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What about something to do with poison use?

If youre looking for bonuses just lift the ones from the Head Hunter Assassin O.C.C in Canada.

Yeah Headhunter Assassin is a good one.

#3 Underestimated
This skill/talent of Master Assassin makes others under estimated their skills, and abilities. All Opponets automaticly think this character is -5 Levels of XP than he really is. They tend to not use tactics they otherwise would use. The Assassin can make a % roll for others to see them as a Novice Rank 1 character for an entire scene. 40%+5% per level, starting at 7th level. This roll ability does not come into play until 7th level is reached.

knowledge of poisons and toxins - identification, where/who to buy them from, safe use (for you, not the mark ) and application

Assassinate - if the mark is unaware of an incoming attack, whether from behind or just really far away, a whopping +5 strike, along with aforementioned kill shot on natural 20. maybe even an 18-20 at higher lvls. this should imo require a successful "study mark" skill roll with appropriate amount of time spent studying the habits of the mark to find that oh so vulnerable moment.

The assassins I read in my friends Rifter had FAST TALK which was a skill that allowed them to talk themselves our of impossible situations and lie convincingly. That was just a skill though that anyone could learn that they were really good at but that is kinda how Rifts O.C.C's work.

Bah... just give him One Life, One Shot, One Hit, One Kill from N&S... master sniper coming up

SamtheDagger wrote:Let us keep in mind that the Master Assassin is a highly-skilled hit man, nothing else. He is not a super spy like James Bond. He does not try to gain information or infiltrate places for any other purpose than to kill his mark. His abilities should reflect that.

Assassin's Creed is a lie. A true Master Assassin gets close to his target an eliminates them while remaining socially invisible.

The Master Assassin gets an update in the Rifts BLack Market sourcebook. I think you guys will like it judging by what im seeing here.

RoadWarriorFWaNK wrote:The Master Assassin gets an update in the Rifts BLack Market sourcebook. I think you guys will like it judging by what im seeing here.

Nice, problem solved!

So the new OCC is going to be a Master Assassin, does that make the one in merc's just an Assassin? Or should the old one have been just assassin to start off with since you are making a powered up Master assassin?*cough power creep rue cough*

drewkitty ~..~ wrote:So the new OCC is going to be a Master Assassin, does that make the one in merc's just an Assassin? Or should the old one have been just assassin to start off with since you are making a powered up Master assassin?*cough power creep rue cough*

It's not creep if you are bringing everything up to the same level. Personally I like the fact that different O.C.C's have their own little gimmicks and stat bonuses. It means they're more than just different skill selections. The Master Assassin is being updated in Rifts: Black Market. Not replaced, not made obsolete, updated. Master Assassin PC's who have been playing their characters since Mercenary's (An out of print book I can't even buy a new copy of mind you!) should be rewarded with any new bonuses the class have and adjust their stats and add any new class skill accordingly. Since that effects ALL Master Assassin's it is not a power creep. Its not like they're releasing Master Assassin Plus! or Master Assassin 10,000!.

Its an update.

Power creep is the increasing level of power of the game as new books are published.

Whether the PC is just 'updating' an old char's power level to the new one or if it is making new chars or stuff to be more powerful then the old is irrelevant to the definition of power creep.

drewkitty ~..~ wrote:Power creep is the increasing level of power of the game as new books are published.

Whether the PC is just 'updating' an old char's power level to the new one or if it is making new chars or stuff to be more powerful then the old is irrelevant to the definition of power creep.

By that definition my windows patch is powercreep.

Or rule errata/positive clarification is powercreep.

SamtheDagger wrote:More assassin abilities! Thinking more on the poison idea:

Starts with Hand to Hand: Assassin without needing to expend O.C.C skills?

I was starting small and thinking from a practice standpoint. I dont think the poison thing is the way to go. Not because its a bad idea! I just think we can come up with something better and more practical for a player character. Most players aren't normally going to get a chance to poison their enemies.

Okay, let me take a step forward from H2H: Assassin as a Free Skill.

