Neverwinter Nights Assassin Build Guide
Composed by Undacovacop
May 22, 2006
1.0 Why Assassin?
1.1 Death Attack
1.2 Everything Else That Isn't Death Attack
2.0 Race Overview
3.0 Ability Overview
4.0 Things Every Assassin Must Know
4.1 Initiative Initiation
4.2 Death Attack Breakpoints
4.3 Other Useful Information
5.0 Some Selected Spells
6.0 A Few Build Options
6.1 Assassin 30/Bard, Monk, Ranger, or Rogue 10
6.2 Assassin 30/Bard, Monk, Ranger, or Rogue 9/Shadowdancer 1
6.3 Assassin 30/Wizard 9/Bard, Monk, Pale Master, Ranger, or Rogue 1
6.4 Assassin 30/Fighter 9/Bard, Monk, Ranger, or Rogue 1
6.5 Assassin 30/Cleric or Druid 9/Bard, Monk, Ranger, or Rogue 1
6.6 Assassin 30/Barbarian or Paladin 9/Bard, Monk, Ranger, or Rogue 1
6.7 Assassin 30/Bard 5/Red Dragon Disciple 5
6.8 Assassin 30/Bard, Sorcerer, or Wizard 3/Pale Master 7
7.0 Contact Information and Why I Don't Care if You Steal This Guide
8.0 Thanks
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1.0 Why Assassin?
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Probably because you want to kill things. But not only kill things - any drunk
Half-Orc armed with a table leg can kill something. What you want is to sneak
behind your victim and stab them in the back, paralyze them, and then leisurely
annihilate them while they stand there helpless. Bless the developers of NWN
for allowing paralyzed opponents to grunt and squeal as you cut their rigid
bodies to pieces.
Hit Dice: d6
Proficiencies: Weapon Proficiency Simple, Armor Proficiency Light
Skill Points: 4 + INT modifier per level
Requirements: Alignment must be evil, 8 ranks Hide, 8 ranks Move Silently
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1.1 Death Attack
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Mostly similar to a Sneak Attack but has a fair chance of inflicting paralysis.
Death Attack only works on opponents not currently in combat mode. For this
reason, Assassins must largely operate alone because henchmen who have engaged
a target will prevent Death Attacks from activating. Furthermore, it is
critical that the Assassin have the initiative - otherwise, the initial attack
will not be considered a Death Attack (see the initiative section below for
more clarification regarding these points). Opponents struck by a Death Attack
must make a Fortitude save versus Paralysis. If the save is successful, the
target suffers only the effects of a normal Sneak Attack. If the save fails,
the target is paralyzed for 1 turn per Assassin level.
Death Attack dmg: +1d6 at 1st level, increases +1d6 per 2 levels afterward
DC of the save vs. Paralysis: 10 + INT bonus + Assassin Level
Note that 1 turn is equal to 10 rounds and 1 round is roughly equal to 6
seconds.
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1.2 Everything Else That Isn't Death Attack
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Uncanny Dodge I, II, and III
At 2nd level, Assassins retain DEX bonuses to armor class even if caught
flat-footed. At 5th level, Assassins receive +1 to Reflex Saving Throws. At
10th level, the bonus increases to +2.
Spells
Assassins can cast Ghostly Visage 1 x per day at 2nd level, Darkness 1 x per
day at 5th, Invisibility 1 x per day at 6th, and Improved Invisibility 1 x per
day at 9th.
Poison Resist
At 2nd level, Assassins receive +1 to Fortitude saves vs. Poison. The bonus
increases +1 per 2 Assassin levels afterward.
Use Poison
Assassins never make DEX checks to apply poison to weapons.
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2.0 Race Overview
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All races fit the Assassin class. Elves and halflings make good sneakers,
half-orcs make good thugs, gnomes make good wizards, and humans are good at
everything.
Dwarf
Good CON (+2), poor CHA (-2). Fighter levels do not count for determining
multi-class experience penalties. Bonuses to save vs. Poison, Spells. With
the proper build, these guys can become punishing Assassins.
Elf
Good DEX (+2), poor CON (-2). Wizard levels do not count for determining
multi-class experience penalties. Bonus weapon proficiencies, skill affinities
for Listen, Search, and Spot, and make Search checks automatically. Elves also
receive bonuses to save vs. Enchantments. Doesn't get any better than that;
elves are natural stealth Assassins.
