Spellblade Assassins
Ruthless Masters of Spellcraft and Murder.
Who can say whether the rumors about Spellblade Assassins are true or mere frightening tales to quelch dissent. Hushed whispers speak of clandestine sects of young mages, brutally trained and honed into perfect killing machines. Spellblades are not common freelancers or mercenaries and look down on those motivated purely by greed. They are elite assets, cultivated by kings, spymasters, and archmages, existing for a singular terrible purpose.
Spellblades combine the willowy grace, quick reflexes, and cunning mind of an Assassin with the brutal efficiency of magic. They are trained around a single arcane discipline, honed until it is faster than thought and quieter than steel. Spellblades know little magic outside their domain, but their spells are mighty and not to be underestimated. Upon graduation, the Spellblade is ritually bound to their Spellblade Dagger, which can shred even the most potent of magical defenses.
Looking for deadly magical assassins for your D&D 5E campaign? Foe Foundry offers four unique spellblade variants - Venomcaster, Mindlash, Veilknife, and Ghostwind - each specializing in a different arcane discipline of death.
Spellblade Training
Candidates are identified young: gifted students, expendable criminals, and war orphans with the right instincts. The training is brutal and efficient. Names are stripped, loyalties narrowed, and identities broken and reforged until only obedience and ruthless zealotry remains. Those who fail vanish into unmarked graves. Survivors become members of an elite cadre of magical assassins.
Indoctrination is as important as blade or spell. Spellblades are taught to dissociate from consequence, to frame murder as procedure, and to see hesitation as a flaw to be excised. Instructors rotate constantly. Truth is rationed. Recruits are tested with false missions, staged betrayals, and controlled leaks to ensure they cannot distinguish loyalty from survival. Many are conditioned to expect death as the final payment, a belief that makes them fearless and disposable. Some orders reinforce obedience with curses, geas, or bound spirits that whisper reminders when doubt surfaces. By the time a Spellblade is deployed, the assassin does not ask why a target must die. Only how quickly and how quietly.
Spellblade Lore
- Spellblades are trained to end fights before witnesses understand what happened.
- Most belong to secret orders that trade ritual scars, antidotes, and true names.
- Each assassin specializes in a single magical discipline refined for killing.
- Survivors rarely agree on what they saw, only that it was fast and final.
Spellblade Patrons
Spellblades are intimately tied to their patron:
| d4 | Patron |
|---|---|
| 1 | An Archmage trains Spellblades to hunt down and kill rival Mages |
| 2 | A Spy Master employs spellblades to eliminate rebels and crush dissent |
| 3 | A Merchant Cabal secretly sells spellblade's services to the highest bidder; spellblades believe they act for the greater good |
| 4 | A Usurper whose spellblades hunt down rival claimants to the throne |
Spellblade Tactics
- Skirmishers who dart in and out using Cunning Action. Never stays surrounded
- Weaken their target with Spellblade Dagger
- Then follow up with powerful spells Venomcaster Spellcasting, Mindlash Spellcasting, Veilknife Spellcasting, Ghostwind Spellcasting
- Focus on killing their target first, then escaping
Spellblade Statblocks
Venomcaster
Venomcasters are patient killers who lace magic into toxins, turning poison into a living spell.
Venomcaster
Summoned with Foe FoundryMedium Humanoid (Assassin)
AC 14 (Studded Leather Armor) Initiative +8 (18)
HP 93 (17d8 + 17)
Speed 30 ft.
| Mod | Save | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Str | 12 | +1 | +1 |
| Dex | 15 | +2 | +5 |
| Con | 12 | +1 | +1 |
| Mod | Save | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Int | 18 | +4 | +7 |
| Wis | 14 | +2 | +2 |
| Cha | 12 | +1 | +1 |
Skills Acrobatics +5, Stealth +8, Perception +8
Resistances Poison
Senses Passive Perception 18
Languages Common
CR 6 (2,300 XP; PB +3)
Traits
Venemous Miasma. Any creature that ends its turn within 10 feet of the assassin takes 10 poison damage. If a creature has suffered this damage at least 3 times within an hour, it becomes Poisoned for the next hour.
Actions
Multiattack. The assassin makes two Spellblade Dagger attacks. It may replace one attack with a use of its Spellcasting.
Spellblade Dagger. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit 9 (2d4 + 4) piercing damage and 15 (6d4) poison damage. On a hit, the target's saving throws are reduced by 1 for 1 minute. This effect can stack.
