Halfling Ninja Mist Assassin for PFS

[PeteZero]

I had the idea once about a halfling ninja, sneak attacking with shuriken, but never an idea to get it off. But then I stumbled across the Mist Assassin, but will this be an effective fun character, or can it be improved?

So go:
Halfling Oracle (Waves Mystery) 1/Ninja rest
STR 12 DEX 18 CON 12 INT 10 WIS 8 CHA 16
Feats: Point blank shot, Precise Shot, Rapid Shot, Far Shot, Improved Initiative

Mystery: Water Sight
Traits: reactionary/indomitable faith

Tactics: Cast Obscuring Mist and throw shuriken from the inside (with Flurry of Stars), with total concealment sneak attack is used for every attack.
Curse: Tongues (Aquan)

Back-up weapon: wakizashi for close combat and short bow
Spells: CLW, Obscuring Mist, Shield of Faith
Armor: Mithril Chain Shirt and Darkwood Buckler

[Mofisto]

Interesting idea, what with the water sight and using Obscuring Mist to avoid detection. I'd just use Vanishing Trick to disappear and reappear as needed, until I got to level 10 and got the improved version.

I did a rough build of a halfling ninja designed to be a feint-fighter in case he never gets flanking with the party tank:

Halfing Ninja 6
STR 10
DEX 18 +2 (mag) =20
CON 12
INT 12
WIS 12
CHA 18 +2 (mag) =20
alt racial trait: shiftless
HP: 36
AC: 22
BAB: 4

Ninja tricks:
Vanishing Trick
Finesse Rogue
Offensive Defense

Feats: Combat Expertise, Improved Feint, Weapon Finesse, Skill Focus (Bluff)
Weapon: +1 small Wakizachi 1d4+1 (+3d6 sneak attack)
TAB: +10
Armor: +1 Mithral chainshirt

Bluff: +19 (6 ranks+5 cha+2racial+3 class +3 skill focus)

[PeteZero]

The problem with vanishing trick - you get only one attack of for sneak attack. And it costs you 1 ki point. With obscuring mist and flurry of stars plus rapid shot, plus ki attack I can get 5 attacks of at 3rd lvl. That's 5x 3 damage plus 5x1d6 sneak attack damage.

[Mofisto]

true. the high cha would account for the ki point loss, and when you're not vanishing, you're feinting, thus the insane Bluff (+19 can overcome most creatures).

Your build has a higher damage potential, but would be limited by the number of times you can cast obscuring mist in a day (at most 4), and if the enemy moves the stage of the combat (to get away from the mist) you'd have to cast it again. And that level, a oracle1/rogue 2 would be decent at hitting low ACs of 13 or 14 but more unlikely to hit the higher AC enemies of 16-20 due to the -4 to all attacks he's getting. Mine's focused on hitting every round, with sneak attack every round.

[PeteZero]

I will get a wand as well. Maybe take the deaf curse, no one hears me.
The problem with going invisible or feinting is, you can only do it once per round, my aim is to do it a lot of times per round.
I know, -4 for shrunken range and flurry of stars, but +2 for being hidden, and they are flat-footed, so mainly the same.

[Calel101]

can anyone show me in the rules or explain how someone being attacked from the mist is always flatfooted? Or how you always get sneak attack when you attack from the mist? I have read the rules on concealment, fog cloud, flat footed, and cover (not sure that last one had anything to do with it but oh well) and I am just not seeing these things all connect to give SA all the time and a flat footed opponent. I've also read that standing on the edge of the mist allows the same affect but no class or equipment dip as you can see out but they can't see in. Also would this whole build still work if you just used smokesticks?

[Jiggy]

One thing to keep in mind with this idea: the rest of your party doesn't have Water Sight. That means when you do your thing, all your melee buddies are dealing with 20% miss chances (and any other rogues/ninjas in the party are completely denied Sneak Attack due to concealment), and archers/casters/whatever ranged PCs have to sit the fight out completely.

Sounds like a neat concept, but could be a bit anti-social at the table. Use responsibly.

[Alistus]

While at least 2 squares within the cloud you are considered to have total concealment from anyone more then 2 squares away from you, and they are also considered to have total concealment from you as well. However with water sight you can negate the concealment they are granted and keep your own, giving you sneak attack on every attack as long as you keep 2 squares of the fog between you and the opponent.

[Mystically Inclined]

This *could* work. The only problem I see with hit is that rapid shot + flurry of stars = -4 penalty to attack. Still, you could just flurry for the hard to hit stuff. You're also going to run into Ki shortage problems early on. I took Extra Ki at level 5 and I've not regretted it.

You'll want a wand of Abundant Ammunition so that you can get shuriken with special property (and maybe a pack of 50 +2 or +3 shruriken). Also Distance thrower so you can throw up to 20 feet away with no range penalty. Possibly far shot to increase it to 30 feat. You'll probably want to take point blank shot and precise shot, so far shot could be a good investment.

I have a ninja with flurry of stars. It's been incedibly lethal up until level 8 or 9, when the melee focus of my build began to dominate.

The action economy of always having to spread mist on the first turn might create some problems in the build, but then again you'll likely be using that first turn to maneuver into position. Also, nothing says you can't flurry in cramped quarters when you win intiative.

When you can, look at the headband of ninjutsu. It's 15000 gold, but it's super awesome. I just used it for the first time this weekend and it saved my character's life and allowed us to win the final fight of the scenario in a situation that was looking VERY grim.

You'll also want the 4000 gold Ioun stone that increases attack. Get the one that increases saves while you're at it. My character has had 'hold person' cast on him so many times he should be able to auto-succeed the spellcraft check to identify it during a casting. :/

EDIT: If you could russle up an Ifrit boon, you could take fire sight and accomplish this same trick using smokesticks without a level dip. It would be more efficient, but requires a boon.