Assassin Dex Tank?

[Dr. B]

I'm thinking to of how to build an assassin dex tank (high AC with epic dodge) that wouldn't be horrible and, most importantly, can assassinate people. Can it be done?

[Beneidalus]

Probably something like monk 10, ranger 5, assassin 15. You don't need the 16th level of assassin, because imp. evasion is already given by monk, to qualify for epic dodge.

Take 4 of those ranger levels pre-epic to get extra attack a round. Dual wield kama's, which ranger defensive dual wield gives a +1 AC for. 10 levels of monk gets you another +2 AC.

Any WIS bonuses will also go to AC, obviously along with DEX, and epic dodge. Assuming 10 base WIS max buffed, you're looking at values like...

10 base AC
13 AC from DEX
6 AC from
3 ac murderer's rainment
1 dual wield
2 monk
15 tumble

= 50? Pretty reliably, and this isn't including things like barkskin, mage armor, or +1 dodge on boots, (or even just the Dodge feat), or expertise feats.

On top of it all, Epic Dodge, which is basically like a +5 AC, statistically.

Meanwhile, while you're 4 levels short of being a fully dedicated assassin, you can still get a mediocre death attack DC and 8d6 damage, along with the magic damage of 15+INT, and +4 to poison DC's?

Ranger levels mean you're not leaving tracks, and can track others, which is also nice for assassin type stuff. And flurry of blows, each landing with that magic damage of assassinate feature, is nice.

[Maladus]

Probably something like monk 10, ranger 5, assassin 15. You don't need the 16th level of assassin, because imp. evasion is already given by monk, to qualify for epic dodge.

Take 4 of those ranger levels pre-epic to get extra attack a round. Dual wield kama's, which ranger defensive dual wield gives a +1 AC for. 10 levels of monk gets you another +2 AC.

Any WIS bonuses will also go to AC, obviously along with DEX, and epic dodge. Assuming 10 base WIS max buffed, you're looking at values like...

10 base AC
13 AC from DEX
6 AC from
3 ac murderer's rainment
1 dual wield
2 monk
15 tumble

= 50? Pretty reliably, and this isn't including things like barkskin, mage armor, or +1 dodge on boots, (or even just the Dodge feat), or expertise feats.

On top of it all, Epic Dodge, which is basically like a +5 AC, statistically.

Meanwhile, while you're 4 levels short of being a fully dedicated assassin, you can still get a mediocre death attack DC and 8d6 damage, along with the magic damage of 15+INT, and +4 to poison DC's?

Ranger levels mean you're not leaving tracks, and can track others, which is also nice for assassin type stuff. And flurry of blows, each landing with that magic damage of assassinate feature, is nice.

You don't get Improved Evasion until level 16...and you cannot take Epic Dodge on the same level. Also, if the idea is to be a Dex tank with Ranger levels, I think the Ranger's Runic Studded Leather offers more AC...is that correct or no?

[Baron Saturday]

You don't need the 16th level of assassin, because imp. evasion is already given by monk, to qualify for epic dodge.

Think you missed this, Maladus!

I think the Ranger's Runic Studded Leather offers more AC...is that correct or no?

That is not correct for a bunch of reasons, actually. Ranger's Studded Leather gives a total of 13 AC (3 base +4 dex +6 bonus). To qualify for epic dodge, you need 25 base dex (and you're probably gonna aim for 26), so your final dex will be 38, or +14. So just there you're losing 1 AC. You'd also lose 2 AC from the monk AC bonus; however much AC you get from your wisdom mod, call it another 2; and then there's the 3 AC from Murder's Raiment. Also you lose most of your other monk bonuses. So that's like 8 AC (or more) and a bunch of attacks and 30% movement speed. I feel like you didn't notice the whole monk part of Beneidalus' build!

That said, I'd probably go for Ranger's Runic Vestment over Murder's Raiment (1 more AC, +2 str, 10% slashing immunity and barkskin trumps the skill bonuses by my reckoning). I also prefer quarterstaves to kamas any day of the week. With only 16 BAB, that +2 large AB seems more valuable to this build than an extra attack. Plus you look cool.

And being an assassin is all about looking cool.

[Maladus]

I feel like you didn't notice the whole monk part of Beneidalus' build

You're right...I saw the 15 Assassin and stopped reading cause I'm lazy.

[Baron Saturday]

Looking closer at Bene's build, it is definitely tank-focused. For more offensive punch, I might shift it to Ranger 9/Monk 5/Assassin 16, 9/3/8 pre-epic, to get the 2nd off-hand attack. You also pick up 1 AB, though the trade-off is 1 AC, free IKD, and 20% movement speed. Worth it? Eh...

[Beneidalus]

I don't know if I'm simply thinking of pen&paper, but I want to say you can't poison blunt weapons, so while the quarterstaff may grant +2 attack, you can't coat it in poison, which kinda means you're missing out on one of the assassin's main gimmicks.

Edit: Yeah, just looked it up, you can't coat a blunt weapon with poison. Has to be piercing or slashing. Gotta get it into the blood stream!

[Dr. B]

I just hammered out this. It can use sword and board and be pretty tanky, or switch to dual wielding for more offensive punch:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/ ... edit#gid=0

[Baron Saturday]

I don't know if I'm simply thinking of pen&paper, but I want to say you can't poison blunt weapons, so while the quarterstaff may grant +2 attack, you can't coat it in poison, which kinda means you're missing out on one of the assassin's main gimmicks.

Edit: Yeah, just looked it up, you can't coat a blunt weapon with poison. Has to be piercing or slashing. Gotta get it into the blood stream!

I'd be curious to see if that applies to the Arelith custom poisons. It makes sense, but it's a shame!

[Baron Saturday]

I just hammered out this. It can use sword and board and be pretty tanky, or switch to dual wielding for more offensive punch:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/ ... edit#gid=0

Can't take ambidexterity on ranger levels, so I would lean towards rogue - or just do straight fighter/assassin, honestly.

[Dr. B]

Thanks for letting me know. In that case I'd just switch around the feat order.

Going fighter/sin wastes a lot of skill points, and I don't really see any drawbacks to taking three levels in a class that can get Hide/MS; you can still fit all your essential feats.