Menu
News
All News
Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
Pathfinder
Starfinder
Warhammer
2d20 System
Year Zero Engine
Industry News
Reviews
Dragon Reflections
Columns
Weekly Digests
Weekly News Digest
Freebies, Sales & Bundles
RPG Print News
RPG Crowdfunding News
Game Content
ENterplanetary DimENsions
Mythological Figures
Opinion
Worlds of Design
Peregrine's Next
RPG Evolution
Other Columns
From the Freelancing Frontline
Monster ENcyclopedia
WotC/TSR Alumni Look Back
4 Hours w/RSD (Ryan Dancey)
The Road to 3E (Jonathan Tweet)
Greenwood's Realms (Ed Greenwood)
Drawmij's TSR (Jim Ward)
Community
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Resources
Wiki
Pages
Latest activity
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Downloads
Latest reviews
Search resources
EN Publishing
Store
EN5ider
Adventures in ZEITGEIST
Awfully Cheerful Engine
What's OLD is NEW
Judge Dredd & The Worlds Of 2000AD
War of the Burning Sky
Level Up: Advanced 5E
Events & Releases
Upcoming Events
Private Events
Featured Events
Socials!
Twitch
YouTube
Facebook (EN Publishing)
Facebook (EN World)
Twitter
Instagram
TikTok
Podcast
Features
Top 5 RPGs Compiled Charts 2004-Present
Adventure Game Industry Market Research Summary (RPGs) V1.0
Ryan Dancey: Acquiring TSR
Q&A With Gary Gygax
D&D Rules FAQs
TSR, WotC, & Paizo: A Comparative History
D&D Pronunciation Guide
Million Dollar TTRPG Kickstarters
Tabletop RPG Podcast Hall of Fame
Eric Noah's Unofficial D&D 3rd Edition News
D&D in the Mainstream
D&D & RPG History
About Morrus
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
Community
General Tabletop Discussion
D&D Older Editions
Look Very Carefully: The Shroud Assassin's Handbook (by erachima)
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="Nibelung" data-source="post: 6711917" data-attributes="member: 74499"><p><strong>Originally posted by erachima:</strong></p><p></p><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong>Visions of Weakness: Heroic Tier Assassination Techniques</strong></span></p><p></p><p>You can see death, or at least the path towards it, but you still have a great deal to learn. The heroic tier Asassin does have some attack powers worth using, but they're mostly situational and mediocre. The utility list will likely excite you more. Note that your most damaging at-will option will be charging, even with the loss of damage due to melee training, due to it allowing you to apply extra damage sources such as the horned helm and vanguard weapon repeatedly.</p><p> </p><p>Short version: select <strong>Shadow Storm</strong>, <strong>Targeted For Death</strong>, <strong>Wall of Shadow</strong>, and <strong>Ghost of the Rooftops</strong>.</p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><strong>At-wills</strong></span></p><p><span style="color: #0000ff"><strong>Shadow Storm </strong></span>is the best of a bad lot here, your other pick doesn't really matter as long as it's not <span style="color: #ff0000"><strong>Leaping Shade</strong></span>.</p><p></p><p><strong>Level 1 Assassin At-will Powers</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><strong>Executioner's Noose </strong>(D379) - This power does low damage, but it's ranged, and it pulls and slows. It'll do.</p><p><span style="color: #800080"><strong>Inescapable Blade </strong></span>(D379) - You lose your primary stat to damage in exchange for gaining two range and ignoring cover. Occasionally more accurate than Shadow Storm, but the damage tradeoff won't typically be worth it. Take this if you really hate the idea of making ranged/implement attacks, so Executioner's Noose is off your list for some reason.</p><p><span style="color: #ff0000"><strong>Leaping Shade </strong></span>(D379) - One of the worst-written powers in the game. Deals a tiny amount of extra damage for <strong>not</strong> using your striker feature. Do not take this power.</p><p><span style="color: #0000ff"><strong>Shadow Storm </strong></span>(D379) - Well look here, it's our first non-"bonus to damage rolls" damage booster. This power's rider effect deals "plus 1 damage for each creature adjacent to the target", which should add on to shroud for a not-entirely trivial bonus, especially if you play flanking buddy with your defender. It's not great, but you'll be using it a lot in heroic, so get used to it.</p><p>[/sblock] </p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><strong>Encounter 1</strong></span></p><p>As your first encounter attack, it's hard to go wrong with <span style="color: #0000ff"><strong>Shadow Darts</strong></span>, but this is a remarkable level where every power has at least some reason to take it: Stalkers want <strong><span style="color: #00ccff">Nightmare Shades</span></strong>, Bleakers can go for <strong>Smothering Shadow</strong>, and stealth fans take <strong>Gloom Thief</strong>.</p><p></p><p><strong>Level 1 Assassin Encounter Powers</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><strong>Gloom Thief </strong>(D379) - 2[W] and invisibility for a round. You could do worse, but this really isn't much.</p><p><span style="color: #800080"><strong>Nightmare Shades </strong></span>(D379) - Combat advantage is super-easy to get, and weapon attacks are generally preferable to implement ones. If you're a Night Stalker though, and you should be, then this is a power you <strong><span style="color: #00ccff">take and sit on</span></strong>, as +CHA to damage rolls for a round is the best nova enabler you're going to have access to for a loooong time.</p><p><span style="color: #0000ff"><strong>Shadow Darts </strong></span>(D379) - While this power is nothing in comparison to the improved versions at E13 and E17, Shadow Darts is extremely accurate and has a high crit chance, since any of the three rolls critting will max the whole power. Building up a few shrouds and letting loose with this is a good way to try to take out a big target at low levels.</p><p><span style="color: #ff0000"><strong>Smothering Shadow </strong></span>(D379) - Deadweight, directly worse than Gloom Thief. If you're a Bleaker with a bunch of CON, <strong>it does improve</strong>, so they might want this for a couple levels in paragon.