Assassin in DDN

[erleni]

We now have some evidence that the assassin will be in the PHB1 of DDN (it has been mentioned several times by the devs and seems to be the favourite class of Rob Schwalb so I guess he'll push to have it in from the start).

What is your favourite incarnation of the assassin in previous editions and why?

I'll vote for the 4th edition shadow-based Assassin. At-will Teleportation and Shadow Form made it a unique class right from level 1, while in previous editions the assassin lokeed like (or was) a rogue sub-class.

What should be the main features of the assassin according to you?

 

[Halivar]

I think the best way to handle assassins is to make it a theme available to rogues.

Consider the first edition assassin, and how much it overlapped with thieves.

 

[The Shadow]

I have to admit that I've never really seen a point to an assassin class. I think it would do better as a theme or subclass.

 

[Piratecat]

My favorite assassin class from earlier editions is the 4e essentials executioner. Incredibly fun to play, with just the right balance of simplicity and tactics.

 

[Astrosicebear]

It could certainly be a theme, and many themes, but it also present the opportunity to separate the utility of the rogue class from the combat nature of the assassin.

The only reason they would want an assassin class in the PHB is to allow players that option of the striker role without having to possibly wait for an advanced theme.

Personally, I feel as though we will have themes that will be complete class changes, like the assassin. So someone playing an assassin wont say, 'Im playing a rogue that's an assassin' They will simply be playing 'an assassin'. Similar to cleric/priest or wizard/illusionist.

 

[Ahnehnois]

Assassin makes sense as a theme because you can easily imagine fighter, wizard, and even cleric assassins as well as rogue ones.

 

[Frostmarrow]

My favorite assassin is Ezio Auditore di Firenze. Mix assassin with thief acrobat and you've got it covered. Yeah, Ezio is cool. I'm not easily impressed but Ezio is in fact awesome.

 

[Sunseeker]

I'm pretty partial to the 4e assassin. It had a lot of features that really differentiated it from the 4e rogue or other classes. I really hope we don't see a rogue with a minor trick change.

 

[Plane Sailing]

I ever saw the 4e assassin, I liked the 1e assassin class, I also liked the 3e prestige class as a version with a little magic in the mix and available as an addon to any other class.

As a straight up class I always wonder how best to differentiate it from the thief/rogue.

 

[gyor]

I ever saw the 4e assassin, I liked the 1e assassin class, I also liked the 3e prestige class as a version with a little magic in the mix and available as an addon to any other class.

As a straight up class I always wonder how best to differentiate it from the thief/rogue.

The 4e assassin IS the assassin class for me, the the previous edition assassin were just prototypes for how awesome this class is.

See in essence both the Oassassin and Executioner are shadow power gishes. Oassassin leaned more towards shadow casting then the Executioner as the Oassassin was pure shadow power and executioner was mixed. They both had tons of unique features and powers and in play you'd never confuse an assassin and rogue.

Thier is a good reason why the 4e players wanted the assassin as class instead of a theme and the previous edition user the other way around.

In previous editions the assassin sucked, barely any cool flavour and it felt like a rogue. In 4e the assassin came into its own and if you played it you'd know why making a theme will be disappointing to 4e fans, more then say an avenger or invoker or seeker.

The assassin should remain more of a 4e like class then say the fighter or wizard because it wasn't till 4e that the assassin came into its own.