How does Rapid Shot apply to Shurikens?

[Tidus4444]

It says you get an extra attack. Shurikens allow you to throw 3 Shurikens per attack. Does that mean if I rapid shot with a Shuriken, I get 6 attacks? Or only 4? (assuming the I'm at level 1, with no extra attacks). Also, how does sneak attack damage apply to Shurikens? do I get my extra sneak attack damage on every Shuriken that's thrown?

 

[splitinfinitude]

Only the first shuriken gets sneak attack damage. Rapid shot works just like iterative attacks w/ shuriken - you get to throw 3 more. So, at 1st you get to throw 6; the 1st and 4th get sneak attack damage.

 

[Tidus4444]

Where is this information? I looked in the main FAQ, but it didn't say anything. My DM won't beleive you guys unless it has some backing from WOTC.

 

[Shard O'Glase]

he's right, The 3 shurikens is in effect 1 attack, and tell your DM to unclench a bit your doing at best 1d3 an attack, with no str bonus and with sneak attack and specializaiton etc mods only helping the 1st shuriken per batch of 3. Its about the weakest throwing weapon in the game.

By the by in 3.5 aparently they did away with the throw 3 fature its noe one per attack likeevery other weapon does 1d2 and you can add your str bonus to it. And appaently you can quick draw them for free, even without the feat.

 

[Staffan]

You might have an older version of the FAQ, or you just missed it. Check the one at http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/er/20030221a , the shuriken info is on page 26 and 27.

 

[Tidus4444]

Okay, one last question: do throwing daggers require exotic weapon proficiency, or can I just throw them normally?

 

[Squire James]

All this is MY opinion, not WoTC's opinion. Ask WoTC for their opinion if you wish, but their opinion is still an opinion. Ask the DM to have some spine and make his own ruling on the subject. That would be the correct answer.

IMO, tossing 3 shiruken is essentially throwing 1 "primary" shiruken that has all the deadly effects (poison, sneak attack, flaming, wounding, etc) plus 2 "secondary" shiruken that just do 1 point of damage without additional effects. The only effects I would apply to the secondary shiruken would be magical, weapon focus, or masterwork bonuses (and if it has returning magic they will return).

The set of 3 shiruken attacks are considered a single attack for game purposes. So any factor which would provide an additional attack would yield an extra 3 shiruken attacks (1 primary, 2 secondary). So a fully-proficient Rog3/Ftr16 with Rapid Shot is quite capable of hurling 15 shiruken a round! However, the +2d6 sneak attack, his weapon specialization bonus, and most other effects would only count for 5 of them.

Some may disagree with me nixing the poison or special magical effects like flaming on secondary shiruken attacks. However, I generally follow a policy of "there shall be no cheap exploits involving shiruken use". Attack bonuses are not cheap exploits, but most damage bonuses (except those paid at full cost for enchantment bonus) are.

 

[Shard O'Glase]

Okay, one last question: do throwing daggers require exotic weapon proficiency, or can I just throw them normally?

Unless ther's a supplement out there I'm unaware of their are no throwing daggers. Daggers are just small mellee weapons that can be thrown, as part of their simple weapon goodness. So no exotic or even martial weapon prof needed.(unless of course their is a specific exotic weapon called the throwing dagger in some supplement)

 

[Squire James]

As an alternative to all my house rules, it is also perfectly okay to use some huge FAQ/errata document that I consider nearly impossible to keep up with.

No exotic, or even martial, proficiency is needed for throwing daggers. As far as I know, every D&D character class in the game can toss a dagger with no non-proficiency penalty. That is, every specific weapon list has "dagger" in it.

 

[Tidus4444]

Oh, really? So I can throw any small weapon?