</p><p><strong>Assassin's Strike (HoS)</strong> - Not technically level 1, but that's where you'll get it if you make the trade. Assassin's Strike will hold its own through heroic, if you are allowed to count the extra damage per shroud rather than only twice is a <span style="color: #0000ff"><strong>better</strong></span> choice, but as mentioned, should never be taken if you're going to reach <span style="color: #ff0000"><strong>paragon</strong></span>.</p><p>[/sblock] </p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><strong>Daily 1</strong></span></p><p>You almost certainly want <strong><span style="color: #00ccff">Targeted For Death </span></strong>at this level. A whole mess of poisons show up here as well, you won't have any of them yet since you're caught up in a tier of feat taxes, but the one of note is <span style="color: #0000ff"><strong>Carrion Crawler Brain Juice</strong></span>.</p><p></p><p><strong>Level 1 Assassin Daily Powers</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><span style="color: #0000ff"><strong>Grave Spike </strong></span>(D379) - The +2 power bonus to attack for the encounter isn't nothing, though the ongoing is pretty worthless since any target you might want to use it on will shake the ongoing damage almost immediately.</p><p><span style="color: #ff0000"><strong>Strangling Shadow </strong></span>(D379) - Reasonably accurate at Weapon vs. Fort, but bad single-target control is not something the Assassin has space to mess around with.</p><p><strong><span style="color: #00ccff">Targeted For Death </span></strong>(D379) - Targeted For Death doubles your shrouding of a single target for the entire encounter. The obvious best choice at L1, and sadly one of the better dailies you'll ever get.</p><p><span style="color: #ff0000"><strong>Terrifying Visage </strong></span>(D379) - Let's not mince words: this power is awful. It doesn't help you deal damage and it doesn't even get you any meaningful control, since you're forced to immobilize the guy right next to you. Ignore it.</p><p>[/sblock] </p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><strong>Utility 2</strong></span></p><p>The standard choice here is <span style="color: #0000ff"><strong>Smoke Bomb</strong></span>, but <span style="color: #008000"><strong>Distracting Illusion</strong></span> is an interesting power as well.</p><p></p><p><strong>Level 2 Assassin Utility Powers</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><span style="color: #008000"><strong>Cat's Trickery </strong></span>(D379) -This power is great for ambushing people by yourself in an alley someplace, or scouting. Which is the nice way of saying it's <span style="color: #ff0000"><strong>actively harmful</strong></span> in party-based combat, because blinding your allies is a bad thing, and you should only take it if you have a cooperative DM for going on actual assassination missions.</p><p><strong>Cloak of Shades </strong>(D379) - Defense bonus that can maintain or enable hiding as a minor action. Not a bad pick.</p><p><span style="color: #800080"><strong>Converging Shadows </strong></span>(D388) - On the plus side, this is an interrupt and being able to hide midway through an opponent's attack sequence can be great. On the down side, this is an interrupt to targeting, so you have to use it before knowing what the enemy rolled, and Assassins tend to have concealment at all times.</p><p><span style="color: #008000"><strong>Distracting Illusion </strong></span>(HoS) - In rules terms, this power does basically nothing at all. However, it's a very open-ended effect, very easy to use, and you can crank your bluff up high enough that it will continue to fool people for a good bit. Basically, this power is like stunt rolls: as useful as you can convince your DM to let it be.</p><p><span style="color: #800080"><strong>Lurking Shadow </strong></span>(D379) - Mostly useful outside of combat, but has its niche for scouting there. Do be aware that the longest this (or any) power can be sustained is five minutes.</p><p><strong>Shadowed Legion </strong>(D379) - This stance lets all your allies use your stealth modifier for an encounter. Like Lurking Shadow, it's mostly useful out of combat, but it's notable for being one of the few bits of enabling the Assassin can do and for making certain skill challenges a piece of cake. This is another one that'll be situational by campaign type, but may be a good call in certain LFR adventures, for instance, or any intrigue-heavy campaign where someone decided to play Clanko the Dwarf Fighter.</p><p><span style="color: #800080"><strong>Silent Stalker </strong></span>(HoS) - This power lets you move out into plain sight while remaining hidden. Waste of a slot for the generic Assassin, but those who've optimized around stealth will find it <span style="color: #0000ff"><strong>more useful</strong></span>.</p><p><span style="color: #0000ff"><strong>Smoke Bomb </strong></span>(D404) - The classic ninja escape trick, Smoke Bomb allows you to react to an approaching foe by shifting your speed away. I would consider this the default pick.</p><p><span style="color: #800080"><strong>Summon the Mists </strong></span>(HoS) - You create a massive encounter-long zone of concealment... making your enemies harder to hit for you and your allies.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p><strong>Level 2 Racial Utility Powers</strong></p><p>[sblock]<span style="color: #0000ff"><strong>Extra Effort </strong></span>(Human, D402) - Encounter save reroll, get a bonus now for a drawback later.</p><p></p><p>[/sblock]</p><p><strong>Level 2 Theme Utility Powers</strong></p><p>[sblock]<strong><span style="color: #00ccff">Life's Losing Hand </span></strong>(Yakuza, D404) - An encounter reroll for an attack or skill check at +CHA. Can only be triggered on low rolls, even without the +CHA rider this would be a solid choice, but it's an incredible one for Night Stalkers, who are the only ones who should be taking this theme.</p><p><span style="color: #0000ff"><strong>Wolf's Vitality </strong></span>(Werewolf, D410) - Triggerable only when bloodied, but an encounter power for +1 speed and regeneration for the rest of the encounter.</p><p></p><p>[/sblock] </p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><strong>Encounter 3</strong></span></p><p>Night Stalkers can take <strong>Army of the Night</strong> here, but one of the level 1 powers or a theme swap is probably more to your liking.