Elemental Assassin (5e Class)

by Kamil

Elemental Assassin

Elemental Assassins train for years to become masters of their art, at a Temple of the Elements. There are a few of these dotted around the world, and each has a master, guiding all who pass the Elemental Gauntlet. This is designed to push each prospective entrant to their absolute limit, with physical and mental challenges along the way. Each gauntlet differs, according to the residing master's design.

As an Elemental Assassin, you have dedicated years to studying the ways of the elements and creating ways to enhance your natural abilities. Such training takes a long time to master, and has left you highly attuned to the ways of the natural world. You can use these skills to slightly enhance weapons, buff yourself, protect yourself from a small amount of damage, and heighten awareness or movement speed.

Creating an Elemental Assassin

Any race can train to become an Elemental Assassin, providing they have the patient nature to complete their training, and have a high Dexterity.

An Elemental Assassin can have any alignment. Most favor a neutral stance to life, but some have been known to have been corrupted by their Master and turned evil.

A few questions to ask yourself when creating your biography:

• What made you leave your people in pursuit of elemental knowledge?
• Who did you study under, and what is your preferred style?
• Where did you train, and what did you have to go through to get there?
• How did you get to the Temple?
• What is your ultimate goal? Fame? Power? Knowledge? Vengeance?

Class Features

As a Elemental Assassin you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

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

Proficiencies

Armor: Light Armor
Weapons: Simple Weapons, Blowgun, Shortbow, Longbow, and Shortswords.
Tools: Poisoner's Kit, Thieves Tools
Saving Throws: Dexterity, Intelligence
Skills: Choose 3 skills from the following: Acrobatics, Athletics, Stealth, Arcana, Investigation, Persuasion, Insight, Intimidation, Deception, Sleight of Hand, or Perception.

Equipment

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

• Leather Armor and Two Daggers
• (a) Trap kit or (b) Blowgun
• (a) A Shortbow and a Quiver of 20 Arrows or (b) 5 Vials of Moonswift
• (a) An Explorer's Pack or (b) An Adventurer's Pack
• If you are using starting wealth, you have 4d4 x 10gp in funds.

Table: The Elemental Assassin

Level	Proficiency Bonus	Features	Energy Strike	—Spell Slots per Spell Level—
				1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th
1st	+2	Primordial Speech, Energy Strike	1d4	—	—	—	—	—
2nd	+2	Spellcasting, Wind Rider	1d4	2	—	—	—	—
3rd	+2	Elemental Assassin Clan	2d4	3	—	—	—	—
4th	+2	Ability Score Improvement	2d4	3	—	—	—	—
5th	+3	Primordia Barrier	3d4	4	2	—	—	—
6th	+3	Jet Stream	3d4	4	2	—	—	—
7th	+3	Fluidity,Clan Feature	3d4	4	3	—	—	—
8th	+3	Ability Score Improvement	3d4	4	3	—	—	—
9th	+4	—	3d4	4	3	2	—	—
10th	+4	Amorphous Body	3d4	4	3	2	—	—
11th	+4	Clan Feature	4d4	4	3	3	—	—
12th	+4	Ability Score Improvement	4d4	4	3	3	—	—
13th	+5	—	4d4	4	3	3	1	—
14th	+5	Jetstream	4d4	4	3	3	1	—
15th	+5	Clan Feature	4d4	4	3	3	2	—
16th	+5	Ability Score Improvement	4d4	4	3	3	2	—
17th	+6	—	5d4	4	3	3	3	1
18th	+6	Earth Attunement	5d4	4	3	3	3	1
19th	+6	Ability Score Improvement	5d4	4	3	3	3	2
20th	+6	Elemental Mastery	5d4	4	3	3	3	2

Primordial Lore

As an elemental assassin, you have learned on how to understand, interact and control the elements. At 1st level, you learn the spells control flames[1], gust[2], mold earth[3] or shape water[4]. You can cast these spells as a bonus action. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability to cast these spells.

you can speak, read, and write Primordial. Knowing this language allows you to understand and be understood by those who speak its dialects: Aquan, Auran, Ignan, and Terran.

Energy Strike

Beginning at 1st level, you know how deliver a elemental energy onto your strikes. Once per turn, you can deal an extra 1d4 damage to one creature you hit with an melee weapon attack. You can chose the damage from the following: acid, cold, fire, lighting and thunder.

The amount of the extra damage increases as you gain levels in this class, as shown in the Energy Strike column of the Elemental Assassin table.

