Assassins are efficient killers, able to find weaknesses that they and their allies can exploit to bring an enemy down.

When becoming a Assassin, you gain the following benefits:
+2 Dexterity
+2.5% Critical chance

As an Assassin you gain access to the following talents.
More detailed information about each talent can be found on their individual pages.

Mark of Death	Description	The assassin marks a target, revealing weaknesses that others can exploit. All attacks against a marked target deal additional damage.
Type	Activated	Cooldown	60s	Requirements	none
Activation	40 Stamina	Upkeep	-	Fatigue	-
Range	Short (8m)	Target Type
Exploit Weakness	Description	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.
Type	Passive	Cooldown	-	Requirements	Level 12
Activation	-	Upkeep	-	Fatigue	-
Range	Personal	Target Type
Lacerate	Description	Whenever a backstab deals enough damage, the assassin's foe is riddled with bleeding wounds that inflict additional damage for a short time.
Type	?	Cooldown	?	Requirements	Level 14
Activation	?	Upkeep	?	Fatigue	-
Range	Personal	Target Type
Feast of the Fallen	Description	The assassin thrives on the moment of death. Stamina is partially restored whenever the assassin fells an opponent with a backstab.
Type	Passive	Cooldown	-	Requirements	Level 16
Activation	-	Upkeep	-	Fatigue	-
Range	Personal	Target Type

Specializations in Dragon Age: Origins are not available from the start of the game. In addition to having a free Specialization Point, the character must have found a trainer willing to teach him the specialization before a point can be spent on training it.

Specialization unlocks are persistent between games, meaning that once unlocked in your player profile, your characters can learn a specialization without having to find the trainer first. They can also be unlocked even if the player character does not have the right class to actually learn them.

Spoilers below this point

The Assassin specialization is taught by Zevran by pursuing his personal story. Alternatively, a manual can be bought from a vendor in Denerim near the end of the game. Spoilers above this point