When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with the disguise kit and the poisoner’s kit. When you use your disguise kit, you can choose to spend 25 gp and a number of days equal to your proficiency modifier +1, creating a false identity for yourself. You can’t establish an identity that belongs to someone else. For example, you might acquire appropriate clothing, letters of introduction, and official-looking certification to establish yourself as a member of a trading house from a remote city so you can insinuate yourself into the company of other wealthy merchants.
Thereafter, if you adopt the new identity as a disguise, other creatures believe you to be that person until given an obvious reason not to.
Assassinate
Starting at 3rd 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, In addition, any hit you score against a creature who hasn’t taken their turn in the initiative is surprised. When a creature is hit with a surprise attack it counts as a critical hit.
Astonishing Strike
Starting at 9th level, When you use your cunning action to use the hide action, you can gain your assassinate feature against a single target that you can see. You can use this feature a number of times equal to half your proficiency bonus rounded up, this ability rechanges on a long rest.
Quick Maneuvering
Starting at 9th level, when you roll your initiative you can add your Intelligence modifier to your initiative roll.
Mountebank Venom:
At 13th level, you gain the ability to unerringly mimic another person’s speech, writing, and behavior. You must spend at least three hours studying these three components of the person’s behavior, listening to speech, examining handwriting, and observing mannerisms. Your ruse is indiscernible to the casual observer. If a wary creature suspects something is amiss, you have advantage on any Charisma (Deception) check you make to avoid detection.
At 13th level, the poison that you produce from your mixtures affects creatures with resistance, not immunity, when you are trying to gather, materials for your poisoner’s kit, such skill’s as Nature, Sleight of Hand, or Survival, you can double your proficiency bonus if you don’t already have expertise when trying to handle, your poison.
Death Strike
Starting at 17th level, you become a master of instant death. When you attack and hit a creature that is surprised, it must make a Constitution saving throw (DC 8 + your Dexterity modifier + your proficiency bonus). On a failed save, double the damage of your attack against the creature.
Something's was moved around others was either changed or completely new, would love to know what should stay and what should go. Still wanted to give use of the normal proficiencies for the poison and disguise kits.
The disguise kit ability shouldn't take more time the better you are at it.
It makes no sense to render a target surprised on hit, and you didn't fix any of the problems with Assassinate. It should leverage things Rogues are good at - stealth and one big attack - not things they're bad at, namely going first and making many attacks.
I stopped reading at that point. If you want to revise Assassin, make it a Rogue subclass. For example, "When you Sneak Attack, if the target takes half its remaining hit points or more in damage from the Sneak Attack, it must make a Constitution save or take extra damage equal to its remaining hit points."
well thanks for the perspective, helps to sort of know what might need to be a bit more tweaked for some of the subclasses I'm putting small or big fixes to.
I think it added too many subclass features while not removing anything else. You moved a 9th level ability to 3rd level, and your new 9th level ability is just a way to farm crits. Otherwise, I like the additions of the poisoner's kit.
Here’s my crack at a revision (more of an overhaul):
No Bonus Proficiency.
Lvl 3 DOUBLE TAP: At 3rd level, you like to be thorough when dispatching your target.
If you use the Attack action at the start of your first turn of each combat, you can make one additional weapon attack with Advantage as part of that Action.
Lvl 9 VENDETTA: Whenever any creature successfully lands an attack action against you, you have Advantage in your next Attack action against that creature.
Lvl 13 THE PROFESSIONAL: At level 13, your dedication to your craft has made you even more lethal. Your Sneak Attacks increase by 2d6.
Lvl 17 ASSASSINATION: At level 17, you’ve done your due diligence on your target.
As a Bonus Action, you can choose a creature for Assassination. Your Attack against a creature chosen for Assassination will cause your Attack to be an automatic Critical Hit. If the creature survives your Attack, they are left for dead and are Stunned at the end of your turn for 1 minute.
Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a short rest.
Here’s my crack at a revision (more of an overhaul):
No Bonus Proficiency.
Lvl 3 DOUBLE TAP: At 3rd level, you like to be thorough when dispatching your target.