</p><p></p><p><strong>Level 3 Assassin Encounter Powers</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><strong>Army of the Night </strong>(D379) - On the one hand, this power does low base damage and is really situational. On the other hand, in cramped quarters having the elite get a bonus attack against all its allies is a really nice effect. I'd consider it mostly in a party with a controller who can mass-immobilize to force the trigger.</p><p><strong>Cloaking Mist </strong>(D379) - One of the Assassin's rare AoE powers. Helps people who like hiding, and thanks to the fact that your shroud damage applies to every target of an AoE attack rather than just the one you've been shrouding, the damage may not be totally negligible.</p><p><span style="color: #800080"><strong>Inescapable Shadow </strong></span>(D379) - You get to teleport 5 as part of this power making it decent for approach, but as with everything at level 3 you should really be taking whichever of Shadow Darts or Nightmare Shades you didn't get last time.</p><p><span style="color: #800080"><strong>Nightshade's Kiss </strong></span>(D379) - This power's accurate and combos great with level 9 daily Wall of Shadows or a similar damage-on-entry effect. It's basically deadweight the rest of the time, however.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p><strong>Level 3 Multiclass Encounter Powers</strong></p><p>[sblock]<span style="color: #0000ff"><strong>Fury's Advance </strong></span>(Avenger, DP) - A minor action attack that with party coordination is also a double-tap. For WIS Morninglords, this is your third encounter power until epic, and maybe then too.</p><p><span style="color: #0000ff"><strong>Inner Eye Opened </strong></span>(Monk, PsiPow) - An unusual double-tap which does both an untyped and a psychic damage roll. Also blinds you, but grants blindsight 5 for the same duration. The movement technique is basically irrelevant. If you're pursuing the Soaring Blade route, this is your powerswap of choice until epic comes around.</p><p></p><p>[/sblock]</p><p><strong>Level 3 Theme Encounter Powers</strong></p><p>[sblock]<span style="color: #0000ff"><strong>Repel the Siege </strong></span>(Escaped Slave, D390) - An immediate reaction AoE triggered by enemies entering flank around you. Not the most reliable of triggers, but an upgrade on your native stuff.</p><p><span style="color: #0000ff"><strong>Sohei Advance </strong></span>(Sohei, D404) - This isn't technically a multiattack, but it's a charge power and chainable to the Sohei Flurry minor action. A strong substitute.</p><p></p><p>[/sblock] </p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><strong>Daily 5</strong></span></p><p>At 5th level, you either take <span style="color: #800080"><strong>Twilight Assassin</strong></span>, or <span style="color: #0000ff"><strong>Grave Spike</strong></span> from level 1.</p><p></p><p><strong>Level 5 Assassin Daily Powers</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><span style="color: #ff0000"><strong>Heart of Dust </strong></span>(D379) - This power's actually bad enough to be better on a miss.</p><p><span style="color: #ff0000"><strong>Shadow Soul </strong></span>(D379) - This power would be great if you were for some reason fighting another Assassin one-on-one, and he were trying to run away. That will never happen though, so it's useless.</p><p><span style="color: #ff0000"><strong>Treacherous Shades </strong></span>(D379) - A lousy AoE attack whose only rider effect is combat advantage. Skip.</p><p><span style="color: #800080"><strong>Twilight Assassin </strong></span>(D379) - The only Assassin D5 with anything whatsoever to recommend it, this power eats your minor action each round for a flat 6 damage when you hit with it. You should probably take Grave Spike from level 1 instead, or heavily consider swapping for a poison if you've got a feat slot to spend.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p><strong>Level 5 Theme Daily Powers</strong></p><p>[sblock]<span style="color: #0000ff"><strong>Turn the Tables </strong></span>(Escaped Slave, D390) - An immediate interrupt counterattack, which prones the enemy for a penalty and also gives you a defense bonus. A good swap.</p><p></p><p>[/sblock] </p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><strong>Utility 6</strong></span></p><p>On the defensive front, you've got <span style="color: #0000ff"><strong>Vanish</strong></span>, while <strong><span style="color: #00ccff">Ghost of the Rooftops</span></strong> offers amazing mobility, and some of the others are decent as well.</p><p></p><p><strong>Level 6 Assassin Utility Powers</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><strong>Darkness </strong>(HoS) - On the plus side, this is a large sustainable LoS-blocking zone of darkness. On the down side, this is a large sustainable LoS-blocking zone of darkness. While there are cases this is helpful you'll find your melee allies hating you for using it quite a lot, which knocks its rating down a bit. If you do take this power, do have the courtesy to stop sustaining it once your allies run in.</p><p><span style="color: #ff0000"><strong>Darting Shadow </strong></span>(D379) - It's Silent Stalker, but worse and 4 levels later.</p><p><strong>Feathery Tread </strong>(D404) - Want to walk across water? Ignore difficult terrain? Avoid traps? Jump one inch higher? This is the power for you. Note that this effect lasts only until the <em>start</em> of your next turn for some reason, so if you're still standing over water when your next turn begins, you're going in the drink.</p><p><strong><span style="color: #00ccff">Ghost of the Rooftops </span></strong>(HoS) - You climb or jump your speed without making a check. Highly useful both in and out of combat, and one of the reasons the Assassin is one of the most mobile classes in the game. The default choice for the level.</p><p><span style="color: #ff0000"><strong>Shadow Adept (D386)</strong></span> - This power would be a staple for stealth builds, except that it's an immediate interrupt and you break hidden on your own turn, so it's useless instead.</p><p><span style="color: #800080"><strong>Sheltering Dark </strong></span>(D379) - Creates a zone that conceals you and offers you invisibility until the end of your turn when you leave it. You have worse options, but this isn't a good one.</p><p><span style="color: #ff0000"><strong>Slayer's Escape </strong></span>(D379) - There is a power named Vanish two lines down. It is better in all ways.