Weekly Wonders: Archetypes of Intrigue Volume IV - Assassins
Death from the Shadows! Intrigue is a staple of the fantasy genre¸ and many players and GMs are drawn to the idea of a grand campaign of political intrigue¸ in which the players face the dangers of scheming politicians¸ backstabbing assassins¸ high-society soirees¸ and similar trials¸ instead of the usual drudging through moldy old dungeons¸ killing things and taking their stuff. A proper political drama or heist adventure can be hard to run and even harder to write¸ but perhaps the hardest is for players to get in the appropriate mindset¸ and deal with their problems with finesse¸ rather than a blunt weapon. One thing that can help players get in the mood-and get themselves an edge-when it comes to intrigue is having an archetype that kits their preferred class out a bit more for the type of adventure they'll be playing. Each installment of Weekly Wonders: Archetypes of Intrigue presents six new archetypes tied to a particular role common in intrigue adventures. For this book¸ we focus on assassins. There are many ways to deal with one's rivals in the world of intrigue: deftly outmaneuvering them in social arenas¸ enacting laws and ordinances that benefit you and hamper them¸ but perhaps the most effective route is simply to have them eliminated. Of course¸ such things aren't acceptable in civilized society¸ which is where the assassin comes into play: these hired killers will do the dirty work of eliminating troublemakers¸ while distancing their employers from the deed. Each of the archetypes in this book focus on traditional methods of assassination¸ whether that be poison¸ stealth attacks from the shadows¸ or deadly ambushes made from a distance. This book includes the following archetypes: The black thorn¸ a druid archetype that can easily harvest and create poisons¸ including a special poison known as black thorn extract¸ which only they can create. The dead shot¸ a gunslinger archetype that can fire from concealment without giving away her position¸ and deliver deadly short-range execution shots. The shadow blaster¸ a kineticist archetype that can harness the power of shadows to stealthily kill her foes. The spellkiller¸ a magus archetype whose spells are more effective against unwitting targets¸ and who gains access to subtle illusion magic. The nefarious collector¸ an occultist archetype that uses a person's trinkets and keepsakes to attack them from afar. The cutthroat¸ a swashbuckler archetype with sneak attack¸ who gains a variety of stealthy and nefarious deeds. Whether you're about to embark on a campaign of courtly intrigue (such as one of multiple official Paizo adventure paths)¸ or you just want to play a character with a political bent¸ this book has lots of tantalizing options to offer. Even GMs can get in on the fun¸ as several of the archetypes here are perfect for NPCs tied to royal courts as well¸ and can make for exciting and memorable encounters.