Spellcasting. The assassin casts one of the following spells, using Intelligence as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 15):
1/day each: Feather Fall, Dispel Magic, Fog CloudȻ (3rd), Lightning Bolt, Slowc, Dimension Door, Cloudkillc
Bonus Actions
Cunning Action. The assassin uses Dash, Disengage, or Hide.
Mindlash
Mindlash spellblades kill with directed thought, their blades guided by intent rather than muscle.
Mindlash
Summoned with Foe FoundryMedium Humanoid (Assassin)
AC 14 (Studded Leather Armor) Initiative +8 (18)
HP 110 (20d8 + 20)
Speed 30 ft.
| Mod | Save | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Str | 12 | +1 | +1 |
| Dex | 15 | +2 | +5 |
| Con | 12 | +1 | +1 |
| Mod | Save | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Int | 18 | +4 | +7 |
| Wis | 14 | +2 | +2 |
| Cha | 14 | +2 | +2 |
Skills Acrobatics +5, Stealth +8, Perception +8, Deception +5
Resistances Psychic
Senses Passive Perception 18
Languages Common
CR 7 (2,900 XP; PB +3)
Actions
Multiattack. The assassin makes two Spellblade Dagger attacks. It may replace one attack with a use of its Spellcasting.
Spellblade Dagger. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit 9 (2d4 + 4) piercing damage and 17 (5d6) psychic damage. On a hit, the target's saving throws are reduced by 1 for 1 minute. This effect can stack.
Spellcasting. The assassin casts one of the following spells, using Intelligence as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 15):
1/day each: Feather Fall, SuggestionȻ, Dispel Magic, Fearc, Lightning Bolt, Confusionc, Dimension Door
Bonus Actions
Cunning Action. The assassin uses Dash, Disengage, or Hide.
Reactions
Reverse Fortune (Recharge 4-6). When the assassin is hit by an attack, the assassin magically reverses the fortune of the attack and forces it to miss. Until the end of its next turn, the assassin gains advantage on the next attack it makes against the attacker.
Veilknife
Veilknives strike from reflections and false shadows, leaving witnesses unsure how many attackers there were, if any.
Veilknife
Summoned with Foe FoundryMedium Humanoid (Assassin)
AC 15 (Studded Leather Armor) Initiative +9 (19)
HP 117 (18d8 + 36)
Speed 30 ft.
| Mod | Save | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Str | 12 | +1 | +1 |
| Dex | 16 | +3 | +6 |
| Con | 14 | +2 | +2 |
| Mod | Save | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Int | 20 | +5 | +8 |
| Wis | 15 | +2 | +2 |
| Cha | 13 | +1 | +1 |
Skills Acrobatics +6, Stealth +9, Perception +8
Resistances Necrotic
Senses Passive Perception 18
Languages Common
CR 8 (3,900 XP; PB +3)
Actions
Multiattack. The assassin makes two Spellblade Dagger attacks. It may replace one attack with a use of its Spellcasting.
Spellblade Dagger. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit 10 (2d4 + 5) piercing damage and 20 (8d4) necrotic damage. On a hit, the target's saving throws are reduced by 1 for 1 minute. This effect can stack.
Spellcasting. The assassin casts one of the following spells, using Intelligence as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 16):
1/day each: Feather Fall, DarknessȻ, Major ImageȻ, Dimension Door, Dispel Magic (4th), Greater Invisibilityc, Lightning Bolt (4th)
Bonus Actions
Cunning Action. The assassin uses Dash, Disengage, or Hide.
Draining Blow. Immediately after hitting with an attack, the assassin converts all of that attack's damage to necrotic damage and the assassin regains hit points equal to the necrotic damage dealt.
Ghostwind
Ghostwinds bind restless spirits and move through walls, frost trailing in their wake as they hunt.
Ghostwind
Summoned with Foe FoundryMedium Humanoid (Assassin)
AC 15 (Studded Leather Armor) Initiative +11 (21)
HP 123 (19d8 + 38)
Speed 30 ft.
| Mod | Save | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Str | 12 | +1 | +1 |
| Dex | 16 | +3 | +7 |
| Con | 14 | +2 | +2 |
| Mod | Save | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Int | 20 | +5 | +9 |
| Wis | 15 | +2 | +2 |
| Cha | 13 | +1 | +1 |
Skills Acrobatics +7, Stealth +11, Perception +10
Resistances Cold
Senses Passive Perception 20
Languages Common
CR 9 (5,000 XP; PB +4)
Traits
Dreadful Silence. Any creature that speaks louder than a whisper or casts a spell with a Verbal component while within 30 feet of the assassin takes 4d6 psychic damage.
