The 8th level Scout ability (skirmisher) states that when 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 were flat-footed.
It doesn't specify that the attack need be a melee attack. So is it the case that an 8th level scout rogue could move 15 feet and then fire off an arrow from his short bow and get sneak attack damage if it hits?
One sneak attack per round will be less damage than a fighter, ranger, or zen archer just standing there and full attacking. Nevermind that they can do that in almost any situaton, while as sneak attack requires certain enemy types and short range (until sniper goggles).
If you want to see a super effective rogue archer, play D&D 3.5E. In that edition, blinking made foes flatfooted to your attacks, so ring of blinking = sneak attack full attacks all day long.
@Nicos & SotS - I agree that the scout rogue is never going to compare to a dedicated martial archer but I was just surprised to find what seemed to be a difference between RAW and what I would think RAI would be.
The scout archer gets sneak attack damage from range every round for zero feat cost at 8th level, which I find pretty surprising.
You are right that any other archer could do better though.
In retrospect I should have titled the thread "Rogue Scout archetype = surprisingly effective archer?!".
Still, it's hard to beat considering the rogue can spend his feats elsewhere whereas the dedicated archers are spending the bulk of their feats on archery.
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Quick Runner's Shirt from Ultimate Equipment grants you an additional move action on your turn once a day for 1000gp. So, you use the item (swift action) and move 10ft or more and make a full attack action and get sneak attack on all of your attacks. Make sure you have Rapid Shot and Many Shots and you are good to go.
On a side note, since its only once a day, I would just buy 2 or 3 for 1000gp each and after each encounter just change your shirt so you can get that nice bonus once every encounter. Cheesy? Very much so... but very useful if you want to take full advantage of the Scout archetype. Or just be a Beastmorph/Vivisectionist and get pounce on your mutagens whenever you can, it much more effective.
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Quick Runner's Shirt from Ultimate Equipment grants you an additional move action on your turn once a day for 1000gp. So, you use the item (swift action) and move 10ft or more and make a full attack action and get sneak attack on all of your attacks. Make sure you have Rapid Shot and Many Shots and you are good to go.
Very good catch.
Hunter surprise should help too.
It took me a bit to find the exact item but as soon as I read what the OP was asking I knew I had just seen an item that would be perfect for that exact situation.
Hardly. At least i do not see how. As an archer rogue you want a lot of feats to be competitive in archery.
What I'm getting at is that without spending any feats on archery you can tack on an effective-albeit-not-optimal ranged option to a rogue otherwise built for melee at the cost of losing uncanny dodge and improved uncanny dodge.
edit: Keep in mind that losing uncanny and im uncanny dodge you still keep the melee options of getting a sneak attack by moving >10 feet.
Quick Runner's Shirt from Ultimate Equipment grants you an additional move action on your turn once a day for 1000gp. So, you use the item (swift action) and move 10ft or more and make a full attack action and get sneak attack on all of your attacks. Make sure you have Rapid Shot and Many Shots and you are good to go.
On a side note, since its only once a day, I would just buy 2 or 3 for 1000gp each and after each encounter just change your shirt so you can get that nice bonus once every encounter. Cheesy? Very much so... but very useful if you want to take full advantage of the Scout archetype. Or just be a Beastmorph/Vivisectionist and get pounce on your mutagens whenever you can, it much more effective.
This actually does not work.
If the scout makes more than one attack this turn, this ability only applies to the first attack.
Yep. You can do that. Skirmishing to victory.......ah, good stuff. Because in the description of sneak attack:
"Ranged attacks can count as sneak attacks only if the target is within 30 feet."