My main thought on trying to keep balance was to not re-invent anything but re-use, re-flavor, and re-mix existing items in what is hopefully a reasonable combination.
The reason I created this is I have had multiple players over the years wanting to play an assassin focusing on poisons but the complexity and costs and risks around a poison based character RAW feels much higher than other character options/choices. spell casters don't have to roll to see if they can successfully create their spells that day like poisoners crafting and they don't have to pay gold for creating low level spells each day.
Knowing that the Arcane Trickster is generally well received Rogue option I decided to see if I could use it as a template for a Poisoner sub-class utilizing spell slots as the daily doses of poisons the Poisoner would get with each Long Rest free and limiting spell selections to spells that could be re-flavored to represent a physical Poison Attack (either by dart, blowgun, coated weapon, etc).
I first blended the features I thought would align best to a dedicated Poisoner between the Arcane Trickster and the Assassin and came up with this:
REQUIRED
Arcane Trickster
Assassin
Poisoner
LEVEL
Feature Nname
Feature Name
Feature Name
3
Spellcasting
Bonus Proficiencies
Spellcasting
3
Mage Hand Legerdemain
Assassinate
Assassinate
9
Magical Ambush
Infiltration Expertise
Poisoner Feat
13
Versatile Trickster
Impostor
Poisoner Ambush
17
Spell Thief
Death Strike
Death Strike
At lvl 3 I chose Spellcasting from AT to utilize spells as Poison Attacks and Assasinate from Assassin as I felt that fit the theme.
At lvl 9 instead of choosing an existing subclass feature I chose to utilize the Poisoner Feat as a class feature. Since poison is often resisted the removal of resistance I feel is a necessary option at level 9 and up for the subclass to be effective.
At lvl 13 I use a renamed/flavored version of the AT lvl 9 Magical Ambush
At lvl 19 I used the Assassins Death Strike feature
And for re-flavored spells to simulate various (and hopefully reasonable) attacks someone who is efficient with concocting poisons might be able to disperse, I picked these as a quick 1st thought:
Level
Name
Cassting Time
Duration
Range
Attack/Save
Damage/Effect
0
Poison Spray
1 Action
Instantaneous
10 ft
Poison
0
Chill Touch
1 Action
1 Round
120 ft
Ranged
Necrotic
0
Infestation
1 Action
Instantaneous
30 ft
Poison
0
Spare the Dying
1 Action
Instantaneous
Touch
Healing
0
Toll the Dead
1 Action
Instantaneous
60 ft
WIS Save
Necrotic
1
Cause Fear
1 Action
1 Minute
60 ft
WIS Save
Frightened
1
False Life
1 Action
1 Hour
Self
Buff
1
Inlfict Wounds
1 Action
Instantaneous
Touch
Melee
Necrotic
1
Ray of Sickness
1 Action
Instantaneous
60 ft
CON Save
Poison
2
Blindness/Deafness
1 Action
1 Minute
30 ft
CON Save
Blinded or Deafened
2
Dragon's Breath
1 Bonus Action
1 Minute
Touch (15 ft cone)
Poison
2
Lesser Restoration
1 Action
Instantaneous
Touch
Healing
2
Protection from Poison
1 Action
1 Hour
Touch
Buff
3
Feign Death
1 Action
1 Hour
Touch
Blinded and Incapacitated
3
Life Transference
1 Action
Instantaneous
30 ft
Necrotic
3
Revivify
1 Action
Instantaneous
Touch
Healing
3
Vampiric Touch
1 Action
1 Minute
Self
Melee
Necrotic/Healing
4
Blight
1 Action
Instantaneous
30 ft
CON Save
Necrotic
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Would love some feedback on this subclass: Poisoner sub-class
My main thought on trying to keep balance was to not re-invent anything but re-use, re-flavor, and re-mix existing items in what is hopefully a reasonable combination.
The reason I created this is I have had multiple players over the years wanting to play an assassin focusing on poisons but the complexity and costs and risks around a poison based character RAW feels much higher than other character options/choices. spell casters don't have to roll to see if they can successfully create their spells that day like poisoners crafting and they don't have to pay gold for creating low level spells each day.
Knowing that the Arcane Trickster is generally well received Rogue option I decided to see if I could use it as a template for a Poisoner sub-class utilizing spell slots as the daily doses of poisons the Poisoner would get with each Long Rest free and limiting spell selections to spells that could be re-flavored to represent a physical Poison Attack (either by dart, blowgun, coated weapon, etc).
I first blended the features I thought would align best to a dedicated Poisoner between the Arcane Trickster and the Assassin and came up with this:
At lvl 3 I chose Spellcasting from AT to utilize spells as Poison Attacks and Assasinate from Assassin as I felt that fit the theme.
At lvl 9 instead of choosing an existing subclass feature I chose to utilize the Poisoner Feat as a class feature. Since poison is often resisted the removal of resistance I feel is a necessary option at level 9 and up for the subclass to be effective.
At lvl 13 I use a renamed/flavored version of the AT lvl 9 Magical Ambush
At lvl 19 I used the Assassins Death Strike feature
And for re-flavored spells to simulate various (and hopefully reasonable) attacks someone who is efficient with concocting poisons might be able to disperse, I picked these as a quick 1st thought: