RPG Superstar 2015 Top 32, RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32
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Here's an idea that someone brought up in a different thread of mine. Didn't quite fit that character concept, but I might try it as its own thing anyway.
The idea is to have a ninja (or rogue, potentially) who dips a level of Maneuver Master Monk in order to get a "free" Dirty Trick or Reposition to set up sneak attack (Reposition into flanking, or Dirty Trick for blindness).
Human (Tien)
STR 16 (14+2)
DEX 16
CON 13 (bump at 4th)
INT 10
WIS 10
CHA 12
Traits: Undecided
Human Bonus Feat: Toughness
01:Ninja1[SA 1d6], Dodge
02:Ninja2[Ki Pool(2)][Ninja Trick:Weapon Training:Katana]
03:Monk1[Maneuver Master]:[Monk Unarmed Strike:1d6][Flurry of Maneuvers][Bonus Feat:Improved Dirty Trick], Two-Weapon Fighting
04:Monk2[Maneuver Master]:[Bonus Feat:Improved Reposition][Evasion][CON+1=14]
05:Ninja3[SA 2d6], FEAT
Ninja from here on out.
At levels 1 and 2, I'm just some ninja. My AC is 18, my HP at 2nd is 20, and I'm +5 to hit with my katana. Yay.
At 3rd, I can make a full attack that tacks on a Dirty Trick onto my other attacks (I now also have TWF). +5 to hit on a Dirty Trick to blind the opponent, then +3 katana and +2 unarmed strike (for 1d8+3 and 1d6+3, respectively). If the blinding was successful, then the target's AC is -2 and -DEX, and both attacks are eligible for Sneak Attack.
At 4th, it's the same thing except with +1 BAB, and the option of a Reposition into flanking if the enemy can't be blinded. I will admit, though, that I'm not totally sold on this level and its consequent delay of further ninja levels.
It's mono-ninja after that, increasing my SA, ki pool, talent list, etc.
I guess the main thing I'm looking for is feedback on that second monk level, as well as the placement of the first.
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RPG Superstar 2015 Top 32, RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32
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Why katana?
Why not?
I mean, I get proficiency automatically, and it's 1d8/18-20.
On the other hand, I guess if I went with a wakizashi, I could use 13STR/18DEX/14CON and swap out Dodge and Toughness for Weapon Finesse and Agile Maneuvers.
Less damage, but better to-hit and maneuver reliability. Hm...
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RPG Superstar 2015 Top 32, RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32
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Alright, here's the Finesse version:
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Human (Tien)
STR 13
DEX 18 (16+2)
CON 14
INT 10
WIS 10
CHA 12
Traits: Undecided
Human Bonus Feat: Weapon Finesse
01:Ninja1[SA 1d6], Dodge
02:Ninja2[Ki Pool(2)][Ninja Trick:Combat Trick:Two-Weapon Fighting]
03:Monk1[Maneuver Master]:[Monk Unarmed Strike:1d6][Flurry of Maneuvers][Bonus Feat:Improved Dirty Trick], Agile Maneuvers
04:Ninja3[SA 2d6][STR+1=14]
05:Ninja4[Ki Pool(3)][Ninja Trick:???], Weapon Focus:Wakizashi
Ninja from here on out.
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I hate to see 13s in stats; they're so horribly inefficient.
Tien halfling
STR-10
DEX+19 (all bumps)
CON:12
INT:12
WIS:12
CHA+16
Racial alternate: (Pick one: Swift as Shadows, or Warslinger)
Traits: Honored Fist of the Society (+1 Ki pool), Reactionary
00 saves 02 05 02 (+1 halfling racial bonus)
01 monk1 04 07 04 [maneuver master][Improved Dirty Trick], Agile Maneuvers
02 ninj1 04 09 04 SA+1d6,
03 ninj2 04 10 04 [Ki pool:5][Trick:Flurry of Stars], Two Weapon Fighting
04 barb1 06 10 04 [Hurler], DEX>20
05 ninj3 07 10 05 SA+2d6, Weapon Finesse
06 ninj4 07 11 05 [Ki pool:6][Uncanny Dodge][Trick:Vanish]
* Can throw three shurikens and do a maneuver at 3rd.
* Give poor Fort/Will save progression, choose "normal" rage rather than urban/controlled rage; Hurler alleviates horrible ranged increment.
* Costs build 2hp to have barbarian level not at 1st, but avoids multiple alignment-switching cheesiness & GM head-scratching.
* Build almost purely ranged or maneuver-based until acquisition of Agile weapons. Basic M.O. at 6th onward is...
- Dirty Trick (from Invisibility)
- +1/Agile wakizashi strike attack
- take 5' step back
- rage
- spend Ki point to engage Flurry of Stars; throw three shurikens
Damage, if everything hits (you'll own a DEX belt by 6th): (2d6+7)+3x(1d3+2d6+2) = ~54; ~69.5 at 7th w/SA+3d6.
* Annoyance: severely limited rounds of rage (but doubling the ranged increment of shurikens is worth it).
* Other notable equipment at mid-level & up: Efficient Quiver, wand of Abundant Ammunition
Vanishing Trick is always a nice choice for the extra SA once in awhile. Would help for those situations where you simply can't manage to pull off a flank or combat manoeuvre.
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RPG Superstar 2015 Top 32, RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32
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I hate to see 13s in stats; they're so horribly inefficient.
A 13 in STR isn't so bad; gives me decent carrying capacity, and bumping it to 14 at 4th helps to up my damage as enemies' HP are increasing. What's so wrong with that?
Tien halfling
You really need to get over your "sneak attackers must be halflings" fixation. ;)
Even so, I must admit that the halfling does well as a ninja. On the other hand, you replace your +1 to hit with a -1 on your maneuvers.
And... Weapon Finesse delayed until 5th? Really?
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I hate to see 13s in stats; they're so horribly inefficient.A 13 in STR isn't so bad; gives me decent carrying capacity, and bumping it to 14 at 4th helps to up my damage as enemies' HP are increasing. What's so wrong with that?
What the heck do you need to carry?
Efficient quivers are only 1,800gp, and one of the best bargains in the game. Just the ticket to hold gobs of shurikens and scads of other dross in the 1-to-5lbs range.
You really need to get over your "sneak attackers must be halflings" fixation. ;)The very first PFS character of yours that I saw was a STR 10 halfling barbarian (not urban, since Ultimate Combat wasn't out then). ;-)
Even so, I must admit that the halfling does well as a ninja. On the other hand, you replace your +1 to hit with a -1 on your maneuvers.With the Swift as Shadows alternate racial trait, they can eventually out-Stealth a goblin.
And... Weapon Finesse delayed until 5th? Really?
With Agile Maneuvers taken at 1st, it's really only needed for wakizashi attacks -- and PFS won't let you have a +1/Agile one until you have 27 prestige. Meanwhile, you're tripping and disarming people with multiple attacks per round, or throwing as many as four shurikens.
Although it's considerably harder than Dirty Trick (since monsters often have natural attacks), I like the concept of Catch Off-Guard and Disarm on SAer.
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Although it's considerably harder than Dirty Trick (since monsters often have natural attacks), I like the concept of Catch Off-Guard and Disarm on SAer.
I like it!
"First I knock his weapon away, then I brain him with a rock!"
Now you don't have to spend any of your tightly-controlled wealth on weapons!
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Catch off-guard is fun until you get to the levels where everything has DR and is unlikely to be hurt much by any attack involving an unenhanced improvised weapon.
Well, what if instead of rocks they were a chunk of adamantine, a chunk of silver and a chunk of cold iron? ;)
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Sounds like an expensive habit....better have a wand of Abundant Ammunition, and put on the goofy grin when you're arguing with Jon that rocks too big for slings are "ammunition".
Something I used to do in Living Greyhawk: I had the wooden haft of my glaive replaced with an adamantine stave, which I would use as an improvised quarterstaff when I needed to smash something with DR/bludgeoning (also upped the stats versus sunder).