Post/Author/DateTime	Post
upho 03-30-08, 10:56 AM	Shadow Marksman Just give me a few moments and I'll give them a little surprise. They won't even know what it them... - Shalandar, Shadow Marksman of the Nightsong Guild I searched in vain for a true ranged weapon focused rogue type of PrC and likewise I searched in vain for any sniping type of PrC. Strangely, the best thing I found was on this forum and that’s a PrC developed especially for goblins! (Check out the lovely Goblin Potshot PrC by Don Thelonious in the Peach Orchard.) So, in order to fill these large abhorrent gaps in PrC diversity, I’ve put together my first PrC intended to be both – a ranged weapon sniping rogue type PrC. The shadow marksman is sort of a ranged version of the assassin PrC (DMG p180), with spells and poison features replaced by sniper related features and feats. I've also been influenced by the Nightsong PrC:s (CAdv) to create fitting features for a sniper. Anything that could be made better? Please comment! ENTRY REQUIREMENTS To qualify to become a shadow marksman, a character must fulfill all the following criteria: Skills: Hide 8 ranks, Move Silently 8 ranks Feats: Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Proficiency with a marksman weapon (see below) Special: The character must have successfully incapacitated an unharmed opponent with a single ranged attack. The attack must have been made using a projectile weapon with a range increment of 80 feet or more. Marksman Weapon: A marksman weapon is a masterwork quality projectile weapon with a range increment of at least 60 feet, fitted with a masterwork sight. Usually, marksman weapons are based on light or heavy crossbows, but there may be other missile launchers suitable (the DM should feel free to make exceptions for campaign-specific or special weapons with similar properties, for example firearms and magic items shooting rays). A weapon designed to be fired from one hand or a weapon that cannot be fitted with a sight cannot be a marksman weapon. This includes slings, bows, hand crossbows, pistols, spells etc. The shadow marksman’s fearsome ranged combat abilities depends on her weapon and her intimate knowledge of how to use it – in order to take advantage of the class features below that are marked with (mw), a character is required to wield a marksman weapon in both hands. Class Skills The shadow marksman’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Int), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Forgery (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Open Lock (Dex), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), Use Magic Device (Cha) and Use Rope (Dex). Skills Points at Each Level : 4 + int Hit Dice: d6 BAB Fort Ref Will Abilities 1. +0 +0 +0 +0 Sneak attack +1d6, killing shot, cunning shot at 60 ft range, improved sniping -10, weapon focus 2. +1 +0 +1 +0 Light armor focus, uncanny dodge 3. +2 +1 +2 +1 Sneak attack +2d6, shot on the run, surprise shot for -2 AC 4. +3 +1 +3 +1 Team assault +1d6, bonus feat 5. +3 +1 +3 +1 Sneak attack +3d6, cunning shot at full range +½ Dex damage bonus 6. +4 +2 +4 +2 Surprise shot for flat-footed, sniping on the run, improved uncanny dodge 7. +5 +2 +5 +2 Sneak attack +4d6, bonus feat 8. +6 +2 +6 +2 Hide in plain sight 9. +6 +3 +6 +3 Sneak attack +5d6 10.+7 +3 +7 +7 Team assault +2d6, Bonus feat CLASS FEATURES Weapon Proficiencies: The shadow marksman gains no new weapon or armor proficiencies. Sneak Attack: As the Rogue ability (PH p49), +1D6 at level 1 and at each additional odd numbered level. Killing Shot (mw) (ex): This works exactly as the assassin’s Death Attack (DMG p180), except the shadow marksman must be at least 10 ft from the target (and within the maximum distance of her Cunning Shot, see below). Cunning Shot (mw) (ex): At level 1, the shadow marksman gains the feat Crossbow Sniper (PH2 p77), except she gains no damage bonus. At level 5, she gains the damage bonus (½ her Dexterity modifier) and can, as a standard action, Sneak Attack from a distance equal to the full range increment of her weapon. (NB: Feats increasing range, such as Far Shot (PH p94), or damage bonus from Dexterity does not stack with Cunning Shot, nor does any equipment unless otherwise noted.) Improved Sniping (mw) (ex): When using her Hide skill in a Sniping action (PH p76), the shadow marksman receives a -10 penalty on the Hide check instead of the normal -20 (as the Concealed Ambush feat described in DR339 p87). OPTIONAL 1: The penalty is -15 at level 1 and decreases with -5 at every third level (4, 7 and 10), until reaching 0. OPTIONAL 2: With each additional turn of Improved Sniping beyond the first in an encounter, made from within 10 feet of the shadow marksman’s first attack, the penalty