NPC Classes

You ask me - Have I killed,
yes I have,
but have you not waged war,
have you not slaughtered countless innocents ?
Death was my way, I was predestined to walk it,
never have I faltered,
but you,
have you not sworn to uphold peace,
with which right, I ask you now,
with which right can you pass judgment on me ?

Author's Note: I consider the Assassin class in any RPG (Role-playing Game) unplayable by most players. I've done so twice once with the old AD&D game and once with the Beta-Version of the character class described below, needless to say, both attempts failed.
Both times the Assassin was a loner, ( as a character, not as a player ) because he was excempt from most group actions and found sudden-death either at the blade of a fellow Assassin or a champion of the City Guard.

I ADVISE ALL GM'S NOT TO INCLUDE THE CLASS BELOW AS A PLAYER CHARACTER CLASS.

Important Attributes : Dexterity and Perception.

Artisan Skills : None.

Racial Restrictions: Obsidiman, Troll and Windling.

Karma Ritual : No Assassin uses exactly the same Karma Ritual, but all of them seem to result in the death of another person...

* denotes a Discipline Talent
(K) indicates that (a) talent knack(s) may be learned

FIRST CIRCLE :
Talents:

Climbing
Melee Weapons
Karma Ritual
Silent Walk* (K)
Surprise Strike* (K)
Mimic Voice (K)

SECOND CIRCLE :

Disguise
Durability ( +6/+5 )
Frighten (K)

THIRD CIRCLE :

Lock Pick* (K)
Avoid Blow

FOURTH CIRCLE :

Karma:

Thread Weaving* (Death Weaving) (K)
Sprint

FIFTH CIRCLE :

Spell Defense:

Detect Trap (K)
Throwing Weapons

SIXTH CIRCLE :

Karma:

Conceal Weapon* (K)
Disarm mechanical Trap

SEVENTH CIRCLE :

Physical Defense:

Missile Weapons (K)
Fast Hand*

EIGHTH CIRCLE :

Toxic Blood:

Control Shadow* (see below)
Graceful Exit

NINTH CIRCLE :

Initiative:

Social Defense:

Critical Hit
Poison Resistance*
Astral Sight (K)

TENTH CIRCLE :

Recovery Test:

Karma:

Mark Horror* (new)
Terror (not entirely new)

ELEVENTH CIRCLE :
Karma: Increase the Assassin's Maximum Karma by 25.
Physical Defense: Increase the Assassin's Physical Defense by one.
Talents:

Quickblade
Slough Blame (K)

TWELFTH CIRCLE:
Spell Defense: Increase the Assassin's Spell Defense by two.
Talents:

Chameleon*
Sense Poison (K)

THIRTEENTH CIRCLE :
Blooded Weapon: For the cost of two permanent points of damage the Assassin may blood his Weapon against one opponent, whom has suffered at least one point of damage from the weapon.
All further attacks against this opponent gain a five step damage bonus. This bonus lasts for a year and a day after the "blooding", only after this time the Assassin may recover the lost damage points. (Even if the target is long dead by then). Talents:

Defense
Bond Horror* (new)

FOURTEENTH CIRCLE :
Social Defense: Increase the Assassin's Social Defense by two.
Physical Defense : +1. (you should know the text by now)
Talents:

Vital Strike
Wound Transfer

FIFTEENTH CIRCLE :
Initiative: Increase the Assassin's Initiative Step by three.
Talents:

Gain Surprise (K)
Dream of Death* (new)

NEW TALENTS :

Control Shadow :

   Step Number: Rank+Willpower    Action: Yes
   Skill Use: No    Requires Karma: No         Strain: 1
   Discipline Talent Use: Assassin
   May NOT be learned with the Versatility Talent.
   This Talent allows the user to manipulate the shadows around him to hide himself more effectively. To use this talent the character has to stand within an existing shadow. He or she then rolls the dice which become the target number for everyone wishing to spot the hidden character. Nothing new, ehh ? BUT the character doesn't need to stay at the original spot, he or she may "jump" from shadow to shadow as long as the shadows are within a distance equal to the characters Rank in Control Shadow in yards. Attacking someone standing in the open breaks the magic, but someone walking into the shadow the Assassin is controlling at the same time is definitely in danger.
( Authors Note: Imagine a hallway with several pillars, it is well lit, but even a well lit pillar has its Shadow...maybe its occupied, who knows? )
By the way the Talent lasts for a number of minutes equal to the characters Rank in Control Shadow.

Mark Horror :

   Step Number: Rank+Perception    Action: Yes
   Skill Use: No    Requires Karma: Yes         Strain: No
   Discipline Talent Use: Assassin
   May NOT be learned with the Versatility Talent.
See page 298 ED, change Horror to Assassin and character to Horror.
If both, the horror and the assassin, have marked each other any side may refuse a request (or similar things) made by the other by making a Mark Horror or Horror Mark Test against the others SD. (complicated, isn't it ?)

Terror :

   Step Number: Rank+Charisma    Action: Yes
   Skill Use: No    Requires Karma: No        Strain: 5
   Discipline Talent Use: None
   May NOT be learned with the Versatility Talent.
See page 298/299 ED, but the Horror Power is limited to a number of rounds equal to the characters Rank in Terror.

Bond Horror :

   Step Number: Rank+Perception    Action: Yes
   Skill Use: No    Requires Karma: Yes         Strain: No
   Discipline Talent Use: Assassin
   May NEVER be learned with the Versatility Talent.
The Assassin may only use bond horror on a horror he or she has successfully marked before and within 100 miles of "it". Thereafter the Assassin may try to use a horror power of "his" or "her" horror after making a successful test against the Horror's Spell Defense. Note that horrors may also lower their Spell Defense. The Assassin can use the new power for a number of rounds equal to his Rank in Bond Horror, during this time the Horror can NOT use the same power. Use the characters Step in Bond Horror for the Step number of all gained Horror Powers up to the Horrors own Rank in the Power. The Assassin may also lend one of his talents to the Horror in the same way. (for example Control Shadow) I allow all Horror Powers to be transferred, although it might get a little complicated in the case of the Horror Mark power. Note that the ability to have and use Karma (on EVERY action) is also a Horror Power.

Dream of Death :

   Step Number: Rank+Willpower+10    Action: Yes
   Skill Use: No    Requires Karma: Yes        Strain: special
   Discipline Talent Use: Assassin
   May NOT be learned with the Versatility Talent.
Similar to the Dream Realm Spell on page 133 of the ED Magic Sourcebook, the Assassin may enter the Dream of a sleeping victim... What results this may have is up to the GM. To use the Dream of Death Talent the character must be able to see his victim, he also suffers one point of Strain for each minute within the Dream of his victim. Roll the Step Dice to determine the maximum number of minutes the Assassin may remain within the Dream and use the targets Spell Defense as a target number for the Dream of Death Talent.

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