Ignoble Death by Ray of Frost!?!

[James McMurray]

No, they're right - I screwed up.

What you say is true for non-exclusive skills. Decipher Script is an exclusive skill. The max rank is figured as the total of class levels in classes with access to the skill, +3... not character level +3 like it is for other skills.

-Hyp.

Not so (at least not according to the SRD).

A character's class skills are limited to the character's level + 3. If you only have one level of rogue, you can get 7 ranks of decipher script by picking up that level of rogue at 4th character level and immediately dumping 7 skill points into it.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Not so (at least not according to the SRD).

The SRD is missing a critical passage then.

Read the PHB.

A character's class skills are limited to the character's level + 3. If you only have one level of rogue, you can get 7 ranks of decipher script by picking up that level of rogue at 4th character level and immediately dumping 7 skill points into it.

... except in the case of Exclusive skills.

Read the PHB.

-Hyp.

 

[jontherev]

It is somewhat questionable that twinned rays get two sets of sneak attack dice for the exact same reason that shurikens get only one.

Nonetheless, even if I accept your ruling on this for the sake of argument, the damage you get out of this perfect setup won't get you into the smackdown range. Besides it is still Cold damage, and easily negated by Protection from Elements, Minor Globe of Invulnerability, or inherent immunity (e.g. undead). Even Mirror Image, Blur, Entropic Shield, Displacement, or a lousy Obscuring Mist will cause problems.

IMO, the answer to Hasted + Invisible adventurers is to fog the area, and either retreat or hand-to-hand. Ranged sneak attack tactics suddenly look pretty worthless and invisibility is not such a big deal when everyone has concealment.

BTW, Dragons have Blindsight. It ain't so easy to get a sneak attack on a dragon.

I agree that it is very questionable that twinned rays both get SA damage. In fact, I would rule they do not for the exact same reason an Acid Orb only gets one.

There are so many ways to defeat SA, that rogues can easily be third-rate fighters (behind Clerics and monks) in many battles, with little or no effort by the DM.

Dragons that can't see or sense ethereal creatures (most dragons) are quite easily sneak attacked by using a Ring of Blinking (or spell). However, being within 30' (or worse for a melee rogue) of a dragon is not healthy for the d6 rogue.

 

[James McMurray]

You're right. Why they buried that in the multiclass section instead of putting it in the skills section I'll never understand.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Why they buried that in the multiclass section instead of putting it in the skills section I'll never understand.

cf. Heavy Crossbow (qv)

-Hyp.

 

[loviatarfrostbringer]

I understand that my prob is mostly with Haste/Imp Invis/Fly. I just threw in the Ray of Frost as an eye-catcher.

Ok, rephrase - any good way to stime the AT who is a flying abuser?

 

[Destil]

I understand that my prob is mostly with Haste/Imp Invis/Fly. I just threw in the Ray of Frost as an eye-catcher.

Ok, rephrase - any good way to stime the AT who is a flying abuser?

Is you use psionics a psion with control air is a good way. A 5th level psion can create a wind strong enugh to blow away a small flying creature, and a 9th level psion can do this to meidum creatures. It also has a huge area of effect, so you don't need to pin point an invible target, it's hard to miss with a 1000 foot + 500 foot / level raidus spread. It there are natural winds then this works even better (since they can simply boost the existing wind speed).

 

[Darklone]

Easy. Since archers are too strong according to some guys here on the boards... build a smackdown archer with see invisible and nail him with 20 arrows or so.

 

[hong]

I understand that my prob is mostly with Haste/Imp Invis/Fly. I just threw in the Ray of Frost as an eye-catcher.

Ok, rephrase - any good way to stime the AT who is a flying abuser?

Blindsight, see invisibility, slow, greater dispelling, wind wall, prot. arrows, 3 rogue or 2 barb levels for Uncanny Dodge.... Situational modifiers, like having big monsters in (relatively) small rooms, can also expose the rogue to some risk. Not much point flying when the ceiling is 20 feet up, and the monsters are 16 feet tall.

At high levels, everyone is going to be flying. For the tough fights, they're also all going to be hasted. Ideally, you want to plan your fights with this in mind.

 

[tleilaxu]

hey... that's what the character is based on. Good for the Arcane Trickster! let him have his fun...