Bulding BBEG Assassin - RAW Q

[Deset Gled]

When WotC publishes something, and there is an error in it - you have to make a decision about that error. Inevitably that leads to rules lawyering and starts challenging consistency, because everybody wants to have things a particular way.

Rules Lawyering 101:

Errata Rule: Primary Sources
When you find a disagreement between two D&D® rules sources, unless an official errata file says otherwise, the primary source is correct. One example of a primary/secondary source is text taking precedence over a table entry. An individual spell description takes recedence when the short description in the beginning of the spells chapter disagrees.
Another example of primary vs. secondary sources involves book and topic precedence. The Player's Handbook, for example, gives all the rules for playing the game, for playing PC races, and for using base class descriptions. If you find something on one of those topics from the DUNGEON MASTER's Guide or the Monster Manual that disagrees with the Player's Handbook, you should assume the Player's Handbook is the primary source. The DUNGEON MASTER's Guide is the primary source for topics such as magic item descriptions, special material construction rules, and so on. The Monster Manual is the primary source for monster descriptions, templates, and supernatural, extraordinary, and spell-like abilities.

Unless you can convince your DM that the example is the "primary source" (or to rule 0 it), you are SOL.

 

[MarkB]

Does level loss always affect the last level taken? I seem to recall such a rule, but I'm not certain.

If not, maybe those NPCs were level-drained of the extra Rogue levels they'd taken in order to progress their Assassin levels.

 

[Particle_Man]

I think there is a 5 level prestige class in CWarrior called Dark Hunter that gives Death Attack at level 5. I see no reason why this wouldn't stack with the Death Attack of the Assassin. And Dark Stalker has full BAB (and a few other kewl powers), which is a nice boost (and makes up for the BAB loss for going into Assassin from Rogue). Then at levels 21+ go full Assassin for the win.