A 10 level Prestige Class that gets 1d6 Sneak Attack damage every level: Unbalanced?

[Rystil Arden]

So, it came up in another thread that some people were suggesting that gaining 1d6 Sneak Attack every level for 10 levels is not unbalanced. The example PrC had Rogue BAB and saves, 4 skill points per level, the uncanny dodges, poison use, and the ability to switch out 3 of the 10 sneak attacks for abilities such as improved evasion, if desired.

I couldn't believe that anyone could possibly think this could be even close to balanced, so I'm leaving it up to you.

 

[gamecat]

I'm in the extremely overpowered crowd. A sneak attack is not hard to set up at all.

 

[erdamon]

I think it would be overpowered. Maybe if the clase didnt get any BAB or something.

 

[Michael Morris]

If you have to ask...

 

[whydirt]

I think if you want a character that specializes in Sneak Attacks, there are many more interesting ways of handling it. I'd much prefer to give abilities that allow SA to be used against more types of foes, or cause short-term status effects.

If you're dead-set on increasing SA progression from +1d6 every other level, I'd suggest something like a class that gives +1d6 at 1st, 3rd, 4th, 6th, 7th, 9th, and 10th. This gives two extra dice, but I'd give the class at most 4 skill points per level, and I'd also either lower their HD down to d4 or lower their BAB down to the slow progression (+1 per 2 levels) to represent them staying out of face-to-face combat.

 

[Rystil Arden]

If you have to ask...

I ask not because I am not sure of my answer but because the other person involved thinks its completely balanced. Bewildered and surprised, I wondered if there existed other people who agreed with him. So I'm not asking the poll to find out the answer so much as asking the poll to see how many people answer which way.

 

[Crothian]

So, it came up in another thread that some people were suggesting that gaining 1d6 Sneak Attack every level for 10 levels is not unbalanced. The example PrC had Rogue BAB and saves, 4 skill points per level, the uncanny dodges, poison use, and the ability to switch out 3 of the 10 sneak attacks for abilities such as improved evasion, if desired.

I couldn't believe that anyone could possibly think this could be even close to balanced, so I'm leaving it up to you.

MAybe if they get crap hit points, wizard BAB, commoner saves, 2 skill points a level with like a crappy list of class skills, and no other special abilities excpet the sneak attack it might be okay. But even then I'm thinking it could still be too powerful. Sneak attack is a deadly thing especially once the dice start adding up.

 

[Michael Morris]

I ask not because I am not sure of my answer but because the other person involved thinks its completely balanced. Bewildered and surprised, I wondered if there existed other people who agreed with him. So I'm not asking the poll to find out the answer so much as asking the poll to see how many people answer which way.

In my experience, when someone posts something so over the top unbalanced they are either trolling or there's no hope of getting them to see if they are wrong - with any attempts to do so likely to end up in flames.

 

[Astalanya]

+1d6 SA every level is ludicrous in conjunction with other standard class abilities (IE: high Reflex save, decent hit dice, large skill array and high skill points). Even diminished, these abilities still make +10d6 SA sick, sick, sick.

As already noted, it's particularly easy to set up a sneak attack situation. A rogue flanks with the fighter? Yay, sneak attack. The rogue makes a Hide check? He's golden. If a player submitted that to me, I'd say no.

 

[Rystil Arden]

In my experience, when someone posts something so over the top unbalanced they are either trolling or there's no hope of getting them to see if they are wrong - with any attempts to do so likely to end up in flames.

You may be right that he is a troll. I'm an optimist though; I hold out hope