Type of feat: class (given based on class levels)
Prerequisite: assassin
Specifics: At first level, an assassin may use a death attack, which functions similarly to a sneak attack in that if the target is not in combat they become victim to the death attack. The successful attack forces the target to make a fortitude save or become paralyzed. Even if they succeed with the saving throw they still suffer +1d6 points of damage in addition to the normal damage the attack caused. This damage increases to 2d6 at level 3, 3d6 at level 5, 4d6 at level 7, and 5d6 at level 9.
Use: automatic
Notes[]
- Added in the expansion packs.
- Death attacks are made whenever an assassin would qualify for a sneak attack, regardless of the target's combat state. (If an assassin also has a sneak attack, the game only reports "sneak attack" to the player.) In particular, death attacks can be made with ranged weapons if within 30 feet of the target.
- All death attacks deal bonus damage, but not all death attacks trigger a paralysis save.
- The bonus damage stacks with that for sneak attacks, including the blackguard's sneak attack.
- As with sneak attacks, the bonus damage is not multiplied in the case of a critical hit.
- A death attack only triggers a paralysis save if the target is not engaged in combat, as per this feat's description.
- Only the first attack roll will trigger a paralysis save.
- The difficulty class of the saving throw is 10 + assassin level + intelligence modifier.
- The duration is 1d10 + assassin level rounds.
- The damage continues to increase in epic class levels at the rate of 1d6 for every 2 levels (i.e., 6d6 at level 11, 7d6 at level 13, and continuing up to 15d6 at level 29).
- Uncanny dodge II provides immunity to flanking death attacks under certain class level checks between the attacker and defender. See the uncanny dodge article for more information.
Previous versions[]
- Prior to (Enhanced Edition) patch 1.74, there was a saving throw for each attack in the opening flurry of combat.
- Prior to (Enhanced Edition) patch 1.74, uncanny dodge II did not provide immunity to flanking death attacks.
- Prior to the Enhanced Edition, the duration was 1 turn per assassin level.
- Prior to patch 1.66, immunity to mind-affecting spells made a character immune to death attack paralysis.
Custom content notes[]
- This feat can be given to non-assassins, but the duration of the paralysis would be fixed at 1 turn.
- If given as a bonus feat, the death attack message will not display for characters who already possess a sneak attack.