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Archives of Nethys

Archives of Nethys

Pathfinder RPG (1st Edition) Pathfinder RPG (2nd Edition) Starfinder RPG

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PFS LimitedAssassin

Assassins commit murder, either for pay or due to their belief in a cause, such as a religion or a political movement. Some assassins work alone and choose their own victims. Others are members of assassins' guilds, organizations that accept contracts to kill in return for money, favors, or both.

Recall Knowledge - Humanoid (Society): DC 24
Unspecific Lore: DC 22
Specific Lore: DC 19

Elite | Normal | Weak
Proficiency without Level

Changes from being Elite are marked in red below.
NOTE: The +2 damage bonus to non-strike offensive abilities (+4 if the ability is limited, such as spells) is NOT factored in.

Elite AssassinCreature 9

Legacy Content

NE Medium Human Humanoid 
Source Gamemastery Guide pg. 211
Perception +18
Languages Common
Skills Acrobatics +19, Athletics +15, Deception +14, Diplomacy +12, Intimidation +12, Medicine +16, Society +14, Stealth +21, Survival +14, Thievery +17, Underworld Lore +16
Str +3, Dex +5, Con +2, Int +2, Wis +2, Cha +0
Swift Sneak The assassin can move their full Speed when Sneaking.
Items +1 striking composite shortbow (20 arrows), +1 rapier, invisibility potion, giant centipede venom (3), leather armor, lesser darkvision elixir, simple injury poison (8 doses, 2d4 poison damage), sleep poison
AC 28; Fort +14, Ref +21, Will +16
HP 150
Deny Advantage The assassin isn't flat-footed to creatures of 8th level or lower that are hidden, undetected, flanking, or using surprise attack.Nimble Dodge [reaction] Trigger The assassin is targeted with a melee or ranged attack by an attacker they can see; Effect The assassin gains a +2 circumstance bonus to AC against the triggering attack.
Speed 25 feet
Melee [one-action] rapier +20 [+15/+10] (deadly 1d8, disarm, finesse, magical), Damage 1d6+2+8 piercingRanged [one-action] composite shortbow +22 [+17/+12] (deadly 2d10, magical, propulsive, range increment 60 feet, reload 0), Damage 2d6+2+4 piercingPoison Weapon [one-action] (manipulate) Requirements The assassin is wielding a piercing or slashing weapon and has a free hand; Effect The assassin applies a poison to the weapon.Quick Draw [one-action] The assassin Interacts to draw a weapon, then Strikes with that weapon.Sneak Attack The assassin deals an extra 2d6 precision damage to flat-footed creatures.Surprise Attack On the first round of combat, creatures that haven't acted yet are flat-footed to the assassin.

All Monsters in "Criminals"

NameLevel
Assassin8
Bandit2
Burglar4
Charlatan3
Fence5
Grave Robber1
Ruffian2

Criminals

Source Gamemastery Guide pg. 208
Some criminals are the desperate who have no option but to break the law to survive, while others choose a life of crime for thrills, forming gangs or underworld guilds that specialize in certain illegal ventures.

Sidebar - Additional Lore Criminal Scams

Common scams criminals run include sending fake collectors for nonexistent charities to seek donations for the diseased and downtrodden; rigged games of chance at local fairs offering worthless prizes, and flashy sideshows concealing the work of pickpockets in the audience; and plants who offer to help travelers find accommodations but lead them to inns with exorbitant prices.

Sidebar - Additional Lore Fantasy Crimes

While many crimes in Pathfinder are similar to crimes in the real world, certain crimes are possible only in a world of magic. These include using magic to win a wager, malicious uses of curses, violating autonomy with enchantment magic, falsifying divinations, violating privacy with divinations, or trespassing via teleportation.

Sidebar - Additional Lore More Scams

  • Fraudsters sell fake alchemical items, medicines, charms, talismans, or other minor magics.
  • Unscrupulous moneylenders take advantage of lax business regulations to employ predatory repayment terms.
  • Phony fortune-tellers and mediums use cold-reading techniques to lull gullible marks.

Sidebar - Additional Lore Protection Money

Criminal organizations often find it easier to demand protection money from locals than go to the trouble of stealing it. “Protection” includes an implicit assumption that those who pay up are safe from those criminals, and some also promise retribution against other criminals.