Base Class: The Sniper [Archive] - Wizards Community

Base Class: The Sniper [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Chemus
04-17-06, 09:15 PM This is how I see the 'one shot, one kill' sniper, real or imagined
I've also posted a Prestige Class version here (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?p=8961763).

Sniper (Base Class)
Alignment: Any.

Hit Die: d8.

The sniper’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Disguise (Cha), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Knowledge (dungeoneering/geography/nature) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Ride (Dex), Search (Int), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str), and Use Rope (Dex).

Skill Points Each Level: 6 + Int modifier (at first level, multiply skill points by four)

Class table in here:
Saves
lvl BAB Frt Ref Wil Special
1st +1 +2 +2 +0 Precise Shot
2nd +2 +3 +3 +0 Far Shot, Camouflage
3rd +3 +3 +3 +1 Sneak attack +1d6
4th +4 +4 +4 +1 Sniping
5th +5 +4 +4 +1
6th +6 +5 +5 +2 Death attack
7th +7 +5 +5 +2 Shot On the Run
8th +8 +6 +6 +2 Sneak attack +2d6
9th +9 +6 +6 +3 Improved Precise Shot
10th +10 +7 +7 +3 Trick Shot
11th +11 +7 +7 +3
12th +12 +8 +8 +4
13th +13 +8 +8 +4 Trick Shot
14th +14 +9 +9 +4 Sneak attack +3d6
15th +15 +9 +9 +5 Hide in plain sight
16th +16 +10 +10 +5 Trick Shot
17th +17 +10 +10 +5
18th +18 +11 +11 +6
19th +19 +11 +11 +6 Trick Shot
20th +20 +12 +12 +6 Sneak attack +4d6

Weapons and Armor: The sniper gains proficiency with all simple weapons and all ranged weapons. He gains proficiency with light armor, but not shields. Many of his abilities require the use of light or no armor.

Precise Shot (Ex): While wearing light or no armor, the sniper gains the benefit of having the Precise Shot feat, even if he doesn't have the prerequisites for it.

Far Shot (Ex): While wearing light or no armor, a sniper of 2nd level or higher gains the benefit of having the Far Shot feat, even if he doesn't have the prerequisites for it.

Sneak Attack (Ex): At 3rd level, the sniper gains the ability to make a sneak attack. This is exactly like the rogue ability of the same name. The extra damage dealt increases by +1d6 at 8th, 14th and 16th levels. If a sniper gets a sneak attack bonus from another source the bonuses on damage stack.

Camouflage (Ex): By making a DC 20 Disguise check, a sniper can give one creature or object (including himself) the ability to use the Hide skill in one sort of terrain, even if the terrain doesn’t grant cover or concealment, until the disguise is removed or changed. If the thing disguised is an object, use the sniper's hide check to hide it. When he uses this ability on himself, the sniper also gains half the amount of the Disguise check that exceeds the DC as a bonus to his hide checks for that terrain. (Reminder: Disguises take 1d3x10 minutes of work to create.)

Sniping (Ex): When in light or no armor, a sniper of 4th level or higher may make a sneak attack within his first range increment with a ranged weapon. Additionally, a sniper with the Point Blank Shot feat gains the extra hit and damage bonuses within his first range increment with a ranged weapon. (i.e. a crossbowman with the Point Blank Shot and Far Shot feats firing a heavy crossbow gets +1 to hit and damage rolls and may make a sneak attack against any eligible target within 180 feet)

Death Attack (Ex): If a sniper studies his victim for 3 rounds or more and then makes a sneak attack with a ranged weapon that successfully deals damage, the sneak attack has the additional effect of possibly killing the target. While studying the victim, the sniper can undertake free and move actions so long as his attention stays focused on the target and the target does not detect the sniper. If the victim of such an attack fails a Fortitude save (DC 10 + half the sniper's class level + the sniper's Int modifier) against the kill effect, she dies. If the victim’s saving throw succeeds, the attack is just a normal sneak attack. If, after having studied his target for 3 or more rounds, the sniper makes either a standard or a full round action, he must make the death attack within the next round.

If a death attack is attempted and fails (the victim makes her save) or if the sniper does not launch the attack within 1 round of making a standard or full-round action, at least 3 new rounds of study are required before he can attempt another death attack.

Shot On the Run (Ex): While wearing light or no armor, a sniper of 7th level or higher gains the benefit of having the Shot On the Run feat, even if he doesn't have the prerequisites for it.

