Post/Author/DateTime	Post
talion09 05-28-05, 02:36 PM	I've got a quick question... actually a multi-part question... 1. I've got a scene in the upcoming session where a high-level assassin comes in and ambushes the PC's in order to retrieve an item. He isn't out to kill the party, just being paid to get the item. But I do want him to be a high level (for eberron) NPC, so that he gives the party a tough challenge (he is supposed to succeed) and so the party can realize that someone has hired one of the premier assasins of Khorvaire to work against them. My question is this... what level should the assassin be? My party consists of 7 PC's, all level 5, none of which are spellcasters. I was thinking that the assassin should be around level 9 or 10. Roughly a ranger 5/Assassin 4. 2. The second part of the question... I'm modelling this assasin on Deathstroke from DC comics, since he seems to be popping up a lot in the recent comics, and he always has been cool. Anyone have any ideas on tactics or equipment for him? Or any possible builds beside ranger/assassin? I was also thinking about Dread Commando and/or scout or monk, but I thought that Ranger worked best. I might cross-post this part on the comic thread, if I can find it again, lol
Uller999 05-28-05, 04:51 PM	if you are wanting to make a deathstroke guy, some monk or kensai levels might be cool. I always thought that a deathstrok/bullseyes style assasin would be good for martial arts. you could make the guy a serpent strike type of monk and that would cover both bases although personally I do assasins like this. Unless I have a praticular character in mind, if I want a tough assasin I do monk/fighter, if I want a sneaky assasin I do monk/rouge and If I want a distance quick strike type of assasin I do rouge ranger or monk ranger. Basically I think monks make really good assasins and in Eberron with the slightly relaxed alignment restrictions I think monk assasins are all the more viable. Also I think 9th level would be fine although becareul about killing the PCs. The assasin may not be out to kill the PCs but if he's that high of a level he very easily could.
Radkres 05-28-05, 06:26 PM	If the players keep the item on them then I would use wand of Web and an ever smoking bottle to slow down and keep the players slowed then symbol of sleep on them. Then just pick up the object and leave with the ever smoking bottle. This works well in hallways and tunnels. If the players keep it in one place like their room at the inn then I suggest some methods. First its call fixing their drinks and when they are sleeping off or too drugged to move just go and get it. Example a wine merchant comes into the tavern and shares his new wine with everyone it’s strong so most people are ether drunk or out flat as time goes the only ones standing will be our wine merchant. Second the players are a sleep at the inn when some one shouts fire and smoke comes pouring through the floor boards as the players race to gather their stuff then the illusionary fire and smoke as the other patrons of the inn run amok bumping into them and such. Gives the ambusher the advantage of the players being unprepared.
Rechan 05-29-05, 12:34 AM	If the players keep the item on them then I would use wand of Web and an ever smoking bottle to slow down and keep the players slowed then symbol of sleep on them. Then just pick up the object and leave with the ever smoking bottle. This works well in hallways and tunnels. ... Second the players are a sleep at the inn when some one shouts fire and smoke comes pouring through the floor boards as the players race to gather their stuff then the illusionary fire and smoke as the other patrons of the inn run amok bumping into them and such. Gives the ambusher the advantage of the players being unprepared. Brilliant. I would advise if you use the first one, give the character Blindsight, 5' Radius (Sword and Fist). I had a Tiefling Monk once who used Darkness, Blindsight and Slippers of Spiderclimbing to destructive results. For the second, remember that in a fire, people will grab what is most important to them. So the assassin may have to first know who would go after the object, how to find them in the confusion, and how to take it from them.
Radkres 05-29-05, 01:07 AM	Well it is hard to come up with a generic answer for an unknown item. True in a fire people grab what is important to them you would be surprised how often things are left. If you run the fire and smoke right you don’t give them enough time to think about what they are doing. There used to be a group of arsonists that would rob a burning house. Most of the time they go” I am grabbing my stuff and opening the window and climbing out.” But even if they are trying to get out with the item we believe the high level assassin already knows who has it or were it is. Then use a wand of Enchantment on that person.
