I personally love the new class added in Borderlands 2: The Assassin. In a way it brings back Lilith’s old Phasewalking action skill and brings something new to the table in allowing the player to attack while still remaining undetectable to enemy sources. This allows for some interesting and skillful ways to play, such as deploying your holographic decoy in the middle of a mob, throwing out a grenade/ Tediore reload, then picking your next target to either begin a Many Must Fall killing spree or melting into bubbling goo with Death Blossom before finding safe cover to exit Deception.
This form of play has a whole different feel than anything else done in Borderlands. While I feel the synergy flowing with Deception and between all of Zer0’s skills is phenomenal, I really want another Assassin Class in BL3, and you can’t have the exact same class twice. With this in mind, I started thinking about different ways GBX can expand on the Assassin Class if they were to bring it back (please do this!) in the next Borderlands.
I like the idea of giving the Assassin guns and a sword, and providing him with great melee skills thusly, and so I decided to keep with that theme. To stick with the idea of the glass cannon-y Assassin class, I decided that Gideon should have more ways to improve the overall utility of his shield, rather than having many health bonuses. Gideon’s low health is offset by his impressive arsenal. Seeing as how Assassins invest heavily in their gadgets, I focused on the giving Gideon some nice improvements to his gear to use to his advantage in combat. This way of thinking brought me brainstorm up the idea of a new Assassin Class with new Skill Trees! Here are some possibilities for an all new Assassin Class.
Presenting:
Gideon as The Assassin
Pic to come once I draw it :p
Action Skill:
Press [Action Skill Button] to activate Stalker Mode. While Stalker Mode is active, Gideon gains increased Evasion, Melee Damage, Gun Damage, Movement Speed, and Damage Reduction.
Evasion – 35% This will function somewhat like an Absorb shield, where bullets that connect have a chance to deal no damage what so ever. This will be buffed by skills further down the road.
Melee Damage – 100% This too will be improved upon by skills in the skill trees. I feel this is a good base to start with, but could be increased/ decreased depending on balancing issues.
Gun Damage – 50%
Movement Speed – 100% Possibly higher if buffing is needed.
Damage Reduction – 25% This along with the other massive improvements to survivability provided in the skill trees should provide you with enough protection to get in close enough for melee attacks without the need for turning invisible.
Skill Duration: 20 seconds
Cool Down: 30 seconds
Walking Death
The Walking Death skill tree focuses on utilizing the full potential of the Stalker Suit. In such fashion, the tree allows for magazine increases and shield capacitor upgrades, as well as other special shield upgrades. When investing heavily into this tree, you will be relying on keeping Stalker Mode active to stay alive. Thus, the tree rewards the player with Action Skill cooldown reduction, movement increases, and added survivability.
Tier 1
Whirlwind – 5 – Increases Movement Speed and Reload Speed by 5% per level
Shield Surplus – 5 – Increases Shield Capacity by +3% per level. When shields are full, Gun Damage is increased by +2% per level.
Tier 2
Killjoy – 5 – Kill Skill: Upon killing an enemy Fire Rate and Movement Speed is drastically increased. Fire Rate +6% per level Movement Speed +4% per level
Instant Gratification – 5 – Using Stalker Mode restores 20% of shields per level.
Tier 3
Fisticuffs – 5 – Melee Damage is increased by +4% per level. Enemies who perform Melee attacks against your shield become stunned for 3 seconds.
Disturbance – 1 – Action Skill Assist: While Stalker Mode is active each kill increases the timer by 0.5 seconds. “You think you can stop me? Ha! I do this for a living.”
Up Your Arsenal – 5 –Increases Magazine size for all weapons by +6% per level. Also Increases Max Grenade Count by +1 per level.
Tier 4
Coolant – 5 – Decreases Stalker Suit cooldown time by 3.25% per level
Unbreakable – 5 – Action Skill Assist: While Stalker Mode is active every kill causes your shield to automatically regenerate by 1% per second per level. “Come at me.”
