Sith assassin/Legends

"Or is it the ways of darkness and shadow you seek, the power that comes from striking unseen and sensing weaknesses in your enemies&hellip;? The ways of the assassins of the Sith."

- Kreia

The Sith assassins were a sect of covert Force-sensitive killers secretly founded by Darth Revan on Malachor V during the Mandalorian Wars. Captured Jedi and Sith soldiers who were found to be Force-sensitive were taken to the Trayus Academy to be trained as Sith assassins. These assassins were largely responsible for carrying out the First Jedi Purge that began in 3,954 BBY until their defeat and disbandment in 3,951 BBY following the Destruction of Malachor V.

Later, the term was used for Sith Inquisitors who fought for the returned Sith Empire during the Great Galactic War and the Cold War that followed it circa 3,653 BBY. These Sith assassins specialized in stealth and dealing high amounts of damage to enemies in melee combat. They were known to primarily wield double-bladed lightsabers in combat, and were adept at concealing themselves with the Force.

Equipment and methods
"The sect of assassins that chase you feed on the Force&hellip; what he does is simply the pinnacle of what they could achieve, in time. And that is why they&mdash;and their techniques&mdash;must be wiped out."

- Kreia, to Meetra Surik, on Darth Nihilus.

The Sith assassins were unique because they preferred to ambush their intended prey from the shadows rather than engaging them in open combat. Almost always working solo or in small groups, they utilized stealth field generators and the rare art of Force camouflage to aid their surprise attacks. While some elite assassins fought with lightsabers, the majority utilized less remarkable melee weapons, such as force pikes. These stealth warriors were also unusual in that they drew their power from the Force presence of their prey. The stronger their targets were in the Force, the stronger the hunters became.

History
"It is a different war these Sith wage, a thing of silence and shadow. They strike from the darkness, hiding from the face of the galaxy, until all Jedi are exterminated. After all the Jedi are gone, then the galaxy is theirs, no matter whether the Sith or the Republic rules&hellip; it is the dark side that shall reign, unchecked. I believe them to be the result of&hellip; special teachings. [&hellip;] Those Sith assassins can sense their prey through the Force&mdash;it is like a hunger. They feed&hellip; and grow stronger&hellip; when they are near Force Sensitives. The stronger their prey is in the Force, the deadlier they become."

- Kreia, on the assassins of the Sith Triumvirate

During and after the Jedi Civil War, the assassins' primary purpose was to kill or capture Jedi. Upon successfully incapacitating a Jedi, the captive would be tortured until they fell to the dark side or died by the hands of elite Sith operatives trained in the art of torture and temptation, such as Atton Rand. By this subtle method of capture and conversion, the ranks of the Sith assassins swelled as the number of Jedi decreased.

The Sith Assassins reached their zenith under the leadership of Darth Traya, Darth Sion, and Darth Nihilus following the almost complete annihilation of the Sith Empire's Dark Jedi during the Sith Civil War. Based within the hidden Trayus Academy on Malachor V, the Sith Lords commanded legions of Assassins to hunt down the remaining Jedi throughout the galaxy. Their efforts proved quite successful as they very nearly caused the complete extermination of the Jedi Order.

During the Great Galactic War and the Cold War, Sith assassins were employed by the returned Sith Empire against the Galactic Republic. These assassins were specialized Sith Inquisitors.

During the New Sith Wars, the Brotherhood of Darkness trained Sith assassins in the Ryloth Academy, Umbara Academy, and Nar Shaddaa Academy. At least eight of the Umbaran Sith assassins survived the New Sith Wars, and joined Hetton's Anti-Republic Liberation Front. However, they were all killed by Darth Bane during a duel when they were brought to Ambria by Darth Zannah. The One Sith incorporated an agency called Sith Intelligence and Assassination.

Behind the scenes
In Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords, Sith assassin is one of the six prestige character classes which the main character can select after reaching level 15. Like its light side counterpart, Jedi Shadow, this class corresponds to the Jedi Shadow non-prestige class. All the in-game Sith assassins have this character class. Jedi Watchman and Sith Assassin, unlike the Jedi Master/Sith Lord and Jedi Weapon Master/Sith Marauder counterparts, are not "one for one" ability trades. Sith Assassin has a lower feat and save progression, but gains more sneak attack dice.

When you enter the Trayus Academy, an assassin appears with two lightsabers; a normal one, and a short-bladed. This is the one of the two elite Sith assassins. An elite Sith assassin appears on Citadel Station wielding a double-bladed lightsaber during the battle of Telos IV in KotOR II.

The Sith Assassins in KotOR II wear masks that have striking aesthetic similarities to the mask worn by Darth Vader (without the helmet).

Star Wars: Legacy 0 revealed that Sith Intelligence and Assassination was an agency of the One Sith. As the name implies, Sith Assassins seem to return in the Legacy era.

The Sith Assassin is an advanced class for the Sith Inquisitor class in the Star Wars: The Old Republic MMO video game. This advanced class specializes in the use of the double-bladed lightsaber, stealth, and dealing bursts of damage in battle. They can also be able to tank, using Force Powers and Lightsaber skills to protect allies and members of the Empire and themselves. The Republic counterpart for this archetype is the Jedi Shadow.

Appearances

 * Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
 * Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords
 * Star Wars: The Old Republic
 * Darth Bane: Path of Destruction
 * Darth Bane: Rule of Two