Assassin Skill ideas

Post by **WayneO42** » Fri May 05, 2006 9:30 am

Anyone have any ideas for cool assassin type skills? We are looking for something in the 2nd level range. One idea that has been thrown out is the ability to conceal an item. Any ideas or thoughts?

Tullus · Post by **Tullus** » Tue May 16, 2006 3:11 pm

I mentioned this to someone else. It may be too powerful, but I hope it's a step in the right direction.

The disguise skill seems under used. It takes too long to get into a disguise and there doesn't seem to be much demand for it. I felt either changing this skill or adding a skill on top of this may be useful. So I thought of......

Camoflage

A token is created for the characters actual placement in the area. After a count of 5 minutes ,which the player is actually hiding out of sight, this player may place the token somewhere in the area and then go out of game. To remain out of game, the player has to stay within the area of the token. If asked about being out of game, the player must say, "Im here, somewhere."

If the token is found, the player is immediately back in character and is considered found.

I realize there may be many problems, besides grammatical, in this idea. I would just like to get the ball rolling.

Post by **WayneO42** » Tue May 16, 2006 3:51 pm

This creates an out of game situation which is something we are trying to eliminate.

Tullus · Post by **Tullus** » Tue May 16, 2006 4:01 pm

Well, it was the first shot at it. The point to it wasn't to make completely o.o.g.. Yet, to make it so the character was hiding where the player wasn't. Like I said, the way the first level of this disipline is right now, I don't think I'll ever use it.

Though, as I feared, the issue of not wanting o.o.g. situations is present. It's kinda the same with Pass Wall. There really isn't a way to not go o.o.g. with this skill without having a removable wall.

Im brainstorming, but I can't as of now come up with a game mechanic that will allow a person to hide without o.o.g.. Besides actually hiding. I'll keep thinking on this and return with either a solution or a different idea.

Tullus · Post by **Tullus** » Thu Jun 15, 2006 5:01 pm

Okay, I've thought about this and have come up with more ideas. Im sure that there will be a lot of nay saying about these ideas. Yet, Im open for any critiques about these ideas. I would like more than a "I hate this."

The first part would gives a choice between disguise or

First Calculated move:

resists a movement henderence, such as root, slick, etc.

Second Presice Strike:

+2 knockout

Third Poison Use:

Use poison as is now

Fourth Evasion:

After a 60 second count, may hold one charged evade. This may be used on any type of damaging attack to completely avoid the damage.

Now to go though my reasoning for my ideas and changes. The first part of the disipline giving people a chance to choose between disguise. Some people honestly like it, I never have. And I realize so many people are afraid of letting any disipline be different from one person to another. But as far as this goes, there would only be two choices.

Some feel that having poison use at second level is kind of powerful, so I changed it from second to third level and instead of death touch, I change that two an increased knockout at second level. Some people have been concerned that death touch, even though extremely difficult to acommplish, is still too powerful for a disiplines use. Sense the master level of empath also has sleep and 'it's a path!'. Also how death touch 'sleep' requires another fourth level disipline to avoid it's effects.

I feel evade isn't a bad ability to have at fourth level. It takes up the slot of a charge ability. Meaning, you can't charge another ability while having an evade. And to those that would complain that this ability does a parry and a resist magic. It can only do it once in a minute. And it will most likely only be done once in a battle, not really ever having time to stop for a whole minute and charge. Though it would help for those situations when someone gets get in the back with a 33 boom.

Once again, I would like to hear reasons as to why these ideas may be a bad way to go and maybe some suggestions as to what you'd like in place instead. Only saying, "That doesn't work", doesn't truely help the situation.

Daku of the North · Post by **Daku of the North** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 2:55 am

Actually, I've thought repeatedly about suggesting Resist Poison...since being able to utilize poison (i.e. have close contact with it) assassins should at least be immune to it.

cole45 · Post by **cole45** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 6:51 am

I don't have a problem with Evade as a whole, But I LIKE the Death touch. It is not over powered, in that it takes 30 seconds, you have to have a target and you have to deliver it with a fist physrep. It is as close as posible to an actual killing blow as can be allowed in a game with a philosophy like this one.

I'm not keen on giving the assassin's crowning achievement to something that doesn't help them kill people. *LOL*

Resist poison might make sense. Utilie poison at 2, and resist at 3.

Or,

Rank 2: The Assasin may brew poisons as an alchemist of equal rank to the assassin's disapline. This ONLY works for potions labeled as Poison.

Rank 3: Utilize poison.