Tier 5
Eye for an Eye – 5 – While in Stalker Mode, Bullet Damage causes Electrical Outbursts that damage nearby enemies. Shock damage 1 per rank
Game Changer
Explosive Entry – 1 – Entering Stalker Mode causes your Stalker Suit to emit a powerful Explosive concussion, damaging and stunning enemies within its nova radius. “This is only the beginning.”
Tsunami Strike
This tree will revolve around increasing elemental damage potential. Yet another way to build off the gadgetry theme. Melee damage increases and other gun bonuses are included as well.
Tier 1
Douse – 5 – Increases resistance to elemental damage. Also increases elemental effect damage. Elemental resistance +4% per level. Elemental effect damage +3% per level.
Dexterity – 5 – Increases Weapon Swap Speed, Aim Speed and Melee Damage. Weapon Swap Speed +10% per level. Aim speed +5% per level. Melee Damage +5% per level.
Tier 2
Static Sludge – 5 – Shock and Slag damage is increased by +4.75% per level. “When things get too hot…”
Boil Over – 5 – Fire and caustic damage is increased by +2.75% per level. “…they stay that way.”
Tier 3
More Bang – 1 – Kill Skill: Killing enemies with elemental status effects triggers an Explosion upon death and transfers the elemental effect with its remaining duration to the nearest enemy. “There is no escape.”
Elemental Surge – 1 – When wielding a bladed elemental weapon, Melee Damage is infused with the element of that weapon. “I can see your every weakness.”
Burning Transfusion – 5 – Afflicting Elemental status effects upon enemies restores 0.5% Max Health per second. This effect cannot stack. Also increases status effect duration.
Tier 4
Natural Disaster – 5 – Elemental damage from all sources is increased by +4% per level. “Melt them into the ground.”
Tier 5
Slagging Slugs – 5 – This first few bullets from each magazine causes slag damage and has a chance to slag the enemy. The shorter the clip, the higher the chance to slag. Rank 1 slag damage per level. Up to +3% chance to slag per level.
Game Changer
Mother Nature – 1 – Reduces negative Status Effect Duration caused by enemies by 90%. Remaining elemental effect that would have caused damage restores a large portion of health instead. “At last, I am one with the Elements.”
Shadow Swordsman
The Shadow Swordsman Tree lives up to its name sake by offering Gideon the highest boosts to Melee damage available. Because this Assassin class is based off the original assassin, Zer0, I wanted this tree to have similarities while remaining unique in its own ways. Includes Gun, Melee, and Stalker Suit improvements, as well as providing minor defensive boosts, and powerful ballistic melee attacks.
Tier 1
Skewer – 5 – Increases Melee Damage and Shield Capacity. Melee Damage +5% per level. Shield Capacity +3% per level.
Crushing Force – 5 – Dealing Melee Damage lowers enemies defenses. +5% Damage Increase per level on enemies who have previously taken Melee Damage.
Tier 2
Death Reincarnate – 5 – Kill Skill: Killing an enemy increases Movement Speed, Gun Damage and Melee Damage. Movement Speed +6% per level. Gun Damage +8% per level. Melee Damage +12% per level.
Ballistics Reflector – 5 – Gives the Stalker Suit a +3% chance per level to reflect any enemy projectile back towards its source.
Tier 3
Elusive Enigma – 5 – Increases chances to evade in coming projectiles. Evaded projectiles have an added chance of being absorbed. Absorbed Ammo is added to backpack. Absorb Chance 2% per level.
Shadow Strike – 1 – Action Skill Assist: While Stalker Mode is active pressing the Melee Button causes you to dash forward 3 meters and perform a special Melee attack dealing massive damage. When Stalker Mode is not active, pressing the melee button will cause a Melee Override Skill, causing you to dash forward 2 meters and activating cool down. When this skill is in cool down, you will perform a regular melee attack.