If you use the Attack action at the start of your first turn of each combat, you can make one additional weapon attack with Advantage as part of that action. - fine, it's ok.
VIOLENT RETREAT: Once per round, when a target takes an attack action against you within range of your melee weapon, you can counter Attack with your melee weapon as a Reaction, so long as you are not incapacitated. Immediately following the Attack, you can Dash without triggering an Opportunity Attack as a part of the Reaction. - that's very strong. A free reaction attack triggered by an attack against you, and then movement.
Lvl 9 VENOM: At level 9, you have extensive experience with poisons. You are now immune to poison damage. - level 9 subclass immunity. uh huh.
You have crafted a single dose of a proprietary poison you call Venom. Using a Bonus Action, you can coat any weapon that deals piercing or slashing damage with Venom. Any Attack made with Venom will deal an extra 1D8 necrotic damage on a successful hit. Venom will remain on the coated weapon or a piercing round of a ranged weapon until it successfully hits. - that's just poison but necrotic
A target hit with Venom must make a successful Constitution save. On a failed save, the target takes an additional 1D8 necrotic damage at the end of their turn and is stunned for 1 minute, after which Venom loses its potency. - oh wait, it's not just poison but necrotic. It's necrotic overpowered poison. very overpowered. also, what's the save?
Venom ignores resistance and immunity to poison but has no effect against necrotic immunity.
At the end of each long rest, you produce another dose of Venom at the cost of 5gp. - fast!
Lvl 13 THE PROFESSIONAL: At level 13, your dedication to your craft has made you even more lethal.
Add 1D10 to all of your Sneak Attack rolls. - this is actually fine.
Lvl 17 ASSASSINATION: At level 17, you’ve done your due diligence on your target.
As a Bonus Action, you may choose a target for Assassination. Your Attack against a target chosen for Assassination will cause your Attack to be an automatic Critical Hit. If the target survives your Attack, they are left for dead and are Prone at the end of your turn. - ouch, that's ridiculous single target damage, but largely fine once per long rest and at level 17.
Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.
Thanks for the feedback. What if we punt the whole poison angle and go with a nerfed version of Steel Wind Strike for Lvl 9?
“Lvl 9 MASS MURDERER: At level 9, once per long rest, you can use an Attack Action to vanish into the shadows and strike multiple targets. Choose up to five creatures you can see within range. Make an attack against each target. On a hit, each target takes damage equivalent to your melee weapon plus half your sneak attack modifier.
You can then reappear in an unoccupied space you can see within 5 feet of one of the targets you hit or missed.”
I just wished there was enough in the Assassin class to want a player to stick around instead of having to multiclass and piecemeal useful features…
Thanks for the feedback. What if we punt the whole poison angle and go with a nerfed version of Steel Wind Strike for Lvl 9?
“Lvl 9 MASS MURDERER: At level 9, once per long rest, you can use an Attack Action to vanish into the shadows and strike multiple targets. Choose up to five creatures you can see within range. Make an attack against each target. On a hit, each target takes damage equivalent to your melee weapon plus half your sneak attack modifier.
You can then reappear in an unoccupied space you can see within 5 feet of one of the targets you hit or missed.”
I just wished there was enough in the Assassin class to want a player to stick around instead of having to multiclass and piecemeal useful features…
Personally I don't think the Assassin is a bad sub-class as-is, the main problem is that the rules around Surprise and Stealth are just such a confusing and disfunctional mess.
I would change Assassinate such that the automatic critical only applies to melee weapon attacks, but with an added clause along the lines of "If rolls were made to determine surprise, you may treat any creature that does not perceive you as if it is surprised for the purposes of this ability".
Basically you are no longer reliant on your allies being any good at stealth (in fact you can use them as a distraction) but you do need to be able to get into range to take advantage since it now requires a melee attack. This is potentially 60 feet for your average Rogue using Cunning Action to Dash, but you do still need to remain unseen by your target the entire time, so the closer you are the better.