</p><p><span style="color: #ff0000"><strong>Slithering Shadow </strong></span>(D379) - Shift 1 as a minor action for the encounter. Given that you want your minors for Black Flame Form, this isn't actually an improvement in action economy, but even if you don't run BFF it's really not worthwhile vs. one of the encounter powers.</p><p><span style="color: #0000ff"><strong>Vanish </strong></span>(HoS) - Another escape power. That you have to be hit to trigger it isn't the best, but it lets you turn invisible and then teleport your speed, which means it's automatically a trigger for a stealth check as well. Solid.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p><strong>Level 6 Racial Utility Powers</strong></p><p>[sblock]<span style="color: #0000ff"><strong>Vanish From View </strong></span>(Drow, D405) - A defensive interrupt which only works while you have cover or concealment, but that can easily be always, which lets you make a stealth check to dodge their attack. Thanks to skill scaling being silly good, this is trivially accomplished.</p><p></p><p>[/sblock] </p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><strong>Encounter 7</strong></span></p><p>A weak level. If you don't have a theme or MC swap by now, take one of the also-rans from 1 or 3.</p><p></p><p><strong>Level 7 Assassin Encounter Powers</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><span style="color: #ff0000"><strong>Blinding Menace </strong></span>(DSH) - Everyone but the target can't see you for a round, even with blindsight or tremor sense, but only if you don't attack. In other words, basically always worse than L1's Gloom Thief.</p><p><span style="color: #800080"><strong>Captured Shadow </strong></span>(D379) - You get to teleport the target to a square adjacent to you of your choice, but not hindering terrain. It's hard to come up with cases where this is an appreciable benefit, but depending on what powers your allies have, you may be able to make a case for taking it.</p><p><span style="color: #800080"><strong>Echoing Threat </strong></span>(D379) - It's easy to trigger this power's rider effect, but the rider unfortunately isn't very good since it's just static damage.</p><p><span style="color: #ff0000"><strong>Shadow Jack </strong></span>(D379) - A perfect example of why designing attacks for flavor rather than actually doing anything useful is a terrible idea. This attack merges you to your opponent's shadow and gives them control of your movement, meaning they can jump off a cliff/into the acid vat/etc. with you, while giving zero actual benefit.</p><p><span style="color: #800080"><strong>Shadow Link </strong></span>(D379) - Lets you use your shroud against the target whenever you're hit for the next round. You might be able to milk a bit of value out of this by provoking a bunch in Black Flame Form, but it's not exactly a quality power</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p><strong>Level 7 Theme Encounter Powers</strong></p><p>[sblock]<span style="color: #0000ff"><strong>Wolf's Bound </strong></span>(Iron Wolf Warrior, D400) - A no action attack with some added mobility, but one you're forced to use on a non-focus-fire target. Worth consideration for the sake of simple action economy.</p><p></p><p>[/sblock] </p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><strong>Daily 9</strong></span></p><p>You take <strong><span style="color: #00ccff">Wall of Shadows</span></strong> here and that's basically that.</p><p></p><p><strong>Level 9 Assassin Daily Powers</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><span style="color: #ff0000"><strong>Black Garrote </strong></span>(D379) - Does no damage on a hit, but grabs the target and lets you sustain the grab for some automatic damage. Did I mention it does no damage on a hit?</p><p><span style="color: #800080"><strong>Bound By Shadow </strong></span>(D379) - Until the end of the encounter, the target takes 5 damage whenever you take damage. Feel like running around provoking on purpose? This might be the power for you. Otherwise, ignore it.</p><p><span style="color: #ff0000"><strong>Obscuring Shadows </strong></span>(D379) - The only good part about this power is that's it's Weapon vs. Will and therefore quite accurate. The rider effect, the target "cannot see you (save ends)" is going to be useful compared to normal stealth maybe once in your career.</p><p><strong><span style="color: #00ccff">Wall of Shadows </span></strong>(D379) - Finally, a power to not be ashamed of! Wall of Shadow may be unfriendly, even to yourself, but it has a genuinely useful effect and can rack up some very nice quantities of bonus damage if you or your allies possess forced movement abilities. Please take this one.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p><strong>Level 9 Theme Daily Powers</strong></p><p>[sblock]<span style="color: #0000ff"><strong>Who is Master Now? </strong></span>(Escaped Slave, D390) - A weapon attack which save-ends dominates on a hit. Yet another good swap from the Escaped Slave theme.</p><p></p><p>[/sblock] </p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><strong>Utility 10</strong></span></p><p>Another decent level. <span style="color: #0000ff"><strong>Walk Through Shadow</strong></span> is the standard pick here, <span style="color: #008000"><strong>Eyes Unseen</strong></span> can be good in or out of combat, and of course there are whichever powers you didn't take at 2 and 6.</p><p></p><p><strong>Level 10 Assassin Utility Powers</strong></p><p>[sblock]</p><p><strong><span style="color: #800080">Darkening Veil </span></strong>(D388) - Sets up a sustainable zone of concealment which you can retreat to whenever you're damaged. I honestly have no idea why anyone would write this power, but it does exist.</p><p><span style="color: #008000"><strong>Death Mark </strong></span>(HoS) - For the rest of the day, you know which way and how far off a creature that was previously within 25' of you is now. Another in the set of Assassin powers that are only useful if your campaign says they are, though it seems to me you should have just killed the guy when you were within 25'.</p><p><span style="color: #008000"><strong>Eyes Unseen </strong></span>(HoS) - Until the end of your next turn, you can see and hear as if you were in a square on the other side of a wall. Mostly an out of combat and highly DM-dependent power, especially given that a round has no defined length out of combat, though it'll also let you avoid zones of darkness, etc. so it's not entirely green.