Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 delgere Jun 19, 2009 23:13:42	Firstly, let me say that I love all of the work put into this board and I have been an avid fan since I began playing D&D. With that in mind bear with me as I'm not the largest or most super-duper optimizer out there. I also don't expect to be fed information nor am I crying for a build (though any suggestions are more than appreciated). I need to lay down some guidelines quickly so people will hopefully contribute a solution to my dilemma. I've played a wizard or similar in almost all the campaigns I've been in and I've decided to go more mundane to get a feel for the more average Joe. With that in mind please do not suggest any arcane spellcasting classes unless it is a dip or has arcane/spell-like abilities (Warlock comes to mind). The proposed idea I have to play an Assassin using a roguish character (not necessarily the class). Furthermore, I need some advice on tips/tricks of killing people and clever ways to get away with it. Here is what I have so far that constitutes my some of ideas: -Poison use(classic assassin style, but the DC's are low and is not really a viable option in my opinion) -Assassin PrC (not what it's cracked up to be...period. Death attack is cool yet unreliable and is not terribly efficient in normal combat) -Race of choice: Whisper gnome (incredible race that knocks my socks off with the goodness, +1 for racial Silence ) -Dread Commando/Jaunter: (Random choice on Jaunter, but the ability to teleport in and out or plane shift in a pinch seems awesome) -Swordsage/ToB: (Again a likely starting place because of Shadow Hand and the excellent melee capabilities) Tips/Tricks: -Cover identity is must (heck even multiple) to confuse or throw off authorities. -Making things look like an accident are an excellent way again to cover your tracks. -Track/Urban Tracking is an essential feat for hunting down your victim, which leads to cityscape for Urban Ranger. (Not my favorite choice but it may work) -Explosive runes are evil :D Any suggestions on class, tips/tricks of being an assassin, or anyone with anything useful to contribute would be most appreciated. I will post more later, but right now my rant is spent.
#2 flawless_p Jun 19, 2009 23:26:28	I'd rethink your position on both poison and the assassin PrC. With a well endowed wisdom score you can either kill or paralyze a good amount of people. Especially with a ring of invisibility that gives you your three rounds easy... Also there are some awesome Poisons in the BoVD that have high save DC's. Just my personal opinion.
#3 delgere Jun 19, 2009 23:38:45	Firstly, thank you for a reply. Alright you pose a point (I forgot about BoVD) as far poison goes. However, ring of invisibility does not cover your arse when things start using See Invisibility or True Seeing. I'm level 9 for reference (sorry I didn't mention that earlier). The Assassin PrC doesn't appeal to me simply because is squishy shall we say and the combat capabilities seem somewhat unreliable to me. I will mention once more I'm usually the caster, so getting into the fray of combat is new to me. I've read more than my fair share of posts and topics on this board an melee combat is overrated.
#4 nice2meetu Jun 19, 2009 23:45:47	I like the viligant sentinel of aerenal from magic of eberron: Nondetection passive at character level, disguise bonus (+5), 2d6 sneak attack, dimension door 1/minute, sense motive based read surface thoughts (no save to get a password!), 6 skills/lvl including UMD. Perfectly handy for a social chamaeleon and assassin. Also has dimension door to make for a fast escape. I would probably just take this one PrC and take the rest more combat oriented though. For the cover identities I can only think of the Zentharim spy and the spymaster - I would rely on nondetection. Edit: Less an assassin: changeling cabinet trickster (RacesofE.) has alter self at will and shapechanger subtype + read thoughts at will. That could be handy too, but is more direction spy than anything else. Could be rounded up with mindspy or, better, chamaeleon. Edit 2: Hm, the whisper gnome is likely in the way of my thoughts, forgot about that one.
#5 gorfnad_the_shiznit Jun 19, 2009 23:57:52	Some other classes/prestige classes to look into maybe: Rogue/Beguiler (PHB2) into Unseen Seer (CM) Shadowblade (ToM) Telfammar Shadowlord (UAE) Dread Commando (HoB) Justice of Weald and Woe (CoR) Ruby Knight Vindicator (ToB) Mystic Ranger Variant (Dragon Magazine 336) I once came up with a Ranger 6/ Swordsage 4/ Dread Commando 5/ Bloodclaw Master 5 build very Riddick like. Show Ranger 6/ Swordsage 4/ Dread Commando 5/ Bloodclaw Master 5 Human 1. Dodge, Improved Unarmed Strike, B: Track 2. B: Two Weapon Fighting 3. Superior Unarmed Strike, B: Endurance 4. (Champion of the Wild variant from Complete Champion) B: Combat Expertise 6. Mobility, B: Improved Two Weapon Fighting 7. B: Weapon Focus: Discipline Focus: Tiger Claw 9. Improved Natural Attack 12. Greater Two Weapon Fighting 15. Craven 18. Reaping Talons BAB 17, Sneak Attack +2d6+20 (Assassins Stance + Craven) and Sudden Strike +3d6. For Favored Enemy go with the Arcane Hunter substitution in Complete Mage. With this build you don't need to go Unarmed Swordsage since Superior Unarmed Strike would not fully work to your advantage (since your monk level would be 4 from swordsage and superior ua strike would treat your monk level as 8 instead) and this also means you can still wear light armor.
