Blackpowder Assassin (Ninja/Gunslinger)

Some ninjas deviate from their path of a silent assassin and explore the use of firearms mixed with their deadly skills. In doing so they learn an impressive range of combat arts to ensure they have an upper hand at all times. The more traditional ninjutsu orders will abandon those who are tempted the allure of firearms, leading those who aim to combine these skills to do so single-handedly or to be taught by a master. Able to arm themselves in a blink of an eye and with almost supernatural awareness and reactions, blackpowder assassins seem to react to combat before it even starts. (Original concept by Alfray Stryke) 

Primary Class: Ninja.

Secondary Class: Gunslinger.

Alignment: Any.

Hit Dice: d8.

Bonus Skills and Ranks: The blackpowder assassin may select three gunslinger skills to add to her class skills in addition to the normal ninja class skills. The blackpowder assassin gains a number of ranks at each level equal to 6 + Int modifier.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A blackpowder assassin is proficient with all simple weapons, one-handed firearms, plus the following ninja weapons; kama, katana, kusarigama, nunchaku, sai, shortbow, short sword, shuriken, siangham, and wakizashi. The blackpowder assassin must take Exotic Weapon Proficiency (firearms) to gain proficiency with two-handed firearms and firearm siege engines. They are proficient with light armor but not with shields.

Gunsmith (Ex): At 1st level the blackpowder assassin gains the gunslinger’s gunsmith ability, and must take a pistol when she chooses a battered firearm at 1st level. This replaces poison use.

Sneak Attack (Ex): The blackpowder assassin gains the rogue's sneak attack ability, except that the extra damage is 1d6 at 1st level and increases by 1d6 every three levels thereafter, up to a maximum of 7d6 at 19th level. This modifies sneak attack.

Ninja Tricks: This is exactly like the ninja ability of the same name, except that the blackpowder assassin gains a ninja trick at 2nd level and every three levels thereafter. The blackpowder assassin cannot select any ninja tricks that use poison, unless she gains the poison use ability from another class. This modifies ninja tricks

The blackpowder assassin also gains access to the following new tricks:

Ki Bullets (Su): By performing a 1 hour ritual, carving a unique rune into her bullets, the blackpowder assassin may infuse her supernatural focus into her ammunition. She may combine a firearm bullet and a dose of black powder into a ki bullet. A ki bullet is treated as a suitable alchemical or metal cartridge for her firearm. A ki bullet lasts for 24 hours, or until it hits a target, before it crumbles into dust. As part of the ritual she may also expend a number of focus points equal to the number of ki bullets created, these bullets automatically apply the focus shot deed to any attacks made with them. This ritual may create a number of ki bullets up to 3 + her Charisma modifier and may be performed once per day. This trick only costs focus if the blackpowder assassin decides to imbue the ki bullets with the focus shot deed. This trick requires the focus shot deed to learn.

Silence (Su): As a swift action, the blackpowder assassin can silence herself and her equipment for 1 round per level. This ability functions as the silence spell, except that it only targets the blackpowder assassin and any equipment she has. Using this ability uses up 1 focus point.

Focus (Su): At 3rd level the blackpowder assassin gains focus, a pool of supernatural energy she can use to perform amazing feats of agility or actions in combat. The number of points in a blackpowder assassin’s focus pool is equal to 1/2 her blackpowder assassin level + her Charisma modifier. This focus pool functions both as the gunslinger’s grit pool and the ninja’s ki pool.

At 2nd level, as long as she has at least 1 point in her focus pool, she treats any Acrobatics skill check made to jump as if she had a running start. At 10th level, she also reduces the DC of Acrobatics skill checks made to jump by 1/2 (although she still cannot move farther than her speed allows).

By spending 1 point from her focus pool, a blackpowder assassin can make one additional attack at her highest attack bonus, but she can do so only when making a full attack. In addition, she can spend 1 point to increase her speed by 20 feet for 1 round. Finally, a blackpowder assassin can spend 1 point from her focus pool to give herself a +4 insight bonus on Stealth checks for 1 round. Each of these powers is activated as a swift action. A blackpowder assassin can gain additional powers that consume points from her focus pool by selecting certain ninja tricks.

At 3rd level a blackpowder assassin can spend focus points to accomplish deeds (see Deeds) like a gunslinger. Additionally from 3rd level, a blackpowder assassin can regain one focus point in the following ways.

Sneak Attack Kill with a One-Handed Firearm: When the blackpowder assassin reduces a creature to 0 or fewer hit points with a sneak attack made with a one-handed firearm, she regains one focus point. Reducing a creature that has fewer Hit Dice than half the blackpowder assassin's character level to 0 or fewer hit points does not restore any focus.

Critical Hit with a Firearm: Each time the blackpowder assassin confirms a critical hit with a firearm attack while in the heat of combat, she regains 1 focus point. Confirming a critical hit on a helpless or unaware creature or on a creature that has fewer Hit Dice than half the blackpowder assassin's character level does not restore focus.