</p><p><span style="color: #800080"><strong>Mist Walk </strong></span>(D379) - Daily shift 6 with phasing. Thoroughly mediocre, though phasing can break certain encounters.</p><p><strong>Promise of Retribution </strong>(D379) - IR teleport that also lets you set up an AP nova against the target at +2/+5. Not bad, actually, especially when Flurry of Talons shows up in three levels, just don't look up Armathor's Step or you'll probably get angry.</p><p><span style="color: #800080"><strong>Seeker of Shadow </strong></span>(D379) - This great encounter power was unfortunately printed as a weak daily instead. It only gives you +4 to your first damage roll, or it could still be worthwhile, but as is it's mostly just a waste of a nice mechanical concept.</p><p><strong>Slayer's Endurance </strong>(D379) - This power gives you some non-scaling temporary hitpoints for invoking your shrouds. 20 THP is actually pretty decent when you first get access to this power (probably exceeding your surge value), just be ready to retrain it in a few levels.</p><p><strong>Vaporous Step </strong>(D386) - This oddball power is actually a leader one, and essentially lets you get a miniature Reorient The Axis every round for an encounter. Another power where I have no clue why it was printed, but it's not a bad effect.</p><p><span style="color: #ff0000"><strong>Veil of a Thousand Faces </strong></span>(D404) - This power requires a class feature you don't have, so you can't actually use it.</p><p><span style="color: #0000ff"><strong>Walk Through Shadow </strong></span>(HoS) - Five square teleport without the need for LoS. With its combination of out of combat and combat utility, this is your default choice for the level.</p><p>[/sblock]</p><p><strong>Level 10 Racial Utility Powers</strong></p><p>[sblock]<span style="color: #0000ff"><strong>Lockstep </strong></span>(Half-Elf, D402) - As a squishy striker, you like being near your allies. As a DEX character, you win initiative a lot. This power lets you leverage that with a free shift for you and an ally.</p><p></p><p>[/sblock]</p><p><strong>Level 10 Theme Utility Powers</strong></p><p>[sblock]<span style="color: #0000ff"><strong>Blur</strong></span> (Sarifel Feywarden, PHB1) - A daily defense boost, and basically free reign to make hide checks for an encounter if you can stay out of melee. Gravy on a theme you wanted anyway.</p><p><strong>Spirits of the Shadowed Moon</strong> (Sarifel Feywarden, PHB2) - Another daily that gives free reign to make hide checks, as well as total concealment, this time as a zone effect. This one applies to allies as well, but it's a rare party that's artillery-heavy enough for that to count for much.</p><p></p><p>[/sblock]</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Nibelung, post: 6711917, member: 74499"] [b]Originally posted by erachima:[/b] [CENTER][Size=4][b]Visions of Weakness: Heroic Tier Assassination Techniques[/b][/size][/CENTER] You can see death, or at least the path towards it, but you still have a great deal to learn. The heroic tier Asassin does have some attack powers worth using, but they're mostly situational and mediocre. The utility list will likely excite you more. Note that your most damaging at-will option will be charging, even with the loss of damage due to melee training, due to it allowing you to apply extra damage sources such as the horned helm and vanguard weapon repeatedly. Short version: select [b]Shadow Storm[/b], [b]Targeted For Death[/b], [b]Wall of Shadow[/b], and [b]Ghost of the Rooftops[/b]. [Size=3][b]At-wills[/b][/size] [COLOR=#0000ff][b]Shadow Storm [/b][/COLOR]is the best of a bad lot here, your other pick doesn't really matter as long as it's not [COLOR=#ff0000][b]Leaping Shade[/b][/COLOR]. [b]Level 1 Assassin At-will Powers[/b] [sblock] [b]Executioner's Noose [/b](D379) - This power does low damage, but it's ranged, and it pulls and slows. It'll do. [COLOR=#800080][b]Inescapable Blade [/b][/COLOR](D379) - You lose your primary stat to damage in exchange for gaining two range and ignoring cover. Occasionally more accurate than Shadow Storm, but the damage tradeoff won't typically be worth it. Take this if you really hate the idea of making ranged/implement attacks, so Executioner's Noose is off your list for some reason. [COLOR=#ff0000][b]Leaping Shade [/b][/COLOR](D379) - One of the worst-written powers in the game. Deals a tiny amount of extra damage for [b]not[/b] using your striker feature. Do not take this power. [COLOR=#0000ff][b]Shadow Storm [/b][/COLOR](D379) - Well look here, it's our first non-"bonus to damage rolls" damage booster. This power's rider effect deals "plus 1 damage for each creature adjacent to the target", which should add on to shroud for a not-entirely trivial bonus, especially if you play flanking buddy with your defender. It's not great, but you'll be using it a lot in heroic, so get used to it. [/sblock] [Size=3][b]Encounter 1[/b][/size] As your first encounter attack, it's hard to go wrong with [COLOR=#0000ff][b]Shadow Darts[/b][/COLOR], but this is a remarkable level where every power has at least some reason to take it: Stalkers want [b][COLOR=#00ccff]Nightmare Shades[/COLOR][/b], Bleakers can go for [b]Smothering Shadow[/b], and stealth fans take [b]Gloom Thief[/b]. [b]Level 1 Assassin Encounter Powers[/b] [sblock] [b]Gloom Thief [/b](D379) - 2[W] and invisibility for a round. You could do worse, but this really isn't much. [COLOR=#800080][b]Nightmare Shades [/b][/COLOR](D379) - Combat advantage is super-easy to get, and weapon attacks are generally preferable to implement ones. If you're a Night Stalker though, and you should be, then this is a power you [b][COLOR=#00ccff]take and sit on[/COLOR][/b], as +CHA to damage rolls for a round is the best nova enabler you're going to have access to for a loooong time. [COLOR=#0000ff][b]Shadow Darts [/b][/COLOR](D379) - While this power is nothing in comparison to the improved versions at E13 and E17, Shadow Darts is extremely accurate and has a high crit chance, since any of the three rolls critting will max the whole power. Building up a few shrouds and letting loose with this is a good way to try to take out a big