Assess the Striker

[keterys]

Could also get it with 2 feats by multiclassing assassin, if you need hybrid for something else.

 

[S'mon]

I never allow hybrids. Use the multiclass rules to give a taste of another class without nerfing the main class.

Re making game easier - you could run an old-school multilevel megadungeon where the average encounter level = dungeon level, and easy access to the lower levels eg via a big stairwell. That would let the players choose the threat level they wanted to face - lower level = bigger risk = more XP but more chance of TPK. You would need to tie treasure to dungeon level, not party level.

Marking - I was playing a Fighter last night, I kept forgetting to declare Marks, too!

 

[corwyn77]

Hybrid Curse and Sneak Attack are both at-will, just restricted by power type (ie, only on warlock powers, only on rogue powers).

Where this gets to be a problem is that basic attacks are considered to be class powers for hybrids. This presents serious problems with essential classes abusing basic attacks.

It also applies here as a melee basic attack (Eldritch Strike) with, say, a rapier, dagger or shortsword would allow both Sneak Attack and Curse. I had to put the kibosh on that with a hybrid warlock/assassin using Eldritch Strike.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Marking - I was playing a Fighter last night, I kept forgetting to declare Marks, too!

The guy playing the Fighter in our group took forever to get down how & when he marks.

 

[pemerton]

I was playing a Fighter last night, I kept forgetting to declare Marks, too!

At my table the fighter generally declares marks, but when he occasionally forgets then we typicaly default to a "mark everyone he attacks".

It's one of those things where I think there's no point in pedantically enforcing its fiddliness.

Sometimes, of course, it's not pedantic - eg when the fighter and paladin are fighting the same target - and then I expect them to coordinate among themselves.

 

[S'mon]

At my table the fighter generally declares marks, but when he occasionally forgets then we typicaly default to a "mark everyone he attacks".

I expect my DM will be fine with that; however if I don't declare it I generally don't remember when it triggers, either. And if I haven't declared it it would not be fair to 'gotcha' the DM's monsters with an undeclared Mark, I'd certainly have to warn her in advance, before it triggered.

Whereas when I did declare the Mark last night, and had put a white paperclip on the monster pog, I felt justified in grinning broadly when she declared the critter was going to Shift...

 

[Mr. Wilson]

My favorite two concepts/builds are actually Hybrids (Killswitch (lazy lord/artificer) and Battery (Ranger/Warlord)), but I can see how easily it is to build a bad character with a Hybrid.

In this situation, I think there are more underlying problems with the group. When two out of five players intentionally are playing bad, it seems like they're having a bit of a unstated protest and hoping to move back to another system. Perhaps a group discussion will do more good than changing characters.

I do agree the battlemind should switch to a knight or slayer if that's how he wants to play, while the best bet for your rogue/lock is to make them pick one of those classes and multiclass into the other if they are deadset on it.

 

[TwoSix]

The defender is a battlemind (so without marking, he can't use his mindspike ability). He is essentially playing the character like a 3.5 fighter ... which is a slayer with less damage potential, better AC, and more HP. I keep reminding him to mark, and he'll say things like "but I'm prone so I can't mark" or "I want to be able to attack this round." I try to tell him this isn't the case, but he just shrugs and says he just wants to attack.

Honestly, this is pretty damning. Did your group convert from 3.5? Because this sounds like a classic case of "this system is too different, I can't be bothered."

 

[SensoryThought]

Where this gets to be a problem is that basic attacks are considered to be class powers for hybrids. This presents serious problems with essential classes abusing basic attacks.

It also applies here as a melee basic attack (Eldritch Strike) with, say, a rapier, dagger or shortsword would allow both Sneak Attack and Curse. I had to put the kibosh on that with a hybrid warlock/assassin using Eldritch Strike.

I could be wrong, but I don't know any rule saying that basic attacks can use hybrid striker abilities. I would not consider then class attacks unless they come from that class's power list. Non-hybrids are not specifically restricted, so can use striker abilities on basic attacks. But if anyone can direct me to contrary RAW, I'll stand corrected.

Eldritch blast is an arcane implement ranged basic attack of the warlock power list, so could in no way qualify for sneak attack damage from a rogue-lock hybrid.

 

[Neonchameleon]

I could be wrong, but I don't know any rule saying that basic attacks can use hybrid striker abilities. I would not consider then class attacks unless they come from that class's power list. Non-hybrids are not specifically restricted, so can use striker abilities on basic attacks. But if anyone can direct me to contrary RAW, I'll stand corrected.

Eldritch blast is an arcane implement ranged basic attack of the warlock power list, so could in no way qualify for sneak attack damage from a rogue-lock hybrid.

Certainly the Executioner Assassin gets his bonus damage to melee basic attacks. But I think he's the only one - making this a poorly designed hybrid (say it ain't so!) Both Warlocks and Blackguards* can get a MBA as a class-based At Will meaning they can stack the Executioner's bonus damage onto this At Will for it being a MBA and their own bonus damage for it being a class power.

In particular a Warlock|Executioner using a rapier and Eldritch Strike starts at 2d8+d6 + stat damage on an MBA. Make them a Sorceror King Pact 'lock and you can get two feats to raise that d6 curse damage to 2d8 for a 4d8+Cha or Con MBA.

*The interesting thing about hybrid Blackguards is that they can take Charismadin powers while having a bonus damage feature based on Cha. Heroes of Shadow Hybrids strike again...