Assassinate question

[Spacehamster]

G'day playground. Wondering for those that have played assassin(both pure and mc) what in their opinion is the safest way to reliably get to pull off the auto crit decently often?

Beeing ranged obviously helps since with good perception you might spot the enemy first and fire of a salvo on them, also thinking shadow monks shadow step might do the trick nicely, shadow step out of nowhere and shank em in the giblets(obv downside is that there need to be some shadows close to the enemy and you). What other ways is there to "make sure" you get them sweet crits? :)

[BiPolar]

G'day playground. Wondering for those that have played assassin(both pure and mc) what in their opinion is the safest way to reliably get to pull off the auto crit decently often?

Beeing ranged obviously helps since with good perception you might spot the enemy first and fire of a salvo on them, also thinking shadow monks shadow step might do the trick nicely, shadow step out of nowhere and shank em in the giblets(obv downside is that there need to be some shadows close to the enemy and you). What other ways is there to "make sure" you get them sweet crits? :)

Unfortunately, surprise is not a common occurrence and you are unlikely to be able to get that consistently. Having said that, the best option for you to do so is to stay ahead of your party and in stealth/hiding. That increases the chances for you to get an opportunity for a surprise, but it also increases the chances that you are surrounded and your party is distant.

[R.Shackleford]

I played a game while staying in Pittsburgh that ran more like a Splinter Cell game than anything else. It was a stealth and infilitration game and there was a lot, a lot, of grits/assassinates. Using the splinter cell climbing/hiding/panther rules worked out quite well.

(normal game assassinate kinda sucks, play a stealth based game)

[Spacehamster]

Minor illusion to make a sound to make sentries/monsters turn around to inspect could be a cool way sto sneak up on them too. :)

[AvatarVecna]

Kill them while they're sleeping? You should be stealthy enough to sneak up on a sleeping person, even if they're in a house/hotel/mansion/whatever with other non-sleeping people. Shank them, with a hand over their mouth to block their scream, and that's it.

[Spacehamster]

This gave me the idea of "Gronk Pain-fist" half Orc shadow monk/assassin, taken in(and thrown out) by a sun soul monastery as an orphan but thrown out because of his temper and for his habit of beating the other students into a pulp for the slightest insult imaginary or real. :)

[BiPolar]

Kill them while they're sleeping? You should be stealthy enough to sneak up on a sleeping person, even if they're in a house/hotel/mansion/whatever with other non-sleeping people. Shank them, with a hand over their mouth to block their scream, and that's it.

For all those encounters that begin with a sleeping enemy...

Shackleford is right, if he wants to make it happen more, the campaign needs to be stealth focused.

[PoeticDwarf]

In a solo camp. your +7 - +17 stealth (no magic, expertise) will do the trick most of the time

Otherwise, you have to walk with the party and it won't work often.

Although 5 ranger gives +10 stealth and an extra crit

[RickAllison]

Get a cannon. With the Sharpshooter feat, you can be attacking with advantage from 2400 feet away. Dole out 16d10+2*xd6 damage. Not very practical, dubiously viable by the rules, but it certainly qualifies for Rules as Fun!

[AvatarVecna]

Assassination via Cannon. Seems legit. :smallwink:

[R.Shackleford]

If course it would be funny if you tried to assassinate some random mook and it just didn't work... Assassinations only happen to VIPs, typically politicians and leaders.

I can just see the rogue standing there being all "wtf" as they keep stabbing low level mooks but they don't 'splode.

[Spacehamster]

Lol cannon assassination now that's awesome!

Can't get Gronk Pain-fist the shadow monk/assassin out of my mind now, he would love to start bar fights to vent his anger issues, never kill those he gets into fights with tho. Would probably take the entertainer background for performance skill and be dressed like a simple worker when in the bar and act clumsy, bumbling and dumb, spill beer on patrons and go "Gronk terribly sorry he did not mean to spill beer all over tiny human! Gronk help!" *proceeds to "clean" patron with dirty handkerchief*. Would prob be enough to get ppl to attack him. :D

[RickAllison]

Assassination via Cannon. Seems legit. :smallwink:

Fun fact: with the new Sage Advice article clearing magic non-melee weapons as Pact Weapons, any enchanted cannon is fair game for popping into being in otherwise inaccessible locations!

[krugaan]

Fun fact: with the new Sage Advice article clearing magic non-melee weapons as Pact Weapons, any enchanted cannon is fair game for popping into being in otherwise inaccessible locations!

That sounds like some kind of ridiculous anime / fighting game / final fantasy type limit break / special move.

Cid: nice, hit third level, I choose Blade Pact!
DM: cool, what's your pact weapon gonna be?
Cid: the Highwind.
DM: wat.
Darth Vader: my pact weapon is the Death Star.
DM: that's not a weapon ... that's a space station.
Darth Vader: darn.

[Hrugner]

I'm curious about this as well. I was thinking of going assassin in a current game but it looks like you are most effective while the other players aren't playing. That isn't really a very friendly mechanic. If you have your assassin3/barbarianX, you pop in, lop off some heads and that's about it.

[Spacehamster]

I'm curious about this as well. I was thinking of going assassin in a current game but it looks like you are most effective while the other players aren't playing. That isn't really a very friendly mechanic. If you have your assassin3/barbarianX, you pop in, lop off some heads and that's about it.

You are still quite effective first round of combat since you get advantage against enemies that have not taken a turn in combat yet, with Alert that probably make it so you always gets advantage first round of combat. :)

[R.Shackleford]

You are still quite effective first round of combat since you get advantage against enemies that have not taken a turn in combat yet, with Alert that probably make it so you always gets advantage first round of combat. :)

Also remember to go Dual Wield with daggers. You can throw them as part of the DW bonus action. If you miss with your first attack you can still try and get sneak attack with your second dagger.

[krugaan]

Also remember to go Dual Wield with daggers. You can throw them as part of the DW bonus action. If you miss with your first attack you can still try and get sneak attack with your second dagger.

Is that really true? I think after the first attack you lose hidden and therefore advantage, unless you have skulker.

[R.Shackleford]

Is that really true? I think after the first attack you lose hidden and therefore advantage, unless you have skulker.

Assasin get advantage if they act before another creature.

It also works of enemies are granting sneak attack via other methods (ally within 5' of it) during normal game play.

You are still 1/turn but you get two chances. Of the first hits you can use that BA for something else.

[SethoMarkus]

Get a cannon. With the Sharpshooter feat, you can be attacking with advantage from 2400 feet away. Dole out 16d10+2*xd6 damage. Not very practical, dubiously viable by the rules, but it certainly qualifies for Rules as Fun!

No, do this with a siege weapon, point blank, behind the victim, at the bar in a tavern. Cover your drinks :smallwink:

[RickAllison]

No, do this with a siege weapon, point blank, behind the victim, at the bar in a tavern. Cover your drinks :smallwink:

1) The cannon is a siege weapon :smallbiggrin:
2) Point blank seems like a bad idea. You know, disadvantage and all.
3) Close range doesn't work as well. Remember that you will need to spend an action to aim before making the actual attack. With Haste, this could be done in one turn.

[R.Shackleford]

1) The cannon is a siege weapon :smallbiggrin:
2) Point blank seems like a bad idea. You know, disadvantage and all.
3) Close range doesn't work as well. Remember that you will need to spend an action to aim before making the actual attack. With Haste, this could be done in one turn.

It was a reference to a movie called gamers that had a thief turn a brute into what essentially was beef stroganoff by sneak attacking with a ballista.