target at low levels. [COLOR=#ff0000][b]Smothering Shadow [/b][/COLOR](D379) - Deadweight, directly worse than Gloom Thief. If you're a Bleaker with a bunch of CON, [b]it does improve[/b], so they might want this for a couple levels in paragon. [b]Assassin's Strike (HoS)[/b] - Not technically level 1, but that's where you'll get it if you make the trade. Assassin's Strike will hold its own through heroic, if you are allowed to count the extra damage per shroud rather than only twice is a [COLOR=#0000ff][b]better[/b][/COLOR] choice, but as mentioned, should never be taken if you're going to reach [COLOR=#ff0000][b]paragon[/b][/COLOR]. [/sblock] [Size=3][b]Daily 1[/b][/size] You almost certainly want [b][COLOR=#00ccff]Targeted For Death [/COLOR][/b]at this level. A whole mess of poisons show up here as well, you won't have any of them yet since you're caught up in a tier of feat taxes, but the one of note is [COLOR=#0000ff][b]Carrion Crawler Brain Juice[/b][/COLOR]. [b]Level 1 Assassin Daily Powers[/b] [sblock] [COLOR=#0000ff][b]Grave Spike [/b][/COLOR](D379) - The +2 power bonus to attack for the encounter isn't nothing, though the ongoing is pretty worthless since any target you might want to use it on will shake the ongoing damage almost immediately. [COLOR=#ff0000][b]Strangling Shadow [/b][/COLOR](D379) - Reasonably accurate at Weapon vs. Fort, but bad single-target control is not something the Assassin has space to mess around with. [b][COLOR=#00ccff]Targeted For Death [/COLOR][/b](D379) - Targeted For Death doubles your shrouding of a single target for the entire encounter. The obvious best choice at L1, and sadly one of the better dailies you'll ever get. [COLOR=#ff0000][b]Terrifying Visage [/b][/COLOR](D379) - Let's not mince words: this power is awful. It doesn't help you deal damage and it doesn't even get you any meaningful control, since you're forced to immobilize the guy right next to you. Ignore it. [/sblock] [Size=3][b]Utility 2[/b][/size] The standard choice here is [COLOR=#0000ff][b]Smoke Bomb[/b][/COLOR], but [COLOR=#008000][b]Distracting Illusion[/b][/COLOR] is an interesting power as well. [b]Level 2 Assassin Utility Powers[/b] [sblock] [COLOR=#008000][b]Cat's Trickery [/b][/COLOR](D379) -This power is great for ambushing people by yourself in an alley someplace, or scouting. Which is the nice way of saying it's [COLOR=#ff0000][b]actively harmful[/b][/COLOR] in party-based combat, because blinding your allies is a bad thing, and you should only take it if you have a cooperative DM for going on actual assassination missions. [b]Cloak of Shades [/b](D379) - Defense bonus that can maintain or enable hiding as a minor action. Not a bad pick. [COLOR=#800080][b]Converging Shadows [/b][/COLOR](D388) - On the plus side, this is an interrupt and being able to hide midway through an opponent's attack sequence can be great. On the down side, this is an interrupt to targeting, so you have to use it before knowing what the enemy rolled, and Assassins tend to have concealment at all times. [COLOR=#008000][b]Distracting Illusion [/b][/COLOR](HoS) - In rules terms, this power does basically nothing at all. However, it's a very open-ended effect, very easy to use, and you can crank your bluff up high enough that it will continue to fool people for a good bit. Basically, this power is like stunt rolls: as useful as you can convince your DM to let it be. [COLOR=#800080][b]Lurking Shadow [/b][/COLOR](D379) - Mostly useful outside of combat, but has its niche for scouting there. Do be aware that the longest this (or any) power can be sustained is five minutes. [b]Shadowed Legion [/b](D379) - This stance lets all your allies use your stealth modifier for an encounter. Like Lurking Shadow, it's mostly useful out of combat, but it's notable for being one of the few bits of enabling the Assassin can do and for making certain skill challenges a piece of cake. This is another one that'll be situational by campaign type, but may be a good call in certain LFR adventures, for instance, or any intrigue-heavy campaign where someone decided to play Clanko the Dwarf Fighter. [COLOR=#800080][b]Silent Stalker [/b][/COLOR](HoS) - This power lets you move out into plain sight while remaining hidden. Waste of a slot for the generic Assassin, but those who've optimized around stealth will find it [COLOR=#0000ff][b]more useful[/b][/COLOR]. [COLOR=#0000ff][b]Smoke Bomb [/b][/COLOR](D404) - The classic ninja escape trick, Smoke Bomb allows you to react to an approaching foe by shifting your speed away. I would consider this the default pick. [COLOR=#800080][b]Summon the Mists [/b][/COLOR](HoS) - You create a massive encounter-long zone of concealment... making your enemies harder to hit for you and your allies. [/sblock] [b]Level 2 Racial Utility Powers[/b] [sblock][COLOR=#0000ff][b]Extra Effort [/b][/COLOR](Human, D402) - Encounter save reroll, get a bonus now for a drawback later. [/sblock] [b]Level 2 Theme Utility Powers[/b] [sblock][b][COLOR=#00ccff]Life's Losing Hand [/COLOR][/b](Yakuza, D404) - An encounter reroll for an attack or skill check at +CHA. Can only be triggered on low rolls, even without the +CHA rider this would be a solid choice, but it's an incredible one for Night Stalkers, who are the only ones who should be taking this theme. [COLOR=#0000ff][b]Wolf's Vitality [/b][/COLOR](Werewolf, D410) - Triggerable only when bloodied, but an encounter power for +1 speed and regeneration for the rest of the encounter. [/sblock] [Size=3][b]Encounter 3[/b][/size] Night Stalkers can take [b]Army of the Night[/b] here, but one of the level 1 powers or a theme swap is probably more to your liking. [b]Level 3 Assassin Encounter Powers[/b] [sblock] [b]Army of the Night [/b](D379) - On the one hand, this power does low base damage and is really situational. On the other hand, in cramped quarters having the elite get a bonus attack against all its allies is a really nice effect. I'd consider it mostly in a party with a controller who can mass-immobilize to force the trigger. [b]Cloaking Mist [/b](D379) - One of the Assassin's rare AoE powers. Helps people who like hiding, and thanks to the fact that your shroud damage applies to every target of an AoE attack rather than just the one you've been shrouding, the damage may not be totally negligible. [COLOR=#800080][b]Inescapable Shadow [/b][/COLOR](D379) - You get to