Are shuriken useful?

[Deset Gled]

Back in 3.0, I liked shuriken. It was a pretty expensive way to fight, but still viable because they could be retrieved, and you could throw an awful lot of them in a round.

In 3.5, it seems that shuriken are just plain useless. The SRD changed them by making them ammunition, and only allowing one to be thrown at a time (though a strength bonus can now be added to them, and they can be drawn for free without a feat). I was hoping that CW would offer some option specializing in them to make them more worthwhile, but I have seen nothing that makes them viable. Does anyone know (or can someone come up with) a way to make shuriken useful for a PC? The shuriken need not be the only tactic used, but they should be somewhat central.

 

[Otterscrubber]

The only thing I can think of is that they make great rogue weapons for a sneak attack. Other than that they are kinda lame, even for monks which is weird as they are a monk weapon.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Other than that they are kinda lame, even for monks which is weird as they are a monk weapon.

Well, a decent Fighter/Monk build can throw eleven of them in a full attack, adding Strength and Specialization bonuses to all of them. If he has a bunch of multi-element shuriken made up and GMW'd, there's a fair amount of bonus damage going on to each of those eleven stars...

-Hyp.

 

[Deset Gled]

Well, a decent Fighter/Monk build can throw eleven of them in a full attack, adding Strength and Specialization bonuses to all of them. If he has a bunch of multi-element shuriken made up and GMW'd, there's a fair amount of bonus damage going on to each of those eleven stars...

Could you please explain how you can throw that many shuriken in a full attack? The only thing I can think of is the class ability of the Master Thrower that allows you to throw two weapons at once, but that doesn't allow you to add your strength bonus.

As for the magic bonuses, GMW is an option (though it makes you depend on another character for it). Elemental shuriken (which is what I had in 3.0) are pretty much not feasable, since they are destroyed when thrown (that's some really expensive ammo, there).

 

[Hypersmurf]

Could you please explain how you can throw that many shuriken in a full attack?

Four from BAB. One from Rapid Shot. Three from Greater Two-Weapon Fighting. Two from Flurry of Blows (since you're not 'striking unarmed', nothing in the 3.5 rules prevents you making off-hand attacks and flurrying). One from Haste.

Eleven.

As for the magic bonuses, GMW is an option (though it makes you depend on another character for it). Elemental shuriken (which is what I had in 3.0) are pretty much not feasable, since they are destroyed when thrown (that's some really expensive ammo, there).

At 50-for-the-price-of-1, it's expensive, but not impossibly so.

Isn't there a spell in Savage Species or A&EG that Elementalizes weapons temporarily, as well?

-Hyp.

 

[Otterscrubber]

And think if you can make those shuriken Flaming, Shock or something similar. Can those enhancements be put on ammunition?

 

[Hypersmurf]

And think if you can make those shuriken Flaming, Shock or something similar. Can those enhancements be put on ammunition?

Heh. We've been discussing that for the three posts prior to yours

-Hyp.

 

[Camarath]

\Isn't there a spell in Savage Species or A&EG that Elementalizes weapons temporarily, as well?

Yes there is it is called Weapon of Energy and is a 4th level Sor/Wiz or Clr spell. It makes the target weapon function as an elemental (any one) Burst weapon for one round per level. The spell does not say anything about using it on ammunition though and its target is "One Weapon".

 

[Hypersmurf]

Yes there is it is called Weapon of Energy and is a 4th level Sor/Wiz or Clr spell. It makes the target weapon function as an elemental (any one) Burst weapon for one round per level. The spell does not say anything about using it on ammunition though and its target is "One Weapon".

Ah, cool. No fifty-for-one deal, then.

-Hyp.

 

[LazarusLong42]

"Why not just make '10' a little bit louder?"
"But these go to eleven."

I say: Bah. Grab sai instead, they're recoverable, they're not piercing damage, they do more damage, and they have the same range increment. And you can still throw eleven of them if you so choose. (Six of those at full BAB-4). Although you'd also need Quick Draw.