Dagger-Master Assassin (3.5e Class)

Dagger-Master Assassin

Making a Dagger-Master Assassin

Alignment: Any.

Starting Age: Simple.

Table: The Dagger-Master Assassin

Hit Die: d8

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Saving Throws			Special
		Fort	Ref	Will
1st	+0	+0	+2	+0	Sneak Attack +1d6, Trapfinding, Perfect Two-Weapon Fighting, Dagger Specialization
2nd	+1	+0	+3	+0	Evasion, Poison Usage, Dagger Mastery
3rd	+2	+1	+3	+1	Sneak Attack +2d6, Vital Anatomy(Strong), Trap Sense +1, Cunning Striking
4th	+3	+1	+4	+1	Uncanny Dodge
5th	+3	+1	+4	+1	Sneak Attack +3d6, Darkvision
6th	+4	+2	+5	+2	Trap Sense +2, Hide in Plain Sight
7th	+5	+2	+5	+2	Sneak Attack +4d6, Dagger Defence
8th	+6/+1	+2	+6	+2	Improved Uncanny Dodge, Vital Anatomy(Deadly), Improved Dagger Specialization
9th	+6/+1	+3	+6	+3	Sneak Attack +5d6, Trap Sense +3, Improved Evasion
10th	+7/+2	+3	+7	+3	Opportunist
11th	+8/+3	+3	+7	+3	Sneak Attack +6d6
12th	+9/+4	+4	+8	+4	Trap Sense +4
13th	+9/+4	+4	+8	+4	Sneak Attack +7d6, Vital Anatomy(Insane), Cunning Defence
14th	+10/+5	+4	+9	+4	Eviscerating
15th	+11/+6/+1	+5	+9	+5	Sneak Attack +8d6, Trap Sense +5
16th	+12/+7/+2	+5	+10	+5	Weaving
17th	+12/+7/+2	+5	+10	+5	Sneak Attack +9d6, Deft Step
18th	+13/+8/+3	+6	+11	+6	Trap Sense +6, Vital Anatomy(Boundless), Slippery Mind
19th	+14/+9/+4	+6	+11	+6	Sneak Attack +10d6, Devastating Critical
20th	+15/+10/+5	+6	+12	+6	Defensive Roll
Class Skills (8 + Int modifier per level, ×4 at 1st level) Appraise (Int), Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Int), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Forgery (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (local) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Open Lock (Dex), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), Use Magic Device (Cha), Use Rope (Dex).

Class Features

lowing are class features of the dagger-master assassin.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Dagger-Master Assassins are proficient with all simple weapons. Dagger-Master Assassins are proficient with light armor, but not with shields.

Sneak Attack: As rogue's sneak attack.

The dagger-master assassin’s attack deals extra damage any time her target would be denied a Dexterity bonus to AC (whether the target actually has a Dexterity bonus or not), or when the dagger-master assassin flanks her target. This extra damage is 1d6 at 1st level, and it increases by 1d6 every two dagger-master assassin levels thereafter. Should the dagger-master assassin score a critical hit with a sneak attack, this extra damage is not multiplied.

Ranged attacks can count as sneak attacks only if the target is within 30 feet.

With a sap (blackjack) or an unarmed strike, a dagger-master assassin can make a sneak attack that deals nonlethal damage instead of lethal damage. She cannot use a weapon that deals lethal damage to deal nonlethal damage in a sneak attack, not even with the usual –4 penalty.

A dagger-master assassin can sneak attack only living creatures with discernible anatomies—undead, constructs, oozes, plants, and incorporeal creatures lack vital areas to attack. Any creature that is immune to critical hits is not vulnerable to sneak attacks. The dagger-master assassin must be able to see the target well enough to pick out a vital spot and must be able to reach such a spot. A dagger-master assassin cannot sneak attack while striking a creature with concealment or striking the limbs of a creature whose vitals are beyond reach.

Trapfinding: Dagger-Master Assassins (and only dagger-master assassins) can use the Search skill to locate traps when the task has a Difficulty Class higher than 20.

Finding a nonmagical traps has a DC of at least 20, or higher if it is well hidden. Finding a magic traps has a DC of 25 + the level of the spell used to create it.

Dagger-Master Assassins (and only dagger-master assassins) can use the Disable Device skill to disarm magic traps. A magic traps generally has a DC of 25 + the level of the spell used to create it.

