eAssassin - how does damage scale against monster hp

[Neonchameleon]

I had a random thought. The new Essentials Assassin is clearly designed for burst damage - and can almost one shot normal (non-elite) monsters with his Assassins Strike. One monster out of the combat on round one (or at the top of Round 2 if you don't want to waste a good initiative check) is a massive advantage to the PCs - it's effectively the "Dead is controlled approach" even if it uses up all the burst damage you have.

Damage: MBA (assuming rapier): 2d8+dex, + 1d8 @ 11th, + 2d8 @ 21st
Assassins' Strike: L1: 1d10, L3: 2d10, L7: 3d10, L11: 5d10, L13: 6d10, L17: 7d10, L23: 8d10, L27: 9d10.
Target: 10@3rd, 20@13th, 30@23rd.

So at first level you do 2d8 (=9) + 4 (est.) + d10 = 18.5. swinging for the high 20s. About ten off.

Generally monsters gain an average of 8 points of damage per level. At 3rd level, assuming a knockout blow you'd be doing 2d8 + 2d10 + 5 (+1 weapon) = 26, aiming for the high 30s to reduce the monster to ten hp (and so dead). A good dozen off. At level 11, you'd be rolling 5d10 + 3d8 + 8 damage + anything else you'd picked up, going again to try to reduce the monster to ten damage. About fourty. Plenty more statics tho which is just as well as you're not even bloodying him with just the class features.

Any thoughts on with a well-built assassin how much damage the monster would need to take before you could one-shot with an average damage roll?

 

[DonAdam]

You could Rogue multiclass for an extra 2d6 (3d6/5d6) if you have combat advantage. Don't forget +1/tier damage from Light Blade Expertise and +1/tier from Weapon Focus.

Alternatively, if you're using a longsword or battle axe you could take Headsman's Chop. Use Quick Lunge then action point to attack again while they're prone.

 

[Neverfate]

Unfortunately, the new Executioner relies on the exact same tricks as many other of the essentials classes. Not that it's a bad thing. It's "super-effective" to quote Pokemon (and to blaspheme). Charge things to death.

Multi-class into rogue/fighter. Pick up Surprising Charge (Rogue or Fighter, Dex 17) that adds 1[W] to charge attacks that have CA (charge into flank). Pick up a Vanguard Weapon (+1d8 on a successful charge attack), Horned Helm (+1d6 on successful charge attack) and start poisoning your rapier.

The thief class is still a little better at the trick as far as DPR (mostly do to the extra 1d8 from sneak attack (if you have Backstabber) and the free +1 to weapon attacks and a host of their own feats that they DON'T have to multi-class into. So the executioner relies on carefully selecting poisons and knowing when to apply them. Also, if you can figure out a way to Crit-fish with them (a little more complex than the charge trick, but not much), to make sure your assassin strike maxes. You can severely punish or outright kill a lot of creatures.