So Im putting him together. Ive looked at the old 3.5 posts on him regarding make up. I see a character that is excellent at the quick kill but also exceptionally competent at holding his own in face to face combat.
Now I realize that characters in books are really hard to mimic in gameplay and also that AE would have been very high level. After all, he was known as the most feared assassin in the land and one doesnt get that way being 7th level.
Clearly he has rogue levels with the stealth and other rogue skills including the SA ability for quick kills. He is clearly a great swordsman. Now I realize Pathfinder is a game where AC just doesn't keep up with to hit so can you guys see a two level dip with Duelist for the parry ability? I just hate dumping two feats, dodge and mobility to access the prestige class.
On one side I see the rogue levels for the SA damage for the quick kill. I see a 1 lv dip with ranger for the human (or any other race) favored enemy hit (+1 bab class plus +2/+2 against one race for one level is a nice trade IMO). At least 4 levels of fighter for the BAB,Weapon Specialization, and Weapon Training (not to mention 3 feats.
I didnt see reference to him using poisons so the Assassin PrC seemed wasteful.
What are your thoughts?
Well, despite what you say, the Assassin PrC fits him perfectly besides poison use. Especially when it's explicitly stated that he IS an assassin (and in those books, they mean those literally as classes. Drizzt is a Ranger, Wulfgar is a Barbarian, etc.).
He's likely above level 20, considering I believe Zaknafein was statted as a level 24 char, Drizzt beat him, and Entreri is a fair match for Drizzt.
Well, despite what you say, the Assassin PrC fits him perfectly besides poison use. Especially when it's explicitly stated that he IS an assassin (and in those books, they mean those literally as classes. Drizzt is a Ranger, Wulfgar is a Barbarian, etc.).
He's likely above level 20, considering I believe Zaknafein was statted as a level 24 char, Drizzt beat him, and Entreri is a fair match for Drizzt.
Yes I know him to be an assassin but thats via trade and not class IMO. The only benefit of the Assassin prc is Death Attack and honestly, I dont see it as that good. Far too easy to make the save. The PrC is heavily geared towards poison use and thats just not him. I would see it as subpar to actual rogue levels.
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One level dip into assassin at least, as Artemis was able to paralyze people using his sneak attack and that is one ability of the death attack is that they can kill or paralyze characters choice. WHich unless you go full 20 level rogue they do not get the other idea would be to make him a ninja and take the assassinate ability upon reaching level 10
Edit: 2nd edition Artemis was a 11th level thief/ 15th level fighter source Villians Lorebook
Yes, under 3.0 Entreri was stated as Rog4/Rgr1/Ftr12/Asn1 which IS a pretty wild mix :)
If you want to make him as good as the books I would just say he has the Assassin profession. The class sucks.
Urban Ranger might work since he did have trapfinding. He did not have an animal companions so the guide archetype variant should also work since they stack legally.
Give him 1 to 3 levels of rogue, and you should be ok.
Dropping the advanced template on him is also not a bad idea.
Yes, under 3.0 Entreri was stated as Rog4/Rgr1/Ftr12/Asn1 which IS a pretty wild mix :)
You know, that makes perfect sense actually if you think about it.
He went Rogue just long enough to make sure he couldn't be caught off guard, and to hone his reflexes + Sneak Attack, Ranger long enough to get Favored Enemy: Humanoid (Human) and tracking skill, and Assassin just long enough to get Death Attack + what is effectively a level 5 Sneak Attack.
Then he pumped Fighter for badass TWF skills.
fighter/ninja in Pathfinder or Ranger/ninja
you can make it work with a rouge 4 / ranger all the rest.
human as favorate enemey.
rouge 4 allow you to gain talents.
and you are set...
I agree that the ranger would give +hit but Artemis was as deadly as he was due to great skill and not heavy armor or protection. He wore light armor and used his parrys and feints to win the day. Thats why Im thinking at least 2 levels of duelist for the parry ability.
Can anyone think of another class/prc that will allow a melee to go toe to toe (non monk) with other melee and not get hit? The problem is that Pathfinder ac does not scale with to hit.
Duelist does not work with 2wf.
I'd say Definitely a Guide/Skirmisher/Urban Ranger.
You get Full BAB/ TWF style/can focus on specific foes to kick ass and the rerolls ability would simulate all the deft dodge type stuff.
you can make it work with a rouge 4 / ranger all the rest.
human as favorate enemey.
rouge 4 allow you to gain talents.
and you are set...
I agree that the ranger would give +hit but Artemis was as deadly as he was due to great skill and not heavy armor or protection. He wore light armor and used his parrys and feints to win the day. Thats why Im thinking at least 2 levels of duelist for the parry ability.
Can anyone think of another class/prc that will allow a melee to go toe to toe (non monk) with other melee and not get hit? The problem is that Pathfinder ac does not scale with to hit.
Guide ranger can make enemies reroll on attacks. Turning a hit into a miss. Skirmisher has tricks for that as well.
Id say to follow his life as it is in the books. He started out as a Rogue then into Fighter (two weapon archetype) as he began fighting his way in the guild and being sent out on "hit" missions then into Urban Ranger as he began to track down his marks.
Rogue/Fighter(TWF)/Ranger(Urban)
Salvatore is quoted saying that he wanted to make Artemis an assassin class, but at the time d&d had just dropped it and his editor was trying to get him to change the character, but he insisted and said he'd just be a fighter rogue who assassinated people for money.
and i think being the author of the first ever D&D novel ever to be sold in hardback, he gets his way :)
Considering how Salvatore made a fair few mentions of Enteri's discipline you could reflavor his weapons as a temple sword and siangham and make him as a martial artist monk/assassin. It would work even better if you allowed a 3.5 forgotten realms feat called carmendine monk which swaps all monk abilities to intellegence from wisdom (i think it was in champions of valor).
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Zaknafein was a 24th level Fighter in 2nd edition while Drizzt was an 18th level Fighter who was then allowed, don't know how since only humans could be dual classed, to become a 16th level ranger.
Artemis should be a Fighter/Ranger/Rogue/Assassin. That's what he was back in 3rd edition. I believe they gave him ranger so he didn't have to spend feats taking Two-Weapon fighting and it gave him an edge when facing his prey which was mostly human.
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Zaknafein was a 24th level Fighter in 2nd edition while Drizzt was an 18th level Fighter who was then allowed, don't know how since only humans could be dual classed, to become a 16th level ranger.
Artemis should be a Fighter/Ranger/Rogue/Assassin. That's what he was back in 3rd edition. I believe they gave him ranger so he didn't have to spend feats taking Two-Weapon fighting and it gave him an edge when facing his prey which was mostly human.
Afther a search, artemis Ad&d stats were given in the villain lorebook
He was a thief 11/ fighter 15
str 13
dex 18
con 15
int 16
wis 15
cha 13
That is correct. His two favored weapons was his +4 life stealing jeweled dagger and his + 1 sword that was often referred to as a saber.