A dagger-master assassin who beats a trap’s DC by 10 or more with a Disable Device check can study a trap, figure out how it works, and bypass it (with her party) without disarming it.

Perfect Two-Weapon Fighting: A dagger-master Assassin is treated as having the perfect two-weapon fighting feat. A dagger-master assassin need not have any of the prerequisites normally required for this feat.

Dagger Specialization:  During creation, a Dagger-Master Assassin picks one type of dagger. They are treated as having taken Weapon Focus, Weapon Specialization, and Weapon Finesse with this weapon, and receive a +1 to all attack rolls, and a +2 to all damage rolls. Dagger Specialization takes the place of the feat you get for being first level.   A dagger-master assassin need not have any of the prerequisites normally required for these feats.

Evasion (Ex): At 2nd level and higher, a dagger-master assassin can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with great agility. If she makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, she instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if the dagger-master assassin is wearing light armor or no armor. A helpless dagger-master assassin does not gain the benefit of evasion.

Poison Use: Assassins are trained in the use of poison and have developed an immunity to all forms of it.

Dagger Mastery: At 2nd level, dagger-master assassins increase the damage die of daggers by two sizes.

Vital Anatomy: A dagger-master assassin has a extensive knowledge of weak spots on enemies. A dagger-master assassin only gains these bonuses in Light or No Armor.

At 3rd level, a dagger-master assassin gains "Strong Critical", making the critical damage multiplier increase by 1x (Ex. 2x-->3x) and increasing the chance of a critical by 1 (20 --> 19-20, etc).

At 8th level, a dagger-master assassin gains "Deadly Critical", further increasing the bonus by another 1x (Ex. 3x-->4x) and by increasing the chance of a critical by 1 (20 --> 18-20, etc). Also at 8th level, this increased chance of a critical stacks with the feat Improved Critical. A Dagger master assassin may also multiply sneak attack damage as if their weapons had the deadly enhancement.

At 13th level, a dagger-master assassin gains "Insane Critical", again increasing the multiplier by 1x (Ex. 4x-->5x) and by increasing the chance of a critical by 1(20-->17-20).

At 18th level, a dagger-master assassin gains "Boundless Critical", increasing the multiplier of the critical by x1 (Ex. 5x-6x) and the chance of a critical by 2(20--> 15-20, etc).

Trap Sense (Ex): At 3rd level, a dagger-master assassin gains an intuitive sense that alerts her to danger from traps, giving her a +1 bonus on Reflex saves made to avoid traps and a +1 dodge bonus to AC against attacks made by traps. These bonuses rise to +2 when the dagger-master assassin reaches 6th level, to +3 when she reaches 9th level, to +4 when she reaches 12th level, to +5 at 15th, and to +6 at 18th level.

Trap sense bonuses gained from multiple classes stack.

Cunning Strike:  A Dagger-Master Assassin of 3rd level or higher, so long as he is wearing light armor or no armor and carrying no heavier than a light load may add his Intelligence Modifier (if any) as an Insight bonus to any damage dealt with his daggers. This bonus does not take effect against creatures that are immune to Critical hits. In addition, a +2 Insight bonus is applied to critical confirmation rolls, becoming a +4 bonus at 6th level, and continues to increase by two every third level thereafter.

Uncanny Dodge (Ex): Starting at 4th level, a dagger-master assassin can react to danger before her senses would normally allow her to do so. She retains her Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) even if she is caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. However, she still loses her Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized.

If a dagger-master assassin already has uncanny dodge from a different class she automatically gains improved uncanny dodge (see below) instead.

Daskvision: At 5th level the dagger-master assassin is so accustomed the hiding in the dark that he has learned to see in even the darkest environments and is thus treated as having darkvision.

Hide in Plain Sight: At 6th level, a dagger-master assassin can use the Hide skill even while being observed. As long as he is within 10 feet of some sort of shadow, a dagger-master assassin can hide himself from view in the open without having anything to actually hide behind.

He cannot, however, hide in his own shadow.

