Assassin Shenanigans

[lgw]

I started reading up on the Assassin as possible next character, and found some stuff really lends itself to use in creative ways. For some other things I'd just like to get some creative feedback because being DM since some time colors my judgement on things.
So here come my musings. (Careful, much text incoming...)

Shade Form
What I'm looking for here are any kind of attack powers that don't have an actual attack, as for example Offering Justice (Invoker Enc3). This would let you extend the duration you can make use of the Form while still contributing effectively.
Prefered are those that don't require a prestige class (want to take an Assassin one) and key of the stats of Assassins (Dex, Cha, Con), which makes it easier to use them for their full effect and to multiclass into them.

Ki Focuses
Any good suggestions on enhancements aside the standard Magic +Xs and any copycat enhancements usually found on weapons ?

Charge Builds
The Shadow Step power lends itself exceptionally well to charge builds, because you can easily get in a position for a good charge by using your allies as hop-to points. It also gives you nice consitent and synergent (TacLords!) attacks to complement your a little damage moderate Encounter and Daily attacks.
Any specific suggestions to enhance that ? Right now I'm torn between using a Cloak of Translocation due its general greater utility and a Badge of the Berserker - although I don't know if that'd be necessary due overall good AC + Halfling bonus + Defensive Mobility + Cl.o.Tr. giving me another +6 on my charge moves. Maybe instead an item that damages attackers when hit by opportunity attacks ?
I also plan to multiclass into Rogue due nice synergies and especially to capitalise on Surprising Charge + Nimble Blade, maybe even including Roundabout Charge. Any damage enhancers I forgot aside from Horned Helmet, Vanguard Weapon (although I'll probably stick to the more general Subtle Weapon Enhancement) and Bracers of Mighty Striking ?

Enhancing Damage
Due the mix of Implement and Weapons powers I find it hard to find a way to spend my feats (by mid paragon) for enhancing my damage in consistent ways. The charge setup mentioned above is one.
Any direct weapon based feats seem a bit wasted, energy feats are spread too thin, Blood Thirst (and Cull the Weak from Rogue) require melee attacks, and Brutal Shroud seems rather lackluster on the side of average DPR (although it helps if you want to create reliable bursts).
Or any ways to get increased crit ranges except high strength, Daggermaster and Jagged Weapons ?
(Reckless and Bloodclaw Weapons and the usual favourites of the CharOP boards are of course out due being rightfully banned here.)

Class Feats
While there are some really interesting, I'm miffed by most of them. The Halfling one seems rather lackluster, the fear and illusion ones and damage enhancers were mentioned above.
Noteable are mainly Assassins Cloak (if you make use of it in your build), Assassins Escape (if you desperately feel the need for more defense), Hidden Insight (to really create a big burst at the combat opening - although the flavour text seems like that feat wouldn't even be necessary), Nightmare Master (if you do tricks as readying a fear power to fire right at the start of someone elses turn - although that might profit from our rule interpretation that getting Dazed during your turn is handled equally to being Slowed during movement) and Minion of the Dark (although I don't know how helpful darkvision actually is).

Walk through Walls
Right now I plan to take Obsidian Stalker as PP due its unparalled infiltration options with phasing, but I'd prefer Shadowblade or especially Soul Thief due their significantly improved damage possibilities.
On the other hand I'm not aware of any other options to reliably gain phasing except Mist Walk, which is out due my intent to take Slayer's Endurance to help out with our lower HP (and at 16 Thief of Names is set in stone, too). Anything I missed ?

See through Walls
A sidestep solution to the above one would be to get a reliable way to see through walls and use the ample teleportation powers an Assassin has, but I'm not aware of ways for that except by the use of rituatls.

Skill Enhancements
At last feel free to suggest any particularly good ways to enhance the performance of the following skills (by double rolling, straight bonuses, fancy usages, etc) I should know of for the following skills:
Acrobatics, Bluff, Perception, Stealth, Streetwise and Thievery

Thanks for the input.

