For the assassin, it's really all about that first round auto crit. For that, you need to pump dex, use expertise on stealth, and have a party that is willing and able to help you pull off that first round attack. Your barbarian friend can't be raging while you're trying to get in for the sneak attack, for example. As for feats, alert is good. So is Elvin accuracy. That bonus to initiative is very helpful. The way the rules work, you need to pass your stealth check, then beat your target at initiative in order to have that first round critical attack. Otherwise, really any race can work that have a bonus to dex. Elves are my personal favorite. Take 17 dex to start, elvish accuracy at 4 to get 18 dex, then alert at 8. Or switch the order on the feats. Alert might actually be more important. For weapons, use 2 short swords but have daggers ready too in case you want to throw them. Studded leather armor is the best you can hope for as far as armor goes. You don't want or get medium armor.
I also like multiclassing into ranger gloom stalker, it give you bonus to initiative rolls and hunters mark to help finish longer fights. Kendis pretty much covered everything else for a melee rogue.
A ranged rogue I wouldn't multiclass into a ranger i might into a fighter for 1 lvl tho. Hide actions as a bonus is your go to move.
I would also talk to your party. As Kendis pointed out they don't work when the Barbarian is kicking down door, but they also don't work with Paladins, Clerics, or Fighters in heavy armor, low dex, and no training in stealth. If your party consists of people who want to play Rangers, Monks, etc... who all aid the concept of a squad of ninja assassins.
The problem is Assassinate requires Surprise and Surprise is actually really hard to pull off in most games I've found.
The DM determines who might be surprised. If neither side tries to be stealthy, they automatically notice each other. Otherwise, the DM compares the Dexterity (Stealth) checks of anyone hiding with the passive Wisdom (Perception) score of each creature on the opposing side. Any character or monster that doesn't notice a threat is surprised at the start of the encounter.
If you're surprised, you can't move or take an action on your first turn of the combat, and you can't take a reaction until that turn ends. A member of a group can be surprised even if the other members aren't.
The key part of that is "If neither side tries to be stealthy, they automatically notice each other.". Otherwise the fighter is rolling Stealth at DisAdv with a -1, which doesn't matter that you have +3 Dex with Expertise, and a Cloak of Elven Kind.... they are going to notice the Fighter and not be surprised.
Or you could be off on your own..... but that's also incredibly dangerous.
Hey guys thanks for all the responses it’s helped a lot having some more experienced players’ insight on it haha I’m looking at something that’s like a stealthy - assassin rogue melee & was looking at playing a goblin. I don’t think I want to really multi class ( I barely know this class & barely know warlock that’s it haha) I see you said shortswords are the best and studded leather armour? Is the armour just the best armour I could get from 1-20 ? & I guess with shortswords you can get different rarity & stuff
Goblin isn't a terrible option for an assassin. Nimble escape is redundant with cunning action but that's ok. What I meant was not included magic items, short swords and studded leather armor are your best options. Daggers aren't bad options though because you can throw them (and still get your sneak attack bonus with them).
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i want to be assassin rogue , was wondering what the best race, stats , feats weapons armour etc.. thanks! :)
For the assassin, it's really all about that first round auto crit. For that, you need to pump dex, use expertise on stealth, and have a party that is willing and able to help you pull off that first round attack. Your barbarian friend can't be raging while you're trying to get in for the sneak attack, for example. As for feats, alert is good. So is Elvin accuracy. That bonus to initiative is very helpful. The way the rules work, you need to pass your stealth check, then beat your target at initiative in order to have that first round critical attack. Otherwise, really any race can work that have a bonus to dex. Elves are my personal favorite. Take 17 dex to start, elvish accuracy at 4 to get 18 dex, then alert at 8. Or switch the order on the feats. Alert might actually be more important. For weapons, use 2 short swords but have daggers ready too in case you want to throw them. Studded leather armor is the best you can hope for as far as armor goes. You don't want or get medium armor.
I also like multiclassing into ranger gloom stalker, it give you bonus to initiative rolls and hunters mark to help finish longer fights. Kendis pretty much covered everything else for a melee rogue.
A ranged rogue I wouldn't multiclass into a ranger i might into a fighter for 1 lvl tho. Hide actions as a bonus is your go to move.
I would also talk to your party. As Kendis pointed out they don't work when the Barbarian is kicking down door, but they also don't work with Paladins, Clerics, or Fighters in heavy armor, low dex, and no training in stealth. If your party consists of people who want to play Rangers, Monks, etc... who all aid the concept of a squad of ninja assassins.
The problem is Assassinate requires Surprise and Surprise is actually really hard to pull off in most games I've found.
The DM determines who might be surprised. If neither side tries to be stealthy, they automatically notice each other. Otherwise, the DM compares the Dexterity (Stealth) checks of anyone hiding with the passive Wisdom (Perception) score of each creature on the opposing side. Any character or monster that doesn't notice a threat is surprised at the start of the encounter.
If you're surprised, you can't move or take an action on your first turn of the combat, and you can't take a reaction until that turn ends. A member of a group can be surprised even if the other members aren't.
The key part of that is "If neither side tries to be stealthy, they automatically notice each other.". Otherwise the fighter is rolling Stealth at DisAdv with a -1, which doesn't matter that you have +3 Dex with Expertise, and a Cloak of Elven Kind.... they are going to notice the Fighter and not be surprised.
Or you could be off on your own..... but that's also incredibly dangerous.
Ranger5(Gloomstalker)/Rogue3(assassin)/fighter2 is imo the best core. After that you can tweak in many directions.
By doing the above you get 6 attacks with autocrit when ambushing once every short rest.
Hey guys thanks for all the responses it’s helped a lot having some more experienced players’ insight on it haha I’m looking at something that’s like a stealthy - assassin rogue melee & was looking at playing a goblin. I don’t think I want to really multi class ( I barely know this class & barely know warlock that’s it haha) I see you said shortswords are the best and studded leather armour? Is the armour just the best armour I could get from 1-20 ? & I guess with shortswords you can get different rarity & stuff
Goblin isn't a terrible option for an assassin. Nimble escape is redundant with cunning action but that's ok. What I meant was not included magic items, short swords and studded leather armor are your best options. Daggers aren't bad options though because you can throw them (and still get your sneak attack bonus with them).