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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Shadowdweller00" data-source="post: 7354671" data-attributes="member: 6778479">The assassin's Assassinate ability is somewhat circumstantial.  As with any other circumstantial primary character ability, to get it to work properly a DM should be creating/planning/including opportunities for an assassin to use it.  Don't spoonfeed the players or telegraph too much, but make sure the players can use their abilities if they apply themselves.  Any DM worth their salt should be doing this ANYWAY for all characters.  Some tips for the subclass:1) Make scouting quick and painless for the other players.  Don't involve more than a roll or two to set up.  Don't use or allow PCs to get away with extended scouting scenes while the others sit twiddling their thumbs.2) Not all PCs/foes need to be surprised or unsurprised in any particular combat; this can be employed to keep surprise useful but stop it from ruining entire encounters.  In games I run, PCs generally have the option of scouting ahead or staying back.  Those who stay back don't need to make stealth checks (or have an easier time concealing themselves) and are rarely vulnerable in the first round of attacks but start out surprised.  Some enemy groups might employ more alert sentries (adv. on perception checks and thus +5 to passive perception) or be composed of different creature types with different perceptual abilities, making it trickier to surprise ALL of the enemies.  One classic example - group of hostile sentients with a guard dog or other monster.3) Consider non-stealth uses of the assassinate ability.  The occasional social encounter helps break up the monotony of a dungeon.  Perhaps some percentage of the foes in a hostile area don't automatically recognize the PCs as intruders (provided they don't look too outlandish).  Particularly if proper disguise is involved.  Consider allowing characters to use deception, disguise, or sleight of hand to set up surprise in some cases.  Again, the most important thing is not to make this too long or painful for players who are not involved.4) Include the occasional venomous monster or harvestable poisonous plant to allow use of Poisoner's kit proficiency.5) Infiltration Expertise / Impostor may take a little more consideration (as a DM) to make worthwhile.  False identities might potentially be used to scout out particular places and organizations during downtime (to keep from taking too much play time away from non-participants); to facilitate safe scouting in a dungeon or enemy stronghold if created beforehand; or to avoid repercussions and consequences in some cases - members of the watch trying to bring the respective PC to justice for past crimes, thieves trying to steal a particular item the PC is known to possess, bounty hunters / assassins hired to capture or kill the PC.</blockquote>

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