D20 Modern: Sneak Attack

[firstborne]

I posted this in response to a thread about sneak attack in d20 Modern. Since I hold the posters here in higher esteem with regards to things such as feedback, I thought I'd see what some of you think.


Sneak Attack
Prerequisite: Weapon focus, base attack bonus +6
Benefit: By taking a full-round action to study his opponent, the character's next attack (if successful) is treated as a critical hit. This ability only applies to a weapon for which the character has taken the weapon focus feat. It only applies once per round, to the first attack, regardless of the character's normal number of attacks.
Normal: A character only scores a critical threat within the weapon's threat range, and then must check for a critical hit.

This, when coupled with the massive damage threshold,is very similar to the assassin's death attack, but that seems more like what he was looking for. This way, it should deal enough damage (via the critical) to force a fortitude save, if not outright kill the target. At the very least, it will seriously piss someone off.

 

[comrade raoul]

I'd suggest an "assassin" advanced class that was built around delivering sneak attacks; it'd develop sneak attacks like a rogue (getting +1d6 every odd level), receive bonus feats at 4th and 8th level, and get other abilities at 2nd, 6th, and 10th level (perhaps: ranged sneak attack to 30' at 2nd level; assassin's death attack at 6th level; crippling strike at 10th level).

Sound good?

 

[Plane Sailing]

I'd have to ask how you think this compares with the Soldier advanced class 10th level ability (where you don't have to confirm crits).

It looks to me considerably more powerful, especially since crits can easily cause a massive damage check.

I don't think this should be a general feat; I think it makes more sense as a class ability. We don't know how they intend to do "prestige classes" yet (although we know they will be in the Urban Arcana setting book), but I would imagine a five-level Assassin prestige class (which could be entered by gunslingers, martial artists, soldiers etc) and which had this sneak attack/death attack as an ability

(n.b. Comerade R replied while I was typing this... I'd avoid sneak attacks like he suggests for (I imagine) the same reason that d20Modern avoids them... too easy to tip people over the damage threshold.)

Cheers

 

[Jeph]

Hmmm . . . I'd probably make it a Fast hero (or maybe Smart? they both need more tallents) Tallent Chain.

Sneak Attack
When the Fast hero attacks an opponent that is Flanked or denied their Dexterity modifier to Defense, they deal an extra 1d6 damage with a successful attack. Anything that does not have a Massive Damage Threshhold, as well as anything without a discernable anatomy, is also immune to Sneak Attacks. Sneak Attacks can not be made against targets that are more than 30' away.
Improved Sneak Attack
When the Fast hero makes a sneak Attack, they deal an extra 1d6 damage, for a total of 2d6 extra damage.
PREREQUISITES: Sneak Attack
Death Attack
If the Fast hero spends ten full rounds (1 minute) observing a target without being detected, and then makes a sneak attack, the target must make a Fortitude save as if they had been dealt Massive Damage (weather they actually have or not). In addition, the Fast hero adds the result of the highest rolling bonus damage die to the DC of the Death Attack.
PREREQUISITES: Sneak Attack, Improved Sneak Attack

You know, the more I think about it, the more this fits the Smart hero. After all, Sneak Attacks nad Death Attacks are really more about knowing a target's anatomy, and finding the perfect place to strike, than just aiming well.

It would probably not be a good idea to let characters get bonus Sneak Attack dice above 2. Why? Then every attack that they make would force a Massive Damage save.

Player: "Okay, I throw a screwdriver at him. Let's see that's 1d3 plus . . . no strength mod . . plus 6d6. 24 damage."
GM: "He saves against massive damage. Again."

-Jeph

 

[comrade raoul]

Yeah, I forgot about those massive damage thresholds, which does change things. But then again, I still think d20 Modern would've been better off with a VP/WP system...

 

[Jeph]

. . . as do I. Fits the 'feel' better, IMHO. Still, it's even easier to convert to VP/WP than DnD, as no weapons have x3 or x4 crit multipliers.