Peace420 · Post by **Peace420** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 9:53 am

Yeah the assasin TOD has been tweaked for 4 years now, it's good as it is. I actually like disguise, I didn't neccesarily like the latest version but it worked well for me quite a few times. Lao and I would never have gotten close to the fake Silverthorne without it, The Long Walk would have stalled at the first beastman wall, because there were a TON of beastmen there and they weren't talking to any hoo-mons and we would have never gotten into the Shamans structure to gank him. The warlord's men would have killed me if I couldn't disguise myself, Divin and I never would have been able to walk into the warlords camp to drop the evergrowing bug there. It's definitely not a skill that gets used often but it has it's uses where it's needed. I can sort of understand the GM's thoughts on it but I feel like if I can make believe that Brad is an orc it's not that hard a stretch to believe that someone looks different than they normally do. The disguise skill should just require a different costume and a headband of some sort so people know it's not just the same character dressed differently without having to talk to them.

That said if it's going to be replaced no matter what I like the evasion idea as a third, and I like the resist poison (I spent the last year building a tolerance to Iocane powder).

cole45 · Post by **cole45** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 9:58 am

I think Passwall is the one that really needs to be worked on.

disguise
Utilize Poison
Evasion
Touch of death

that wouldn't be bad.

evade would be pretty handy when you got caught, i suspect.

Disguise does in fact require an NPC armband. (we never have any.)

Peace420 · Post by **Peace420** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 10:04 am

No, passwall is essential to the assasin, otherwise they are pretty much forced to take full rogue or you're a really crappy assasin. "Hey can you open this door for me so I can shank the guy inside"

And I'm pretty sure the GM's are looking to replace disguise. And the headband would work better because it can be seen much easier by people farther away.

cole45 · Post by **cole45** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 10:31 am

Ohh. I was under the impression that Passwall was the OOG issue they were looking at fixing.

If passwall is not going to be replaced, I like assassin the way it is. Everything is very important. I can see how disquise could be an issue.

Lambic · Post by **Lambic** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 7:02 pm

Props to Roi! I thought about this for a while and didn't come up with anything.

This makes a great case for a Druid/Assassin though. Avianna(flee)/Warrior(Determination+Combat Reflexes)/Assasin/Druid nice!

Pugo Redfang · Post by **Pugo Redfang** » Sat Jun 17, 2006 4:25 am

So why the knockout blow? It looks like a lot of the skills have knock out added to them. Not that useful of a skill without someone esle to take a few hits for you. So that you can either charge it up or move into a ready striking zone.
And why the evade as well? It is the weakest totem based skill for druids. It takes forever to repop, and it for the most part is used once in a comabt. because you are either dead before the nexted one goes off, or the fight has most likly ended. Because most asssassin would really not like to be in a long combat. Make it quick and clean so that you can get to your true target.
Why change the assassin at all it looks just fine.
Roi I am not try to be a jerk here, I am just looking at this in a different light. An I am try to understand why one would like to change something so vastly when it is not as broken as some other things.

cole45 · Post by **cole45** » Sat Jun 17, 2006 1:02 pm

I could see passwall replaced by evade. Put it on in case of attack during the act. But that's it. I think assassin's fine.

Lambic · Post by **Lambic** » Sat Jun 17, 2006 1:06 pm

Pugo Redfang wrote:Why change the assassin at all it looks just fine.
Roi I am not try to be a jerk here, I am just looking at this in a different light. An I am try to understand why one would like to change something so vastly when it is not as broken as some other things.

Sorta Answer:

WayneO42 wrote:Anyone have any ideas for cool assassin type skills? We are looking for something in the 2nd level range. One idea that has been thrown out is the ability to conceal an item. Any ideas or thoughts?

Wayne asked about it. Roi offered suggestions, as to why Wayne asked it I'm not 100% sure. I guess because there have been alot of questions about the new "Poison Use."

I would disagree that Evade is the weakest Druid ability. Now, I've never played a Druid, but from how I see it, it more stylistic. If it is a less combat oriented "Assassin" then it is your saving grace if a guard catches you. Their charged first hit misses and you are running or hopefully fleeing, by the time they swing anything else significant.

*I modified this post after rereading "Evade." Its not as cool as I thought it was. However, Immunity to Press (a first level ability) still seems weaker to me.

Saying that "Assassins" don't want to get into combat is flying in the face of the "3 poison"s I've heard this year. That is a Warrior/Assasin blowing a hero point. It sure sounds like he wants to get in the middle of combat.

Now as for knockout - Its not the strongest ability in the game but, it has its uses. If you are interested in being more sneaky rather than open combat oriented, then knockout can be useful. You find your target right after a battle (armor is in need of repair) or while they are sleeping (usually not in armor), once they are out, and if you are alone, they are dead.