Here's a PFS character concept I have in mind. Please provide your input. He will use a reach reach weapon (longspear or scorpion whip) to flank and sneak attack in melee, and will rely on snap shot and underhanded to throw hidden shurikens during the surprise round. Some of this will depend on whether or not I can draw hidden weapons as a free action if I have both the quick draw feat and the hidden weapon ninja talent. Don't know if I can do that in PFS or not - the rules are remarkably unclear, but it would certainly seem to make sense. I realize that having the 13 wisdom and keen scent feat is not optimized, but I think having the trifecta of acute darkvision, low-light vision and scent is pretty cool. I'm also considering adding lunge as a feat somewhere in this build as well (to increase his reach and keep him out of melee reach as much as possible).
20 point build:
Str 18
Dex 14
Con 12
Int 8
Wis 13
Cha 12
Racial Traits - Acute Darkvision, City-Raised, Forest Walker, Scavenger, Orc Blood
Traits - Reactionary, Deadeye
L1 - Keen Scent
L2 - Ninja Trick - Vanishing Trick
L3 - Improved Initiative
L4 - Ninja Trick - Hidden Weapon
L5 - Quick Draw
L6 - Ninja Trick - Underhanded (Rogue Talent)
L7 - Extra Rogue Talent - Offensive Defense
L8 - Ninja Trick - Fast Stealth
L9 - Extra Rogue Talent - Snap Shot
L10 - Ninja Trick - Invisible Blade
L11 - Extra Rogue Talent - Opportunist
L12 - Ninja Trick - Forgotten Trick
Comments/feedback would be appreciated...
Knive Master archetype goes smoothly with Underhanded. Max 1d8s. Mhmm...
With an int of 8, I think his/her name should be Ninjorc.
The biggest problem with Scorpion Whip is that whips don't actually threaten, and thus you can't flank with them. I would suggest Kusigarama, which Ninjas are already proficient in; you can switch between Reach and TWF as needed.
Also, I'm not sure you can give up Darkvision with Forest Walker, then get Darkvision back with Acute Darkvision. It seems to me that Acute is meant to be an addition to darkvision, not a replacement.
Note that you can draw Shuriken as a free action, even during the surprise round. They count as ammunition.
OK - thanks for the feedback so far.
I did consider the kusigarama as a weapon, but did not want my ninja to have too much of an Asian feel. I was thinking of him as more of a hired killer/assassin. I did consider the knife master archetype, as well as the Skulking Slayer archetype, but then I can't become invisible as a swift action at 2nd level - I save a feat or rogue talent by not having to pick up ki pool. I'm not sold on the scout archetype for the ninja, but I think I prefer it over uncanny dodge and improved uncanny dodge.
Anyone know if I can draw hidden shuriken as a free action in order to benefit from underhanded?
I did not consider the whip not threatening (and I really don't want to invest in the whip master chain), so I may just keep weapon familiarity.
I think by RAW (until there is an errata) I can give up Darkvison for Forest Walker and give up Ferocity for Acute Darkvision. I would probably not allow it as a GM at my table, but it looks PFS legal to me.
|
| 2 people marked this as FAQ candidate. |
Also, I'm not sure you can give up Darkvision with Forest Walker, then get Darkvision back with Acute Darkvision. It seems to me that Acute is meant to be an addition to darkvision, not a replacement.
If that was the case Paizo should have wrote: "... Gain an additional 30 feet range to a maximum darkvision range of 90'..." or something like that.
As it stands, by RAW you can in fact give up dark vision and gain it back (but better) in this manner.
I expect this will be FAQ'd soon enough though - I am on the same page as Sean H with what I think they (the authors) were trying to accomplish with that racial trait.