Brute assassin build

[Spacehamster]

How do you think this quite simple build would work out? Half Orc with Orphan background starting as fighter with athletics and perception as skills, starting stats after racials 17/14/15/8/12/8.

1-6 battle master fighter w dueling style, ASI 1-2: +3 STR and +1 CON.

7-10 assassin rogue: feat alert, insight skill. Expertise in stealth and perception.

11-12 barbarian for rage, reckless attack.

13-20 battle master for 3rd attack, ASI/feat 4-6: +4 DEX and mobile feat.

This gives you end stats 20/18/16/8/12/8, good stealth and perception, good offence(dueling, 3 attacks, reckless attack, action surge, rage, sneak attack and possible auto crits.), decent defense(rage, medium armor + shield), good mobility from rogue bonus action and mobility.

Is there any big improvements that could be done to the build?

[Corran]

GWM would work well with the crits from assassinate (and with action surge), and later on with your 3 attacks and with rage reckless attack.

[Spiderguy24]

The only thing that might cause you some problems is the weapon you want to use, since Sneak Attack only works with a ranged or finesse weapon, and there aren't any two handed weapons with the finesse property sadly, same goes with heavy weapons, not counting magic weapons. You can chose to forgo armor altogether due to the Barbarian's unarmored defense. 10 + Dex + Con would give you 17 AC, 19 if you use a shield as well.

[Potato_Priest]

If you play a bugbear, your surprise damage goes through the roof ( an extra 4d6 per attack with your assassin feature) and your ability scores would be mostly unchanged. (they have +2 str +1 dex)

[Easy_Lee]

If you play a bugbear, your surprise damage goes through the roof ( an extra 4d6 per attack with your assassin feature) and your ability scores would be mostly unchanged. (they have +2 str +1 dex)

This was the starting point for a one-dimensional burst damage assassin. Basically, you take a combination of assassin, barbarian for reckless attack, fighter for action surge, and paladin for smite. Wield a rapier while holding a great axe. Sneak up on your foe, open up with a smite rapier SA crit, drop the rapier and put two hands on the great axe (free object interaction 1/round), then do a full set of action surge great axe smite crits after that, using GWM on all and your bonus action from GWM for another attack.

Good luck setting it up. Your DM probably won't let you do it very often, and the character won't be very good at anything else.

[Spacehamster]

The only thing that might cause you some problems is the weapon you want to use, since Sneak Attack only works with a ranged or finesse weapon, and there aren't any two handed weapons with the finesse property sadly, same goes with heavy weapons, not counting magic weapons. You can chose to forgo armor altogether due to the Barbarian's unarmored defense. 10 + Dex + Con would give you 17 AC, 19 if you use a shield as well.

Were thinking to use rapier and shield which works for sneak attack no?

[Scathain]

Bugbear barbarian / assassin, hands down the best brute assassin, use a rapier and shield. Win.

[Spacehamster]

Bugbear barbarian / assassin, hands down the best brute assassin, use a rapier and shield. Win.

Afb but the bugbear gets his extra 2d6 damage with any weapon right so a 17 barbarian 3 assassin with a greataxe and GWM would do 15D12 + 4d6 + 57 if all 3 attacks hit while using the -5/+10 damage?

[smcmike]

Afb but the bugbear gets his extra 2d6 damage with any weapon right so a 17 barbarian 3 assassin with a greataxe and GWM would do 15D12 + 4d6 + 57 if all 3 attacks hit while using the -5/+10 damage?

Why isn't it 6d6?

I don't see a big difference between this and a half-orc, who would do 18d12 + 57.

[Potato_Priest]

Afb but the bugbear gets his extra 2d6 damage with any weapon right so a 17 barbarian 3 assassin with a greataxe and GWM would do 15D12 + 4d6 + 57 if all 3 attacks hit while using the -5/+10 damage?

That should be 12d6. The bugbear feature applies to every weapon and every attack, and the dice are doubled by the automatic crits.

Note that you do lose savage critical with the bugbear, but it's a trade off of 1d12 for 4d6 per attack during the surprise round.

You lose an average damage of 6.5 per attack on a surprise round from the half orc and gain an average damage of 14 per attack from the bugbear. You also get long limbs from the bugbear, which allows you to use that greataxe at a range of 10 feet, giving you lots more options for avoiding opportunity attacks. The thing yo'll likely miss most from the half orc is relentless endurance, which there is no replacement for, apart from your barbarian features.

[Spacehamster]

That should be 12d6. The bugbear feature applies to every weapon and every attack, and the dice are doubled by the automatic crits.

Note that you do lose savage critical with the bugbear, but it's a trade off of 1d12 for 4d6 per attack during the surprise round.

You lose an average damage of 6.5 per attack on a surprise round from the half orc and gain an average damage of 14 per attack from the bugbear. You also get long limbs from the bugbear, which allows you to use that greataxe at a range of 10 feet, giving you lots more options for avoiding opportunity attacks. The thing yo'll likely miss most from the half orc is relentless endurance, which there is no replacement for, apart from your barbarian features.

Is not the Bugbear 2d6 surprise special thingy just for one attack just like sneak attack?

[Potato_Priest]

Is not the Bugbear 2d6 surprise special thingy just for one attack just like sneak attack?

Oh, yes, you are correct. I misread that.

Half-orc for the win!