This is my first campaign, and my assassin rogue is currently level 4. I took elven accuracy at 4 (got me to 18 dex and 16 ac). I also fight alongside a barbarian with a wolf totem spirit, so I get advantage and sneak attacks on any creatures within 5 feet of the barbarian. With elven accuracy, that gives me 3 attack rolls on most of my attacks since I typically end up shadowing the barbarian for the advantage (while also trying to avoid damage). For background, the rest of the party includes a sorc, a ranger, and a bard.
I'm considering a 3-level dip into fighter (probably after level 5 so I get the extra sneak attack die and uncanny dodge). If I take champion at level 3, I would have a 27.1% chance to crit (up from 14.3%) each time I attack someone near the barbarian. Thoughts on whether that is worth it? I haven't done all the math, but 27% chance to crit each attack seems pretty powerful with sneak attack.
I've read up on a variety of similar threads so far. It seems like the general advice is that battlemaster is better than champion. The main maneuvers appear to be feinting attack, riposte, and something like precision attack, menacing attack, or trip attack. But I already get advantage from the barbarian's wolf spirit, so I wouldn't get much use out of feinting attack. I think the main thing I would miss is riposte for extra sneak attacks, but I miss out on uncanny dodge and only get 4 uses max before resting. I also get attacked less than I otherwise might since I end up shadowing the barbarian most of the time, so I may get fewer chances to use riposte. Other maneuvers like menacing attack or precision attack might be useful (while also reducing the number of ripostes available), but I don't think I would want to take trip because that would give disadvantage to the ranged members of the party.
I would appreciate any advice from everybody since I am still pretty new to D&D and building a rogue. Given my situation, would champion make sense? Or do you all think battlemaster still might be better? Or would I be better off sticking with a full rogue build? Any explanations as to why also would be helpful and welcome.
That is not a bad idea in my opinion. You are dipping 3 levels into the Fighter/Champion means you get action surge, fighting style, second wind and improved critical. You lose Elusive,Feat/ASI and Stroke of Luck from the rogue, which in my opinion is not a huge lost, as rogue's we already get extra feat/ASI on level 10, Elusive is not terrible but too situational and Stroke of Luck is well, just get Lucky feat and multiclass. The big question is when are you going to multiclass, you must get uncanny dodge ,as an Assasin player myself who tend to find himself in the heat of the battle a lot, is an incredible skill. Then at level 6 you get expertise which you should get, level 7 evasion is again a must have, level 8 ASI/Feat again get. Level 9 is kinda a good point since Assasin's other features except Assasinate are too situational and depends on campaign styles but level 10 has another ASI/Feat and level11 has in my opinion best part of being rogue other than sneak atk,Reliable Talent. I'm playing level 5 Assasin right now and planing to multiclass 3lv into hexblade/warlock (for story reasons and raven queen...) and find that between level 13-16 is the best levels to dip 3 levels into Warlock. But this also depends on your campaign lenght and such.
it mainly depends on whether you are melee focused or ranged focused. Ranged you are better off going with Battle Master as Goading/Disarming Attacks will help out your Barbarian Buddy a lot by canceling out the advantage they get hitting him when he uses Reckless Attack or by disarming them. Also consider picking up Crossbow Expert feat to get in another attack with your bonus action.
If you want to be melee buddys with your Barbarian then I recommend going Eldritch Knight to pick up the Booming Blade spell along with Shield and Absorb Elements to help your survivability. Also get access to the powerful Find Familiar Spell.
A final thought would be maybe going for a 5 lvl Fighter dip for Extra Attack. I can tell you from experience that there is nothing more soul destroying than missing your 1 attack for your turn as a rogue. I know you have Elven Accuracy but sometimes the dice gods just want to poop on you lol.
Thank you for this! I am working on a half-orc assassin and after reading this I think I will give him 3 levels in fighter. I am pretty knew to D&D so it never even crossed my mind to do this.
