If you are fed up of a typical assasin build try an assa caster and be totally lameway with it :P
Factions foes can be tough, you have the afflicted in Tehnaki temple that some groups have 2 rit healers with a monk to back it up. FoMF + the spirit light heal skill is a little over the top. Especially in HM. Assasins in pve generaly tank or aoe dps with deaths blossom.
Agreed with heros killing things before dagger chains get off..
The idea that you cant repeat a skill if it fails and has to go back to the lead attack annoys me much when you have to fight a group of ranger with WD
@higher minion: when factions started where there heros at all?
in overall response to the OP with max armor and defensive spells that the sin profesion has [crit defences for one] they shouldnt be dropped in a few hits.
Watch out for sliver armor still unless you have minions if you are the only melee in the team then it will still spike you down. I suggest if you are running a spike assasin to take minions as a meatshieild or if you are taking a more tanking build to take ele spells of armor or the assasin defence skills.