I need to make a new character for my Serpent Skull game and I've decided to base him on this miniature:
http://www.reapermini.com/OnlineStore/bloodstone%20gnome/latest/14556
I was thinking rogue (scout and sniper archetypes), 20 pt buy, specializing in the use of spear and blow gun but I could also be talked into short bow or halfling sling staff if there's a way to get the slinging faster at later levels while letting me take the halfling sniping racial alternate.
My only condition is that he needs to take skill focus (stealth) at level one. Other than that I'm pretty much open. Any thoughts or suggestions, particularily about multiclassing with a a martial class are welcome.
I'm working on a build (to join a higher campaign) with 8 rogue (scout) levels right now, and the ranged weapon I'm working into the build is Dart (thrown).
Base range 20, later on if you get darts with the distance enhancement that goes to 40, and there is a trait that lets you get +10 range on a thrown weapon(one attack only) if you move 10+ prior (strong arm, subtle wrist). That goes well in hand with the level 8 scout ability of automatically getting sneak attack damage on one ranged attack if you move 10+ first.
While previous editions saw some abuse of darts, the pathfinder mechanics have pretty much eliminated that (you could use 2-weapon fighting for more attacks, but sneak attack, where much of your damage comes from, will generally only apply to 1 attack). Quickdraw is a must if you want to throw more than 1 dart a round.
The main reason I decided on Dart myself though is because the NPCs of my race use it as a primary weapon (grippli).
Sneak attack does work on all attacks done with two weapon fighting Lythe. Darts included.
from the manual:
Skirmisher (Ex)At 8th level, whenever a scout moves more than 10 feet in a round and makes an attack action, the attack deals sneak attack damage as if the target was flat-footed. If the scout makes more than one attack this turn, this ability only applies to the first attack. Foes with uncanny dodge are immune to this ability.
This ability replaces improved uncanny dodge.
In this instance the offhand attack would not get the sneak attack bonus
Sneak attack does work on all attacks done with two weapon fighting Lythe. Darts included.from the manual:
Skirmisher (Ex)At 8th level, whenever a scout moves more than 10 feet in a round and makes an attack action, the attack deals sneak attack damage as if the target was flat-footed. If the scout makes more than one attack this turn, this ability only applies to the first attack. Foes with uncanny dodge are immune to this ability.
This ability replaces improved uncanny dodge.
In this instance the offhand attack would not get the sneak attack bonus
True, but it is getting more then one attack after moving 10ft that is the hard part
True, but it is getting more then one attack after moving 10ft that is the hard part
They probably put the "only applies to the first attack" caveat in there for feats like Cleave.
To the OP, in regards to multiclassing, I'd definitely stay Rogue for levels 1 to 8 so I'd have the best part of the Scout Archetype as quickly as possible. If then you wanted to branch out you can, but really this character is all about delivering sneak attack, so either stay Rogue through to 20 or take a prestige class that continues sneak attack progression.
Feat-wise, you'll want your typical ranged feats like Deadly Aim, Point Blank Shot, etc, but also try to pick up the Vital Strike chain since it works for melee and ranged attacks and you'll quite often only be getting one attack per round anyway. I know ranged characters are feat-starved, but if possible, work in Dodge, Mobility and either Shot on the Run or Spring Attack (or both) so you can attack while moving from cover to cover.
A blowgun user sounds fun. Good luck with it.
They probably put the "only applies to the first attack" caveat in there for feats like Cleave.
Or abilities like Pounce.
Feat-wise, you'll want your typical ranged feats like Deadly Aim, Point Blank Shot, etc, but also try to pick up the Vital Strike chain since it works for melee and ranged attacks and you'll quite often only be getting one attack per round anyway.
Any thoughts on Focused shot? (It should stack with PBS and Deadly aim shouldn't it?)
I know ranged characters are feat-starved,
That was part of the reason I was thinking about levels of fighter, but is a feat and extra HP worth the delay in sneak attack damage?I'm just not familiar enough with rogues makea good call on it.
A blowgun user sounds fun. Good luck with it.
Thanks!
Only one of the abilities of the sniper would work with the blowgun, since Accuracy specifies bow or crossbow. Had you considered poisoner? Poisons from what I remember were traditionally used with blowguns, and being able to change the type of a poison is a huge ability IMHO.
I did, but you can't stack poisoner/sniper and Deadly Range is pretty critical to the build. Scout just gives me a little more opportunity if I end up near/in melee.
That said, there're a ton of feats that are limited to crossbows and bows so switching over to a short bow may be unavoidable... which is kinda sad to be honest but I'll cross that bridge when I get to it.
I did, but you can't stack poisoner/sniper and Deadly Range is pretty critical to the build.
While I can understand the desire to increase your sneak attack range, it doesn't make a lot of sense to do it with a blowgun, which only has a 20 foot range to begin with. Sure, you can take penalties to fire from farther away (which are reduced but not eliminated by Far Shot) but any chance to miss on that vital sneak attack doesn't seem to be worth it, IMHO. Even if you eventually get a blowgun of distance that only boosts it to 40 feet, and is that really worth taking the sniper path?
OTOH, taking poisoner guarantees you will never poison yourself (and if your luck is anything like mine, you will roll that 5% chance to poison yourself at the worst time) and to change the poison, which is going to make the use of the darts the most versatile.
If you want to go with the blowgun, my suggestion would be to boost your Stealth as much as possible (so you can get in close range without being detected) and maybe dip into Shadowdancer at the very least for HIPS, if not for Shadow Jump (to get out of trouble quickly if you need to), and generally take stuff along the lines of being silent and mobile. And since poison darts are much of the point of the weapon, definitely poisoner.
If you want to be a sniper, I would definitely just go to a bow build to get the most out of it in terms of distance and being able to use the class abilities.
Any thoughts on Focused shot? (It should stack with PBS and Deadly aim shouldn't it?)
Yep, if your INT bonus is decent, Focused Shot might be a good investment. It won't stack with Vital Strike (and with a blowgun Vital Strike isn't that much of an advantage), but at low levels Focused Shot is superior to Deadly Aim since it doesn't apply a penalty to your attack roll.
I also agree that Poisoner would be a better fit for your concept than Sniper since a blowgun has such a short range and you can duplicate the Accuracy ability with a feat. Besides, Blowguns are meant to deliver poisons, right? Might as well be good at crafting them.
Just remembered, Focused Shot only works with bows and crossbows, so it wouldn't apply to blowguns. But if you end up using a shortbow, it's a good feat to have.