Improved Precise Shot (Ex): While wearing light or no armor, a sniper of 9th level or higher gains the benefit of having the Improved Precise Shot feat, even if he doesn't have the prerequisites for it.

Trick Shot (Ex): At 10th level, and every three levels thereafter, the sniper gains a special ranged attack action called a Trick Shot. These tricks may only be used within the sniper's first range increment while he wears light or no armor. The tricks available are as follows:

Ranged Disarm: The sniper may make disarm attempts even with ranged attacks. Such an attack provokes no attack of opportunity (except as normal for using a ranged weapon). For the purposes of this disarm attempt, treat the weapon as a light weapon. If the sniper's disarm attempt fails, the defender can't attempt to disarm him.
Ranged Trip:The sniper may make trip attempts with ranged attacks as if he were a small creature, but applies his Int bonus in place of his Str bonus. Such an attack provokes no attack of opportunity (except as normal for using a ranged weapon). If the sniper's trip attempt fails, the defender can't attempt to trip him. This ability does not stack with the Improved Trip feat.
Staple Shot: The sniper may take a -4 penalty to one of his piercing ranged attacks to have it pin the target to an adjacent object or creature. If the target is struck, and is not already touching the object to which it is adjacent, it gets a reflex save (DC is the attack roll) to avoid being pinned to the object, if being pinned to an adjacent creature, the same attack roll that hit the initial target must also hit the adjacent target (who also gets a reflex save). If, having hit the first target, he damages the object (with the same damage roll as for the target) the targets are pinned together and must occupy the same space (Stapled to the ground, the target can't move). It takes a full round action for a target to release itself from the Staple Shot.
Through and Through: The sniper may take -4 on his attack roll to have one piercing ranged attack hit two targets within 10 feet of eachother that are each in the same line of attack, i.e. one behind the other relative to the sniper. The same attack roll is applied to each AC, so he may hit one, both or neither target.
Weak Spot: When using a ranged Sneak Attack against a target of his size or larger, the sniper may make a ranged touch attack instead of a normal attack. If he does, he may not apply his strength bonus to the damage (if, for example, he were wielding a Mighty Composite bow, or throwing a weapon).

Hide in Plain Sight (Ex): While in a terrain for which he is camouflaged, or within 10' of some form of shadow, a sniper of 15th level can use the Hide skill even while being observed, even if there's nothing to hide behind.
kelvinaw273
04-18-06, 04:22 AM There is a reason that snipers did not come into their own until the Boer War and WWI (maybe a few in the American Civil War), and that is the invention of the cartridge-loading long-barrelled high-velocity rifle. Prior to this date weapons did not exist with the range, penetration and accuracy necessary to do good sniping. Even the most powerful crossbows and composite bows had to be arced in flight to get this kind of range, making called shots (inflicting damage through an accurate hit) impossible at long range.

The nearest equivilent would be short-range accuracy, which is well represented in the Rogue's sneak-attack, or magic, such as the Arcane Archer or the Order of the Bow Initiate can produce.

Sorry.
Illion the Red
04-18-06, 09:53 AM Why not use "Ranged Pin" instead of "Staple Shot?"
DM_Greatness
04-18-06, 10:27 AM Why not just use the rules as they already exist, and make a Fighter/Rogue?
Bandit_Raist
04-18-06, 11:19 AM There is a reason that snipers did not come into their own until the Boer War and WWI (maybe a few in the American Civil War), and that is the invention of the cartridge-loading long-barrelled high-velocity rifle. Prior to this date weapons did not exist with the range, penetration and accuracy necessary to do good sniping. Even the most powerful crossbows and composite bows had to be arced in flight to get this kind of range, making called shots (inflicting damage through an accurate hit) impossible at long range.

Well ****... if your going by this thought process then you might aswell take magic out of your game. Oh and all those orcs, well I am sorry there never was a race of orcs and elves aren't real. Oh and why would a person be able to gain a super human rage just because they don't live in a "civilized" city.

My point is that its just a game and I think that its a cool class. Oh and some people don't want to do a Rogue/Fighter.
CryoSilver
04-18-06, 11:26 AM It seems so... limited. I wouldn't want to play this class for 20 levels, sad to say. It's well made, I won't deny that, but for the same reason I don't care for warmage and dread necromancer, I wouldn't play this class.

