Ok so I will not call it the Courtesan...
Hey Saekee, i have put together a fascinate Assassin, named The Courtesan (if u dont mind) for fun:
Iam posting here, because this is THE thread for experimental atempts on the Assassin and its probably not worth its own post, because its untested and i have never played a bard so its pure vitreous theorycrafting, awaiting the friendly stones of criticism
Im not playing the next months, so its going to stay untested most likely...
If you want me to create an own post, to keep your post clean of this please say so!
Let me proudly introduce: The Courtesan (Name inspired by Saekee):
A Drow Rog18 Brd1 FvS1 Assassin, which sacrifices damage for control to ensure Assassination and one on one fights due to Fascinate, sirens song, sap and shadowdagger with an extraordinary high umd, bluff and diplomacy.
Essentials:
>> Race: As Drow boost all 3 main attributes of the Courtesan, and it has no Ap for a racialtree to spare, this is a build, where drow is best even on a 36 point split uncontested!
>> Fvs: Divine Presence to boost Dire charge and make up a bit for the lost dmg, magical training for unlimited divine presence, scathing words and coocon.
>> Scathing words and Haunting Song: for -5 fort save on fascinated mobs to improve your Assassinate to make up for the loss of Assassinate from splashing. Scathing words -3 can be used outside of fascination in grps.
>> Song uses: +3 musical studies, +2 Tavern Shanties, +3 Lasting inspiration, +3 allure: 12 Songs/rest, lasting for 1min and 12 sec
( lingering songs and lasting inspiration)
Equip an Anthem item to regenerate 1 song/minute and i bet there are items giving extra songuses too.
>> Cha: starts with 18, build needs to get maximum possible bonus from items and buffs for fascinate and divine Presence.
>> Perform: skillfocus+3, skills+1 roguespecial, allure +6. otherwise get every bonus from items and buffs.
i could add +3 from skilling charlatan and +1 from skill mastery in shadowdancer if needed.
Performwise a full cha bard should be only better due to his higher charisma, so this build should not be too far behind theoretically.
A typical Solo-Routine could be:
fascinate from Stealth > Swashbuckler insults resulting in -5 on mobs forts saves from haunting songs and scathing Words > bluff >Assassinate, > kill one in melee > control rest of mobs with sap and Sirens Song and shadowdagger and when necessary another fascinate while using assassinate whenever possible and creating 1 on 1 fights.
Or Assassinate 2 from Stealth > meld into darkness > fascinate > Scathing Insults > Sap one for safety > bluff > assassinate > melee one> control further with sap and fascinate, keeping sirenssong and shadowdagger in the backhand for emergencycontrol following the same logic like above.
This way it should be able to solo difficult content with enemies susceptible for fascinate and assassinate, where regular Assassins have a hard time. The Courtesan may be even able to solo lower Reaper...but this is pure speculation
Maybe fascinate is usable in cautious groups in reaper too, together with diplomacy to get rid of the agro of ex fascinated mobs.
Movementspeed from ShadowtrainingII could be very useful to place initial fascinate without loosing much time in grps or solo.
Meld into darknes, improved invisibility and uncanny dodge to survive failed attempts and ensure the fascination of already angry mobs
Executioners strike, shiv, improved feint and hasteboost to fasten your 1 on 1 melee kills before the next assassination of a fascinated spectator...
Charmeur Melee Assassin
18/1/1 Rogue/Bard/Favored Soul
Chaotic Good Drow
Level Order
1. Rogue. . . . . .6. Rogue. . . . . 11. Rogue. . . . . 16. Rogue
2. Rogue. . . . . .7. Rogue. . . . . 12. Rogue. . . . . 17. Rogue
3. Rogue. . . . . .8. Rogue. . . . . 13. Rogue. . . . . 18. Rogue
4. Rogue. . . . . .9. Rogue. . . . . 14. Bard. . . . . .19. Rogue
5. Favored Soul. .10. Rogue . . . . .15. Rogue . . . . .20. Rogue
Stats
. . . . . . . .32pt . . Tome . . Level Up
. . . . . . . .---- . . ----. . .--------
Strength. . . . .8. . . .+3. . . .4: DEX
Dexterity . . . 18. . . .+6. . . .8: DEX
Constitution. . 12. . . .+4. . . 12: DEX
Intelligence. . 16. . . .+4. . . 16: DEX
Wisdom. . . . . .8. . . .+3. . . 20: DEX
Charisma. . . . 18. . . .+3. . . 24: DEX
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28: DEX
Skills
. . . . . R. R. R. R. F .R .R .R .R .R .R .R .R .B. R. R. R. R. R. R
