Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Olik 12-30-07, 11:19 PM	Well ive been working on a build for a rogue / swashbuckler mix. Ive got a progression put together that im somewhat decently happy with, but its still a work in progress. basically im having some issues with tactics in combat. outside of combat, i simply love this character style. My character so far: his name is Vexitron and he is a Tiefling. He is more prone to jokes than he is to anger and aggression, so most law-men hate him, and most others enjoy is comic antics. Very brief background: he was picked up by a merchant ship (he was lost at sea on some wreckage of a small scooner type craft) and taken in as something close to the ship's mascot. the ship was wrecked in a storm and he survived, and basically doesnt really want anything to do with ships or sea travel anymore. as far as NPC interaction goes, what he lacks in charisma and diplomacy, he makes up for with bluff and other mischievous skills (slight of hand, forgery, etc). In the first session i played him, i framed one of the party members for 2 murders, arson, theft, assault, fraud, and two counts of B&E. (long story. the PC is a human-hating elf that is grouped up with us - mostly humans. one of the murders was of another PC). My character only had to kill 2 guards out of desperation so im sure my PC will be meeting the gallows pretty soon, but i like the character build and the persona in general. this session was mostly an extremely entertaining test run. Now comes my little problem. My weapon of choice is a rapier (he follows Olidammara) and he carries a concealed dagger under his long coat (Complete Scoundrel Cover Art). Currently hes level 4, and the rest of the party is level 5 (i had to buy off a LA so im 500 xp from 5). This character isnt a tavern brawler. I want to take full advantage of sneak attacks, but i dont really know many interesting ways to catch my opponents flat-footed besides feint and some skill tricks that arent open to me. I just dont know enough about the rules in this area to have a large arsenal of tricks up my sleeves. I like the feat "Flick of the Wrist" but its only usable once per encounter per enemy. the Acrobatic Backstab skill trick fits very well, but its a once per encounter thing, again (i think). I know i could take Invisible dagger (?) as a PrC but i dont feel like blowing feat slots on far shot and point blank; stuff this character will probably never use, or atleast not use often enough to justify it. Basically im looking for some pretty interesting or cool ways to catch opponents flat-footed as often as possible in combat without having to just feint then attack, feint then attack. i know i could do it, but it just gets kinda old really fast for me. its more or less a worst case scenario type thing, when i dont know what else to do (which recently has been quite often, since low level and inexperience with the style dictates the extent of my imagination for this type of character). Whats a player to do? Thanks in advance for any of you who respond with helpful hints and tips =)
Salla 12-30-07, 11:25 PM	Firstly, don't forget flanking! This also lets you sneak attack, and with a typical group, will be very easy to pull off. Keep your Use Magic Device high, and get a Wand of Grease. Unless the person in the grease has 5 ranks of Balance, he's flat-footed and, thus, sneak-attack bait.
Olik 12-30-07, 11:39 PM	Thanks for the tips! ill keep that in mind. its funny, but Flanking never even occured to me. It was hiding there in plain sight! =) Is there any kind of poison or not-so-magical way to blind someone for a round or two? im thinking something like blinding powder or a poison i can smear on my dagger, but i cant find the list of poisons or poison effects. its around here somewhere... >=(
DrMorganes 12-31-07, 12:13 AM	If you're going with a wand of grease, be sure to pay to up the caster level. Otherwise the spell will expire before you can actually reap the benefits! Magic items (except staffs) by default use the minimum caster level necessary to cast the spell. Grease is a Level 1 spell with a duration of 1 round/level. Unless you pay for a better caster level on the wand, the spell will last 1 round - and expire just before the start of your next turn!
DrMorganes 12-31-07, 12:15 AM	Don't bother with poison. It's not worth the investment. Cost per dose is high and Fortitude Save DCs are typically pretty low. Unless you're fighting commoners all the time, your expensive poison effect will almost always be resisted.
Necroramo 01-01-08, 05:32 PM	Generally, it is thought that flanking is the best way to set up sneak attack. For more sneak attack fun, be sure to get the party spellcaster to polymorph you into a kelvezu (MMII) for an extra +9d6 damage
calronmoonflower 01-01-08, 05:40 PM	Take the Daring Outlaw feat as soon as you get the chance. In combat flanking or hit and run tactics are you best bet. Even if alone bluff checks can allow sneak attacks.
Krusk 01-01-08, 07:31 PM	Being invisable is handy for sneak attacking. See if your mage knows it and is willing to help you out. -greater invis is greater- If not buy a wand or a couple of potions. feats from the phb2- lunging strike can suprise some opponents who think they are out of range, and if you lunge into flanking you can sneak attack. vexing and adaptable flanker mean you get +4 to attack when flanking instead of 2, and you can flank from any square, so long as you and an ally are next to the opponent.
BugHunter 01-01-08, 11:47 PM	Make sure you have tumble at max ranks this will help in setting up the flanking and don't forget about the telling blow feat another why of getting SA damage.
wonlee76 01-02-08, 10:20 AM	Telling Blow feat from PHB II: Get sneak attacks on a confirmed crit. With a rapier, this feat should kick in often enough to be very helpful when you can't flank or the target is not denied its dex bonus. Get a Keen Rapier or the Improved Crit feat to maximize effectiveness.
