One character concept I have in mind is a Dhampir Rogue/Oracle (Dark Tapestry)/Shadow Dancer. There will probably have to be a level or two of Monk in there as well to get the unarmed combat Feats I'm looking for. I intend to use the bite attack and play up the vampiric heritage somewhat.
Now, I will be taking Improved Grapple and intend to grab surprised opponents from the shadows, pin them and then bite them.
The big question is: Can I bite as a Sneak Attack?
The opponent is denied his DEX to AC when pinned, which is one of the provisos that Sneak Attack requires. On the other hand, it is specifically stated that a Rogue may Sneak Attack a helpless opponent but the same is not stated for pinned opponents. Is this simply that it did not require stating, or is it because the Sneak Attack is not intended to work against pinned opponents? After all, most pins require your weapon arms to be fully engaged (yes, I am aware of Judo leg pins).
Although having a bite Sneak Attack in this circumstance seems a little odd, to get to that position the Dhampir Rogue has had to use a Combat Manoeuvre to grapple and pin.
It will make the bite extremely effective (and very messy...), if only in limited circumstances.
I would say yes. I don't have the rules at hand now, but the pinned condition cause the loss of dex bonus, so sa is viable. The only thing you should check is if your opponent lose dex even against you and not only against those who aren't involved in the grapple.
I did check the grappled condition and the opponent retains DEX to AC (albeit with a -4 to DEX). Hence the requirement for pinning.
The rules for pin are:
A pinned creature is tightly bound and can take few actions. A pinned creature cannot move and is denied its Dexterity bonus. A pinned character also takes an additional –4 penalty to his Armor Class. A pinned creature is limited in the actions that it can take. A pinned creature can always attempt to free itself, usually through a combat maneuver check or Escape Artist check. A pinned creature can take verbal and mental actions, but cannot cast any spells that require a somatic or material component. A pinned character who attempts to cast a spell or use a spell-like ability must make a concentration check (DC 10 + grappler's CMB + spell level) or lose the spell. Pinned is a more severe version of grappled, and their effects do not stack.
Casting Spells while Pinned: The only spells which can be cast while grappling or pinned are those without somatic components and whose material components (if any) you have in hand. Even so, you must make a concentration check (DC 10 + the grappler's CMB + the level of the spell you're casting) or lose the spell.
I don't see anything that precludes a Sneak Attack, but wondered if the question had come up before.
I don't know if you have seen Strangler feat which allows dealing sneak attack damage to grappled creature while maintaining the grapple. A very viable option to grapple-oriented rogues.
Definitely worth bearing in mind, thanks. I was really looking for something to improve the Dhampir bite attack (I'm taking the Blood Drinker feat and can combine it with the bite) so that my cinematic swoop from the shadows and surprise grapple didn't just result in a rather pathetic d3.
I suppose I could take the Strangler feat and just say that the bite was still doing the Sneak Attack damage, albeit without the control given by a pin to be able to target the blood vessels which would enable the Blood Drinker feat to activate.
Something to add to the armoury perhaps.
As far I can see, you absolutely can sneak attack an opponent you're pinning.
I thought that might be the case, but I have to admit that I rarely use Combat Manoeuvres or Rogues (or bitey Dhampirs, come to that), so combining them requires a little thinking to get the tactics right.