In one of my former campaigns a female compatriot of mine first played an assassain and out GM being the guy he is made a small career backround called a Vixen assassain. The Vixen is a seducer assassain she (only female characters can get this package) uses her looks and charms to beguile her targets into a false sense of indulgence and then strikes. The career path is mainly melee oriented though she never really like guns when she played, so i guess its open to interpretation. I was wondering if anyone had any ideas for the skills and talents and effects one of these assassains might have, my gm just made it up as he went and my female compatriot really wants to play an assassain like that again but our new gm wants to edit and finalize it. Im asking you guys and gals if you have any ideas that i might use this includes backround into the would be career package, xp cost, skills, talents, gear, and or drawbacks to it please any feedback is good. ill inform you the information we decide and id like feedback on that as well.

Vixen:

200xp

Characteristics: -5 BS, +5 Fel
Skills: Blather, Charm, Chem-Use as starting skills

Equipment: Replace normal equipment with a Good Quality Mon Stilletto, Perfume, Enticing Dress (common quality), Pack of Lho sticks and a bottle of amesec

ok good idea any backround into it we are kind of a roleplaying group and our gm always makes us have a story as to why we are the way we are and the career backrounds usualy have a small story as to what they are and why they do what they do, so anything would be good.

I'd add the possibility of switching the prices for your Fellowship and BS advances.

I would also add that the character cannot take the Unremarkable Talent among their starting Talents, and must instead take Ambidextrous (it's astonishingly appropriate for such a character to be "good with her hands", anyway).

Also, I wouldn't by default require that the character be female. Even if you don't think a man could hoodwink a woman in this way (and I would have to disagree with you on that one), there's the ongoing discussion on homosexuality in the Imperium which has largely boiled down to "it depends on where you are". And with a potentially-criminal Career Path like the Assassin, even where it isn't acceptable, the male Vixen would still be found.

True and though i dont doubt there isnt homosexuality in the emperium i wouldnt put it out of my mind for a male assassain to take it. im disscussing it with my gm and he has asked to let my female compatriot decide and she isnt taking visitors today *curses Valentines Day* but i will speak with her tonight, tommorow, and or monday but here is what ive thought of so far.

The Vixen:

Cost: 200 xp

Restrictions : you must choose ambidextrous in character creation, and can not have any quirks affecting facial appearance (if any mutations affect this you may roll on the minor mutation table to gain another mutation that does not affect facial appearance)

Vixens are a death cult seldom seen in the assassainorium officio of the greater imperium, but has gained stance in the Calaxis Sector among noble house asssassains or in the underhives of brothels or slave trade where pleasure and killing are only a matter of the amount of gelt you hold in your pocket. The Vixen is a seducer, a black widow of killing, he or she can charm their target into any false sense of want, need, trust, or fear, and then strike. Gesturing to them with a wanton look and twirling hand gesture and the other hand with a blade behind their back. There has been some speculation though as to the fealty of these assassains as they take great pleasure in their work killing through pleasure itself. There have been some thoughts that this death cult has fallen to the ruinous powers of Slaneesh through rumours of their kind merely looking at their target and gaining their want. Most of the Inquisition cares not for these brand of assassains but some who prefer subtly and subterfuge will use these assassains to gain the trust of say a heretic noble and have them strike at the source with a kiss and a knife.

Effects: apply all of the following effects to your character

Characteristics : Increase your fellowship by +5 and increase your ballistic skill or weapon skill by +5 reduce your strength and toughness by -5

Skills : you begin play with the following skills: Speak language (high gothic) int, Forbiden Lore (cults-Slaneeshi) (int),Chem-use (int),Bleather (fel), Charm (fel), Decieve (fel), and Disguise (fel)

Talents : you begin play with the following talents Chem Geld, Decadence, quick draw or rapid reload, Vixen (see sidebar)

Corruption points : you gain 1D5 corruption points

Insanity points : you gain 1D5 insanity points

Equipment : replace your starting gear with the following: Stub revolver with 9 shots or a compact laspistiol with one charge pack, mono sword or two mono knives, 5 throwing knives, charm (ornate jewelled necklace), enticing dress (good quality clothing), light flak jacket, Disguise kit (+5 on disguise tests), flask of amesec or pack of lho sticks and a lighter

Vixen (new talent) : due to the nature of these individuals they are incredibly attractive in an imperium of people dirtied by feral jungles, smog from a hive, or grease from a starship and so take great pride in their appearance Vixens take a -5 penalty on all tests involving anything other than cleaning themselves if they are dirtied (ie covered in gore or dirt) and if in a proper environment (ie noble house or paradise world) gain a +5, also due to their stunning appearance most citizens of the imperium are hard pressed to forget them and pcs or npcs gain a +10 on intelligence to remember them

so wat do you think? to much to little? any commentary is good

Its way to much for 200xp

Drop the forbidden lore, chem-use, High Gothic

All the talents

Make it -5 to BS and +5 to Fel

Drop the insanity, corruption

Equipment:
two mono knives, 5 throwing knives, charm (ornate jewelled necklace), enticing dress (good quality clothing), light flak jacket, Disguise kit (+5 on disguise tests), flask of amesec or pack of lho sticks and a lighter

Thats 200xp and reasonable

Why should i drop the talents? or do you mean to keep them?

