Black Blade Sect
The Black Blade Sect is an order of assassins that use a corrupted version of channeling magic. The Order of the Blade and the Black Blade Sect have a strong animosity toward each other as the members of the blades have been known to hunt the black blades. As a form of retaliation the black blades are quick to jump on any contracts that involve members of the Order of the Blade. Like the order, the sect also channels their magic through their blade but they use shadow and toxin based magic. Most of the sect members come from the children of black blades and are trained form the time they are able to wield a blade as scouts.
Scouts are charged with target acquisition and reconnaissance. They hunt the contracts for the reapers and relay the information to their handlers. As a scout they learn to perfect their stealth abilities and maintain cover. Those who cannot master these abilities often end up dead. When a scout has gathered all the necessary information, they leave the area as soon as their cover permits. If their cover is too tightly watched they may have to stick around and assist in the reaping. The most talented scouts have to regularly assist their brethren. When a scout has proven their worth and readiness to advance they are moved into the rank of reaper.
Reapers are charged with executing the target or targets of the reaping. They focus their attention on the art of killing and train to take out targets with the most efficient ways possible. Reapers usually work in teams with other assassins and not always other reapers. Since they are there strictly for the execution they tend to not focus on their cover and while it is frowned upon, they will kill additional targets if necessary. Speed is always a factor in sect assassinations. They must clear the are before the authorities can make their presence known.
When a sect member has mastered the skills of a scout and a reaper and learned to use those skills in unison they are moved into the rank of a phantom. Phantoms are lone operators that slip in and out like a ghost, leaving death behind them. They tend to have elaborate cover backgrounds that make them hard to track and are able to switch between the two in an instance. With phantoms collateral damage rarely happens and they are often gone before anyone even knows what happened. The three ruling elders of the Black Blade Sect are all phantoms.
Black Blade Sect members are masters of stealth, disabling, and damage. They are able to execute powerful attacks and devastate opponents whether in a group or as a solo operator. Sect members are strategic fighters and make the most of their environment to shape the battlefield to make up for their lower defensive capabilities. They are limited however with professions as the only option for them is assassin. Sect members like the blades require a bladed weapon to perform their spells.
Requirements
Role: Damage, Disabling, Stealth
Species: Cojaro, Human, Vampire, Grufia, Habataki, Pacura, Shaross
Professions: Assassin
Suggested Attributes: Intelligence and Dexterity
Health: 6 + Constitution per CPB + Species Health
Starting Armor Proficient: Cloth and Leather
Starting Weapon Proficient: Bladed Weapons and Throwers
Starting Skills: Choose one starting Combat or Magical Style and Stealth or Espionage.
Starting Equipment
Base
Armor: Cloth
Weapon(s): Short Blade, 5 Throwers
Equipment: Clothing, 1 Day Ration, Backpack, Canteen, 20 Arrows
Tarryns: 1d20x10
Resources
Shadow Draw or SD is the Black Blade Sect's ability to draw power in during combat. They can store SD equal to their CPB and it fades out of combat. The black blades generate SD whenever they attack, consume an action, or make a successful stealth movement.
Abilities
Strong Will, Passive Ability
The black blade has an added chance to avoid illusions and mind controlling affects equal to their CPB.
Master of Toxins, Passive Ability
The black blades are extensively trained in toxins and their exposure to them gives them a bonus to avoiding toxins equal to their CPB. They also start with the toxicology technology.
Shadow Walk, Instant Ability, 10' per CPB, 1 SD
The black blades are able to teleport from shadow to shadow. Shadow Veil can be used as a start or exit point for Shadow Walk.
Shadow Veil, Instant Ability, 1 SD per Round
The black blade can create a sphere of darkness around themselves that blinds those within it. Shadow Veil is a 6' radius and gives all within an attacker/defender penalty of -1 per CPB. At CPB 3 they can project their Shadow Veil to a medium range. At CPB 5 they can cast a second Shadow Veil for an additional SD.
Execution, Instant Ability
When the black blade makes a stealth attack they can increase their damage by 1d6 per CPB once per round.
Corruption, Enchantment
The black blade can spend ten minutes to enchant their blade with a toxin or shadow damage to recall, switch, or dismiss them as an action later for a SD. A black blade can apply an enchantment per CPB. They can also cast a bolt of corruption to a medium ranged target with a Intelligence + CPB vs Defender roll. Shadow damage from corruption is +1d6 and when used as a bolt, only the 1d6 is dealt.
The Black Blade, Attack Affixes, 1 SD
The black blade is able to use their black blade affixes once per CPB a round. The black blade affixes can be applied to melee weapons or throwers.
Leech, The black blade can drain 1d4 health from a target to heal themselves.
Hemorrhage, The black blade can cause 1d4 bleeding damage on a target for 3 rounds.
Sunder, The black blade can expose a target's armor for 1d4 actions.
Shadow Shuriken, The black blade can slide their thrower across their blade to cast their active corruption into their thrown attack.
Black Blade Sect Mastery
The Black Blade Sect assassins are trained to master various assassination styles. Each of the black blade's masteries include an additional resource to draw power from and further enhance base abilities from the class.
