Full round action and special attacks

[Lui]

in D&D 3.5 there are special attacks, like trip, sunder, grapple, that can be made in place of a melee attack. if a player has more than one attack for round he can do that more than once. (this i know for certain). for example a 17 level barbarian with a full round attack can try to sunder his foe's weapon, then his shield, maybe a grapple, then his last attack. my question is this one: many special attacks require opposite attack rolls. should i decrease this roll by five every attempt? (as if just kept attacking)
and what for my opponent? would he use always his highest attack bonus?
THAT would mean that only my first attack would be feasable against an enemy my CR, while, if his rolls would decrease like mine, it would mean that it's better to strike with the first two attack (since the AC is the same) then switch to special attacks for the lasts, since in this case they would be always even checks.

any help? couldn't find this anywhere. thank you very much

[Cog]

...many special attacks require opposite attack rolls. should i decrease this roll by five every attempt? (as if just kept attacking)
Yep. If he's using iterative attacks, he uses the iterative attack bonuses.

and what for my opponent? would he use always his highest attack bonus?
Also yes. The opponent isn't using his iteratives, and can even defend himself more times than he has attacks.

[Lui]

well thank you. pity that this way iterative special attacks aren't particularly useful against a good opponent, but it's good to know.

[Cog]

This is part of what makes tripping so good - you only have to make a touch attack, which is much easier even with a penalty, and when you succeed your target takes a penalty to AC.

[Lui]

thank you for the idea, i hadn't considered that for a while. i only recentely found out that one can make more than one special attack, and i just finished playing a dwarf barbarian. with my spellthief i'll make sure i use that somethimes. dirty fighting (pathfinder special attack) would be good to try too

[Cog]

Tripping is going to be more troublesome on a thief-type build - you probably aren't going to have the strength, size, or reach to pull it off against monstrous opponents, and while being prone debuffs AC, it's not enough to trigger Sneak Attack.

[Gauntlet]

Come to think of it, on the subject of Tripping- since trips are easier to manage than your normal attacks, you may as well use a lower iteration to do so- at the same time, if your trip is successful, it becomes easier to hit your opponent. Is it possible to take a lower iteration before the higher one?

For example, I have a BAB of +7/+2. Can I make a trip attack with the +2 attack, then follow it up with a fully charged (ie. +7) main attack on my now prone opponent?

[Cog]

Is it possible to take a lower iteration before the higher one?
No, you have to take your iteratives in order from highest bonus to lowest.

[Lui]

of course, but it will be good to try. anyway after a 4-years long buttkicking campaign i decided to step down from my usually type of character and play a more realistic char. 16 year old boy in an ancient Persia kind of campain, and i intend to play (and survive) like a real guy his age could, so tripping, running away and hiding, trowing sand in the face and stuff. quick-tongue and puns first. :)