D&D 5E [GUIDE] Dealing Death: Handbook of the True Assassin

[LightningArrow]

Great guide!

That being said, I feel you're underselling Dual Wielder; it's not only about another point of average damage, but +1AC (which can never be underestimated). Plus, drawing two weapons at the same time is very helpful in social situations, such as when you have to use Deception to get that surprise round, otherwise you make only one nova attack.

 

[MBN]

grumpy gamer has kindly pointed out that the # of attacks in this build isnt valid. my bad, sorry.



Fighter 12 (battle master)/ Rogue 3 (assassin)/ Paladin 5 (vengeance)

5 ability score increase

4 attacks per turn + 1 bonus action attack

Feats
+2 dex
+Mobile (extra movement, free disengage without provoking opportunity, you don't have to choose between dmg and disengaging for your bonus action)
+Alert (initiative)
+Athlete (i need +1dex, extra mobility doesnt hurt. although if you dont need it pick something else, or drop 1 fighter level to put where ever you need)

+sentinel (Pretty much if an enemy does ANYTHING other than attack you, you're getting a reaction. Combined with reposite you always get one)
or
+Dual Wielder (AC bonus is nice, little stronger weapons.. personally i like sentinel better to more reliably getting reaction dmg and monster control)


For sake of damage output i'll compare using comparable formulas provided in the guide.


"All out" nova (Hunter’s Mark + Divine Smite on each hit, 2x level 2, 3x level 1+combat superiority+assassinate )
Action Surge (4 attacks/action), 2 shortswords (1 bonus action attack) = 9 attacks

Per hit (auto-crit) damage:
5 DEX
+2d6 (7) shortsword crit
+2d6 (7) Hunter’s Mark crit
=14 +5 per hit
=9*.84 = 7.56 hits (enough to get all smites, and combat sups in)
=19*7.56 (143.64 sub total)

+2d10 (11) Superiority Dice crit (5 attacks only)
+4.8d8 (21.6) Divine Smite crits (5 attacks: 3xlevel 1 spells, 2x level 2 spells. averages to 2.4d8 per. so 4.8d8 per hit crit)
=31.6 per hit (158 sub total)

Once per round damage:
+4d6 (14) Sneak Attack crit

Total: 315.64

Comparable "max nova" dmg to the guide's fighter4/rogue3/paladin13
-although id like to note that with 5 attacks only you wouldn't reliably be applying all superiority dice/smites

what this picks up is +1asi, and +2 attacks per action (+4 during an AS)

What i haven't really seen covered in a guide and which is a large part of the reasoning behind this build is poisons.. the generic lowest poison you can get is 1d4 per hit.
At 84% chance to hit with 5 attacks (no as)
5*.84*1d4 = +10.5dmg (no crit) +21 dmg (with crit)

At 84%chance to hit with 9 attacks (AS)
9*.84*1d4 = +18.9 dmg (no crit) + 37.8(with crit)

this doesn't seem like a HUGE damage uptick (~11.9%) but if you start looking at the mid/late game poisons it scales REALLY HARD. see below for example from MM
Examples (AS assassinate)
2d6 poison = 105.84dmg
3d8 poison = 204.12dmg
4d6 poison = 211.68

Clearly some are stronger than these examples MUCH stronger, which you start doing more dmg from poison than from all your other damage combined!!! which you can use to make your burst even higher, or perhaps save your abilities for the utility they provide throughout multiple combats?
(sorry if the below information isnt allowed, i pulled it from another thread on this forum)


