Dungeon crawling with an asassin

Playeugaineu · Jan 2, 2003

Hi, to perform a death attack an assassin must spend 3 round studying his target. I can never spend 3 round, doing nothing, while group members are fighting for our lives.
What do you guys do, in most fight ?
My character is level 24 (Wizard 5, Arcane Trickster 10, Archmage 2; Assassin 7), and i have no idea to use my death attack (except when we make an ambush, but it's very rare). I plan to try Time Stop to gain some free studying rounds.
Any idea around ? How do you play your assassin ?

Sagan Darkside · Jan 2, 2003

Salutations,

I can only speak as a dm, but at that level- you could scry an enemy for a few rounds and have someone kick in the door/teleport you into the room so you could then make the attack.

You could always sneak/hide ahead of the party, and watch the enemies while the rest of the party catchs up to you.

Time Stop is a pretty clever idea as well.

Good luck.
SD

Dr_Rictus · Jan 2, 2003

Some sort of communication magic is a good idea, if you're going to use the scouting-ahead tactic. Aside from the obvious need to call in reinforcements if you fail, you want to coordinate actions so you can strike just as your party is showing up.

Olive · Jan 2, 2003

Playeugaineu said:
Hi, to perform a death attack an assassin must spend 3 round studying his target. I can never spend 3 round, doing nothing, while group members are fighting for our lives.

what kind of evil guy ARE you?

Playeugaineu · Jan 3, 2003

Re: Re: Dungeon crawling with an asassin

Olive said:
what kind of evil guy ARE you?

hehe, if they die, i die, i don't want to, i am an evil coward

I play this char since my begining with ADD (15 year ago), i was a Wizard/Assassin in 1st edition, had to became Wizard/Rogue in second edition, i bounced happilly when the third edition bring assassin back in town, but i can't find good tricks to play it with fun now, those 3 rounds kill me. I need help

Sagan Darkside · Jan 3, 2003

Salutations,

Another idea is find a way to easily turn ethereal. You could study someone for as long as needed, and then pop back into the prime to take your attack.

Polymorph into a natural animal of the environment.

Hide before the battle and wait a few rounds before you join in with your death strike.

Instead of scouting, send the scout out to lead whatever they find back to the rest of your group. Have some way to see what the scout sees, and study them while they are being led into your ambush.

Give up violence and learn to settle your problems with hugs.

I am hitting my idea limit.

SD

magnas_veritas · Jan 3, 2003

Sagan Darkside said:
Salutations,

Another idea is find a way to easily turn ethereal. You could study someone for as long as needed, and then pop back into the prime to take your attack.

Unfortunately, neither ethereal jaunt or the etherealness property are useful for that by themselves. You'd need to cast one and activate the other if you're looking to drop out and then in again.

That being said, if it's a free action to go material from ethereal, you can make your death attack as a partial action from haste, and then go back ethereal or D-door or something to get away as your standard action. Or, heck, attack again while their Dex is still down and do a move-equivalent away and behind cover to Hide.

Hide before the battle and wait a few rounds before you join in with your death strike.

Improved invisibility and a *good* Hide score. Well, okay, a sufficiently high Hide score; you're an assassin, you can't be good. Of course, you'll need your boots Gwaeronized and zephyred to avoid Scent and Tremorsense detection, and some way of negating Blindsight (however many versions there are...). Feel free to copy me on any suggestions, as I'm looking in that direction as well. You also might consider having all your stuff enchanted with Nystal's Undetectable Aura so you avoid those nasty "detect magic at all times" types.

And, as a 17th-level arcane caster, you can lay down some serious firepower as well while you're Improved Invisibled. And Flying, of course.

Give up violence and learn to settle your problems with hugs.

Click to expand...

Bah! This is D&D, man! ;-)

I *like* the Time Stop idea, though. They come into your engagement range, you cast it, study them, and then, two rounds later, waltz up to the mage and remove his kidneys. Though, using a 9th-level spell to do a DC 17+Int mod death attack might be a tad profligate. But it certainly is really, really cool.

Brad

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shadowbloodmoon · Jan 22, 2003

Time Stop

Sorry to reply so late on this one, as I finally decided to become a member, but when you use time stop, it stops time for everyone but you. Meaning your target is not taking any actions. When an assassin is studying someone, it is implied that they are studying his/her combat techniques looking for the perfect time to make the attack. As DM, I wouldn't allow this.

However, I do like the improved invisibility idea. Or, being as high level as you are, true strike + disintegrate would work...

-Shadow

"We have always been here."

Sagan Darkside · Jan 22, 2003

Re: Time Stop

shadowbloodmoon said:
When an assassin is studying someone, it is implied that they are studying his/her combat techniques looking for the perfect time to make the attack. As DM, I wouldn't allow this.

I don't get this impression at all. The description does not suggest it- and it does not allow for assassins to assassinate royalty, clergy, or other non-combat oriented people.

Following the queen around for weeks hoping she gets into a pillow fight with her kid so you can assassinate her seems a bit silly.

SD

Edit: Welcome aboard, btw.