Actions
Multiattack. The assassin makes two Spellblade Dagger attacks. It may replace one attack with a use of its Spellcasting.
Spellblade Dagger. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit 12 (3d4 + 5) piercing damage and 25 (10d4) cold damage. On a hit, the target's saving throws are reduced by 1 for 1 minute. This effect can stack.
Spellcasting. The assassin casts one of the following spells, using Intelligence as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 17):
1/day each: Feather Fall, Webc, Fearc, Dimension Door, Dispel Magic (4th), Phantasmal Killerc, Cone of Cold
Bonus Actions
Cunning Action. The assassin uses Dash, Disengage, or Hide.
Spellblade Assassin Encounter Ideas
These spellblade assassin encounter ideas for 5E highlight ambush, misdirection, and sudden violence in urban or political play. Use these magical killer NPCs to bring tension and intrigue to any campaign:
- A Guard collapses soundlessly at a checkpoint. Frost creeps across the stones as a Ghostwind phases out of the wall behind the party.
- At a Noble's banquet, a servant’s reflection moves a half-second too late. The Veilknife strikes from the mirror as candles gutter out.
- In order to graduate, a Veilknife spellblade must kill one of the party's members who has been singled out as a suitable test.
- The party's tavern erupts into chaos as two rival Spellblades from different orders clash, each hunting the other. Neither cares about civilian casualties.
Spellblade Assassin Adventure Ideas
These spellblade assassin adventure hooks for D&D 5E support multi-session intrigue, investigation, and escalating threat. Perfect for campaigns featuring magical espionage, guild warfare, or political machinations:
- A spellcaster in the party is offered vast magical power and secrets by a mysterious benefactor. At the secret meeting, the spellcaster is recruited to join the elite ranks of a secretive Spellblade cabal.
- A Priest hires the party to stop a Ghostwind assassin who targets corrupt temple officials that are undeniably guilty.
- A concerned Archmage Primagus hires the party to investigate the mysterious death of a fellow Archmage on the king's council of mages. Will the party uncover that the killings have secretly been ordered by the Primagus' own pupils (a Venomcaster, Mindlash, Veilknife, and Ghostwind)?
FAQ: Spellblade Assassins in 5E
What is a spellblade assassin in D&D 5E?
A spellblade assassin is a magical killer who combines arcane magic with deadly combat training. Unlike typical assassins who rely on poison and stealth alone, spellblades channel destructive magic through their weapons, making them especially lethal against other spellcasters. Foe Foundry offers four spellblade variants: Venomcaster, Mindlash, Veilknife, and Ghostwind.
What CR are the spellblade assassin statblocks?
The Foe Foundry spellblade assassins are designed as mid-to-high tier threats. Each variant (Venomcaster, Mindlash, Veilknife, Ghostwind) is balanced for challenging parties in urban intrigue or mage-hunting scenarios.
Are these spellblades similar to the Volstruckers from Critical Role?
Fans of Critical Role's Wildemount setting may recognize similarities to the Volstruckers – the Cerberus Assembly's elite mage-assassins. While these statblocks are not official Volstrucker stats, they capture the same fantasy of magically-trained killers bound to powerful institutions. If you're looking for a Volstrucker-style statblock for your 5E game, these spellblade assassins fit that archetype perfectly.
How do spellblade assassins differ from regular assassins?
Regular Assassins rely on stealth, poison, and surprise attacks. Spellblade assassins add focused magical disciplines: the Venomcaster weaponizes toxic magic, the Mindlash attacks with psychic force, the Veilknife uses illusions and mirror-stepping, and the Ghostwind phases through walls with necrotic cold. Their Spellblade Dagger also shred magical defenses.
What tactics do spellblade assassins use?
Spellblades are skirmishers who use Cunning Action to dart in and out of combat. They open with Spellblade Dagger to weaken magical defenses, then follow up with their signature spells. They prioritize eliminating their target quickly, then escaping before reinforcements arrive.
How do I use spellblade assassins in my campaign?
Spellblades work best in campaigns featuring political intrigue, mage guilds, or shadowy organizations. Use them as elite enforcers for corrupt archmages, royal spymasters, or secretive cabals. See Spellblade Encounter Ideas and Spellblade Adventure Ideas for inspiration.
Can players become spellblade assassins?
These statblocks are designed for NPCs, but the concept could inspire player character builds. A multiclass Rogue/Wizard or Rogue/Sorcerer could capture the spellblade fantasy, as could an Arcane Trickster with reflavored spells.