PDA

View Full Version : Assasin Optimization (3.5)



Erts
2010-05-02, 09:43 PM
Any ideas how to make this work?

Geiger Counter
2010-05-02, 09:50 PM
Human/grey elf/changeling

Rogue (for skills)
swashbuckler
swashbuckler
swashbuckler (for int to damage)
Rogue
Assasssin

Get the complete adventurer for the better spells

Greenish
2010-05-02, 09:52 PM
Swordsage 20.

Alternatively, Cloistered Cleric (with Trickery domain) + some handy PcR.

Or well, wiz/unseen seer.


Unless you need to have a class named Assassin to be an assassin.

[Edit]: Factotum, possibly dipping warblade for some choice maneuvers or going for Iajutsu Master. Pure factotum works too,

Glimbur
2010-05-02, 09:54 PM
Assassins get some nice spells in Spell Compendium. Wraithstrike (though wizards do it better), Shock and Awe can help the party win the fight by going first, Find the Gap is similar but distinct from Wraithstrike, Fangs of the Vampire King gives you a natural attack that also does Con damage.

Don't worry too much about the death attack, if you're really lucky and careful you can start every combat with one. That means one of the several foes you are probably facing has to make a fort save or die/paralyzed. That's nice, but what are you going to do for the rest of the combat? Take Staggering Strike (Complete Adventurer) and Craven (Heroes of Horror) so you can sneak attack and be scary at it. Put a wand chamber (Dungeonscape) in your weapon and use a wand of wraithstrike (Rules Compendium makes it a swift action just like the spell).

tl;dr Spells and sneak attack. Don't overcommit on Death Attack (situational) or poisons (expensive and less useful at high levels)

Biffoniacus_Furiou
2010-05-02, 09:55 PM
Probably the best build which uses Assassin would be Rogue 4/ Wizard 1/ Assassin 5/ Arcane Trickster 10, applying AT spellcasting to Wizard. You could replace Wizard with Warlock and use Whisper Gnome or the feat Spell Hand to meet the Mage Hand prerequisite. With that you could spam Beshadowed Eldritch Chain every round with +10d6 Sneak Attack.

I'd usually prefer Psychic Assassin (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20040723d) over the DMG Assassin, to get Mind Cripple at the 5th level. That with TWF can outright disable something in a single round, especially considering that the higher HP monsters typically have low Int scores. Go either Rogue 4/ Psion 1 or Rogue 1/ Psion 4 to qualify, using your Psion 1 bonus feat for Practiced Manifester. After that I'd go Slayer (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/prestigeClasses/slayer.htm) for more BAB and manifesting. Make the character Human with Able Learner and you won't have to worry about if a skill is cross-class for a few levels.

Geiger Counter
2010-05-02, 10:20 PM
Probably the best build which uses Assassin would be Rogue 4/ Wizard 1/ Assassin 5/ Arcane Trickster 10, applying AT spellcasting to Wizard. You could replace Wizard with Warlock and use Whisper Gnome or the feat Spell Hand to meet the Mage Hand prerequisite. With that you could spam Beshadowed Eldritch Chain every round with +10d6 Sneak Attack.

If going this rout I suggest a dip into prestige bard UA for higher CL in spells typical to sneaky builds. And a dip in mind bender for telepathy and then take mindsight.

gorfnab
2010-05-02, 10:23 PM
Another option would be Rogue 2/ Swashbuckler 3/ Assassin 9/ Telfammar Shadowlord (UE) 6. Craven (http://realmshelps.dandello.net/cgi-bin/feats.pl?Craven) and Darkstalker (http://realmshelps.dandello.net/cgi-bin/feats.pl?Darkstalker)are good feats to consider for assassin builds. Whisper Gnomes are a good race for assassins especially with the feats Magic in Blood (http://realmshelps.dandello.net/cgi-bin/feats.pl?Magic_in_the_Blood) and Silencing Strike (http://realmshelps.dandello.net/cgi-bin/feats.pl?Silencing_Strike). For templates Dark Creature (ToM), Shadow Creature (LoM), and Shadow Walker (UE) fit nicely with the sneaky assassin flavor.

lsfreak
2010-05-02, 10:40 PM
Another option would be Rogue 2/ Swashbuckler 3/ Assassin 9/ Telfammar Shadowlord 6

While not completely optimal, Rogue4/SS1/Assassin5/SS1, finishing off with Assassin and Telfammar Shadowlord, can be fun. Gives you four sets of abilities to use (two spell lists, maneuvers, plus spell-like abilities, especially if you got LA-buyoff Shadow Walker), and plenty of shadowpounce-granting abilities (DD as a spell-like from shadowwalker, as a spell from assassin, short-ranged DD as a shadowlord, and short-ranged teleport maneuver from swordsage).

The biggest problem is the feat drain of going into Shadowlord: as a rogue you need Weapon Finesse, Craven, TWF chain, Shadow Blade; plus as a shadowlord Blind-Fight, Dodge equivalent, and Spring Attack (and Mobility via armor enhancement). That's most of your feats spoken for already.

Dusk Eclipse
2010-05-02, 11:47 PM
not sure how effective it would be but for an interesting choice you could go rogue 5/Assassin 1/Unseen seer 10/ Assassin +4

Just be sure to grab practiced caster to of-set the CL.

But if you want to focus in death attack (sub optimal) there is ability focus, assassination enchancement.. and also other classes that grant death attack (tellflamar shadow lord grants it at level 6, and IIRC dark hunter also does)

Erts
2010-05-03, 05:56 AM
Does anyone have a link to a guide about this class?
I know that they are not seen as being amazingly good, but my friend wants to play one for our next campaign.
Sorry that my last post was not very detailed, I had to leave and did not have time to write anything out.