Continuing my design trip to the ancient past of the game system (specifically the fighter/magic-user/thief, I am working on several old ideas that can be designed as alternate and/or hybrid character classes. For example, the inquisitor is already a class that combines fighting, divine spells, and some stealth, all focused on judgment and punishment. But with a tilt of focus, the same basic frame can be used to recreate the old cleric/assassin multiclass character of early editions of the game.

All but one of the class’s features are swapped out, but it still counts as an inquisitor for other purposes. However, it cannot select any option (spell, feat, magic items, and so on) that modifies a class feature the inquisitor has but that the cleric/assassin does not.

On Hybrid Class Names

Since this hybrid class is inspired by the cleric/assassin of previous editions of the fantasy game engine Pathfinder First Edition is built on, for the official class name I just stuck with cleric/assassin. But that's not how Pathfinder hybrid classes are developed in the official game. The magus is clearly a fighter/wizard, and the warpriest even officially a cleric/fighter, but both classes still gets their own names.

So, for GMS/game groups that prefer to follow the official hybrid class naming convention, here are some options on what to call a cleric/assassin: Anointed Killer, Becalmer, Carnifex, Corella, Danites, Eliminator, Faneblade, Final Prayer, Jael, Lifetaker, Locusta, Morville, Murtherer, Nightshade, Queller, Scythe, Sicarii, Zealator.

(If a GM wants to get EXTRA old skool, they can limit cleric/assassins to half-orcs... or more believably to a specific deity or sect. Art by Jacob Blackmon.)

Cleric/Assassin

There are gods willing for their followers to end problems with a hidden blade in the dark, seeing it as no worse than challenging a foe in open combat or striking them down with divine wrath. Among the followers of these gods there are those who see the calling to kill enemies--their gods, their own, or their churches--by any means necessary as a divine calling.

Role: Like their more martial- and punishment-focused cousins the inquisitors, cerlic/assassins tend to move from place to place, chasing down enemies and researching emerging threats. As a result, they often travel with others, if for no other reason than to mask their presence. Cleric/assassins are often secretive about their exact methods, even among members of their own religion. This is not about chame, or fear of divine judgement, but simple pragmatism. Openly being a worshiper of a deity, and even being humble about one's own role in such endeavors, can be good gover for the fact you seek to kill people in unexpected, unseen ways.

Alignment: Neither the cleric/assassin, nor the cleric/assassin's god, can have a good alignment. A cleric/assassin’s alignment must be within one step of their deity’s, along either the law/chaos axis or the good/evil axis.

Hit Die: d8.

Favored Class Bonus: A cleric/.assassin can select racial favored class bonuses for the cleric, inquisitor, or rogue. The cleric/assassin cannot select a racial favored class bonus that modifies a class feature the cleric/assassin does not have.

Starting Wealth: 4d6 x 10 gp (average 140 gp).

Class Skills

The cleric/assassin's class skills are Appraise (Int), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (dungeoneering) (Int), Knowledge (local) (Int), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Knowledge (planes) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Stealth (Dex), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str).

Skill Points at each Level: 6 + Int modifier.

Class Features

Proficiency: Cleric/assassins are proficient with light armor, simple and martial weapons, and the favored weapon of their deity.

Spells: The cleric/assassin is a divine spellcaster that casts spells drawn from the inquisitor spell list or antipaladin spell list, but cannot cast any spell that has an alignment element that is directly opposed to their own alignment or their deity’s, or that modifies a class feature the cleric/assassin does not have. They can cast any spell they know at any time without preparing it ahead of time, assuming they have not yet used up their allotment of spells per day for the spell’s level.To learn or cast a spell, a cleric/assassin must have a Charisma score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against an inquisitor’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the cleric/assassin’s Charisma modifier.A cleric/assassin can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level each day. Their base daily spell allotment is given on Table C/A–3. In addition, they receives bonus spells per day if they have a high Charisma score.