Gnome
Good CON (+2), poor STR (-2). Wizard levels do not count for determining
multi-class experience penalties. Skill affinities for Listen and
Concentration, bonus to armor class because of small size, resistant to
Illusions, and Spell Focus in Illusion. Excellent race for illusionist
Assassins.
Half-Elf
Highest-level class does not count for determining multi-class experience
penalties. Partial skill affinities for Listen, Search, and Spot, and bonuses
to save vs. Enchantments. Well-suited to any type of Assassin.
Half-Orc
Good STR (+2), poor INT (-2) and CHA (-2). Barbarian levels do not count for
determining multi-class experience penalties. Half-orcs may seem underpowered,
but they do make fun thug-style Assassins.
Halfling
Good DEX (+2), poor STR (-2). Rogue levels do not count for determining
multi-class experience penalties. Skill affinities for Move Silently and
Listen, bonus to armor class because of small size, immune to fear, and bonuses
to all saving throws. Halflings are the quintessential purist Assassins.
Human
Highest-level class does not count for determining multi-class experience
penalties. Receive 4 extra skill points at 1st level and 1 bonus skill point
per level thereafter. Humans also receive a bonus feat. Humans are fantastic
Assassins, and can be successful using any number of different builds.
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3.0 Ability Overview
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Strength
Can be good, can be useless; depends on what you're going for. Great for the
Half-orc Barbarian/Thug-style Assassin; not so great for the classical stealthy
Halfling types.
Dexterity
The prime ability for most Assassins. Boosts ranged attack bonus (good for
early career), armor class, initiative, Reflex saves (useful for dodging
traps), and is the base for Hide and Move Silently skills, among others.
Constitution
More hit points, and boosts Fortitude saves. Despite that though, only a
secondary concern for most Assassins.
Intelligence
Vital for the Wizard Assassins. Modifies the Death Attack save DC, which is
a nice bonus in the early years, but quickly becomes insignificant at higher
Assassin levels - unless several feats are dedicated to increasing it. Also
modifies the number of skill points received per level - very handy for the
purist Rogue style Assassins.
Wisdom
Vital for the Cleric and Druid Assassins. Also important to the Ranger
Assassin. Boosts Will saves.
Charisma
Vital to the Bard and Sorcerer Assassins. Useful for the crafty, persuasive
types. Otherwise, a waste of time.
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4.0 Things Every Assassin Must Know
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Some important information vital to the effective use of the Assassin are
included below.
A side-note: don't be fooled by the "Death Attack" header that appears all the
time during combat. Very few of your attacks are actual Death Attacks. If you
want to find out, read the combat information scrolling by on the bottom of the
screen. Real Death Attacks will be flagged by the Fortitude saves that the
targets have to make to avoid paralysis. Took me awhile to figure out that 7
"Death Attack" proclamations per round was actually only 3 - see the Death
Attack Breakpoints section below for more information.
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4.1 Initiative Initiation
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After extensive testing (and the deaths of many harmless penguins), the
following 4 feats are regarded as mandatory for an effective Assassin build:
Blooded +2 Initiative, +2 Spot, 1st level only
Thug +2 Initiative, +2 Persuade
Improved Initiative +4 Initiative
Superior Initiative +8 Initiative, Improved Initiative, Epic Character
Death Attack only works on opponents not already engaged in combat. Therefore,
in order to execute a Death Attack, the Assassin must have the initiative. All
the attacks that occur before the enemy can engage you in combat count as Death
Attacks. Furthermore, as mentioned in the first section on Death Attacks,
henchmen will actually impair your ability to inflict maximum Death Attacks
because of all this "engaged in combat" stuff. If Tomi is battling Vengaul,
for example, and you attack as well, your attacks will count only as regular
Sneak Attacks - assuming that Vengaul doesn't then turn to attack you; since
Vengaul is "engaged in combat," your Death Attack will not activate.
1d20 + DEX bonus + Feat bonus = Initiative
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4.2 Death Attack Breakpoints
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After extensive in-game play testing, the following information appears to be
correct. A Death Attack breakpoint exists every three attacks per round as
illustrated below:
Attacks per Round Death Attacks per Round
1, 2, or 3 1
4, 5, or 6 2
7, 8, or 9 3
10 4
Yes, that's correct. If you can attack 10 times per round, your first 4
attacks will count as Death Attacks - provided you have the initiative (see
above for details). Incidentally, 10 attacks per round appears to be
attainable only under the following conditions: Haste, Improved Two-Weapon
Fighting, Flurry of Blows, 20th level Assassin/Monk/some other Fighter-type
class dual-wielding kamas. Oh, special thanks to the tens of thousands of
penguins who died in my experiment module so that this information could come
to light.
