Ok, so I have a player in my game that wants to become an Assassin. The PCs just hit level 3 so there is still some time to develop this in character. Now, when he first told me I told him no. I thought it would complicate relations within the group, especially because we have a Paladin in the party. But the more I thought about it, I was ok with it. It would give him the chance to really flesh out his character and gives many opportunities for RP, what with the assassin guild and such. So I decided to brush up on the Assassin PrC just to remind myself what it all can do and the major changes from 3E. This is where I got confused.
Under the Assassin description (Fluff) for alignment it says this:
Due to its necessary selfishness and callous indifference toward taking lives, the assassin class attracts those with evil alignments more than any others. Because the profession requires a degree of self-discipline, chaotic characters are ill suited to becoming these shadowy killers. Neutral characters sometimes become assassins, frequently thinking of themselves as simple professionals performing a job, yet the nature of their duties inevitably pushes them toward an evil alignment.
But the requirements say "Any Evil"
So here is my conundrum. The fluff says you can be neutral but the requirements say you must be evil. So which is it. Also can you be an assassin and switch from evil to neutral and still take levels in Assassin? How do you deal with this in your game, do you even stick to the Any Evil requirement or do you do more of a Non-Good?
If you become non evil you keep your toys but cannot take any additional levels in the class.
Or just make them a vivisectionist alchemist. Seems to amount to much the same thing.
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The easy answer is that it is your game, so do what you want. Personally, I feel that requirements for qualification extend beyond the initial choice, so if you have to be evil to be an assassin, you always have to be evil aligned.
OTOH, I would be open for allowing the character to be neutral assuming that s/he would only perform assassinations as a job task and never for personal reasons as that would be an evil act, IMO.
Sounds like he is more akin to a soldier/sniper who is required to kill specific targets at the behest of someone else, presumably for the greater good.
I believe in the fluff it's not neutral on the Good vs. Evil spectrum, but Law vs. Chaos spectrum. You can always remove the limitation or let him remake as a ninja. They get a Death Attack later I believe. He can be an "Assassin" without having to take that terrible prestige class.
Edit: DAMN!!!!! Ninja'd
Under the Assassin description (Fluff) for alignment it says this:Due to its necessary selfishness and callous indifference toward taking lives, the assassin class attracts those with evil alignments more than any others. Because the profession requires a degree of self-discipline, chaotic characters are ill suited to becoming these shadowy killers. Neutral characters sometimes become assassins, frequently thinking of themselves as simple professionals performing a job, yet the nature of their duties inevitably pushes them toward an evil alignment.
Your answer seems to be right there. The Neutral refers to the Law\Chaos spectrum, not the Good\Evil.
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Any Evil alignment. I think the idea behind the fluff is that someone might start down the path of the hired killer, but by the time they get to the point where they are learning specialized techniques (aka a Prestige Class), they are no longer quite so neutral about things. The way I've always seen it is that while anybody can call themselves an assassin, it takes a certain mindset that in some way enjoys killing as a vocation in order to go far enough to learn the specialized techniques of the Assassin PrC. As long as you are running under a standard Good v Evil model of alignment, without much grey area, then this holds up pretty well.
If what the guy wants is the death attack, then that's the only way I know of to get it. If they just want specialized skills for the job, take a look at the Lion's Blade PrC on the PFSRD site.
I would also like to add my 2cp, in that I would probably houserule it to 'Non-Good'.
Let's take Chun from Remo Williams. I see him as a Lawful Neutral type, because he is highly disciplined and sees "Professional Assassination" as "the highest form of public service."
For those who have no idea what I'm talking about, here is a starting point: Remo Williams
Edit: DAMN!!!!! Ninja'd
Your answer seems to be right there. The Neutral refers to the Law\Chaos spectrum, not the Good\Evil.
Under the Assassin description (Fluff) for alignment it says this:Due to its necessary selfishness and callous indifference toward taking lives, the assassin class attracts those with evil alignments more than any others. Because the profession requires a degree of self-discipline, chaotic characters are ill suited to becoming these shadowy killers. Neutral characters sometimes become assassins, frequently thinking of themselves as simple professionals performing a job, yet the nature of their duties inevitably pushes them toward an evil alignment.
uhm it clearly doesn't. Read the last part of the sentence containing the word neutral again.... yet the nature of their duties inevitably pushes them toward an evil alignment.
if it was talking about the law vs. chaos axis within the already evil alignment... then they would not find themselves being 'pushed toward evil' (which they already are).
I agree with changing the requirement to 'Non-Good' instead of 'Evil'.
I don't allow Evil characters in my campaigns, but I don't like to completely block of build choices either, so this seems liek a good compromise.
Of course, even a Lawful Neutral Assassin is going to have a bit of a hard time working closely with a Paladin without some kind of trouble brewing.