Psionic Sniper

[Storyteller01]

Created this for our Dragon Star campaign. We have a drow Ranger (iron Kindoms)/Psionic Warrior in the campaign, but nothing in the d20 system represented a sniper well, so we made our own PrC.

It's based on 2 houserules:
1) The Sniper Focus skill (short version: Iaijutsu for ranged weapons)
2) Characters roll a d20 for defense.

Hope you folks can use it.



Psionic Sniper

Hit Die: d6

Requirements:
Feats: Tech Proficiency, Far Shot, Improved Critical (any kinetic longarm), Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Psionic Shot, Skill Focus (Sniper Focus)

Skills:
Concentration: 7 ranks
Hide: 7 Ranks
Move Silently: 7 Ranks
Sniper Focus: 7 Ranks
Spot: 7 Ranks

Special:
The ability to manifest 2nd level psionics

Class Skills:
Balance, Climb, Concentration, Hide, Listen, Move Silently, Repair, Search, Spot, Swim, Survival,Sniper Focus

Skill Points Per Level: 4 + (Int Bonus) per level


Level Attack Fort Ref WiIl Special Spells per day
1 +1 +0 +0 +2 Exceptional Focus -
2 +2 +0 +0 +3 Improved Psionic Shot +1 manifestor level
3 +3 +1 +1 +3 Precision (+1) -
4 +4 +1 +1 +4 Dimension Door 1/day +1 manifestor level
5 +5 +1 +1 +4 Stillness -
6 +6 +2 +2 +5 Seeing Beyond the Barrier +1 manifestor level
7 +7 +2 +2 +5 Precision (+2) -
8 +8 +2 +2 +6 Dimension Door 2/day +1 manifestor level
9 +9 +3 +3 +6 Death Attack -
10 +10 +3 +3 +7 Fell Shot +1 manifestor level

Note: The Psioninc Sniper's Defense bonus increases at the 'Poor' rate.

Weapons and Armor Proficiency: The Psionic Sniper gains no new weapons or armor proficiencies.

Exceptional Focus (Ex): The Psionic Sniper's 'Sniper Focus' skill roll gains a bonus equal to their class level.

Improved Psionic Shot: The Psionic Sniper gains this feat.

Presicion (Ex): While using the Sniper Focus skill, the Psionic Sniper may add the listed bonus to a kinetic longarms base critical threat range. This addition is counted before feat, equipment, or spell modifications

Dimension Door (Sp): The Psionic Sniper may manifest the 'Dimension Door' power the listed times per day, using their Psionic Sniper class level as the manifestor level.

Stillness (Ex): For every 5 base ranks in Concentration, the Psionic Sniper adds +2 per die to the extra damage gained by a Sniper Focus roll.

Seeing Beyond the Barrier (Sp): As a Free action (Swift action in 3.5), a Psionic Sniper may expend their psionic focus to negate any concealment miss chance a taget may have. The range of this ability is the range of their current longarm. If the Psionic Sniper is unsure of a targets exact location, they must choose a 10' x 10' area. If the target is in the chosen location, the Psionic sniper knows their location and gains the bonus listed earlier. If there is no target in the area, the ability is wasted

Death Attack (Ex): The Psionic Sniper gains the Death Attack ability, as listed in the Assassin PrC (this ability cannot be used to paralyze a target). This ability cannot be used beyond a longarms first range increment.

Fell Shot: The Psionic Sniper gains the Fell Shot feat

 

[gogo_jerrick]

i would change the range of death attack to 30 feet

 

[Jack Simth]

For balance reasons, agreed; for flavor reasons, no; a sniper shoots at someone from a long ways off, and kills them; it's the style of a sniper. Perhaps if it were, say, only for attacks at over 100 feet, but under 130....

 

[Storyteller01]

First range increment for long arms in DS is between 200 to 300 feet. Pistols have a range increment of 100 to 150 feet. Figured the above ruling would be effective without letting those with pistols get a free shot against to sniper (or at least they'd take a decent negative to do so).

Thanks for the responses.

 

[Cabral]

Why not offset it by giving the sniper Death Attack ability usable only at ranges of 5 ft - 30 ft. The sniper can then increase the maximum range of the Death Attack by 30 ft per full-round action spent aiming, up to a maximum range where the sniper can still percieve sufficient detail (DM's descreation). If the sniper has Death Attack from another source, the levels stack and the Death Attack may be used in close range if one of the other sources allows it. Because the rounds spent aiming require the sniper to remain focused on the target, they can be combined with the 3 rounds of study.

That should give you sniping flavor, regardless of weapon, without abuse ... I hope

Also, I would allow the paralysis effect, assuming an appropriate weapon (a projectile weapon, yes. A sonic or energy blaster, no.)

Also, why is the Death Attack not gained until 9th level? It seems, like the Assassin, it should be gained first. (though the ability to increase the range could be gained or later or capped at a maximum of the sniper's level, ie. a 10th level sniper could increase the maximum range by 10*30 = +300 ft.)

