Ghost Spike And Assassin Equipment

[Nazhkandrias]

Ah! I forgot to ask this question - any reccommendations for feats? I know I'm going to take Two-Weapon Fighting, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, and Greater Two-Weapon Fighting, but there are a few feats that I'm unsure of.

For example, Two-Weapon Defense seems like a pretty sweet deal for an Assassin, giving a shield bonus without having to take a feat or use a shield without proficiency or incur Arcane Spell Failure, but I'm not sure a +1 shield bonus is worth a feat. And does the +1 to shield AC that Two-Weapon Defense provides stack with the +2 and +3 bonuses that Improved Two-Weapon Defense and Greater Two-Weapon Defense give, or do they just improve the bonus to +3 overall? Finally, for Two-Weapon Fighting feats, Dual Strike.

Dual Strike (Complete Adventurer pg. 108)
Prerequisites - Two-Weapon Fighting, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting
As a Standard Action, you can make a melee attack with your primary and off-hand weapon. Both attacks use the same attack roll and the worse of the two weapon’s attack modifier. If you are using a one-handed or light weapon in your off-hand, you take a –4 penalty; otherwise the penalty is –10. Each weapon deals its damage normally and reduction/resistance is applied separately. Precision damage (such as sneak attack) is only applied once. A critical hit only deals critical damage from the primary.

It seems like a good way to hit with both weapons without using a Full-Round Action, giving time for a move action (allowing for a more mobile Assassin). But the description is a little confusing. Assuming I'm using a rapier and a short sword with Two-Weapon Fighting, thus giving a -2 on attack rolls with both; does that mean that I make a standard attack, with a -2 on the attack roll for both weapons (one attack roll), and then a further -4 penalty, for a total of -6? Or does it mean that I only take a -4 overall?

 

[Stormrunner]

Just one more word on the Ghost Spike:

Looking at the original article text, the crit range is given as "19-20/x2/x3". This is rather confusing, but I suspect the original intent was that one end have a crit range of "19-20/x2" and the other end a range of "x3". This would make a lot more sense.

The Improved and Greater Two-Weapon Defense feats don't stack, they just increase the shield bonus to +2 and +3 respectively. I've rarely seen a PC take TWD, and I've never seen anyone take ITWD or GTWD - even for fighters.

 

[Nazhkandrias]

Just one more word on the Ghost Spike:

Looking at the original article text, the crit range is given as "19-20/x2/x3". This is rather confusing, but I suspect the original intent was that one end have a crit range of "19-20/x2" and the other end a range of "x3". This would make a lot more sense.

Ah, that's a bit more balanced. In fact, that strikes me as pretty much totally fair! That's roughly equivalent to a short sword / handaxe combo, put in double weapon form. However, that actually makes it significantly worse that the rapier / short sword combination. I'll take two d6 weapons with criticals of 18-20/x2 and 19-20/x2 over a two d6 double weapon with 19-20/x2 and 20/x3 anyday. In addition, I can finnesse BOTH weapons with the rapier / short sword combo. But the Ghost Spike might be better in certain situations, I'm not sure.

The Improved and Greater Two-Weapon Defense feats don't stack, they just increase the shield bonus to +2 and +3 respectively. I've rarely seen a PC take TWD, and I've never seen anyone take ITWD or GTWD - even for fighters.

Alright then, I probably won't take TWD. With 28 point buy, I ended up with 18 Dex (+2 racial bonus), so my dodge ratings will be sky-high anyway. But can you reccommend taking Dual Strike? Even at a penalty to attack, being able to get use out of both weapons in a single round is great, especially if they're damage-based magic weapons.