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View Full Version : [3.5] Surprise Weapons Don't Get Enough Love (PEACH)



Yuki Akuma
2011-11-29, 10:17 AM
So. Surprise Weapons from Complete Scoundrel are pretty cool. But they have basically no support. So I decided to fix that a little.

Surprise Weapon Mastery
Your training with surprise weapons allows you to flow from weapon to weapon more easily.
Prerequisites: Sleight of Hand 4 ranks, Dex 13+
Benefit: When you attack with any sort of surprise weapon (bayonet, hidden blade, etc), you do not suffer the normal -2 penalty to attack rolls.
During a full attack, you may activate any number of hidden blades as a free action, between each attack. At the end of your full attack you may stow any number of hidden blades as a free action.
Special: For the purposes of prerequisites, this feat counts as Quick Draw. Any options this feat is used to qualify for only function with hidden blades.
A Fighter may select this feat as a bonus feat.

Bayonet Training
Your rigorous training with the bayonet allows you to use them more efficiently.
Prerequisites: Rapid Reload, Dex 15+
Benefit: You no longer suffer the -2 penalty to attack rolls when attacking with bayonets. After hitting with an attack with a bayonet attached to a crossbow, you may make an attack with the crossbow as a Swift action. This attack automatically threatens a critical hit.
Special: If you have the Surprise Weapon Mastery feat, you may attach a bayonet as a free action, and you may treat Surprise Weapon Mastery as being Quick Draw for any purposes that involve bayonets.
A Fighter may select Bayonet Training as a bonus feat.

Bayonet Integration
Your magical aptitude allows you to treat a bayonet as if it were part of the magical weapon it's attached to.
Prerequisites: Bayonet Training, Use Magic Device 5 ranks
Benefit: When you attach a masterwork bayonet to a magical ranged weapon, you may choose to apply all of the ranged weapon's magical qualities to the bayonet. In effect, the bayonet becomes a magic weapon in its own right, with the same enhancement bonus and special qualities as the crossbow it is attached to.

Dance of Hidden Blades [Tactical]
You are trained in a deadly dance of steel utilising weapons hidden all over your body.
Prerequisites: Sleight of Hand 9 ranks, Two-Weapon Fighting, Surprise Weapon Mastery
Benefit: This feat grants access to three special options.
Sudden Draw: To use this option, you must attack a target without revealing at least one of your hidden blades. On your next turn, make a Sleight of Hand check against a DC of 20. If you succeed, you may attack the same target with a hidden blade you did not reveal on your previous turn. The target is considered flat-footed against this attack. You may not use this option to suddenly draw the same weapon again in the same encounter, although you may draw a different hidden blade instead.
Surprise Onslaught: To use this option, you must be wielding at least three hidden blades. As part of a full attack you may make an extra attack with a hidden blade that you haven't used as part of your normal or Two-Weapon Fighting attack routine. This attack is made at a further -2 penalty, in addition to any penalties due to fighting with two weapons.
Masterfully Hidden: Any time you are searched for hidden weapons while you have a hidden blade attached, you may make a Sleight of Hand check opposed by the scrutiniser's Search check. If you succeed, your hidden blades remain hidden, although any other hidden weapons may be found as normal, depending on the Sleight of Hand result you got when you originally hid them.
Special: A Fighter may select this feat as a bonus feat.

I hope these are clear. And... not awful.

Mr.Bookworm
2011-11-29, 10:37 AM
They look pretty good to me, although this is rather nonsensical when looking at bayonets (which CS also calls Surprise Weapons). I'd call out Hidden Blades (the specific section) instead.

Minor stuff: I would stick the penalty removal behind Surprise Weapon Mastery instead of Dance of Hidden Blades and add a third option to the latter feat (a minor, but useful thing would be allowing them to roll a Sleight of Hand check versus an opponent Searching for the hidden blade, instead of a flat DC 15).

Yuki Akuma
2011-11-29, 10:43 AM
Oh, bayonets! Right.

...I should probably come up with a feat for bayonets, too.

Putting the penalty removal under Surprise Weapon Mastery makes sense there, yes.

Yuki Akuma
2011-11-30, 05:18 AM
Added some bayonet love~

Cieyrin
2011-11-30, 11:59 AM
Added some bayonet love~

Bayonet Training is nice. Free crit? That makes Elemental Burst abilities worthwhile, along with other critical effect abilities. Paralytic Burst for a no-save paralyze on command!

Bayonet Integration should say something about what happens when your crossbow has ranged only properties, since they wouldn't apply to the bayonet. Like Distance, that doesn't do a thing for a bayonet.

Yuki Akuma
2011-11-30, 12:00 PM
No, free critical threat. There's a difference!

It might still be a bit too good, of course...

Cieyrin
2011-11-30, 12:08 PM
No, free critical threat. There's a difference!

It might still be a bit too good, of course...

Bless Weapon. :smallwink: