I am running a ninja character for the first time I really like it. I do realize I know very little about getting the most bang for your buck in regards to landing Sneak attack damage in combat.
are there any tactics/feats I am missing. My build doesn't matter very much I am only really asking about common tactics/feats. Is there a Sneak attack guide as opposed to a rogue or ninja guide? what are the basics I need to know?
1. Improved invisibility
2. Feint?
3. Betrayer feat
4. flanking
5. Ranged sniping ( shurikens allwwing you to hit and not have to be close
Combining enforcer and shatter defenses is a common method. Requires good investment into intimidate and the use of non-lethal weapons.
Improved Two Weapon Feint is also good.
Betrayer feat probably isn't very good considering it requires you to use diplomacy to try to influence them them to have a better attitude towards you. The problem here is that this takes 1 minute (10 rounds). Unless you think you're commonly going to have 1 minute before combat starts to improve someone's attitude to get 1 sneak attack, it's probably not worth the feat. Especially since you could just get a surprise round by sneak attacking before any combat has occured, and the opponent being flat-footed against said attack.
Ranged Sniping works for the ninja because they can use vanishing trick and later invisible blade. But remember without these you will never get flanking on ranged attacks so you would only be able to sneak attack with ranged weapon if using the sniping rules (limiting you to 1 attack) or during a surprise round, or if you go before the enemy in ini.
thanks! any more advice?
If this is obvious, my apologies.
1. Of course you want to go the TWF route. Sneak Attack is all about getting in as many attacks as possible whenever you qualify for SA.
2. In general a ranged attack while you close, then TWF is the go-to tactic so long as you have a flanking buddy. If flanking buddies are scarce in your group, make sure you get priority, since your damage is so dependent on it.
3. Keep potions of healing on-hand, and keep up with your defensive magic item purchasing. The most economical way of doing this is getting all the +1 items, then the +2, etc.
4. Hitting is important, and as a 3/4 BAB class you should pay special attention to upping your to-hit bonus. Weapon Focus, flat enhancement bonuses on your weapons, etc.
thanks lord pendragon nothing is obvious about this class to me so I appreciate the advice. I have been told that a TWF build is a trap?
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thanks lord pendragon nothing is obvious about this class to me so I appreciate the advice. I have been told that a TWF build is a trap?
It's not a trap, but it's easier to consistently do more damage as a two-handed weapon wielder. Depending on your build, you'll probably average a few points of damage less with TWF, because you'll hit less often and not as hard per hit. But your max damage in a round will likely be higher once you have 3 or 4 sneak attack dice. TWF does involve a heavy feat investment and gold investment, because you're enchanting two weapons.
I meant Tactics not what ever that is.
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I prefer intimidation to most options. Check out the combat feats for Intimidation there is a lot of them. I vergot the names but there is a feat combo that makes those you intimidated denied there dex all round and you get to add your Str along with Cha to the intimidate check. Also there is a Rogue archetype called scout that allows one to get SA off charges if your DM allows you to pick up Rogue archetypes for the Ninja.
You have heard right, two weapon fighting is a trap. Rogues have a hard time hitting and inflicting damage, focusing on dexterity (to facilitate TWF) does not help those two things. Focusing on strength does. It may seem counter intuitive given how good rolling big handfulls of dice feels, but really, you'll get better results if you pack on the strength and use a 2 hander.
Weapon Finesse and the agile weapon enchant would mitigate this. Sure, you're spending a feat and a +1 enchantment to do so, but you're doing it to buy extra attacks and therefore extra SA dice. Also, you're now focused on dex which improves your AC, to-hit, and damage, rather than just your to-hit and damage (and carrying capacity, I suppose).