So, if the previously-mentioned set of conditions are fulfilled, Assassin
30/Barbarian, Fighter, Paladin, or Ranger 9/Monk 1 can reach 10 attacks per
round, and 4 Death Attacks per round. Assassin 30/Bard, Cleric, Druid, or
Rogue 9/Monk 1 can reach 9 attacks per round, and 3 Death Attacks. Assassin
30/Sorcerer or Wizard 9/Monk 1 can reach 8 attacks per round, and 3 Death
Attacks. Compare that with a vanilla Assassin 30/Ranger 10, who maxes out at
7 attacks per round. Assassin 30/Rogue 10 maxes out at 6 attacks per
round, as does Assassin 30/Wizard 9/Bard, Ranger, or Rogue 1 and Assassin
30/Cleric or Druid 9/Bard, Ranger, or Rogue 1. Amazing the difference one
level of Monk can make.
At first, I did the math on my fingers and kept coming up with a maximum of 9
attacks per round as the maximum possible. Then it occurred to me that
Fighter-type classes have better base attack bonuses. The better numbers
synergize with the better attack advancement characteristic of the unarmed
Monk, yielding an extra attack. Let me explain...
This is kind of complicated, but here's what it looks like. All characters
reach their maximum number of attacks at level 20. Okay, so you take the base
attack bonus (BAB) for a 10th level Assassin, which is +7. Add that to the BAB
for a 9th level Fighter, which is +9. That gives us a total BAB of +16. Now,
because you've got 1 level in Monk and are wielding kamas, you use the unarmed
attack bonus chart of the Monk class. And here's what you get:
+16/+13/+10/+7/+4/+1 for a total of 6 attacks. Add 2 offhand attacks for dual-
wielding, that brings the total up to 8. Add 1 for Haste, add 1 for Flurry of
Blows and voila! 10 attacks per round. This same formula appears to work for
the other classes as well. Try it with a 9th level Cleric: +7 BAB of a 10th
level Assassin, +6 for a 9th level Cleric, use the unarmed Monk chart again,
and get: +13/+10/+7/+4/+1. Dual-wield, Haste, and Flurry of Blows for a grand
total of 9 attacks per round. With a 9th level Wizard: +7 and +4 gives you
+11/+8/+5/+2; add 4 more for dual-wield, Haste, and Flurry of Blows and you get
8 attacks per round.
And now that that's all sorted out, the bad news: this only works with the
kama. You can't active Flurry of Blows with any other weapon equipped. Kamas
don't do much damage (1d6), don't cause criticals often (20), and the
multiplier stinks, too (x2). Still though, a steady stream of attacks flowing
from your character is pretty goddamn cool.
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4.3 Other Useful Information
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The following feat is regarded as mandatory for an effective Assassin build
which does not provide the Ultravision spell:
Blind-Fight: Allows you to re-roll once every miss caused by concealment
Since Darkness grants 50% concealment to every target within the area of
effect, half of your attacks would normally miss outright. Blind-Fight helps
combat this annoying effect, though it is at best an imperfect solution.
NWN patch 1.66 note:
Any monsters immune to Mind-Affecting spells are not immune to Death Attack.
Equipment that grants Immune to Critical Hits or Freedom will also provide
immunity to Death Attacks.
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5.0 Some Selected Spells
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Camouflage (Druid 1st, Ranger 1st)
Useful at lower levels for ensuring a successful Death Attack attempt. +10
Hide.
Sleep (Bard 1st, Druid 1st, Ranger 2nd, Sorcerer 1st, Wizard 1st)
Great Assassin companion, especially in the early days. A sleeping opponent
can be insta-killed. It's amazing that Kobolds aren't extinct because of this
spell.
Ghostly Visage (Bard 2nd, Sorcerer 2nd, Wizard 2nd)
10/+2 DR and immunity to 1st level spells doesn't suck.
