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The Manly Man
2009-03-31, 03:51 AM
This prestige class from Book Of Exalted Deeds is the "good assassin" (the non-April Fools one).

The signature ability is Death Touch. A limited number of times per day, the slayer can make touch attack, then roll a number of d6 equal to the slayer's class level. If the number rolled is equal to or greater than the target's hit points, the target is killed.

My question is... why bother?

It seems like a nice little ability, a slightly less violent version of the Death Attack of the assassin. But even after ten levels of the PrC, you're still only able to kill creatures with (on average) 35 hit points, and if you roll badly, you don't damage them at all.

Am I reading this wrong? Because it seems to suck.

sonofzeal
2009-03-31, 03:58 AM
Death Touch is bloody useless, but spellcasting's solid and full Sneak Attack helps. Probably a slight downgrade over a straight Assassin, but spellcasting does a lot for a class, and if you're an Exalted Rogue then it's a solid choice.

Obligatory link pimpage: my PrC tier system (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=3876.0).

Starbuck_II
2009-03-31, 09:15 AM
The signature ability is Death Touch. A limited number of times per day, the slayer can make touch attack, then roll a number of d6 equal to the slayer's class level. If the number rolled is equal to or greater than the target's hit points, the target is killed.


It seems like a nice little ability, a slightly less violent version of the Death Attack of the assassin. But even after ten levels of the PrC, you're still only able to kill creatures with (on average) 35 hit points, and if you roll badly, you don't damage them at all.



Well, it is current hps: so weakening them (hp damage) and then no save death attack is decent.

Person_Man
2009-03-31, 11:07 AM
The PrC sucks. Skip it.

Gorbash
2009-03-31, 11:26 AM
Well, it is current hps: so weakening them (hp damage) and then no save death attack is decent.

Not really, since anyone and anything can deal that much damage at 16th lvl in one attack.

The Manly Man
2009-03-31, 01:45 PM
I guess I'll just stick with pure rogue then - the spells can be replicated with wands, and the class features are just better. Shame.

JeenLeen
2009-03-31, 02:06 PM
The main problem I had playing a Slayer of Domiel was that Disable Device was not listed as a class skill. I was an inexperienced at being a rogue and we were in our first seriously trapped dungeon in a while, so it took me by surprise.

I found the spellcasting to be very nice. Yes, wands can duplicate, but a lot of their 4th level spells--Dimension Door, Freedom of Movement--can be very useful, especially if you lose your wand or magic items but can use prepared spells. Since they have Improved Evasion and decent sneak attack progression, I didn't find them lacking in battle utility.

The Death Touch is weak, though one time I had my Slayer poke a low-level evil person in his sleep until he died. And if you know they have been weakened but you doubt your ability to overcome armor AC, it can come in handy--touch attack, no save.

Person_Man
2009-03-31, 03:05 PM
I guess I'll just stick with pure rogue then - the spells can be replicated with wands, and the class features are just better. Shame.

What's your build goal and books allowed? There might be a better PrC out there for you.

Chronos
2009-03-31, 06:06 PM
Or better base class or classes, even.

The Manly Man
2009-03-31, 06:43 PM
What's your build goal and books allowed? There might be a better PrC out there for you.

12th level, 28 point buy. Allowed books are core, Complete Warrior, Divine, Arcane & Adventurer, BoED, Libris Mortis, Draconomicon and PHBII. Other stuff may be allowed, but is not guaranteed.

Initial concept was merely an exalted rogue - I've never played an exalted character before and want the challenge. I want to avoid anything cheesey or too high up on the power curve though - the other players are on the low side of the optimisation scale, and I don't really want to put anyone in the shade.

I'd like fairly well-rounded abilities - decent in melee and capable at range. No need for trapfinding or lockpicking, but stealth is preferable.

So in brief:
- exalted
- roguish, but not a trapmonkey
- not crazy powerful
- well-rounded

All ideas gratefully considered.

Gorbash
2009-03-31, 06:50 PM
- not crazy powerful

Why not..?