Veiled Blade
The veiled blades are Black Blade Sect assassins who focus on striking with their weapons from their Shadow Veil. They gain Finesse as a resource equal to their dexterity that can be used to in place of a SD cost. Finesse is replenished out of combat or by 1 on critical attacks.
Assassin's Strike, Execution Affix, 1 SD, CPB 1
When the veiled blade executes a target they can add an impairment to them for a round. Their target take a negative 1d4 to their attacker, defender, or movement for the duration. At CPB 3 and 5 they gain another 1d4 to their penalty die.
Encroaching Darkness, Passive Ability, CPB 2
The size of the veiled blade's Shadow Veil is increased to 10'. At CPB 4 they can summon an additional Shadow Veil.
Double Strike, Instant Ability, 1 SD, CPB 3
When the veiled blade Execution on a target delivers a killing blow, they can make an immediate additional Execution on a secondary target within melee or thrown range.
The Cloaked Blade, Passive Ability, CPB 4
Whenever the veiled blade used an affix from The Black Blade skill to a target they gain their stealth attack bonus to, the effect gains their CPB to the roll.
Dance of Blades, Attacker vs Defender, 3 SD, CPB 5
The veiled blade can perform one attack from within their Shadow Veil, collapsing it. All targets that fail their defender roll take weapon damage from the attack. If the attack is critical they take Execution damage. Double Strike cannot trigger off of Dance of Blades.
Shadow Burner
Black Blade Sect assassins trained as shadow burners focus on igniting their enemies with shadowfire. The shadow burner can generate Inferno Charges as an additional resource equal to their dexterity. Inferno Charges or IC are created when their shadowfire critical effect deals 10 damage. IC fades out of combat.
Shadowfire Corruption, Enchantment, CPB 1
The shadow burner gains an additional Corruption to their list of enchantments. Shadowfire deals 1d6 additional shadow damage + 1d4 shadow damage for 3 rounds on critical attacks. Shadowfire gains +1 critical attack per IC.
Burning Shroud, Passive Ability, CPB 2
Whenever the shadow burner has IC generated their Shadow Veil becomes a Burning Shroud. Burning Shroud deals shadowfire critical effect to all targets within range. Burning Shroud damage is increased by 1 per IC. Burning Shroud can be cast at range when Shadow Veil gains that ability.
Ignite, Instant Ability, 1 SD, CPB 3
Shadow burners can consume an active shadowfire critical effect, dealing 1d4 shadow damage per IC.
Burning Focus, Passive Ability, CPB 4
Shadow burner's shadowfire critical effect is increased to 2d4 shadow damage.
Blazing Inferno, Instant Ability, 3 SD, CPB 5
The shadow burner can cast Blazing Inferno when they are at full IC. Blazing Inferno casts Burning Shroud dealing Ignite damage to all within and consuming it. It can also be used on an active Burning Shroud and consuming it.
Corrupter
The Black Blade Sect assassins that are trained as a corrupter focus on their Corruption. The corrupter can store Plague equal to their intelligence as an additional resource. Plague generates whenever they apply one of their corruptions and it fades outside of combat.
Shroud of Fumes, Instant Ability, 1 Plague, CPB 1
When the corrupter uses a Plague to cast their Shadow Veil making it apply their active corruption to the area instead. At CPB 3 they can use a Plague to cast their ranged Shadow Veil as Mortar of Blight, applying their active corruption for a round. At CPB 5 they can cast an additional Mortar of Blight for an additional Plague.
Corrupt, Instant Ability, 1 Plague, CPB 2
The corrupter can twist the applied corruption on a target into a different corruption that is applied to their weapon.
Fog Roll, Instant Ability, CPB 3
The corrupter can consume their active Shroud of Corruption or Mortar of Blight into a 10' cone of corruption.
Conjoin, Intelligence + CPB vs Defender, Medium Range, 1 Plague, CPB 4
The corrupter can launch a bolt at a target that applies all corruptions on their blade.
Master of Corruption, Passive Ability, CPB 5
When their Master of Toxins ability is triggered they roll their resistance twice, taking the higher result. They also increase their toxin application chance by their CPB.
Twilight Caster
Those Black Blade Sect assassins who focus their training on shadow casting become a twilight caster. Twilight casters gain Magic Points or MP equal to their intelligence. They regain MP when they take a rest action or outside of combat.
Laced Shadows, Instant Ability, 1 MP, CPB 1
Twilight casters can use a MP when they deal shadow damage to add an affix of The Black Blade to the attack.
Impaling Shadow, Intelligence + CPB vs Defender, 1 MP, CPB 2
Twilight casters can use Execution at range with their magic dealing shadow damage equal to their Execution damage. Impaling Shadow requires stealth on the target.
Shadow Blade, Instant Ability, 1 MP, CPB 3
The twilight caster unleashes a barrage of shadowy blades that deal their weapon damage + 1d6 shadow damage to all targets within a 10' cone + 1' per CPB.
Nerve Strike, Additional Affix, CPB 4
The twilight caster gains an additional affix to apply slow to the target for 1d4 actions. On a critical Nerve Strike they paralyze the target for 1d4 actions instead.
Dance of Shadows, Passive Ability, CPB 5
When the twilight caster deals a critical shadow damage attack to a target within their Shadow Veil, they also deal that attack to all targets within active Shadow Veils.