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

Staffan

Legend
Re: Re: 3E D&D Knife Thrower: How do you build it?

PJ Mason said:
I've been trying to make the knife-fighter/thrower that could actually scare people in D&D for many years. 3E makes it a possibly.
Well, the mega-knifer was a distinct possibility for brutally strong people back in 2e, given that you got two thrown knives per round (more with specialization) and got full Strenght bonus on each. Why bother with hacking away with 1.5 attacks per round at 1d8+8 (long sword, weapon spec, Str 18/00) or 1d10+8 (two-handed sword), when you could instead throw three daggers at 1d4+8? Or even better, four darts at 1d3+8...

And if you were playing Dark Sun, you could always go for the half-giant with Str 24 and (IIRC) +12 damage...
 

log in or register to remove this ad

Sejs

First Post
Nah, for badass knife thrower characters, it's all about Gurps. Impaling damage? Target hit location brain through eyes? 80 feet away? Let's see, I've got the Hit Location maneuver at Knife Throwing -0, the range penality is -12.. So yeah.. Knife Throwing at 28. This shouldn't prove any significant difficulty. Hits.. okay, and the target doesn't have Parry Missle Weapons skill. So.. 1d impaling comes up a 4, doubled to 8, and brain takes quadrupple impaling damage, so rack that up to 32. Uh yeah.. that pretty much takes care of him. Next?
 

mmu1

First Post
Sejs said:
Nah, for badass knife thrower characters, it's all about Gurps. Impaling damage? Target hit location brain through eyes? 80 feet away? Let's see, I've got the Hit Location maneuver at Knife Throwing -0, the range penality is -12.. So yeah.. Knife Throwing at 28. This shouldn't prove any significant difficulty. Hits.. okay, and the target doesn't have Parry Missle Weapons skill. So.. 1d impaling comes up a 4, doubled to 8, and brain takes quadrupple impaling damage, so rack that up to 32. Uh yeah.. that pretty much takes care of him. Next?

Anyone that'd even consider letting someone make a called shot with a throwing knife at 80' while playing GURPS is using the wrong system... Realistic damage rules and fantasy combat abilities don't mix very well.
 
Last edited:

mmu1

First Post
My reccommendation for this sort of a character would be a fighter-rogue specializing in getting in as much sneak attack damage as possible in the surprise and first rounds of combat with thrown daggers, before closing in for melee combat.

This way, you get a lot of use out of your throwing ability (with quickdraw, there's rarely a combat during which you can't do your full attacks as sneak attacks in the first round), but don't have to worry about carrying dozens of daggers, and can still do significant damage if you flank in melee - which is something you won't be able to do just throwing daggers from a distance after the first round.

So my suggestion would be a Fighter 4 / Rogue X with weapon focus and specialization, improved initiative, point blank shot and rapid shot, quickdraw, and whatever other feats you can stack on top of this to let you either do more damage outright or sneak attack more.
 

Cheiromancer

Adventurer
This is a nice little Forgotten Realms build that I am proud of.

Invisible Blade is from Dragon 303, page 44. Auspician is from Faiths and Pantheons.


CG strongheart halfling, worshiper of Brandobaris.

levels and feats
01. Rogue 1- iron will, point blank shot
02. Fighter 1- wpn focus (dagger)
03. Fighter 2- quick draw, far shot
04. Cleric 1 (luck, trickery)
05. Rogue 2
06. Invisible Blade 1- rapid shot
07. Invisible Blade 2
08. Invisible Blade 3
09. Invisible Blade 4- dodge
10. Invisible Blade 5
11. Holy Liberator 1
12. Holy Liberator 2- lightning reflexes
13. Holy Liberator 3
14. Holy Liberator 4
15. Holy Liberator 5- great fortitude
16. Auspician 1 (fate domain)
17. Rogue 3
18. Auspician 2- improved initiative
19. Auspician 3
20. Auspician 4

BAB: 17
Saves: Fort +17, Ref +11, Will +14
(base saves + feats)
evasion, cannot be flanked, 5d6 sneak attack, feint as a free action (taking 10), spells as a 5th level cleric, reroll 1/day, divine grace, detect evil, celestial companion,immune to charms and compulsions, etc.
 

mmu1

First Post
Cheiromancer said:
This is a nice little Forgotten Realms build that I am proud of.

Oh come on... If it was a smackdown thread, maybe... But three different prestige classes, two of them divine ones dedicated to different ideals, and one from a Dragon? If there's a DM you could get this by as an actual character, you should sell tickets at GenCon so people can throw rotten fruit at him. :)
 


Airwolf

First Post
I hope this helps.

This is a PrC that I found a long time ago. I have never played this class so I can't say if it is balanced, but it looks pretty good. I also can't take credit for it, I don't even remember what web site I found it at.

If your DM will let you play it, it might be just the thing you are looking for.

Since it is so old, it does not have some of the newer feats from the splat books. You should be able to modify it a little with some of the newer feats, if your DM will let you.

Enjoy!

Knife Fighter
The Knife Fighter is the master of the dagger, equally adept at wielding the often underestimated weapon in close combat, and as a lethal thrown weapon. Mobile, calculating, and brutal or elegant, Knife Fighters usually pursue careers as pit fighters, facing other such combatants in ruthless, often illegal bouts, or as skilled enforcers and assassins for certain criminal elements.
Because of the class' typically shadowy background, it is extremely difficult — although not impossible — to obtain Knife Fighter tuition outside of the domain of the criminal underworld. As a result, few individuals, other than Rogues and Fighters, enter this prestige class. Of the various races, Humans are as suited to the class as they are any other, Halflings find themselves to be adept knife-flingers, and Half-Orcs, and other savage humanoids, find the class, and its usual background, suitably violent. Dwarves, Elves, and Gnomes usually view knife fighting as disdainful and distasteful.
Hit Die: d8.