It means that instead of trying to plan an ambush in which enemies are definitely surprised (difficult if any of your allies are bad at Stealth), which could mean leaving some of your party a fair distance behind, it should now be enough for you to just be one or two moves ahead when the surprise checks are rolled, as it should hopefully mean you're close enough to exploit the surprise, without being unsupported.
I would also maybe add to the 9th-level feature "you have proficiency in Initiative checks" so that Harengon is no longer the no-brainer race for an Assassin, it just gets a head-start on this bonus (for an earlier levels +2 and +3).
Former D&D Beyond Customer of six years: With the axing of piecemeal purchasing, lack of meaningful development, and toxic moderation the site isn't worth paying for anymore. I remain a free user only until my groups are done migrating from DDB, and if necessary D&D, after which I'm done. There are better systems owned by better companies out there.
I have unsubscribed from all topics and will not reply to messages. My homebrew is now 100% unsupported.
Honestly, you could just make the Assassin a Battlemaster-style class, with a bunch of 'Deadly Arts' to choose from and four Deadly Arts dice from lvl 3, etc.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
Revised Assassin:
Bonus Proficiencies
When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with the disguise kit and the poisoner’s kit. When you use your disguise kit, you can choose to spend 25 gp and a number of days equal to your proficiency modifier +1, creating a false identity for yourself. You can’t establish an identity that belongs to someone else. For example, you might acquire appropriate clothing, letters of introduction, and official-looking certification to establish yourself as a member of a trading house from a remote city so you can insinuate yourself into the company of other wealthy merchants.
Thereafter, if you adopt the new identity as a disguise, other creatures believe you to be that person until given an obvious reason not to.
Assassinate
Starting at 3rd 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, In addition, any hit you score against a creature who hasn’t taken their turn in the initiative is surprised. When a creature is hit with a surprise attack it counts as a critical hit.
Astonishing Strike
Starting at 9th level, When you use your cunning action to use the hide action, you can gain your assassinate feature against a single target that you can see. You can use this feature a number of times equal to half your proficiency bonus rounded up, this ability rechanges on a long rest.
Quick Maneuvering
Starting at 9th level, when you roll your initiative you can add your Intelligence modifier to your initiative roll.
Mountebank Venom:
At 13th level, you gain the ability to unerringly mimic another person’s speech, writing, and behavior. You must spend at least three hours studying these three components of the person’s behavior, listening to speech, examining handwriting, and observing mannerisms. Your ruse is indiscernible to the casual observer. If a wary creature suspects something is amiss, you have advantage on any Charisma (Deception) check you make to avoid detection.
At 13th level, the poison that you produce from your mixtures affects creatures with resistance, not immunity, when you are trying to gather, materials for your poisoner’s kit, such skill’s as Nature, Sleight of Hand, or Survival, you can double your proficiency bonus if you don’t already have expertise when trying to handle, your poison.
Death Strike
Starting at 17th level, you become a master of instant death. When you attack and hit a creature that is surprised, it must make a Constitution saving throw (DC 8 + your Dexterity modifier + your proficiency bonus). On a failed save, double the damage of your attack against the creature.
Something's was moved around others was either changed or completely new, would love to know what should stay and what should go. Still wanted to give use of the normal proficiencies for the poison and disguise kits.
The disguise kit ability shouldn't take more time the better you are at it.
It makes no sense to render a target surprised on hit, and you didn't fix any of the problems with Assassinate. It should leverage things Rogues are good at - stealth and one big attack - not things they're bad at, namely going first and making many attacks.
I stopped reading at that point. If you want to revise Assassin, make it a Rogue subclass. For example, "When you Sneak Attack, if the target takes half its remaining hit points or more in damage from the Sneak Attack, it must make a Constitution save or take extra damage equal to its remaining hit points."
well thanks for the perspective, helps to sort of know what might need to be a bit more tweaked for some of the subclasses I'm putting small or big fixes to.
I think it added too many subclass features while not removing anything else. You moved a 9th level ability to 3rd level, and your new 9th level ability is just a way to farm crits. Otherwise, I like the additions of the poisoner's kit.
My only good homebrews: Races, Subclasses.
