The following is the work of Ed Hastings, the Killer Shrike. The term "Traditional Assassin" has been used to differentiate from the spell-using assassin from the DMG.

Traditional Assassin

AoC: Murder for Hire

Alignment:Usually Evil, Never Good

Description: Widely varied in mentality, outlooks, and appearances, nevertheless most Assassins share a lack of caring for the value of sentient life and display an overall poor moral depth. They are usually not above doing most things as long as the price is high enough. A small majority of Assassins are themselves victims of circumstance or else got caught up in the Assassination business by accident. However, once ‘in’ its difficult to get out, and with each contract it gets easier to take another’s life for coin.

Dress: Most folk think of Assassins as fell men in dark black, and while this is sometimes the case the wiser, more subtle, and less ostentatious Assassins do not fall into this category. While the job of Assassin is respected and even looked up to in some cities and locales in most places quite the opposite is true; Assassination is usually highly illegal and punishable by death. Therefore less-foolhardy Assassins dress in unremarkable attire and blend into society.

Symbols: Assassins are much given to scare tactics and mystery as a rule and therefore appreciate powerful and fearsome symbology. Various Assassins use personal symbols or ‘calling cards’ – distinctive markers left on targets to advertise the Assassins skills, and some individual guilds employ organizational symbols. Such symbols are widely varied but typically have some connection with death or killing.

Weapons & Armor: Assassins usually operate by stealth and from hiding, and therefore favor lighter armors or even no armor at all, and rarely use shields. They typically employ weapons of finesse and ranged weapons granting maximum lethality for minimum fuss.

Religious Ties: Some assassins worship Marthayn or Hastur, while the most foul and nihilistic revere the dread Beneath.

Areas of Activity: Assassins are usually most active in large urban concentrations where their activities can pass unnoticed amongst several thousand other people.

Background: The profession of Assassination stretches back into prehistory. Essentially, ever since there have been people willing to kill for money there have been those willing to pay them to do so. The word Assassin carries connotations of one who kills leaders, high-ranking officials, generals, and other highly placed figures but in practice Assassins are not too choosy about whom they kill. In reality however, professional Assassins tend to be expensive and therefore it is rare for a member of the lower classes to have enough wealth to hire one; mere cutthroats and thugs usually conduct lower level killings for hire.
Assassin Prestige Class

Hit Die D6
Skill Points Int Bonus +4 / Level

Weapon and Armor Proficiencies:
As Rogue

Skill List:
Balance, Bluff, Climb, Decipher Script, Diplomacy, Disable Device, Disguise, Escape Artist, Gather Information, Heal, Hide, Innuendo, Intimidate, Jump, Listen, Move Silently, Open Lock, Pick Pocket, Poison Lore, Read Lips, Search, Sense Motive, Spot, Swim, Tumble
Exclusive Skills:
Poison Lore: (Int): This is the knowledge of the effects of Poison and the ingredients used to make them. This skill allows the identification of Poisons and also entails knowledge of proper antidotes vs. specific Poisons (but not the ability to make them; Alchemy or some form of Herb Lore skill is used to craft an antidote). The skill allows the location of the correct ingredients to make a Poison and the fair market prices of those ingredients. Finally, this skill may be used in conjunction with the Make Poison Feat to create Poisons. Special: 5 Ranks of Alchemy grant a +2 Synergy Bonus to Poison Lore. 5 Ranks of Poison Lore grants a +2 Synergy Bonus to Heal checks to determine Poison-based damage and a +2 Synergy Bonus to Alchemy checks to create an antidote to a Poison. The DM is final arbiter of any details regarding Poison, it’s availability, and its effectiveness. This skill is used in conjunction with the Make Poison Feat (detailed below) to craft Poisons.

Class Abilities
Death Attack: At 1st Level the Assassin becomes capable of dealing a Death Attack with any weapon that causes normal damage. He may attempt to do this once per round, but no more than once per class level per day. The Assassin must declare that he is making a Death Attack before making the attack roll (thus a missed roll ruins the attempt). A foe struck by the Assassin must make a Fortitude saving throw (DC 10 +1/2 Assassin class level + Assassins Intelligence Modifier) or be instantly reduced to –10 hit points and killed. If they make their save, then they take normal damage from the attack. Creatures immune to critical hits are also immune to death attacks. This is an extraordinary ability.

Make Poison: At 1st Level the Assassin has learned the basic of crafting Poisons. This new General Feat is used in conjunction with the Poison Lore skill (above) to craft Poisons in much the same way that Track is used in conjunction with Wilderness Lore. Essentially, this Feat allows the crafting of Poisons using appropriate materials. Without this Feat a person may recognize and identify Poisons with the skill alone. The DM is final arbiter of necessary materials, time, and the DC for any and all Poisons.

Perceive Weakness: The Assassin is able to study his opponents to discover an exploitable weakness. If the Assassin spends 2 consecutive rounds observing a single opponent as a standard action he may make a Search check versus a DC of 15 + the targets total character level or hit die, whichever is higher. If the Assassin is successful he may add a competence bonus equal to his class level to all to-hit rolls against that opponent in melee combat and for ranged attacks at ranges of 30 feet or less. If he faces the same foe in any future engagements the check is reduced to a DC of 10 + the targets total character level or hit die, whichever is higher, versus that opponent to gain this benefit. If the Assassin fails he may not try again versus the same opponent until a day has passed. Competence bonuses do not stack. The Assassin may observe multiple opponents in order, but each use requires 2 standard actions and a standard skill check. The bonus versus each specific opponent lasts for 1 hour per class level. Creatures that are immune to critical hits still have perceivable weaknesses and are therefore affected by this ability. This is an extraordinary ability.

Sneak Attack: At 2nd Level and every other level thereafter the Assassin gains the ability to inflict an additional +1d6 damage under certain circumstances. This is identical to the Rogue ability of the same name (PHB pg47) and is stackable with that ability.

Weapon Focus: Bare Hands: The Assassin is skilled in the use of his bare hands and gains the Weapon Focus: Barehanded Feat for free at 3rd Level.

Step Aside: At 3rd Level the Assassin becomes adept at getting out of the away of melee attacks. When not wearing any armor or using any shields and not encumbered they gain a competence bonus to AC equal to their BASE Reflex Save (not their modified Reflex Save) versus all attacks that they are aware of. They loose this bonus under any circumstance that denies them their Dexterity Bonus to AC.

Weapon Focus: Grappling: The Assassin is skilled at grappling and gains the Weapon Focus: Grappling Feat for free at 5th Level.

Lethal Hands: Starting at 5th level the Assassin is able to deal lethal damage with his bare hands and may choose to do Subdual or Normal damage when making bare-hand and grappling attacks. Additionally, the Assassin begins inflicting greater damage barehanded and calculates iterative Base Attacks when fighting barehanded by subtracting 3 from their base attack bonus rather than the normal -5.

Skill Focus: Move Silently: At 7th level the Assassin gains the Skill Focus: Move Silently Feat for free.

Skill Focus: Hide: At 9th level the Assassin gains the Skill Focus: Hide Feat for free.