Dragon 379: Assassin Heroic Tier

[MrAlgothi]

They are in the compendium. I'm looking at them right now. The multi-class is pretty nice. The Ki Focus is just the +1, +2, +3, +4, +5, +6 basic version.

The Multi-class feat is good, if not exactly great. Its still bit behind the Ranger Multi-class feat in power. However it gets much better with power swap feats for powers that deal with the Shroud mechanic. Overall I think its a nice balance.

The inclusion of basic ki focus makes the shadowblade PP playable in LFR and RPGA settings. Thank you for listening to us, WOTC. Well done.

 

[Shazman]

I am currently DMing Pathfinder. I have been grudgingly playing LFR, because it is the only way I have been able to play any RPG with any frequency at all this year. It's not my preferred system, but it's passable if you can train yourself to ignore the overtly gamist elements prevalent in the system. It also helps to hae good people to game with. Soon, I should be able to actually play Pathfinder, and LFR will most likely be put aside.

 

[Jack99]

I am currently DMing Pathfinder. I have been grudgingly playing LFR, because it is the only way I have been able to play any RPG with any frequency at all this year. It's not my preferred system, but it's passable if you can train yourself to ignore the overtly gamist elements prevalent in the system. It also helps to hae good people to game with. Soon, I should be able to actually play Pathfinder, and LFR will most likely be put aside.

That's good. Having to play a system you do not enjoy is no fun.

 

[Phaezen]

So far, I've only seen an assassin played for one 5 hour long session. The person who played it put a shroud on and used it every round. He didn't even try to build them up. I admit, the mathematical reason to do so is VERY small.

From my experience playing the assassin (granted only for one session so far) I had a lot of fun building up shrouds on an elite or soloe while attacking smaller monsters and then teleporting in to deliver a big attack when I had built up 3 or 4 shrouds. Even without the shroud damage, the damage output (nightstalker, with the poison feats) was decent against normal foes and the extra 3 or 4d6's came in handy against the elites.

 

[SSquirrel]

More needed for the article but I like the flavour of the class.
Especially 'Shadow Step' at will teleport, ZOMFG! That is instant flanking, just add rogue hybrid!

Shadow Step to teleport behind people? Someone in development likes their Sublety spec Rogue in WoW Which I have no problem with as it is great flavor.

EDIT:Also building up shrouds so you can do a big hit? Yep, Rogue combo points in action. It won't do them any favors with the camp that hates them pulling ideas from MMOs, but I enjoy both so I don't care. Just interesting. If this has all been mentioned that's fine, I haven't read the entire thread

 

[Rechan]

A palyer wants to play an assassin in my game. I look forward to seeing it in play.

 

[The Little Raven]

From my experience playing the assassin (granted only for one session so far) I had a lot of fun building up shrouds on an elite or soloe while attacking smaller monsters and then teleporting in to deliver a big attack when I had built up 3 or 4 shrouds. Even without the shroud damage, the damage output (nightstalker, with the poison feats) was decent against normal foes and the extra 3 or 4d6's came in handy against the elites.

One of my players was playing an assassin in a one-shot the other night, and when she realized how the shroud acted as "Miss:" damage when stacked on a target, it changed how she used the shroud (normally, she was just throwing one shroud, then using it).

 

[Direach]

More than magic ki focuses (largely irrelevant if you're using magic weapons IMO), I am interested to see something done to make a greater variety of weapons viable and desirable for assassins. Right now the fullblade seems to be the weapon of choice; by some estimations, it is the ONLY choice. It seems absurd to me that the most ideal weapon for a stealthy assassin is a six foot long greatsword. I very much hope to see either a dual wield build for assassins, or feats that reward players who opt to use weapons smaller than a lamppost.

We're starting a new 4E game tomorrow night; my assassin is sporting a subtle rapier and a distance dagger. Fullblades might be the "best" choice, but this isn't WoW, and to me 'cool' is more important than 'optimal'.

 

[jevansfp]

Playing an Assassin

I just played my first game with a drow revenant assassin. I took the Drow Soul feat at first level, which allowed me to use Darkfire and Cloud of Darkness, in addition to the cool revenant features like Dark Reaping and Unnatural Vitality and the stat synergy.

I found that the drow features synced well with the feel of the assassin. Several times during the adventure, I used Cloud of Darkness to obscure myself for that round and the next, then before it dissipated, I used Shade Form and the subsequent Stealth check to stay hidden another round.

Once, the DM used a Doppleganger that looked like me to confound the other players with the "which one do we attack" gag. I could've called out something that happened earlier that only the PCs in my party would know (not the doppleganger), but instead I light him up with Darkfire, went into Shade Form and my party wailed on him.

I also liked staying away from the big melee bruiser while the fighter marked him and softened up. I stayed at the edges of the battle, taking out his comrades, but dropping my shrouds on him. Then when I had 3 or 4 on him, I teleported next to him, nailed him with a Shadow Storm while invoking my shrouds. Very nice.


For now I'm using a longsword and a shield for the extra proficiency bonus and AC, but I'm open to new weapon combos

 

[Garthanos]

We're starting a new 4E game tomorrow night; my assassin is sporting a subtle rapier and a distance dagger. Fullblades might be the "best" choice, but this isn't WoW, and to me 'cool' is more important than 'optimal'.

A bastard sword can be visualized as katana and a full blade as one of those japanese mythic phallic symbol soul blade things that are bigger the more powerful you are

That said love your weapons of choice.