Cordyceps Assassin

The Cordyceps Assassin is a rogue archetype born of parasitism and predation. Where others rely on steel and shadow alone, these killers wield spores as weapons, turning their victims into unwilling marionettes. Each strike carries the risk of infection, each breath may conceal a cloud of necrotic spores, and each kill can leave behind a husk animated by fungal growth.

Cordyceps Assassins are feared not only for their precision, but for the unsettling way they manipulate bodies and minds. Their victims stumble under invisible strings, jerked into unnatural motions before collapsing into silence. Some whisper that these rogues are hosts to fungal intelligence, guided by whispers from the mycelial network. Others insist they are simply scientists of death, experimenting with biology in ways most cannot comprehend.

Whether seen as plague-bearers or eerie prophets of decay, Cordyceps Assassins embody the terrifying truth that life and death are only stages in a cycle - and fungi are the patient puppeteers pulling the strings.

Level 3: Spore Infection

At 3rd level, you can infect enemies with parasitic spores when you land a Sneak Attack. The target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw (DC = 8 + proficiency bonus + Dexterity modifier) or become puppeted until the start of your next turn. While puppeted, you can force the creature to move up to 10 feet in a direction of your choice. You can use this feature once per short rest.

Level 9: Spectral Spore Burst

At 9th level, when you are hit by an attack, you can release a burst of necrotic spores in a 10 radius. Enemies in the area take necrotic damage equal to your Sneak Attack dice and must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, they suffer disadvantage on attack rolls until the end of their next turn. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus per long rest.

Level 13: Fungal Marionette

At 13th level, when you or an ally reduce a creature within 30 feet of you to 0 hit points, you can use your reaction to animate its body with spores for 1 minute. The husk acts as a puppeted thrall; it uses zombie stats but moves in jerky shudders under your control. You can command it telepathically within 30 feet. The thrall collapses at the end of the duration or if it drops to 0 hit points again. You can use this feature once per long rest.

Level 17: Hive Mind Ascendant

At 17th level, you become a living fungal nexus. You gain immunity to poison damage and the poisoned condition, and advantage on Constitution saving throws. Once per long rest, you can use your bonus action to dominate a number of creatures you can see within 30 feet, equal to your Dexterity modifier. This functions as the Dominate Person or Dominate Beast spell (Wisdom saving throw, DC = 8 + proficiency bonus + Dexterity modifier). On a failed save, the creature is dominated consistent with the spell’s rules, and takes psychic damage equal to your Dexterity modifier at onset and every consecutive time they attempt to resist your control. On a successful save, the creature resists domination but still takes psychic damage equal to your Dexterity modifier. Additionally, creatures affected by your Spore Infection suffer psychic damage each time they resist your control.