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Look Very Carefully: The Shroud Assassin's Handbook (by erachima)
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<blockquote data-quote="Nibelung" data-source="post: 6711916" data-attributes="member: 74499"><p><strong>Originally posted by erachima:</strong></p><p></p><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong>Examination of the Self: Your Aptitude for Assassination</strong></span></p><p>Before you can see how others must die, you must see if you are fit to kill them. The Assassin's skillset is both elitist and egalitarian: there are few born able to achieve the true potential of the Assassin, but anyone willing to face the great equalizer of death can unlock its power.</p><p></p><p>Short version: select <strong>Revenant</strong>, <strong>20 Dexterity</strong> and <strong>16 Charisma</strong>.</p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><strong>Ability Scores</strong></span></p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><strong>Strength</strong>: Strength is not especially useful for the standard Assassin, but can be important for certain feat qualifications so it should not be dumped entirely. Strength is also a potential secondary for niche builds, which will desire it at 16-18 postracial.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><span style="color: #0000ff"><strong>Constitution:</strong><br /> </span>Thanks to the Assassin's natural survivability and the terrible Bleak Guild, Constitution can be almost ignored in the heroic tier. For a paragon-tier Assassin, however, Constitution deserves serious consideration as a secondary stat. This one's pretty binary, you either want 16 postracial or to ignore it, depending on build.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><span style="color: #ff9900"><strong>Dexterity</strong>:</span> Every Assassin needs Dexterity, as it drives their attacks, AC, and key skills. It will be a very niche build that starts this below 19-20 postracial.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><span style="color: #ff0000"><strong>Intelligence:</strong></span> The designated Assassin dumpstat. Some Assassins may need to start with <strong>11 Intelligence</strong> so that they have a +1 modifier in Paragon.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><span style="color: #800080"><strong>Wisdom:</strong></span> As with Intelligence, multiclass options are the only reason to pay attention to Wisdom. It can be safely ignored, in general, but some builds will desire a starting 12 to reach 13 in paragon, and there are a handful of PPs that can justify making a true secondary out of it.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><strong><span style="color: #00ccff">Charisma:</span></strong> The designated secondary stat of the Nightstalker Guild and the basis for all of the Assassin's "face" skills, this stat is pegged at postracial 16 for the default Assassin. For Assassins who've created themselves a different secondary, this is a <span style="color: #ff0000"><strong>dumpstat</strong></span>, while some chargers who've snagged a CHA-based MBA may desire a postracial 18 instead.</li> </ul><p> </p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><strong>Races</strong></span></p><p>Due to their survivability, ideal stat match, thematic perfection, and ability to access the feat support of whatever other race they want, the <strong><span style="color: #ff9900">Revenant </span></strong>race dominates the field of Assassin races to a frankly unfair degree. I'll fill in the remainder at a later date, but in the mean time, just know that the only races to have fielded an effective argument for not being better off dead are <strong><span style="color: #00ccff">Draconian</span></strong>, <strong>Goliath</strong>, and <span style="color: #0000ff"><strong>Pixie</strong></span>.</p><p> </p><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong>Meditation on the Past: Histories and Dayjobs for Assassins</strong></span></p><p>The Assassin's path is not taken up for nothing, and few Assassins can identify themselves as such openly. What events in your life have pushed you to become a killer, and what is your public place in society?</p><p>Short version: select <strong>Sohei</strong> and <strong>Born Under A Bad Sign</strong>.</p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><strong>Background Benefits</strong></span></p><p>You're a low-HP class with a single key attribute. Take <strong><span style="color: #00ccff">Born Under A Bad Sign</span></strong> (DEX-based starting hitpoints) unless you're CON-secondary, in which case you should take <span style="color: #0000ff"><strong>Crusading Zealot</strong></span> (+1 untyped to saves) or <span style="color: #0000ff"><strong>Trained From Birth For A Specific Prophecy</strong></span> (reroll initiative once per day). If none of that appeals to you, any of the many, many backgrounds that grant +2 Stealth or Thievery could be a good investment.