The razorfiend prestige class is designed to emulate an accomplished knife fighter. This class grants its members the ability to make multiple attacks per round with daggers in a manner similar to the monk’s improved rate of unarmed attacks. As befits a warrior who specializes in a light, fast weapon, razorfiends combine mobility with their combat abilities. They can vault through groups of their enemies, dealing attacks as they move. Finally, while a dagger lacks a great axe or bastard sword’s punch, its small size allows the razorfiend to make precise attacks that cripple his foes.

Razorfiends make excellent assassins and shock troops. As such, when adapting this prestige class to your game consider casting the razorfiend as an elite killer. Perhaps the razorfiend’s talents are known only to a particular assassin’s guild in a human or drow city. Dagger wounds found on a murder victim are sure signs of the order’s involvement in a hit. In this case, only characters who petition the assassin’s guild for membership may take levels in this class.

Razorfiends can also be cast as elite scouts or infiltrators. Their supreme maneuverability in combat allows them to slip through enemy shield walls and target commanders, wizards, and other powerful individuals. In this case, the prestige class could represent an elite unit or a martial art practiced in a particular region or country. A character who wishes to become a razorfiend must join the military or martial order, abide by its rules, and possibly agree to serve within its ranks for part of the year in order to train in this class.

Since a character must have some skill at sneak attacks in order to become a razorfiend, this class could also represent an elite enforcer or muscleman in a city’s criminal underworld. When thieves’ guilds go to war, the razorfiend is at the forefront of the conflict. His methods are subtle enough to avoid drawing too much attention from the authorities, and his speed allows him to take out a target, or multiple targets, before they can raise an alarm. Only guild members may join this class, and before learning its secrets they must prove their loyalty and trustworthiness to the guildmaster.

Hit Die: d6

To become a razorfiend, a character must fulfill all the following criteria:

Base Attack Bonus +5

Feats: Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack, Weapon Focus (dagger)

Sneak Attack 2d6 damage

Tumble: 8 ranks

The razorfiend class skills (and the key ability for each) are Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Move Silently (Dex), and Tumble (Dex).

Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.

All of the following are class features of the razorfiend prestige class.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Razorfiends are proficient with light armor and all simple weapons.

Flurry of Daggers: When fighting with a dagger, the razorfiend can make a series of rapid slashes that allow him to make additional attacks each round at the cost of accuracy. At 1st level, the razorfiend may gain an additional strike at his best base attack bonus by taking a –4 penalty to all his attacks for the round. The razorfiend may gain this additional attack only when using the full attack action. For example, a razorfiend with a base attack bonus of +8 gains two attacks per round, one at +8 and a second at +3. When fighting with a dagger, he gains a third attack and strikes at a base of +4/+4/-1.

As the razorfiend gains in skill, he learns to gain even more attacks per round with his chosen weapon. At 4th level, he may take two additional attacks as described above with a –6 penalty to all his attacks for that round. Finally, at 10th level he gains three bonus attacks at a –8 penalty to all his attacks for the round.

When using this ability, the razorfiend strikes quickly but cannot aim his attacks with exact precision. Never apply sneak attack damage to the razorfiend’s strikes when using this ability.

The razorfiend does not need to use the full attack action to gain the benefits of this ability. If he does use the full attack action, he gains his normal allotment of attacks plus the bonus ones granted by this ability.

Sneak Attack: The razorfiend gains a sneak attack ability as per the rogue class ability. At 2nd level, he deals 1d6 damage on a sneak attack and gains an additional d6 of damage at 5th and 8th levels. This bonus damage stacks with the sneak attack damage granted by other classes.

Cruelest Cut: At 3rd level, the razorfiend’s study of his opponent’s weak points and his growing mastery of the dagger allows him to make a single attack that leaves his foe writhing in agony. The razorfiend may use the full attack action to make a single attack with a –4 penalty. On a successful hit, the razorfiend deals damage as normal. In addition, his foe must make a Fortitude save (DC equal to twice the damage inflicted) or suffer a –1 competence penalty to his attacks for 2d6 rounds.

Improved Spring Attack: At 4th level, the razorfiend learns to maneuver past his foes while lashing out with his daggers. When fighting with a dagger, he may combine his flurry of daggers ability with his Spring Attack feat. The razorfiend may move up to his normal speed and fight as if he used the flurry of daggers ability as a full round action. The razorfiend moves as per the Spring Attack feat. He may use his each of his attacks at any point during his move and can use his attacks against one or more opponents. For example, a razorfiend with three attacks with flurry of daggers and a speed of 30 feet can strike a foe, move 10 feet, attack a second opponent, move another 10 feet, use his third attack against yet another foe, then use the last of his movement.

Storm of Daggers: At 5th level, the razorfiend extends his mastery of dagger fighting to include throwing knives. He may now use his Improved Spring Attack and flurry of daggers abilities when making ranged attacks with a dagger.

Dagger Specialist: Razorfiends train with the dagger to such a great extent that they gain Weapon Specialization (dagger) even though that feat is normally reserved exclusively to fighters. If the razorfiend already has Weapon Specialization (dagger) he deals +3 rather than +2 damage with that feat. This bonus does not apply if the razorfiend opts for that feat after gaining this class ability. In that case, the feat is wasted.

Vorpal Hurricane: At 9th level, the razorfiend learns to move and attack with such great speed that he can attack a foe from one direction, move around him, and sneak attack him from the opposite side. When using his Improved Spring Attack he can flank opponents with his second or later attacks. When a razorfiend makes an attack using that ability, mark his position. If as part of his action he attacks the same foe from a position that would flank the position from which he made an attack earlier in his movement, he strikes as if he flanked his foe. The razorfiend moves with such speed that his opponent cannot react quickly enough to defend herself from his attacks. This is the only instance in which a razorfiend can gain sneak attack damage with his flurry of daggers ability.

Table 1: The Razorfiend