Best spells to sneak attack with [3.5]

[Aemoh87]

I remember a friend playing a sneak attack caster a long time ago and he had a really good spell to use with it. I have no idea what this spell is but it gives free sneak attack and some other things I think. Plz Help session starts in half an hour!

[deuxhero]

Hunter's Eye gives sneak attack, but it's ranger only (typically gained for wizards via Unseen Seer)

[A_S]

Hunter's Eye (lvl 2 ranger, but Divination, so Unseen Seer can take it with Advanced Learning) gives +1d6/3 levels sneak damage.

If you mean spells that get sneak damage when cast, anything that requires a touch attack (any Orb, Enervation, Scorching Ray, and Meteor Swarm are popular choices, I believe).

*edit* Swordsage'd

[NNescio]

I remember a friend playing a sneak attack caster a long time ago and he had a really good spell to use with it. I have no idea what this spell is but it gives free sneak attack and some other things I think. Plz Help session starts in half an hour!

Cloud of Knives, PHB II (Pg. 107)?

Gives you a free ranged attack per round that can be used for sneak attacks.

[Aemoh87]

Does hunters eye stack with sneak attack from other classes?

[JaronK]

Yes.

And Cloud of Knives is definitely one of the better options for sneak attacking casters.

JaronK

[Flickerdart]

Does hunters eye stack with sneak attack from other classes?
Explicitly.

There is also the spell Critical Strike in the Spell Compendium which works a little like Sneak Attack - against a flat footed or dexterity-denied target, it deals an extra 1d6 damage, doubles the threat range of your weapon and gives you +4 to confirm critical hits, meaning that until you hit CL6, it is better than Hunter's Eye (unless you want to attack at range, or attack flanked opponents), a level lower, and available to Assassins, Bards, Sorcerers and Wizards instead of only Rangers.

Then there's Distract Assailant, which renders the target flat-footed for a round.

Sadly, all three are swift action spells, so without Extend, Persist or RKV, you will not have more than one in any given round.

[deuxhero]

^ Belt of Battle.

[Flickerdart]

^ Belt of Battle.
Is a good way of having no swift action at all - it takes one to use it, and it does not grant you any.

[Dazed&Confused]

Is a good way of having no swift action at all - it takes one to use it, and it does not grant you any.

Hahahah :smallbiggrin:

[gorfnab]

Here is a handbook that might be of use to you as well: Sneak Attacking Spellcasters: God's Shifty-Eyed Cousins (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=1240.0)

[Dusk Eclipse]

Hunter's Eye (lvl 2 ranger, but Divination, so Unseen Seer can take it with Advanced Learning) gives +1d6/3 levels sneak damage.

If you mean spells that get sneak damage when cast, anything that requires a touch attack (any Orb, Enervation, Scorching Ray, and Meteor Swarm are popular choices, I believe).

*edit* Swordsage'd

Any spell that have an attack roll can be used to sneak attack (as per the rules for Weapon-like spells in CArc) though volley attacks like Scorching Ray only have SA on the first one.

[Flickerdart]

Here is a handbook that might be of use to you as well: Sneak Attacking Spellcasters: God's Shifty-Eyed Cousins (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=1240.0)
That guide is a little outdated - it suggests Hideous Blow instead of the superior Eldritch Glaive, and is missing a number of Evasion-getting options for Magelord like Initiate of the Draconic Mysteries or Impulse Boots.

[Curmudgeon]

Any spell that have an attack roll and deals damage can be used to sneak attack (as per the rules for Weapon-like spells in CArc) though volley attacks like Scorching Ray only have SA on the first one.
Fixed that for you.

[MesiDoomstalker]

Fixed that for you.

Wait, your saying I can't Sneak Attack with my Plane Shift spell!? :smalltongue:

[Dusk Eclipse]

Fixed that for you.

I stand corrected

[Dusk Eclipse]

Fixed that for you.

I stand corrected

[Ernir]

I have no idea what this spell is but it gives free sneak attack and some other things I think. Plz Help session starts in half an hour!

You're probably thinking of Wracking Touch from the Spell Compendium.

[hydraa]

I like acid splash (metamagic into what ever flavor needed) no save, no SR and creates a lot of damage for a UMD character with lots of sneak (or other precision damage) for a cantrip.

Or a spellthief (needs no UMD)

Also inflict minor wounds is nice as well

[Diarmuid]

So I see how Cloud of Knives is nice as it gives free attacks each round, but how are you consistently making your targets vulnerable to sneak attacks with it?

If you're assuming Greater Invis, then you probably dont have all that many SA dice anyway due to all the caster levels you need.

[Aemoh87]

So I see how Cloud of Knives is nice as it gives free attacks each round, but how are you consistently making your targets vulnerable to sneak attacks with it?

If you're assuming Greater Invis, then you probably dont have all that many SA dice anyway due to all the caster levels you need.

This is for a master spell thief build so trust me, I will have all the CL I need. Also I will have lots of SA dice too. Really my build just max' both.

[Fax Celestis]

You're probably thinking of Wracking Touch from the Spell Compendium.

This spell is excellent for sneak attackers: you don't have to qualify for sneak attack, just slap your opponent. Now if I could just get it and hunter's eye on a duskblade...

[Yuki Akuma]

Or a spellthief (needs no UMD)

Spellthieves need UMD to cast Acid Splash - they don't get Conjuration.

Or cantrips, for that matter.

[JohnDaBarr]

can you SA with Shivering Touch??

[Yuki Akuma]

Shivering Touch deals ability damage, so yes. You'd deal 3d6 Dexterity damage plus xd6 negative energy damage.

[Aemoh87]

can you SA with Shivering Touch??

Shivering Touch is "fixed" in my game as well as in alot of others as it can be an insta-kill.

[JohnDaBarr]

Shivering Touch deals ability damage, so yes. You'd deal 3d6 Dexterity damage plus xd6 negative energy damage.

well that is just plain wrong!!! but nice ;)

[Yuki Akuma]

well that is just plain wrong!!! but nice ;)

Note that if it was a Dexterity penalty (which is probably what was intended), it wouldn't add sneak attack. But as it's ability damage, it does.

[hydraa]

Spellthieves need UMD to cast Acid Splash - they don't get Conjuration.

Or cantrips, for that matter.

Spell thiefs can borrow cantrips from their friendly wizard who is not using the cantrip anyway :)

[Akal Saris]

I wonder, with Telekinesis, would each separate weapon thrown at an opponent deal sneak attack, or would telekinesis be considered a "volley" spell?

[Flickerdart]

I wonder, with Telekinesis, would each separate weapon thrown at an opponent deal sneak attack, or would telekinesis be considered a "volley" spell?
It's separate attack rolls, so it's technically not a volley.

[Curmudgeon]

It's separate attack rolls, so it's technically not a volley.
Regardless of what you call it, it's still restricted when there's a spell involved. From page 86 of Complete Arcane:
Multiple Hits
Some weaponlike spells can strike multiple times in the same round. When the caster gets a bonus on damage with such spells (including sneak attack damage), the extra damage applies only to the first attack, whether that attack hits or not. So sneak attack is only going to apply to the first weapon hurled with Violent Thrust.