Aggressive Assassin – 5 – Kill Skill: Killing an enemy increases Shield Recharge Rate and reduces Shield Recharge Delay. Shield Recharge Rate +15% per level. Shield Recharge Delay: -12%
Tier 4
Flashbang – 1 – Entering Stalker Mode emits a Blinding Flash, causing enemies to lose track of you for a few seconds
Ballistic Knives – 5 – While Stalker Mode is active, pressing the Action Skill button again will cause Gideon to throw a powerful Ballistic Knife. The higher the skill level, the more Ballistic Knives available to be thrown. +1 Ballistic Knife per level.
Tier 5
Slash, Pierce, Impale – 5 – Using your melee attack has a chance to strike twice in very rapid succession. +6% Slash, Pierce, Impale chance per level.
Game Changer
At one with the Blade – 1 – Gives all of your Melee attacks added Explosive damage. “Many an opponent have fallen to my bloodied blade.”
Class Mods
Here’s a few Class Mod ideas that help flesh out the Idea of this character. There could be more, and certainly room for a little tweaking. I’ll add more as ideas come to mind.
Blue
Death Agent: Pistol Damage 26% Sniper Damage 25% Up Your Arsenal (+6) Shield Surplus (+5)
Expert Stalker: Gun Damage 25% Reload Speed 15% Whirlwind (+6) Killjoy (+5)
Everlast Stalker: Max Health 20% Elemental Effect Chance 25% Elemental Effect Damage +15% Burning Transfusion (+6) Shield Surplus (+5)
Elemental Assassin: Team Elemental Damage 26% Douse (+6) Death Reincarnate (+5)
Inferno Assassin: Fire Damage +15% Fire Rate +15% Boil Over (+6) Burning Transfusion (+5)
Storm Assassin: Shock Damage +15% Reload Speed +15% Static Sludge (+6) Slagging Slugs (+5)
Shadow Stalker: Melee Damage 40% Movement Speed +20% Death Reincarnate (+6) Ballistic Knives (+5)
Slicing Assassin: Melee Damage 25% Fisticuffs (+6) Slash, Pierce, Impale (+5)
Speedy Assassin: Movement Speed +50% Whirlwind (+6) Dexterity (+5) / Killjoy (+5)
This form of play has a whole different feel than anything else done in Borderlands. While I feel the synergy flowing with Deception and between all of Zer0’s skills is phenomenal, I really want another Assassin Class in BL3, and you can’t have the exact same class twice. With this in mind, I started thinking about different ways GBX can expand on the Assassin Class if they were to bring it back (please do this!) in the next Borderlands.
I like the idea of giving the Assassin guns and a sword, and providing him with great melee skills thusly, and so I decided to keep with that theme. To stick with the idea of the glass cannon-y Assassin class, I decided that Gideon should have more ways to improve the overall utility of his shield, rather than having many health bonuses. Gideon’s low health is offset by his impressive arsenal. Seeing as how Assassins invest heavily in their gadgets, I focused on the giving Gideon some nice improvements to his gear to use to his advantage in combat. This way of thinking brought me brainstorm up the idea of a new Assassin Class with new Skill Trees! Here are some possibilities for an all new Assassin Class.
Presenting:
Gideon as The Assassin
Pic to come once I draw it :p
Action Skill:
Stalker Suit
Press [Action Skill Button] to activate Stalker Mode. While Stalker Mode is active, Gideon gains increased Evasion, Melee Damage, Gun Damage, Movement Speed, and Damage Reduction.
Evasion – 35% This will function somewhat like an Absorb shield, where bullets that connect have a chance to deal no damage what so ever. This will be buffed by skills further down the road.
Melee Damage – 100% This too will be improved upon by skills in the skill trees. I feel this is a good base to start with, but could be increased/ decreased depending on balancing issues.
Gun Damage – 50%
Movement Speed – 100% Possibly higher if buffing is needed.
Damage Reduction – 25% This along with the other massive improvements to survivability provided in the skill trees should provide you with enough protection to get in close enough for melee attacks without the need for turning invisible.
