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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Al" data-source="post: 412387" data-attributes="member: 2486">The Attack Continues...My sentiments lie very much with Elder-Basilisk, and I'd like to add my comparison to his analysis.First off, let us compare it with the most directly comparable class, the rogue.Comparing the assassin to the rogue:The rogue has four more skill points/level and a marginally broader skill selection.The assassin has<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Better Hit Dice</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Better Will saves</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Better weapon proficiencies</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Mark </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Killing Blow</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Better Uncanny Dodge</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Hide in Plain Sight</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Better Special Abilities, at Earlier Levels</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Better BAB</li> </ul>This is a phenomenal step up on a class which is already good.  The assassin is clearly superior in nearly all situations.  Four more skill points cannot hope to compensate with the veritable arsenal of advantages that the assassin has over the rogue.  Now, let us compare it to the multiclass ranger/rogueThe ranger/rogue has two more skill points per level, marginally better armour/weapon proficiencies, Track, two-weapon fighting, a few spells at high level, better Fort saves and an animal companion (whose CR relative to the PC is so low as to make it barely worthwhile.)  The assassin has<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Better BAB</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Better Reflex and Will saves</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Better Sneak Attack</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Better Uncanny Dodge</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Hide in Plain Sight</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Killing Blow</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Better and More Special Abilities</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Mark (superior to favoured enemy)</li> </ul>Note that the assassin can take one level in ranger to nullify the proficiencies, Track and two-weapon fighting disparity.  This seems closer, but on examination, the assassin is still the superior.  Most of the special abilities outstrip the ranger's abilities, and, to be fair, the ranger's spells at level 10 are fairly feeble compared to the assassin's abilities.  The substantial advantage of the assassin in terms of sneak attack also tilts the odds strongly in its favour.Finally, consider the ranger against the assassin.  The ranger has marginally better weapon/armour proficiencies, better Fort saves, better hit dice, two-weapon fighting, Track, spells and an animal companion.The assassin has:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">A substantial advantage in sneak attack</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Better Reflex and Will saves</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Uncanny Dodge</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Hide in Plain Sight</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Killing Blow</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Five special abilities</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Mark (still superior to favoured enemy)</li> </ul>This seems to shape up well.  But examining the abilities closely reveals (once again) a problem.  The assassin can take one level of ranger to negate some of its problems there.  The saves outweigh the ranger substantially.  The spells are weak compared to the assassin abilities.  The sneak attack damage disparity is so heavily in favour of the assassin as to nearly make up the difference alone.To summarise: compared with the rogue, ranger and a combination of the two, the assassin proposed is clearly the superior class.  There is little doubting that it is stronger than these core classes; hence, it is unbalanced.</blockquote>

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