 

[MrAlgothi]

Shade Form - While you can take measures to lengthen the time you are in shade form, I think its generally a better idea to use the power for its intended use, which is getting into position to do a 4 shroud surprise round attack. The Soul Thief paragon path is generally good at extending the duration of Shade Form by a round with Soul Shadow, other methods require too much of a feat tax to implement. Also the sheer amount of Assassin powers that grant insubstantial make the investment in Shade Form extension inefficient.

Ki Focus - We don't have any official Ki Focus types other then the base +X's, and we wont see any new ones until December. However if your DM is open, Mearls stated in another thread that using weapon enchantments have the "Any Weapon" type is a good hack until the new rules land.

Charge Builds - Nothing to say here, not a huge fan of them normally, even less so for an Assassin.

Enhancing Damage - I suggest focusing on either or types, Implement or Weapon to avoid dividing your feat focus too much. I tend to shy away from the implement powers because Implements in 4e have issues with Feat support, though if you focus on Implement powers you can have an interesting Striker/Controller hybrid Assassin.

My Assassin (Human - NightStalker:Soul Thiefunisher of the Gods) achieves damage via a Jagged Falchion, Gauntlets of Destruction, and Iron Armbands. This combo has synergy with my paragon path and epic destiny choice, action points add HUGE hit and damage modifiers, which I can do once or twice an encounter statistically. While this isnt optimized (my DM would kill me if I over optimized PotG) its still effective with Spike Damage and very fun to play.

Class Feats - Not much to say here that you haven't already touched on, however I do like the Poison Feats. They greatly help the 'First Round Megahit' focus of the class. If you were to go multi-class Rogue with a light blade, you could bring out a Weapon+2d8 SA+ 1d8 poison + 4d6 Shroud surprise round attack. That is fairly staggering damage for the Heroic tier.

Walk through Walls - Obsidian Stalker is obviously the best assassin path for Phasing, however I find Soul Thief much more interesting path with a great focus on team play. I took the GhostWalk Tattoo (insubstantial and phasing on action point) to help with this, but there are several items that can add phasing to your repituare if you decide to break off from Obsidian Stalker.

See through walls - Nothing to add here, really.

Skills - The obviously important skill here is Stealth, due to Shade Form. I think the itmes Shadowflow armor (+enhancement to stealth) and an Assassin's Cloak(roll stealth twice, take highest) are amazing for stealth checks. There are also some awesome items that help Shade Form out directly by providing easy access to concealment like Phantom Chaussures or Shadow Band.

 

[Ryujin]

Where the Ki Focus issue is concerned there also seems to be the option of going exclusively for weapon based powers. There's a fair variety of them.

 

[abyssaldeath]

Where the Ki Focus issue is concerned there also seems to be the option of going exclusively for weapon based powers. There's a fair variety of them.

You can use any weapon you are proficient in as an implement so the only issue with Ki focus is the lack of enchantments makes one PP not worth while. There is a a basic enchantment for it in the CB.

 

[Ryujin]

You can use any weapon you are proficient in as an implement so the only issue with Ki focus is the lack of enchantments makes one PP not worth while. There is a a basic enchantment for it in the CB.

I had missed the option of using a magic weapon as an implement; one of the drawbacks that I've found to using electronic media, rather than the printed book.

 

[renau1g]

For increased damage you can use a Fullblade or other superior weapon

 

[bganon]

Revenants get to choose a "past life" race that they can also take feats from; this allows for some interesting fun with the Assassin's racial feats. You can pick up both Grave Dust feats, Crimson Eye Action, and put Killer's Insight on top for more shrouds.

If you ever get lucky enough, you can toss two shrouds on a target at the start of your turn (Killer's Insight), drop some other critter (minions are good targets) with an attack, triggering your Dark Reaping and Grave Dust Advantage to put a third shroud on, then burn an action point to get a fourth shroud (Crimson Eye Action) and attack your shroud target. And if you hit, you get all the shroud bonus damage without even invoking them.

It's a bit improbable to get all of this off in one round, but it's not that hard to get pieces of it, and the damage output is pretty nice. I think anything that allows you to add shrouds more quickly is going to wind up being pretty nice, there are a few powers that can help.

 

[Shade-Drake]

I would say for the ki focus go reckless weapon or bloodclaw, especially if your using a 2h weapon it has insane extra damage output for these, oh-so-squishy strikers.