</p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><strong>Themes</strong></span></p><p>Theme selection is much more competitive than many of other choices the Assassin must make. <strong><span style="color: #00ccff">Sarifel Feywarden</span></strong>, <strong><span style="color: #00ccff">Sohei</span></strong>, and <strong><span style="color: #00ccff">Werewolf</span></strong>, however, lead the pack.</p><p> </p><p></p><p><strong>Character themes</strong></p><p>[sblock] <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><strong>Alchemist</strong> (D399) - Free alchemical items. Not an awesome choice, but Inferno Oil does give you an action-economy-friendly way to increase your offensive power and there are a handful of others that can be made and used between encounters as well.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><span style="color: #0000ff"><strong>Chaosmade </strong></span>(D408) - At the cost of your path and a U6, you get to grant yourself or an ally a basic attack on an Action Point. Mainly for Bleakers, at least until the Ring of Tenacious Will shows up in epic, since you're gonna be burning surges to fuel the U6.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><span style="color: #0000ff"><strong>Elemental Initiate </strong></span>(HotEC) - Less good for you than some others, since you already <em>have</em> ki focus proficiency, but the starting feature grants an IR attack on a miss, and there's a +1 bonus to will which you can certainly make use of.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><span style="color: #0000ff"><strong>Escaped Slave </strong></span>(D390) - A free skill training, a free action invisibility utility, and several decent powerswaps. Good in heroic, but most notable for its synergy with the Arena Champion PP.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><span style="color: #0000ff"><strong>Guardian</strong></span> (D399) - This theme's starting feature is an off-action IA basic attack. What's that you say? You're not a tank? Well, the Black Flame Form disagrees. Note that the Guardian's Counter power can give you an <em>ranged</em> basic attack, not just a melee one, so no need to worry about whether you have a working melee basic or not.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><span style="color: #0000ff"><strong>Iron Wolf Warrior </strong></span>(D400) - This theme gives an encounter power that gives an extra damage boost to a charge, which you can double up on via shrouds, and access to a set of unusual but striker-friendly powerswaps. Not bad, but you can generally do better.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><strong>Ironwrought</strong> (HotEC) - An encounter reroll/power attack effect and +1 to attack most of the time. Lower-rated for the Assassin than many characters because the Assassin already has better DR.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><strong><span style="color: #00ccff">Sarifel Feywarden </span></strong>(Any Fey race but Drow, D405) - Note that Revenants of Fey races (that aren't Drow) can still take this theme despite lacking the Fey keyword themselves. The draw of this theme is all in its starting power: a minor action aura of vulnerable 5/10/15 to one of a large variety of damage types, which you can double-kick with your shrouds. A glorious and cheap nova enabler. The rest of the features are an afterthought, though the level 10 utility slot opens up a couple of nice choices as well.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><strong><span style="color: #00ccff">Sohei </span></strong>(D404) - A class-free minor action attack, a bonus to saves against the worst status effects, and encounter attacks you will appreciate. One of the strongest picks available.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><span style="color: #0000ff"><strong>Werebear </strong></span>(D410) - Prior to level 10, pretty much worthless. Once you hit 10, however, this lets you apply the Druid hand slot item Claw Gloves to add 1d10 to your damage, which gets doubled up by your shrouds and multitaps. Also partially patches your MBA deficiency, assuming you're not relying on them as a primary attack form.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><span style="color: #0000ff"><strong>Wererat </strong></span>(D410) - As Werebear, but better by an irrelevant amount due to its stealth boosts and the ability to turn tiny if you want. Prior to level 10, again, pretty much worthless. Once you hit 10, however, this lets you apply the Druid hand slot item Claw Gloves to add 1d10 to your damage, which gets doubled up by your shrouds and multitaps. Also partially patches your MBA deficiency, assuming you're not relying on them as a primary attack form.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><strong><span style="color: #00ccff">Werewolf </span></strong>(D410) - As the previous two, but with a slightly more offensive bent thanks to boosting initiative. Prior to level 10, pretty much worthless. Once you hit 10, however, this lets you apply the Druid hand slot item Claw Gloves to add 1d10 to your damage, which gets doubled up on by your shrouds and multitaps. Also partially patches your MBA deficiency, assuming you're not relying on them as a primary attack form.