Darkness (Bard 2nd, Cleric 2nd, Sorcerer 2nd, Wizard 2nd)
Probably the most useful spell in an Assassins repertoire. Darkness means
unlimited Death Attacks on all affected targets. Comes with one, slight
complication though - said targets receive 50% concealment. See Ultravision
for the fix. Cast this spell on the bad guys (preferably Extended, for double
duration), attack Bad Guy #1, then attack Bad Guy #2, etc. until one of three
possibilities occur: 1) you killed all the bad guys, 2) you paralyzed all the
bad guys, or 3) Darkness wears off. In the first case, you're fine. In the
second case, once they've all been paralyzed, you can just pick them off one at
a time - odds are that they'll be paralyzed for quite some time. In the third
case, either recast Darkness or just plow through whomever is still a threat
and then mop up the still paralyzed bad guys. You may sometimes find that you
aren't succeeding in paralyzing them. In that case, just back off a few
seconds and then reengage them. You're initial attack(s) will count again as
Death Attacks. Repeat as necessary. Oh, by the way, Darkness will also
prevent True Sight from working, allowing you to Death Attack anyone under the
influence of this ability.
Invisibility (Bard 2nd, Sorcerer 2nd, Wizard 2nd)
Assassin made simple. Death Attack, then cast Invisibility. Rinse and repeat.
Good substitute for the excellent Shadowdancer ability, Hide in Plain Sight.
Most effective on single targets.
Fox's Cunning (Bard 2nd, Cleric 2nd, Sorcerer 2nd, Wizard 2nd)
Marginally useful, especially so during the early years of your career.
Boosted INT means boosted Death Attack DC.
Cat's Grace (Ranger 2nd, Sorcerer 2nd, Wizard 2nd)
Most useful when combined with Weapon Finesse feat. You can't paralyze anyone
if you can't successfully stab them.
Ultravision (Bard 2nd, Cleric 2nd, Druid 1st, Ranger 1st, Sorc 2nd, Wizard 2nd)
Very useful. This appears to be the only way to override the 50% concealment
applied to enemies affected by Darkness. If you can't cast this spell, you
should opt for the Blind-Fight feat, which allows you to re-roll once every
miss caused by concealment. It ain't perfect, but it sure beats half of your
attacks missing outright.
One With the Land (Druid 2nd, Ranger 2nd)
Situationally useful. +4 to Hide, Move Silently, Set Trap, and Animal Empathy.
Haste (Bard 3rd, Sorcerer 3rd, Wizard 3rd)
More attacks is always better. This spell is crucial for reaching the 4 Death
Attack breakpoint.
Invisibility Sphere (Bard 3rd, Sorcerer 3rd, Wizard 3rd)
Somewhat useful, especially if you employ Rogue henchmen.
Divine Power (Cleric 4th)
Boosted STR means attack and damage bonus. Bonus hit points to boot.
Stoneskin (Druid 4th, Sorcerer 4th, Wizard 4th)
Hard to beat 10/+5 DR. Good when rumbling mano-et-mano.
Improved Invisibility (Sorcerer 4th, Wizard 4th)
Just like Invisibility - only improved.
Lesser Spell Breach (Sorcerer 4th, Wizard 4th)
Good for handling those pesky wizards, assuming they somehow survived your
Death Attack long enough to hassle you.
Minor Globe of Invulnerability (Sorcerer 4th, Wizard 4th)
Again, good for handling those pesky wizards, assuming they somehow survived
your Death Attack long enough to hassle you.
Spell Resistance (Cleric 5th, Druid 5th)
Again, again, good for handling those pesky wizards, assuming they somehow
survived your Death Attack long enough to hassle you.
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6.0 A Few Build Options
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In order to appreciate the following build options, it may be neccessary that
you disregard section 4.2 above, which demonstrated unequivocally the obvious
superiority of adding just one level of Monk to your build. Keep in mind that
this is a "role-playing" game...there is sometimes more to the experience than
killing everything...well, once in a while, at least.
I doubt this list is exhaustive - I'm sure there must be a way to weasel Harper
Scout in somewhere - but I tried to cover a broad range of build possibilities
- in many cases, even the stupid ones. For the most part, each build section
has a number of successful variants, so I refrained from making Ability point
distribution suggestions. It's really a pretty simple concept - if you choose
Monk, add more WIS; if you prefer Wizard, add more INT. You're smart people;
you get the idea. Note that I took the liberty of capitalizing the required
skills and feats for certain classes.
When leveling up, pay attention to when you take levels in what. For builds
that use a primary class other than Bard, Monk, Ranger, or Rogue, be sure to
take 4 levels of your primary class before taking a level in whatever class
will grant you access to Hide and Move Silently. Oh, and save your skill
points! You'll want to have enough to acquire 8 ranks in Hide and Move
Silently at character level 5. Then you can get to Assassin beginning at
character level 6.
