Questions about playing the assassin

[PenderBloodfart]

I'm mid way through chapter 2 but i previously was well ahead in chapter 3 with another PG.
I'm still not quite getting the assassin/rogue role in combat. Outside of combat it's great.

Is there any point in using knives? I just found better shortswords which are still finesse weapons and knives just weren't doing enough even with surprise attacks and crits.

Granted i'm dumb and i'm too skimpy on using invisibility because i don't want to wait for a short rest to re-use it. Using normal stealth during combat is a pain and mostly wastes my actions.

Basically Karlach as a berserk is doing everything while waifuheart and Wyll are being utility/spells.

I'm lvl 7 assassin and as a trait i picked mobile but i might change it for dual wielding bonus.
Unless you tell me i'm messing up something i might as well respec into a monk because i remember they were pretty nutty

[Boss]

Assassin is pretty much the worst subclass of anything in DnD, and somewhat better in BG3, but after you blow your load on the initiation and first turn, that's it, you're playing without a subclass for the rest of the fight. Thief is simply the only really good option, unless you're multiclassing (and even then, Thief is often better than Assassin). I think Arcane Trickster isn't that bad, but haven't played it.

As for knives, they're worse that short swords, and meant to be; knives are simple weapons, and any class can use them with proficiency. In 5e, you could make the argument that they're also used for throwing, but in BG3 you can dual wield shortswords and still throw knives (or just switch to a ranged weapon for free), so it doesn't matter. Only use a knife if the magic bonuses or weapon special actions are better than what you have on your shortsword or rapier

And just for fun, to show how trash assassin is in 5e: Initiative in 5e is d20 as opposed to d4 here, so it's almost entirely based on luck, and pre-attacking isn't an actual rule, even if a lot of DMs who didn't read the rules allow it.

[KingOfFriedChicken]

The issue with daggers is the best 1s are in act 3 I usually pick up the feat to give all weapons even if not light the option to dual, then some points into either ranger or bard for the dualer feat which adds offhand as full damage. I normally do rapiers or longswords thay are finesse.

That said swords bard is a solid crossclass but if you wanna utilize assassin make sure you try to get surprise rounds often, and if you cross 2 points into paladin you can turn all crits in round 1 into a powerhouse of smite assaults lol I did 3 assassin/2 paladin/ them pumped swords bard I would do crazy damage especially once I got multi attacks.

If you aren't multiclassing the dual feat is pretty good just having options for other fitness wagons is great.

[PenderBloodfart]

Originally posted by Boss:

Assassin is pretty much the worst subclass of anything in DnD, and somewhat better in BG3, but after you blow your load on the initiation and first turn, that's it, you're playing without a subclass for the rest of the fight. Thief is simply the only really good option, unless you're multiclassing (and even then, Thief is often better than Assassin). I think Arcane Trickster isn't that bad, but haven't played it.

As for knives, they're worse that short swords, and meant to be; knives are simple weapons, and any class can use them with proficiency. In 5e, you could make the argument that they're also used for throwing, but in BG3 you can dual wield shortswords and still throw knives (or just switch to a ranged weapon for free), so it doesn't matter. Only use a knife if the magic bonuses or weapon special actions are better than what you have on your shortsword or rapier

And just for fun, to show how trash assassin is in 5e: Initiative in 5e is d20 as opposed to d4 here, so it's almost entirely based on luck, and pre-attacking isn't an actual rule, even if a lot of DMs who didn't read the rules allow it.

Yeah... Wanted to avoid arcane trickster because i already have Wyll and ShadowHeart doing the magic. I'll try monke

[Kamuizin]

There are some good daggers easrly.

Blade of the undermountain is sold in the Creche.

Ritual dagger can be found in act 1, with the priest of Loviatar if i’m not wrong.

Sussur dagfer is another situational weapon found in act 1, forged in fact.

Still, from a utility pov, thief is normally more advantageous than assassin, but it’s more a matter of playstyle. With assassin you don’t initiate banters that result in combat, you initiate forced combat (so don’t be seen or peace out most of the times your way around and just position and start combat after that).

[Aeriar]

Originally posted by Pender:

Yeah... Wanted to avoid arcane trickster because i already have Wyll and ShadowHeart doing the magic. I'll try monke

Why not thief? Although I mostly prefer to multiclass rogue anyways.

[pirate135246]

Originally posted by Boss:

Assassin is pretty much the worst subclass of anything in DnD, and somewhat better in BG3, but after you blow your load on the initiation and first turn, that's it, you're playing without a subclass for the rest of the fight. Thief is simply the only really good option, unless you're multiclassing (and even then, Thief is often better than Assassin). I think Arcane Trickster isn't that bad, but haven't played it.