I would bump seeing beyond the barrier to 10th level and at 5th level grant Improved Precise Shot. I would suggest bumping down the Fell Shot bonus feat to 7th or 9th level.

Also, the Precision bonus worries me a bit. +1 or 2 to the weapon threat range before modification due to Improved Critical. Since you have Improved Critical as a requirement for the class, Precision effectively gives a sniper +2 or +4 to the threat range, turning a sniper rifle in a 7th level sniper's hands into a 1d12 15-20/x3 or the Dragonstar repeating crossbow into a 2d6 13-20/x2 weapon ... I would suggest replacing Precision with a bonus to confirm a threat, or with bonus feats (such as Greater Psionic Shot) or maybe Hide in Plain Sight.

As for the requirements, I would remove Move Silently as a requirement and probably bump the Concentration and Hide requirements to 8-10 and add BAB +5

Also, I'd suggest trimming down the feat requirements as the 7 feats would be very hard for a non-Fighter or Psychic Warrior to meet. I'd probablly reduce it to Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Psionic Shot and Far Shot. (I ditched Tech prof and Skill Focus (Sniper Focus) to make it less technology dependent and more portable to other campaigns ... I might steal it for mine )

I may try to make one more based off of the Mind Blade.

 

[Storyteller01]

Why not offset it by giving the sniper Death Attack ability usable only at ranges of 5 ft - 30 ft. The sniper can then increase the maximum range of the Death Attack by 30 ft per full-round action spent aiming, up to a maximum range where the sniper can still percieve sufficient detail (DM's descreation). If the sniper has Death Attack from another source, the levels stack and the Death Attack may be used in close range if one of the other sources allows it. Because the rounds spent aiming require the sniper to remain focused on the target, they can be combined with the 3 rounds of study.

Seems a bit short, given the PrC's methods. DS had already set the precident. They have the assassin's rifle, which allows you to use a Death Attack x/day at the weapons first range increment. And you don't have to be an assassin to use it.

Also, I would allow the paralysis effect, assuming an appropriate weapon (a projectile weapon, yes. A sonic or energy blaster, no.)

.

Myself and the player wanted to keep the ability somewhat realistic, or at least plausible. When was the last time a sniper deliberately paralyzed a target with a 7.62mm or 12.7mm round?

Also, why is the Death Attack not gained until 9th level? It seems, like the Assassin, it should be gained first. (though the ability to increase the range could be gained or later or capped at a maximum of the sniper's level, ie. a 10th level sniper could increase the maximum range by 10*30 = +300 ft.)

The PrC was intended to build on the Sniper Focus Skill. The current set-up gave a flow of abilities more aligned with the intent of the PrC. That, and having Sniper Focus, Death Attack, and Fell Shot is a devestating combination of abilities. Power armor gives a +16 to +18 AC. With the above abilities, the Psi-Sniper is doing a minimum of 5d6 extra damage, striking with a death attack, and the power armor AC is negated. Seemed appropriate to wait until the end of the class.

I would bump seeing beyond the barrier to 10th level and at 5th level grant Improved Precise Shot. I would suggest bumping down the Fell Shot bonus feat to 7th or 9th level.

I had thought about that, but there are too many feats in DS that reduce or negate cover. This gives them an alternative route, but they have to work for it. If they wish to select the other feats, then so be it.

Also, the Precision bonus worries me a bit. +1 or 2 to the weapon threat range before modification due to Improved Critical. Since you have Improved Critical as a requirement for the class, Precision effectively gives a sniper +2 or +4 to the threat range, turning a sniper rifle in a 7th level sniper's hands into a 1d12 15-20/x3 or the Dragonstar repeating crossbow into a 2d6 13-20/x2 weapon ... I would suggest replacing Precision with a bonus to confirm a threat, or with bonus feats (such as Greater Psionic Shot) or maybe Hide in Plain Sight.

We don't use crit threat confirmation. Basically, the opponents defense roll is the threat confirmation.

The crit may seem high for these weapons, but energy pistols are doing damage in the realm of 2d6 to 3d10, at a range inc of 100 feet. Given that competition, gaining an improved crit range under specific conditions isn't so bad.

As for the requirements, I would remove Move Silently as a requirement and probably bump the Concentration and Hide requirements to 8-10 and add BAB +5

the Move Silently prereq is for infiltration and extraction. If the sniper kills their target, odds are they'll spend more time hiding than fighting their way to extraction.

Also, I'd suggest trimming down the feat requirements as the 7 feats would be very hard for a non-Fighter or Psychic Warrior to meet. I'd probablly reduce it to Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Psionic Shot and Far Shot. (I ditched Tech prof and Skill Focus (Sniper Focus) to make it less technology dependent and more portable to other campaigns ... I might steal it for mine )

I may try to make one more based off of the Mind Blade.

Agreed, but it was built specifically for that class combo in mind. Other combos can be used to gain the PrC (the player threw around ideas of a Ranger/Wilder), but its like any onther PrC. One class combo usually gains the best benefit.

Tech Prof every one gets, unless your a barabrian or Outlander. As for the Skill Focus (Sniper Focus), well, it is the basis of the PrC.