Skill Duration: 20 seconds
Cool Down: 30 seconds
Skill Trees
Walking Death
The Walking Death skill tree focuses on utilizing the full potential of the Stalker Suit. In such fashion, the tree allows for magazine increases and shield capacitor upgrades, as well as other special shield upgrades. When investing heavily into this tree, you will be relying on keeping Stalker Mode active to stay alive. Thus, the tree rewards the player with Action Skill cooldown reduction, movement increases, and added survivability.
Tier 1
Whirlwind – 5 – Increases Movement Speed and Reload Speed by 5% per level
Shield Surplus – 5 – Increases Shield Capacity by +3% per level. When shields are full, Gun Damage is increased by +2% per level.
Tier 2
Killjoy – 5 – Kill Skill: Upon killing an enemy Fire Rate and Movement Speed is drastically increased. Fire Rate +6% per level Movement Speed +4% per level
Instant Gratification – 5 – Using Stalker Mode restores 20% of shields per level.
Tier 3
Fisticuffs – 5 – Melee Damage is increased by +4% per level. Enemies who perform Melee attacks against your shield become stunned for 3 seconds.
Disturbance – 1 – Action Skill Assist: While Stalker Mode is active each kill increases the timer by 0.5 seconds. “You think you can stop me? Ha! I do this for a living.”
Up Your Arsenal – 5 –Increases Magazine size for all weapons by +6% per level. Also Increases Max Grenade Count by +1 per level.
Tier 4
Coolant – 5 – Decreases Stalker Suit cooldown time by 3.25% per level
Unbreakable – 5 – Action Skill Assist: While Stalker Mode is active every kill causes your shield to automatically regenerate by 1% per second per level. “Come at me.”
Tier 5
Eye for an Eye – 5 – While in Stalker Mode, Bullet Damage causes Electrical Outbursts that damage nearby enemies. Shock damage 1 per rank
Game Changer
Explosive Entry – 1 – Entering Stalker Mode causes your Stalker Suit to emit a powerful Explosive concussion, damaging and stunning enemies within its nova radius. “This is only the beginning.”
Tsunami Strike
This tree will revolve around increasing elemental damage potential. Yet another way to build off the gadgetry theme. Melee damage increases and other gun bonuses are included as well.
Tier 1
Douse – 5 – Increases resistance to elemental damage. Also increases elemental effect damage. Elemental resistance +4% per level. Elemental effect damage +3% per level.
Dexterity – 5 – Increases Weapon Swap Speed, Aim Speed and Melee Damage. Weapon Swap Speed +10% per level. Aim speed +5% per level. Melee Damage +5% per level.
Tier 2
Static Sludge – 5 – Shock and Slag damage is increased by +4.75% per level. “When things get too hot…”
Boil Over – 5 – Fire and caustic damage is increased by +2.75% per level. “…they stay that way.”
Tier 3
More Bang – 1 – Kill Skill: Killing enemies with elemental status effects triggers an Explosion upon death and transfers the elemental effect with its remaining duration to the nearest enemy. “There is no escape.”
Elemental Surge – 1 – When wielding a bladed elemental weapon, Melee Damage is infused with the element of that weapon. “I can see your every weakness.”
Burning Transfusion – 5 – Afflicting Elemental status effects upon enemies restores 0.5% Max Health per second. This effect cannot stack. Also increases status effect duration.
Tier 4
Natural Disaster – 5 – Elemental damage from all sources is increased by +4% per level. “Melt them into the ground.”
Tier 5
Slagging Slugs – 5 – This first few bullets from each magazine causes slag damage and has a chance to slag the enemy. The shorter the clip, the higher the chance to slag. Rank 1 slag damage per level. Up to +3% chance to slag per level.
Game Changer
Mother Nature – 1 – Reduces negative Status Effect Duration caused by enemies by 90%. Remaining elemental effect that would have caused damage restores a large portion of health instead. “At last, I am one with the Elements.”
