Assassin

*Reference Book: Star Wars Saga Edition Core Rulebook*

*Reference Book: Star Wars Saga Edition Scum and Villainy*

The Assassin kills for credits. Unlike the Bounty Hunter, who also sometimes kills, the Assassin never takes a victim alive. Moreover, Assassins know the value of discretion, so they employ a variety of sneak tactics to approach their target unseen and strike when least expected. Assassins' techniques vary greatly; some use Poisons or toxic Beasts, while others prefer more spectacular and dependable methods such as Explosives or up close and personal attacks.

Killing is rarely personal for the Assassin; it is just a job. Many Assassins justify their profession by establishing criteria for the types of targets they strike, and some Assassins are nearly heroic in their efforts to eliminate notoriously wicked marks. Nevertheless, Assassins are despised more than they are valued.

Assassins work alone, but those who desire more insurance might join up with one of the guilds that lurk in the shadowy corners of the galaxy. The Assassins' Guild- perhaps the largest and most powerful- operates throughout the galaxy, offering numerous services from bounty hunting to contract killing. Other Assassin organizations, such as The Loag, are centered on a particular world, but others, such as The GenoHaradan, are utterly clandestine, maintaining no publicly known base of operations. Af all the active groups, though, none are as feared or as mysterious as The Malkite Poisoners (*see also: Malkite Poisoner*). These highly trained professionals adopt detailed cover stories to better infiltrate societies and get close to their victims. After months or even years of establishing a trust and rapport with their victim, they strike- fatally.

#### **Examples of Assassins in Star Wars**

Aurra Sing, Dannik Jerriko, Galasett, Ke Daiv, Keluda, Khabarakh, IG-88, Zam Wesell.

#### **Prerequisites**

To qualify to become an Assassin, a character must fulfill the following criteria:

* **Minimum Level:** 7th
* **Trained Skills:** Stealth
* **Feats:** Sniper
* **Talents:** **Dastardly Strike**

### Game Rule Information

The following are the features of the Assassin Prestige Class:

#### **Hit Points**

At each level, Assassins gain 1d10 Hit Points + their Constitution modifier.

#### **Force Points**

Assassins gain a number of Force Points equal to 6 + one-half their Character Level, rounded down, each time they gain a new level in this Prestige Class.

#### **Defense Bonuses**

At 1st level, Assassins gain a +4 Class bonus to their Reflex Defense, and a +2 Class bonus to their Fortitude Defense.

#### **Talents**

At every odd-numbered level (1st, 3rd, 5th, and so on), an Assassin gains an additional Talent. An Assassin may choose a Talent from any of the Talent Trees (Assassin) they wish, but they must meet the prerequisites (if any) of the chosen Talent. No Talent can be selected more than once unless expressly indicated.

#### **Mark**

As an Assassin, you specialize in the sudden attack- the brutal stroke that eliminates your target by the fastest means possible. At the start of the encounter, you can select a single target within your line of sight to be your Mark. For the duration of the encounter, you gain a bonus equal to one-half your Class Level (rounded down) on damage rolls against that opponent.

This damage is in addition to the character's usual level bonus to damage. This damage is doubled on a successful Critical Hit, as normal. If you reduce your target to 0 Hit Points, you may place your Mark on another target within line of sight as a Free Action.

As a Swift Action, you can sacrifice this bonus to render your target Flat-Footed against your next attack made before the end of your turn. Once you sacrifice this bonus, it is lost for the remainder of the encounter.