3.5 Rogue Sneak Attack Optimized Build - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

3.5 Rogue Sneak Attack Optimized Build

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
rogue_sleeper
May 03, 2011 14:06:19 Looking for some help here. Been out of the 3.5 loop for a while and want to build a power house sneak attacker. DM only allowing 3.5 material. Any help would be appreciated.
#2
skandranon-sg
May 03, 2011 14:17:49 Here's a quick list of some classes that get Sneak Attack, Sudden Strike, or Skirmish with a simple one-level dip. If you manage your feats properly, you could end up with well over 30 SA dice. The only issue is that most of these classes have a rogue's BAB, which means without BAB fractions, you're going to end up with something like +4 at level 20.

Sneak Attack
Halfling Rogue Substitution (+2d6)
Ninja (+1d6)
Spellthief (+1d6)
Fighter Variant (+1d6)
Assassin's Stance (init3, +2d6)

Skirmish
Halfling Monk (+1d6)
Scout (+1d6)

Assassin (+1d6) - Hide 8, Move Silent 8, Disguise 4
Invisible Blade (+1d6) - Bluff 8, Sense Motive 6 - Point Blank Shot - Far Shot - Weapon Focus
Poisoner (+1d6) - Craft (poison) 8, Sleight 8 - Exotic Weapon Proficiency Blowgun
Replacement Killer (+1d6) - Bluff 8, Diplomacy 5, Disguise 8, Know (nobility) 3, Sense Motive 5 - Deceitful - Skill Focus (Disguise)
Shadow Thief of Amn (+1d6) - Bluff 3, Gather Information 3, Hide 8, Intimidate 3, Move Silently 3 - Persuasive.
Guild Thief (+1d6) - Gather Info 3, Hide 8, Intimidate 3, Move Silent 3
Deceiver (+1d6) - Disguise 6, Forgery 6, Gather Info 5, Hide 6, Move Silent 6 - Deceitful - Stealthy
Unseen Seer - Hide 8, Search 8, Sense Motive 4, Spellcraft 4, Spot 8 - 1st level arcane spells
BAB 4-Fist of Dal Quor - Knowledge (planes) 4 - Psionic Feat
BAB 5-Mole (+1d6) - Appraise 2, Hide 3, Profession(miner) 1, Search 3
BAB 5-Oppressor (+1d6) - Intimidate 8 - Improved Unarmed Strike - Improved Grapple - Persuasive
BAB 5-Order of the Bow Initiate (+1d8) - Craft (bowmaking) 5, Know (religion) 2 - Point Blank Shot - Precise Shot - Rapid Shot - Weapon Focus
BAB 5-Zhentarim Spy (+1d6) - Bluff 5, Disguise 5, Forgery 5, Gather Info 5. - Deceitful
BAB 5-Avenging Executioner (+1d6) - Hide 4, Intimidate 6, Move Silently 4
BAB 5-Dread Commando - Hide 6, Move Silent 6 - Dodge - Mobility
BAB 5-Nightsong Enforcer - Hide 10, Move Silent 10 - Improved Initiative * +20 to see/hear allies
BAB 5-Warsling Sniper - Craft (weapon) 3, Hide 4, Spot 6 - Exotic Weapon Prof (warsling/skiprock) - Point Blank Shot - Precise Shot
BAB 6-Ronin (+1d6)
BAB 6-Ninja of the Crescent Moon - Move Silent 10, Hide 10 - Improved Unarmed - Deflect Arrows - Quick Draw
#3
Krusk
May 04, 2011 9:27:18
Go for two thrown weapons, and try to get a full BAB somehow. TWF will net you a good ammount of attacks a round. I like daggers, because of invisable blade. Rogue 15/blade 5 gives BAB 16 and 11d6 sneak attack. Its also not paticularly cheesey, and you won't have to deal with DM knee jerk banning. It takes PHB and 1 complete to do.

Honestly, the best sneak attack power house rogues I have seen are the flask rogues. Read flasks and how they require an attack roll. A touch attack, but see sneak attacks with spells. From here, you take rapid shot, and twf trying your best to hit BAB +16. Have a high dex, eat the -4 non prof, and take a level in wizard so you can craft alchemy. (This is done entirely in the PHB if you want).

You will be making 9 attacks a round, 11 if you get someone to haste you (Or do it yourself, via a wand you can use) (Rogue 12/Fighter 7/Wiz 1 gives 6d6 or 231 average assuming hasted all attacks hit, and non crit). Alternatively, you can go rogue 19/wiz 1 and have 10d6 sneak atack but only 7/9 attacks a round (for 315 average damage).

If you bring in splat books that advance sneak attack and full BAB you get better, but will still be shredding anything you fight.

The idea of a flask thrower gets most DMs really excited as something neat, and then when they see your damage many will ban the idea or say you can't sneak attack with a flask. (A realism arguement I can totally understand)
#4
skandranon-sg
May 04, 2011 10:25:41 I think anyone with half a brain will realize that doing precision-based damage with a splash weapon may seem a little funky. That is, unless you are throwing the flask and attempting to do damage as an improved ranged weapon. =P
#5
rogue_sleeper
May 05, 2011 8:12:39 I was thinking along the lines of...