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6.1 Assassin 30/Bard, Monk, Ranger, or Rogue 10
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Why Bard?
Bard Song, Bard Knowledge
Darkness, Ultravision at 4th level
An interesting build with access to Darkness and Ultravision - and not much
else worth noting. For those of you who like being somewhat underpowered.
Why Monk?
Improved Unarmed Strike, Flurry of Blows, Cleave, Evasion at 1st level
Stunning Fist at 1st level
Deflect Arrows at 2nd level
Knockdown, Improved Knockdown at 6th level
Immune to Disease at 5th level
Wholeness of Body at 7th level
Improved Evasion at 9th level
Ki Strike I at 10th level
Increased movement speed
WIS mod armor class bonus
Boatloads of free feats, plus the potential for a ridiculous number of attacks.
Boosted movement rate and a special armor class boost as well. No Ultravision,
so you may need to compensate with the Blind-Fight feat.
Why Ranger?
Ambidexterity, Two-Weapon Fighting at 1st level
Improved Two-Weapon Fighting at 9th level
Favored Enemy at 1st, 5th, and 10th level
Animal Companion at 6th level
Ultravision at 4th level
Dual weapon feats galore, favored enemies, an animal companion for the
occasional distraction, and Ultravision to boot. An excellent compliment to
the Assassin class.
Why Rogue?
Sneak Attack at 1st level
Evasion at 2nd level
Uncanny Dodge I at 3rd level, Uncanny Dodge II at 6th level
Special feat at 10th level
Great for the purist Assassin. The special feat at 10th level provides a few
attractive options, namely Crippling Strike, Slippery Mind, and Improved
Evasion. Tons of skill points grant exceptional versatility. No Ultravision,
so you may need to compensate with the Blind-Fight feat. Overall, a solid
choice.
Suggested Race: Elf, Halfling, Half-Elf, Half-Orc, Human
Suggested Skill Distribution: Disable Trap, HIDE, MOVE SILENTLY, Pick Lock,
Search, Tumble, Use Magic Device
Suggested Feats: Blooded (can only be taken at level 1), Weapon Finesse,
Improved Initiative, Thug, Superior Initiative, Stealthy, Weapon Focus, Great
Dexterity, Epic Skill Focus (Hide, Move Silently), Two-Weapon Fighting,
Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Ambidexterity
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6.2 Assassin 30/Bard, Monk, Ranger, or Rogue 9/Shadowdancer 1
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Why Bard?
Bard Song, Bard Knowledge
Darkness, Ultravision at 4th level
Sort of pointless combined with the Shadowdancer, though Darkness is still a
potent weapon for any Assassin.
Why Monk?
Improved Unarmed Strike, Flurry of Blows, Cleave, Evasion at 1st level
Stunning Fist at 1st level
Deflect Arrows at 2nd level
Knockdown, Improved Knockdown at 6th level
Immune to Disease at 5th level
Wholeness of Body at 7th level
Improved Evasion at 9th level
Increased movement speed
WIS mod armor class bonus
Boatloads of free feats, plus the potential for a ridiculous number of attacks.
Boosted movement rate and a special armor class boost as well - be sure to add
a few points to WIS score.
Why Ranger?
Ambidexterity, Two-Weapon Fighting at 1st level
Improved Two-Weapon Fighting at 9th level
Favored Enemy at 1st, and 5th level
Animal Companion at 6th level
Ultravision at 4th level
Dual weapon feats galore - a deadly combination with Hide in Plain Sight. Two
Favored Enemy selections, and an Animal Companion for the occasional sticky
situation.
Why Rogue?
Sneak Attack at 1st level
Evasion at 2nd level
Uncanny Dodge I at 3rd level, Uncanny Dodge II at 6th level
Great for the purist Assassin. Tons of skill points grant exceptional
versatility.
Why Shadowdancer?
Hide in Plain Sight
Perfect fit for the Assassin. Eliminates the need for Darkness and Ultravision
almost completely. My personal favorite build choice.
