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Nov 27, 2012 -- 7:28AM, wrecan wrote:

I wouldn't mind if the assassin was more of a "ritualist". In that it didn't have any magic spells to cats in combat, but it had "dark secrets" that it could apply with a few minutes' time and materials. Essentially, assassins operating in a world of magic would learn a few tricks to even the playing field, even if they weren't casters. Poison lore would fit in nicely here. So some dark secrets could include...

Soul-Reaving. Using a prized possession, hair, or blood from his target, the assassin enchants a weapon so that if it inflicts the killing blow *whether by the assassin or another), the target cannot be raised or resurrected, and the body cannot be the subject of divination (including speak with dead). The assassin can have only one application at a time. Unless magically obscured, the weapon will radiate as magical (abjuration) and an identify spell will determine the nature of the enchantment. The effect lasts 24 hours.

Death attack: Using a prized possession, hair, or blood from his target, the assassin imbues himself with the power to kill a creature with fewer maximum hit points than the assassin's maximum hit points. The effect last 24 hours. If the assassin hits his target before the target has acted in combat, the target takes damage as normal and must make a Constitution Saving throw against a DC equal to the damage inflicted (a natural 20 always succeeds). Failur emeans death.

Undetectable: Assassins can learn how to render themselves and the objects they carry as immune to divination. This dark secret requires ten minutes to invoke and lasts one hour/level. At 2nd level or more, the assassin can transfer an hour of duration to other creatures. (I.e., a 4th level assassin can make himself undetectable for four hours, or four creatures undetectable for one hour). At fifth level, the assassin can actually customize the aura they radiate so that, rather than be undetectable, they can detect falsely. (I.e., the assassin can detect as lawful good, or that his carried armor and weapons are magical even if they are not.)

Poison Farm: Assassins learn alchemical secrets that allow them to replicate a base poison of the assassin's level or lower. The resulting copy is weaker and less stable. It can be maintained only for 24 hours and is rendered inert if handled by anybody but the assassin who created it. The assassin can create a number of poison doses equal to twice his level. This allows the assassin to use poison without it being a complete drain on his purse.

Poison Use: An assassin is skilled at applying poison to a weapon or in food, drink, even candles. An assassin can use a posion of his level or lower without fear of poisoning himself. A poisoned weapon loses its poisoned quality after the first successful hit by that weapon.  There should be a variety of cheap poisons that simply inflict damage, giving the assassin the ability to inflict additional damage akin to a fighter's expertise die. 

Smoke Bomb: An assassin can concoct smoke bombs which when released with an action, grant instant concealment and allow an assassin to take one move action completely unseen.

With the use of "Dark Secrets" the assassin can occupy an iconic role in the class without appearing too "shadow mage"  and while still distinguishing himself.  Create about 20 or more dark secrets and let the assassin start with three (poison use and poison farm would almost definitely be two of them) and learn an additional dark secrets every level.

Why not include shadow magic options in those, so people who want their assassin in a fantasy setting to use shadow magic can, and those who don't don't have to?