More Deepwood Sniper goodness...

[Kai Lord]

Anyone else notice that the Concealment Reduction ability of a Deepwood Sniper is in no way stated to be limited to attacks with his bow? A high level DWS is almost totally immune (and an epic DWS is totally immune) to Darkness, Blur, Invisibility, Blindness, and all kinds of other sight-reducing nastiness.

Someone casts Mirror Image? No problem, just close your eyes (total darkness) and take him out. A non-epic DWS only has a 20% miss chance in total darkness, an epic one can hit him as easily as if he was staring at him in broad daylight.

 

[Mr Fidgit]

but wouldn't the Sniper still have to guess the opponent's location (if in total darkness, defender invisible, etc.)?

if you used a battle mat (or whatever), and guessed the wrong square, you'd still miss - right?

 

[Kai Lord]

Good question. I'm at work and don't have the books handy, but my inclination would be that a DWS whose Concealment Reduction of 50% which renders the penalty of total darkness (50%) to zero wouldn't have to guess.

Wow, a 50th level Rogue with a Hide of +60 could do nothing to hide from an epic DWS. It doesn't matter how good your Hide is if the guy can just close his eyes and hit you no matter what. Ditto against a Shadowdancer who Hides in Plain Sight.

 

[Mr Fidgit]

i only asked because total concealment's miss chance says, "50% and must guess target's location"

 

[Crothian]

I know, you'r esurprised that I would post to a Deepwood Sniper thread (3 DWS threads in 12 hours)

The concealment might be reduced to 0%, but the DWS would still have to guess as to where the oppoent is.

 

[Kai Lord]

I don't think he'd have to guess. For someone with no concealment, there is a 0% miss chance and no guessing. Total Concealment is 50% and the attacker must guess. But that guy doesn't have total concealment against a DWS, because Concealment Reduction dropped it down to 40%, 20%, or possibly even 0% if he's epic. There is no guessing at those lesser percentages, which is all the DWS needs to worry about.

 

[Crothian]

Reduction of concealment and knowing where the opponent is are two different things.

 

[Kai Lord]

Reduction of concealment and knowing where the opponent is are two different things.

?????

Not knowing where the target is is the result of Total Concealment. Concealment Reduction means the Concealment is no longer of a high enough degree that "guessing" comes into play.

Example: An opponent has total concealment. By the table in the PHB we see that means an attacker's miss chance is 50% and he has to guess where he is.

But for a Deepwood Sniper with 10% Concealment Reduction, that opponent has a miss chance of 40% and by the table 40% concealment does not carry with it a requirement to guess where the target is. Think about it. An epic DWS has a Concealment Reduction of 50%. He has no chance of missing as a result of concealment, even if the target is in total darkness. But he still has to guess correctly? How does that make sense. If he randomly shoots into the square occupied by the enemy, he has no chance to miss? That's goofy. Just follow the table, Concealment Reduction drops the Concealment down to levels that don't have "must guess opponent's location" as a requirement.

 

[Corlon]

 

[Crothian]

Okay. So the DWS automatically knows where all opponents are. This ability has no listed range, so this is better then everything already. He can't be surprised, he can ever know if your behind total cover, becasue you can sot through the total cover and the target is treated as full concealment. There's no roll, it doesn't matter if you're a god or demon lord, he just knows.

This seems a little too much for even me, and I'm the guy who likes the 17 arrows being fired at once.