Is the Red Mantis Assassin prc overpowered?

[Ardenup]

hi now I've only got the 3.5 compatable info but the Rex mantis assassin gets 3/4 attack, spells SA and gtr wpn fcs , specialization . fluff prohibitions aside, Does it get too much?
cheers.

[Gorbacz]

What exactly do you consider overpowered in the RMA ?

[0gre]

Ardenup wrote:

hi now I've only got the 3.5 compatable info but the Rex mantis assassin gets 3/4 attack, spells SA and gtr wpn fcs , specialization . fluff prohibitions aside, Does it get too much?

cheers.

I don't have it in front of me but this doesn't sounds particularly disturbing. It's a prestige class and the spell progression doesn't stack from what I recall so it's casting is roughly in like with the rangers.

[Ice Titan]

They need strength for damage, dex to hit, con for HP and save DCs on their abilities, int for their spells and charisma for their spell save DCs

The Red Mantis Assassin is frequently the butt of many jokes at my table due to how ridiculous it is that a class such as them exists. Whenever someone says something like, "What class should I play? Fifteen point buy, 20 point buy, etc.", we say, "A monk/rogue/red mantis assassin. All of his stats must be 16 or better. Good luck."

[Ardenup]

away from books at the moment so wasn't aware of so much MAD but the class seemed like the 3.5 assassin but better. it gets the same SA base attack, spells, a mors usable special attack and 4 good fighter feats for free (effectively making it full BAB.

[Gorbacz]

If you compare him to the PFRPG Assassin, RMA has less sneak attack and no HiPS, and that's quite a deal.

But I think we should wait for the official Pathfinderi-zation of RMA.

[Kaisoku]

The Red Mantis Assassin is 3.5e material. Compare the 3.5e Assassin with the Pathfinder Assassin, same situation...

[Gorbacz]

Well, the thread is in Pathfinder RPG section not the 3.5 section, so ... :)

[Kaisoku]

For some reason I glossed over that he said it was better than the 3.5e assassin. Thought he was talking about the pathfinder assassin.

[Karui Kage]

For those needing a reference: Red Mantis Assassin

It's converted to Pathfinder RPG (mostly just a chance in the save progression). Looks pretty balanced to me honestly.

[HalfOrcHeavyMetal]

I find the Red Mantis PrC to be quite powerful when compared to the old 3.5 Assassin Class, and doubly so against the Pathfinder Assassin. The Shapechanging, Enchantment-type abilities and the like made the class mechanically powerful.

However, the array of stats required to make the Class work can be troublesome, either requiring a 20 point or higher or spending hundreds of thousands of gold on stat-enhancing belts and head-bands. Further, almost every Red Mantis belongs to a powerful, shadowy organisation that is known and feared throughout the known world. Every Mantis is following orders, or they had better be, for the Inner Circle of the Order, and the Mantis Order's method for separating the wannabes from the real recruits is heavy on the mortality rate, meaning that anyone with the strength and skill to survive better have the wits to convince the canny Mantis Masters that he really is dedicated to the cause else they'll just shank him or mind-rape him into submission.

In a flat-out combat game ... the Red Mantis can arguably beat most other characters. In a Role Playing game ... the Red Mantis is powerful, but not game-breakingly so.