I also find that one can make a fine sniper by negotiating with one's DM: swap out Heavy Armor Proficiency for Spot and Hide as class skills, and you're good to go.
Chemus
04-19-06, 03:10 AM Thanks for the feedback folks!

Kelvinaw: I understand and see your point. I'd like to point to William Tell and Robin Hood as two 'real world' examples of what I think a sniper could do. I know that this is far-fetched, but this is D&D. I see elven archers this way, myself. Plus, Core RAW, 180' is the maximum range. Is 60 yards really so far with a bow? 30' is way, way too close for a sniper to do his dirty work.

This is of course, my own opinion. I welcome the input, and I didn't know that true long range snipers were so recent. Thanks.

Illion: I didn't look at the feats...hmm. I guess I don't like ranged pin. The size of the character shouldn't be part of the attack, IMO. The grapple check is a good idea though, so, like the disarm trick, you grapple as a small creature, and then have to hit the object's/creature's AC that the target is being pinned to. Howzat?

DM_Great: That's a fair question. I made a base class because I'm an old 2e nut who really likes kits (a member of the original class who gets special benefits and penalties that make them different). The closest thing in 3e (and 3.5132418e) to a kit is, IMO, a custom class.

Bandit: Thanks for the vote of confidence. Good point, by the way, but I think it came off awfully flame-ish. I appreciate the thumbs-up.

CryoSilver (awaay!! :blink: heh, sorry just slipped out): Thanks for the honesty. I understand the part about it being limited; it is a rather focused class, like warmage (don't know tha dread dude, is that from libris mortis?). Any ideas on how I could broaden it without losing the core? ('One shot, one kill' (death attack), and 'in the Ghille suit we trust' (camouflage) being the two most necessary bits IMO)

So, in summation, I see that being allowed to get ranged sneak attacks, nay, Death Attacks, out to 180' could be too powerful. If indeed it is too powerful, how do we change that? Please note that the Death Attack mechanic is not exactly like other Death Attacks: the sniper may watch his target for as long as he likes, but for a minimum of 3 rounds. He may not take standard or full round actions and then continue his watching where he left off. If he has watched for the requisite 3 rounds, and then takes a proscribed action type, he has only one round to make his Death Attack. If he hasn't watched for 3 or more rounds, he must start over.

Thanks again all. What else needs a closer look/changing?

