Epic Character Builds – Dark Stalker
By Carl “Syrsuro” Torvik
Wherever you may run, the Dark Stalker will hunt you down. Wherever you hide, the Dark Stalker will search you out. Whatever defences you establish, the Dark Stalker will slip by them unseen. When you let your guard down for but a moment, the Dark Stalker will be there with you to slit your throat.
Dark Stalker
Overview
Ranger: 5
Shadow Dancer: 13
Assassin: 22
Race: Elf
Alignment: Any Evil
Starting Stats
Str: 10
Dex: 17
Con: 10
Int: 16
Wis: 12
Cha: 10
Final Stats
Str: 10
Dex: 26
Con: 10
Int: 18
Wis: 12
Cha: 10
Hide: 43
Move Silently: 43
Tumble: 43
Search:43
Spot: 43
Listen: 43
Open Locks: 10
Set Traps: 20
Equipment
2 Short Swords
Padded Armor or robes
Offensive Techniques
The Dark Stalker’s offensive training has centred on stealth, hunting, and perfecting a lethal Death Attack.
Hunting: With training as a ranger, and maxed out Search, Spot, and Listen skills, the Dark Stalker is able to track down their prey with ease. The Dark Stalker is also skilled in setting traps for the quarry, a tactical element that can often play a key role in his assassination missions.
Stealth: The Dark Stalker has perfected his stealth skills through having maximum ranks in Hide and Move Silently, and taking the Stealthy, Epic Skill Focus (Hide), and Epic Skill Focus (Move Silently) feats. These base abilities can be further augmented through the spell-like abilities of Invisibility and Improved Invisibility. With this combination of skills, feats, and spell like abilities, the Dark Stalker is practically undetectable without magic.
The Killing Blow: With extensive training in the arts of assassination and a keen intellect, the Dark Stalker is able to precisely target particular components of anatomy, such that any sneak attack will instantly paralyse their foe unless the target can make a Fortitude save of DC 36. Such paralysation is a signed death warrant, with a Coup de Grace sure to follow. This fearsome technique has earned the Dark Stalker’s sneak attacks the somewhat misleading moniker of Death Attack. The Death Attack only functions when the target is not aware of the Dark Stalker or distracted by combat, thus the Dark Stalker has honed his reactions to the point where he can act in an instant to seize the Initiative and set the course of the confrontation. To ensure that his attack will hit, the Dark Stalker has perfected his aim with the short sword by taking the Weapon Focus, Epic Weapon Focus, and Epic Prowess feats.
Defensive Techniques
Once the Dark Stalker has killed his proscribed target, he often must make an escape under less than ideal circumstances, as his targets frequently have hordes of underlings that wish to make a name for themselves by avenging their fallen master.
Manoeuvrability: Through the Mobility feat and the Tumble skill, the Dark Stalker is able to effortlessly glide through any angry throng, safely protected from any Attacks of Opportunity their foes might attempt due to their movement. The graceful movements of the Dark Stalker make him much harder to strike in combat at the best of times, through the feats Dodge and Epic Dodge. The Dark Stalker has an uncanny ability to dodge out of the way of blows and attacks that they are not even consciously aware of, allowing them to retain their dexterity bonus at all times. Finally, they are able to easily dive out of the way of spells that allow Reflex saves, such as the iconic Fireball spell, thanks to their Improved Evasion ability.
The Dark Stalker In CombatArcane Spell-Like Abilities: When confronted by an angry mob, the Dark Stalker reacts with calm aplomb. He can call upon various spell-like abilities to aid themselves and confound their enemies. Blinding Speed allows the Dark Stalker to move with, well, blinding speed, enhancing their movement rate and ability to dodge incoming blows, as well as providing an extra attack each round of combat. The Dark Stalker may call upon an arcane Darkness to descend upon the battle field, blinding his enemies while the Dark Stalker’s dark vision allows them to function normally. Finally, when forced to engage in combat, the Dark Stalker can meld partially with shadows to allow blows to pass through them without making contact, through the abilities of Shadow Evade and Ghostly Visage.
Discretion: Sometimes, when an assassination doesn’t go precisely to plan, or the escape route is more troublesome than expected, hiding and running away might be the most sensible option. Disregard any notions of the Dark Stalker fleeing in a panic with his tail between his legs, not that they even have a tail, of course. The Dark Stalker possesses the supernatural ability to meld into any shadow, to disappear from view even when keenly observed, to Hide in Plain Sight. Thus, the Dark Stalker might engage in guerrilla tactics of attacking, withdrawing, and attacking again when unexpected. Or, the Dark Stalker might strike once to fell their target, then immediately withdraw back to the shadows, leaving the enemy camp in an uproar as they vainly hunt in a futile quest for revenge.
Character Advancement History
Following is the path of the Dark Stalker during the first forty levels of his life.