As for knives, they're worse that short swords, and meant to be; knives are simple weapons, and any class can use them with proficiency. In 5e, you could make the argument that they're also used for throwing, but in BG3 you can dual wield shortswords and still throw knives (or just switch to a ranged weapon for free), so it doesn't matter. Only use a knife if the magic bonuses or weapon special actions are better than what you have on your shortsword or rapier

And just for fun, to show how trash assassin is in 5e: Initiative in 5e is d20 as opposed to d4 here, so it's almost entirely based on luck, and pre-attacking isn't an actual rule, even if a lot of DMs who didn't read the rules allow it.

seeing how pretty much every combat can be cleared in the first turn in this game assassin is pretty strong as a multiclass. Solo class rogue is bad in general because sneak attack scaling gets destroyed by extra attacks with dmg riders through items.

[KingOfFriedChicken]

Originally posted by Kamuizin:

There are some good daggers easrly.

Blade of the undermountain is sold in the Creche.

Ritual dagger can be found in act 1, with the priest of Loviatar if i’m not wrong.

Sussur dagfer is another situational weapon found in act 1, forged in fact.

Still, from a utility pov, thief is normally more advantageous than assassin, but it’s more a matter of playstyle. With assassin you don’t initiate banters that result in combat, you initiate forced combat (so don’t be seen or peace out most of the times your way around and just position and start combat after that).

Blade of the undermountain is a short sword xD looks like. Dagger but is not lol

https://baldursgate3.wiki.fextralife.com/Knife+of+the+Undermountain+King

The susser dagger is okay if you pay attention it can be quite disruptive, shame throwing it doesn't work. Sadly the best daggers all in act 3 they should really work on that haha
I usually go scimitar rapiers shortsword or longswords that are labeled finnese. The best is obviously the aluve sword in the underdark.

Monk is good if you wanna embrace sneaking the shadow monk, cross classing fighter and using the superiority dice tactics, or take champion lower crits by 1 so 19 and 20 which stacks higher with the blade of undermountain 18-20s crit. This would also let you take the dualer skill which makes offhand do full damage.

[PenderBloodfart]

Originally posted by Aeriar:

Originally posted by Pender:

Yeah... Wanted to avoid arcane trickster because i already have Wyll and ShadowHeart doing the magic. I'll try monke

Why not thief? Although I mostly prefer to multiclass rogue anyways.

What does thief have? Again, i'm only having second thoughts in combat, not outside combat

[Aeriar]

Originally posted by Pender:

Originally posted by Aeriar:

Why not thief? Although I mostly prefer to multiclass rogue anyways.

What does thief have? Again, i'm only having second thoughts in combat, not outside combat

You have second bonus action and stealth as a bonus action. So you can hide and do a main hand and off-hand attack. Which can be either two melee weapons, or hand crossbows.

[KingOfFriedChicken]

Originally posted by Pender:

Originally posted by Aeriar:

Why not thief? Although I mostly prefer to multiclass rogue anyways.

What does thief have? Again, i'm only having second thoughts in combat, not outside combat

Theif has 2 bonus actions and the cross class is considered widely broken for many reasons lol
For example 3 theif into 9 way of the fist monk has 4 attacks per turn and the bonus actions can be double strikes with effects so 6 hits per turn easy with fists. The down side is no sneak attacks if you use fists lol

[アンジェル]

Originally posted by Boss:

Assassin is pretty much the worst subclass of anything in DnD, and somewhat better in BG3, but after you blow your load on the initiation and first turn, that's it, you're playing without a subclass for the rest of the fight. Thief is simply the only really good option, unless you're multiclassing (and even then, Thief is often better than Assassin). I think Arcane Trickster isn't that bad, but haven't played it.

As for knives, they're worse that short swords, and meant to be; knives are simple weapons, and any class can use them with proficiency. In 5e, you could make the argument that they're also used for throwing, but in BG3 you can dual wield shortswords and still throw knives (or just switch to a ranged weapon for free), so it doesn't matter. Only use a knife if the magic bonuses or weapon special actions are better than what you have on your shortsword or rapier

And just for fun, to show how trash assassin is in 5e: Initiative in 5e is d20 as opposed to d4 here, so it's almost entirely based on luck, and pre-attacking isn't an actual rule, even if a lot of DMs who didn't read the rules allow it.

Thank you!!!

It feels great to see the first reply on this thread so on point. After reading so much crap other opinions before on these forums before, I thank you so much for being so on point with your statement!