increases with -5, to a maximum of -20. In order to restore the decreased penalty she must move, while remaining hidden, to a new area at least 10 feet away. (The -20 penalty also applies if a shadow marksman is discovered, hides again, and then returns to snipe from the same area.) The penalties occur regardless of whether her attack(s) succeeds or not. Surprise Shot (mw) (ex): When a hidden shadow marksman of level 3 or more makes a successful Cunning Shot (or Killing Shot), it often comes as such a shock to the target that it becomes distracted and momentarily loses its focus. The target lowers its defenses while trying to figure out what hit them, receiving a -2 penalty to AC until the start of the shadow marksman’s next turn. By level 6, a successful Surprise Shot also renders the target flat-footed if it fails a Will Save (DC = the damage bonus of the shadow marksman’s Sneak Attack dice). (Ambush feats (CSco p71) can be used in a Surprise Shot, roll the total number of Sneak Attack dice separately to determine DC.) Team Assault (mw) (ex): By level 4, the shadow marksman may coordinate her attacks with her allies to take maximum advantage of the confusion created by her Surprise Shot. Whenever a target has been successfully hit by the shadow marksman’s Surprise Shot, an ally attacking the same target may add 1d6 bonus damage to her first successful hit. At level 10, the bonus damage increases to 2d6. The ally must flank the target unless it is considered flat-footed (or otherwise denied its Dexterity bonus to AC) and the successful hit must be made before the shadow marksman starts her next turn. The Team Assault bonus damage stacks with damage resulting from any attack that benefits from a critical hit and any similar ability an ally possesses (such as Sneak Attack and Skirmish). Shot on the Run (mw): The shadow marksman gains the feat Shot on the Run (PH p100) as a bonus feat at level 3, regardless of whether the character meets the prerequisites or not. Sniping on the Run (mw) (ex): At level 6, the shadow marksman may use Shot on the Run in conjunction with Improved Sniping as a full round action, receiving only an additional -5 penalty to her Hide check. During her turn, she may move, attack and move again while remaining hidden. She must start her turn successfully hidden at least 10 ft from her target and cannot move a total distance greater than half her speed (or no greater than her normal speed with an additional -5 penalty to the Hide and Move Silently checks, PH p76, p79). The Hide and Move Silently checks are made when the shadow marksman makes her first movement. The Hide check is subject to the penalties described in Improved Sniping above (in addition to any other penalties resulting from speed, bad concealment etc.). Marksman Mastery Bonus Feats (mw): At level 1, the shadow marksman gains the Weapon Focus feat of chosen marksman weapon. At level 4, 7 and 10 she gains one bonus feat (for which she has the necessary prerequisites) from the following list: Able Sniper (RotW p148), Bow Feint (DR350 p90), Bowslinger (Und p24), Deadeye Shot (PH2 p78), Defensive Archery (RotW p148), Far Shot (PH p94), Improved Precise Shot (PH p96), Ranged Disarm (CWar p103), Ranged Pin (CWar p104), Ranged Sunder (CWar p104), Ranged Threat (DR350 p90), Ranged Weapon Mastery (PH2 p82), Rapid Reload (PH p99), Rapid Shot (PH p99), Sharp-Shooting (CWar p105), Woodland Archer (RotW p154). Improved Rapid Shot (CWar p101) can also be gained without meeting the Manyshot feat prerequisite. Light Armor Focus (ex): Starting at level 2, the shadow marksman has become so accustomed to wearing light armor the check penalty is reduced by 2 (minimum 0), the maximum dexterity bonus is increased by 1 and the weight, when worn, is reduced by 5 lb (for a medium sized character). Uncanny Dodge (ex): At level 2, the shadow marksman gains the Rogue ability (PH p49). If the character already has the Uncanny Dodge ability, she instead gains Improved Uncanny Dodge. Improved Uncanny Dodge (ex): At level 6, the shadow marksman gains the Rogue ability (PH p49). If the character already has Improved Uncanny Dodge, she may choose one of the Rogue Special Abilities (PH p49). Any levels of another class that grants Uncanny Dodge stack with the shadow marksman levels to determine the minimum Rogue level required to flank the character. Hide in Plain Sight (su): At level 8, exactly as the assassin ability (DMG p180). ________________________________________ _______________________
bjorsa 04-05-08, 07:19 PM	My brother (upho), who wrote this PrC, has come down with a bad case of net digestion... So he asked me to bump this a bit for him. :bump: :bump: :bump: Come on folks, what do you think? What needs to be changed? Please?