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Blackstrike

Blackstrike CR 8

Source NPC Codex pg. 236
XP 4,800
Human fighter 7/shadowdancer 2
CN Medium humanoid (human)
Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +12

Defense

AC 20, touch 14, flat-footed 17 (+5 armor, +1 deflection, +2 Dex, +1 dodge, +1 natural)
hp 86 (7d10+2d8+34)
Fort +9, Ref +8, Will +4; +2 vs. fear
Defensive Abilities bravery +2, evasion, uncanny dodge

Offense

Speed 30 ft.
Melee +1 greatsword +17/+12 (2d6+13/19–20)
Ranged mwk shortbow +11/+6 (1d6/×3)
Special Attacks weapon training (heavy blades +1)

Tactics

Before Combat The shadowdancer drinks her potion of bull’s strength. If she knows where the battle will take place, she scouts the location to find good hiding places.
During Combat The shadowdancer drinks her potion of blur, then keeps to the shadows, delivering greatsword attacks to foes on the perimeter of battle so she doesn’t get dragged into the melee.
Base Statistics Without bull’s strength, the shadowdancer’s statistics are Melee +1 greatsword +15/+10 (2d6+10/19–20); Str 18; CMB +12; CMD 26.

Statistics

Str 22, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 8
Base Atk +8; CMB +14; CMD 28
Feats Combat Reflexes, Disruptive, Dodge, Lightning Reflexes, Mobility, Power Attack, Toughness, Vital Strike, Weapon Focus (greatsword), Weapon Specialization (greatsword)
Skills Acrobatics +14, Climb +10, Handle Animal +3, Heal +1, Knowledge (arcana) +4, Knowledge (geography, local, religion) +2, Perception +12, Perform (dance) +4, Ride +6, Stealth +14, Swim +10
SQ armor training 2, hide in plain sight
Combat Gear potion of blur, potion of bull’s strength, potion of cure moderate wounds; Other Gear +1 chain shirt, +1 greatsword, masterwork shortbow with 20 arrows, amulet of natural armor +1, cloak of resistance +1, ring of protection +1, 219 gp

Like gnawing nightmares dwelling in shadow, blackstrikes stalk just out of sight, yet still close enough to strike.

Kresis Helgold

Nothing more than a murderer for hire, Kresis will take nearly any job if the money is right. Possessing no loyalty to any one group, she rarely accepts jobs from the same people twice, and has been known to carry out assassinations for both sides of a single conflict. Sometimes, this means an aggravated employer sends assassins after Kresis herself. In these situations, she retreats rather than staying to fight—unless she knows one of her would-be killers has a high price on his head that she could claim.

Though she almost always takes jobs she’s offered, Kresis draws the line at murdering children and people she considers innocents. In times of doubt, she leaves the fate of her prey to a simple coin toss. If the result favors the victim, she doesn’t accept the money she was promised for the job, and leaves it at that. If her employer hires another assassin, it’s no longer her problem.

Combat Encounters: Kresis does not kill for fun; she kills for pay. It’s not her job to collect information, to help out other mercenaries, or to deliver messages—just to kill her target and get paid. She takes as few personal risks as possible, and makes sure she’s prepared before a battle so she can fight on her own terms. Once a mercenary, she turned to assassination in order to have more control over her actions and lower her own risk of death, and she’s not about to stick her neck out now. She almost never fights in the middle of the day, preferring to attack at night or near dusk or dawn when the shadows are long.

Roleplaying Suggestions: Sullen and withdrawn, Kresis says little about herself, and seems distracted by her own thoughts. She is actually an attentive listener, though, and rarely forgets what she hears. She eavesdrops on tavern conversations to get information about her targets before the kill. She couldn’t care less about the fallout after the hit—as long as she gets the money she was promised, she considers the venture a success.