retains potency for 1 minute before drying.

(250 GP) POISON, ADVANCED

You can use the poison in this vial to coat one slashing or piercing weapon or up to three pieces of ammunition. A creature hit by the poisoned weapon or ammunition must make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or take 2d4 poison damage. Once applied, the poison retains potency for 1 minute before drying.

(150 GP) POISON, DEBILITATING

You can use the poison in this vial to coat one slashing or piercing weapon or up to three pieces of ammunition. A creature hit by the poisoned weapon or ammunition must make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned until the end of its next turn. Once applied, the poison retains potency for 1 minute before drying.

(100 gp) VISCOUS ACID

You can use the acid in this vial to coat one weapon or up to three pieces of ammunition. A creature hit by the coated weapon or ammunition must make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or take 2d6 acid damage. Once applied, the acid retains potency for 1 minute before drying.

Unless magical in nature, the weapon coated with this acid is destroyed afterwards.

ASSASSIN'S BLOOD (INGESTED)

A creature subjected to this poison must make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, it takes 6 (1d12) poison damage and is poisoned for 24 hours. On a successful save, the creature takes half damage and isn't poisoned.

FIRE KISS FUMES (INHALED)

A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or take 3d6 poison damage, and must repeat the saving throw at the start of each of its turns. On each successive failed save, a creature takes 1d6 poison damage. After three successful saves, the poison ends.

NECROTIC MUCUS (CONTACT)

This poison must be harvested from ghoul, ghast, or wight. A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 1 minute. The poisoned creature is paralyzed. The creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

DREAM BANE (INJURY)

This poison is typically made only by the Sedhe of the Winter Court, and only in a place far removed from sunlight. A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 1 hour. If the saving throw fails by 5 or more, the creature is also unconscious while poisoned in this way. The creature wakes up if it takes damage or if another creature takes an action to shake it awake.

ETHEREAL ESSENCE (INHALED)

A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned for 8 hours. The poisoned creature is unconscious. The creature wakes up if it takes damage or if another creature takes an action to shake it awake.