Horathgar 05-29-05, 07:00 AM	First, what is the assassin type trying to steal? I'm thinking thieves don't always have to be assassin types. especially one thats going to steal something from these people. Interesting idea although. You have to analyze the weaknesses of your party, Missing a cleric. Poison food/water works nicely. (just to make 'em pass out) and then he can basically walk away with anything he pleases. Second. When and where are the party at? If they are outdoors, they are more likely to not all be asleep at the same time. If they are in an inn, there's a significantly higher chance of them all being asleep. Stealing something like that, is the job of a cat-burglar. I'd probably give him Rogue/Fighter of some sort. Much more buff. Then he can have a nice bag of tricks. Doesn't specifically have to have assassin spells, useful. but not for this case.
talion09 05-29-05, 02:13 PM	Sorry for the delay in responding to my own thread, a party last night took priority over DND stuff... at least temporarily, lol A few more specifics: 1. The item in question being targeted is a large, leather-bound journal written in the Xendrik Glyphs. The party found it during an adventure over a month ago in game time, and have started to decipher bits and pieces. Unknown to them, the journal actually belongs to my overall BBEG for the campaign, an adventuring archaelogist who gained warlock powers after selling his soul to a fiend... and who happens to be a member of House ir'Tain in Sharn. He is more of a manipulator in Sharn, using others to do his dirty work. With his super-high social skills, social status from being an ir'Tain scion and his charm ability, he does a pretty good job. 2. He hired this assasin to retrieve the book after his previous efforts failed. He had sent an Emerald Claw cell after the party once they took the book to Morgrave and started translating it, so the party knows it is important. 3. The party has just completed the Crypt of the Crimson Stars adventure from last month's Dungeon. The have to return to Damilek's (sp?) office and give him the dragonshard in return for their pay. I planned on having the assassin subdue Damilek, and then use a hat of disguise to take his place, since the party has only met him on the one occasion previously. He will use the conversation as a primer to study the party, and then suddenly drop a PC with a death attack and then activate a trap, probably stinking cloud. In the confusion, he will grab the book and depart, using his poisoned weapons on anyone who gets in his way. The party will find the real damilek tied up in a closet somewhere in the office, along with a small pouch of coins and a note apologizing for the inconvenience. The assassin will also have left behind the money the party was supposed to receive for the dragonshard, because he doesn't consider himself a common thief. Also on his way out, he will drop the disguise, since he wants word to spread that this was his job, as it will add to his reputation. With some gather info checks, the party can learn that this was Slade, one of the premier assassins in Khorvaire, and they can draw their conclusions from that... 4. I'm thinking Slade will be a LE human from Breland. He served in the last war and soon was promoted to a spec-ops team. From there he graduated to a covert assassination squad run by the Dark Lanterns. He eventually became bored with the War and turned freelance assassin after killing his Dark Lantern commander. Starts off as a Rogue 1, then takes a level of fighter, followed by 3 levels of monk after he graduates to the DL team and gets more specialized training. He then takes assassin levels after he becomes freelance, and the death of his commander will be the first kill that counts for the pre-req for the assassin PRC. So LE Human Rogue1/Fighter1/Monk3/Assassin4. Oh, and he has the middle aged modifiers since he is in his late 40's/early 50's. Intelligence will be a prime stat.
talion09 05-29-05, 06:07 PM	One more rules question... perhaps this would be better off asked in another forum, but it fits this thread... Can an assassin study more than one person at a time for the death attack ability? I don't have my DMG handy to look at the exact wording, but is this possible? I seem to remember that you had to make the attack within 3 rounds of the studying to gain the death attack benefit. Example: Can a disguised (and undetected) Assassin study two targets at the same time, and then make death attacks on them both? Would this be legal if he did it on consectutive rounds, or would it have to be in the same round, though haste or a similiar effect? What about if he death attacked during the surprise round, and then won initiative and attacked someone else he had been studying, someone who was still flat footed?
Radkres 05-29-05, 07:38 PM	one person studied for 3 rounds then must attack with in 3 rounds to get Death attack. The suprised other pc would be flat footed and you could do a sneak attack on them. could use a wand of Gasous form on him that puts him out of the fight and unable to cast.
Niaslos FireCrow 05-31-05, 10:02 AM	Gaseous Form work only on willing subjects... Lol would be so much broken if it didn't.
Radkres 05-31-05, 10:22 AM	I consider flat footed = unable to will anything or do anything for 6 seconds. That is why I made that suggestion.