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Just thought I'd give a first hand account of Assassin playability and how they work/don't work in combat. I'll try to update this twice a month (as thats how often we play) if people are intersted. Here is my build.

You can also follow my posts in this thread on my blog:

community.wizards.com/vengeful_deity/blo...

====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ======
Vahn, level 1
Changeling, Assassin
Guild Training: Night Stalker
Birth - Among Another Race: Among Another Race (Human)
Background: Arcane Mercenary, Birth - Among Another Race, Occupation - Bounty Hunter, Society - Poor, Geography - Mountains (Diplomacy class skill)

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 8, Con 14, Dex 18, Int 10, Wis 13, Cha 16.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 8, Con 14, Dex 16, Int 10, Wis 13, Cha 14.


AC: 16 Fort: 13 Reflex: 14 Will: 15
HP: 24 Surges: 8 Surge Value: 6

TRAINED SKILLS
Stealth +9, Streetwise +8, Acrobatics +9, Diplomacy +8, Bluff +10, Thievery +9

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Arcana, Dungeoneering +1, Endurance +2, Heal +1, History, Insight +3, Intimidate +3, Nature +1, Perception +1, Religion, Athletics -1

FEATS
Level 1: Sneak of Shadows

POWERS
Assassin at-will 1: Shadow Storm
Assassin at-will 1: Executioner's Noose
Assassin encounter 1: Nightmare Shades
Assassin daily 1: Targeted for Death

ITEMS
Greatsword, Leather Armor, Adventurer's Kit, Crossbow, Crossbow Bolts (40)
====== Copy to Clipboard and Press the Import Button on the Summary Tab ======

Second Session
Level 1

The first encounter started out like a lurker's dream. Killed a solitary patrol in one round before he could alert the camp of kobolds. Two coup de gras kills before they knew we were there. Unfortunately, I took quite a beating in the first two rounds of combat and soaked up all the heals quickly. Once my party got into position I was able to get to a more easily defended area and the Swordmage started taking the hits. Missed my big 4 shroud invoke, but still did 10 points of damage. Despite missing, it felt like my DPR was on par with the Barbarian.

Second encounter was against two elite dire wolves (I think they were custom monsters). Started combat stealthed, but without a suprise round. I spent two rounds making ranged attacks from a safe distance, hiding behind large rocks to gain CA. By round 3 I had positioned myself to enter melee by getting behind the Barbarian and using Nightmare Shades. Round 4 I used Shadow Step to teleport next to my shroud target and invoke for 39 damage. The Barbarian's big hit that encounter was 32 with Avalanche Strike. By keeping myself in a defensive position and using Shadow Step to keep from being adjacent to more than one enemy I only took 9 damage for the whole fight. I successfully used Shade Form to deter an attacker due to being Insubstantial.

The 3rd encounter was much like the 2nd. This time it was zombies. Shadow Step again played a big role as our Artificier used his Acid wall to create an obstacle for the zombies (and kill the minions) and I teleported into a position where I could reach the baddies without drawing OAs.

The 4th encounter we did really well and I felt like my Assassin was a star player. We came down a hallway into a rectangular room with 8 enemies in it, 4 on each side. I stealthed up and scouted the room without being noticed. We set ourselves up with the Barbarian/Swordmage on either side of the 3 wide hallway beind two pillars so that there was only one square from which the enemies could enter melee without some sort of teleport or push/pull. I was just behind them readinging a range basic for a particular baddie to become visible without cover. The Artificier got their attention, I got off a sneak attack for 22 damage, the barbarian/Swordmage killed a minon that walked into the hall way. Round 2 I used Targeted for Death on my previous target, and round 3 I invoked on a ranged basic with 4 shrouds and dealt 38 damage, killing my target.

By that time the minions had been cleared and the Barbarian swift charged out of our bottleneck to get to the archers in the room proper. I used Nightmare Shades on the last melee standard enemey and teleported into to a flank with the Swordmage. During the round I took 26 points of damage and went down, but was right back up thanks to the Artificer. I invoked with 2 shrouds the next round and did 17 damage, the Artificier finished him off and ran to heal the Barbarian who the Archers had dropped. I ran for the archer on the other side while the other 3 finished of the other one. My target started to run, but I caught him with a 2 shroud Executioners Noose and he was dead the next round.

Conclusions

I felt like the Assassin has some real kill Potential. I've sotra created a standard operating proceedure for combats that I don't intend to use my daily on.

1) Try to get some sort of input from the DM on which enemies are minions, even if they don't say "minion" outright, asking "who looks like they're in charge here" is a good way to know for sure about at least one enemy. Wasted Shrouds are wasted damage.

2) You'll always have enough time for 4 shrouds on your first target as long as your whole party isn't attacking them, choosing your shroud target that is least likely to be attacked or calling them out is optipmal.

3) Invoke ASAP if your target becomes bloodied, don't stack shrouds on a bloodied target. Again, wasted shrouds are wasted damage.

4) Set up your invoked attack. Use Shadow step to disengage in the round you place your 3rd shroud so that you can reach your target as you place your 4th. Combat Advantage is essential and easy to come by.

I think through 4 encounters there was only twice that I didn't get my Night Stalker bonus, not including minion kills (who cares). The fast solo kill of a standard creature in encounter 4 made it feel very much like the Save or Die Assassin of 3rd edition. Of course I had to use a Daily to do it, but it should get easier with more feats and features as I level, which I'm very hopeful about.

Again, I very much enjoyed Sneak of Shadows as opening combat stealthed is fairly easy to do as I'm usually sneaking ahead of the party, and opening combat at ranged with a Crossbow is also very easy to do. I can't wait to try out Lurking Shadow's invisibility as we just hit level 2. It seems like it shouldn't be too difficult to maintain at least for a few rounds in a fight.

I'll post again in two weeks and let you know how it went.

Was really getting into your take on the assassin THANX! OP keep going.

I am a co-dm, so on the other side unfortunately, and a prominant NPC i use is an assassin - love the way i can now see it working, when i finally unleash him