An aspiring DM and Homebrewer. Ask me if you need anything.
**EDIT: Revised my revision based on feedback **
Here’s my crack at a revision (more of an overhaul):
No Bonus Proficiency.
Lvl 3 DOUBLE TAP: At 3rd level, you like to be thorough when dispatching your target.
If you use the Attack action at the start of your first turn of each combat, you can make one additional weapon attack with Advantage as part of that Action.
Lvl 9 VENDETTA: Whenever any creature successfully lands an attack action against you, you have Advantage in your next Attack action against that creature.
Lvl 13 THE PROFESSIONAL: At level 13, your dedication to your craft has made you even more lethal. Your Sneak Attacks increase by 2d6.
Lvl 17 ASSASSINATION: At level 17, you’ve done your due diligence on your target.
As a Bonus Action, you can choose a creature for Assassination. Your Attack against a creature chosen for Assassination will cause your Attack to be an automatic Critical Hit. If the creature survives your Attack, they are left for dead and are Stunned at the end of your turn for 1 minute.
Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a short rest.
I say just remove the assassin as a class altogether and give every class the chance to gain an assassin like feat.
Assassinate is what your do not who your are.
Poisons need reworked and improved.
Critical hits need reworked. There should be a better chance at the one hit one death you see in the movies and even real life.
DMing:
Dragons of Stormwreck Isle
Playing:
None sadly.
Optimization Guides:
Literally Too Angry to Die - A Guide to Optimizing a Barbarian
Thanks for the feedback. What if we punt the whole poison angle and go with a nerfed version of Steel Wind Strike for Lvl 9?
“Lvl 9 MASS MURDERER: At level 9, once per long rest, you can use an Attack Action to vanish into the shadows and strike multiple targets. Choose up to five creatures you can see within range. Make an attack against each target. On a hit, each target takes damage equivalent to your melee weapon plus half your sneak attack modifier.
You can then reappear in an unoccupied space you can see within 5 feet of one of the targets you hit or missed.”
I just wished there was enough in the Assassin class to want a player to stick around instead of having to multiclass and piecemeal useful features…
I don't know...
DMing:
Dragons of Stormwreck Isle
Playing:
None sadly.
Optimization Guides:
Literally Too Angry to Die - A Guide to Optimizing a Barbarian
Do you want to be an assassin or a magic based fighter?
Personally I don't think the Assassin is a bad sub-class as-is, the main problem is that the rules around Surprise and Stealth are just such a confusing and disfunctional mess.
I would change Assassinate such that the automatic critical only applies to melee weapon attacks, but with an added clause along the lines of "If rolls were made to determine surprise, you may treat any creature that does not perceive you as if it is surprised for the purposes of this ability".
Basically you are no longer reliant on your allies being any good at stealth (in fact you can use them as a distraction) but you do need to be able to get into range to take advantage since it now requires a melee attack. This is potentially 60 feet for your average Rogue using Cunning Action to Dash, but you do still need to remain unseen by your target the entire time, so the closer you are the better.
It means that instead of trying to plan an ambush in which enemies are definitely surprised (difficult if any of your allies are bad at Stealth), which could mean leaving some of your party a fair distance behind, it should now be enough for you to just be one or two moves ahead when the surprise checks are rolled, as it should hopefully mean you're close enough to exploit the surprise, without being unsupported.
I would also maybe add to the 9th-level feature "you have proficiency in Initiative checks" so that Harengon is no longer the no-brainer race for an Assassin, it just gets a head-start on this bonus (for an earlier levels +2 and +3).
Former D&D Beyond Customer of six years: With the axing of piecemeal purchasing, lack of meaningful development, and toxic moderation the site isn't worth paying for anymore. I remain a free user only until my groups are done migrating from DDB, and if necessary D&D, after which I'm done. There are better systems owned by better companies out there.
I have unsubscribed from all topics and will not reply to messages. My homebrew is now 100% unsupported.
Honestly, you could just make the Assassin a Battlemaster-style class, with a bunch of 'Deadly Arts' to choose from and four Deadly Arts dice from lvl 3, etc.