Deepwood Sniper

[Master of the Game]

Could anyone please tell me if the Deepwood Sniper from Masters of the Wild was ever remade in 3.5? I can't seem to find it in any of my books, but I'd like to play one.

 

[Shadowdancer]

Look in Complete Warrior. Although I thought Masters of the Wild was 3.5.

 

[Iku Rex]

It's not in CW and MotW is indeed 3.0.

I can't think of any obvious 3.0isms in the Deepwood Sniper though. It can probably be used as-is.

 

[Aus_Snow]

Yep, just remove Intuit Direction and Wilderness Lore from the class skill list, and add Survival. As far as I can see, that's all that is needed to be done. Mind you, I haven't run or played one so far, so I'm not 100% sure.

 

[Arkhandus]

Deepwood Sniper is totally broken though and should not be used without at least moderate weakening. DMs who allow it either already have munchkin characters in their group or are just plain foolish or too busy to bother looking at it and seeing how overpowered it is. I've had the distinct and unwanted honor of seeing someone play a Deepwood Sniper for several levels and single-handedly outclass everyone else in the group and make the other warriors, rogues, priests, and mages essentially decoys that only really serve to keep enemies partially occupied and unable to reach the DS and stop that deadly munchkin S.O.B. And this was in a 3.5 game. Only the DS was used, as-written, from 3.0.

 

[The Forsaken One]

Its powerfull what for it does but it stays an archer. Ive seen it play 2x now, once when I DMmed and once when I was playing. Experienced no problems on both occasions.

 

[Aus_Snow]

Along vaguely similar lines I guess, there is the Order of the Bow Initiate prestige class (from Complete Warrior). It's for Elves only, I seem to remember, and focuses on archery (of course). The abilities are quite different, but it all adds up to the same general areas of improvement.

 

[Graf]

Hmm. I recall the DWS has been involved in a number of iffy threads (10th level character killing high CR dragon or something).

If it hasn't been redone yet then they're probably something serious that would be keeping it back.

Personally I'd tread with care.

 

[River Tam]

Along vaguely similar lines I guess, there is the Order of the Bow Initiate prestige class (from Complete Warrior). It's for Elves only, I seem to remember, and focuses on archery (of course). The abilities are quite different, but it all adds up to the same general areas of improvement.

Order of the Bow Initiate is not for Elves only. I've seen plenty of human, half-elf and halfling characters in Living Greyhawk games that are OBI.

 

[shilsen]

Deepwood Sniper is totally broken though and should not be used without at least moderate weakening. DMs who allow it either already have munchkin characters in their group or are just plain foolish or too busy to bother looking at it and seeing how overpowered it is. I've had the distinct and unwanted honor of seeing someone play a Deepwood Sniper for several levels and single-handedly outclass everyone else in the group and make the other warriors, rogues, priests, and mages essentially decoys that only really serve to keep enemies partially occupied and unable to reach the DS and stop that deadly munchkin S.O.B. And this was in a 3.5 game. Only the DS was used, as-written, from 3.0.

Interesting. In my estimation (and experience), it was very powerful, and possibly outright broken, in 3.0, but that was mainly due to the stacking of arrow and bow enhancements.

In 3.5, that isn't possible, and with the stacking of Improved Critical and Keen weapons also removed, a DWS can only improve their crit range to 19-20 and the crit modifier to x5 (at 12th lvl, at the earliest, with it becoming x4 at 7th lvl at the earliest). While the critical hits from that will be scary, they won't happen that often, and a decent melee type with a two-hander is going to score significantly ahead on damage.

Also, don't forget that any good melee type who gets to the DWS is going to have him out of commission in a round or two (bows are wonderfully easy to disarm or sunder).

Was all of the above accounted for in the group you were in, or was any of it ignored or house-ruled?