Elven Nightblade

**Elven Nightblade**

Prime Requisite: INT, DEX

Requirements: INT 9, DEX 9

Hit Die: d6

Maximum Level: 11

*excerpt from* Adventurer, Conqueror, King System, *page 36:*

"Elves are a subtle race, and never does their gift for finesse and subtlety so reveal itself as in the practice of death-dealing.  Cunning, deadly, and rarely seen, the elven nightblade is an assassin and sorcerer whose art is murder. Most nightblades practice their work in the courts of elven nobility. Those few who venture outside of the forests...find their skills in high demand, for adventurers, aristocrats, and warlords all value their arcane and deadly ways."

**Weapons and Armor**: Elven nightblades operate by stealth and ambush; they are unsuited, temperamentally and by training, to fight in a stand-up fashion. They may fight with any missile weapons and any one-handed melee weapons, and may wield a weapon in each hand if desired. They cannot wear armor heavier than
leather, and cannot use shields.

**Racial Features:**

* **Attunement to Nature:** All elves gain a +1 bonus to surprise rolls when in the wilderness.

* **Elf Tongues**: All elves speak four bonus languages: Elf, Gnoll, Hobgoblin, and Orc.

* **Keen Eyes**: All elves detect hidden and secret doors with a proficiency throw of 8+ on 1d20 when actively searching, or 14+ on casual inspection.
* **Connection to Nature**: All elves are unaffected by the paralysis ghouls can inflict, and gain a +1 bonus on saving throws versus Petrification/Paralysis and Spells. (this has already been factored into the saving throw table below)

* **Animal Friendship**: Whenever elves build fastnesses, all ordinary animals within 5 miles of the stronghold become kind and helpful to the elves.

**Class Features:**

* **1st Level: Cleave -** 1 attempt per round, per every other level.
* **1st Level: Move Silently**
* **1st Level: Hide In Shadows**
* **1st Level: Climb Walls**
* **1st Level: Backstab**
* **1st Level: Acrobatics:** In lieu of moving during a round, the nightblade may attempt a proficiency throw (see progression table for target number). If successful, the nightblade is now behind his opponent. The opponent loses the benefit of his shield, if any, and the nightblade can backstab his opponent (gaining +4 to his attack throw and bonus backstab damage based on his level). Nightblades also gain a +2 bonus to saving throws where agility would help avoid the situation, such as tilting floors and pit traps.
* **2nd Level: Learn and Cast Arcane Spells**

* **7th Level: Research Spells, Scribe Magical Scrolls, and Brew Potions**
* **9th Level: Build Hideout**

**Elven Nightblade Level Progression**

Silently
Walls
 2875
 5750
 11500
 23000
 46000
 90000
 180000
 330000
 480000
10th level
 630000
11th level

**Arcane Spell Progression**

 2
 3
 4
 5
 6
 7
 8
 9
 10
 11

**Saving Throw and Attack Progression**

& Paralysis
Death
Breath
Wands
Throw
 3-4
 5-6
 7-8
 9-10
 11

**Elven Nightblade Class Proficiencies** (select one at 1st, 4th, and 8th levels):

Alchemy, Alertness, Arcane Dabbling, Battle Magic, Beast Friendship, Black Lore of Zahar, Blind Fighting, Combat Reflexes, Combat Trickery (incapacitate), Contortionism, Elementalism, Familiar, Fighting Style, Intimidation, Magical Engineering, Mystic Aura, Passing Without Trace, Precise Shooting, Prestidigitation,
Quiet Magic, Running, Sensing Power, Skirmishing, Skulking, Sniping, Swashbuckling, Unflappable Casting, Trap Finding, Wakefulness, Weapon Focus, Weapon Finesse