| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Taliesen |
Posted - 30 Dec 2013 : 23:09:39
A while back I asked about the details of Shadowdancer abilities, like hide in plain sight. I got some really insightful, helpful answers, so I thought I might try the same with assassins now.
Do assassins get their abilities from the same source as Shadowdancers (that is, presumably some form of manipulation of the Shadow Plane), although with perhaps normal arcane abilities mixed in, or do they use arcane magics and various 'tricks' to get the same result? If an assassin were asked to explain his abilities, how would he describe it? |
| 7 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| TBeholder |
Posted - 01 Jan 2014 : 09:49:25
Yup, old AD&D had a lot of weird little subclasses, each of which was a minor caster with spells not available for main caster classes. This was mocked and parodied (e.g. Cook class with spells like "Simulacrumb") back then.
And later picked up by 3e mob - like many other random "classic" features - evidently, without spending one minute to think why this or that was discarded or fixed in the first place (mostly, those features obviously were either loonie or ripe with all sorts of problems). |
| Erik Scott de Bie |
Posted - 01 Jan 2014 : 09:07:34
One anecdote: Lady Ilira, a character in a couple of my 4e-era FR novels, is basically a 4e assassin (not an executioner). Her powers derive from powerful rituals to infuse her with shadow magic. More on this point (as in who performed such rituals) has yet to be revealed.
In 3.5, she was at least partly a shadowdancer called the Fox-at-Twilight, and she was an adventurer of some small renown. Her 3.5 powers were a matter of training under an established shadowdancer, but her 4e-era powers are obviously greater.
Cheers |
| silverwolfer |
Posted - 01 Jan 2014 : 06:15:35
Most the stuff you are talking about is d&d core, not FR, which is vague on purpose, as d&d is sandbox much like forgotten realms is, except to the point of just being litterly the sand.
A better look at a forgotten realms based assassin, would be the telfammer shadowlord or something like that from unapproachable east.
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| Taliesen |
Posted - 01 Jan 2014 : 01:14:37
So the short answer is that they haven't been explained in too much detail, and that their abilities vary from edition to edition. I'm mainly interested in 3E/3.5E era, but the rest gives me some ideas.
What about hide in plain sight in particular? If we assume that this ability relies on some manipulation of the Shadow Plane (as many people seemed to think of the previous thread), does this mean that some minor manipulation of that Plane, specifically for hiding in plain sight, is utilized by assassins? Or could it be that they reach the same result by arcane or more mundane means, along with a myriad of other sources for their other abilities? |
| Diffan |
Posted - 31 Dec 2013 : 05:45:26
I can only speak from 3.5 and 4E perspective,
In 3.5 the Assassin got their own spell list which derived from their intelligence modifier. This, to me, indicates that they probably studied a form of limited and focus magic. The information can really come from any source the player and/or DM thinks up. It could be an Assassins's ritual book passed down from the guild, from master to apprentice, or maybe it's ancient rights passed down from Bhaal.
In 4E they draw directly from the Shadowfell for their powers if they're the Ossassin (aka original assassin) or a combination of practical knowledge of Poisons and only a few shadowfell elements if your an Essassin (aka Executioner assassin, the essential version). |
| Ayrik |
Posted - 30 Dec 2013 : 23:39:04
AD&D(1E) assassins gained their abilities through training, study, observation, experimentation, research, and a delightfully paranoid maleficent turn of mind. They were trained to trust nobody, live and die treacherously, kill efficiently, and use every dirty scummy little trick they could devise to gain “unfair“ advantage.
Their abilities were basically a balance of spying, stealth, disguise, infiltration, backstabbing, use of poisons and diseases, and of course, cold-blooded murder. Past the middling “name levels“ they could only advance by literally assassinating their way through the ranks, neutralizing or removing superiors to gain rank and position.
The AD&D 2E assassin kit was vastly nerfed, being little more than a common thief with base morals and some knowledge of a few poisons.
I suppose a D&D3E/3.5E assassin would have some magically special skills with alchemy (poisons), anatomy (lethal attacks), enchanting (various decoy/trap/combat devices) and even minor illusion and necromantic magics ... it seems like a logical progression from the classic 1E class details. Shadow magic seems more a speciialty of other classes, especially since a versatile and accomplished assassin can kill without shadows. If martial arts and mental discipline are emphasized, then perhaps their abilities could even be psionic in nature. |
| Kentinal |
Posted - 30 Dec 2013 : 23:33:10
Edition matters, however looking at 3.5 SRD Assassins do gain arcane spell casting abilities if their Int. if high enough.
The assassin can gain hide in plain sight, however not other Su that Shadowdancer gains.
As to the source from Shadow plane for these abilities, the SRD does not indicate where the power comes from. |
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