Good Arcane/Assassin type build?

[PangolinPie]

A friend of mine is going to be running an "evil alignment" themed game for 3.5. The basic idea seems to be focused around us as bounty hunters/mercenaries and so I was considering doing some kind of arcane themed assassin type build. I was looking through all the books at PRSC's like the actual Assassin, Invisible Blade, Daggerspell Mage, Master Thrower, Unseen Seer, etc. Of course I'm not even sure of what base classes to start off with for the build, since I've been surprised to see how many similar builds were made without any use of the Rogue class at all.

What I'm going for is the real ultra stealthy assassin in the shadows, capable of spell casting suitable for his profession and ready to slash the throat of his chosen prey or possibly incapacitate him if the order is to bring them back alive. Also open to ideas about ranged combat over melee, perhaps with some kind of masterwork crossbow or something since he's letting us each start off with some kind of powerful item. Will probably opt for a Gnome to take advantage of their bonuses in Illusion Magic, Hide checks and Alchemy (poisons) but am willing to hear out alternate ideas.

Theres also the possibility of another player joining who could fill in the spellcasting category so a completely martial themed concept is also feasable.

The restrictions are:

- Standard 3.5 only (No Forgotten Realms, Faerun, etc.)
- Any PRSC's taken have to be maxed out (He's not a fan of the optimized builds where you take only a few levels in a PRSC and then switch)
- Base classes however can be mixed/switched out at any level
- Only non-good alignments acceptable

And oh yeah...we'll be starting off at level 4...I'm kind of a novice at all this so any of you guys have any ideas?

[Shadowleaf]

First of all, I suggest you take a look at The Beguiler Class. (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/cwc/20060711a)

If you for some reason don't like the Beguiler, I would suggest a Rogue/Wizard going into.. Arcane Trickster I believe it is. Note that you can apply Sneak Attack to certain spells with attack rolls (within 30 feet).

I'm AFB, so sadly I cannot go into more detail. Sorry! :smallredface:

[Hirax]

Note that invisible blade was originally a 10 level class, but in Complete Warrior is was cut in half to two different 5 level classes, one retaining the invisible blade name, and the other becoming the master thrower. Feinting isn't allowed with ranged weapons, yet the CW invisible blade has 2 ranged weapon feats as pre reqs. Because WotC's editing isn't up to snuff, they never revised the pre reqs for invisible blade, they simply kept the same pre reqs for master thrower and invisible blade. So ask your DM to get rid of the extraneous pre reqs for invisible blade, since they were meant to synergize with abilities that the class no longer has, and are literally useless with the abilities the class does get, notably its signature feinting ability. With that in mind:

Human paragon1/sneak attack (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#fighter) thug (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#fighterVariantThug) fighter3/human paragon+1/invisible blade5/assassin10

Feats:

H: Combat expertise
1: Imp. feint
3: Two weapon fighting (grab gloves of the balanced hand (Magic Item Compendium) instead of imp. TWF later)
HP: Weapon focus (your choice, within invisible blade pre reqs)
6: Surprising riposte (Drow of the Underdark)

If you're allowed to use flaws (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/buildingCharacters/characterFlaws.htm) for more feats, grab darkstalker (Lords of Madness) and deadly precision or craven.

Assassins get the insightful feint spell, which has a swift action casting time, and gets you a +10 on your next check to feint.

The feycraft weapon template from DMG 2 makes light weapons treated as if you had weapon finesse for them.

Serpent armor from the MIC grants combat reflexes, not a bad buy if it's of interest. But then you won't get int to AC from invisible blade, unless your DM allows its int to AC to work in light armor, which is probably reasonable.

Grab a belt of battle.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

- Any PRSC's taken have to be maxed out (He's not a fan of the optimized builds where you take only a few levels in a PRSC and then switch)

Can you take one prestige class until you qualify for another, take the second one until it's maxed, then switch back to the first one?

I'd go something like Spellthief 1/ Psion 4/ Psychic Assassin (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20040723d) 6/ Slayer (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/prestigeClasses/slayer.htm) 9, and wait until that 6th Psychic Assassin level to take your fourth rank in Kn: Dungeoneering. You'll need Practiced Manifester to qualify for Psychic Assassin on time.