Shadow Swordsman
The Shadow Swordsman Tree lives up to its name sake by offering Gideon the highest boosts to Melee damage available. Because this Assassin class is based off the original assassin, Zer0, I wanted this tree to have similarities while remaining unique in its own ways. Includes Gun, Melee, and Stalker Suit improvements, as well as providing minor defensive boosts, and powerful ballistic melee attacks.
Tier 1
Skewer – 5 – Increases Melee Damage and Shield Capacity. Melee Damage +5% per level. Shield Capacity +3% per level.
Crushing Force – 5 – Dealing Melee Damage lowers enemies defenses. +5% Damage Increase per level on enemies who have previously taken Melee Damage.
Tier 2
Death Reincarnate – 5 – Kill Skill: Killing an enemy increases Movement Speed, Gun Damage and Melee Damage. Movement Speed +6% per level. Gun Damage +8% per level. Melee Damage +12% per level.
Ballistics Reflector – 5 – Gives the Stalker Suit a +3% chance per level to reflect any enemy projectile back towards its source.
Tier 3
Elusive Enigma – 5 – Increases chances to evade in coming projectiles. Evaded projectiles have an added chance of being absorbed. Absorbed Ammo is added to backpack. Absorb Chance 2% per level.
Shadow Strike – 1 – Action Skill Assist: While Stalker Mode is active pressing the Melee Button causes you to dash forward 3 meters and perform a special Melee attack dealing massive damage. When Stalker Mode is not active, pressing the melee button will cause a Melee Override Skill, causing you to dash forward 2 meters and activating cool down. When this skill is in cool down, you will perform a regular melee attack.
Aggressive Assassin – 5 – Kill Skill: Killing an enemy increases Shield Recharge Rate and reduces Shield Recharge Delay. Shield Recharge Rate +15% per level. Shield Recharge Delay: -12%
Tier 4
Flashbang – 1 – Entering Stalker Mode emits a Blinding Flash, causing enemies to lose track of you for a few seconds
Ballistic Knives – 5 – While Stalker Mode is active, pressing the Action Skill button again will cause Gideon to throw a powerful Ballistic Knife. The higher the skill level, the more Ballistic Knives available to be thrown. +1 Ballistic Knife per level.
Tier 5
Slash, Pierce, Impale – 5 – Using your melee attack has a chance to strike twice in very rapid succession. +6% Slash, Pierce, Impale chance per level.
Game Changer
At one with the Blade – 1 – Gives all of your Melee attacks added Explosive damage. “Many an opponent have fallen to my bloodied blade.”
Class Mods
Here’s a few Class Mod ideas that help flesh out the Idea of this character. There could be more, and certainly room for a little tweaking. I’ll add more as ideas come to mind.
Blue
Death Agent: Pistol Damage 26% Sniper Damage 25% Up Your Arsenal (+6) Shield Surplus (+5)
Expert Stalker: Gun Damage 25% Reload Speed 15% Whirlwind (+6) Killjoy (+5)
Everlast Stalker: Max Health 20% Elemental Effect Chance 25% Elemental Effect Damage +15% Burning Transfusion (+6) Shield Surplus (+5)
Elemental Assassin: Team Elemental Damage 26% Douse (+6) Death Reincarnate (+5)
Inferno Assassin: Fire Damage +15% Fire Rate +15% Boil Over (+6) Burning Transfusion (+5)
Storm Assassin: Shock Damage +15% Reload Speed +15% Static Sludge (+6) Slagging Slugs (+5)
Shadow Stalker: Melee Damage 40% Movement Speed +20% Death Reincarnate (+6) Ballistic Knives (+5)
Slicing Assassin: Melee Damage 25% Fisticuffs (+6) Slash, Pierce, Impale (+5)
Speedy Assassin: Movement Speed +50% Whirlwind (+6) Dexterity (+5) / Killjoy (+5)