Domain: CLeric/assassins are, like typical clerics, influenced by their deity. Although not as tied to the tenets of the deity as a cleric, a cleric/assassin must still hold such guidelines in high regard, despite that fact they can go against such guidelines if it serves the greater good of the faith. A cleric/inquisitor can select one domain from among those belonging to their deity (though they can select an alignment domain only if their alignment matches that domain). With the GM’s approval, a cleric/inquisitor can be devoted to an ideal instead of a deity, selecting one domain to represent their personal inclination and abilities. The restriction on alignment domains still applies.Each domain grants a number of domain powers, depending on the level of the cleric/assassin. A cleric/assassin does not gain the bonus spells listed for each domain, nor do they gain bonus spell slots, but they can select such domain spells as cleric/assassin spells known and they are considered to be on their class spell list. A cleric/assassin uses their class level as their effective cleric level when determining the power and effect of their domain powers.

Unlikes an inquisitor, a cleric/assassin cannot select inquisitions and does not add their class levels to cleric levels for determining the domain powers of on of their domains.

Poison Resistance (Ex): A cleric/assassin gains a +1 saving throw bonus against poisons. This bonus increase by +1 at 3rd level, and every two levels thereafter.

Poison Use (Ex): Cleric/assassins are trained in the use of poison and cannot accidentally poison themselves when applying poison to a weapon.

Uncanny Dodge (Ex): At 2nd level, a cleric/assassin cannot be caught flat-footed, even if the attacker is invisible. The cleric/assassin still loses their Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized. A cleric/assassin with this ability can still lose their Dexterity bonus to AC if an opponent successfully uses the feint action against them.If a cleric/assassin already has uncanny dodge from a different class, he automatically gains improved uncanny dodge instead.

Talent: At 3rd level, and again every 3 levels thereafter, the cleric/assassin gains a talent. This talents is selected from the rogue or ninja list of talents, and uses the cleric/assassin's class level as their rogue or ninja level for prerequisites and talent calculations based on level. The cleric/assassin cannot select a talent that modifies a class feature the cleric/assassin does not have.

A cleric/assassin may choose to expend a talent to gain trapfinding, as the rogue class feature. Beginning at 6th level, the cleric/assassin may choose to expend a talent to gain proficiency with medium armor. This also allows the cleric/assassin to use evasion and improved evasion in medium armor, if they have those abilities.

Silent Defense (Ex): Beginning at 3rd level the cleric/assassin has learned to compensate for the limitations of armor when trying to be sneaky. The cleric/assassin does not apply the armor check penalty or armor or shields they are proficient with to Stealth checks.

Death Attack (Ex): If a cleric/assassin studies then victim for 3 rounds and then makes a sneak attack with a melee weapon that successfully deals damage, the sneak attack has the additional effect of possibly either paralyzing or killing the target (cleric/assassin's choice). Studying the victim is a standard action. The death attack fails if the target detects the cleric/assassin or recognizes the assassin as an enemy (although the attack might still be a sneak attack if the target is denied their Dexterity bonus to his Armor Class or is flanked). If the victim of such a death attack fails a Fortitude save (DC 10 + the cleric/assassin's class level + the cleric/assassin's Cha modifier) against the kill effect, the victim dies. If the saving throw fails against the paralysis effect, the victim is rendered helpless and unable to act for 1d6 rounds plus 1 round per 2 levels of the cleric/assassin. If the victim's saving throw succeeds, the attack is just a normal sneak attack. Once the cleric/assassin has completed the 3 rounds of study, the death attack must be made within the next 3 rounds.If a death attack is attempted and fails (the victim successfully saves) or if the cleric/assassin does not launch the attack within 3 rounds of completing the study, 3 new rounds of study are required before the cleric/assassin can attempt another death attack.

True Death (Su): Starting at 8th level, anyone slain by a cleric/assassin's death attack becomes more difficult to bring back from the dead. Spellcasters attempting to bring a creature back from the dead using raise dead or similar magic must make a caster level check with a DC equal to 10 + the cleric/assassin's level or the spell fails and the material component is wasted. Casting remove curse the round before attempting to bring the creature back from the dead can negate this chance. The DC of the remove curse to e successful is 10 + the cleric/assassin's level.

Quiet Death (Ex): At 11th level, whenever a cleric/assassin kills a creature using their death attack during a surprise round, they can also make a Stealth check, opposed by Perception checks of those in the vicinity to avoid being identified as the assailant. If successful, those nearby might not even notice that the target is dead for a few moments, allowing the cleric/assassin to avoid detection.

