This is my take on an assassin build that emphasizes book smarts and force of will over muscle memory. With a starting dexterity score of only 12, the EEE nevertheless manages to make an effective sneaky infiltrator and assassin.
The build is somewhat of a skill monkey, being useful in skill checks involving arcana, religion, streetwise, and stealth. Moreover, via utilities and rituals, he is also very useful in social skill challenges (diplomacy, bluff, intimidate; via Arcane Mutterings) and thievery checks to unlock stuff (via the Knock ritual). He has access to scrying rituals to top it off. The High Imaskar background allows a reroll on any arcana check - this includes those made for Arcane Mutterings or Knock, as well as other rituals.
Using the Elusive Hexer feat, which is only available to an Eladrin Warlock, the EEE manages to spend most of his time hidden. In fact, apart from a few exceptions (enemies with blindsight, or after making some OAs), the EEE is fairly likely to spend the entire encounter hidden from all enemies.
A primary focus of the build is single target damage dealing. The EEE meets and exceeds at-will DPR benchmarks at levels 10, 20 and 30. By level 30, the EEE reaches around 150 DPR, with an additional 111 DPR under some minimal conditions that should acquire fairly often (you are fighting a bunch of enemies without blindsight).
Stealth and a powerful MBA are a nasty combination in particular because when you are hidden adjacent to an isolated enemy, they have few choices. They can try and attack your high defenses - if they can guess where you are. They can move away, and trigger a potent OA. Alternatively, they can shift and charge someone else - but against a flying PC such as the epic EEE, or when the EEE has Persistent Tail active (most rounds, both in paragon and epic tier), even shift+charge may not work. Use hiding aggressively by positioning yourself between isolated foes and your allies.
In summary, play an Eladrin Eldritch Executioner if you want to:
Play a melee character who emphazises wits over brawn
Be stealthy and have at-will invisibility/hiding from early paragon onwards
Be a capable addition to the party for skill challenges of a social, information gathering, or infiltration variety.
Have very solid single target DPR at all teirs of play (reaching about 150 at-will DPR, by 30).
Get to make a lot of OAs by using stealth offensively (at least 1 most rounds, unless fighting solos) and be a Warlord's best friend.
Race: Eladrin Class: Hybrid Warlock/Executioner Pact: Fey Pact (Guild: Red Scales because you're melee, but it really doesn't matter) Background: High Imaskar Theme: Order Adept
Starting Ability Scores (post racial): Str 8, Con 12, Dex 12, Int 18, Wis 10, Cha 18 Final Ability Scores: Str 8, Con 12, Dex 12, Int 20, Wis 10, Cha 20.
HP 69, Bloodied 34, Surge Value 17. Surges: 7.
AC 25 (27/30) = 10+5+5(int)+2(armor)+3(enhancement) Fort 19 (21/24) = 10+5+1(con)+1(class)+2(enhancement) Ref 24 (26/29) = 10+5+5(int)+1(armor)+1(class)+2(enhancement) Will 25 (27/30) = 10+5+5(cha)+1(race)+2(theme)+2(enhancement) Numbers in parentheses are with concealment/full concealment.
I've stuck to the DMG's guidelines for characters starting above level 1, except that I've allowed myself to trade in the level -1/0/+1 items for gold. Some DMs may not allow you to do this if you want to play the build starting above level 1 (in which case you'll start with a bit less loot - but not to worry; you'll just have to lose a lower level item or perhaps downgrade your cloak or armor 5 levels). On the other hand, if you play the build from level 1 using the parcel system for loot, you may end up with more equipment than presented in the snapshots here.
Also, the build includes a boon - Sehanine's Mark of the Dark Moon. Although the boon is extremely powerful, it is not necessary for the build. So if you get unlucky and the DM denies it to you, you'll be ok. In fact, unless you're in a very high power campaign you should recommend the DM never, ever give you the boon in question. It's extremely good, and you'll be fine without it.
At the end of the heroic teir, you are just about to hit a sweet spot in effectiveness, but even still, you're by no means a slouch. You have pretty solid defenses, taking into account the concealment from Shadow Walk. Mire the Mind and Persistent Tail give you some ways of obtaining stealth. Mire the Mind is a great opener to this end: provided that you hit, it boosts your stealth score from merely decent to very high levels - all encounter, every encounter. During the 1-2 rounds per encounter that you're hidden, you will be especially difficult to touch.
A good tactic, when the opportunity presents itself, is to pop Persistent Tail and charge an isolated foe. After you hit the foe (don't slide them, it prematurely triggers Persistent Tail), use Boots of Adept Charging to shift 1 square away. When the foe moves on their turn, Persistent Tail is triggered and you can move adjacent to the target, hiding in the process. If they keep moving, they trigger an OA from you. If they cut short their move and attack you, they'll have to guess your square. Also, note that they technically don't know you're now standing right next to them - so arguably most foes should opt for option 1.