I don't understand the Vixen trait - the Vixen takes a -5 penalty to all actions except cleaning? I'd remove it. Chem Geld really doesn't make much sense, either.

I agree that the background is overpowered. As an alternate:

Cost: 200 XP

Restrictions: For your starting Talents as an Assassin, you may not choose Unremarkable.

Vixens are a death cult seldom seen in the assassainorium officio of the greater imperium, but has gained stance in the Calaxis Sector among noble house asssassains or in the underhives of brothels or slave trade where pleasure and killing are only a matter of the amount of gelt you hold in your pocket. The Vixen is a seducer, a black widow of killing, he or she can charm their target into any false sense of want, need, trust, or fear, and then strike. Gesturing to them with a wanton look and twirling hand gesture and the other hand with a blade behind their back. There has been some speculation though as to the fealty of these assassains as they take great pleasure in their work killing through pleasure itself. There have been some thoughts that this death cult has fallen to the ruinous powers of Slaneesh through rumours of their kind merely looking at their target and gaining their want. Most of the Inquisition cares not for these brand of assassains but some who prefer subtly and subterfuge will use these assassains to gain the trust of say a heretic noble and have them strike at the source with a kiss and a knife.

Characteristi cs: Increase your Fellowship by +5, but decrease your Ballistic Skill by -5.

Skills: Blather, Carouse, Charm, Chem Use, Speak Language (High Gothic)

Equipment: Replace normal equipment with two mono knives, charm (perfume or item of jewelry), enticing dress (good quality clothing), pack of lho sticks and a lighter or a bottle of amesec

Traits: The advancement costs for Ballistic Skill and Fellowship are reversed, so that Fellowship advancements cost what other Assassins pay for Ballistic Skill, and vice versa .

Pneumonica said:

Looks very good, though with the Trait added and no disadvantages I would make it 300Xp, I would also drop High Gothic, otherwise it would be a bit much

The trait is a disadvantage overall. A lot of your Assassin traits will be less useful because you will have a harder time developing Ballistic Skill. It works better to your concept, but it actually works against the focus of the Assassin.

In my humble opinion there are enough melee talents left, the moritat can't realy use the BS traits to its advantage

mmm well the vixen trait is because they are so narcisistic about their look they have to clean themselves and look groomed constantly its kind of like a very small disorder which is what the insanity points were for, but i get where its kind of wierd for them to take -5 on a test i suppose it can be changed to (the character feels incredibly compelled to always look their best no matter the environment) the chem geld was for the fact that id be strange for someone who's job is to seduce and entice other and for they themselves to become seduced which is what chem geld prevents. the restriction for facial features can go i suppose if the disguise kit stays because it wouldnt matter then. and i think assassains themselves are a split class that there are melee classes (morait or vixen) or there are shooting classes (astral knives or if you go for the sniper guardsman (which i think should go the the assassain anyway)) as for the equipment i like it i suppose if need be they can sell their gear to get armour if they wanted though i think there should be an option for a mono sword because not all people prefer knives i just used it as an example. true i think high gothic should go as well as chem use now that i think of it i dont know why i put it in there. and the stat changes can stay though i dont really like the traits since they seem pointless to me though you can keep them if you want the career backround, for the charm i think it should be a jewl because eventualy perfume runs out (if your gm plays the game with things running out)

so any changes with this new bit i think we are really nailing this down its really helping the case with my gm

I suppose it could go either way with High Gothic, but it seems to make perfect sense to me that they speak the tongue of high society. The advancement cost flip still strikes me as a disadvantage more than an advantage - assassins don't get very many social abilities.

@ThenDoctor

Could you please use paragraphs and full stops? The wall of text hurts my eyes which is not the best way of making people want to help you.

@Pneumonica

Regarding the last published version, I'm not quite sure about it.The package on its own strikes me as a tad strong for 200 XP, though you're right to say that the Assassin career tree is sorely lacking in social skills over the first few levels - and the social branch are getting Charm, Deceive and Blather only to +10/Talented, with only Disguise getting a full +20/Talented. I'd say you'd need an alternate career rank that's somewhere around the third or fourth rank.

For a stronger version, I'd consider adding the 1D5 corruption back in to represent the slow subversion of the Death Cult by Slaanesh and getting some fancy stuff for it.

I am sorry for the style of type I have never been used to it from playing WoW so i never us a period. Though i will try my best in the future.

From all of your reviews i think we can still keep this a career backround because i really didnt want to turn this into a huge project of an alternate career. So here it is...

