Gloom Stalker / Assassin: sick multiclass?

(My apologies if this has been well discussed before. Somebody asked for help with this build, but the math wasn't discussed.)

Gloom Stalker: 5
Assassin: 3
Using Hunter's Mark

Does this (potentially) do as much first-round damage as I think? Let's talk the best case, that your opponent is surprised:

Melee:
Two weapon fighting
2 Attacks (Ranger 5), plus offhand.
One more attack, that does an extra +1d8, from Dread Ambush
(If I were doing this I'd probably go variant Human and take Alert feat, for a total Initiative bonus of +11)

Let's say we're using shortswords because I hate rapiers
So that's 4 attacks doing 2d6 each (weapon plus Hunter's Mark), + 1d8 + 2d6 Sneak attack, all doubled, plus 4xAbility, which would be +4 at this point.
So 20d6 + 2d8 + 16 = (avg) 95, max of 152

Alternately, a bow build with Sharpshooter (variant Human) would get one less attack but do +10 on each attack. That would be:

3 attacks doing 1d6 + 1d6 Hunter's Mark, plus 1d8 for Dread Ambusher, plus 2d6 Sneak Attack, all doubled, plus 3 * 10 for Sharpshooter, plus 3 * 4 for ability bonus = 16d6 + 2d8 + 30 + 12 = 107 (avg). However, the -5 penalty with Sharpshooter means more misses.

Either way that seems like a pretty sick opening round from a level 8 character, without any magic items or buffs.

Thoughts?

EDIT: Not really relevant, but if I actually did this I think my next six levels would Shadow Monk. Super fun to BAMF! in and wreak havoc.

You can't dual weapon fight and Hunter's Mark. Both require your bonus action.

It only works during if you get surprise. You can, technically, go first in combat and not have surprise. As noted above, you can't Hunter's Mark and dual wield on the same turn. I think the best you can do is: 16d6+2d8+12 with a short sword. It's still a pretty good alpha strike.

abs said:

It only works during if you get surprise. You can, technically, go first in combat and not have surprise. As noted above, you can't Hunter's Mark and dual wield on the same turn. I think the best you can do is: 16d6+2d8+12 with a short sword. It's still a pretty good alpha strike.

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Although an Elven Samurai Archer is doing better two levels earlier

Yunru said:

You can't dual weapon fight and Hunter's Mark. Both require your bonus action.

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Excellent point. So archery is way better for this build.

I have yet to test it in play, but I came to the same conclusion: Gloom stalker 5 + assassin 3 = crazy alpha strikes.

Some further thoughts I've had tinkering with the build:

• The archer build is generally superior. For one thing, it gives you a lot more flexibility setting up the alpha strike; you aren't constrained by your ability to physically close with the enemy in the first round. For another, as others have pointed out, your fighting style is not in conflict with hunter's mark for your first-round bonus action.
• However, if your DM lets you cast hunter's mark outside of combat, and doesn't rule that the verbal component breaks Stealth, the dual-wielding build offers higher damage.
• Pass without trace is your friend. You lose it when you cast hunter's mark, but it still gives you an incredible ability to set up the alpha strike, and keeps your clunky companions from spoiling the surprise.
• After crunching the numbers, Sharpshooter is better than Alert for your bonus feat. You have advantage even if you lose initiative, mitigating the SS penalty, and the Archer fighting style helps as well. Even though the damage is not doubled, +30 still makes up for the attack penalty except against very high AC, and if you do blow the initiative roll, the Sharpshooter damage partly compensates for the loss of autocrits. Finally, you can deliver an alpha strike at up to 600 feet (though you sacrifice 6d6 of the damage if you're shooting from outside hunter's mark range).

You can only sneak attack once on your turn.

Gloom Stalker 5, Fighter 2, Assassin 3 Archer with Alert and longbow and Hunter's Mark

First round Attack, Attack, Attack, Action Surge, Attack, Attack, Attack. Add 1d6 to each attack for Hunter's Mark and 2d6 for sneak damage for one hit.

Advantage on all attacks if the enemy hasn't gone yet, and auto crits if he's surprised.

Dread Ambusher works again on action surge but sneak attack does not.




Fighter 11, Gloom Stalker 3, Assassin 6 would get 8 attacks in first round with action surge.

Ancalagon said:

You can only sneak attack once on your turn.

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Yes. That is accounted for in the above calculations. If using a longbow:

First attack: 1d8 (base) + 1d8 (Dread Ambush) + 1d6 (hunter's mark) + 4 (Dex) = 2d8+1d6+4
Second attack: 1d8 (base) + 1d6 (hunter's mark) + 4 (Dex) = 1d8+1d6+4
Third attack: 1d8 (base) + 1d6 (hunter's mark) + 4 (Dex) = 1d8+1d6+4
Sneak attack 1/turn: 2d6

Total: 4d8+5d6+12
Doubling all dice from automatic crits: 8d8+10d6+12 (average 83 if all attacks hit)

It's been brought up before, but it never hurts to talk about it again.

I think if your concept is "Ambusher" this is mechanically the best way to go about it.