Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="I'm A Banana" data-source="post: 6125916" data-attributes="member: 2067">This may be the best/most inclusive way to go.I think of it like this:Let us say that a D&D assassin has the following main archetypal abilities:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"> It can sneak</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"> It can open locks</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"> It can disguise itself</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"> It can use poison</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"> It can use "good" weapons (say, a 4 on a scale of 1-5)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"> It can use "light" armor (say, a 2 on a scale of 1-5)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"> It can kill a creature if it hits it during a surprise round (the death attack)</li> </ul>This is probably debatable, but stay with me.Character creation has maybe six decision points in D&D:<ol> <li data-xf-list-type="ol"> Your race/subrace</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol"> Your "background" (ie: skills)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol"> Your "specialty" (ie: feats)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol"> Your class (ie: 2e "group")</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol"> Your build (ie: class features)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol"> Your specific powers/attacks/spells/rituals/etc.</li> </ol>In 5e, if you play an "Assassin" on simple mode, all of those choices will be made for you.Oh, guess what, you're a human (race) with spy training (background giving you disguises, sneakiness, and the ability to open locks) who uses poison (Poisoner specialty) and who takes the rogue class (giving you proficiency with light armor and swords) with the Assassin build (giving you better weapon proficiency) so that you can unlock a class feature that gives you the Death Attack.Now say you play 5e on complex mode. You could take all those same choices. Or you could change one.You're a human with spy training who uses poison and who takes the rogue class with the Thug build and now you don't have a death attack, but you have a fairly brutal and customizable Sneak Attack class feature. Or you could change everything BUT one:You're a half-elf with thief training who uses poison, and who takes the fighter class with the Zweihander build that lets you use a BIG FRIGGIN SWORD, and light armor.Or you could mix in some alternative perspectives:You're a human with spy training who uses poison and who takes the rogue class with the Assassin build and you swap out your Death Attack for 4'e shroud mechanic. Or you could play against type: You're a dwarf noble who uses two weapons and you take the druid class with the Grove of the Storm build that lets you control weather. You join the Assassin's guild anyway and still kill things for money. Just with lightning. Or maybe you are the DM:All assassins in my games have the Poisoner specialty because all assassinations are governed by a guild with close ties to the alchemists in the city where my game is centered. It's the only organization that offers proper poison training, so if you want to take it, you've gotta belong to the guild, and if you take it you belong to the guild, no matter what your class, build, or whatever.And lo, they were all assassins, and there was much rejoicing.</blockquote>

Verification