The blackpowder assassin’s focus pool is replenished each morning after 8 hours of rest or meditation; these hours do not need to be consecutive. This ability counts as both the grit class feature and ki pool class feature for any prerequisites. This ability modifies ki pool.

Deeds: At 3rd level, a blackpowder assassin gains the gunslinger’s deeds ability, and gains access to 1st level deeds. Every four levels beyond 3rd, the blackpowder assassin gains access each subsequent level of deeds (3rd, 7th, etc.), up to 15th level deeds at 19th level. However the blackpowder assassin may choose only two deeds that she knows of each level. This replaces sneak attack 2d6, 6d6, and 10d6, and the ninja tricks gained at 10th and 16th level. In addition a blackpowder assassin swaps access to three gunslinger deeds for the following:

Focus Shot (Su): At 1st level, when the blackpowder assassin hits a target with a one-handed firearm that is not making a scatter shot, she can spend 1 focus point to deal her sneak attack damage as extra damage on a hit. If she misses with the attack, she grazes the target, dealing half the extra damage anyway. She must choose to spend the focus point before she makes the attack roll. This is precision damage and is not multiplied if the attack is a critical hit. This precision damage increases as her sneak attack damage increases. This deed replaces the deadeye deed.

Deadeye (Ex): At 11st level, the blackpowder assassin can resolve an attack against touch AC instead of normal AC when firing beyond her firearm’s first range increment. Performing this deed costs 1 grit point per range increment beyond the first. The gunslinger still takes the –2 penalty on attack rolls for each range increment beyond the first when she performs this deed. This deed replaces the startling shot deed.

Show Stopper (Ex): At 19th level, the blackpowder assassin can spend a move action and 1 focus point to study a target within 30 ft. The next attack she makes against the target of this deed with a one-handed firearm cannot misfire, and is unaffected by concealment (but not total concealment). This deed must be used within 1 round of spending the focus point. A normal hit with this deed against the target is considered to be a critical hit and deals extra damage equal to the blackpowder assassin’s level (max 20, this bonus damage is not multiplied on a critical hit). A natural critical hit deals the same extra damage, but that damage is multiplied due to the critical. If the target succeeds on a reflex save, with a DC of 10 + 1/2 the blackpowder assassin’s level + her Charisma modifier, all extra damage is halved. Once a creature has been targeted with this deed, regardless if it succeeded on the saving throw, it cannot be targeted for 24 hours. This deed replaces the menacing shot deed.

Cunning Eye (Su): Starting from 3rd level, a blackpowder assassin possesses a supernatural awareness of her surroundings. She gains a +1 insight bonus to Perception. Every three levels thereafter this bonus increases by 1, up to a maximum of +6 at 18th level. This replaces no trace.

Deadly Intuition (Ex): At 4th level, a blackpowder assassin has an uncanny sense of danger. When she acts in the surprise round, she can take a move action, standard action, and swift action during the surprise round, not just a move or standard action. This ability replaces uncanny dodge.

Quickdraw: At 4th level, a blackpowder assassin gains Quick Draw as a bonus feat. This replaces the ninja trick gained at 4th level.

Fearsome Flourish (Ex): At 8th level, a blackpowder assassin can terrify an opponent with a single hit. A number of times per day equal to her Charisma modifier (minimum 1), when a blackpowder assassin confirms a critical hit and deals sneak attack damage to an opponent, she can choose to make the opponent frightened for a number of rounds equal to her Charisma modifier (minimum 1). She cannot use this ability in conjunction with a critical feat. This ability replaces improved uncanny dodge.

Master Tricks: At 11th level, whenever a blackpowder assassin could choose a ninja trick, she can choose an master trick instead. This modifies master tricks. In addition she adds the following to the list of master tricks she may select from:

Ki Bullet Mastery (Su): This trick functions as the ki bullets trick (see above), however the focus cost is now half a focus point per ki bullet (rounding up). This trick requires the ki bullets trick.

Smoke Shot (Ex): When a blackpowder assassin creates a smoke bomb, while wielding a firearm, she can make it into the form of an alchemical cartridge suitable for the firearm she is currently wielding. This cartridge can be loaded into the firearm and fired as normal. On a successful attack, the effect of the smoke bomb is centred on the target and the attack deals damage to the target as if using a firearm of one size smaller. The blackpowder assassin must have the smoke bomb ninja trick before selecting this trick.

True Assassin (Su): At 20th level, a blackpowder assassin becomes a true master of her art. She can, as a standard action, cast greater invisibility on herself. While invisible in this way, she cannot be detected by any means, and not even invisibility purge, see invisibility, and true seeing can reveal her. She uses her blackpowder assassin level as her caster level for this ability. Using this ability consumes 3 focus points from her pool. In addition she selects one deed. She can perform this deed for 1 focus point fewer (minimum 0) than usual. If the number of focus points to perform a deed is reduced to 0, the blackpowder assassin can perform this deed as long as she has at least 1 focus point. If a deed could already be performed as long as she had at least 1 focus point, she can now perform that deed even when she has no focus points. This replaces hidden master.

Table: Blackpowder Assassin