| Character Level | Class | Skill Increases | Feat Selection | Attribute Increase |
| 1 | Ranger | Hide 4, Listen 4, Move Silently 4, Search 4, Spot 4, Save 8 | Strong Soul *, Favored Enemy (Humans) * | |
| 2 | Ranger | Hide 1, Listen 1, Move Silently 1, Search 1, Spot 1, Save 2 | ||
| 3 | Ranger | Hide 1, Listen 1, Move Silently 1, Search 1, Spot 1, Save 2 | Dodge | |
| 4 | Ranger | Hide 1, Listen 1, Move Silently 1, Search 1, Spot 1, Save 2 | Dexterity | |
| 5 | Ranger | Hide 1, Listen 1, Move Silently 1, Search 1, Spot 1, Save 2 | Favored Enemy (Gnome) * | |
| 6 | Assassin | Hide 1, Listen 1, Move Silently 1, Search 1, Spot 1, Tumble 9, UMD 9 | Weapon Finesse | |
| 7 | Assassin | Hide 1, Listen 1, Move Silently 1, Search 1, Spot 1, Tumble 1, UMD 1 | ||
| 8 | Assassin | Hide 1, Listen 1, Move Silently 1, Search 1, Spot 1, Tumble 1, UMD 1 | Dexterity | |
| 9 | Assassin | Hide 1, Listen 1, Move Silently 1, Search 1, Spot 1, Tumble 1, UMD 1 | Mobility | |
| 10 | ShadowDancer | Hide 1, Listen 1, Move Silently 1, Search 1, Spot 1, Tumble 1, Save 3 | ||
| 11 | Assassin | Hide 1, Listen 1, Move Silently 1, Search 1, Spot 1, Tumble 1, UMD 2, Open Locks 2 | ||
| 12 | Assassin | Hide 1, Listen 1, Move Silently 1, Search 1, Spot 1, Tumble 1, UMD 1 | Weapon Focus (Short Sword) | Dexterity |
| 13 | Assassin | Hide 1, Listen 1, Move Silently 1, Search 1, Spot 1, Tumble 1, UMD 1 | ||
| 14 | Assassin | Hide 1, Listen 1, Move Silently 1, Search 1, Spot 1, Tumble 1, UMD 1 | ||
| 15 | ShadowDancer | Hide 1, Listen 1, Move Silently 1, Search 1, Spot 1, Tumble 1, Save 3 | Stealthy | |
| 16 | ShadowDancer | Hide 1, Listen 1, Move Silently 1, Search 1, Spot 1, Tumble 1, Save 3 | Dexterity | |
| 17 | ShadowDancer | Hide 1, Listen 1, Move Silently 1, Search 1, Spot 1, Tumble 1, Save 3 | ||
| 18 | ShadowDancer | Hide 1, Listen 1, Move Silently 1, Search 1, Spot 1, Tumble 1, Save 3 | Improved Initiative | |
| 19 | ShadowDancer | Hide 1, Listen 1, Move Silently 1, Search 1, Spot 1, Tumble 1, Save 3 | ||
| 20 | ShadowDancer | Hide 1, Listen 1, Move Silently 1, Search 1, Spot 1, Tumble 1, Save 3 | Dexterity | |
| 21 | ShadowDancer | Hide 1, Listen 1, Move Silently 1, Search 1, Spot 1, Tumble 1, Save 3 | Epic Prowess | |
| 22 | ShadowDancer | Hide 1, Listen 1, Move Silently 1, Search 1, Spot 1, Tumble 1, Save 3 | ||
| 23 | ShadowDancer | Hide 1, Listen 1, Move Silently 1, Search 1, Spot 1, Tumble 1, Save 3 | ||
| 24 | Assassin | Hide 1, Listen 1, Move Silently 1, Search 1, Spot 1, Tumble 1, UMD 10, Set Traps 17, Disable Traps 1 | Epic Skill Focus (Hide) | Dexterity |
| 25 | Assassin | Hide 1, Listen 1, Move Silently 1, Search 1, Spot 1, Tumble 1, UMD 1 | ||
| 26 | Assassin | Hide 1, Listen 1, Move Silently 1, Search 1, Spot 1, Tumble 1, UMD 1 | ||
| 27 | Assassin | Hide 1, Listen 1, Move Silently 1, Search 1, Spot 1, Tumble 1, UMD 1 | Epic Skill Focus (Move Silently) | |
| 28 | Assassin | Hide 1, Listen 1, Move Silently 1, Search 1, Spot 1, Tumble 1, UMD 1 | Dexterity | |
| 29 | ShadowDancer | Hide 1, Listen 1, Move Silently 1, Search 1, Spot 1, Tumble 1, Save 3 | ||
| 30 | ShadowDancer | Hide 1, Listen 1, Move Silently 1, Search 1, Spot 1, Tumble 1, Save 3 | Great Dexterity I | |
| 31 | Assassin | Hide 1, Listen 1, Move Silently 1, Search 1, Spot 1, Tumble 1, UMD 3, Set Traps 3, Open Locks 1 | Superior Initiative | |
| 32 | Assassin | Hide 1, Listen 1, Move Silently 1, Search 1, Spot 1, Tumble 1, UMD 1 | Intelligence | |
| 33 | Assassin | Hide 1, Listen 1, Move Silently 1, Search 1, Spot 1, Tumble 1, UMD 1 | Improved Sneak Attack I | |
| 34 | Assassin | Hide 1, Listen 1, Move Silently 1, Search 1, Spot 1, Tumble 1, UMD 1 | ||
| 35 | Assassin | Hide 1, Listen 1, Move Silently 1, Search 1, Spot 1, Tumble 1, UMD 1 | Improved Sneak Attack II | |
| 36 | Assassin | Hide 1, Listen 1, Move Silently 1, Search 1, Spot 1, Tumble 1, UMD 1, Open Locks 1 | Epic Weapon Focus (Short Sword) | Intelligence |
| 37 | Assassin | Hide 1, Listen 1, Move Silently 1, Search 1, Spot 1, Tumble 1, UMD 1, Open Locks 1 | ||
| 38 | Assassin | Hide 1, Listen 1, Move Silently 1, Search 1, Spot 1, Tumble 1, UMD 1, Open Locks 1 | ||
| 39 | ShadowDancer | Hide 1, Listen 1, Move Silently 1, Search 1, Spot 1, Tumble 1, Save 4 | Blinding Speed, Epic Dodge | |
| 40 | Assassin | Hide 1, Listen 1, Move Silently 1, Search 1, Spot 1, Tumble 1, UMD 2, Open Locks 4 | Improved Sneak Attack III | Dexterity |
- Indicates this selection can be changed without affecting the integrity of the overall build.