Dragon 379: Assassin Heroic Tier

[Ceramicwombat]

I think they didn't include racial feats for drow and changelings because they are a perfect fit for the class. Every other race (with the exception of revenants and halflings) has non-optimal ability score adjustments, so the designers gave them feats to encourage playing assassins of those races. Halflings have the right stats but they are small, so they get a feat. Revenants get two because they are supposed to be archetypal assassins. That's just my guess for the logic behind it.

I like the shroud mechanic. It lets you pick off minions as necessary while saving up shrouds on another enemy so your extra striker damage isn't wasted. It looks like a complicated class to play which, for me, is a bonus. The next time our party needs a rogue I think I'll roll up an assassin.

 

[CelticMutt]

I think they didn't include racial feats for drow and changelings because they are a perfect fit for the class. Every other race (with the exception of revenants and halflings) has non-optimal ability score adjustments, so the designers gave them feats to encourage playing assassins of those races. Halflings have the right stats but they are small, so they get a feat. Revenants get two because they are supposed to be archetypal assassins. That's just my guess for the logic behind it.

That's not it. No race outside of the 2 PHBs got a feat, except the Revenant, and the only reason it did is because it's been so hyped as the Assassin race. But there are no feats for any FRPG, EPG, or Dragon race otherwise, while every single PHB1 and PHB2 race got a feat. Hopefully those will be included with the article with the multiclass feat(s).

without ki focus items it is not fully usable, and I really wanted at least the multi class feat, but really the hybrid too...

I doubt we'll see hybrid rules for it til the PHB3 comes out. Actually, I fully expect to see the hybrid rules to appear in the same issue as the future third build that will be coming out next year.

 

[Ceramicwombat]

Yeah, you are probably right. No genasi or warforged assassin feats, I didn't think of that.

 

[mach1.9pants]

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!

 

[applenerd]

This is kind of tangential to the class mechanics, but I was hoping to find some of the developer commentary in the sidebars as they have done in some of the previous previews. I always enjoy reading the thinking behind the decisions that went into the design.

 

[mach1.9pants]

Mmmm just inwardly digesting.

I see where they have got shrouds from, 'study the target for three rounds- make a death attack'. In that you can add a shroud every round (more with feats) to a max of four. But, annoyingly, because it is 4E they know they are 'shrouded' so it is only (like so much in 4E) only a in-combat feature. Now you can take that feat lets you do it sneaky when hidden but not much use in many situations. So my first Assassins feat:

Shroud in the Crowd
Prerequisite: Assassin, assassin’s shroud power
Benefit: Creatures which do not think of you as hostile are not aware of your shrouds.

So the Assassin can assassinate... in public put the shrouds down and when the moment is right, strike and do a pile of damage.

Also Velvet Blade Trick and Versatile Master seem a nice pair of feats, pity you have to wait to paragon

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

This is kind of tangential to the class mechanics, but I was hoping to find some of the developer commentary in the sidebars as they have done in some of the previous previews. I always enjoy reading the thinking behind the decisions that went into the design.

Looks very interesting. So, what's my next Striker gonna be? Avenger or Assassin? Decisions decisions...

 

[The_Fan]

Thing is, this isn't a preview. This won't be in a future PHB (perhaps a Dragon annual), but this and the three other articles are it. Look at this like an entry in the PHB.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Thing is, this isn't a preview. This won't be in a future PHB (perhaps a Dragon annual), but this and the three other articles are it. Look at this like an entry in the PHB.

Doesn't mean we don't want designer comments.

 

[mach1.9pants]

Doesn't mean we don't want designer comments.

But it DOES mean we want Ki items!