Assassinate
Playtest 3.2 / 4th EdSkill Rules & Full Description
This skill allows a character to strike down a target character with one strike. The character hit with this skill is Mortally Wounded and requires the appropriate healing. This skill ignores armor and does not damage it. The character must strike the arm between the elbows and the shoulders, or the body between the shoulders and the knees of the target character. The character must call “Assassinate” after the blow is delivered suffixed by any special damage modifiers, such as “Magic”, “Silver”, etc. Unlike other skills, this skill only requires the character to call the effect loud enough for the target to hear. However, anyone who hears the word “assassinate” is aware of the attack.
Only non-blunt weapons gained with the Master Assassin skill can be used to assassinate a target character.
If the character using this skill surprises their target, the target character may not use any martial skills to block the attack. As a general rule, if the target character is surprised by the attack, the assassinate works. The most common way to achieve surprise is by attacking from behind, but a character need not do that. They can walk up to their target, shake their hand and assassinate them with their other. The target character is not surprised if the character is fighting them. The character may assassinate someone by surprise if they are fighting another opponent, however. Even if the target turns their back and runs, you can assassinate them, however the attack still has to be a surprise.
A character may use this skill while actively fighting their target. In this case, the target character may use any martial or magical defense that would stop an Advanced skill, such as Dodge, Master Parry, Slay Parry, Invulnerability, etc.
A character must have one Assassin Proficiency skill per Assassinate skill they wish to purchase, after the first purchase. So, a character that wants three Assassinate skills must have three Assassin Proficiency skills.
This skill is not used if the character misses their target or the attack is blocked. If they succeed in striking their target or if the target calls an appropriate defense the skill is used.