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><span style="color: #0000ff"><strong>Yakuza </strong></span>(D404) - For Night Stalkers only, relies on CHA. The base feature, U2, and level 5 feature of this path are all strong. The base feature gives a defense boost and can also drop half a monster per encounter via forced surrender (assuming your DM doesn't flat-out veto the surrender rules), the U2 is possibly the best encounter reroll in the game, and the F5 is a defender-esque feature that gives a bonus to OAs. Kept from light blue by the fact that you don't quite have enough offensive juice to make its boosts work out. If you take this theme, ignore the advice above and take the <strong>Wandering Duelist</strong> background benefit, it gives you +3 untyped to intimidate checks.</li> </ul><p></p><p>[/sblock]</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Nibelung, post: 6711916, member: 74499"] [b]Originally posted by erachima:[/b] [CENTER][Size=4][b]Examination of the Self: Your Aptitude for Assassination[/b][/size][/CENTER] Before you can see how others must die, you must see if you are fit to kill them. The Assassin's skillset is both elitist and egalitarian: there are few born able to achieve the true potential of the Assassin, but anyone willing to face the great equalizer of death can unlock its power. Short version: select [b]Revenant[/b], [b]20 Dexterity[/b] and [b]16 Charisma[/b]. [Size=3][b]Ability Scores[/b][/size] [LIST][*][b]Strength[/b]: Strength is not especially useful for the standard Assassin, but can be important for certain feat qualifications so it should not be dumped entirely. Strength is also a potential secondary for niche builds, which will desire it at 16-18 postracial. [*][COLOR=#0000ff][b]Constitution:[/b] [/COLOR]Thanks to the Assassin's natural survivability and the terrible Bleak Guild, Constitution can be almost ignored in the heroic tier. For a paragon-tier Assassin, however, Constitution deserves serious consideration as a secondary stat. This one's pretty binary, you either want 16 postracial or to ignore it, depending on build. [*][COLOR=#ff9900][b]Dexterity[/b]:[/COLOR] Every Assassin needs Dexterity, as it drives their attacks, AC, and key skills. It will be a very niche build that starts this below 19-20 postracial. [*][COLOR=#ff0000][b]Intelligence:[/b][/COLOR] The designated Assassin dumpstat. Some Assassins may need to start with [b]11 Intelligence[/b] so that they have a +1 modifier in Paragon. [*][COLOR=#800080][b]Wisdom:[/b][/COLOR] As with Intelligence, multiclass options are the only reason to pay attention to Wisdom. It can be safely ignored, in general, but some builds will desire a starting 12 to reach 13 in paragon, and there are a handful of PPs that can justify making a true secondary out of it. [*][b][COLOR=#00ccff]Charisma:[/COLOR][/b] The designated secondary stat of the Nightstalker Guild and the basis for all of the Assassin's "face" skills, this stat is pegged at postracial 16 for the default Assassin. For Assassins who've created themselves a different secondary, this is a [COLOR=#ff0000][b]dumpstat[/b][/COLOR], while some chargers who've snagged a CHA-based MBA may desire a postracial 18 instead. [/LIST] [Size=3][b]Races[/b][/size] Due to their survivability, ideal stat match, thematic perfection, and ability to access the feat support of whatever other race they want, the [b][COLOR=#ff9900]Revenant [/COLOR][/b]race dominates the field of Assassin races to a frankly unfair degree. I'll fill in the remainder at a later date, but in the mean time, just know that the only races to have fielded an effective argument for not being better off dead are [b][COLOR=#00ccff]Draconian[/COLOR][/b], [b]Goliath[/b], and [COLOR=#0000ff][b]Pixie[/b][/COLOR]. [CENTER][Size=4][b]Meditation on the Past: Histories and Dayjobs for Assassins[/b][/size][/CENTER] The Assassin's path is not taken up for nothing, and few Assassins can identify themselves as such openly. What events in your life have pushed you to become a killer, and what is your public place in society? Short version: select [b]Sohei[/b] and [b]Born Under A Bad Sign[/b]. [Size=3][b]Background Benefits[/b][/size] You're a low-HP class with a single key attribute. Take [b][COLOR=#00ccff]Born Under A Bad Sign[/COLOR][/b] (DEX-based starting hitpoints) unless you're CON-secondary, in which case you should take [COLOR=#0000ff][b]Crusading Zealot[/b][/COLOR] (+1 untyped to saves) or [COLOR=#0000ff][b]Trained From Birth For A Specific Prophecy[/b][/COLOR] (reroll initiative once per day). If none of that appeals to you, any of the many, many backgrounds that grant +2 Stealth or Thievery could be a good investment. [Size=3][b]Themes[/b][/size] Theme selection is much more competitive than many of other choices the Assassin must make. [b][COLOR=#00ccff]Sarifel