Throwing Madness

[Eltern]

Hey, I'm looking to make a thrown weapon character. I'm sure this has come up a lot before. If a member with search capabilities could direct me to a previous thread where making throwing fighters was discussed, that'd be awesome.

In the mean time, if anyone wants to add to my list of things I need to keep in mind:
Two-Weapon fighting AND rapid shot both work
Shurikens are -so much better- than knives, since I can get 50 enchanted, as opposed to one dagger.
Master Thrower prestige class (duh)

Thanks!
Eltern

 

[Jdvn1]

Keep in mind: You're always throwing away your weapons. That's the downside of a thrower. Teleporting (XPH) helps.

 

[two]

Don't try to make a throwing master using shurikins.

It's just not worth it. You can't fight the rules and win.

Enchanted shurikens have a 50% break chance per throw. I'd not advise putting a lot of $ into them.

A simple matching pair of throwing daggers (returning) etc. will last, well, forever.

See if your GM will allow a +2 throwing enchantment that allows the weapon thrown to be returned to hand immediately (instead of next round).

There are a lot of rules in place to make it very very difficult for a weapon-throwing character reasonably powerful. I'm not sure why, but there are. 2-handed weapon users have it SO much easier.

That master thrower PRC is worth a look or ten.

 

[Eltern]

The thing with returning daggers, though, is that I'd have to stay in one spot for them to come back to me, and with the number of attacks I'm talking about I would need LOTS of returning daggers by the time I'm, say, 8th level (BTW: This character is starting out around that level, if that matters). I also need quick draw for daggers.

If I can convince the DM of insta-returning daggers, yes, it's better. However, as an unrelated-to-the-rules-note, the campaign style involves the PCs not getting tons of cash to blow on things like +3 weapons. And if I ever lose one, ouch. But then again, maybe in the long un it's more cost-efficient. I would just rather lose a +1 shuriken, I think.

 

[Jdvn1]

The thing with returning daggers, though, is that I'd have to stay in one spot for them to come back to me

Teleporting is better than Returning, and for the same price. Assuming, of course, your GM allows stuff from either the SRD or the XPH.

 

[Eltern]

Teleporting is better than Returning, and for the same price. Assuming, of course, your GM allows stuff from either the SRD or the XPH.

I don't have the XPH around me at the moment. He does allow stuff from the XPH, though. I take it it's just what returning -ought- to be? Ie. The dagger hits, then appears in my hand?

Eltern

 

[Hypersmurf]

I don't have the XPH around me at the moment. He does allow stuff from the XPH, though. I take it it's just what returning -ought- to be? Ie. The dagger hits, then appears in my hand?

The dagger hits, then appears in your hand... but only just before your next turn.

From the SRD:
Teleporting: This ability can be imbedded only in weapons that can be thrown. A teleporting weapon returns through the Astral Plane to the creature that threw it. It teleports into the throwing creature’s empty hand in the round following the round when it was thrown, just before that creature’s turn. It is therefore ready to use again on that turn.
Faint psychoportation; ML 5th; Craft Psionic Arms and Armor, psionic dimension door; Price +1 bonus.

-Hyp.

 

[Jdvn1]

http://www.systemreferencedocuments.org/35/sovelior_sage/psionicItemsAW.html#Teleporting

 

[Nifft]

If you like Shuriken, you're probably aiming for Monk -- right? If not, ignore the stuff below...

1/ Can you freely multi-class in & out of Monk? (By the RAW, you can't. But it's a common house rule.)
2/ Can you use stuff from the XPH / SRD? Can you use splatbooks ("Complete Foo")?

Core build, assuming both of the above are "NO": LE Human Monk / Fighter / Assassin
What's your Point Buy?

