Improve assassins

[Sombre]

Let the assassin (attacker) have the first turn, rather than the victim (defender).

Discuss.

[Tifone]

Sounds more realistic on 1vs1 attempts, but you can expect the eventual bodyguards of the target to be always alert about the surroundings of their protected one. A doubtful matter. I would probably like the way you suggest better, though, as even if the guards are alerted the assassin would be readier than them and make the first move (getting closer to the target, firing an arrow or a spell) anyway when discovered after all.

[Epaminondas]

I agree with the idea.

[Gandalf Parker]

Is it always that way? Positioning the assassin doesnt change that?

[lch]

Variation of the idea: Make a special destealth check, with a very heavy handicap for the assassin, but destealth power only counting the commander and his bodyguards (and his patrol ability, flying bodyguards etc.) and the winner gets the first round.

[Gandalf Parker]

That sounds realistic.

[HoneyBadger]

I'll go along with Sombre's suggestion. It's a good, reasonable idea.

I'd even go so far as to suggest that some assassins have an "assassinate" ability that gave them additional turns (and/or reduced the amount of bodyguards that the target got). Maybe "regular" assassins could have "assassinate 0", and they could go up to "assassinate 5", allowing you to fully script the best-of-the-best for their first 5 turns. This would be a mechanical expression of the relative ability of units to get close to their targets when they're at their weakest, and to "set up" their kills at the best possible time. Obviously, assassins like the Mictlan 'Lord of the Night' should be better at *setting up* the hits, (apart from just eliminating their targets with raw firepower), than some Ermor thug you hired for 20 gold.

That would make actual assassination attempts more realistic, I think, and the best assassins a lot more deadly.

I'd like to see a slight modification, though: If the target is wearing a Ring of Warning, the target always gets the first turn. The above 'assassinate' ability would still reduce the amount of bodyguards progressively, from 10.

As it is, it's usually not quite worth an extra slot on most units, except in special situations. Nice to have, but something you can do without, in favor of something better. If assassins are going to be better-and I agree that they should be-then there should also be a good counter for that.

[chrispedersen]

I like Ich's idea.. Give all assassins glamor in an assassination attempt.. and let them go first - glamour to sort of represent the idea of destealthing, striking from surprise.

[Loren]

A slightly different idea:

There is a de-stealth check but it's *NOT* pass-fail. Rather, the better the check the closer you get before you de-stealth. The assassin goes first (he's expecting the situation and knows when he's been detected, when his cover is blown he knows it) but can't use a move action that first round.

[Zeldor]

I am totally against any improvements to assassins [especially when it works on remotes too] until we can get to make separate orders for for situation [and deal with routing from assassinations].