The main challenges for the heroic tier will be to obtain CA, and to keep shadow walk active. There are a few means of moving around in spite of being in melee. Whilst hidden, your movement will not provoke OAs - so being hidden at the start of your turn will allow you to maintain shadow step for another round. Eldritch Strike slides 1 - so if you find yourself in melee at the beginning of a turn, sliding an enemy away may give you a chance to slip away. Lastly, work with a defender. If you already have the shadow walk buff, you will have sub-defender AC. Against an enemy marked by your defender, your defenses are better still (effective AC 30) - and your enemy's OAs will be punished. This combination may make the occasional OA worth provoking.
These calculations assume CA, which isn't guaranteed but should be obtainable most rounds without too much difficulty. Some rounds you won't have it, but then other rounds you'll have it AND be charging - so it should even out.
.75*26.5 + .05*44 = 22.1 DPR (22.9 vs. bloodied targets).
On a charge: Damage: 3d8+1d6+13 (Av 30). Crit 2d6+43 (av 50)calcShow
=As above +1d6(horned helm)
Attack bonus: +20. Hit chance 75%, crit chance 5%.calcShow
=As above +1(charging bonus)
.8*30 + .05*50 = 26.5 DPR (27.4 vs. bloodied targets).
EDIT: Ooops, this post blossomed, and I hadn't reserved any space. Go down half a dozen posts to see the level 20 and 30 snapshots, I promise it will be worth it!
Last week I created a lvl 11 revenant(eladrin) warlock-executioner for a homebrew game I'm involved in. Ability score focus was Dex and Con instead. And I must say it was extremely effective. You can practically double effective DPR output as long as your willing to end your turn hidden next to an enemy who chooses to move or use ranged/area attack. Of course you blow your invisibility/hidden status but get it right back on your following turn. (Hint: choose to "park" next to the last enemy to attack before your turn if you can to minimize risk!). I was really torn between Student of Caiphon and another paragon path... but ended up going Sorceror-King pact and Guild Executioner to get Mindbite's Scorn. Although I considered Infernal Pact as a very good alternative for Hellish Rebuke.
Sibling of the Stars would have been perfect for the dual-Star Pact; unfortunately as a hybrid class it requires human (because this build's schtick is Eldritch Strike and SotS requires Eldritch Blast pre-req). The only other way for a DEEE ("dead" eladrin eldritch executioner) to getting EH with Sibling of the Stars/Eldritch Strike is via primal MC feat and Reincarnate Champion ED, which is high opportunity cost. One nice thing about not worrying about getting a radiant eldritch strike is it frees up your weapon choice *and* gives you access additional untyped damage from Shadowmaster Ki Focus.
Imo Elusive Hexer is one of the most versatile feats in the game. And warlock is now one of the most versatile classes (second to fighter in terms of available powers to choose from)! EH is also one of only two choices (EDIT: three choices including Eyebite) I'm aware to get At-Will invisibility (the other being Evermeet Warlock), which makes getting and "staying" hidden practically a breeze. EH also shores up gaps in the defenses (it's awfully hard to target you when you're hidden) and increases your offensive output potential (by making it real easy for you to get OA's on enemies).
Anyway, that's been my experience with Elusive Hexer so far. In January I also enjoyed playing a lvl 21 eladrin shaman|warlock Reincarnate Champion (with gnome past life to get fading spirit and elusive hexer) in a playtest game. The main drawback with that hybrid combo was action economy.. there are too many things you want to use minor actions for and it's easy to overlook the best options in the thick of combat. Compared to hybrid shaman, I think I prefer the brutal efficiency and simplicity of a high DPR warlock-executioner.
One more suggestion/comment. I found boots of adept charging to be pretty useful for the lvl 11 executioner|warlock. (They weren't needed for my lvl 21 shaman|warlock, who had MC fighter feat and mobile warrior feat). This ensures that the enemies don't know the square you're in after a charge attack.
Hmm I like it. Is there a reason you went Fey pact besides flavor? Wouldn't Sorcerer King open up a might bit more damage? Anyways I love this build. I played essentially the same thing with a warlock|rogue/assassin.
Hmm I like it. Is there a reason you went Fey pact besides flavor? Wouldn't Sorcerer King open up a might bit more damage? Anyways I love this build. I played essentially the same thing with a warlock|rogue/assassin.
Ruins fate and I developed something similar awhile back using the pact blade feats, but you can use eldritch strike just swell, but went with a light blade charging build, the damage was very competitive. I'll dig out the build when I get back home, am in Auckland at the moment
Race: Eladrin Class: Hybrid Warlock/Executioner Pact: Fey Pact (Guild: Red Scales because you're melee, but it really doesn't matter) Background: High Imaskar Theme: Order Adept Paragon Path: Student of Caiphon
Starting Ability Scores (post racial): Str 8, Con 12, Dex 12, Int 18, Wis 10, Cha 18 Final Ability Scores: Str 9, Con 13, Dex 13, Int 23, Wis 11, Cha 23.
