full saga (EET) run with Assassin?
tl1942
Member Posts: 178
I'm wondering how viable Assassin would be for a full EET run? How about late game/TOB?
I don't want to go Fighter/Thief (I've already done a saga run as half-orc Fighter/Thief; almost felt overpowered), but I may go Blade instead. I'm attracted to the Assassin's lack of spellcasting, but I'm seriously worried about how useful I'd be by the time we get to TOB... Another option is archer, but I have some of the same concerns. Also, for roleplay purposes, I like either Assassin or Blade for my full evil party.
FWIW, I'm playing with SCS.
Has anyone gone through the whole saga with an Assassin? Any thoughts?
I don't want to go Fighter/Thief (I've already done a saga run as half-orc Fighter/Thief; almost felt overpowered), but I may go Blade instead. I'm attracted to the Assassin's lack of spellcasting, but I'm seriously worried about how useful I'd be by the time we get to TOB... Another option is archer, but I have some of the same concerns. Also, for roleplay purposes, I like either Assassin or Blade for my full evil party.
FWIW, I'm playing with SCS.
Has anyone gone through the whole saga with an Assassin? Any thoughts?
1
Comments
For the whole saga it could be a lot of fun because you're likely to greatly change your playstyle as your progress. Most likely early on you'll mainly stick with using a bow in combat. It's really going to depend on your party composition here, if you're adding a second thief or not. If you're the only thief, then you'll want to focus on find traps and pick locks first. And only after having decent enough scores go for stealth. The kit will continue to grow in power too as you add skills like set traps and detect illusion. The poison skill is a great caster-killer, and will really help against those troublesome bounty hunter encounters.
Much later, in SoA, you'll have the skill points for find traps, locks, and stealth so you can start to use the backstab. And the multiplier will make the backstabs much more worth it.
I'd strongly suggest going quarterstaves and two-handed weapon style for your backstab, at some point. They'll tend to be the best weapon choice available at every point in the saga. Start with quarterstaves, then maybe add on a backup slashing or piercing option later.
I would strongly recommend taking another thief or two along, especially during the BG1 portion of the run. You'll want to get stealth and backstabs on line quickly, those skills are expensive, and assassins don't get a lot of skill points. Only 175 total discretionary points by the level 10 BG1 cap; if you're aiming for 100/100 stealth, that's barely any points left over for other skills.
On the plus side, stealth and backstabs are excellent, especially relatively early. I've had Alora solo the Durlag's Tower battlements, including the Doom Guard and Battle Horror. Packs of Blacktalon elites just melt when you open by backstabbing two or three of them.
You don't need maxed stealth skills to be effective stabbing in BG1, though. You can afford to wait a round or two to get through the failure chance most of the time.
Later on, in BG2 ... well, there are a lot of threats that you can't backstab. SCS illithids see through invisibility. So do demons. Beholders and golems aren't the right shape to stab. You'll still find targets, but it won't be something you can use every time.
1. Elf (my favorite party assassin, good synergy with racial bonuses, resistance to sleep/charm surprisingly useful)
2. Halfling (same as above, good thieving skills, weaker strength score hurts THACO, but those saving throw bonuses are outstanding esp. for a no reload or solo game)
3. Gnome (good balance, but I like elf/halfling better)
4. 1/2 Orc (great THACO from high strength out the gate, loses edge after BG strength tome gives other races more strength, no skill bonuses, IMO good choice only if playing BG1)
As noted by @jmerry, in a party bring a 2nd thief during the first game to handle the utility skills so that you can focus on the more fun aspects of the class, i.e. sneaking and backstabbing. I prefer to put my first few levels into into stealth (first 6 levels) and then later at level 6 or 7 I start building out set traps to 70-75. If I have anything left towards level 10 then I will put some into find traps and then build up detect illusion in the next games. You may want to have a back-up thief also in the 1st 1/2 of SoA until your utility skills gain a bit more and you have access to the Mercykiller ring (+40 stealth and +20 set traps) and the utility rings.
I second quarterstaffs and THS for backstabs. I also like short or long swords for elves, or daggers for other races. Short bows for ranged weapon, followed by darts, or both, your preference really.
Do you play with any mods besides SCS? Rogue Rebalancing adds many nifty but not over powered items especially for thieves in both games. I play only with the items and strengthened encounters and not the class/kit changes. Another mod for BG2 is Assassinations. That mod is tailor made for assassin characters and is well done.
On late game (assuming a party), backstab is still very useful but not as much on some of the bosses. It depends on your playstyle. Poison also becomes less potent over time as enemy saving throws get lower, but again is still useful in many situations. But by that time you will also have the full trap suite and also UAI for scrolls, so you will still be a powerful party member.
Then during the adventure I used poison weapon a lot with crossbows of speed or tuigan how. Of course at the time I knew not how stacking etc worked, but it felt good.
For melee weapons and backstab I went with single weapon style, daggers and long swords. There are enough proficiencies to give a broad range of weaponry, staff never felt that good unless it was the staff mace.
Generally.
If you take halfling it is even 35/40 without any skill points assigned. That is quite a solid base already.
In Bg1 you can find boots and armor to increase it to significant values relatively early on (granted the armour is on the expensive side), and that allows you to put points into a different utility if you want.
In bg2 you will have enough points for at least two utilities while finding tons of items to boost your hide and move skills as you pass through the game (same boots and armour early on but later also other wearables) .
Glad to hear! It would be great to learn what you eventually choose and how the run goes for you. My final advice would be choose what is fun to you.
Thieves are fun (as are Blades) and like you I find it attractive to meet the game's challenges without spellcasting. I enjoy the micromanagement and game world engagement needed for a successful thief charname.
You may also want to give Bounty Hunter or Swashbuckler a try after the Assassin. Each is a very different playstyle. Thematically I love both Assassins and Bounty Hunters as the child of Bhaal.
I followed your advices and started ToB on LoB difficulty with a halfling Assassin. ?