Skirmish damage in surprise round?

[Felon]

Not in the surprise round, where you're limited to a single standard or move action.

Assuming you have your hands on the Special Edition PHB, otherwise it's an attack action.

"Sorry guys, I know the four PHB's at the table say it works this way, and the SRD says it works this way, and the online errata doesn't correct it, and the FAQ doesn't clarify it. It's nowhere that we can actually reference, but it it's in some special volume of the book out there in ether somewhere."

 

[Bagpuss]

Doesn't need to be a special edition just a later printing. Mine has the correction, I held off for a few years before buying 3.5, only because the new group I play with uses it.

 

[FireLance]

Back on topic, another possibility is Hurling Charge from the Miniatures Handbook, but you can only use a thrown weapon, not a projectile weapon. On the bright side, you get to make a ranged attack and a melee attack in the surprise round.

 

[Bagpuss]

Two lots of Skirmish damage, nice. Shield Charge and Improved Trip would also give you two lots of Skirmish damage in the surprise round.

 

[FireLance]

After skimming through the Magic Item Compendium, I found some items that could help:

1. Belt of Battle (12,000 gp) - 3 charges/day, spend 1 charge as a swift action to gain a move action, 2 charges to gain a standard action, or 3 charges to gain a full-round action.

2. Boots of Sidesteppng (6,000 gp) - 3 times/day, you can activate this item with a swift action to gain a 5-foot step. You may move normally or even take your normal 5-foot step in the same round. Two 5-foot steps in a surprise round is enough to activiate skirmish (although not Improved Skirmish, if you have the feat).

3. Chronocharm of the Horizon Walker (500 gp) - 1 time/day, you can activiate this item with a swift action to move half your speed.

4. Quicksilver Boots (3,500 gp) - 2 times/day, you can activate this item with a swift action to move up to your speed.

5. Skirmisher Boots (3,200 gp) - 2 times/day, you can activate this item with a swift action to make a single extra melee or ranged attack in a round that you have moved 10 feet.

 

[Darklone]

Back on topic, another possibility is Hurling Charge from the Miniatures Handbook, but you can only use a thrown weapon, not a projectile weapon. On the bright side, you get to make a ranged attack and a melee attack in the surprise round.

That's one of my favorite feats... funny, I forgot to use that one

Thanks Firelance, that's a good list!