Basilisk bite - 2d6 poison damage
Chuul tentacles - DC13 save or be Poisoned + Paralyzed for one minute
Couatl bite - DC13 save or be Poisoned + Unconscious for 24 hours
Dretch gas cloud - DC11 save or be Poisoned for one turn, and have reduced actions
Quasit claws - DC10 save or take 2d4 poison damage and be poisoned for one minute or until you do make the save (try each round)
Yochlol tentacle - 6d6 poison damage
Yochlol mist - DC14 save or be Poisoned and Incapacitated for one turn
Bone Devil sting - 5d6 poison damage, plus DC14 save or be Poisoned for one minute or until you do make the save (try each round)
Erinyes sword - 3d8 poison damage
Erinyes arrows - 3d8 poison damage, plus DC14 save or be poisoned until it's magically removed
Imp sting - 3d6 poison, DC11 save for half damage
Green Dragon breath - X poison damage, save for half (amount of damage and difficulty of save vary based on dragon age)
Drider bite - 2d8 poison damage
Drow Elite Warrior crossbow - DC13 save or be Poisoned for one hour. Failing the save by 5 or more means Unconscious while Poisoned
Drow Mage staff 1d6 poison damage
Drow Priestess of Lolth scourge - 5d6 poison damage
Ettercap bite - 1d8 poison damage, plus DC11 save or be Poisoned for one minute or until you do make the save (try each round)
Flumph spray - DC10 save or be Poisoned for 1d4 hours. Creatures within 5' of you are also Poisoned until they leave that range. Bathing will get rid of the effect early
Gnoll Fang of Yeenoghu bite - DC12 save or take 2d6 poison damage
Svirfneblin dart - DC12 save or be Poisoned for one minute or until you do make the save (try each round)
Iron Golem breath - 10d8 poison damage, DC19 save for half
Grell tentacles - DC12 save or be Poisoned and Paralysed for one minute or until you do make the save (try each round)
Homunculus bite - DC10 save or be Poisoned for one minute. If the save fails by 5 or more, the duration is 1d10 minutes and you are also Unconscious
Medusa hair - 4d6 poison damage
Medusa arrow - 2d6 poison damage
Myconid Sprout fist - 1d4 poison damage
Myconid Adult fist - 2d4 poison damage
Myconid Sovereign fist - 3d4 poison damage
Bone Naga bite - 3d6 poison damage
Spirit Naga bite - 7d8 poison damage, DC13 save for half
Guardian Naga bite - 10d8 damage, DC15 save for half
Pseudodragon sting - DC11 save or be Poisoned for 1 hour. If the save fails by 5 or more you're also Unconscious for the duration
Purple Worm sting - 12d6 poison damage, DC19 save for half
Sprite arrows - DC10 save or be Poisoned for one minute. If the save fails by 5 or more you're also Unconscious for the duration
Troglodyte stench - DC12 save or be Poisoned for a turn
Wyvern sting - 7d6 poison damage, DC15 save for half
Yuan-Ti Abomination bite - 3d6 poison damage
Yuan-Ti Abomination arrows - 3d6 poison damage
Yuan-Ti Malison bite - 2d6 poison damage
Yuan-Ti Malison arrows - 2d6 poison damage
Yuan-Ti Pureblood arrows - 2d6 poison damage
Arcanaloth claw - 10d6 poison damage, DC14 save for half
Flying Snake bite - 3d4 poison damage
Giant Centipede bite - DC11 save or take 3d6 poison damage. If the damage reduces you to 0hp, you're not dying, but Poisoned and Paralysed for an hour even after being healed
Giant Poisonous Snake bite - 3d6 poison damage, DC11 save for half
Giant Scorpion sting - 4d10 poison damage, DC11 save for half
Giant Spider bite - 2d8 poison damage, DC11 save for half. If the damage reduces you to 0hp, you're not dying, but Poisoned and Paralysed for an hour even after being healed
Giant Wolf Spider bite - 2d6 poison damage, DC11 save for half. If the damage reduces you to 0hp, you're not dying, but Poisoned and Paralysed for an hour even after being healed
Phase Spider bite - 4d8 poison damage, DC11 save for half. If the damage reduces you to 0hp, you're not dying, but Poisoned and Paralysed for an hour even after being healed
Poisonous Snake bite - 2d4 poison damage, DC10 save for half
Spider bite - DC9 save or take 1d4 poison damage
Swarm of Snakes cumulative bites - 4d6 poison damage, DC10 save for half
Assassin weapon - 7d6 poison damage, DC15 save for half



thanks

long first post

 

[traleh]

I'm building a 13 lvl assassin for a game, looking at going 5 fighter/ 8 assassin, any hints or advice will be accepted, starting with 3 uncommon magic, 2 rare and 1 very rare/legendary magic items.