HP: 119, Bloodied 59, Surge Value 29. Surges per day: 7
AC 36 (39), 10+10+6(int)+3(leather)+4(enhance)+1(rhythm blade)+2(concealment) Fort 31 (34) 10+10+1(con)+4(enhance)+2(feat)+1(class)+1(belt)+2(concealment) Ref 35 (38) 10+10+6(int)+4(enhance)+2(feat)+1(rhythm blade)+1(class)+2(concealment) Will 37 (40) 10+10+6(cha)+4(enhance)+2(feat)+1(race)+2(theme) + 2(concealment) Numbers before parentheses assume concealment. Numbers in parentheses include total concealment. Situational bonuses: enemies hit by both weapons take -2 penalty to hit me, +2 to defenses vs OAs.
Feats: 1 Eldritch Blade 2 Cursed Shadow 4 Weapon Ki Technique 6 Silvery Glow 8 Killing Curse 10 Assassin's Cloak 11 Twofold Pact, Killing Curse retrained to Elusive Hexer 12 Retrain Assassin's Cloak with White Lotus Evasion, White Lotus Master Evasion 14 Retrain Silvery Glow to Two Weapon Fighting, Two Weapon Opening 16 Silvery Glow 18 Improved Defenses 20 Arcane Admixture (Eldritch Strike, Lightning - grab this feat as soon as you have a Harmony Blade and Crown of the Brilliant Sun - 20 is a conservative estimate of how fast you can get it)
Skills: Arcana +27 (can reroll, must take second roll), Stealth +24 (+30 with Mire the Mind), History +23, Religion +21, Streetwise + 21
Powers:
At-will Eldritch Strike Dire Radiance
Encounter 1 Assassin's Strike 7 Mire the Mind (this could be retrained if you find it less necessary now) 13 Dark Reach of Xevut
Daily/Poison 1 Bloodroot Poison 5 Emerald Shield 9 Carrier Crawler Brain Juice 13 retrain Emerald Shield to Storm Countess' Kiss 15 swap Storm Countess' Kiss for Whispers of the Void 19 retrain Whispers of the Void to Voice of the Dictator
Items: Harmony Blade longsword +4, Abduction ki focus +4, Shadowflow Feyleather Armor +4, Elven Cloak +4, Ring of the Radiant Storm, Crown of the Brilliant Sun, Ring of Giants, Siberys Shard of Radiance (paragon tier), Bracers of Mighty Striking (12), Shadowdancer's Gloves, Dice of Auspicious Fortune, Belt of Vim (heroic tier), Rhythm Blade +1, Siberys Shard of Radiance (heroic tier), Sehanine's Mark of the Dark Moon (level 3), Boots of Adept Charging, 10x scroll of knock. 41290g remaining.
You're decidedly more sneaky now. As soon as you hit level 11, the final piece of the invisibility puzzle kicks in. Now, when you deal curse damage on your turn, you turn invisible until the end of that turn (Elusive Hexer). Thanks to White Lotus Master Riposte, you can shift and hide immediately, and Cursed Shadow's concealment allows you to stay hidden beyond the end of your turn - which is all that is necessary to maintain your hidden status. Whilst hidden, you can move at full speed thanks to Darting Shadow. Generally, you'll stay hidden most of the encounter, unless you choose to make an out of turn attack (such as a warlord granted attack or OA), miss with an attack or fail a stealth check. In fact, by using Persistent Tail, it should often be possible to stay hidden after making an opportunity attack.
Thanks to Sehanine's Mark of the Dark Moon, you only take half damage from enemies that cannot see you.
Factoring in Shadow Walk, your defenses are good for a melee striker. When you include the benefit from total concealment, they reach defender levels. You will be hidden most of the time, so this is a fairly safe assumption.
Also, if you can isolate an enemy (preferably a brute) 2+ squares away from your allies, they are faced with a difficult catch-22 scenario. Attack you (you are hidden so they have to guess your square, you have defender level defenses, and you take half damage) or try and reach one of your allies. Thanks to Persistent Tail, shift+charge isn't a viable strategy - you can follow them after they shift and they will trigger the OA upon charging. Thus, much of the time, you will get to make an extra MBA on your target's turn.
Keeping Shadow Walk active should be much easier at this level. In fact, much of the time you should be able to maintain Shadow Walk without needing to use your move action - thus freeing it up for Persistent Tail shenanigans. At level 20, the following option works quite well: Persistent Tail, charge 2 or more, shift 2 (Boots of Adept Charging + White Lotus Master Evasion).
You do more than double the damage you did at level 10; a respectable amount. No-one would mistake your role for anything but striker. If you play tactically and force some enemy OAs, your DPR should be stellar.
Another thing I was thinking of adding to the build is a theme - currently the Order Adept looks rather swell. With the +4 bonus to arcana, could probably quite happily go a little easier on the arcana pumping feats at epic - perhaps getting another DPR feat or just switching Skill Focus for Untraceable (+5 Stealth).
Hmm, boots of adept charging could be nice. I'm using the slot for +5 stealth though. I wonder whether Mobile Warrior could be used at epic in place of Assassin's Cloak to get a similar benefit? Ah, damn... requires fighter and dex 17, no dice.
I haven't really focused on charging for this build. I did want to fit it in. I needed the head slot for the iron of spite and had too many other things going on in general to fit it in. But if you guys can come up with some ways of maintaining competitive stealth and arcana scores whilst pumping charge a bit, then I'm definitely all ears
