Assassin

The assassin is is one of the human starting classes in Urtuk: The Desolation.

## Abilities and Focus

The assassin comes with 2 abilities and one focus

## Traits

 **Unlocked at level 10** | While this might not seem that impressive, an assassin with decent focus generation that backstabs will quickly get to full focus (critical hits and multiple hits increases your focus generation by a substantial amount), giving your assassin two guaranteed hits that cause bleed unless the enemy is wearing armour. With enough focus generation you can actually chain throat cutter stacks, virtually always having bleeding hits.

## Tactics

The assassin specializes in quick, brutal backstabs and placing traps on the enemies' path. Being a unit that hits multiple times and with his traps also costing stamina, having a minimum amount of 122 stamina is pretty mandatory to use assassins to their fullest extent. Not only does this allow you to hit 4 times with swift hands+murdering sense, it also lets you place 2 spike traps in one turn, should the need arise. Having light weapon, makes reaching that stamina breakpoint somewhat easier, although if used during the early game, it's also recommended to invest in a modicum of vitality to ensure his survival, as he lacks by himself protection. After you've reached 122 stamina, you should consider if you'd like to level it up more or stay around that value. 162 stamina will allow you for one more hit and be able to throw 2 spike traps without starting at below full stamina next turn while also making you somewhat faster. If you really wanted to, you could even spec him into a spike trap specialist, giving him agi mutators and bringing him to 242 stamina (this allows you to throw 3 spike traps in one turn), although this will be at the detriment of his survivability.

Strength is a pretty weak stat on the assassin. One-handed swords feature mediocre damage output and the way you'd want to inflict most of your damage with your assassins is by a combination of backstabs and bleeds. If you were lucky enough to find a one-handed sword with valdor backstab, or other damage giving traits such as slaughterer/lyncher, it might be wise to start investing in strength, although as a general rule of thumb, it's a stat you don't want to touch on your assassins.

As mentioned above, vitality is pretty important for assassins. Although you might think their repositioning with assassin's retreat allows them to retreat into safety, pretty often they will be focused down by the enemy units if their HP is low or if you slightly mess up the position, meaning a good HP buffer will save you many injuries. Although their role is certainly not tanky, when in doubt about which stat to level up, remember HP is never a bad choice.

Concentration is a tricky stat to level up. Although early on you won't have to touch this stat (instead try to reach the 122 stamina breakpoint and get enough vitality) as you don't have throat cutter, after you have enough stamina and HP investing some points in concentration will allow you to reach your throat cutter stacks more quickly, and the benefit of more concentration is compounded due to the fact that you'll be hitting multiple times.

### Synergistic Units

The Monk is a perfect companion for the assassin, as his flip will allow you to set up those highly coveted backstabs. This said, don't be too rash about flipping everyone to your assassin, and consider that if you cannot kill the enemy unit, it will be your monk that will be backstabbed to catastrophic results probably.

As mentioned before, any class with displacement skills will synergize with the assassin's traps. Guardian is one such class from the starting options, but grabbing skills are even better for assassin's mark set ups. Therefore, hook werebeasts, necroreaver spearmen and forsaken axemen are the ideal units for these kind of ambushes.

In general, high mobility units (4 movement tiles) are better to set up backstabs with. In that regard, priests, forsaken and other assassins are synergistic with this class.