Assassin-wizards: The Broken Wands

[TheGrandNuge]

In the Tome and Blood splat book, there is an organization of wizards called the Broken Wands that operate as assassins. I always thought this was an intriguing idea and finally may have an opportunity to play this idea. My ? is, is this really a viable idea for a wizard and if so, how to build it? Obviously this isn't the stab them in the back type assassin. Clever spell use and strategy will be a must.
Anyone remember this order and use them?
What feats, spell selection, strategies?
Any ideas will help.

 

[Jack Simth]

In the Tome and Blood splat book, there is an organization of wizards called the Broken Wands that operate as assassins. I always thought this was an intriguing idea and finally may have an opportunity to play this idea. My ? is, is this really a viable idea for a wizard and if so, how to build it? Obviously this isn't the stab them in the back type assassin. Clever spell use and strategy will be a must.
Anyone remember this order and use them?
What feats, spell selection, strategies?
Any ideas will help.

Oh... not hard, really. Silent Spell is a must, of course - don't want to be making sounds when you're invisible. A Rod of Silent Spell would also be very handy, for similar reasons.

Invisibility (and it's various cousins), Teleport (and variations - Dimension Door, Greater Teleport, et cetera) are all useful (escape routes, but also getting in).

Disguise Self and Alter Self are also good spells - they last longer than invisibility, and serve a similar purpose (not letting your mark know there's an assassin about), and it's really useful to be able to impersonate your mark.

Depending on how "hardened" the target is, there's other spells that'll be useful as well (Dispel Magic, it's Greater cousin, and the granddaddy of them all, Disjunction).

Edit:
Oh, and you will of course want to see about getting some potions / oils of Silence from the local temple - it's very useful to not make sounds at all when you can't be seen.

 

[BrokeAndDrive]

I once saw an NPC that was a Wizard 13/Assassin 4, or something like that. I've always thought that was neat and, with the right buffs, would make for one hell of a silent killer. But I'm not sure if it'd be superior to a straight wizard memorizing the right spells... however, there are some nice assassin-only spells from Spell Compendium

 

[TheGrandNuge]

What about the actual kill though? The target him/herself. Obviously some things will be situational, like using summoning spells to handle guards around the target. But what spells to actually take the target out?
Debilitating spells to set up a coup de grace? How to do that, for instance?
I think pre-kill spying and info gathering would be a necessity, even more than for a traditional assassin.
Try to use damage spells, or go another route?
yada yada yada

 

[Jack Simth]

What about the actual kill though? The target him/herself. Obviously some things will be situational, like using summoning spells to handle guards around the target. But what spells to actually take the target out?
Debilitating spells to set up a coup de grace? How to do that, for instance?
I think pre-kill spying and info gathering would be a necessity, even more than for a traditional assassin.
Try to use damage spells, or go another route?
yada yada yada

Forget the debilitation spells. If your opponent gets a save that matters (AKA, they'll shrug it off with something shot of a nat-20), you're doing it wrong.

If you have a Ring of Invisibility where the command word is in Drow Sign, you simply stalk the target until they go to sleep of their own accord. Then CdG with a scythe. The non-proficiency penalty doesn't matter on your automatic critical hit ... with a save or die based on the damage dealt ... on the *4 critical. Good luck with that. Regular touch attack roll damage spells also work well for this (Orb of Force: Auto crit: Fort save or die (based on... 2d6 per caster level... ahh... yeah).

If you don't have that kind of cash to burn, and are simply limited to spells you can cast yourself, then you might consider save-or-lose/die effects ... but a Teleport spell to a prepared location, while the target is asleep, is better - because then you've got them well away from any possible support when they wake up.

 

[Ahnehnois]

is this really a viable idea for a wizard

Anything is a viable idea for a wizard, certainly including assassination.

Divinations are highly useful to planning assassinations. Scrying, clairvoyance, etc.

CdG is the best way of getting the job done, regardless of whether you're a wizard or not. Disintegration is great at high levels. It's a touch attack so you can crit (CdG) with it, and it gets rid of the body.

Wizards can also get some nice assassin creatures with planar binding spells.

 

[Shin Okada]

Use divination spells (scrying, greater scrying, etc.) to learn about the target. Then, when the target is alone and vulnerable, use teleportation spells or spells which bring you to the ethereal plane to approach the target.

You can kill the target in various ways. But CdG with a touch spell (Vampiric Touch?) is always good. Unfortunately, Disintegrate does not work as it is a ranged touch attack, not a melee touch attack. But the said spell works to eliminate the dead body.

Or, you can first separate the target from his guards (by say, various wall spells) then do one-on-one fight against him.

 

[Runestar]

I once saw an NPC that was a Wizard 13/Assassin 4, or something like that. I've always thought that was neat and, with the right buffs, would make for one hell of a silent killer. But I'm not sure if it'd be superior to a straight wizard memorizing the right spells... however, there are some nice assassin-only spells from Spell Compendium

Its from the living greyhawk gazetter, right? Ah, the days of 3.0 and their multiclassed-to-uselessness npcs.

If I wanted a wizard assassin, I would probably go rogue1/wizard4/unseen seerX with practiced spellcaster. Able learner lets me max out the core rogue skills (sometimes, subterfuge is still better than magic).

 

[Ahnehnois]

Unfortunately, Disintegrate does not work as it is a ranged touch attack, not a melee touch attack. But the said spell works to eliminate the dead body.

As a full-round action, you can use a melee weapon to deliver a coup de grace to a helpless opponent. You can also use a bow or crossbow, provided you are adjacent to the target.

I see it's true that you can't CdG with a ranged touch RAW. Seems reasonable though.

 

[Voadam]

Charm person and disguise self to get in.

Fly, improved invisibility, cloudkill, perhaps web or hold person to keep the target trapped in the cloudkill.

Teleport for escape after the mission.