I had high hopes for this build. Death Attack and ranged weapons, it seemed to me, were a match made in heaven. Paralyze them before they even get close? Yes, please! I was also hoping for some synergy between the Intelligence-driven Death Attack and the Intelligence-driven Wizard spells. Unfortunately, neither of these things came anywhere near making up for the build's lack of Epic Dodge, Self Concealment, enough Wizard levels to be good, and massive Sneak Attack damage. As it stands, it's pretty much a bad Assassin, a bad Arcane Archer, and a bad Wizard, and it's not, unfortunately, greater than the sum of its parts. Oh, well. I'm posting it anyway, more as a cautionary tale than anything else.


Elf

Any Evil

Str 12
Dex 18
Con 12
Int 16
Wis 8
Cha 8

1. Wizard 1 – Point Blank Shot
2. Wizard 2
3. Wizard 3 – Weapon Focus (Longbow)
4. Wizard 4 – Dex 19
5. Wizard 5 – Extend Spell*
6. Wizard 6 – Rapid Shot
7. Wizard 7
8. Wizard 8 – Dex 20
9. Wizard 9 – Called Shot
10. Wizard 10 – Quicken Spell*
11. Wizard 11
12. Wizard 12 – Weapon Finesse, Dex 21
13. Arcane Archer 1 / Wizard 12
14. Arcane Archer 2 / Wizard 12
15. Arcane Archer 3 / Wizard 12 – Improved Critical (Longbow)
16. Arcane Archer 4 / Wizard 12 – Dex 22
17. Arcane Archer 5 / Wizard 12
18. Arcane Archer 6 / Wizard 12 – Toughness
19. Arcane Archer 7 / Wizard 12
20. Arcane Archer 8 / Wizard 12 – Dex 23
21. Assassin 1 / Wizard 12 / Arcane Archer 8 – Epic Weapon Focus (Longbow)
22. Assassin 2 / Wizard 12 / Arcane Archer 8
23. Assassin 3 / Wizard 12 / Arcane Archer 8
24. Assassin 4 / Wizard 12 / Arcane Archer 8 – Epic Prowess, Dex 24
25. Assassin 5 / Wizard 12 / Arcane Archer 8
26. Assassin 6 / Wizard 12 / Arcane Archer 8
27. Assassin 7 / Wizard 12 / Arcane Archer 8 – Great Dex 25
28. Assassin 8 / Wizard 12 / Arcane Archer 8 – Dex 26
29. Assassin 9 / Wizard 12 / Arcane Archer 8
30. Assassin 10 / Wizard 12 / Arcane Archer 8 – Great Dex 27
31. Assassin 11 / Wizard 12 / Arcane Archer 8
32. Assassin 12 / Wizard 12 / Arcane Archer 8 – Dex 28
33. Assassin 13 / Wizard 12 / Arcane Archer 8 – Great Dex 29
34. Assassin 14 / Wizard 12 / Arcane Archer 8 – Great Dex 30**
35. Assassin 15 / Wizard 12 / Arcane Archer 8
36. Assassin 16 / Wizard 12 / Arcane Archer 8 – Improved Sneak Attack, Dex 31
37. Arcane Archer 9 / Assassin 16 / Wizard 12
38. Arcane Archer 10 / Assassin 16 / Wizard 12
39. Assassin 17 / Wizard 12 / Arcane Archer 10 – Improved Sneak Attack
40. Assassin 18 / Wizard 12 / Arcane Archer 10 – Improved Sneak Attack**, Dex 32


Skills:
Max Spellcraft and Concentration on all levels, even cross-class. On Arcane Archer levels, max Hide and Move Silently. On Assassin levels, max Tumble, Hide, Move Silently, Open Lock, and Use Magic Device. Don’t take Tumble past 40. You'll have I think 2 skill points left over. Don't spend them all in one place .


Spells:
Level 0 – Resistance 1x, Ray of Frost 3x
Level 1 – True Strike 6x
Level 2 – Darkness 2x, Invisibility 4x
Level 3 – Extended Cat’s Grace 1x, Extended Darkness 2x, Extended Invisibility 3x
Level 4 – Extended Haste 1x, Improved Invisibility 3x
Level 5 – Extended Improved Invisibility 4x
Level 6 – Greater Stoneskin 1x, Quickened Darkness 1x, Quickened Invisibility 1x I like your idea behind the build, even if it didn't turn out.
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A Man of War who treads the world's roads alone, as I do, must be quick. Long ago I learned to strike swiftly and without scruple. I trouble no man without cause, but one who attacks me had best resolve himself to die! You know, we all start out and have an idea for a build (at least we all should ) and we work with it to see if we can make it work. Some do, some dont! I do like the idea behind this build. I am wondering what would happen if you went 10 assassin 18 aa? Do you need the 12 wiz lvls? I am lost as I do not have my game present, and I wont for about a week (holidays ) but I am wondering what the extra 8 lvls in assasin give (besides death attack) that the 8 lvls of aa wouldnt, or vice versa? Instead of looking at this as an assasin/aa, maybe it would be better to look at it as an aa/assasin? hmm.... i will have to think on this, or maybe an assasin or aa expert (which i am not) could help out.

Peace
Quote: Posted 06/30/05 22:15:57 (GMT) -- avado

You know, we all start out and have an idea for a build (at least we all should ) and we work with it to see if we can make it work. Some do, some dont! I do like the idea behind this build. I am wondering what would happen if you went 10 assassin 18 aa? Do you need the 12 wiz lvls?

It's the requirements: +6 BAB for AA means at least 12 WIZ levels. 8 ranks in Hide and MS for Assn levels means at least 13 WIZ levels (cross-classed skills), so 12 WIZ is the minimum you can get away with.

Quote: I am lost as I do not have my game present, and I wont for about a week (holidays ) but I am wondering what the extra 8 lvls in assasin give (besides death attack) that the 8 lvls of aa wouldnt, or vice versa? Instead of looking at this as an assasin/aa, maybe it would be better to look at it as an aa/assasin? hmm.... i will have to think on this, or maybe an assasin or aa expert (which i am not) could help out.

Peace

8 more AA levels would give you +4 on your enchant arrows and lose you 4d6 on your sneak/death attack. You'd also lose the option of taking Imp Sneak Attack as a bonus feat. You also lower the DC of your Death Attack by 8 points.

I tried a build with these classes before and could never come up with something I liked. Hmmmm, Bard/Assn/AA might be a bit better, but even then it wouldn't be very good, I think.
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It's rogue, dammit, ROGUE!!!
Quote: Posted 06/30/05 22:33:51 (GMT) -- Cinnabar Din
I tried a build with these classes before and could never come up with something I liked. Hmmmm, Bard/Assn/AA might be a bit better, but even then it wouldn't be very good, I think.

The build is already skill point challenged. I had to drop Disarm Trap and Search, both of which I wanted in the build. I think it would be pretty hopeless if you took the focus off of Int and moved it to Cha. And, even if you ignore that, the build still suffers terribly from its lack of Epic Dodge and SC. Rogue/Wizard/AA builds are going to walk all over this kind of character.