D&D 5E Encounter Concept: Wall Running Assassin

[Ruin Explorer]

Re: the ninja stuff, you're not getting it, but okay. Just tell me how that goes. Because I don't think it's going to go like you expect. The fact that you think it's "road legal" matters shows that I'm not getting through to you, because it's immaterial.

A 9th level Hexblade Pact of the Blade Warlock with their abilities walking on walls, etc. as an Assassin that the PC's have no warning about will appear and attempt to assassinate someone they are either friends with or paid to defend. They will likely succeed in that attempt and do their darndest to get away cleanly.

Players are creative so they might not getaway. it also depends on how many NPC guard types are around, etc as well as Action Economy, which far more so than anything else, is ever the foe of single NPC enemies

What level PCs? L1 it'll be a joke but L1 a couple of ghouls could probably assassinate the NPC. L3 might be a very different picture. One Lore Bard could ruin this guy's day at L3 (Tasha's Hideous Laughter + Cutting Words).

Agree completely re: action economy. That's always the issue with single NPC enemies. Usually they die very quickly and messily because of it in 5E (and also 2E and 3E - only 4E, which was asymmetrical, were they routinely robust enough to provide an interesting fight - and not always even then - I saw a Dracolich, of all things, go down in four rounds in 4E, and it was cc'd the entire time in various ways - admittedly that involved a whole pile of Daily abilities).

 

[Salthorae]

Re: the ninja stuff, you're not getting it, but okay. Just tell me how that goes. Because I don't think it's going to go like you expect. The fact that you think it's "road legal" matters shows that I'm not getting through to you, because it's immaterial.

I keep bringing AL legal because you keep calling the concept "overpowered-ninja-NPC". I agree that it is immaterial to the concept of "powerful NPC that the players can't stop" directly. But as long as you keep mentioning the phrase "overpowered-ninja-NPC" I'm going to be countering with "not overpowered, is AL legal."

I already said I would tell you how that goes. It'll either go as I expect or it won't, there is no need to be snarky about it.

What level PCs? L1 it'll be a joke but L1 a couple of ghouls could probably assassinate the NPC. L3 might be a very different picture.

Sure, L1 will be a joke. That is the exact scenario I described as the "initial encounter" as it makes the assassin effectively unstoppable baring something miraculous on the PC's side. L2 would be as well though I wouldn't be as worried about hitting a PC or two for some damage at that level. L3 is the first real point where they might stand a chance at affecting the outcome because of the save or suck spells you already mentioned.

It also mirrors tWoK almost exactly in terms of relative power levels, so I like that.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

I keep bringing AL legal because you keep calling the concept "overpowered-ninja-NPC". I agree that it is immaterial to the concept of "powerful NPC that the players can't stop" directly. But as long as you keep mentioning the phrase "overpowered-ninja-NPC" I'm going to be countering with "not overpowered, is AL legal."

The issue here is under-the-hood vs what is seen. Your point is that the character would be "legal". Well, yes, but it's immaterial. The players don't know that, and as an encounter it'll be way beyond "Deadly" in the balancing table. What I'm talking about is what the players are likely to see, which is a solo magic ninja running on the ceiling with a big glowy magic sword. Which fits into this fairly common trope that DMs fall into (particularly outside D&D).

Also I think L1 PCs will react differently, because they know perfectly well that two ghouls or any number of similar low-level monsters (a dozen goblins, probably) could achieve the same as Flashy McSword. My comments apply primarily to PCs who could expect to stop something, anything, rather than nothing - so L3 or higher. L1 you may be fine.

 

[jasper]

After seeing someone run by on the wall.
Fido, "Look Milo, an Assassin!"
Milo, "How do you know they are an assassin?"
Fido, "NO AKA or M-16. And standing out to look cool!"
Milo, "Makes sense!"