#6 hanniball Jun 20, 2009 12:01:34	Expanding on gorfnad the shiznit's suggestion of Telflammar Shadowlord (from Unapproachable East), here is a build that excels at quick hit-and-run Death Attacks as well as very impressive burst damage numbers. I am a huge proponent of the Assassin prestige class, and I hope this build's effectiveness lends credence to that opinion and perhaps encourages you to reconsider its strengths. Whisper Gnome Rog 3/Fighter 2/Assassin 8/Telflammar Shadowlord 6/Spymaster 1 Stats: Dex=Int>Con>Cha>Wis>Str Feats: 1: Two Weapon Fighting Fighter 1 Bonus: Weapon Finesse Fighter 2 Bonus: Blind-Fight 3: Dodge 6: Mobility 9: Spring Attack 12: Improved Two Weapon Fighting 15: Skill Focus: Bluff 18: OPEN (Ability Focus: Death Attack/Practiced Spellcaster: Assassin) Rearrange the feats to get into Spymaster (which requires skill focus: bluff) whenever you feel it would be most useful or drop it and add something else, at your leisure. I just threw it on the end as a potential means of gaining a Cover Identity. The Assassin has a great spell list, when used creatively. The additional spells listed in the Spell Compendium make it even more versatile. The Telflammar Shadowlord has a much more limited selection, but it's all just icing on the cake anyway. This character is Death Attacking while Greater Invisible, Hiding in Plain Sight, shadow blurred, in an area of Darkness, with a DC of 24+Intelligence modifier. The DC increases to 27+int with Ability focus: death attack and an Assassin's Dagger (MM/DMG respectively) Of course, this Assassin used his Telflammar Shadowlord's Shadow Jump (Su) ability to reach her intended victim and is therefore granted a full-attack action. A Swift-action Wraithstrike spell almost guarantees all five of her attacks hit (six, if Fangs of the Vampire was cast minutes before combat), each with +6D6 sneak attack damage (+8D6 if her weapons are enchanted with Deadly Precision). Not too shabby. Using UMD on a Wand of Gravestike handles undead encounters, just as Vinestrike does Plant type creatures. Constructs remained difficult to handle, however. Finally, Shadow Discorporation combined with your ability to cast several variations of Darkness spells essentially ensures your survival of hit point-damaging abilities/encounters. Having played this character (minus the Spymaster level) I am quite partial to it and would suggest it to anyone interested in playing an elusive, assassin type character. I went with Practiced Spellcaster, concentrating more on the caster aspect of the build. There are perhaps more effective martial feats that could be added to the build if you're interested in those options. Either way...just my 2 cp
#7 gorthawar Jun 20, 2009 18:53:45	I always liked the combination of bard and assassin... just fascinate your victim and study it at leisure while approaching. But the cha penalty of a whisper gnome hurts. Oh and of course the assassin is squishy compared to all those frontline fighters since hes not meant to be in the front.
#8 blightersbane Jun 21, 2009 12:25:26	dont want arcane & you want to kill... Evil Cleric! domains travel and death or destruction...domian selection = reaper, you have a talent and your willing to travel. Psion: Hey the best Assassin is the victim themselves, Ive seen this power used creatively and it was probably the best Assassin...Death Urge, almost humurous and always entertaining (considering it was for an evil campaign). Get this with extend power? and watch the barbarian with a two handed axe crit himself in the head for two melee rounds, do it next to a cliff and watch em' fly! BoVD has several spells that cause death with a little favoom! Save or dies are not high on my list of favorite spells, effective yes, a little over powered sometimes, style? definetly not, If your playing evil then you might as well get into it with style, rip the victims still beating heart from their chest Indiana Jones style, Heart Reaper or ripper, BoVD? if you want a particular gruesome death of your mark then hold person / summon monster / carrion crawlers / and watch them dine / and if by any chance victim manages to save vs. hold person during the feast / he now has how many saves to make vs para from the carrion crawlers? BB BB
#9 gorfnad_the_shiznit Jun 21, 2009 12:38:57	Using UMD on a Wand of Gravestike handles undead encounters, just as Vinestrike does Plant type creatures. Constructs remained difficult to handle, however. Wand of Golem Strike will handle the constructs. Penetrating Strike class feature from Dungeonscape would also be useful for things normally immune to sneak attack as well.
#10 ninjarabbit Jun 21, 2009 14:01:12	Here's a nice little core only assassin-type rogue3/ranger3/assassin5/horizonwalker6/assassin3 1-improved initative, iron will 3-weapon finesse ranger2-two weapon fighting 6-quick draw 9-improved two weapon fighting 12-ability focus: death attack 15-greater two weapon fighting 18-quicken spell-like ability: dimension door 17 BAB, 6d6 sneak attack, 4th level assassin spells, dimension door as a SLA
#11 naldor Jun 21, 2009 14:57:00	A couple items that you should definitely look at: Collar of Umbral Metamorphosis (Greater) from Tome of Magic: Hide in Plain Sight for a measly 22 k GP, plus +8 or so to Hide / Move Silent Item Familiar Feat: Bump Hide to insane levels Winged Mask: From Faiths & Pantheons, grants you a fly speed for 13 k GP and your face slot. Pity you don't want to be a wizard-assassin. Hard to get much better than Persistant Great Blink + Greater Invis + Silence for getting places you shouldn't.
#12 ninjarabbit Jun 21, 2009 15:10:40	Another interesting option is an Assassin Lich. Liches have a +8 racial bonus on Hide, Listen, Move Silently, Search, Sense Motive, and Spot checks and an assassin can get the CL 11 needed with practiced spellcaster.
#13 blightersbane Jun 21, 2009 16:03:22	Lich/Warlock/Assassin Ability focus +3 death strike Headband of Int +6 touch attacks nice with assassination! to further on ninjarabbit's skill bonuses the warlock has invocations that will stack with those racial bonuses another +6 ...which some may think is useful BB