Suggested Race: Elf, Halfling, Half-Elf, Human
Suggested Skill Distribution: Disable Trap, HIDE, MOVE SILENTLY, Pick Lock,
Search, TUMBLE, Use Magic Device
Suggested Feats: Blooded (can only be taken at 1st level), DODGE, MOBILITY,
Weapon Finesse, Improved Initiative, Thug, Superior Initiative, Stealthy,
Weapon Focus, Great Dexterity, Epic Skill Focus (Hide, Move Silently), Two-
Weapon Fighting, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Ambidexterity
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6.3 Assassin 30/Wizard 9/Bard, Monk, Pale Master, Ranger, or Rogue 1
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Why Wizard?
Ultravision, Darkness at 3rd level
Extend Spell feat available at 5th level
Summon Familiar at 1st level
INT mod does double duty
Solid build with great damage potential. Poor in direct combat, but more than
adequate options for stealth.
Why Bard?
Can fulfill Hide, Move Silently requirement
Bard Song for minor buffing
Really only useful for the access to Hide and Move Silently.
Why Monk?
Can fulfill Hide, Move Silently requirement
Improved Unarmed Strike, Flurry of Blows, Cleave, Evasion at 1st level
Stunning Fist at 1st level
WIS mod armor class bonus
A few good feats to bolster combat effectiveness. Excellent in combination
with the spellcasting abilities of the wizard class. Make sure to boost WIS
score to take advantage of the armor class bonus.
Why Pale Master?
Can fulfill Hide, Move Silently requirement
+2 bonus to armor class at 1st level
An interesting choice with great role-playing implications. Hard to beat the
+2 armor class bonus just for ticking off one level.
Why Ranger?
Can fulfill Hide, Move Silently requirement
Ambidexterity, Two-Weapon Fighting at 1st level
Favored Enemy at 1st level
Good feats to boost combat skill and Favored Enemy for role-playing flavor.
Why Rogue?
Can fulfill Hide, Move Silently requirement
Sneak Attack at 1st level
Tons of skill points for improved versatility.
Suggested Race: Elf, Gnome, Half-Elf, Human
Suggested Skill Distribution: Concentration, Disable Trap, HIDE, MOVE SILENTLY,
Pick Lock, Search, Tumble
Suggested Feats: Blooded (can only be taken at 1st level), Combat Casting,
Weapon Finesse, Improved Initiative, Thug, Superior Initiative, Stealthy,
Weapon Focus, Great Dexterity, Epic Skill Focus (Hide, Move Silently), Extend
Spell, Two-Weapon Fighting, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Ambidexterity
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6.4 Assassin 30/Fighter 9/Bard, Monk, Ranger, or Rogue 1
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Why Fighter?
Bonus feat every other level
Possibly the only build capable of surviving extended bouts of stand-up combat.
Tons of hit points, great feats, and excellent versatility. No Ultravision
though, so you may need to compensate with the Blind-Fight feat.
Why Bard?
Can fulfill Hide, Move Silently requirement
Bard Song for minor buffing
Well, at least you can hit the Hide and Move Silently requirements with this
option. No Ultravision, so you may need to compensate with the Blind-Fight
feat.
Why Monk?
Can fulfill Hide, Move Silently requirement
Improved Unarmed Strike, Flurry of Blows, Cleave, Evasion at 1st level
Stunning Fist at 1st level
WIS mod armor class bonus
Brilliant choice for combining with the Fighter class. Tons of feats and an
armor class bonus, so be sure to boost WIS score. This particular build may
possibly be capable of dishing out more damage per round than any other as it
can achieve the 4 Death Attack breakpoint. No Ultravision, so you may need to
compensate with the Blind-Fight feat.
Why Ranger?
Can fulfill Hide, Move Silently requirement
Ambidexterity, Two-Weapon Fighting at 1st level
Favored Enemy at 1st level
Great mix with the Fighter primary class. Good feats and a favored enemy
make for a heck of a stand-up brawler and shadowy skulker. No Ultravision,
so you may need to compensate with the Blind-Fight feat.
Why Rogue?
Can fulfill Hide, Move Silently requirement
Sneak Attack at 1st level
Good skill point boost, and access to Sneak Attack a level earlier. No
Ultravision, so you may need to compensate with the Blind-Fight feat.
Suggested Race: Any, but especially Dwarf
Suggested Skill Distribution: Disable Trap, HIDE, MOVE SILENTLY, Pick Lock,
Search, Tumble, Use Magic Device
Suggested Feats: Blooded (can only be taken at 1st level), Weapon Finesse,
Improved Initiative, Thug, Superior Initiative, Stealthy, Weapon Focus, Weapon
Specialization, Improved Critical, Great Dexterity, Epic Skill Focus (Hide,
Move Silently), Cleave, Great Cleave, Blind-Fight, Two-Weapon Fighting,
Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Ambidexterity
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6.5 Assassin 30/Cleric or Druid 9/Bard, Monk, Ranger, or Rogue 1
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Why Cleric?