Wind Rider

At 2nd level, your body becomes highly attuned to the wind. You can use a bonus action on your turn to cause whirling gusts of elemental air to briefly surround you, immediately before or after you cast a cantrip you learn through Primordial Lore, or a spell of 1st level or higher. Doing so allows you to fly up to 10 feet without provoking opportunity attacks.

Spellcasting

Beginning at 2nd level, you have studied the elements, and how to draw its power to cast spells.

Preparing and Casting Spells

The Elemental Assassin table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these spells, you must expend a slot of the spell's level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest.

You prepare the list of elemental assassin that are available for you to cast, choosing from the Elemental Assassin Spell List. When you do so, choose a number of elemental assassin spells equal to your Intelligence modifier + half your elemental assassin level, rounded down (minimum of one spell). The spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots.

For example, if you know the 1st-level spell burning hands and have a 1st-level and a 2nd-level spell slot available, you can cast burning hands using either slot.

Spellcasting Ability

Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for your elemental assassin spells, since you learn to cast spells through study and research on the nature of the elemental magic. 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 elemental assassin 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

Elemental Assassin Clan

At 3rd level, you choose an clan whose teachings you follow, focusing in one aspect of the elements to focus in the training of your elemental assassin abilities:

Your clan choice grants you features at 3rd level and then again at 7th, 11th, and 15th level.

Ability Score Improvement

At 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1.

Primordial Barrier

At 5th level, you learn how to manipulate the elements around you to create a temporary protection against attacks. As a bonus action on your turn, you can summon a protection made of water, fire, earth or air, that lasts until the beginning of your next turn. You gain the following benefits, depending on the chosen barrier:

Air

Resistance to thunder and lighting damage. Ranged weapon attacks against you are made at disadvantage.

Fire

Resistance to fire and cold damage. Any creature within 5-feet of you must make a Dexterity saving throw, or take 1d6 fire damage.

Earth

Resistance to slashing, piercing and bludgeoning damage from nonmagical sources. You can't move or take reactions until the end of your next turn.

Water

Resistance to fire and acid damage. Any creature within 5-feet of you must make a Strength saving throw, or be pushed 5 feet away from you.

Jet Stream

At 6th level, you can use your bonus action to shot a burst of air on a surface, allowing you to jump up to a distance equal to your movement speed. In addition, you can use your reaction when you fall to reduce any falling damage you take by an amount equal to five times your Elemental Assassin level.

Fluidity

At 7th level, you learn to move with grace, maneuvering with the elements. You can climb, and swim up to your movement speed.

In addition, you can burrow at a cost of half of your movement. You can burrow only to natural rock, dust and earth, being unable to move through constructions, carved stone or earth affected by magic.

Amorphous Body

At 10th level, you can merge with the elements, changing the state of your body. As a bonus action, you can become amorphous until the beginning of your next turn. While amorphous, you can enter a hostile creature's space and stop there. Moreover, you can move through a space as narrow as 1 inch wide without squeezing.

Stone Coffin

At 14th level, as a reaction when you take damage, you can raise the ground around you, encasing yourself in rock, gravel and stone. You gain 10 temporary hit points per level you have in this class. While inside the stone coffin, you are unable to move, take actions or reactions. While inside the coffin, you have full cover. The Stone Coffin lasts until it is reduced to 0 hit points or you decide to dismiss it, as a bonus action on your turn.

Once you use this feature, you can't do it again until you complete a short or a long rest.

Earth Attunement

At 18th level, you become linked to the earth, the element that surrounds itself with the others on the material plane. When you attack a creature you can't see, your inability to see it doesn't impose disadvantage on your attack rolls against it. If a creature hiding or invisible is within 30 feet of you, you can spend your action to detect the exact location of that creature.

Elemental Mastery

At 20th Level, you achieve Elemental Mastery, becoming one with the elements. As a bonus action, you can assume the form of an elemental (see air elemental, fire elemental, earth elemental or air elemental statistics), similar to the functioning of the shapechange spell, lasting for 1 minute. During that time, you can cast any of your Elemental Assassin spells without the need of using any components.

When you use your action to use one of the features described in the attack section of the elemental stat-block, you can make an additional weapon attack with your bonus action.

After using this feature, you cannot use it again until you take a long rest.

Elemental Assassin Spell List

1st level: absorb elements,burning hands,chromatic orb,create or destroy water, feather fall, fog cloud,thunderwave.

2nd level: acid arrow,flaming sphere, gust of wind, heat metal, scorching ray, shatter.

