so, prototyping stuff for the assassination type
Assassin's StrikePrerequisites: None
Activation Cost 3 SEP (paid once the strike is made)
The zanpakuto has the ability to generate and secrete a deadly venom that collapses the victims spiritual energy flow, eventually killing them.
Before using Assassin's strike, the shinigami must spend 3 consecutive rounds studying their spiritual make up and constitution, to ensure the effectiveness of the poison. She can do nothing during these rounds other than make a single move action. If she makes any other action during these three rounds then the study is lost. After these three rounds, the zanpakuto is attuned to the victim, and can begin to attack with Assassin's Strike. The zanpakuto can only be attuned to one creature at a time, though it remains attuned until it is sealed, or the shinigami chooses to end it.
After the weapon is attuned, the shinigami may make an Assassin's Strike as a standard action. She makes a single attack at her highest base attack bonus using her zanpakuto, and if it hits the poison enters their victims bloodstream. The second time a victim is hit, they must make a reflex save (DC 10 + ½ character level + reiatsu modifier) to avoid being hit in the same place. If they are struck in the same place 5 times (or four failed saves), then the poison takes effect and they are immediately slain or paralysed, at the Shinigami's digression.
Due to the spreading markers, the reflex DC is increased by 1 each time the victim succeeds in their reflex save.
The effect from Assassin's strike is from an injury poison, and thus gains all the bonuses and penalties the shinigami gets to poisons, save she never risks poisoning herself. Because the poison is designed to be effective against only one creature, it has no effect against anyone else beyond her normal attacks.
Assassin's EyePrerequisites: Assassin's Strike
Activation Cost: Assassin's Strike + 1 SEP
The Shinigami is capable of probing their intended victim with their own spiritual energy, allowing them to find weaknesses and vulnerabilities much faster. The number of rounds of study she needs to use Assassin's Strike is reduced by 1.
Special: This ability may be taken multiple times. The effects stack.
Assassin's BitePrerequisites: Assassin's Strike
Activation Cost: Assassin's Strike + 2 SEP per round
The poison from the shinigami's Assassin's Strike is much more virulent than average, and ravages the victims systems in a matter of moments. The number of successful hits (or failed saves, depending on how you look at it) needed for Assassin's Strike to kill a target is reduced by 1, to a minimum of 2 hits (or one failed save).
They must pay individually for each reduction from 5 (so 4 costs 2 sep, 3 costs 4 etc)
Special: This ability may be taken multiple times. The effects stack.
Assassin's Onslaught:Prerequisites: Assassin's Strike, Assassin's Eye * 3, two other assassination type abilities, BaB 6+
Activation Cost: As Assassin's Strike/Each Strike
The Shinigami may use Assassin's Strike as part of a Full attack action, declaring one of her attacks (her choice) to be the Assassin's Strike.
She must pay individually for each Assassin's Strike she makes.
Special: This ability may be taken multiple times. Each time allows her to convert another attack into an Assassin's Strike, up to the amount she could make in a full attack action (including any extras from Two weapon Fighting, Flurry of blows etc).
Assassin's BladePrerequisites: None
Activation Cost: 1 SEP
The Shinigami can coat her blade in spiritual shadows, allowing it to slip through their foes defences before their eyes. As a standard action, she can make a single attack that catches her foe flat footed. She may only use Assassin's Blade with a melee weapon.
Improved Assassin's BladePrerequisites: Assassin's Blade, one other assassination ability
Activation cost: 3 SEP
When making a full attack action, the first attack the shinigami makes catches the enemy flat-footed, as Assassin's Blade.
Greater Assassin's BladePrerequisites: Assassin's Blade, Improved Assassin's Blade, two other Assassination abilities
Activation cost: 5 SEP/7 sep (not sure. Thoughts?)
The Shinigami wraps her blade in heavy layers of darkness, allowing her to cut through her opponents defences as though they where not there. Activating this ability is a free action that lasts until the start of her next turn. She catches her target flat-footed on each melee attack she makes during this time.
