D&D 3E/3.5 3E D&D Knife Thrower: How do you build it?

I was wondering how one would build a character whose speciality is knife-throwing?

Feats? Class? Ideas?

Is there a book with a feat that might work well?

Thanks.

fighter

- rapid reload, power attack, etc..

really depends on what do you imagine for your character.


Is he doing something else and being able to knife throw is just his way of fighting or is he primarily a fighter that uses knives?

I could have sworn I've seen a Jack of Knives prestige class somewhere. It may have been in the $5 anthology book put out by the company that did the seafarer's handbook and all the legends & lairs. BUT im not sure.

Feats that are clearly "must-haves" include: Quick Draw, Point-Blank Shot, Rapid Shot. Without adding primary spell-casting classes to the mix, I figure you have two main paths. 1) The straight fighter and 2) the fighter/rogue. The straight fighter would focus on equal parts strength and dexterity. At higher levels he might invest in Improved Critical since his damage is based on the weapon's damage die. Weapon Specialization: Dagger is also nice here since it adds to both ranged and melee attacks. The fighter/rogue focuses on sneak attacks, so feats the improve speed (Improved Initiative, Blooded) and take advantage of speed (Flick of the Wrist, Quicker than the Eye). If you really wanted to get interesting you could try something like a Rogue 5/Assassin 10/Arcane Trickster 5 with a pair of +4 keen slayer daggers, but that's probably a little off most DM's scale.

My personal taste is for the fighter/rogue, since I enjoy playing that type of character from time to time.

Don't forget Far Shot to increase that range increment.

redwing said:

I could have sworn I've seen a Jack of Knives prestige class somewhere. It may have been in the $5 anthology book put out by the company that did the seafarer's handbook and all the legends & lairs. BUT im not sure.

Click to expand...

Jack of Knives may be in the Mastercraft Anthology, but it is definitely in Path of Shadow by Fantasy Flight Games.

Another possibility is the Invisible Blade from the Gladiator issue of Dragon, even though it focuses more on melee. Still, you don't want to be caught unprepared.

I would definitely go the Fighter/Rogue route, because the sneak attack will help you get your damage up into reasonable levels. The 30' limit is not a big deal because by the time you're outside of it, you are going to be taking major range penalties on your to-hit roll anyway.

I'd go something like this:

Human Rog1 - Point-Blank Shot, Rapid Shot.
Rog1/Ftr1 - Quick-Draw
Rog2/Ftr1 - Precise Shot
Rog2/Ftr2 - Weapon Finesse

After that it's up to personal preference. Some people will advocate going for 2WF if they plan on getting into melee, but I would advocate going for Shot on the Run, because with the same prerequisites, you can pick up Spring Attack as well. Spring Attack is a great feat for lightly armored, low hp combatants: spring in to a flank, sneak attack, and then back out of reach so you're rarely if ever suffering a full attack.

J

Aren't there a couple of feats in Master of the Wild like Ranged Disarm and Ranged Pin? Very essential, says me.

This probably belongs in the "rules" forum, but here's my spin on it...

A knife thrower really needs to be mobile, since knives don't do the damage of bigger weapons in a melee skirmish.

Hence, you want to give the knife thrower the ability to get into tight spots and out of danger - the Tumble skill is a must.

Since knives are thrown weapons and rely on your Dexterity, and Tumble requires you to be lightly armored, it is likely a good idea to put your highest attribute as Dexterity.

Now, you will need to use Feats to help your knife throwing. You positively must have Quick Draw or you'll be wasting many actions pulling knives out. To increase your rate of fire, Rapid Shot is also a must (and therefore so is Point Blank shot, its prerequisite). You'll also want to get Weapon Specialization ASAP to add to your knife damage.