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Chemus 04-17-06, 09:15 PM	This is how I see the 'one shot, one kill' sniper, real or imagined I've also posted a Prestige Class version here (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?p=8961763). Sniper (Base Class) Alignment: Any. Hit Die: d8. The sniper’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Disguise (Cha), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Knowledge (dungeoneering/geography/nature) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Ride (Dex), Search (Int), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str), and Use Rope (Dex). Skill Points Each Level: 6 + Int modifier (at first level, multiply skill points by four) Class table in here: Saves lvl BAB Frt Ref Wil Special 1st +1 +2 +2 +0 Precise Shot 2nd +2 +3 +3 +0 Far Shot, Camouflage 3rd +3 +3 +3 +1 Sneak attack +1d6 4th +4 +4 +4 +1 Sniping 5th +5 +4 +4 +1 6th +6 +5 +5 +2 Death attack 7th +7 +5 +5 +2 Shot On the Run 8th +8 +6 +6 +2 Sneak attack +2d6 9th +9 +6 +6 +3 Improved Precise Shot 10th +10 +7 +7 +3 Trick Shot 11th +11 +7 +7 +3 12th +12 +8 +8 +4 13th +13 +8 +8 +4 Trick Shot 14th +14 +9 +9 +4 Sneak attack +3d6 15th +15 +9 +9 +5 Hide in plain sight 16th +16 +10 +10 +5 Trick Shot 17th +17 +10 +10 +5 18th +18 +11 +11 +6 19th +19 +11 +11 +6 Trick Shot 20th +20 +12 +12 +6 Sneak attack +4d6 Weapons and Armor: The sniper gains proficiency with all simple weapons and all ranged weapons. He gains proficiency with light armor, but not shields. Many of his abilities require the use of light or no armor. Precise Shot (Ex): While wearing light or no armor, the sniper gains the benefit of having the Precise Shot feat, even if he doesn't have the prerequisites for it. Far Shot (Ex): While wearing light or no armor, a sniper of 2nd level or higher gains the benefit of having the Far Shot feat, even if he doesn't have the prerequisites for it. Sneak Attack (Ex): At 3rd level, the sniper gains the ability to make a sneak attack. This is exactly like the rogue ability of the same name. The extra damage dealt increases by +1d6 at 8th, 14th and 16th levels. If a sniper gets a sneak attack bonus from another source the bonuses on damage stack. Camouflage (Ex): By making a DC 20 Disguise check, a sniper can give one creature or object (including himself) the ability to use the Hide skill in one sort of terrain, even if the terrain doesn’t grant cover or concealment, until the disguise is removed or changed. If the thing disguised is an object, use the sniper's hide check to hide it. When he uses this ability on himself, the sniper also gains half the amount of the Disguise check that exceeds the DC as a bonus to his hide checks for that terrain. (Reminder: Disguises take 1d3x10 minutes of work to create.) Sniping (Ex): When in light or no armor, a sniper of 4th level or higher may make a sneak attack within his first range increment with a ranged weapon. Additionally, a sniper with the Point Blank Shot feat gains the extra hit and damage bonuses within his first range increment with a ranged weapon. (i.e. a crossbowman with the Point Blank Shot and Far Shot feats firing a heavy crossbow gets +1 to hit and damage rolls and may make a sneak attack against any eligible target within 180 feet) Death Attack (Ex): If a sniper studies his victim for 3 rounds or more and then makes a sneak attack with a ranged weapon that successfully deals damage, the sneak attack has the additional effect of possibly killing the target. While studying the victim, the sniper can undertake free and move actions so long as his attention stays focused on the target and the target does not detect the sniper. If the victim of such an attack fails a Fortitude save (DC 10 + half the sniper's class level + the sniper's Int modifier) against the kill effect, she dies. If the victim’s saving throw succeeds, the attack is just a normal sneak attack. If, after having studied his target for 3 or more rounds, the sniper makes either a standard or a full round action, he must make the death attack within the next round. If a death attack is attempted and fails (the victim makes her save) or if the sniper does not launch the attack within 1 round of making a standard or full-round action, at least 3 new rounds of study are required before he can attempt another death attack. Shot On the Run (Ex): While wearing light or no armor, a sniper of 7th level or higher gains the benefit of having the Shot On the Run feat, even if he doesn't have the prerequisites for it. Improved Precise Shot (Ex): While wearing light or no armor, a sniper of 9th level or higher gains the benefit of having the Improved Precise Shot feat, even if he doesn't have the prerequisites for it. Trick Shot (Ex): At 10th level, and every three levels thereafter, the sniper gains a special ranged attack action called a Trick Shot. These tricks may only be used within the sniper's first range increment while he wears light or no armor. The tricks available are as follows: Ranged Disarm: The sniper may make disarm attempts even with ranged attacks. Such an attack provokes no attack of opportunity (except as normal for using a ranged weapon). For the purposes of this disarm attempt, treat the weapon as a light weapon. If the sniper's disarm attempt fails, the defender can't attempt to disarm him. Ranged Trip:The sniper may make trip attempts with ranged attacks as if he were a small creature, but applies his Int bonus in place of his Str bonus. Such an attack provokes no attack of opportunity (except as normal for using a ranged weapon). If the sniper's trip attempt fails, the defender can't attempt to trip him. This ability does not stack with the Improved Trip feat. Staple Shot: The sniper may take a -4 penalty to one of his piercing ranged attacks to have it pin the target to an adjacent object or creature. If the target is struck, and is not already touching the object to which it is adjacent, it gets a reflex save (DC is the attack roll) to avoid being pinned to the object, if being