teleport 5 as part of this power making it decent for approach, but as with everything at level 3 you should really be taking whichever of Shadow Darts or Nightmare Shades you didn't get last time. [COLOR=#800080][b]Nightshade's Kiss [/b][/COLOR](D379) - This power's accurate and combos great with level 9 daily Wall of Shadows or a similar damage-on-entry effect. It's basically deadweight the rest of the time, however. [/sblock] [b]Level 3 Multiclass Encounter Powers[/b] [sblock][COLOR=#0000ff][b]Fury's Advance [/b][/COLOR](Avenger, DP) - A minor action attack that with party coordination is also a double-tap. For WIS Morninglords, this is your third encounter power until epic, and maybe then too. [COLOR=#0000ff][b]Inner Eye Opened [/b][/COLOR](Monk, PsiPow) - An unusual double-tap which does both an untyped and a psychic damage roll. Also blinds you, but grants blindsight 5 for the same duration. The movement technique is basically irrelevant. If you're pursuing the Soaring Blade route, this is your powerswap of choice until epic comes around. [/sblock] [b]Level 3 Theme Encounter Powers[/b] [sblock][COLOR=#0000ff][b]Repel the Siege [/b][/COLOR](Escaped Slave, D390) - An immediate reaction AoE triggered by enemies entering flank around you. Not the most reliable of triggers, but an upgrade on your native stuff. [COLOR=#0000ff][b]Sohei Advance [/b][/COLOR](Sohei, D404) - This isn't technically a multiattack, but it's a charge power and chainable to the Sohei Flurry minor action. A strong substitute. [/sblock] [Size=3][b]Daily 5[/b][/size] At 5th level, you either take [COLOR=#800080][b]Twilight Assassin[/b][/COLOR], or [COLOR=#0000ff][b]Grave Spike[/b][/COLOR] from level 1. [b]Level 5 Assassin Daily Powers[/b] [sblock] [COLOR=#ff0000][b]Heart of Dust [/b][/COLOR](D379) - This power's actually bad enough to be better on a miss. [COLOR=#ff0000][b]Shadow Soul [/b][/COLOR](D379) - This power would be great if you were for some reason fighting another Assassin one-on-one, and he were trying to run away. That will never happen though, so it's useless. [COLOR=#ff0000][b]Treacherous Shades [/b][/COLOR](D379) - A lousy AoE attack whose only rider effect is combat advantage. Skip. [COLOR=#800080][b]Twilight Assassin [/b][/COLOR](D379) - The only Assassin D5 with anything whatsoever to recommend it, this power eats your minor action each round for a flat 6 damage when you hit with it. You should probably take Grave Spike from level 1 instead, or heavily consider swapping for a poison if you've got a feat slot to spend. [/sblock] [b]Level 5 Theme Daily Powers[/b] [sblock][COLOR=#0000ff][b]Turn the Tables [/b][/COLOR](Escaped Slave, D390) - An immediate interrupt counterattack, which prones the enemy for a penalty and also gives you a defense bonus. A good swap. [/sblock] [Size=3][b]Utility 6[/b][/size] On the defensive front, you've got [COLOR=#0000ff][b]Vanish[/b][/COLOR], while [b][COLOR=#00ccff]Ghost of the Rooftops[/COLOR][/b] offers amazing mobility, and some of the others are decent as well. [b]Level 6 Assassin Utility Powers[/b] [sblock] [b]Darkness [/b](HoS) - On the plus side, this is a large sustainable LoS-blocking zone of darkness. On the down side, this is a large sustainable LoS-blocking zone of darkness. While there are cases this is helpful you'll find your melee allies hating you for using it quite a lot, which knocks its rating down a bit. If you do take this power, do have the courtesy to stop sustaining it once your allies run in. [COLOR=#ff0000][b]Darting Shadow [/b][/COLOR](D379) - It's Silent Stalker, but worse and 4 levels later. [b]Feathery Tread [/b](D404) - Want to walk across water? Ignore difficult terrain? Avoid traps? Jump one inch higher? This is the power for you. Note that this effect lasts only until the [i]start[/i] of your next turn for some reason, so if you're still standing over water when your next turn begins, you're going in the drink. [b][COLOR=#00ccff]Ghost of the Rooftops [/COLOR][/b](HoS) - You climb or jump your speed without making a check. Highly useful both in and out of combat, and one of the reasons the Assassin is one of the most mobile classes in the game. The default choice for the level. [COLOR=#ff0000][b]Shadow Adept (D386)[/b][/COLOR] - This power would be a staple for stealth builds, except that it's an immediate interrupt and you break hidden on your own turn, so it's useless instead. [COLOR=#800080][b]Sheltering Dark [/b][/COLOR](D379) - Creates a zone that conceals you and offers you invisibility until the end of your turn when you leave it. You have worse options, but this isn't a good one. [COLOR=#ff0000][b]Slayer's Escape [/b][/COLOR](D379) - There is a power named Vanish two lines down. It is better in all ways. [COLOR=#ff0000][b]Slithering Shadow [/b][/COLOR](D379) - Shift 1 as a minor action for the encounter. Given that you want your minors for Black Flame Form, this isn't actually an improvement in action economy, but even if you don't run BFF it's really not worthwhile vs. one of the encounter powers. [COLOR=#0000ff][b]Vanish [/b][/COLOR](HoS) - Another escape power. That you have to be hit to trigger it isn't the best, but it lets you turn invisible and then teleport your speed, which means it's automatically a trigger for a stealth check as well. Solid. [/sblock] [b]Level 6 Racial Utility Powers[/b] [sblock][COLOR=#0000ff][b]Vanish From View [/b][/COLOR](Drow, D405) - A defensive interrupt which only works while you have cover or concealment, but that can easily be always, which lets you make a stealth check to dodge their attack. Thanks to skill scaling being silly good, this is trivially accomplished. [/sblock] [Size=3][b]Encounter 7[/b][/size] A weak level. If you don't have a theme or MC swap by now, take one of the also-rans from 1 or 3. [b]Level 7 Assassin Encounter Powers[/b] [sblock] [COLOR=#ff0000][b]Blinding Menace [/b][/COLOR](DSH) - Everyone but the target can't see you for a round, even with blindsight or tremor sense, but only if you don't attack. In other words, basically always worse than L1's Gloom Thief. [COLOR=#800080][b]Captured Shadow [/b][/COLOR](D379) - You get to teleport the target to a square adjacent to you of your choice, but not hindering terrain. It's hard to come up with cases where this is an appreciable benefit, but depending on what powers your allies have, you may be able to make a case for taking