Assassin (Origins)

The assassin finds any notion of fairness a quaint ideal that has no place in combat. Poisons are their weapon of choice, as are crippling strikes that inflict persistent wounds on their foes. As killers, assassins are a market of stealth and efficiency. The assassin is a specialization of the rogue class.

Assassins in Thedas
Anyone who is paid to kill another is an assassin. In the far off land of Antiva, such a statement would earn you only nervous looks and the rapid departure of whomever you were speaking to. There, assassination is considered an art form. The guild of assassins known as the Crows holds almost as much political power as powerful noblemen and military commanders. Any man, it is said, exists within their reach, and the Crows have proven this adage time and time again. More than one king of Antiva has even hailed from their ranks, and it should come as no surprise that those particular kings have in fact numbered amongst the nation’s most effective rulers.

Outside of Antiva, assassination as a craft is rarely held with the same esteem. The Orlesian bard, for instance, may perform assassinations in the course of their duty but rarely is it the actual purpose they are set to. To a true assassin, murder is their craft and they make no bones about trying to distinguish themselves otherwise. Poison is their tool, just as is a slit throat or a silent strike to a critical area of the body, and all are designed to kill with maximum efficiency.

The common notion is that assassins stem from a warrior tradition, dating back to the “hassarans” that roamed Antiva and the Free Marches during the time of the First Blight. These were men and women who had been trained into lethal killers using nothing but their hands, feared throughout the north. The truth, however, is one few accept: the Crows started as an arm of the Chantry. In the gentle hills north of Treviso, an order of monks used the herbs grown in the gardens of their abbey to oppose the rule of a despotic duke in the only manner they could. The poisons they developed were intended to help the helpless, and while many would wonder that an order of assassins could have had such noble beginnings the truth of the matter is that the Crows do not see themselves as corrupt in the slightest. In their own words: “All that is good has been built on the bodies of the fallen. If we are to be killers, then let us also be architects.”

Assassin: The Class
Specialization benefits for Assassin: +2 dexterity, +2.5% critical chance(melee only).

[[File:Talent-MarkofDeath_icon.png]] Mark of Death
The assassin marks a target, revealing weaknesses that others can exploit. All attacks against a marked target deal additional damage.
 * Required Level: 7
 * Cost: 40
 * Upkeep: 0
 * Fatigue: 0
 * Range: Yes
 * Cooldown (sec): 60
 * Area of Effect (ft): 0

[[File:Talent-ExploitWeakness_icon.png]] Exploit Weakness
A keen eye and a killer instinct help the assassin exploit a target’s weak points. During a successful backstab attack, the assassin gains additional damage based on cunning.
 * Required Level: 12
 * Cost: Passive
 * Upkeep: 0
 * Fatigue: 0
 * Range: No
 * Cooldown (sec):0
 * Area of Effect (ft): 0

Bonus damage = Cunning / 3 * (random(0.2, 1.0));

[[File:Talent-Lacerate_icon.png]] Lacerate
Whenever a backstab deals enough damage, the assassin’s foe is riddled with bleeding wounds that inflict additional damage for a short time.
 * Required Level: 14
 * Cost: Passive
 * Upkeep: 0
 * Fatigue: 0
 * Range: No
 * Cooldown (sec): 0
 * Area of Effect (ft): 0

Bleeding damage = 1/4 Backstab damage over 4 seconds, but will not stack

[[File:Talent-FeastoftheFallen_icon.png]] Feast of the Fallen
The assassin thrives on the moment of death. Stamina is partially restored whenever the assassin fells an opponent with a backstab
 * Required Level: 16
 * Cost: Passive
 * Upkeep: 0
 * Fatigue: 0
 * Range: No
 * Cooldown (sec): 0
 * Area of Effect (ft): 0

Note: This ability doesn't work with critical hits made by Coup De Grace and other abilities, as those don't count as actual backstabs

Unlocking
Zevran will teach you if your approval is high enough.

Alarith's Store in Denerim (Elven Alienage) after the Landsmeet starts.

Notable Assassins

 * Zevran
 * Taliesin

Reference
Dragon Age: Origins - PRIMA Official Strategy Guide