pinned to an adjacent creature, the same attack roll that hit the initial target must also hit the adjacent target (who also gets a reflex save). If, having hit the first target, he damages the object (with the same damage roll as for the target) the targets are pinned together and must occupy the same space (Stapled to the ground, the target can't move). It takes a full round action for a target to release itself from the Staple Shot. Through and Through: The sniper may take -4 on his attack roll to have one piercing ranged attack hit two targets within 10 feet of eachother that are each in the same line of attack, i.e. one behind the other relative to the sniper. The same attack roll is applied to each AC, so he may hit one, both or neither target. Weak Spot: When using a ranged Sneak Attack against a target of his size or larger, the sniper may make a ranged touch attack instead of a normal attack. If he does, he may not apply his strength bonus to the damage (if, for example, he were wielding a Mighty Composite bow, or throwing a weapon). Hide in Plain Sight (Ex): While in a terrain for which he is camouflaged, or within 10' of some form of shadow, a sniper of 15th level can use the Hide skill even while being observed, even if there's nothing to hide behind.
kelvinaw273 04-18-06, 04:22 AM	There is a reason that snipers did not come into their own until the Boer War and WWI (maybe a few in the American Civil War), and that is the invention of the cartridge-loading long-barrelled high-velocity rifle. Prior to this date weapons did not exist with the range, penetration and accuracy necessary to do good sniping. Even the most powerful crossbows and composite bows had to be arced in flight to get this kind of range, making called shots (inflicting damage through an accurate hit) impossible at long range. The nearest equivilent would be short-range accuracy, which is well represented in the Rogue's sneak-attack, or magic, such as the Arcane Archer or the Order of the Bow Initiate can produce. Sorry.
Illion the Red 04-18-06, 09:53 AM	Why not use "Ranged Pin" instead of "Staple Shot?"
DM_Greatness 04-18-06, 10:27 AM	Why not just use the rules as they already exist, and make a Fighter/Rogue?
Bandit_Raist 04-18-06, 11:19 AM	There is a reason that snipers did not come into their own until the Boer War and WWI (maybe a few in the American Civil War), and that is the invention of the cartridge-loading long-barrelled high-velocity rifle. Prior to this date weapons did not exist with the range, penetration and accuracy necessary to do good sniping. Even the most powerful crossbows and composite bows had to be arced in flight to get this kind of range, making called shots (inflicting damage through an accurate hit) impossible at long range. Well ****... if your going by this thought process then you might aswell take magic out of your game. Oh and all those orcs, well I am sorry there never was a race of orcs and elves aren't real. Oh and why would a person be able to gain a super human rage just because they don't live in a "civilized" city. My point is that its just a game and I think that its a cool class. Oh and some people don't want to do a Rogue/Fighter.
CryoSilver 04-18-06, 11:26 AM	It seems so... limited. I wouldn't want to play this class for 20 levels, sad to say. It's well made, I won't deny that, but for the same reason I don't care for warmage and dread necromancer, I wouldn't play this class. I also find that one can make a fine sniper by negotiating with one's DM: swap out Heavy Armor Proficiency for Spot and Hide as class skills, and you're good to go.
Chemus 04-19-06, 03:10 AM	Thanks for the feedback folks! Kelvinaw: I understand and see your point. I'd like to point to William Tell and Robin Hood as two 'real world' examples of what I think a sniper could do. I know that this is far-fetched, but this is D&D. I see elven archers this way, myself. Plus, Core RAW, 180' is the maximum range. Is 60 yards really so far with a bow? 30' is way, way too close for a sniper to do his dirty work. This is of course, my own opinion. I welcome the input, and I didn't know that true long range snipers were so recent. Thanks. Illion: I didn't look at the feats...hmm. I guess I don't like ranged pin. The size of the character shouldn't be part of the attack, IMO. The grapple check is a good idea though, so, like the disarm trick, you grapple as a small creature, and then have to hit the object's/creature's AC that the target is being pinned to. Howzat? DM_Great: That's a fair question. I made a base class because I'm an old 2e nut who really likes kits (a member of the original class who gets special benefits and penalties that make them different). The closest thing in 3e (and 3.5132418e) to a kit is, IMO, a custom class. Bandit: Thanks for the vote of confidence. Good point, by the way, but I think it came off awfully flame-ish. I appreciate the thumbs-up. CryoSilver (awaay!! :blink: heh, sorry just slipped out): Thanks for the honesty. I understand the part about it being limited; it is a rather focused class, like warmage (don't know tha dread dude, is that from libris mortis?). Any ideas on how I could broaden it without losing the core? ('One shot, one kill' (death attack), and 'in the Ghille suit we trust' (camouflage) being the two most necessary bits IMO) So, in summation, I see that being allowed to get ranged sneak attacks, nay, Death Attacks, out to 180' could be too powerful. If indeed it is too powerful, how do we change that? Please note that the Death Attack mechanic is not exactly like other Death Attacks: the sniper may watch his target for as long as he likes, but for a minimum of 3 rounds. He may not take standard or full round actions and then continue his watching where he left off. If he has watched for the requisite 3 rounds, and then takes a proscribed action type, he has only one round to make his Death Attack. If he hasn't watched for 3 or more rounds, he must start over. Thanks again all. What else needs a closer look/changing?