Assassin's Piercing StrikePrerequisites: Assassin's Blade, Sneak Attack 5d6, three other Assassination type abilities.
Activation Cost: As Assassin's Blade
The Shinigami's zanpakuto tells her just where to strike, to ensure that the blade strikes true. When using Assassin's Blade (not improved/greater assassin's blade), or when making a standard attack against an enemy denied their dexterity bonus to AC, the Shinigami can sacrifice 4d6 sneak attack damage to ignore her target's Armour Bonus, Deflection Bonus, Defence Bonus and Shield Bonus to AC.
Oblivious StrikePrerequisites: Assassin's Blade, Improved Assassin's Blade, Assassin's Piercing Strike, six other assassination type abilities., BaB 6+
Activation Cost: 11 SEP
As a standard action, the shinigami may make two attacks at her highest base attack bonus against a single foe, using both Assassin's Blade and Assassin's Piercing Strike. The damage of both attacks is added together before applying damage reduction and energy resistance (so an attack that deals 28 and an attack that deals 32 would be totalled to 60, before damage reduction)
Improved Oblivious StrikePrerequisites: Assassin's Blade, Improved Assassin's Blade, Greater Assassin's Blade, Assassin's Piercing Strike, Oblivious Strike, specialised, BaB 11+, Specialised
Activation Cost: 16 SEP
When making a full attack, the shinigami may make an additional attack. This does not stack with any other bonuses from things such as
haste or a speed weapon enhancement etc. All attacks made in this fashion benefit from Assassin's Blade and Assassin's Piercing Strike, and the damage from all attacks is totalled before applying damage reduction and energy resistance.
Precise StrikesPrerequisites: Sneak Attack, Two Assassination type abilities
Activation Cost: None
The Shinigami is capable of striking the perfect part of her foes anatomy, exploiting any weaknesses that most people would overlook to ensure their strike deals damage. She may deal sneak attack damage to creatures that are immune to precision damage, though the damage per dice is reduced to d4.
Special: This ability may be taken a second time. It allows them to deal full sneak attack damage to creatures immune to precision damage
Shadow CloakPrerequisites: Hide 9 ranks, two other assassination type abilities, Sneak Attack
Activation Cost: None
The Shinigami is capable of twisting shadows to obscure themselves The shinigami can hide in any shadow other than her own within 10ft, even if she is being observed, as Hide in Plain Sight.
DecapitationPrerequisites: Assassin's Piercing Blade, Shadow Cloak, Zanpakuto +4, Sneak Attack, Specialised.
Activation Cost: None
The zanpakuto gains the
Vorpal weapon enhancement on all sneak attacks
Notes:
Moved the -1 rounds thing from Assassin's strike to make it easier to find, and so you can get it effective a little earlier (level 9 rather than 12)
Removed the prerequisites for the reduced number of hits for onslaught. If you want it early and to suck, go ahead
Changed assassin's blade to be as effective as the Air Swordsman line from the ranged type, rather than needing 6-ish abilities to do the same thing, and even then be technically worse
.
added a way to get around sneak attack immunity, since it seems to be the schools whole focus
added a beheading thing, because it makes sense for assassining stuff
Thoughts:
I was considering making Assassins Onslaught specalized, as it does pretty much mean instant death when used at full power (full attack, chances are you'll fail around ½ the saves, so 4 attacks equals splat) but then again it is rather ability heavy. Thoughts?
I'm considering changing assassins blade to be an activated sustained ability, like Fire Blade. 1st time would allow 1 sneak attack a round, 2 would allow 2 a round, perfect would be all. Turned on as a move (upgraded to swift) action and remains active whilst sword is out. Thoughts?
I'm also considering the idea of merging both assassination and darkness, because they're very similar in theme, and both are rather small. Thoughts?
I'm worried piercing strike reduces sneak attack by a little much, since by the time you have 5d6 sneak attack damage AC has already started to be less of a concern, or is that just me?