Topic: Help making assassin character...

[GoblynByte]

I watched the Assassin's Creed trailer again today (I'll probably never have the game, but the trailer alone makes me quite happy) and found myself wanting to try and make a really cool assassin character.  I was wondering if you guys might offer up opinions on the best profession for a "master assassin" type character.

Thief?  Rogue?  Something with spells?  Is there an assassin profession in any of the old Companions?  If so (and if anyone has the book) would it be legal to tell me what the skill costs are for the core skills?

Any other thoughts?  Thanks!

[Winterknight]

I think it would depend on your setting and personal interpretation.  If you are simply talking about a hired killer, then just about any class capable of dealing strong combat damage would work.  Mages could be especially effective in a magic world, even more so if there's low magic (less expected, fewer magical defenses).

You could have a fighter who has developed a range of combat skills (throwing knives, daggers, bows, garrotte, hand-to-hand), or a rogue type class that specialized in subterfuge and one or two weapons.

I don't think there's any one way to do this.

[markc]

 Night Blade from RM2 is IMO the best and can be abused if the GM is not carefull.

MDC

[GoblynByte]

Here's what I'm looking for...

Someone who is tops at stalking and hiding (obviously), someone who can scale walls, and is extremely nimble and quick (climing, acrobatics, and tumbling, I suppose).  But, if I were to follow the idea of the character from the game, he's also somewhat of a social character able to make allies and gather information through contacts.  So a good Presence is a bonus as well as some social skills.  Diplomacy, I guess?

His weapons of choice would most likely be daggers/knives, a short sword, and maybe a small crossbow (for ranged kills).  I also see him as being a skilled martial artist.

Skills in creating poisons would be cool as well.  I'll have to look...is there an Alchemy skil?  For some reason I can't remember.

Anyway, it's a tall order for a first level character, but he'd be neat nonetheless.

[markc]

GB,
 I do not think you can fit all that into a 1st level char. IMO an assassin would be more experienced than the others around him. So I would pick an area to focus on and then add the others as you gain levels. Or if you can talk you GM into it start at a higher level so you can have quite a few skills as well as a history that supports your theam.

MDC

[Arioch]

Here's what I'm looking for...

Someone who is tops at stalking and hiding (obviously), someone who can scale walls, and is extremely nimble and quick (climing, acrobatics, and tumbling, I suppose).  But, if I were to follow the idea of the character from the game, he's also somewhat of a social character able to make allies and gather information through contacts.  So a good Presence is a bonus as well as some social skills.  Diplomacy, I guess?

His weapons of choice would most likely be daggers/knives, a short sword, and maybe a small crossbow (for ranged kills).  I also see him as being a skilled martial artist.

Skills in creating poisons would be cool as well.  I'll have to look...is there an Alchemy skil?  For some reason I can't remember.

Anyway, it's a tall order for a first level character, but he'd be neat nonetheless.

As Markc said the Nightblade from RoCo1 is what you're looking for: it's a semi mentalism user specilized in subterfuge and assassination. He also has a list (poison mastery) which help him in dealing with poisons...

[Moriarty]

Is there an assassin profession in any of the old Companions?

There is an Assassin profession in RM2 Companion III.

[markc]

M,
 I agree but from what I have heard the night blade is brutal at mid to high levels with the ability to adjust crits and other effects. [I think the spell list are close to the RMSS magent but I could be wrong so you might want to check.]

MDC

[GoblynByte]

GB,
 I do not think you can fit all that into a 1st level char. IMO an assassin would be more experienced than the others around him. So I would pick an area to focus on and then add the others as you gain levels. Or if you can talk you GM into it start at a higher level so you can have quite a few skills as well as a history that supports your theam.

MDC

I worked him up as a thief last night and he actually worked out amazingly well at first level with the help of some very lucky (honest) stat rolls.  He was still lacking significantly in weapon skills, but, as you said, these will go up as levels increase.  I figured I try and stay away from magic in the potential that he could be used in a more mundane setting.  The character from the game is in the more Christian occupied areas of the Holy Land during the crusades which I think is a really neat setting for a campaign.

I might look into the Nightblade, though, and see if he comes out any better.

I don't suppose it would be "right" to post the skill costs, prime stats, and level bonuses for the Assassin from Companion III?  I don't know the rules for that sort of thing.

[GoblynByte]

Oh, and two questions...

I couldn't find a skill that has anything to do with poisons in Character Law.  Am I missing something?

Acrobatics and Tumbling sound an aweful lot alike.  They both say they are used for swinging from objects and both say they reduce the damage from falls but only Tumbling provides a mechanical way of doing this.  Is there a point to getting both?

[Marc R]

Herbs . . . .cookery . .

Acrobatics can be used for the Dodge maneuver per AL

if your ultimate goal is a well rounded, sneak, kill and suave assassin ala James Bond the Ninja. . .

I'd go with Rogue, best all around costs for covering that many bases.

[markc]

GB,
 As Lord Miller said the rouge is a great choice in a non-magic/low-magic setting. Even then if you can pick up an item that gives you access the the Night Blades spell list you will have a very strong PC, IMO. Or even a item that allows you to use the spell that adjusts your ambush skill will go a long way.
 I am not an expert on the skills in RMC/X or RM2 so I cannot help you out thier but I am sure LM will provide advice as he has done above. Just remember one of the golden rules; if a PC can do it then an NPC can also do the same thing. That last part was the reason the night blade was radically redesigned in the RM2 game I played in.

MDC

[Marc R]

I find semis, unless extensively house ruled, tend to have their orbits restrained heavily by their SLA costs. . .4/* per rank should keep you DP poor your whole career using any of the SLA methods given in the core books. . .the only overweighted semis I've ever encountered used the RoCo1 BGOs or simply were versions of "Cheating" ala "Amazing how over 10 levels you've picked up a base list every level despite only purchasing 2 ranks of SLA each time, you roll really well!"

[GoblynByte]

I noticed today the mentalism spell lists of Attack Avoidance and Cloaking.  Both extremely useful for this type of character and both easily accessed on the Open Mentalism realm.

[Balhirath]

Hmm you might want to take a look at the Night Blade from Comp 1, the  Assassin from Comp 3 and the Ninja from Oriental Companion.