The Black Lotus (4MNK/6BG/50ASSASSIN)

[Avissar]

Updated my build with all my current choices including a section of gear. I play my assassin as a dueler, that is, 99% of the time I use my two weapons, but occasionally I use a shield so I've posted the stats for that too. It's been a blast to play and racks up lots of kills just like a good assassin should.

4Monk/6Blackguard/50 assassin

Race: Elf
Sub-race: Half-Fiend
Alignment: Lawful Evil

Stats after racial adjustments: (including elf and half-fiend)

Strength 8
Dexterity 26
Constitution 14
Intelligence 18
Wisdom 10
Charisma 6

All points into Dexterity.
Use the dexterity artifact.
Read Illusion Book (to help with Ghostly Visage)

Stats at 60 w/ arti and +12, but NO demi

Strength 20
Dexterity 70
Constitution 28
Intelligence 30
Wisdom 20
Charisma 18

Hit Points: 812
Armor Class: 122 while dueling (I can also gain 6 to my dodge ac from buffs, see gear.
Armor Class w/shield: 134 (can still gain the +6 doge ac mentioned above)


Attacks: This toon recieves 8 attacks. I was using a DIS weapon while testing, so my AB has +9 more when fully buffed.

Main Hand: 85/80/75/70
Haste & Clockwork Boots: 87/85
Off hand: 85/80

Mortal Strike DC: 57

Saves:
Fort: 66
Ref: 82
Will: 63

Put two points into Hide and Move Silently. You can take assassin as soon as second level if you wish. I reccomend making your 20th level Blackguard so you can get parry and discipline to 23.

1. Strong Soul
3. W. Finess
6. W. Foc: Club
9. Ambidexterity
12. Two-weapon Fighting
15. Improved Critical: Club
18. Improved Two-weapon fighting
21. Greater Dex1
24. Greater Dex2
24.Greater Dex3
27.Greater Dex4
28.Greater Dex5
30.Greater Dex6
32.Greater Dex7
33.Greater Dex8
36. Epic W. Foc: Club
36.Greater Dex9
39.Epic Prowess
40.Greater Dexterity10

42. LegendaryHardened Soul
45.Legendary W. Foc: Club
48. Armor Skin
51. W. Foc: Kama
54. Epic W. Foc: Kama
57. Legendary W. Foc: Kama
60. Epic Discipline

I like the way this build turned out with the feats. The extra weapon feats can easily be swapped out for something else depending on the users tastes. After playing this toon for a while, I think I like nunchucks better than kama's; also, Dulv cold chucks and Myco acid chucks are pretty darn kewl for a certain few of those critters if ya know what I mean. For now, the feats work for all three weapons (and any other CEP weapons of course,) but after the update (3 days I hear lol,) that trick will no longer be available.


Skill Points:


Skills...as far as skills go, get all of the ones listed below. Then, with any points left over (and there is some left over) dump them into either concentration or parry ect..
63 Discipline
63 Craft Weapon
63 Craft Armor
63 Tumble
63 Listen
38 UMD



Gear setup I am using.

Weapons: Dueling Assassin Daggers of course!!
Robes: Robes of the Dim Mak Master (elem resist 35- and epic will, stats +12)
Helmet: Scintillating Scarf (exotic resist 20- and my +12 to INT
Gloves: Touch of the Grave (One of the kewlest items int he game!! And it's a UR! All(most) my immunes in one handy little spot.
Belt: Gravity Slain (+12 str, Discipline)
Cloak: Cloak of the Unjust (Gotta get that Charisma bonus somewhere!!)
Boots: Clockwork Boots (This nifty item grants +1 attack...does it matter if it does anything else??)

Rings: These vary as always. Breach for one, and an Immunity ring of your choice for the second.

[Avissar]

Here is a screen shot of the character at 40th level. I redid my [TEST] toon so that it has the 18 intelligence for extra skills. After taking the SAME skills as listed above, I now had 105 spare points to spend. This is of course only at 40th level in the test chamber. I gave it +12 to all stats, +20 to saves, and maxed my AB. I did not boost armor class and the weapons I am using are just plain ol ordinary assassin daggers.

[jonuhey]

Just typing some random ideas:

Imo the best choice is the rogue one, its not like playing a rogue, you just have their abilities.

With greater umd comes greater items (like using that ring without needing a BG level).

Going with 6Monk/4BG/50Ass, gives you the same AB and you are 10% faster. Dont remember what you will lose taking only 4 BG thou.

If you go str, you can get overwheelming/devastating critical. With this your threat range will be 5% better =) the only dowside is that you need to be half-orc to get a +2 str bonus, and for this you can only be large with jugger or ugly with sally. :/

Btw, what are your saves?

[Avissar]

My saves are in the Screen shot above, but shown at 40th level.

Saves @40
Fort:56
Reflex:71
Will:49

Just by being level 60..(including Legendary Hardened Soul)
Fort: 66
Reflex:81 (I think, either way, it's uber high)
Will:59

I still have 4 open LL feats to boost saves if I want, but that looks darn near safe already. I will probably wear Dim Mak Master Robes, which will give me the Epic Will save for free, which would make my will 63.