Swift Death (Ex): At 18th level, once per day, a cleric/assassin can make a death attack against a foe without studying the foe beforehand. They must still sneak attack their foe using a melee weapon that deals damage. At 20th level, the cleric/assassin can do this twice per day.Angel of Death (Su): At 20th level, the cleric/assassin becomes a master of death. Once per day, when the cleric/assassin makes a successful death attack, they can cause the target's body to crumble to dust. This prevents raise dead and resurrection (although true resurrection works as normal). The cleric/assassin must declare the use of this ability before the attack is made. If the attack misses or the target successfully saves against the death attack, this ability is wasted with no effect.

Text Tables

The limitations of my ability to format tables in Patreon led to my using images for the tables in the cleric/assassin article above. However, I know as a GM I often want to copy the text of material I allow in my games so I can easily share it with players, add it to a master campaign file, make tweaks for houserules, and so on. So, below are text versions of those three tables... with all the weirdness and bad formatting that comes from my lack of skill making Patreon tables do what I want.

Table CA-1: Class FeaturesLevel BAB F R Will Special1st +0 +2 +0 +2 Domain, orisons, poison resistance, sneak attack +1d6 2nd +1 +3 +0 +3 Poison use, uncanny dodge3rd +2 +3 +1 +3 Silent defense, talent4th +3 +4 +1 +4 Sneak attack +2d6 5th +3 +4 +1 +4 Death attack 6th +4 +5 +2 +5 Talent7th +5 +5 +2 +5 Sneak attack +3d6 8th +6/+1 +6 +2 +6 True death 9th +6/+1 +6 +3 +6 Talent 10th +7/+2 +7 +3 +7 Sneak attack +4d6 11th +8/+3 +7 +3 +7 Evasion, quiet death 12th +9/+4 +8 +4 +8 Talent 13th +9/+4 +8 +4 +8 Sneak attack +5d6 14th +10/+5 +9 +4 +9 Exploit weakness 15th +11/+6/+1 +9 +5 +9 Talent 16th +12/+7/+2 +10 +5 +10 Sneak attack +6d617th +12/+7/+2 +10 +5 +10 Improved evasion 18th +13/+8/+3 +11 +6 +11 Swift death, talent 19th +14/+9/+4 +11 +6 +11 Sneak attack +7d6 20th +15/+10/+5 +12 +6 +12 Angel of death

Table CA-2: Spells Per Day

Char. Spell LevelLevel 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 1 - - - - -2 2 - - - - -3 3 - - - - -4 3 1 - - - -5 4 2 - - - -6 4 3 - - - -7 4 3 1 - - -8 4 4 2 - - -9 5 4 3 - - -10 5 4 3 1 - -11 5 4 4 2 - -12 5 5 4 3 - -13 5 5 4 3 1 -14 5 5 4 4 2 -15 5 5 5 4 3 -16 5 5 5 4 3 117 5 5 5 4 4 218 5 5 5 5 4 319 5 5 5 5 5 420 5 5 5 5 5 5

Table CA-3: Spells Known

Char. Spell LevelLevel 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

1 4 2 - - - - -2 5 3 - - - - -3 6 4 - - - - -4 6 4 2 - - - -5 6 4 4 - - - -6 6 4 4 - - - -7 6 5 4 2 - - -8 6 5 4 3 - - -9 6 5 4 4 - - -10 6 5 5 4 2 - -11 6 6 5 4 3 - -12 6 6 5 4 4 - -13 6 6 5 5 4 2 -14 6 6 6 5 4 3 -15 6 6 6 5 4 4 -16 6 6 6 5 5 4 217 6 6 6 6 5 4 318 6 6 6 6 5 4 419 6 6 6 6 5 5 420 6 6 6 6 5 5 5

The Old Skool ClassesThis list will expand as time goes on, and eventually I'll have a Pathfinder 1st Edition Index for paying patrons!

Anruth (Druidic Bard)Cleric/AssassinFighter/Magic-User/ThiefPaladin/Sorcerer