The Vixen:

cost: 200xp

restrictions: in character creation must choose ambidextrous

The Vixens are a death cult seldom seen in the assassainorium officio of the greater imperium, but has gained stance in the Calaxis Sector among noble house asssassains or in the underhives of brothels or slave trade where pleasure and killing are only a matter of the amount of thrones you can scrounge up. The Vixen is a seducer, a black widow of killing, he or she can charm their target into any false sense of want, need, trust, or fear and then strike. Gesturing to them with a wanton look and twirling hand gesture and in the other hand a blade behind their back. There has been some speculation though as to the fealty of these assassains as they take great pleasure in their work killing through seduction. There have been some thoughts that this death cult has fallen to the ruinous powers of Slaneesh through rumours of their kind merely looking at their target and gaining their trust. Most of the Inquisition cares not for these brand of assassains but some who prefer subtly and stealth will use these assassains to gain the trust of say a heretic noble and have them strike at the source with a kiss and a kill.

Characteristics: +5 to fellowship and -5 to ballistic skill

Skills: charm, blather, carouse

Talents: chem geld, Vixen (see sidebar)

Insanity points: gains 1D5 IP

Equipment: 2 mono knives or a mono sword (rapier), enticing dress (good quality), charm (jewel), pack of lho sticks and a lighter or a bottle of amasec (counts as 2 doses)

Vixen (new talent): due to the nature of the individuals vanity is something stressed in their work. if they dont look presentable then they cant hunt their targets, so as a drawback they are trained from a young age to groom themselves contantly almost to the point of an obsession if a Vixen is dirtied (i.e. covered in gore or dirt) they feel extremely compelled to stop what they are doing and clean themselve and must pass a WP test or clean themselves imediately if the test is passed then they can clean at their leisure though will feel extremely edgy and annoyed at their state, also due to their stunning appearance most citizens of the imperium are hard pressed to forget them and pcs or npcs gain a +5 on intelligence to remember them.

i know the vixen trait might sound a little confusing but i just think its like any other assassain class they are trained at a young age to do what they do so they have a compulsion to stay at the top of their game.

What do you think about it? any final changes? if any of you have any editing left id like it or ill take this final draft to my GM hopefuly he will like it.

Greetings all.

I am the original creator of this class. Admittedly it has gotten a little out of hand; as such later tonight I shall return to place the fiction in proper order and aid in the finalization of this starting package. Originally the package was not meant to pack power, but to make it possible to inter an alternate rank later on. I shall return after I attend to my agenda for the day.

I like Pneumonica's version better (apart from the fact that the assassin has some glaring weaknesses that would really necessitate a more major overhaul than a new starting package when used as a social class).

Chem Geld is a bad idea as it usually brings with it a detachment from normal human perspective. That's fine for a more experienced assassin that can fake emotions well enough without feeling them at all, but a newbie might have some difficulties.

Also, your version lacks the eminently important switch between Fellowship and BS advancements. A social assassin who neither gets early social skill trainings (and as we've seen, they aren't coming before the branching of the career tree) nor cheap fellowship advances will have a really tough time.

Finally, the requirement of taking ambidextrous doesn't make that much sense. A good part of the "Vixen" assassins may go into the red-light direction, but I can easily see others as high-ranked courtesans, more arm-candy than bed-toy.

Taking a look over the whole career, I'm more and more convinced that the idea of a "social" assassin can't be done within the existing rules unless you're content with realizing your character's concept within the last three or so ranks. Starting assassins seem to tend more towards the anti-social niche - not that surprising when you get to think about the whole "killing people you never met and have no grudges against" thing...

The requirement isn't to take Ambidexterous. The requirement is to not take Unremarkable. And for Assassins, you must take either Ambidexterous or Unremarkable. You could declare that they get neither, that's always an option, and if people think the background package is strong that would make a workable revision.

I do agree with you about the Chem Geld - especially if you want the overture of a Slaaneshi death-cult, I doubt Slaanesh would ever actively Chem Geld its followers. And also, Chem Gelding even the bottommost member of your order means severe medical expense - I can't imagine Chem Gelds as being cheap enough to manufacture wholesale. It's more than just shutting down a couple hormones - it's rebalancing them so that extreme health problems don't crop up.

Personally I think switching BS and Fellowship and giving them Vixen as a starting package gives them a strong trait set, but it would also make them a noncom. They'd instead be infiltration. It doesn't take much social skill to make people believe you're a *****, high-class or no. The real strength behind it is that you have a better chance at the "one hit one kill" motto, though it'd be up way close. There've been enough honeytrap assassins in the world to prove that the tactic works depressingly well. It'd just rely on the GM and the group being open to noncombat characters. Some GMs don't handle that especially well, but most can work with you. The real problem is the group. The group that kicks in doors and kills things that gibber or sqirm wherever is going to have no place for your character, that's for sure.

I'm kind of a disgruntled Bard player, in case you can't tell. lol