Sadistic Assassin

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Sadistic Assassin

Sadism is deriving pleasure from the suffering of others, like an intensified form of schadenfreude. Assassins with this mentality often find themselves in a predicament. Do they want to finish off their prey quickly and without a mess? It would be in their interest to avoid attention. Or, do they follow their instinct to torture and spill blood needlessly for pleasure? Not all of them are crazy killers all the time. Many repress and hide their true selves until the moment is right. Some are psychopaths and some are sociopaths. As assassins, however, they need a more capable façade to attract hirers for assassination jobs. Others ignore the monetary facet of assassins and just go murdering on their own. The line blurs here between assassin and a plain serial killer.
Skill Proficiencies: Intimidation, Stealth
Tool Proficiencies: Poisoner's kit, torture tools
Languages: None
Equipment: A set of common clothes, Poisoner's kit or torture tools, a book logging the records of your victims, and a belt pouch of 15gp

Feature: Hidden Self

These are options that you may choose from to decide what fuels your sadistic tendencies. You may come up with your own if none of these apply to your character.

Suggested Characteristics

Specialization (d6)

1Interrogation. You are sure that your techniques are completely efficient and you will take all the time you need to get what you want. You always kill those you interrogate in the end.
2Business/Revenge. Your victim has done something terrible to you, someone you cared for or to your client, and now it has to pay. You subject them to an extended period of torture before finishing the job. The more personal the act, the longer it will go on for.
3Self-Satisfaction. You relish in the act of torture and do it simply out of desire and enjoyment. If you have the chance to do so, you will gladly accept.
4Vigilante. The victim has been accused of a punishable crime and you are the instrument of divine justice. You apply a suitable degree of torture to your victims that is equivalent to the crimes they have committed. You will only kill them if their crime included death as well, or if their act was irrecouncilable.
5Under Command/Charmed. You are under the service of another to torture and kill, whether of your will, through blackmail or through magic. For reasons specific to your circumstances, you are unable to quit. Should you possess the ability to do so, there are consequences that may follow or bring you to your own death.
6Balance. There was a lack of someone doing so, and therefore you are the one who has filled the void. For whatever reason, you thought that an assassin that tortures their victims was required in your society, and so you now serve the criminal underworld as such.

Personality Traits (d8)

1I tend to keep a souvenir of my victims for reasons only I know.
2I enjoy the gold I get from my work nearly as much if not more than my work itself.
3Occasionally, I take torture jobs and kill the targets for fun, then lie about how they died or got away to my client
4Death doesn't faze me. I knock on her door all the time to show her my work
5I like to show off my work to those in the business. Some find my sadistic nature disturbing, while others find it a welcome means of entertainment.
6I like to find creative ways to complete my work. The regulars tools and available means to torture and kill can be dull.
7I actually don't like death, but my sadistic tendencies push me too far.
8I like to kill quickly and move on, but my sanity is challenged my obsessive sadism and I drag things on compulsively.

Ideals (d6)

1Creativity: I´m always crafting new tools and thinking of different methods to use. (Chaotic)
2Aspiration I like to be the best at what I do, and be recognized for it (Any)
3Sadism The more pain and anguish I inflict upon someone, the more I enjoy it (Evil)
4People I don't harm those who don't deserve it and often let such targets go (Good)
5Humanitarian If you aren't fazed by the torture I inflict, whether physically or mentally, I'll let you go (Lawful)
6Self-Knowledge The more I learn from my job, the better I get at it. (Neutral)

Bonds (d6)

1A person close to me was harmed by person I cannot find. One day, they will be subject to my non-existent mercy.
2My work must be recognized as legendary above all others.
3I see my work as a calling that must be answered.
4My work is an addiction and I cannot stop.
5The truth must be known, and the truth is found in knowing.
6My methods are a reflection of who I once was, and serve as means of remembering as well as a creative way of doing away with my victims.

Flaws (d6)

1I secretly feel disgusted by the things I do to my victims.
2I never come up with a plan, and ignore one if it is devised by another.
3Sometimes I feel compelled to harm those I care about.
4I no longer comprehend how others think after exposure to my work has warped my perspective.
5I occasionally experiment in hurting myself if I do not partake in my work for too long.
6Violence is my answer to almost any challenge.


D&D Wiki Homebrew

This content was imported from D&D Wiki. It has not been vetted for game balance. Use with DM discretion.

Source: D&D Wiki - Sadistic Assassin (5e Background)

Licensed under GNU Free Documentation License 1.3.

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