Leon
2009-03-31, 07:27 PM
My question is... why bother?


Why bother with a lot of PrCs?
Why bother with a lot of classes?

Because they are options - this is what 3.5 does very well is give many options to create your PC from.
While you and the optimization crowd may not think is worth it some one else may find that it fit very well with what they are after

The Manly Man
2009-03-31, 07:44 PM
Why bother with a lot of PrCs?
Why bother with a lot of classes?

Because they are options - this is what 3.5 does very well is give many options to create your PC from.
While you and the optimization crowd may not think is worth it some one else may find that it fit very well with what they are after
I'm not saying why bother with the PrC, just why bother using the Death Touch ability, when it's weaker than just hitting him instead?

I like the concept of the class, and the ability itself in theory is good and flavourful. But when it comes down to it, why bother using that class ability? It seems it would only b useful when your enemy is almost dead anyway, and for some reason you're having difficulty hitting his normal AC. Or if he was almost dead and had huge damage reduction against your damage type. Or... well all the situations involve the enemy being almost dead anyway.

So... no problem with that PrC, it's just the signature ability that doesn't seem to work.


Why not..?

There's no need for it in this particular game. I'd rather have a character of medium power that fits in nicely in the party and game world than one which is head and shoulders above everyone else.

Samb
2009-03-31, 08:32 PM
The exalted feats are semidecent at early levels, if you plan to see alot of vile mobs (since BoVD and BoED are companion books) then it is a really good feat since vile creatures can't heal the bonus damage.

Honestly, assassin's death attack isn't that great either but that is not to say assassin is a bad PrC. Same with slayer of domial, no lose in SA and a bunch of stealthy spells.

sonofzeal
2009-03-31, 09:32 PM
So... no problem with that PrC, it's just the signature ability that doesn't seem to work.
Then skip Death Touch. Honestly, there's nothing in the class requiring you to use it, and there's at least some situations where it might be nice (it's sometimes necessary to take out mook guards without bloodshed, and you won't always have a sap). Just look at the rest of the class - is 4th level spellcasting worth the loss of a couple Rogue Special Abilities? I'd say so.

SurlySeraph
2009-03-31, 11:09 PM
Taking Empower Supernatural Ability (from Tome of Magic) will make Death Touch a bit more useful, though unfortunately it's only once per day.

Colmarr
2009-03-31, 11:24 PM
Why not..?

He answered this in the post immediately before yours: "the other players are on the low side of the optimisation scale, and I don't really want to put anyone in the shade."

Sounds like a mature and respectable reason to me. I wish more players thought that way.

Salvonus
2009-04-01, 02:00 AM
12th level, 28 point buy. Allowed books are core, Complete Warrior, Divine, Arcane & Adventurer, BoED, Libris Mortis, Draconomicon and PHBII. Other stuff may be allowed, but is not guaranteed.

Initial concept was merely an exalted rogue - I've never played an exalted character before and want the challenge. I want to avoid anything cheesey or too high up on the power curve though - the other players are on the low side of the optimisation scale, and I don't really want to put anyone in the shade.

I'd like fairly well-rounded abilities - decent in melee and capable at range. No need for trapfinding or lockpicking, but stealth is preferable.

So in brief:
- exalted
- roguish, but not a trapmonkey
- not crazy powerful
- well-rounded

All ideas gratefully considered.

Why not play a Shadowbane Inquisitor or a Shadowbane Stalker from Complete Adventurer? Both fit the same "Lawful Good Paladin/Rogue Hybrid" niche as the Slayer of Domiel.

The Manly Man
2009-04-01, 02:15 AM
Why not play a Shadowbane Inquisitor or a Shadowbane Stalker from Complete Adventurer? Both fit the same "Lawful Good Paladin/Rogue Hybrid" niche as the Slayer of Domiel.

I like the look of Shadowbane Stalker (Inquisitor doesn't quite fit). Something like rogue 2/cleric 3/Shadowbane Stalker 7 perhaps...