Feywarden[/COLOR][/b], [b][COLOR=#00ccff]Sohei[/COLOR][/b], and [b][COLOR=#00ccff]Werewolf[/COLOR][/b], however, lead the pack. [b]Character themes[/b] [sblock][LIST][*][b]Alchemist[/b] (D399) - Free alchemical items. Not an awesome choice, but Inferno Oil does give you an action-economy-friendly way to increase your offensive power and there are a handful of others that can be made and used between encounters as well. [*][COLOR=#0000ff][b]Chaosmade [/b][/COLOR](D408) - At the cost of your path and a U6, you get to grant yourself or an ally a basic attack on an Action Point. Mainly for Bleakers, at least until the Ring of Tenacious Will shows up in epic, since you're gonna be burning surges to fuel the U6. [*][COLOR=#0000ff][b]Elemental Initiate [/b][/COLOR](HotEC) - Less good for you than some others, since you already [i]have[/i] ki focus proficiency, but the starting feature grants an IR attack on a miss, and there's a +1 bonus to will which you can certainly make use of. [*][COLOR=#0000ff][b]Escaped Slave [/b][/COLOR](D390) - A free skill training, a free action invisibility utility, and several decent powerswaps. Good in heroic, but most notable for its synergy with the Arena Champion PP. [*][COLOR=#0000ff][b]Guardian[/b][/COLOR] (D399) - This theme's starting feature is an off-action IA basic attack. What's that you say? You're not a tank? Well, the Black Flame Form disagrees. Note that the Guardian's Counter power can give you an [i]ranged[/i] basic attack, not just a melee one, so no need to worry about whether you have a working melee basic or not. [*][COLOR=#0000ff][b]Iron Wolf Warrior [/b][/COLOR](D400) - This theme gives an encounter power that gives an extra damage boost to a charge, which you can double up on via shrouds, and access to a set of unusual but striker-friendly powerswaps. Not bad, but you can generally do better. [*][b]Ironwrought[/b] (HotEC) - An encounter reroll/power attack effect and +1 to attack most of the time. Lower-rated for the Assassin than many characters because the Assassin already has better DR. [*][b][COLOR=#00ccff]Sarifel Feywarden [/COLOR][/b](Any Fey race but Drow, D405) - Note that Revenants of Fey races (that aren't Drow) can still take this theme despite lacking the Fey keyword themselves. The draw of this theme is all in its starting power: a minor action aura of vulnerable 5/10/15 to one of a large variety of damage types, which you can double-kick with your shrouds. A glorious and cheap nova enabler. The rest of the features are an afterthought, though the level 10 utility slot opens up a couple of nice choices as well. [*][b][COLOR=#00ccff]Sohei [/COLOR][/b](D404) - A class-free minor action attack, a bonus to saves against the worst status effects, and encounter attacks you will appreciate. One of the strongest picks available. [*][COLOR=#0000ff][b]Werebear [/b][/COLOR](D410) - Prior to level 10, pretty much worthless. Once you hit 10, however, this lets you apply the Druid hand slot item Claw Gloves to add 1d10 to your damage, which gets doubled up by your shrouds and multitaps. Also partially patches your MBA deficiency, assuming you're not relying on them as a primary attack form. [*][COLOR=#0000ff][b]Wererat [/b][/COLOR](D410) - As Werebear, but better by an irrelevant amount due to its stealth boosts and the ability to turn tiny if you want. Prior to level 10, again, pretty much worthless. Once you hit 10, however, this lets you apply the Druid hand slot item Claw Gloves to add 1d10 to your damage, which gets doubled up by your shrouds and multitaps. Also partially patches your MBA deficiency, assuming you're not relying on them as a primary attack form. [*][b][COLOR=#00ccff]Werewolf [/COLOR][/b](D410) - As the previous two, but with a slightly more offensive bent thanks to boosting initiative. Prior to level 10, pretty much worthless. Once you hit 10, however, this lets you apply the Druid hand slot item Claw Gloves to add 1d10 to your damage, which gets doubled up on by your shrouds and multitaps. Also partially patches your MBA deficiency, assuming you're not relying on them as a primary attack form. [*][COLOR=#0000ff][b]Yakuza [/b][/COLOR](D404) - For Night Stalkers only, relies on CHA. The base feature, U2, and level 5 feature of this path are all strong. The base feature gives a defense boost and can also drop half a monster per encounter via forced surrender (assuming your DM doesn't flat-out veto the surrender rules), the U2 is possibly the best encounter reroll in the game, and the F5 is a defender-esque feature that gives a bonus to OAs. Kept from light blue by the fact that you don't quite have enough offensive juice to make its boosts work out. If you take this theme, ignore the advice above and take the [b]Wandering Duelist[/b] background benefit, it gives you +3 untyped to intimidate checks. [/LIST] [/sblock] [/QUOTE]
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Look Very Carefully: The Shroud Assassin's Handbook (by erachima)
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