Unseen Assailant: Blah blah blah Akashic Solder isn't going to write flavour text for a skill that is likely to be rejected. blah blah blah.
(25% +5% per level)

How it works: If you have the initiative and you successfully make a skill check you can make a called shot (without it costing an extra action) that cripples the target (-1 action per melee for 1D4 rounds). Onlookers (including the victim) are not aware of the source of the attack but are aware they are under attack. (GM's use common sense for persistent use).

I didn't exactly write it up in a pretty fashion but I wanted to see what you think first.

If you are using the Pain Penalties from the Rifts: GMG I'd have it inflict a minor or significant wound instead of costing them an action for 1D4 rounds but I wasn't sure you use it or not.

Akashic Soldier wrote:How it works: If you have the initiative and you successfully make a skill check you can make a called shot (without it costing an extra action) that cripples the target (-1 action per melee for 1D4 rounds). Onlookers (including the victim) are not aware of the source of the attack but are aware they are under attack. (GM's use common sense for persistent use).

An Assassin's job is to kill not to cripple - I don't think wasting a shot crippling someone when that same bullet could have been used to kill is in the spirit of the O.C.C.
Why not just simplify it a little? Called shots don't require an extra attack when done by a Master Assassin.

Giant2005 wrote:

Akashic Soldier wrote:How it works: If you have the initiative and you successfully make a skill check you can make a called shot (without it costing an extra action) that cripples the target (-1 action per melee for 1D4 rounds). Onlookers (including the victim) are not aware of the source of the attack but are aware they are under attack. (GM's use common sense for persistent use).

An Assassin's job is to kill not to cripple - I don't think wasting a shot crippling someone when that same bullet could have been used to kill is in the spirit of the O.C.C.
Why not just simplify it a little? Called shots don't require an extra attack when done by a Master Assassin.

The logic was "you're still doing damage" (because its still a normal attack) but the attack was so nasty that even if it doesn't kill it leaves them with a nasty wound. Also as the attack would be unsuspected and so only Juicers and the like would be able to defend against it. I'd thought that was pretty potent and effective when trying to "take someone out."

I hope this post doesn't sound self-serving...

Anyway, couple points. Master Assassins start with HTH-Assassin; they do not have to use additional OCC skills to acquire it. Using RUE as a basis, something like the ability to make uncalled Death Blows or a bonus to attack unaware opponents would fit the class. Given the nature of Rifts Earth, poison doesn't really seem that useful. It's far too easy to spot biological poisons, and I imagine anyone important would probably have some sort of cybernetic poison filter implanted in their liver. However, a technological equivalent of poison, that would be interesting. Perhaps invasive nanites or some weird virus that affects DNA? The ability to study a target and create a "poison" that would have lethal effect would be extremely useful for an assassin.

drewkitty ~..~ wrote:Power creep is the increasing level of power of the game as new books are published.

Whether the PC is just 'updating' an old char's power level to the new one or if it is making new chars or stuff to be more powerful then the old is irrelevant to the definition of power creep.

The original version was poorly written. That's why. It's got nothing to do with making it "more powerful".
Same goes for the Professional Thief and the Freelance Spy.

I dont ever write RPG material just to arbitrarily make something powerful. Ever.

SamtheDagger wrote:I like the idea of improved called shots. But giving them the ability to make a called shot as a single action seems a bit too powerful. How about the following:

Dead Eye: A Master Assassin is so thoroughly skilled in the use of assassination using projectile weapons and energy weapons that he is able to target vital areas more easily. He can regulate his breathing with phenomenal ability and steady himself even in the middle of combat! A Master Assassin who makes a Called Shot gains the benefit of an Aimed Shot as well without requiring an additional action for the Aimed Shot. Thus, a Master Assassin can make a Called Shot and Aimed Shot by using only two actions instead of three.

I dunno I think just adapting The 1L;1S;1H;1K and allowing it to work with modern/future weapons would work just as well (and would better demonstrate mechanically the sniper taking his time and finding just the perfect moment to shoot.)