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I like a lot of the essentials assassin build.  I really do.  But I like the actual Assassin class as a concept more.  So I want to take the Essassin mechanics and convert them into something useful for the original Assassin class.  Here's my attempt to do that:

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New Class Features

You can select the following class features instead of another option, such as the ones presented in Dragon 379.

Guild Training
When you choose a Guild Training, you can select the following option.
    Unseen Executioner: When you hit an enemy with an Assassin or Assassin paragon path attack power that deals damage, if the target has 10 hit points or less after you deal damage, you can choose to automatically kill the target.  At 11th level, you can choose to kill the target if it has 20 hit points or less after you deal damage.  At 21st level, you can choose to kill the target if it has 30 hit points or less after you deal damage.

Executioner's Deathblow
This class feature replaces your Shadow Step class feature.
    Executioner's Deathblow: You gain the executioner's deathblow power.

Executioner's Deathblow        Assassin Feature
You channel your energy into a single deadly strike, striking a vital area and potentially killing with one blow.
At-Will ♦ Shadow
Free Action            Personal
Requirement: You must have at least one unused Assassin encounter attack power.
Trigger: You hit an enemy within 5 square of you with an Assassin or Assassin paragon path attack power.
Target: The enemy you hit.
Effect: You expend one or more Assassin encounter attack powers.  The target takes additional damage from the triggering attack based on the level of each power expended.  If multiple powers are expended, add additional damage for each power expended.
    Level 1, 3, or 7:          +1d10
    Level 13, 17, or 23:    +2d10
    Level 27:                    +3d10
Special: If the target is helpless, this power inflicts maximum damage.

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New Powers

Level 1 At-Will Hexes

Deadly Dart                Assassin Attack 1
You conjure a thin needle-like dart of shadow and throw it at your foe.
At-Will ♦ Implement, Shadow
Standard Action        Ranged 10
Target: One creature
Attack: Dexterity +4 vs. Reflex
Hit: 2 + Dexterity modifier damage.  The target fails its next saving throw against an effect you have inflicted that a save can end.
    Level 11: 3 + Dexterity modifier damage.
    Level 21: 5 + Dexterity modifier damage.
Special: If the Implement used with this power has an enhancement bonus, add that bonus to the damage.

Strangling Shadows            Assassin Attack 1
You conjure a thick rope of shadow and use it to strangle an unaware target.
At-Will ♦ Implement, Shadow
Standard Action        Melee touch
Requirement: You must have both hands free.
Effect: Shift 2 squares.
Target: One creature you are hidden from.
Attack: Dexterity vs. Reflex
Hit: 2d4 + Dexterity modifier damage, and the target is grabbed until the end of your next turn.  While the grab persists, the target takes a -2 penalty to attack rolls against you and cannot speak, shout, or make other vocalizations, and you cannot make other attacks.
    Level 21: 4d4 + Dexterity modifier damage.
Sustain Standard: The grab persists, and the target takes 2d4 + Dexterity modifier damage.
    Level 21: 4d4 + Dexterity modifier damage.

Unseen Assailant            Assassin Attack 1
You pull your weapon against your enemy's throat and prepare for a lethal strike.
At-Will ♦ Shadow, Weapon
Standard Action        Melee touch
Effect: Shift 2 squares.
Target: One creature you are hidden from.
Attack: Dexterity vs. AC
Hit: You grab the target.  If you are still grabbing the target at the start of your next turn, you treat the target as helpless for as long as you continue to grab the target.

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Any Utility power with the Shadow keyword is selectable by the Assassin.  Any Utility power with the Martial keyword is selectable by the Rogue instead.

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I love the poisons as well, but I would rather adapt those to some other, more appropriate-feeling (to me), class (or some other option).  Either Rogue, or maybe something class-independant.

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Anywho, thoughts?  Comments?  Suggestions?

Ok you've got a nice nova feature, but it seems a little light on damage per round. OR does this have shrouds still?

Shrouds would be fully intact.  I considered also including the Attack Finesse Essassin feature as an optional replacement for the shroud, but decided I'd rather stick with the shrouds (though I'd like to see them adjusted in some fashion - just not here).

In that case it seems mostly ok to me then.

You sacrifice the mobility aspect to power up the damage aspect, relying on a heavy hit to compensate for the loss in precise positioning options. A legitimate trade off for a striker.

Looking back at the barbarian though I must question whether the ability to unload multiple encounter powers at once is balanced.

Oct 11, 2010 -- 2:39AM, rampant wrote:

In that case it seems mostly ok to me then.

You sacrifice the mobility aspect to power up the damage aspect, relying on a heavy hit to compensate for the loss in precise positioning options. A legitimate trade off for a striker.

Yeah, that was the idea.  In addition, I feel like putting a decision point there ("Shadow Step" or "Executioner's Deathblow") gives a nice choice that may help define characters who are going more the "Shadowdancer" route (with shadow step), or more the "True Assassin" route (with a deathblow).

Looking back at the barbarian though I must question whether the ability to unload multiple encounter powers at once is balanced.

I would have agreed, prior to the Essassin's release.  I've actually taken it's "replacement Encounter power" ability, broken it down a bit and made it compatible with "core" class structure.  The damage looks like it could add up quickly, but it's designed so that even when you expend all of your Assassin encounter attack powers in one big blast, you're only dealing the same amount of damage as the Essassin's encounter power would have provided.

You have the option to burn a paragon path power, but no damage boost listed for a level 11 encounter.

Oct 11, 2010 -- 10:41AM, rampant wrote:

You have the option to burn a paragon path power, but no damage boost listed for a level 11 encounter.

Hm.  I don't see an option to expend the level 11 pp encounter power.  The power should be able to trigger off of a paragon path power, but you can't burn it with thi option.  It should work okay.

I'll have to adapt the Guild Executioner paragon path a bit, to fit with this.  But instead of a level 11 encounter attack power, that path simply gives a +2d10 bonus on damage with the assassin's strike (renamed here as executioner's deathblow).

Oct 10, 2010 -- 10:33PM, greatfrito wrote:

I love the poisons as well, but I would rather adapt those to some other, more appropriate-feeling (to me), class (or some other option).  Either Rogue, or maybe something class-independant.

Power-swap feats: exchange a daily power for the ability to make one poison per extended rest, with the level of the power swapped determining the highest level of poison you can prepare.

One question. How does the Demigod capstone affect Executioner's Deathblow?

"When you hit an enemy with an Assassin or Assassin paragon path attack power". Could be interpreted as When you hit an enemy with an assassin or when you hit an enemy with an assassin paragon path attack power. I do like hitting enemies with an assassin.

I think Deadly Dart is an awesome power, though I'd have it do 1d4 instead of just 2 and I'd probably make it impose a penalty on all saves equal to the result of your d4 Damage Roll (not including any modifieres) rather than automatic failure. That way, an ally could do something that gives the enemy a save and you could spend your turn to try to make their save fail.

Executioner's Deathblow is a cool idea, but I think it goes too far. I don't like the idea that you could expend all of your encounter resources in a single turn, because that's to my knowledge a far heavier supernova than any other class is capable of, at least with encounter powers.

Except that an executioner assassin as is already has something akin to executioner's deathblow. They only get one encounter attack power, one that's supposed to do the damage of every encounter attack power that they'd have otherwise. It doesn't, because the math is off, but that's still a pretty hefty nova, and it's RAW.