. . . . . 1. 2. 3. 4. 5 .6 .7 .8 .9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
. . . . .------------------------------------------------------------
Perform . 1. ½. . . . . . . . .½ .½ .½ .1 .1 .1 11 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .23
Disable . 4. 1. 1. 1. . .2 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 . . 1. 1. 1. 1. 2. 1. 23
Search. . 4. 1. 1. 1. . .1 .2 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 . . 2. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 23
Spot. . . 4. 1. 1. 1. . .1 .2 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 . . 1. 1. 1. 2. 1. 1. 23
Bluff . . 4. 1. 1. 1. . .1 .2 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 . . 1. 2. 1. 1. 1. 1. 23
Diplo . . 2. . . . . .6. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. . .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .2 .23
Balance . 4. 1. 1. 1. . .1 .1 .2 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 . . 1. 2. 1. 1. 1. 1. 23
Hide. . . 4. 1. 1. 1. . .2 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 . . 1. 1. 2. 1. 1. 1. 23
Move Si . 4. 1. 1. 1. . .2 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 . . 1. 1. 2. 1. 1. 1. 23
UMD . . . 4. 1. 1. 1. . .1 .2 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 . . 2. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 23
Open Lo . 4. 1. 1. . . . . . . 2. 2. 2. 1. 1. 1. . . . . . . 1. 1. 1. 18
Jump. . . . .2 .3 .2 . . . . . . .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Tumble. . 4. . . . 2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
. . . . .------------------------------------------------------------
. . . . .44 12 12 12 .6 12 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 11 13 13 13 13 13 13
Feats
.1. . . . : Two Weapon Fighting
.3. . . . : Improved Feint
.6. . . . : Sap
.9. . . . : Improved Two Weapon Fighting
12. . . . : Improved Critical: Piercing
15. . . . : Precision
18. . . . : Greater Two Weapon Fighting
21 Epic . : Improved Sneak Attack
24 Epic . : Overwhelming Critical
26 Destiny: Perfect Two Weapon Fighting
27 Epic . : Skill Focus: Perform
28 Destiny: Lasting Inspiration
29 Destiny: Dire Charge
30 Epic . : Blinding Speed
30 Legend : Scion of: Astral Plane
11 Rogue. : Improved Evasion
15 Rogue. : Opportunist
18 Rogue. : Skill Mastery
.5 Deity. : Follower of: The Blood of Vol
Spells
Bard
- Detect Secret Doors
Favored Soul
- Protection from Evil, Nightshield
Enhancements (80 AP)
Assassin (37 AP)
- Knife in the Darkness, Dagger in the Back, Assassin's Trick, Nimbleness, Lethality
- Shiv I, Sneak Attack Training, Stealthy II
- Venomed Blades III, Sneak Attack Training, Damage Boost III
- Critical Mastery II, Shadow Dagger III, Sneak Attack Training, Dexterity
- Sneak Attack Training, Dexterity
- Assassinate, Measure the Foe III, Knife Specialization
Vistani Knife Fighter (23 AP)
- Knife Expertise, Knife Juggler, Knife Specialist, One With Blades
- Vistani Knife Training, Undead Hunter, Mist Stalker, Rapid Attack
- Vistani Knife Training, Mist Stalker, Haste Boost
- Vistani Knife Training, Mist Stalker, Deadly Blades
- Double Daggers
Spellsinger (8 AP)
- Spellsinger
- Haunting Melody I, Studies: Musical III, Lingering Songs III
Swashbuckler (5 AP)
- Confidence
- Insults: Scathing Words II, Tavern Shanties II
War Soul (4 AP)
- Smite Foe
- Divine Presence III
Thief-Acrobat (3 AP)
- Staff Control
- Fast Movement
Destiny (24 AP)
Shadowdancer
- Stealthy III, Dexterity
- Lithe I, Dexterity
- Shrouding Strike III, Meld into Darkness I, Grim Precision III, Dexterity
- Improved Invisibility III
- Untouchable, Executioner's Strike I
- Shadow Form
Twists of Fate (27 fate points)
- Balanced Attacks (Tier 3 Primal)
- Siren's Song (Tier 3 Fatesinger)
- Rejuvenation Cocoon (Tier 1 Primal)
- Allure (Tier 1 Fatesinger)
- Music of the Spider Queen (Tier 1 Fatesinger)
Productive or eperience based critic, opinions and ideas to optimize this aproach are very welcome
Im particulary interested in necessary performskill on EE and Reaper, experience with sirens song, insight about barditems and the bardclass.
Specific questions are: is this build able to reach the performskill to reliable fascinate on EE, Reaper and endgame? is it possible to play fascinate song from stealth or while invisible? Are scathing words or bluff breaking fascination? How long do scathing words and the blind of shadow dagger last? Is it necessary to use bluff before assassinating fascinated enemies?
Keep this great game alive and fix the dam Stealth and Agromechanic !
Tagedieb