Ultravision, Darkness at 3rd level
Access to bonus Domain powers (especially Trickery)
Turn Undead
Solid choice for the Assassin build. The Cleric has access to some interesting
powers that shore up typical Assassin weaknesses - Turn Undead, or the
Destruction Domain for example. The ability to cast Invisibility from the
Trickery Domain is a no-brainer. As a nice bonus, healing spells never suck
and Clerics make decent brawlers when things go sideways.
Why Druid?
Ultravision at 1st level
Nature Sense, Animal Companion at 1st level
Woodland Stride at 2nd level
Trackless Step at 3rd level
Resist Nature's Lure at 4th level
Wild Shape at 5th level
Venom Immunity at 9th level
An interesting selection that can make a powerful Assassin, especially in
wilderness settings. Wild Shape is an ultra-cool role-playing device and
Woodland Stride combines nicely with Resist Nature's Lure to boost spell
defense. Also, you never know when you might need a Dire Wolf to do your
infernal bidding - or a Giant Spider, if you're going for cool points.
Why Bard?
Can fulfill Hide, Move Silently requirement
Bard Song for minor buffing
Hide and Move Silently may be the only good news here.
Why Monk?
Can fulfill Hide, Move Silently requirement
Improved Unarmed Strike, Flurry of Blows, Cleave, Evasion at 1st level
Stunning Fist at 1st level
WIS mod armor class bonus
Good selection to boost combat presence, especially for the Druid. WIS score
does double duty, boosting access to spells and armor class. Note that in
combination with Druid, this build requires alignment manipulation.
Why Ranger?
Can fulfill Hide, Move Silently requirement
Ambidexterity, Two-Weapon Fighting at 1st level
Favored Enemy at 1st level
Good feats and a favored enemy increases the combat presence of both Clerics
and Druids.
Why Rogue?
Can fulfill Hide, Move Silently requirement
Sneak Attack at 1st level
Good skill point boost, and access to Sneak Attack a level earlier.
Suggested Race: Any
Suggested Skill Distribution: Concentration, Disable Trap, HIDE, MOVE SILENTLY,
Pick Lock, Search, Tumble, Use Magic Device
Suggested Feats: Blooded (can only be taken at 1st level), Weapon Finesse,
Improved Initiative, Thug, Superior Initiative, Stealthy, Weapon Focus,
Improved Critical, Great Dexterity, Epic Skill Focus (Hide, Move Silently),
Extend Spell, Two-Weapon Fighting, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Ambidexterity
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6.6 Assassin 30/Barbarian or Paladin 9/Bard, Monk, Ranger, or Rogue 1
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Why Barbarian?
Rage
10% movement speed bonus at 1st level
Uncanny Dodge I at 1st level, Uncanny Dodge II at 5th level
Boatloads of hit points is never a bad thing. Makes for a great (and very fun)
thug Assassin. Finally a use for those damned Half-Orcs. Not as gifted in
feats as the Fighter build, but more than makes up for it in sheer
manliness. No Ultravision, so take Blind-Fight to compensate.
Why Paladin?
Divine Grace, Divine Health, Lay on Hands at 1st level
Aura of Courage and Smite Evil at 2nd level
Turn Undead and Remove Disease at 3rd level
This odd build just oozes role-playing possibilities; the fact that you have to
become a Fallen Paladin to even make this build happen is very cool. Turn
Undead helps a little bit, especially in the early going. Your spells
basically suck, but your brooding malevolence will be off the charts. No
Ultravision, so you'll need Blind Fighting to compensate.
Why Bard?
Can fulfill Hide, Move Silently requirement
Bard Song for minor buffing
Really more of a pain in the ass than it's worth, especially with Paladin
(though it does make for a classic story arc - first goody-two-shoes, then
transitioning to the free-spirited, rogue-ish bard, and finally morphing into a
deadly killer). Pick something else. Oh, by the way, no Ultravision. Take
Blind-Fight.
Why Monk?