3rd level: fireball, gaseous form, glyph of warding, lightning bolt, meld into stone, sleet storm, water walk,wind wall

4th level: conjure minor elementals, control water,elemental bane,fire shield,ice storm,stone shape, stoneskin, wall of fire.

5th level: commune with nature,cone of cold, conjure elemental, maelstrom,passwall, wall of stone

Elemental Clans

Elemental Daggers

The elemental assassins of the Elemental Daggers clan are specialized in combine the power of the elemental magic with the swiftness and precision of the daggers to slay their targets.

Elemental Assassin Spells

Starting at 3rd level, you always have certain spells prepared after you reach particular levels in this class, as shown in the Elemental Daggers Spells table. These spells count as elemental assassin spells for you, but they don’t count against the number of elemental assassin spells you prepare.

Elemental Assassin Level	Spells
3rd	searing smite,zephyr strike
5th	blur, misty step
9th	haste, elemental weapon
13th	freedom of movement,fire shield
17th	steel wind strike, banishing smite

Bonded Dagger

At 3rd level, you learn a ritual that creates a magical bond between yourself and one dagger. You perform the ritual over the course of 1 hour, which can be done during a short rest. The weapon must be within your reach throughout the ritual, at the conclusion of which you touch the dagger and forge the bond.

Once you have bonded a dagger to yourself, you can't be disarmed of that weapon unless you are incapacitated. If it is on the same plane of existence, you can summon that weapon as a bonus action on your turn, causing it to teleport instantly to your hand.

You can have up to two bonded daggers, but can summon only one at a time with your bonus action. If you attempt to bond with a third weapon, you must break the bond with one of the other two.

Dagger Mastery

At 3rd level the damage die of your bonded dagger weapons you use increases by one size, becoming a d6. Increases again at 14th level, becoming a d8.

Elemental Dagger

At 3rd level, you can infuse your bonded dagger with elemental magic. As a bonus action you may imbue a bonded dagger you are holding with a spell you know of first level or higher, expending a spell slot and spell components as though you cast the spell normally. You may only imbue spells with a duration of instantaneous. This dagger remains imbued so long as you maintain concentration on it.

When making an attack with an imbued dagger, treat it as a normal attack. If the attack successfully hits a creature, the spell is cast centered on your target or targeting only the creature hit by the dagger, as appropriate. Spells requiring spell attacks automatically hit, since the dagger has already struck the target. Line and cone spells are cast in the direction of the attack.

When using an imbued dagger to make an Energy Strike, you may only apply half the number of d4 listed on the Energy Strike table, rounded down, to the attack.

Raging Current

At 7th level, you learn to channel a raging current into your weapon strikes with daggers. You land a critical hit with an attack roll between 19-20, dealing an extra die of the damage roll.

Elemental Weapon

At 11th level, your chosen weapon deals an additional 1d4 elemental damage. Chose one damage type of the following: fire, acid, cold, lighting or thunder. At 9th Level the damage increases to 1d6 and at 14th level your Elemental Weapon increases in damage to 1d8, of the damage type that you have previously chosen.

Luck of the Wind

At 15th level, the wind bestows upon you a blessing, allowing you to re-roll the additional damage dice rolls of 1 or 2 from your Elemental Weapon feature. You must use the new roll, regardless of value.

Elemental Sniper

Masters in hurling elemental projectiles on their victims, elemental snipers combine their mastery over elements and a deadly precision on its attacks.

Elemental Shooter

At 3rd level, you learn two of the following cantrips: acid splash, fire bolt, lighting lure or ray of frost. You learn another one at 7th and 11th level.

When you make an spell attack with one of those cantrips, you can apply half the number of d4s listed on the Energy Strike table (rounded down) to the damage of the attack. The additional damage must be from the same type of the spell.

Shoot'm Up

At 7th level, you learn how to use your elemental magic to distract targets. When you use your bonus action to cast one of your Primordial Lore cantrips within 5 feet of a creature, you can use your action to make a ranged spell attack against that creature, with advantage. The damage is equal to your Elemental Strike damage.

Redirect Energy

At 11th level, when you make an ranged spell attack, you can use a bonus action to reroll the attack roll against a different target within 60 feet of the original target.

Multiclassing

Prerequisites. To qualify for multiclassing into the Elemental Assassin class, you must meet these prerequisites: Dexterity 13, Intelligence 13.

Proficiencies. When you multiclass into the Elemental Assassin class, you gain proficiency in one of the Elemental Class skills of your choice.

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1. D&D 5e SCAG p.152
2. D&D 5e SCAG p.157
3. D&D 5e SCAG p.162
4. D&D 5e SCAG p.164