Demigodhood would of course add more.

[Avissar]

And actually, I don't think going 6monk/4 bg will give me the same attack progression. I need 6 levels of a tier 1 ab class which BG is and monk is not.

[jonuhey]

that's true... my bad

[MightyKhan]

63 dsicipline is going to cost you:
23->31, 8 ranks cross class, costs 16
31->63, 32 ranks able learner, costs 96
total: 135 skill points (of which 112 points in legendary levels)
if you had 105 unspent points at 40, you will gain 160 (=20*8) more from 40 to 60
total points for maxing other skills besides discipline: 153
thats not enough if you want to max parry the same way...

as for the feats in LLs: esf discipline effectively *grants* you 30 more skillpoints =)
same with esf parry

[Avissar]

I was thing I'd run into that issue with parry, well, I can always wear the crit immune ring if things get hairy, and demi will allow me to move some starting stats around to give even more skil points. Having 4 open feats at the moment helps too.

[Lythe Featherblade]

My take... if you can make a char a searcher, all the better, because quite often a party doesn't have one, and is relying on someone to asmo in a rogue.

As for pickers, it adds versatility to your character. My assassin is a picker just for that reason, and if I ever find the time for a Nessus again I have a much better chance of getting a slot on the run for being both an assassin and a picker.

Dual wielding, PoM gloves give improved 2 weapon fighting, so you can make an assassin a picker and a dual wielder. The cost? only 5 AC (judging by your screenshot) down from a build with monk splash, though you do lose out the option of using a nunchaku for more attacks on crit immunes.. an option that won't be around forever though as the weapon changes will remove it (or at least significantly drop your AB unless you fit in a few more feats).

All in all, dex assassins are pretty basic. 4 attacks, 30 assassin levels, 70 dex (with arti), and saves prefferably over 60. If you get that, you can match any other assassin for kills, the main variable being player skill. After that, for a true comparison, is what you bring to the party. A dual wielder offers a small amount of damage, but usually minor compared to their main job. A picker offers flexibility, which is most felt for cania and nessus. With those spare feats and skillpoints, you might as well go searcher to make good use out of being an elf... and believe me from experience, even if you don't pick, there is still value to being a searcher.

[Avissar]

This is an updated photo of my assassin. I am not buffed, except by my own assassin abilities (Invis (caustic weapon), improved invis, ghostly image, and natrually, a honed weapon for mortal strikes.) I am currently at level 43 and has been a blast to play. I'll update again later. Note that my AC could be 6 higher (at least) than what I have shown, I am using the clockwork boots for an extra attack and it only gets 10 dodge + haste bonus. I am pretty sure a few things out there boost dodge AC.



Kinda hard to see some numbers against my background, mortal strike DC is 48 atm.

[Shakua]

bard song and uef add dodge ac
i would also suggest at least trying fit search in if your going going be a picker
blind fight would be an option for feats when ever you become deaf + it adds a few defensive bonuses that listen dont
maybe skill affinity listen to max listen out
improved critcal katana, then could dual a stygia razor /other katana as back up weapons + more damage
epic skill focus listen and perhaps the one that adds +20 listen , then you could really break the conceal on amizus taking them out fast

[Avissar]

I also found out that the druids Aura of Vitality (I think that is what it was called,) gives a dodge bonus to armor class.

I am not going to be a picker, and at this moment, it does not look like I will have any spare skill points to spend on search. Double-demi will allow me to re-arrange my starting stats; I will probably reincarnate and move some con to intelligence when creating the toon.

Blind-Fight certainly is an option, even though I am maxing listen. Luisten is a class skill for assassins. I might use a pandecet for a free blind-fighting pandecet, but I was also eyeballin the improved sneak attack pandecet. I remember hearing something about needing either rogue levels (which I do not have) or blackguard levels (which I DO have!!)

However, epic skill focus listen might be handy regardless whether I have blindfighting or the listen skill.

As for using weapons other than the Assassin Daggers, I will be using Kamas on anything immune to critical hits. With two weapon, improved two weapon fighting, haste, flurry, and the Clockwork boots (+1 attack) I shold have somewhere around 10-11 (maybe even 12!) attacks per round.


For my open feats, I am currently thinking the following:

51. Epic Skill Focus: Discipline
54. Weapon Focus: Kama
57. Legendary Weapon Focus: Kama
60. Still Open (I will look at saves first, then my skills once I am buffed to see what I lack.


I'm really digging playing my assassin, it's 47 atm; I've even been soloing a bit in the feywild and doing quite well there. (Of course it's meant to be soloed there, hmm LOL.) Also, depsite all I've heard about making it a searcher/picker, but It just does not work for my build idea. Plus, even with a pretty poor charisma, taking the levels of blackguard and gaining the Dark Blessing is like having three bonus epic feats (The saving throw ones of course....)

[Avissar]

Updated with all current info and added gear set up.

[gandoron]

Avi, I am not sure if that build is still active, but I think you are much better off going with Sai or Wind Fire Wheel. Both are monk weapons and have twice the crit range.

-G

[CataclysmicDeath]

Wait Wind fire Wheels are Monk Weapons?

Goes off to start planning his next build.....

Cata