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Serial Killer Vigilante Archetype.
A serial killer must choose the stalker specialization. Her hidden strike is considered equivalent to a sneak attack with the same number of dice for the purpose of meeting prerequisites or using abilities that depend on sneak attack.
This alters vigilante specialization.
So could a Serial Killer take Accomplished Sneak Attacker and gain +1 Sneak attack die? Or would it be +1 Hidden strike die?
Would every effect that normally adds to sneak attack add to hidden strike? What if you've already have the Sneak Attack class feature, would it add both to SA and HS?
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Your Hidden Strike counts as Sneak Attack, so you meet the prerequisites for Accomplished Sneak Attacker, this much is obvious.
But what does Accomplished Sneak Attacker mean by "Your sneak attack damage increases"?
I see three ways to read it:
1) The Sneak Attack you used to qualify for this increases by 1d6. (so your Hidden Strike now deals, while flanking, Xd4 and 1d6 damage.)
2) You gain a Sneak Attack that deals 1d6 damage that stacks with other sources of Sneak Attack. (so your Hidden Strike deals Xd4 and, at the same time, you deal 1d6 from Sneak Attack.)
3) Your Sneak Attack ability increases by 1d6, but you don't have a Sneak Attack so it does nothing.
The primary difference between 1 and 2 is how many dice it considers your Sneak Attack to be, and therefore where the limit is.
I, personally, am inclined to believe the answer is 1.
Let's say I am a Rogue1/Vigilante(Serial Killer)2.
I have Sneak Attack from Rogue and Hidden Strike from Vigilante which functions as Sneak Attack "for the purpose of meeting prerequisites or using abilities that depend on sneak attack".
Serial Killer makes no mention that HS (Hidden Strike) would stack with already existing SA (Sneak Attack) for the purpose of abilities, so it doesn't.
Do I then have two different Sneak Attack Class Features for the intent of feats/items/abilties that add to Sneak Attack dice?
If so, then must i choose which of these two SA pools will gain the benefit of Accomplished Sneak Attacker, or would it add to both?
If we compare the new question to the previous premises:
1) [SA and HS count together] Since your HS and SA count together due to your archetype, the feat counts that you have two dice at level 3, so you gain no benefit from the feat.
2) [You gain SA, independent of HS] Your Sneak Attack dice are 1, but half your level rounded up is 2, so you gain a die of Sneak Attack. Your Hidden Strike dice don't factor into the feat.
3) [HS doesn't count for SA] You actually have Sneak Attack this time. See outcome 2.
Either way, I don't think you would get to double dip. And I would not begrudge any GM who would be adverse to you attempting to do so.
1) [SA and HS count together] Since your HS and SA count together due to your archetype, the feat counts that you have two dice at level 3, so you gain no benefit from the feat.
I think this is the answer I was looking for. Many of my questions arose from the idea that I would have two different SA class features. I was under the impression that Sneak Attack doesn't stack from multiple sources if it doesn't explicitly say so (as with the Snakebite Striker Brawler archetype). But now it is a lot clearer.
So yeah, no double dip Accomplished Sneak Attacker.
Thank you for responding.
HS is a separate pool from SA, except that HS dice count as SA for the purpose of feats, etc.
Rogue 1/Vigilante(Serial Killer) 2 gets 1 SA die and 1 HS die.
Add in the feat, and it checks character level (=3) to determine max SA die. 3 --> max 1 SA die. Since you already have effectively 2 SA die, the feat adds nothing.
Rogue 1/Vigilante(Serial Killer) 1/Fighter 4 also gets 1 SA die and 1 HS die.
Adding the feat to this 6th level char does give an extra 1d6.
As to the interaction of HS and SA, each applies if the conditions are correct. The conditions are similar but not the same. For example at the start of combat, the opponent is flat footed until they have their turn. This satisfies SA but not HS.
/cevah
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Add in the feat, and it checks character level (=3) to determine max SA die. 3 --> max 1 SA die. Since you already have effectively 2 SA die, the feat adds nothing.
Actually, the feat expressly calls out that you round up, unlike normal. So 3 halved to 1.5 becomes 2, not 1. This is, I assume, to simulate how rogues get Sneak Attack dice every odd level.
Add in the feat, and it checks character level (=3) to determine max SA die. 3 --> max 1 SA die. Since you already have effectively 2 SA die, the feat adds nothing.Actually, the feat expressly calls out that you round up, unlike normal. So 3 halved to 1.5 becomes 2, not 1. This is, I assume, to simulate how rogues get Sneak Attack dice every odd level.
My bad on the rounding.
However, the numbers don't change, because you already have effectivly 2 SA die.
/cevah
If you are treating hidden strike as sneak attack for feats you replace hidden strike when you see sneak attack, so it increases you hidden strike damage.
If you are treating hidden strike as sneak attack for feats you replace hidden strike when you see sneak attack, so it increases you hidden strike damage.
You totally lost me. What are you talking about?
/cevah
The op's question