Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Yunru Sep 15, 2014 13:31:27	This is the unknown lurker, a silent killer who leaves no witnesses because no-one saw it occur. Before you can blink, the target's dead, that's the Champion Assassin.     Aaaand enough fluff. You're a Fighter [Champion] 15, Rogue [Assassin] 5. As an Assassin you've advantage on those who haven't acted yet come Rogue 3. You've also the tasty other Rogue features, such as Cunning Action allowing you to hide as a Bonus action (be a Wood Elf to make this really easy). Obvious one of your Proficiencies and Expertise is going into Stealth so you're going to be quite the hard one to find.   As a Champion you've Improved Criticals (which is tasty with advantage (and even tastier with Sneak Attack too)) and the Lynchpin of the (?)build(?): Remarkable Athelete. Why's that so important? You add half your proficiency bonus to Str, Dex and Con checks (that doesn't already have full prof). Remember earlier we mention how you have advantage against those who haven't acted? Now note: Initiative is a Dexterity check.   Let's tie everything together and look at the final package: You've a full 3 attacks per turn, with 3d6 Sneak Attack. You've an Initiative modifier of Dex mod+1/2 Prof, and anyone who hasn't acted you get advantage against. You also have a 15% chance of critting on each roll of the d20.   Yes this isn't actually hard numbers, and not even a well-defined concept, but it's a simple one that deserves mentioning:   Rogues go well with Extra Attacks. Fighters get Extra Attacks. Champions get improved Initiative and Crit range. Rogues like improved crit ranges. Assassins like improved Initiative.   Oh and be Dex-Prime of course.   Sorry if stuffs out of whack. I've just been told I had cancer (yay).
#2 awaken_D_M_golem Sep 17, 2014 12:18:41	Ouch, that blows. Tempest Stormwind had one of these.  He's usually findable at Previous Edition C.O.  Talk.  It helps.     **     Half Orc has a crit thing. Alert feat dovetails with some of the RogAss 3 and FightChamp 3 stuff. Barb 9 is another direction with crits. Personally I'd want some Ranged for Surprise rounds.  Can't guarantee in melee range positioning right away.
#3 Timborama Sep 17, 2014 13:14:45	Might be worth 17/3. You lose a feat, but you can Action Surge Twice a day (but not in the same round). So you can assassinate twice! :-p   And I second using a Half-orc for more dice. And also the Alert Feat to get you +13 to initiative (5 from feat, 5 from DEX, +3 from Champion Feature).   Could be worth using Battlemaster, though, so you can use Manuever Dice to enhance your features. Champion Crit-fishes, but you auto-crit on surprised enemies, anyway. So put assassinate to work with more dice!
#4 Yunru Sep 17, 2014 13:21:13	Champion offers Expanded Crit range, which combined with advantage on all who haven't acted yet, even if you don't get surprise, that's 3 attacks with advantage scoring a crit on a 18-20. That's... let me consult my advantage table. A 27.75% chance of a crit. Then you (presumably) Action Surge, allowing you to do it again.   So you could go Battlemaster, but you lose a lot of synergy.
#5 Timborama Sep 17, 2014 13:30:30	Yunru wrote:
#6 Guest703856308 Sep 17, 2014 14:04:44	This is nearly what I'm currently running, a Dex-based Wood Elf Fighter Champion with a plan to dip 5 levels of Rogue after hitting 6th level Fighter (to get 3rd die of sneak attack and uncanny dodge), planning for Thief rather than Assassin though, but I'll check it out again.
#7 mellored Sep 17, 2014 14:12:47	Why not go bard 2 instead?   Same bonus to intitive, less investment, and a spells or 2.
#8 Yunru Sep 17, 2014 14:13:29	Because multiattack awesome. And expanded crit.
#9 Lawolf Sep 17, 2014 14:38:05	Why not 2 levels of barbarian for a constant source of advantage. In fact half-Orc Barbarian 9 (totem warrior)/Fighter 11 (champion) can be quite amazing.   Advantage on initiative. Advantage on Dex saves. Advantage on all attacks all the time. Fast movement 2 combat styles   3 attacks per round that each can crit on a roll of 19-20 2 extra dice of damage on a critical hit   4 Rages per day (advantage on Str checks, Str saves, resistance to damage) While raging, you can dash as a bonus action (eagle totem)   Edit: remember sneak attack is once per turn. It suffers diminishing returns from more attacks.
#10 Lord_Phobetor Sep 18, 2014 9:58:50	Actually, where it gets murderrific is anything on top of Assassin 17. With Assassinate, any surprise hit at the top of the round is a crit as well as a Sneak Attack. So right there, you're at 2 [W]+(mod)+(18d6). With Death Strike, assuming a maxed-out Dex, you're looking at (2 [W]+5+{18d6}) x2 on a failed DC 19 Con save.