Assassin's Skills - Why only 4?

[LordAO]

I'm kind of curious whether or not people think the 4 + Int skills/level is sufficient for the Assassin prestige class. I'm on the side of thinking that it isn't enough. Compared to the Ranger class, for example, the Assassin seems to be getting the short end of the stick. Both classes get spells (about the same number), both have a large list of class skills, and both have some cool special abilities. But the Ranger also has a HD type one higher, the fighter attack bonus, 2 more skills per level, and more generaly useful abilities.

I'm kind of under the impression that prestige classes are supposed to be slightly better than regular classes since they are more narrowly focused and have to be qualified for. But it seems to me that the assassin needs a bit more improving than the 3.5 edition gave it. I don't see why they wouldn't at least get 6 skills per level, since they are a very skill oriented class.

Any thoughts on this? I'm not trying to start a flame war, I'm just curious if there is something about them I have missed and want to know why they made the class the way they did and have other input so that I know whether or not I should change them.

 

[hong]

Assassins have more than enough spells to do things like climbing, jumping, turning into fishmen, becoming invisible, teleporting, and so on. You know, mundane ninja stuff. The only things they really need skill points for are searching and disabling traps.

 

[Particle_Man]

I can see your point, but if the assassin gets 6, then it starts to edge out the rogue. If you give the rogue 10, that might be ok.

Other than that, I am not sure. In-game, they should give up a lot for this ability to kill with a single blow that they get. So I am ok with it. But I can see your point that the ranger now seems too good compared to the assassin, and since the ranger now seems ok rather than shafted, that may mean that the assassin was too weak before.

Way back in 1st ed., they solved the problem by having all assassin skills be like thief skills, but as a thief 2 levels lower (the exception being backstab (like sneak attack), extra languages (assassins got these at high levels), and construct traps (which the assassin was actually better at than the thief, though you have to look in the dmg to discover this little factoid).

 

[pawsplay]

But the Ranger also has a HD type one higher, the fighter attack bonus, 2 more skills per level, and more generaly useful abilities.


Assassins aren't generally useful. They are specifically good at killing people. They don't need more than 4 + Int skill ranks per level, as they enter the class with formidable skills already and don't spend their time picking pockets or playing the ukelele. What they get is poison use, assassinly spells, the death attack, and unmatched sneak attack progression.

While many people like to enter the Assassin class early, I think the thing to do is to hit Rogue 10 first. Then you have your choice of either Skill Mastery (Hide, Move Silently, Disguise, Bluff) or Opportunist. Combining Opportunist with Assassin sneak attack bonuses can devastating.

Whatever "general" abilities they require need to come from their original class(es). Assassins are an example of a specialized Prestige Class.

 

[ruleslawyer]

The other thing is that an assassin already benefits a bunch from a high Intelligence; the ranger, OTOH, needs to sink his high scores into Dex, Con, and Wis, leaving little room for Int. An assassin should have a high Int for purposes of spells and death attack, meaning that he should earn some serious extra skill points on top of that 4. Also, as pawsplay pointed out, assassins generally start with a few rogue levels, meaning that they're pretty skill-loaded coming in.

 

[Particle_Man]

While many people like to enter the Assassin class early, I think the thing to do is to hit Rogue 10 first. Then you have your choice of either Skill Mastery (Hide, Move Silently, Disguise, Bluff) or Opportunist. Combining Opportunist with Assassin sneak attack bonuses can devastating.

I agree, but personally like crippling strike combined with an str-affecting poison.

 

[Philip]

I'm kind of under the impression that prestige classes are supposed to be slightly better than regular classes since they are more narrowly focused and have to be qualified for.

Only if the requirements for entering the PrC are considered sub-par (mediocre feats, rarely used skills etc.). Assassins don't have sub-par entry requirements.