Can fulfill Hide, Move Silently requirement
Improved Unarmed Strike, Flurry of Blows, Cleave, Evasion at 1st level
Stunning Fist at 1st level
WIS mod armor class bonus
WIS modifier doubles up for the Paladin, though Paladin spells are pretty
useless. Good array of feats that make for bonus combat nastiness. Capable of
reaching the 4 Death Attack breakpoint. Could be a good combination with
Barbarian, but I don't think the alignment contortion is worth the effort - if
it's even possible. No Ultravision here, so check out Blind-Fight instead.
Why Ranger?
Can fulfill Hide, Move Silently requirement
Ambidexterity, Two-Weapon Fighting at 1st level
Favored Enemy at 1st level
Good combat feats, plus the Favored Enemy choice. Especially well-suited to
the Barbarian. No Ultravision, so you'll probably want Blind-Fight.
Why Rogue?
Can fulfill Hide, Move Silently requirement
Sneak Attack at 1st level
Good skill point boost, and access to Sneak Attack a level earlier. Fits the
Barbarian well, and makes for a good story arc with the Paladin. No
Ultravision, so take Blind-Fight to compensate.
Suggested Race: Dwarf, Half-Orc, Human
Suggested Skill Distribution: Disable Trap, HIDE, Intimidate, MOVE SILENTLY,
Pick Lock, Search, Tumble, Use Magic Device
Suggested Feats: Blooded (can only be taken at 1st level), Weapon Finesse,
Improved Initiative, Thug, Superior Initiative, Stealthy, Weapon Focus,
Improved Critical, Great Dexterity, Epic Skill Focus (Hide, Move Silently),
Terrifying Rage, Blind-Fight, Two-Weapon Fighting, Improved Two-Weapon
Fighting, Ambidexterity
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6.7 Assassin 30/Bard 5/Red Dragon Disciple 5
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This build offers some interesting role-playing possibilities as well as a few
not insignificant bonuses. Five levels of Red Dragon Disciple will provide a
+4 boost to STR, +2 bonus to armor class, and a 2d10 red dragon breath weapon.
Combined with Darkness and Ultravision from the Bard class, you have one very
effective Assassin. Don�t forget - you'll need to take 8 ranks in LORE before
you can take levels in Red Dragon Disciple.
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6.8 Assassin 30/Bard, Sorcerer, or Wizard 3/Pale Master 7
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The Wizard class suits this build better than either Bard or Sorcerer - the INT
bonus doubles as a booster for the Death Attack. Good assortment of spells and
the Extend Spell feat will work for Darkness, especially since this character
cannot learn any 3rd level spells, yet continues to gain 3rd level slots. You
can also use the Empower Spell and/or Maximize Spell feats to take advantage of
the 4th level spell slots you'll acquire as well. 7 levels of Pale Master
provides a robust +4 armor class boost, the ability to summon undead allies, 3
bonus hit points per level, a paralysis attack 2 x per day, and immunity to
hold, paralyze, and stun. Not to mention, a Pale Master combined with a Wizard
(preferably one specializing in Necromancy) and Assassin makes for a good role-
playing opportunity.
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7.0 Contact Information and Why I Don't Care if You Steal This Guide
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If you found this guide useful at all, or if you hated it, drop me a line!
[email protected]
Please don't spam me or add me to some weird pharmacy mailing list - I have all
the drugs I could ever possibly need. Oh, and I'm open to suggestions, though
I doubt this version will be revised with NWN2 just on the horizon. Write
"Assassin Guide" or something of that sort in the subject line; otherwise, I
will probably just delete it since I get so much worthless garbage.
Do feel free to steal this guide in part, or in full, and post it wherever you
like. Let's be honest: who really gives a damn? Am I really interested in
trotting out a horde of lawyers to chase someone down over something like this?
Of course not. Besides, it's a GAME folks, a GAME. One proviso: if you do
find a way to make money selling this information, send me an anonymous email
as to how you did it and where I can find it! If it turns out that you can
make money this way, I may have to revise my "free love" policy. Otherwise,
this has been a wonderful spring project for me and I hope it proliferates
across the Internet. Besides, I still have all the original documents and
could prove it's my work if I ever needed to. Anyway, enjoy the Assassin,
this great game, and stealing my work!
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8.0 Thanks
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Sections 1 and 2 come almost verbatim from the Neverwinter Nights game manuals
and/or in-game information screens (SoU and HotU as well).
Special thanks to the penguin community for all their sacrifices in my tireless
pursuit of knowledge.
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