A question came up during the campaign I run last night...how often does sneak attack damage get applied to a rogue's attacks?
Example: If a rogue feints his opponent, and then hits him, sneak attack applies, but if he is two-weapon fighting, and hits with both attacks, does sneak attack damage apply for EACH ATTACK?
Personally, I said S.A.D. is applied once per round, not per attack, but I would like official clarification to supress a pesky rules laywering player I got. Thanks in advance.
DogBone
Every attack that fulfills the requirements for SA.
That is every attack where the opponent is:
a) flanked; or
b) denied his dexterity bonus to AC.
Agreed with Tanis. Meaning, yes, your TWF rogue would get sneak attack damage on both of his attacks. Though until Greater Feint, he's only getting one attack in the round after feinting anyway.
Forgot to talk about feint, +1 Squeeks
Feint states that the target looses his dexterity against your next attack. So in my opinion, its only against the first attack that you deal against him.
If you take greater feint the feat, he looses his dex until the start of your next turn. Also, as Imp Feint is done as a move action: I do not see how you could manage the second attack?
Of course I could be wrong, but this is how I understand this.
Feint states that the target looses his dexterity against your next attack. So in my opinion, its only against the first attack that you deal against him.
If you take greater feint the feat, he looses his dex until the start of your next turn. Also, as Imp Feint is done as a move action: I do not see how you could manage the second attack?
Skull speaks true.
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Feint states that the target looses his dexterity against your next attack. So in my opinion, its only against the first attack that you deal against him.
If you take greater feint the feat, he looses his dex until the start of your next turn. Also, as Imp Feint is done as a move action: I do not see how you could manage the second attack?
Of course I could be wrong, but this is how I understand this.
Attacks of opportunity. There are also a few other options like the two-weapon warrior's doublestrike.
Attacks of opportunity. There are also a few other options like the two-weapon warrior's doublestrike.Feint states that the target looses his dexterity against your next attack. So in my opinion, its only against the first attack that you deal against him.
If you take greater feint the feat, he looses his dex until the start of your next turn. Also, as Imp Feint is done as a move action: I do not see how you could manage the second attack?
Of course I could be wrong, but this is how I understand this.
If you want to dip into fighter for 9 levels, yes it will work. 13th level fighter also gets both weapons on AoO. But then i doubt sneak attack is where your damage will be coming from.
You will still also need greater Feint for this to work.
Don't forget about the Vital Strike line of feats, too - very nice for feint and strike tactics.
Would Deadly Stroke work with Feint? You need a few fighter levels, but it should be superior to Vital Strike in most cases.Don't forget about the Vital Strike line of feats, too - very nice for feint and strike tactics.
No. Being denied dex bonus is not the same thing as being flat-footed. Flat-footed carries with it other penalties, like not being able to make AoO against the target. Deadly Stroke requires that the opponent is flat-footed or stunned.
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Would Deadly Stroke work with Feint? You need a few fighter levels, but it should be superior to Vital Strike in most cases.Don't forget about the Vital Strike line of feats, too - very nice for feint and strike tactics.
That is way too feat intensive and to accomplish it you become a rogue with a lot less sneak attack dice all to accomplish some greater guarantee you'll get to sneak attack.
Honestly, feinting isn't worth it unless you're a ranged rogue (which remains terribly inefficient compared to a TWF rogue abusing flanks). And as for a Fighter/Rogue hybrid, Crossbowman gives you the nifty ability to deny a target their Dexterity to AC at 7th level if you shoot them as part of a readied action. Combine with Vital Strike and you're not too bad off. The other bonuses to damage some feat chains and Crossbowman gives (Deadshot & Crossbow Mastery) can help to mitigate some of the lost average damage per hit you lose by foregoing some sneak attack dice.
Wow ... talk about splitting hairs, here!
I just noted the exact phrasing of "flat footed" and "denied dex bonus" of feint.
For my mileage, I've just run "feint" = to flat footing for that 1 feinter (who then gets to make a standard attack if appropriately feated). So, for *my* games, I would TOTALLY allow a fighter to Feint --> Deadly Stroke.
I mean, looking at the Shatter Defenses thing, it seems clear to imply that Flat Foot = denied dex bonus (to me anyway), and it's a TOTAL set-up feat for the Deadly Stroke thing.
Maximized, this is a fighter-only thing, but he's going to open round 1 w/a full attack to demoralize everyone in 30' (not a bad opener, honestly, as it actually inflicts status effects on everyone nearby. Fantastic option for a fighter to open with, especially w/the other feats in the tree. This one immediately sets up benefits for the ENTIRE PARTY to take advantage of - it's a good move, IMO). Then he hits any of the affected types and makes 'em "flat footed" to my attacks until the end of my next turn .... keep on doing this, and they keep on being "flat footed" to my attacks - follow? In any case, you follow up w/the standard attack Deadly Stroke, and now it's further set-up and double damage + con bleed.
Unfortunately, it can't combo w/Vital Strike, but it can still do a crap-load of damage if you drop that con down to the lower threshold (it's an automatic loss of HP = HD, so yeah ... pretty neat, but only if it *actually* drops the target's con down. I think it's a bit weak, myself, as it's *always* just 1 con point. It should be a flat 2 point con drop in order to be regularly effective and NOT just have an "every other attack" doing nothing on that front situation).
Anyway, point being - the idea is "set up a dex-denial, and lay on the whammy!" What maneuver is *better* suited for a "set-up" than feint? None - not a one, so *I* have no problem with letting DS work off of a feint.