Requirements:
To qualify to become a Knife Fighter, one must fulfill all the following criteria.
Base Attack Bonus: +5.
Feats: Ambidexterity, Dodge, Weapon Focus (dagger).

THE KNIFE FIGHTER
Lvl BAB_F_R_W Special

1st +1 +0 +2 +0 Dual Blade, Point Blank Shot
2nd +2 +0 +3 +0 Versatile Blade, Vicious Strike +d4
3rd +3 +1 +3 +1 Intercepting Blade I, Snatch Blade
4th +4 +1 +4 +1 Dual Throw
5th +5 +1 +4 +1 Back to Sender
6th +6 +2 +5 +2 Inter. Blade II, Vicious Strike +2d4
7th +7 +2 +5 +2 Improved Two-Weapon Fighting
8th +8 +2 +6 +2 —
9th +8 +3 +6 +3 Intercepting Blade III
10th +10 +3 +7 +3 Vicious Strike +3d4

Class Skills:
The Knife Fighter's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Craft (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (Streetwise)(Int), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Spot (Wis), and Tumble (Dex). See Chapter 4: Skills in the Player's Handbook for skill descriptions.

Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier.

Class Features:
All of the following are class features of the Knife Fighter prestige class.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Knife Fighters are proficient with daggers. Knife Fighters are proficient with light armor, but no shields. Note that armor check penalties for armor heavier than leather apply to the skills Balance, Climb, Escape Artist, Hide, Jump, Move Silently, Pick Pocket, and Tumble.

Back to Sender: If a Knife Fighter with this extraordinary ability makes a successful Snatch Blade attempt, he may immediately launch the caught projectile back at the attacker who threw it, making a standard attack roll using that weapon. Using this special ability doesn't count as an action. It is not possible to use Back to Sender on a weapon that has been "returned" using this ability, although a weapon thrown using this ability may be caught using Snatch Blade.

Double Throw: A Knife Fighter can throw two daggers simultaneously per attack, providing he has one in each hand. If both are thrown at a single target, make two separate normal attack rolls; if each is thrown at a different target, use standard Two-Weapon Fighting Penalties (taking into account Ambidexterity, Two-Weapon Fighting feat/Dual Blade special ability, etc.)

Dual Blade: When wearing light or no armor, and armed with a pair of daggers, the Knife Fighter can fight as if he had the Two-Weapon Fighting feat. If the Knife Fighter already has the Two-Weapon Fighting feat, he gains the benefits of the Improved Two-Weapon Fighting feat when armed with a pair of dagger, and wearing light or no armor.

Improved Two-Weapon Fighting: When wearing light or no armor, and armed with a pair of daggers, the Knife Fighter can fight as if he had the Improved Two-Weapon Fighting feat. If the character already has this feat, he reduces the penalty to his second attack with the off-hand weapon to -2, when using Improved Two-Weapon Fighting.

Intercepting Blade: The Knife Fighter becomes extremely proficient at using an off-hand dagger as a parrying implement. When armed with a pair of daggers (one in each hand), and wearing light or no armor, the Knife Fighter gets a bonus of +1 to his Armor Class at 3rd level. This bonus increases to +2 at 6th level, and +3 at 9th level. If the Knife Fighter uses the off-hand dagger to attack, he loses the Armor Class bonus for the rest of the round. The Armor Class bonus is an Armor bonus, as the off-hand dagger is essentially being used as a "shield".

Point Blank Shot: The Knife Fighter gets the Point Blank Shot feat for free.

Snatch Blade: The Knife Fighter may snatch small thrown weapons, such as daggers, dart, and rocks, out of the air. He must have at least one hand free (holding nothing) to use this ability. Once per round when he would normally be hit with such a thrown weapon, he may make a Reflex saving throw against a DC of 20 (if the thrown weapon has a magical bonus to attack, the DC increases by that amount). If he succeeds, he catches the weapon. He must be aware of the attack, and not flat-footed. Attempting to snatch a thrown weapon doesn't count as an action.

Versatile Blade: The Knife Fighter learns to make more effective use of the dagger, and may choose to make Slashing or Piercing attacks with it.

Vicious Strike: At 2nd level the Knife Fighter gains the extraordinary ability to inflict grievous wounds with a dagger in melee, gaining a bonus of +1d4 points of damage added to his normal roll. When making a vicious strike, the Knife Fighter cannot attack with a weapon is his other hand, although he can defend with it (and can use the Intercepting Blade special ability). Like critical hits and sneak attacks, Vicious Strike is ineffective against constructs, oozes, undead, and fortified armor. Every four Knife Fighter levels gained thereafter, he increases the damage by +1d4. If the Knife Fighter also has the Rogue's Sneak Attack ability, and utilizes it successfully, the Vicious Strike damage stacks with the Sneak Attack damage.
 
Last edited:

RigaMortus

Explorer
I would make it a Halfling instead of a Human. This way you get +1 to hit from your small size, and a +1 to hit for Halfling's bonus with Throwing Weapons.
 

Remove ads

Top