Rogue / Swashbucker / Invisible Blade / Nightsong Enforcer

Any suggestions / ideas on that?

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 rogue_sleeper May 03, 2011 14:06:19	Looking for some help here. Been out of the 3.5 loop for a while and want to build a power house sneak attacker. DM only allowing 3.5 material. Any help would be appreciated.
#2 skandranon-sg May 03, 2011 14:17:49	Here's a quick list of some classes that get Sneak Attack, Sudden Strike, or Skirmish with a simple one-level dip. If you manage your feats properly, you could end up with well over 30 SA dice. The only issue is that most of these classes have a rogue's BAB, which means without BAB fractions, you're going to end up with something like +4 at level 20. Sneak Attack Halfling Rogue Substitution (+2d6) Ninja (+1d6) Spellthief (+1d6) Fighter Variant (+1d6) Assassin's Stance (init3, +2d6) Skirmish Halfling Monk (+1d6) Scout (+1d6) Assassin (+1d6) - Hide 8, Move Silent 8, Disguise 4 Invisible Blade (+1d6) - Bluff 8, Sense Motive 6 - Point Blank Shot - Far Shot - Weapon Focus Poisoner (+1d6) - Craft (poison) 8, Sleight 8 - Exotic Weapon Proficiency Blowgun Replacement Killer (+1d6) - Bluff 8, Diplomacy 5, Disguise 8, Know (nobility) 3, Sense Motive 5 - Deceitful - Skill Focus (Disguise) Shadow Thief of Amn (+1d6) - Bluff 3, Gather Information 3, Hide 8, Intimidate 3, Move Silently 3 - Persuasive. Guild Thief (+1d6) - Gather Info 3, Hide 8, Intimidate 3, Move Silent 3 Deceiver (+1d6) - Disguise 6, Forgery 6, Gather Info 5, Hide 6, Move Silent 6 - Deceitful - Stealthy Unseen Seer - Hide 8, Search 8, Sense Motive 4, Spellcraft 4, Spot 8 - 1st level arcane spells BAB 4-Fist of Dal Quor - Knowledge (planes) 4 - Psionic Feat BAB 5-Mole (+1d6) - Appraise 2, Hide 3, Profession(miner) 1, Search 3 BAB 5-Oppressor (+1d6) - Intimidate 8 - Improved Unarmed Strike - Improved Grapple - Persuasive BAB 5-Order of the Bow Initiate (+1d8) - Craft (bowmaking) 5, Know (religion) 2 - Point Blank Shot - Precise Shot - Rapid Shot - Weapon Focus BAB 5-Zhentarim Spy (+1d6) - Bluff 5, Disguise 5, Forgery 5, Gather Info 5. - Deceitful BAB 5-Avenging Executioner (+1d6) - Hide 4, Intimidate 6, Move Silently 4 BAB 5-Dread Commando - Hide 6, Move Silent 6 - Dodge - Mobility BAB 5-Nightsong Enforcer - Hide 10, Move Silent 10 - Improved Initiative * +20 to see/hear allies BAB 5-Warsling Sniper - Craft (weapon) 3, Hide 4, Spot 6 - Exotic Weapon Prof (warsling/skiprock) - Point Blank Shot - Precise Shot BAB 6-Ronin (+1d6) BAB 6-Ninja of the Crescent Moon - Move Silent 10, Hide 10 - Improved Unarmed - Deflect Arrows - Quick Draw
#3 Krusk May 04, 2011 9:27:18	Go for two thrown weapons, and try to get a full BAB somehow. TWF will net you a good ammount of attacks a round. I like daggers, because of invisable blade. Rogue 15/blade 5 gives BAB 16 and 11d6 sneak attack. Its also not paticularly cheesey, and you won't have to deal with DM knee jerk banning. It takes PHB and 1 complete to do. Honestly, the best sneak attack power house rogues I have seen are the flask rogues. Read flasks and how they require an attack roll. A touch attack, but see sneak attacks with spells. From here, you take rapid shot, and twf trying your best to hit BAB +16. Have a high dex, eat the -4 non prof, and take a level in wizard so you can craft alchemy. (This is done entirely in the PHB if you want). You will be making 9 attacks a round, 11 if you get someone to haste you (Or do it yourself, via a wand you can use) (Rogue 12/Fighter 7/Wiz 1 gives 6d6 or 231 average assuming hasted all attacks hit, and non crit). Alternatively, you can go rogue 19/wiz 1 and have 10d6 sneak atack but only 7/9 attacks a round (for 315 average damage). If you bring in splat books that advance sneak attack and full BAB you get better, but will still be shredding anything you fight. The idea of a flask thrower gets most DMs really excited as something neat, and then when they see your damage many will ban the idea or say you can't sneak attack with a flask. (A realism arguement I can totally understand)
#4 skandranon-sg May 04, 2011 10:25:41	I think anyone with half a brain will realize that doing precision-based damage with a splash weapon may seem a little funky. That is, unless you are throwing the flask and attempting to do damage as an improved ranged weapon. =P
#5 rogue_sleeper May 05, 2011 8:12:39	I was thinking along the lines of... Rogue / Swashbucker / Invisible Blade / Nightsong Enforcer Any suggestions / ideas on that?