1 Mnk1 -- Point-Blank Shot, Rapid Shot, [Improved Unarmed Strike, Improved Grapple] -- your base Rapid Flurry of Shuriken is -4/-4/-4 (-3/-3/-3 within 30 ft.)
2 Mnk2 -- [Deflect Arrow] -- -3/-3/-3 (-2/-2/-2 w/in 30 ft.)
3 Mnk3 -- Weapon Focus (Shuriken) -- -1/-1/-1 (+0/+0/+0 w/in 30 ft.)
4 Mnk4 -- +0/+0/+0 (+1/+1/+1 w/in 30 ft.)
5 Mnk5 -- +1/+1/+1 (+2/+2/+2 w/in 30 ft.)
6 Mnk6 -- Far Shot, [Improved Trip] -- +2/+2/+2 (+3/+3/+3 w/in 30 ft.)
7 Mnk7 -- +3/+3/+3
8 Mnk8 -- +4/+4/+4/-1
9 Mnk9 -- Precise Shot -- +5/+5/+5/+0
10 Mnk10 -- +6/+6/+6/+1
11 Mnk11 -- +7/+7/+7/+7/+2
12 Mnk12 -- Improved Crit (Shuriken) +8/+8/+8/+8/+3, 19/x2
13 Assassin1 -- +8/+8/+8/+8/+3, 19/x2 -- Poison use, SA +1d6
14 Ftr1 -- +9/+9/+9/+9/+4, 19/x2 -- Improved Precise Shot
15 Ftr2 -- +10/+10/+10/+10/+5/+0, 19/x2 -- Improved Initiative, Weapon Focus (Unarmed Strike)
16 Ftr3 -- +11/+11/+11/+11/+6/+1, 19/x2
17 Ftr4 -- +12/+12/+12/+12/+7/+2, 19/x2 -- Weapon Spec (Shuriken)
18 Assassin2 -- +13/+13/+13/+13/+8/+3, 19/x2 -- Weapon Spec (Unarmed Strike)
19 Assassin3 -- +14/+14/+14/+14/+9/+4, 19/x2 -- SA +2d6
20 Assassin4 -- +15/+15/+15/+15/+10/+5/+0, 19/x2

For your Assassin spells (my recommendations):

1: disguise self, detect poison, feather fall, ghost sound, jump, obscuring mist, sleep, true strike
2: alter self, cat’s grace, darkness, fox’s cunning, illusory script, invisibility, pass without trace, spider climb, undetectable alignment


Max out your Use Magic Device when you get Assassin levels, with the hope of using / buying Wands of: align weapon, flame arrow, (greater) magic weapon, haste, fly and bull's strength.

Already on your Assassin spell list (so you can use the Wands freely): dimension door, (greater) invisibility, modify memory, undetectable alignment, cat's grace, pass without trace, and false life.

Why Monk? Well, aside from the flurry issue (which I hope you'll agree is HUGE), the typical archer's most pressing probelm is avoiding grapplers and bow-sunderers. You don't have a bow, and you are one bad mo-fo when it comes to grappling. You can dimension door 1/day as a spell-like ability, and you can use wands of dimension door later for extra mobility.

This build is very stat-dependant. You'll want a high Str, Dex and Wis, and at least 14 Int. Con and Cha will help a lot, too -- Con to survive, and Cha for Use Magic Device.

You'll add your Str bonus to each Shuriken thrown, plus +2 Weapon Spec, +1 Point-Blank Shot, +2d6 Sneak Attack, +Poison, +magical enhancement bonus. Get yourself in a party with a Bard -- the extra damage from Inspire Courage will really add up quick!

Cheers, -- N

EDIT: Level 15 -- changed Combat Reflexes to Improved Initiative. With a Sneak Attack and all, you'll prefer going first.

 

[Eltern]

Hadn't intended on monking, since house rule is that a shuriken is basically just a small sliver of metal/knife thing, so it's martial, not exotic.

Can use splat books, don't know about multiclassing in and out of monk, but psionics are crazy in this campaign Basically all the psionics are part of this very closed, powerful assassin guild. Which sounds like it might be appropriate, now that I think about it....


Eltern