KATJEMERAN ASSASSIN — ROGUE SUBCLASS
Salorras Paragon: Katjemeran Assassin · Path: Scoundrel (Rogue) · Subclass type: Roguish Archetype, chosen at 3rd level The Rasjacaras of the Fatal Contracts.
The assassins of the city-state of Katjemeran, known as the Rasjacaras, have raised the art of poisoning and the lore of anatomy to peerless heights, making them insidious hunters of their marks. A Rasjacaro usually works for the guild of the Fatal Contracts; some break from the order and act alone, but apostates are most often hunted by the guild itself. Wherever they stand, they are the deadliest users of toxins in Asmeda. Many in the Fatal Contracts call themselves Rasjacaras, but only a few are true “masters” of the craft, raised through harsh trials and strict discipline to the upper ranks. They always wear carved metal masks shaped like birds, marking their place in the guild’s hierarchy.
Religiously, the Katjemeran assassins keep no clear allegiance — many are atheists; the devout favor creeds fitting a paid killer, such as Nerkan Thak’Ar (their natural patron, shared with the Murder-Call Apostle), Galiena, Othrax, or The Weapon.
Taking the Oath (roleplay, not a mechanical prerequisite)
You choose this archetype at 3rd level with no in-game prerequisites. In the fiction a Rasjacaro must join the Fatal Contracts in Katjemeran and swear to serve the Highest Contract — the Rasjavi Diira — until death, then spend time sequestered in the Rasjacaras’ hideout, trained for a first assignment given by a superior.
Note. The old prestige class’s poison-craft economy (admixture yields, gp costs, Craft DCs) becomes the streamlined features below, built on the 2024 Rogue and Poisoner’s Kit.
Katjemeran Assassin Features
| Rogue Level | Feature |
|---|---|
| 3 | Assassinate, Poisoner’s Craft |
| 9 | Poison Expert, Infiltrator’s Mask |
| 13 | Pressure Points, Poison Enchantment |
| 17 | Death Strike |
Level 3 — Assassinate
You are at your deadliest against the unready. You have Advantage on attack rolls against any creature that hasn’t taken a turn in the current combat yet. In addition, the first time you hit a Surprised creature during the first round of a combat, that attack is a critical hit, and you add your Rogue level to its damage (the studied killing strike).
Level 3 — Poisoner’s Craft
The Fatal Contracts drill their own in toxins until poison can never harm them by accident.
- You gain proficiency with the Poisoner’s Kit (Expertise if already proficient), you never risk poisoning yourself when applying a poison, and you can apply a poison to a weapon or piece of ammunition as a Bonus Action.
- When you craft poison, you produce twice the normal quantity for the same cost and time.
- Your seasoned body resists toxins: you have Advantage on saving throws against poison and Resistance to poison damage.
Level 9 — Poison Expert
Your home-brewed toxins are uniquely lethal. When a creature is hit by a weapon you have poisoned, the poison’s save DC equals 8 + your Proficiency Bonus + your Dexterity modifier (use this in place of the poison’s normal DC if higher), and the target takes an extra 2d6 poison damage. You also choose one poison type (contact, ingested, inhaled, or injury) whose onset for any “secondary” effect you create is halved.
Level 9 — Infiltrator’s Mask
A Rasjacaro slips into any role. You can unfailingly create false identities for yourself (an Infiltration Expertise: spend 7 days and 25 GP to establish a believable history, profession, and affiliation), and you have Advantage on Charisma (Deception) checks made to maintain a cover identity.
Level 13 — Pressure Points
Your anatomical mastery lets you trade lethal force for incapacitation. You gain two new Cunning Strike options (used when you deal Sneak Attack damage):
- Stun (Cost 2d6). The target makes a Constitution saving throw (DC 8 + your Proficiency Bonus + your Dexterity modifier). On a failure, it is Stunned until the end of your next turn.
- Cripple (Cost 4d6). The target makes a Constitution saving throw against the same DC. On a failure, it is Paralyzed until the end of your next turn.
Level 13 — Poison Enchantment
You master the most arcane secret of the Rasjacaras — wedding poison to magic. A weapon or piece of ammunition you prepare can carry both an applied poison and an applied magic oil (or coated potion) at once; a creature struck must save separately against each effect. (This represents the hybrid “enchanted poisons” of the guild.)
Level 17 — Death Strike
You become the perfect killer. When you hit a creature that is Surprised or that hasn’t yet taken a turn in the combat, it must succeed on a Constitution saving throw (DC 8 + your Proficiency Bonus + your Dexterity modifier) or take double the attack’s total damage. If you choose, a target that fails this save is instead rendered Paralyzed for 1 minute (it repeats the save at the end of each of its turns) — the merciful end of a studied death attack.
Leaving the Guild (Ex-Katjemeran Assassin)
A Rasjacaro who breaks the code of the Highest Contract — or carelessly lets a client’s sacred contract lapse — is named a traitor and hunted by their former kin to be judged before the Highest Rasjacaro. Mechanically, an ex-assassin loses none of this subclass’s features — every one was earned through personal effort.
Ability Note
The Katjemeran Assassin is a Dexterity Rogue; Intelligence aids the Poisoner’s Kit checks behind its craft.