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<blockquote data-quote="Dausuul" data-source="post: 7480775" data-attributes="member: 58197">I have yet to test it in play, but I came to the same conclusion: Gloom stalker 5 + assassin 3 = crazy alpha strikes.Some further thoughts I've had tinkering with the build:<ul>
<li data-xf-list-type="ul">The archer build is generally superior. For one thing, it gives you a lot more flexibility setting up the alpha strike; you aren't constrained by your ability to physically close with the enemy in the first round. For another, as others have pointed out, your fighting style is not in conflict with hunter's mark for your first-round bonus action.</li>
<li data-xf-list-type="ul">However, if your DM lets you cast hunter's mark outside of combat, and doesn't rule that the verbal component breaks Stealth, the dual-wielding build offers higher damage.</li>
<li data-xf-list-type="ul">Pass without trace is your friend. You lose it when you cast hunter's mark, but it still gives you an incredible ability to set up the alpha strike, and keeps your clunky companions from spoiling the surprise.</li>
<li data-xf-list-type="ul">After crunching the numbers, Sharpshooter is better than Alert for your bonus feat. You have advantage even if you lose initiative, mitigating the SS penalty, and the Archer fighting style helps as well. Even though the damage is not doubled, +30 still makes up for the attack penalty except against very high AC, and if you do blow the initiative roll, the Sharpshooter damage partly compensates for the loss of autocrits. Finally, you can deliver an alpha strike at up to 600 feet (though you sacrifice 6d6 of the damage if you're shooting from outside hunter's mark range).</li>
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[QUOTE="Dausuul, post: 7480775, member: 58197"] I have yet to test it in play, but I came to the same conclusion: Gloom stalker 5 + assassin 3 = crazy alpha strikes. Some further thoughts I've had tinkering with the build: [LIST] [*]The archer build is generally superior. For one thing, it gives you a lot more flexibility setting up the alpha strike; you aren't constrained by your ability to physically close with the enemy in the first round. For another, as others have pointed out, your fighting style is not in conflict with [I]hunter's mark[/I] for your first-round bonus action. [*]However, [I]if[/I] your DM lets you cast [I]hunter's mark[/I] outside of combat, and doesn't rule that the verbal component breaks Stealth, the dual-wielding build offers higher damage. [*][I]Pass without trace[/I] is your friend. You lose it when you cast [i]hunter's mark[/i], but it still gives you an incredible ability to set up the alpha strike, and keeps your clunky companions from spoiling the surprise. [*]After crunching the numbers, Sharpshooter is better than Alert for your bonus feat. You have advantage even if you lose initiative, mitigating the SS penalty, and the Archer fighting style helps as well. Even though the damage is not doubled, +30 still makes up for the attack penalty except against very high AC, and if you do blow the initiative roll, the Sharpshooter damage partly compensates for the loss of autocrits. Finally, you can deliver an alpha strike at up to 600 feet (though you sacrifice 6d6 of the damage if you're shooting from outside [I]hunter's mark[/I] range). [/LIST] [/QUOTE]

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