Help me build a sniper

[andargor]

That leaves a couple options, the most blatent being the death attack compliments of the Assassin class.

From the SRD:

Death Attack: If the assassin studies his victim for 3 rounds and then makes a sneak attack with a melee weapon that successfully deals damage, the sneak attack has the additional effect of possibly either paralyzing or killing the target (assassin’s choice).

All those Archer Assassins been putting their "mad skillz" in the wrong place.

Andargor

 

[Hypersmurf]

All those Archer Assassins been putting their "mad skillz" in the wrong place.

There's a spell in Song and Silence that, from memory, allows them to Death Attack at 30', or Sneak Attack at 45'.

I think.

-Hyp.

 

[Spatula]

Cover of darkness sounds a lot like the Deepwood Sniper, but again, dealing 1d8+4 with a single shot, irregardless of how far it is, will kill your average 1st level commoner... but not the kind of person, low level or not, that you'll probably be inserted to handle.. or their lackeys....

The main thrust of the deepwood sniper is concealment reduction, increased range, and devastating criticals. So 1d8+4... plus arrows that are automatically made keen and with a x5 crit multiplier. Add in Rapid Shot, Improved Crit, and a GMW, and you're going to be dealing out lots of damage at extreme ranges.

Soooo... sounds like Assassin. From a distance you just watch your opponents, and then pick them off.

The assassain's death attack only works with melee attacks, so it's no good for a sniper.

 

[Norfleet]

The assassain's death attack only works with melee attacks, so it's no good for a sniper.

Unless you cast "Sniper's Eye" (Asn 4) from S&S, which allows death attack with ranged weapon within 30', and sneak attack to 60'.

Heavy crossbow: 50gp
Bolts: 1gp
Watching someone fall to his knees at the hands of a sniper: Priceless.

 

[andargor]

There's a spell in Song and Silence that, from memory, allows them to Death Attack at 30', or Sneak Attack at 45'.

I think.

-Hyp.

I'll be damned.

From Song and Silence:

Sniper's Eye

Transmutation
Level: Asn 4
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Touch
Area: Personal
Duration 1 round/level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)

This spell magically enhances your senses, making you deadly with ranged weapons. When you cast sniper's eye, you gain the following benefits:
o Darkvision as a spell-like ability, lasting for the duration of sniper's eye.
o The ability to make a ranged sneak attack against anyone within 60 feet, rather than the usual 30 feet.
o The ability to make a death attack with a ranged weapon within 30 feet.
o A +15 competence bonus on Spot checks.
Sniper's eye attunes you completely to the vantage point you have when you cast the spell. You understand the nuances of the breeze and every angle and shadow-- from that spot. If you move more than 5 feet from there, you lose the benefits of sniper's eye until you return within the spell's duration.
Material Component: A magnifying glass lens.

No sniping at 300 feet, though.

Andargor

 

[Hypersmurf]

Unless you cast "Sniper's Eye" (Asn 4) from S&S, which allows death attack with ranged weapon within 30', and sneak attack to 60'.

"Sniper's Eye".

It's a little misnamed, really.

"I'm a highly trained, deadly assassin. I don't have to be right beside you to kill you... I can do it from the far end of the room!"

-Hyp.

 

[UniversalMonster]

Some quicky suggestions:

Access to the true strike spell, a *nice* magic heavy crossbow, javelins of lightning.

 

[hong]

Re: Re: Re: Help me build a sniper

Concealment Reduction (Ex): An opponent with a 0% miss chance is no longer concealed.

How have you found that works out in testing?

Especially since it's not limited to ranged weapons, it means a RogX/ShS6 can melee sneak attack people with Blur spells up, for example.

I'm not sure why a Shadow Sniper should be better at sticking a sword in a Blurred vital spot than a straight-class Rogue of the same level...?

I'm not sure that she can. The shadow sniper only gets ranged sneak attack as a class feature, so in melee, she only gets the base rogue SA damage. Eg a rog6/shadow sniper 6 gets +3d6 SA in melee, whereas the rog12 gets +6d6.

Also, I think some things are just too fiddly to bother with. The chances that a shadow sniper (a specialist ranged combatant) 1) will be in melee, 2) with someone who has concealment, 3) which is then taken away, 4) and is then in a position to make sneak attacks, are pretty slim. If it happens, it happens, and I'm not going to lose sleep over it.

And where were you when I was DESIGNING the class in the first place, huh, smartypants?

 

[Hypersmurf]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Help me build a sniper

And where were you when I was DESIGNING the class in the first place, huh, smartypants?

I've no idea... was it over in House Rules?

-Hyp.

 

[hong]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Help me build a sniper

I've no idea... was it over in House Rules?

Does a bear put four smileys in a row in the woods?