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Message: <blockquote data-quote="rowport" data-source="post: 2022697" data-attributes="member: 9729">Hiya, folks.  I finished modifying my formerly rogue/cleric/ex-monk to be a CAd Ninja/cleric instead.  (I realize that from a pure game mechanics POV, this may be a silly move since the class is relatively weak, but it 'feels' cleaner.)  Now I have some questions as I struggle to understand Sudden Strike (or, as I like to call it, "Sneak Attack, Lesser").The two big differences between Sudden Strike (SS) and Sneak Attack (SA) are:1. no subdual damage SS2. no SS with flanking- ONLY when opponent denied DEX modifierMy Holy Assassin character would never bother with a non-lethal attack, so no biggie on the first one.  The second one looks massive, since it is darn hard to consistently deny DEX mods... but that is where the Ninja Ki Powers should help.The first Ki Power is Ghost Step (Invisible), which is the only one I am worried about now since I am low enough level to only get that one.  It is also the biggest one affecting SS, since my dude can go invisible as a swift action, then close and attack, while his opponent is then denied his DEX bonus.  All sounds good so far; of course, tactically, I see much invisible stabbing in his future.  Here are my questions:1. the power reads: "...become invisible for 1 round..."  Since this does not say "...as the spell invisibility" or some such, I assume that unlike the spell effect, he will not become visible when attacking.  Is this right?2. If so, does the 1 round duration extend only through his action, or until his next action?  IOW, does he go invisible, attack, then stay that way through other opponents attacks (with miss chance, etc.) until his next action?  Or just until he finishes attack, move, or whatever within that first round?3. Given #1 and #2, It might make sense to sometimes forego the invisible attack SS damage, just do normal damage, and go invisible at the end of his other actions to last for the next (opponent's) round?  Or, does 1 round only mean HIS round?  I guess I am confused whether this power is effective for defense at all, or really only for sudden strikes.As long as I am at it here, I might as well go on with my tactics questions...So, he also has Combat Expertise (which is a pre-req for Improved Feint, another way to Bluff his way into a denied DEX bonus situation).  Using Improved Feint as a move action is nowhere near as easy or effective as Ghost Step (Invisible) as a swift action, of course, but at least he will have other options as needed for SS.  That is clear enough.  Using Combat Expertise itself is less clear to me, now.I rarely (well, OK, never) actually used the Combat Expertise feat for its AC bonus, because his BAB sucks so bad already he would miss the lamest mook doing so.  <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />  But now I am re-thinking that, especially since he came as close as possible to dying last session trying to fight melee straight-up; should I just know that he might miss a lot, and keep that AC cranked high anyway?  He is already fairly tough to hit, but with a couple of points added, he will be almost untouchable at our level (5th).  I kind of hate the idea of using up his very limited Ki Powers per day, then missing, because his BAB is effectively crap.What say you, tactical geniuses?</blockquote>

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