 

[GrumpyGamer]

"All out" nova (Hunter’s Mark + Divine Smite on each hit, 2x level 2, 3x level 1+combat superiority+assassinate )
Action Surge (4 attacks/action), 2 shortswords (1 bonus action attack) = 9 attacks

A 12 level fighter only has 3 attacks not 4.

You can use a bonus action for another attack, but hunter's mark takes a bonus action; you won't be able to do both before their initiative comes up in the surprise round. To use assassinate you have to both surprise them and beat them in in initiative (their turn still comes up in a surprise round, they just can't do anything).

 

[MBN]

A 12 level fighter only has 3 attacks not 4.

You can use a bonus action for another attack, but hunter's mark takes a bonus action; you won't be able to do both before their initiative comes up in the surprise round. To use assassinate you have to both surprise them and beat them in in initiative (their turn still comes up in a surprise round, they just can't do anything).

Hunters mark- choose a creature you can see within range (90ft) you do not have to be in combat yet to apply. if the conditions are correct you can apply before surprise round begins. As its not affecting the creature, but designating it as your quarry it doesn't tip the enemy off.


# of attacks
level 1
1 attack + 1 bonus attack

fighter level 5
+1 attack

2 attacks + 1 bonus attack

Fighter level 11
+1 attack

3 attacks + 1 bonus attack

Paladin 5
+1 attack

4 attacks + 1 bonus attack

action surge.
4x2 = 8 attacks + 1 bonus attack

so at 19 levels, fighter 11/rogue 3/ paladin 5, thats 4 attacks + 1 bonus attack..

 

[GrumpyGamer]

Hunters mark- choose a creature you can see within range (90ft) you do not have to be in combat yet to apply. if the conditions are correct you can apply before surprise round begins. As its not affecting the creature, but designating it as your quarry it doesn't tip the enemy off.


# of attacks
level 1
1 attack + 1 bonus attack

fighter level 5
+1 attack

2 attacks + 1 bonus attack

Fighter level 11
+1 attack

3 attacks + 1 bonus attack

Paladin 5
+1 attack

4 attacks + 1 bonus attack

action surge.
4x2 = 8 attacks + 1 bonus attack

Casting a spell with a duration puts you in turns, and starts the clock on the assassinate ability.

Additional attacks between classes don't stack.

 

[MBN]

Casting a spell with a duration puts you in turns, and starts the clock on the assassinate ability.

Additional attacks between classes don't stack.

can you site where the attacks between classes dont stack?


casting a spell with duration puts you in turns

Hunters mark as slot 1/2 = 1 hour duration, slot 3/4= 8 hours, slot 5 = 24 hours.

so you're saying if you for example expended a slot 5 for hunters mark.. that the counter has always started for every engagement thereafter since the duration is already going. i think your logic is flawed on this one.

 

[GrumpyGamer]

so you're saying if you for example expended a slot 5 for hunters mark.. that the counter has always started for every engagement thereafter since the duration is already going. i think your logic is flawed on this one.

It is a bonus action to move it to a new target and that is when I would start the engagement (clock on assassinate), but different DMs will rule differently.

The extra attack feature not stacking is covered under the class abilities section of the multi-classing/customization chapter of the PHB.

 

[MBN]

welp.. about the extra attack, found it. i now feel like a derp derp. thank you grumpy

 

[Searinox Nagharha]

can you site where the attacks between classes don't stack.

Page 164 of the PHB under 'Extra Attack'