One of the PC's in my game is being tracked down by an assassin...

Have the assassin lay a near-perfect trap that fails due to unpredictable circumstances. The key is for it to be out of left field, but triggered by enough of a fluke that the assassin doesn't just look incompetent. Don't: have the assassin go for the headshot right as someone happens to step in the way. Do: have him plant a carbomb that goes off early because some vagrant is trying to steal the radio.

What you're going for is shock, confusion, then the slow realization that something ALMOST just killed you... and it was deliberate. Follow that up with some cat and mouse, with the assassin staying unknown/unseen as long as possible.

>Have the assassin approach them beforehand. Subtly give the player a chance to outbid the original offer. Whether said assassin honours the deal is up to personality.

> A mysterious/previously established benefactor has been following the assassins guild and pushes them to the floor before the bolt hits their skull. Now you must play a game of cat and mouse in order to escape the city/bring down the guild.

>The assassin is not your "nothing personnel kid" one-shot types. Far as goliaths are concerned all witnesses dead and the crime scene burned is the same as being invisible, and as such his warhammer is a most stealthy weapon indeed.

>Your would-be killer has no interest in risking a scuffle with adventurers. All too suddenly you've stumbled into a crime scene and the evidence all points to you are your companions! Plan your next moves carefully, as the whole town would have you lynched while a trained killer is just waiting for your guard to slip.

There are plenty of ways to make assassins interesting, just make them something other than instant death. Even slightly delaying the instant death is fair, just give them a real shot.

Everyone in town except the players has heard about it, so no one is willing to let the PC into their shop, and everyone insists on standing a safe distance away from you.

well then surely the assassin wants the PC to know they're being hunted so he can savour their fear and anxiety? If it's personal then a simple cut throat while they sleep just won't do

"Some guy was asking around about you. Wouldn't say why. Seemed a bit sketchy if you ask me, just thought you should know."

This is actually pretty good. I'll probably do something close to this.

You're a pretty shitty assassin if you're intentionally telegraphing that you're following someone.

-One of the PC's criminal contacts tells him there's a bounty on someone fitting his description
-One of the PC's neighbors tells him about this suspicious-looking person lurking near the PC's house.
-The PC returns home and notices someone has attempted, or managed to break in

Also seconding 's trap idea. Flashy traps the PC just narrowly escapes are great. You could even have a NPC acquaintance borrow the PC's car and get blown up instead, for maximum "oh shit". (Obviously, think twice before killing off an important or loved NPC like that, that's a bit cheap)

I find that writing messages to players is beneficial

example "random NPC little boy runs up to player" clearly player "excuse me sir?! I have a letter for a man of your description" give player letter, run off. Letter explodes killing player. Ok scratch that last part.

In real life you simply slide a folded up sheet of paper across the table to them. Its at their discretion if they want to read it to the party or not.

It contains an in game message from the assassin.

When describing the patrons of a bar, describe the same person throughout different bars. So in village A its "a young bar maid, a grizzled old man, a pair of soldiers and a few farmers. Then in village B its "the crust tavern keep, a prostitute, a grizzled old man, and the town blacksmith". In town C "grizzled old man and the mayor" etc etc. If any of your players notice that you use the term "grizzled old man" a lot, make them roll awareness.

Change locations, descriptions and rolls as necessary to make sense in whatever setting/system your playing in.

...

Give him a strict code of conduct or moral compass.

So they can bump into each other on shabbas and he can cheerfully say "what luck! I don't roll today or you'd be dead!". Or have him back off after certain victory because the police arrived, or Innocents he won't kill got in the way, or whatever.

It's not subtle but classic botched assassination works. The poison in that mug of ale wasn't strong enough. The arrow ends up hitting the poor sod standing next to you. A guy that looks exactly like you ends up dead.

and THEN do the *teleports behind you* "Nothing personel kid"

He's a lawful good human paladin.

Did he lose any loved ones recently? Your assassin could mention their name or the way they died. "You need another drink like you need a hole in the head!"

Did he achieve any major accomplishments? Your assassin could taunt him about it. "I bet it's harder than retrieving the artifact. Then again, ANYTHING is harder than retrieving the artifact haha!"

Was he part of an army at some point? Your assassin could refer to him by his nickname. "Hey - watch it, WIldcat!"

Details, please.

Assassin hires thugs to beat up people close to his target, but asking questions that imply they're after one of the target's companions (someone hard to find but not impossible), which puts the target on the road to protect their friend, only to discover the thugs are just the bait to the Assassin's ambush.
During the fight, one of the thugs gives the game away by informing them who the real target is, denied the element of surprise, the Assassin disappears to try again another day.

Assassin's Guild tries to get him to pay protection money. News of the assassin asking around travels faster than the assassin.

every once in a while if theyre in a public and crowded or say traveling (alone or not) an arrow can fly pass and miss the pc and maybe hit someone else, killing that person causing them to think the pc just witnessed an assassination on someone else

>user asks for personal touches and insight into the PC
>things like family, personality, backstory, exploits he's been on, anything
>gets told alignment, race, class
>nothing more
what the fuck is going on around here

>tfw you are that user
Thank you.

Sotry gentlemen. He's on this board. Don't want to blow this out of game.

introduce him to Oinksbane

Some ideas:

* He's a shitty assassin and can't cover his own trail. Character discover some things are off when they backtrack (doors are ajar, windows are broken, etc).

* An NPC knows about the assassin. Either they hired him or they're his former college roommate who randomly saw him cross the street after you. Develop a plot as to how those characters leak that information to your PCs.

* Assassin has an ego, tells his targets that they will die in X days. PCs must hunt him down before the time limit.

* Similar to above, assassin poisons a PC and leaves a note, such that they have X days until the poison becomes effective and destroys their body. Only Assassin (or random hermit in the woods) has the cure.

>lg paladin

have the church catch wind of it, either via subterfuge or divine intervention. They warm him via an underling, but either don't have details or can't share them to protect thier source.

Ge out of here with that reddit forced meme shit.