Improved Skirmish Over the Top?

[Felon]

I played a 5th-level rogue2/scout3 for a Red Hand of Doom campaign yesterday. With the Swift Ambusher feat, I was able to meet the requirements for Improved Skirmish. Taking it out for a test spind, at the time it seemed pretty insanely effective. I was routinely attacking with a +4d6 damage bonus.

I'm interested to know if anyone else thinks this is heavy-handed, or simply a much meeded damage boost for a character whose damage performance is about to drop once other characters start getting access to multiple attacks.

 

[DarkJester]

I don't think you can take Swift Ambusher before character level 4, assuming you could get a feat then. It requires Skirmish +1d6/+1ac and sneak attack +1d6, which means scout 3 rogue 1.

In that case, I'd say yeah, its to good for the lower levels. I see nothing wrong with it later though, since you'll be limited to 1 attack.

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

I played a 5th-level rogue2/scout3 for a Red Hand of Doom campaign yesterday. With the Swift Ambusher feat, I was able to meet the requirements for Improved Skirmish. Taking it out for a test spind, at the time it seemed pretty insanely effective. I was routinely attacking with a +4d6 damage bonus.

I'm interested to know if anyone else thinks this is heavy-handed, or simply a much meeded damage boost for a character whose damage performance is about to drop once other characters start getting access to multiple attacks.

I think the second paragraph is the reason for it. Once the full BAB classes get 3 attacks a turn, it probably won't be so great. Of course, if you're using the scout/rogue combo in such a way as to get both SA and skirmish each attack,it may be out of hand. In which case, I'd say it has more to do with Swift Ambusher being over the top. Because there's no way Imp. Skirmish alone could be enough to make a straight-class scout a damage monster at higher levels (I presume, at least).

 

[frankthedm]

Much later, 12th level scout or so might be reasonable.

15th level scout and up should be fine.

 

[Piratecat]

The XPH has something similar, but that's a little more egregious because you can get +4d6 as part of a full attack. When playing a PsiWarrior with that feat chain, it seemed to feel right at about 8th level. It's probably not a surprise that iterative attacks start showing up then.

Scouts will badly need this once they start sacrificing those iterative attacks; in higher level games, they make a ton of difference.

 

[bestone]

Im in agreeance that at low levels it is too powerfull, but at higher levels its alright

 

[Krafen]

At higher levels it can be used with Improved Multishot, though, right?

 

[bestone]

True, but remember, sneak attack damage only applies to one arrow, not all of them

 

[pawsplay]

True, but remember, sneak attack damage only applies to one arrow, not all of them

*cough* Greater Manyshot

 

[Machiavelli]

Greater Manyshot makes precision damage apply to EVERY arrow. It's possible to abuse that feat so very badly.