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This is my first campaign, and my assassin rogue is currently level 4. I took elven accuracy at 4 (got me to 18 dex and 16 ac). I also fight alongside a barbarian with a wolf totem spirit, so I get advantage and sneak attacks on any creatures within 5 feet of the barbarian. With elven accuracy, that gives me 3 attack rolls on most of my attacks since I typically end up shadowing the barbarian for the advantage (while also trying to avoid damage). For background, the rest of the party includes a sorc, a ranger, and a bard.
I'm considering a 3-level dip into fighter (probably after level 5 so I get the extra sneak attack die and uncanny dodge). If I take champion at level 3, I would have a 27.1% chance to crit (up from 14.3%) each time I attack someone near the barbarian. Thoughts on whether that is worth it? I haven't done all the math, but 27% chance to crit each attack seems pretty powerful with sneak attack.
I've read up on a variety of similar threads so far. It seems like the general advice is that battlemaster is better than champion. The main maneuvers appear to be feinting attack, riposte, and something like precision attack, menacing attack, or trip attack. But I already get advantage from the barbarian's wolf spirit, so I wouldn't get much use out of feinting attack. I think the main thing I would miss is riposte for extra sneak attacks, but I miss out on uncanny dodge and only get 4 uses max before resting. I also get attacked less than I otherwise might since I end up shadowing the barbarian most of the time, so I may get fewer chances to use riposte. Other maneuvers like menacing attack or precision attack might be useful (while also reducing the number of ripostes available), but I don't think I would want to take trip because that would give disadvantage to the ranged members of the party.
I would appreciate any advice from everybody since I am still pretty new to D&D and building a rogue. Given my situation, would champion make sense? Or do you all think battlemaster still might be better? Or would I be better off sticking with a full rogue build? Any explanations as to why also would be helpful and welcome.
That is not a bad idea in my opinion. You are dipping 3 levels into the Fighter/Champion means you get action surge, fighting style, second wind and improved critical. You lose Elusive,Feat/ASI and Stroke of Luck from the rogue, which in my opinion is not a huge lost, as rogue's we already get extra feat/ASI on level 10, Elusive is not terrible but too situational and Stroke of Luck is well, just get Lucky feat and multiclass. The big question is when are you going to multiclass, you must get uncanny dodge ,as an Assasin player myself who tend to find himself in the heat of the battle a lot, is an incredible skill. Then at level 6 you get expertise which you should get, level 7 evasion is again a must have, level 8 ASI/Feat again get. Level 9 is kinda a good point since Assasin's other features except Assasinate are too situational and depends on campaign styles but level 10 has another ASI/Feat and level11 has in my opinion best part of being rogue other than sneak atk,Reliable Talent. I'm playing level 5 Assasin right now and planing to multiclass 3lv into hexblade/warlock (for story reasons and raven queen...) and find that between level 13-16 is the best levels to dip 3 levels into Warlock. But this also depends on your campaign lenght and such.
it mainly depends on whether you are melee focused or ranged focused. Ranged you are better off going with Battle Master as Goading/Disarming Attacks will help out your Barbarian Buddy a lot by canceling out the advantage they get hitting him when he uses Reckless Attack or by disarming them. Also consider picking up Crossbow Expert feat to get in another attack with your bonus action.
If you want to be melee buddys with your Barbarian then I recommend going Eldritch Knight to pick up the Booming Blade spell along with Shield and Absorb Elements to help your survivability. Also get access to the powerful Find Familiar Spell.
A final thought would be maybe going for a 5 lvl Fighter dip for Extra Attack. I can tell you from experience that there is nothing more soul destroying than missing your 1 attack for your turn as a rogue. I know you have Elven Accuracy but sometimes the dice gods just want to poop on you lol.
Considder Gloomstalker ranger 5 too. It blends perfectly with assassin, and with fighter.
I personally play a rogue 7/fighter2/gloomstalker5 now, and have been a blst the last two years.
Thank you for this! I am working on a half-orc assassin and after reading this I think I will give him 3 levels in fighter. I am pretty knew to D&D so it never even crossed my mind to do this.