With a single Spellthief level you can use wands of any Abjuration, Divination, Enchantment, Illusion, and Transmutation spell on the Wizard spell list. Get a Wand of Wraithstrike, preferably in a Wand Chamber. Go with a TWF build and get Mind Cripple via Psychic Assassin, with that you can outright disable many opponents on a single full attack regardless of their HP.

If you would be stuck taking all ten Psychic Assassin levels, consider using Psychic Rogue (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20040723b) instead, you'll still get Mind Cripple but its psionic abilities are extremely limited and you'll miss out on using arcane wands.

[Godskook]

Your 'base':

Rogue 1/Conjurer 4

Your prestige:

-Daggerspell Mage
-Unseen Seer

Your ACFs
-Focused Specialist
-Immediate Magic(Abrupt Jaunt)

The goal of this build is to be an arcane rogue(a gish, but for rogue/wizard instead of fighter/wizard conceptually). Great skills, 18/20 casting, and solid SA means that at most levels you're a functional substitute for both the party's rogue and caster. With the ranger spell from PHII, you get additional SA/3CL, which means you'll hit like a truck once that's up and running.

There's a *LOT* more optimization to be had, but that's the core of the concept. As long as your DM is ok with sistering two prestige classes along side each-other, Unseen Seer is stronger to start first, while Daggerspell Shaper is stronger if you gotta take all 10 levels before switching(imho).

[DeAnno]

These sorts of builds often benefit a lot from the PounceBarb dip if you can fit it in, mostly because it synergizes so well with Wraithstrike, and because your magic helps alleviate a lot of charging's mobility concerns.

[Godskook]

These sorts of builds often benefit a lot from the PounceBarb dip if you can fit it in, mostly because it synergizes so well with Wraithstrike, and because your magic helps alleviate a lot of charging's mobility concerns.

More like rarely, since:

1.The builds don't rely on charge-based damage to deal the damage, and thus, charging isn't beneficial beyond the +2 on attacks.

2.Wizards can get pounce via several spells, or get other forms of free movement such that 'pouncing' is irrelevant.

3.Taking that barbarian level delays spellcasting.

4.Actual gish builds don't even use Barbarian dips normally, and they're far more likely to have the stats/feats to actually want to charge.

(Seriously, Barb dips are for non-full-casters)

[Coidzor]

Shadowcraft mages (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?PHPSESSID=c0vh56v01nblt35moseumr4oo0&topic=5638.0) always struck me as having the potential to be excellent assassins, given that they're masters of illusions and are capable of making someone's nightmares become more real than real. Beguiler can even be a base for entering.

I've not played one personally, but unless I'm misremembering, it should be workable with the PrC restrictions you have.

[Azoth]

Fairly simple and good build is human rogue1/wiz5/unseen seer10/arcane trickster4. Feats:(h) able learner (1)dark stalker (w1) scribe scroll (3)invisible spell (w5) trade bonus feat for spontaneous divination (6) accidic splatter/force needle your pick (8) still spell bonus feat (9) shape spell (12)extend spell (15)persist spell for cloud of knives, hunters eye, wraith strike or other goddies to have all day (18) quicken spell.

If you can be a domain wizard and take the transmutation domain. Also, as a reasonable house rule if you can convince your dm to allow able learner to be taken by other races try for fire elf and drop accidic splatter/force needle, invisible spell, or darkstalker.

[Talionis]

I'm a big fan of the Chameleon prestige class, since it can cast any spell lower than seventh level, divine or arcane.

Spellthief is good for getting up your caster level with Masterspellthief feat. It also gets Sneak Attack for the Arterial Strike feat/ Cursed Blade Assassin spell that makes it near impossible for the hit character to stop bleeding.

[DeAnno]

2.Wizards can get pounce via several spells, or get other forms of free movement such that 'pouncing' is irrelevant.

All the other forms of "free" movement or Pounce tricks eat your swift action, which is problematic for Gish builds trying to hit since they usually use that for their combat trick. If a build wants to be able to "slash the throat of its chosen prey" it needs to be able to deal good damage somehow, and that is going to be easier through Pouncespam with sneak attack than a lot of other ways.

Of course the CL loss hurts a ton, but the in play experience of having that open swift action is a much bigger deal than you might think.