Assassin
A Rogue Archetype that gains advantage against creatures that have not acted, critical hits on surprised ones, false identities and a damage-doubling Death Strike.
Identity
The Assassin is the Rogue Archetype of the court killer and the contract specialist. The craft is observation, mimicry and patience, ending in one strike on a target who never knew the contract was made. Assassins do not announce their presence or fight fair. Courts keep them as instruments of succession, and syndicates keep them to close a negotiation.
Features
- L3 Assassinate
You gain proficiency with the Disguise Kit and the Poisoner's Kit. You also have advantage on attack rolls against any creature that has not yet taken a turn in the current combat. Any hit you score against a surprised creature is a critical hit. Assassinate works whether or not the creature can perceive you.
- L7 Infiltration Expertise
You can spend a day and modest resources (forged documents, a wardrobe, a rehearsed history) to assume a false identity that holds up to routine scrutiny for up to 7 days. While the cover is active, you have advantage on Charisma (Deception) checks made to maintain the identity, and routine social or security systems treat the identity as authentic. The cover is broken by sustained investigation by a Tier III or higher security organization, by recognition from someone who knows your true face, or by acting in a way clearly inconsistent with the assumed identity. You can maintain one Infiltration cover at a time.
- L11 Imposter
Given 3 or more hours of observation (in person, through recorded footage, or via detailed dossiers), you can mimic the appearance, voice, mannerisms and signature of a specific individual. You have advantage on Charisma (Deception) and Charisma (Performance) checks made to impersonate that individual. The mimicry fools casual acquaintances and recorded biometric voice-prints. Close friends, immediate family and biometric DNA-grade scanning systems can make an Insight or Investigation check against your DC (8 + proficiency + Charisma) to detect the imposture. You can have one mimicked identity prepared at a time, and switching to a new one requires the full observation period.
- L15 Death Strike
When you trigger Assassinate against a surprised creature and hit, the target must make a Constitution saving throw (DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Dexterity modifier). On a failed save, the damage of the attack, including the critical hit and Sneak Attack, is doubled against the target. On a successful save, the attack deals its normal damage. This feature applies only to the first attack you make against the creature in the combat, and only while the creature is surprised.
- L18 Deniable Death Capstone
Once per long rest, after you score a critical hit with Sneak Attack against a surprised creature and reduce it to 0 hit points, you can declare the death deniable. For the next 24 hours, anyone investigating the death by mundane means (autopsy, forensic reconstruction, interviewing witnesses, reviewing recordings) concludes that it was accidental, natural or self-inflicted, consistent with the scene as you left it. Channeled divination, Tier IV or higher forensic riftcraft, and the testimony of a creature that directly witnessed the strike and was not affected by it can see through the effect. After 24 hours the supernatural concealment ends, and the physical evidence is still as you left it.