it. [COLOR=#800080][b]Echoing Threat [/b][/COLOR](D379) - It's easy to trigger this power's rider effect, but the rider unfortunately isn't very good since it's just static damage. [COLOR=#ff0000][b]Shadow Jack [/b][/COLOR](D379) - A perfect example of why designing attacks for flavor rather than actually doing anything useful is a terrible idea. This attack merges you to your opponent's shadow and gives them control of your movement, meaning they can jump off a cliff/into the acid vat/etc. with you, while giving zero actual benefit. [COLOR=#800080][b]Shadow Link [/b][/COLOR](D379) - Lets you use your shroud against the target whenever you're hit for the next round. You might be able to milk a bit of value out of this by provoking a bunch in Black Flame Form, but it's not exactly a quality power [/sblock] [b]Level 7 Theme Encounter Powers[/b] [sblock][COLOR=#0000ff][b]Wolf's Bound [/b][/COLOR](Iron Wolf Warrior, D400) - A no action attack with some added mobility, but one you're forced to use on a non-focus-fire target. Worth consideration for the sake of simple action economy. [/sblock] [Size=3][b]Daily 9[/b][/size] You take [b][COLOR=#00ccff]Wall of Shadows[/COLOR][/b] here and that's basically that. [b]Level 9 Assassin Daily Powers[/b] [sblock] [COLOR=#ff0000][b]Black Garrote [/b][/COLOR](D379) - Does no damage on a hit, but grabs the target and lets you sustain the grab for some automatic damage. Did I mention it does no damage on a hit? [COLOR=#800080][b]Bound By Shadow [/b][/COLOR](D379) - Until the end of the encounter, the target takes 5 damage whenever you take damage. Feel like running around provoking on purpose? This might be the power for you. Otherwise, ignore it. [COLOR=#ff0000][b]Obscuring Shadows [/b][/COLOR](D379) - The only good part about this power is that's it's Weapon vs. Will and therefore quite accurate. The rider effect, the target "cannot see you (save ends)" is going to be useful compared to normal stealth maybe once in your career. [b][COLOR=#00ccff]Wall of Shadows [/COLOR][/b](D379) - Finally, a power to not be ashamed of! Wall of Shadow may be unfriendly, even to yourself, but it has a genuinely useful effect and can rack up some very nice quantities of bonus damage if you or your allies possess forced movement abilities. Please take this one. [/sblock] [b]Level 9 Theme Daily Powers[/b] [sblock][COLOR=#0000ff][b]Who is Master Now? [/b][/COLOR](Escaped Slave, D390) - A weapon attack which save-ends dominates on a hit. Yet another good swap from the Escaped Slave theme. [/sblock] [Size=3][b]Utility 10[/b][/size] Another decent level. [COLOR=#0000ff][b]Walk Through Shadow[/b][/COLOR] is the standard pick here, [COLOR=#008000][b]Eyes Unseen[/b][/COLOR] can be good in or out of combat, and of course there are whichever powers you didn't take at 2 and 6. [b]Level 10 Assassin Utility Powers[/b] [sblock] [b][COLOR=#800080]Darkening Veil [/COLOR][/b](D388) - Sets up a sustainable zone of concealment which you can retreat to whenever you're damaged. I honestly have no idea why anyone would write this power, but it does exist. [COLOR=#008000][b]Death Mark [/b][/COLOR](HoS) - For the rest of the day, you know which way and how far off a creature that was previously within 25' of you is now. Another in the set of Assassin powers that are only useful if your campaign says they are, though it seems to me you should have just killed the guy when you were within 25'. [COLOR=#008000][b]Eyes Unseen [/b][/COLOR](HoS) - Until the end of your next turn, you can see and hear as if you were in a square on the other side of a wall. Mostly an out of combat and highly DM-dependent power, especially given that a round has no defined length out of combat, though it'll also let you avoid zones of darkness, etc. so it's not entirely green. [COLOR=#800080][b]Mist Walk [/b][/COLOR](D379) - Daily shift 6 with phasing. Thoroughly mediocre, though phasing can break certain encounters. [b]Promise of Retribution [/b](D379) - IR teleport that also lets you set up an AP nova against the target at +2/+5. Not bad, actually, especially when Flurry of Talons shows up in three levels, just don't look up Armathor's Step or you'll probably get angry. [COLOR=#800080][b]Seeker of Shadow [/b][/COLOR](D379) - This great encounter power was unfortunately printed as a weak daily instead. It only gives you +4 to your first damage roll, or it could still be worthwhile, but as is it's mostly just a waste of a nice mechanical concept. [b]Slayer's Endurance [/b](D379) - This power gives you some non-scaling temporary hitpoints for invoking your shrouds. 20 THP is actually pretty decent when you first get access to this power (probably exceeding your surge value), just be ready to retrain it in a few levels. [b]Vaporous Step [/b](D386) - This oddball power is actually a leader one, and essentially lets you get a miniature Reorient The Axis every round for an encounter. Another power where I have no clue why it was printed, but it's not a bad effect. [COLOR=#ff0000][b]Veil of a Thousand Faces [/b][/COLOR](D404) - This power requires a class feature you don't have, so you can't actually use it. [COLOR=#0000ff][b]Walk Through Shadow [/b][/COLOR](HoS) - Five square teleport without the need for LoS. With its combination of out of combat and combat utility, this is your default choice for the level. [/sblock] [b]Level 10 Racial Utility Powers[/b] [sblock][COLOR=#0000ff][b]Lockstep [/b][/COLOR](Half-Elf, D402) - As a squishy striker, you like being near your allies. As a DEX character, you win initiative a lot. This power lets you leverage that with a free shift for you and an ally. [/sblock] [b]Level 10 Theme Utility Powers[/b] [sblock][COLOR=#0000ff][b]Blur[/b][/COLOR] (Sarifel Feywarden, PHB1) - A daily defense boost, and basically free reign to make hide checks for an encounter if you can stay out of melee. Gravy on a theme you wanted anyway. [b]Spirits of the Shadowed Moon[/b] (Sarifel Feywarden, PHB2) - Another daily that gives free reign to make hide checks, as well as total concealment, this time as a zone effect. This one applies to allies as well, but it's a rare party that's artillery-heavy enough for that to count for much. [/sblock] [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Community
General Tabletop Discussion
D&D Older Editions
Look Very Carefully: The Shroud Assassin's Handbook (by erachima)
Top