Droma 01-03-08, 05:02 PM	I had this set up at except at lvl9. As a rogue the best way to get sneak attack is finding ways to get flanking on your target. You want ranks in tumble, the feats daring outlaw, TWF chain of feats, telling blow is useful really only once you get that rapier with the keen enchant and you don't do extra sneak attack dmg if your flanking and crit with the feat. Dipping two lvls of fighter really helps let you pick up the extra feats and the extra hp never hurts, so decide if you really want the skill points or the dmg in combat. If the campaign goes long enough consider picking up 2 lvls of swordsage around lvls 10-11 if the Tome of Battle is available on your books allowed. In particular if you do get swordsage pick up the stance island of blades(flank all adjacent foes with an ally) and the maneuvers Cloak of Deception (turn greater invisible till end of turn) and Distracting ember (fire elemental flanks enemy). This set up means even if your facing the enemy alone you can still dish out the SA dmg like crazy. FYI fainting in combat is pretty useless without improved feint which lets you do it as a move action. Summary: Find ways to get flanking, TWF means double the SA dmg, don't die, PROFIT!!!
ToastedAmphibian 01-03-08, 11:38 PM	Your a TIEFLING. Darkness is a handy spell, it gives concealment. Concealment lets you hide. When your hiding, they cant see you (If your any good at it, obviously). If they cant see you, then they are flat footed aginst you. Now all you need is a way to see through the darkness. There are many ways to do this. A wand of ebon eyes would work, several magic items also exist (I belive there is a blindfold or eyepatch like thing in the MIC) or a single level of warlock would net you teh devil sight invocation. Also, http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/races/racialParagonClasses.htm#tieflingParagon 3/day darkness, an extra +2 dex, an extra +2 to bluff and hide, and 3 good saves. Not bad except that it dosnt advance your SA, but hey, you cant get everything right?
kelvinaw273 01-04-08, 06:49 AM	Using your Darkness ability is good, but try combat tricks like Trip and Disarm as well (get feats that improve these). Dodge and Mobility are handy for getting into position, Combat Reflexes for getting in those extra attacks (more attacks as opposed to massive damage), Telling Blow is great with Improved Critical, but always look to fight smarter, not harder. Use your acrobatics to get into positions people think impossible so that you can flank (you are a swashbuckler, swinging on chandeliers is practically compulsory). Taunt your foes, if you can, perhaps using Combat Expertise to make yourself unhitable. Remember, being effective in combat isn't all about dishing out damage, sometimes tying up a major foe until your allies deal with the mooks is just as vital (a tactic I used to use with a monk once, and very effectively too). Sometimes it isn't what you play, what feats you use, but how you play it.
metalmayhem80110 01-07-08, 03:23 PM	Wait, I'm the first person with this one? Take deft strike! I believe it's a feat out of the complete warrior? Basically you quick draw a dagger out or something and stab them when they're flat footed. (On a side note, I HIGHLY reccomend getting a wounding enchantment on your sword. I think it's either minis handbook or complete warrior, but for a +1 you get +2d6 sneak attack IIRC. Than you mix that with an elemental enchantment and vicious... That's 5d6 from the weapon enchantments alone...)
ToastedAmphibian 01-07-08, 05:26 PM	Wait, I'm the first person with this one? Take deft strike! I believe it's a feat out of the complete warrior? Basically you quick draw a dagger out or something and stab them when they're flat footed. Deft strike requiers you to spend a move action to make a spot check vs your enimes AC, with sucess allowing you to make your next attack as a touch attack..... right? I always kinda wrote it off as a crummmy feat, especially seeing as their is a skilltrick that copies it verbatim. Their is a skill trick however, that lets you draw a hidden dagger as part of an AoO, and lets you resolve that AoO as though the target was flatfooted. Could be effective for when a fight suddenly errupts (Like in a pub, a diplomatic meeting, a ballroom, hint hint) Their is anotherone that lets you toss your weapon into the air and grab it with your off-hand, letting you make your next attack as is your opponent was flatfooted. Very stylish, if not really all that helpfull. If you dont have complete scoundrel yet, you might want to get it. It was tailor made for the type of character you seem to be building.
LordTarmos 01-10-08, 03:59 PM	First of all I have no idea what books you have access to. so I will just go from the hip most things people have already told you with rapier crit range 18-20 telling blow is an excellent choice feat you will quickly want to go with either improved crit or keen your Rapier either one works this will increase crit range to 15-20 giving you 30% chance to crit (thus gaining your sneak attack) on every roll, if you hit them. Next if you are low level flash pellets work (complete adveturer (I believe) will blind them for 1 full round giving you sneak. Also there is a couple of skill tricks from (Complete Scoundrel), and flick of the wrist is another feat invisibility works well until creatures become able to see you. There are alot of different ways most efficient of which is tumble to opposite side of enemy from fighter and flank. get teamwork going with him you will make an unbeatable pair.