I would suggest:

Human Ftr1:
Max Ranks in Tumble
Dex as highest Attribute
Feats: Point-Blank Shot (Character Level 1), Rapid Shot (Fighter Level 1), Quick Draw (Human)

Level 2: Ftr2
Max Ranks in Tumble
Feat (Fighter Level two): Weapon Focus - Dagger

Level 3: Ftr3
Max Ranks in Tumble
Feat: Far Shot

Level 4: Ftr4
Max Ranks in Tumble
Feat (Fighter Level four): Weapon Specialization (Dagger)

Level 5: Ftr5
Keep the Tumble ranks maxxed

Level 6: Ftr6
Feats (Ftr6 and Char Level 6): Dodge and Expertise (both will really help your defenses; important at these levels where a high AC still matters)

Level 7: Ftr 7

Level 8: Ftr 8
Feat (Ftr 8): Improved Critical (Dagger) - Self-explanatory, I think.

After this point, you've picked up all the stuff you really, absolutely, postively need, Feat-wise, and it may be a good idea to pick up Rogue levels for the Sneak Attack damage and other bonuses:

Level 9: Rog 1
Feat (Char Level 9): Improved Initiative (gets you a few more Sneak Attacks while foes are flat-footed)
Ability: Sneak Attack +1d6

Level 10: Rog 2
Ability: Evasion

Level 11: Rog 3
Abilities: Uncanny Dodge, Sneak Attack +2d6

Level 12: Rog 4
Feat: Mobility (great synergy with Tumble)

Level 13: Rog 5
Ability: Sneak Attack +3d6

Level 14: Rog 6
Ability: Uncanny Dodge (no flanking)

Level 15: Rog 7
Feat: Shot on the Run
Ability: Sneak Attack +4d6

Level 16: Rog 8

Level 17: Rog 9
Ability: Sneak Attack +5d6

Level 18: Rog 10
Feat: Precise Shot
Ability: Opportunist (do Str Damage with every sneak attack - VERY useful ability)

Levels 19 and 20 are your choice. I can't think of anything in the Core rules that really needs adding to make you much more effective - though perhaps two levels of monk (for both the Wis bonus to AC and Deflect Arrows - and other missiles) would be a good fit.

--The Sigil

There are several knife thrower/dagger fighter PrCs in AEG's Swashbuckling Adventures, along with other fighting style PrCs for swords, whips, brawling, assassination, etc. Great book!

Hi all. I'm new and italian so sorry for any mystakes

If your main pourpose is a fun, 360° active pg, and if you play in a smart group (good roleplaying and strategic-tactic players) with a fine distribution of classes, i suggest you a pg as my Torà-K (Torned Maràk).

Halfling Rogue/sorcerer (now 3°rogue and 1°sorcerer but this will be the class i will select in the future. Rogue at 3° level is the max power/level you need).
Main stat = dex,
second stat = char
Third stat = Int

I have throwed good dices and those are my stats:

Strength = 9
Cos = 8 (10*)
Dex = 20
Int = 13
Char = 16
Wis = 8

with my "WraK" toad as familiar (+2 cos for a final 10).

Feats Quick Shot and Nearer Shot (or in what manner it is named in english... )

You have 66 ability points to distribuite, with lot of bonuses for to be halfling and for int/char/dex stats, and this mean a great acrobatic actions, ever hidden and silent, with a great trick/diplomacy combo.

Also you have +10 (8/8) with throwing knifes (or dards or stones or...) (under 9m) and 1d4+1 plus 2d6 that you can use 60% attacks.

You have also 9 spells as sorcerer that complete your talents...

As roleplaying, your pg have a lot of possibility.
ToraK is a fascinating lear, who don't resist to make your business... Caotic Good, obviusly, he don't resist to curiosity and to adventure.
I don't like to play a Rogue that is an "always thief", so i don't waste my time and my ability points for backpacking.
I prefere play this pg as a greedy, eccentric, generous and imprevedible halfling in a world full of Elven (who don't like so much halflings indeed...). I love gain the respect of other players, because i think that my brothers are for too much time undervaluated and this is the moment to show that WE ARE GOOD PEOPLE as other races in my reign. Ok there are a lot of thinks to tell about Torà-K, but it is not important i suppose.

But, ok, it depend about your idea of pg, and what do you wanna do in a game
Bye