Dagger Defense: At 7th level, the Dagger-Master Assassin has practiced using his daggers so much that he can quickly block any attack made against him. As long as the Dagger-Master Assassin has at least one dagger drawn, he gains a +2 shield bonus to AC. He gains an additional +2 bonus if he has two daggers drawn. The Dagger-Master Assassin gains this benefit even if he is flat-footed, so long as he has at least one dagger drawn and his arms have the mobility to move the daggers to block attacks (thus, if he is paralyzed or immobilized, he loses the bonus). However, the Dagger-Master Assassin loses the benefits of this ability if he is wearing armor or wielding a shield.

Improved Uncanny Dodge (Ex): A dagger-master assassin of 8th level or higher can no longer be flanked.

This defense denies another dagger-master assassin the ability to sneak attack the character by flanking her, unless the attacker has at least four more dagger-master assassin levels than the target does.

If a character already has uncanny dodge (see above) from a second class, the character automatically gains improved uncanny dodge instead, and the levels from the classes that grant uncanny dodge stack to determine the minimum dagger-master assassin level required to flank the character.

Improved Dagger Specialization: At 8th Level, a dagger-master assassin may add her Dex mod score along with her Str mod to her attack rolls. A dagger-master assassin must still be wearing Light or No armor to have access to this class feature.

Improved Evasion (Ex): This ability works like evasion, except that while the dagger-master assassin still takes no damage on a successful Reflex saving throw against attacks henceforth she henceforth takes only half damage on a failed save. A helpless dagger-master assassin does not gain the benefit of improved evasion.

Opportunist (Ex): Once per round, the dagger-master assassin can make an attack of opportunity against an opponent who has just been struck for damage in melee by another character. This attack counts as the dagger-master assassin’s attack of opportunity for that round. Even a dagger-master assassin with the Combat Reflexes feat can’t use the opportunist ability more than once per round.

Cunning Defense: At 13th level the dagger-master assassin has learned how to watch and anticipate an opponents attacks allowing him to add his intelligence modifier to his AC. This ability is active (even when flat-footed) unless he is helpless or paralized.

Eviscerating: A dagger-master assassin of 14th level has honed her skill and accuracy with a blade so much that she adds her Dex modifier to damage (in addition to Strength) when attacking with daggers.

Weaving: a dagger-master assassin of 16th level can move so quickly that he is treated as using the blink spell as a move action. This lasts for (1/2 the dagger-master assassins class level) rounds.

Deft Step: 3/day a dagger-master of 17th level can move behind an enemy as if he had teleported as a free action.

Slippery Mind (Ex): This ability represents the dagger-master assassin’s ability to wriggle free from magical effects that would otherwise control or compel her. If a dagger-master assassin with slippery mind is affected by an enchantment spell or effect and fails her saving throw, she can attempt it again 1 round later at the same DC. She gets only this one extra chance to succeed on her saving throw.

Devastating Critical: A dagger-master assassin of 19th level has truly learned how to destroy his target and gains the Devastating Critical feat. A dagger-master assassin need not have any of the prerequisites normally required for this feat.

Defensive Roll (Ex): The dagger-master assassin can roll with a potentially lethal blow to take less damage from it than she otherwise would. Once per day, when she would be reduced to 0 or fewer hit points by damage in combat (from a weapon or other blow, not a spell or special ability), the dagger-master assassin can attempt to roll with the damage. To use this ability, the dagger-master assassin must attempt a Reflex saving throw (DC=damage dealt). If the save succeeds, she takes only half damage from the blow; if it fails, she takes full damage. She must be aware of the attack and able to react to it in order to execute her defensive roll—if she is denied her Dexterity bonus to AC, she can’t use this ability. Since this effect would not normally allow a character to make a Reflex save for half damage, the dagger-master assassin’s evasion ability does not apply to the defensive roll.

Ex-Dagger-Master Assassin

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Epic Dagger-Master Assassin

Table: The Epic

Hit Die: d

Level	Special
21st
22nd
23rd
24th
25th
26th
27th
28th
29th
30th
+ Int modifier skill points per level.

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Bonus Feats: The epic gains a bonus feat (selected from the list of epic bonus feats) every levels after 20th.

Epic Bonus Feat List: .

Dagger-Master Assassin Starting Package

Weapons: .

Skill Selection: Pick a number of skills equal to 4 + Int modifier.

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Playing a Dagger-Master Assassin

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Dagger-Master Assassins in the World

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Dagger-Master Assassin Lore

Characters with ranks in can research to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs.

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Dagger-Master Assassins in the Game

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