Halfling rogue racial substitution levels (Races of the Wild)

[realbombchu]

This feature says it augments, but does not replace the rogue's normal sneak attack ability, but it reads more like a downgrade to me. Am I reading it wrong? A normal rogue deals +1d6 damage on any sneak attack, but a halfling rogue deals +1d6 damage on ranged sneak attacks within 30 feet with thrown weapons or slings.

Maybe the ability was written wrong? Or am I missing an important rule here?

[hex0]

You deal 2d6 SA damage with thrown weapons, so it isn't a downgrade.

[realbombchu]

You deal 2d6 SA damage with thrown weapons, so it isn't a downgrade.

Really? Ok, I can see it like that. Thanks, I guess the chart entry "Ranged sneak attack +1d6, melee sneak attack +0" confused me a little. Sorry for the silly question. Thanks.

[hex0]

With the right mix of Halfling Paragon, Bloodstorm Blade, Whisper Knife, and/or Master Thrower you can dish out some good damage

[Palanan]

So what would that right mix be?

:smalltongue:

[hex0]

So what would that right mix be?

:smalltongue:

Depends on sources. Whisperknife is 'okay', but Bloodstorm blade is a bit better. Halfling Skiprocks are better than daggers (cheaper to enchant, too).

Halfling Rogue 1
Halfling Paragon 3
Warblade 1 (Halfling Paragon levels count as full intiator levels, btw)
Bloodstorm Blade 1
Master Thrower 5 (assuming fractional BAB for requirement)
Bloodstorm Blade 9

Or whatever works.

[Answerer]

Halfling Paragon levels count as full intiator levels, btw
How are you coming to that conclusion? The Halfling Paragon was written in Unearthed Arcana, published years before Tome of Battle. It does not have any special feature that progresses generic class features. It certainly doesn't mention Initiator Level specifically or hand out maneuvers. Even by the most liberal reading of Tome of Battle, namely that all prestige classes fully progress Initiator Level (a decidedly unpopular view), racial paragon classes aren't even prestige classes.

So I have no idea where you're getting this from.

[candycorn]

I'm personally more a fan of the halfling rogue 10 sub level.

Make 1 or more snipe attacks, then hide as a free action, with only a -10 penalty (instead of -20).

With Wilderness Archer (I think), if you snipe and are not seen, and you snipe attack the next round, you can move after the attack, but before you hide, as a Free Action.

So, this means you can:

Full Attack Snipe, then Hide (Free action) - Halfling rogue

R2: Full Attack Snipe, then Move (Free action), then Hide (Free action).

All attacks benefit from sneak attack (assuming being hidden denies Dex to AC), allowing for some crazy damage levels. At level 11, assuming all rogue levels, you have +8 BAB, a crazy good hide, and, with ranged attacks +8d6 Sneak Attack. With 4-5 feats, you can easily have Rapid Shot, allowing 3 attacks. Assuming a 26 Dex (18 base, 2 race, 4 enhance, 2 level boost), that's a +15/+15/+10 to hit, not counting any enhancement bonuses (+16/+16/+11 with a +1 bow, add +2 if you're effectively invisible, due to successful hiding), and you're going against a Flat-Footed Opponent. That's +18/+18/+13. Assume a longbow (1d6 base) +1 (enhance) + 8d6 (sneak attack) + 11 (craven), and you can have an average of 43.5 per hit, or 130.5 if all three hit.

That's also not adding in other bonuses that could be gotten without too much difficulty.

[Averis Vol]

As an aside to the whole sniping conversation, I always found it annoying that you can only snipe from ten feet away. It seems to me that that piddly range defeated the purpose of sniping.

[candycorn]

As an aside to the whole sniping conversation, I always found it annoying that you can only snipe from ten feet away. It seems to me that that piddly range defeated the purpose of sniping.


Sniping

If you’ve already successfully hidden at least 10 feet from your target, you can make one ranged attack, then immediately hide again. You take a -20 penalty on your Hide check to conceal yourself after the shot.
Emphasis mine.