mikebr99 said:
Please note that the hide skill is a move equiv. action when combined with the Sniping mechanic. So, you only get one attack per round as a sneak attack... assuming you meet all the prerequisites for attacking while hidden.
Mike
Sure, assuming that you want to keep hiding in the surprise round. Considering that your party will probably want to get in on the action as well, continuing to hide in the surprise round is probably moot.
Hiding itself is not the point here if you want to sneak attack someone, hiding is just the mechanic you use to gain a Surprise Round. From the SRD:
Unaware Combatants: Combatants who are unaware at the start of battle don’t get to act in the surprise round. Unaware combatants are flat-footed because they have not acted yet, so they lose any Dexterity bonus to AC.
As for cover, I would like to point out that low objects (fences, stalagmites, etc.) can be ignored if you're closer to the cover than the target. Sure, hiding behind a tree or wall makes this tactic more difficult, though I would also like to point out that you CAN take a 5-foot step as part of a full attack. Step out from behind the tree in the surprise round, unleash your hail of death.
Of course, concealment (like the fog example or darkness) is much more dire to your chances of hitting, unless your opponent doesn't have darkvision but you do (fat chance), but you can still take the shots if you're hiding but they aren't. Invisibility is where concealment really comes into play, particularly at high levels when you get Improved Invisibility. Surprise Round: Ranged Sneak Attack. 1st Round: Run and Hide. 2nd Surprise Round: Ranged Sneak Attack. 2nd 1st round: Hide. Repeat until the duration runs out for an endless chain of sneak attacks... of course, this tactic relies on you being alone and winning initiative. Though, by the time Improved Invisibility becomes an issue, you may already have Hide in Plain Sight, which almost outmodes Invisibility (if I remember correctly, HiPS doesn't give you a bonus to Hide while Invisibility does).