Need help building a Ranged Sneak Attacker

[Crukul]

So, yeah, as the title says, I need help building a character who will rely on using ranged attacks to deal Sneak Attacks.

Basically I want to know what feats/equipment/etc. I can take to be able to get as many attacks as possible at one time, and am deferring to the advice of people who are almost certainly vastly more knowledgeable than me on the subject.
I was planning/hoping to go with either using standard ranged attacks, or making use of splash weapons.

This is my first time making one of these threads, and I'm fairly new to table-top gaming as a whole, so if there's something I forgot that anyone needs, let me know.

And thanks for taking the time to read this and/or considering helping me out!

EDIT: Been brought to my attention that I should point this out, starting ECL for this character will be 5.

[Segev]

Unless your DM is firmly against it, I would like to note that the feats Rapid Shot and Two Weapon Fighting never state that they cannot be used together; you'd think TWF is for melee only, but it doesn't SAY so! Thrown daggers, and (if you can manage a good reloading method) light crossbows can function adequately to get you 3 attacks/round at level 1, admittedly at at LEAST a -4 to hit on all three.

Stay within 30 ft. and use Point Blank Shot; it's +1 to hit and to damage, and with daggers, you're at 3 range increments ANYWAY if you get to that distance. I also like javelins, but they're technically not Light weapons, so the penalties get harsher if you use them.

Quick Draw will also be your friend if you pursue this route: either to free-draw javelin (or dagger) after javelin (or dagger), or to do what a paladin I play in a Planescape does and have several loaded light crossbows tied with long leather straps to the inside of your cloak/cape/coat/whatever and draw-fire-drop them in rapid succession.

To manage sneak attacking at range, you require a reliable means of denying your foes their dex mod. Feat-side, once you're high enough level for 2nd level maneuvers, there's the Shadow Hand maneuver that gives you Greater Invisibility for a round as a swift action; pick that up with Martial Study. Class-side, you can get at least one such benefit off per round from the Ninja class's 2nd level Ghost Step power: it gives you Invisibility. Possibly more useful for regaining hiding capability after breaking cover with your attack, though.

Skills-wise, look closely at Hide. Ignore the part about sniping, unless your DM is the sort to read additional options that are flat worse than existing ones as restrictions on the existing ones. Look, instead, at attacking while remaining hidden. It takes a lot of bonuses, but if you can pull it off...

Finally, there's an oft-overlooked (in my opinion) PrC in Complete Warrior called the Invisible Blade. It's got some irritating feat prerequisites and only works with daggers, and isn't the strongest in the world...but it's level 5 ability is to make Feint checks as a free action. Since, wielding daggers, you'll want Far Shot to get out to 20 ft. without range penalties anyway, and daggers are almost tailor-made for Rapid Shot+TWF (being light weapons you can throw), and you're looking for ways to get sneak attack on every shot...

This is how you do it: Rapid Shot+TWF+iteratives+any greater TWF type extensions, Point-Blank Shot (+1 to hit and damage with each attack), Quick Draw, and Invisible Blade 5 to make EVERY attack a sneak attack.

[Lateral]

Finally, there's an oft-overlooked (in my opinion) PrC in Complete Warrior called the Invisible Blade. It's got some irritating feat prerequisites and only works with daggers, and isn't the strongest in the world...but it's level 5 ability is to make Feint checks as a free action. Since, wielding daggers, you'll want Far Shot to get out to 20 ft. without range penalties anyway, and daggers are almost tailor-made for Rapid Shot+TWF (being light weapons you can throw), and you're looking for ways to get sneak attack on every shot...

Wish it still worked that way. The errata changes it so that it only works for one attack.

[Crukul]

Unless your DM is firmly against it, I would like to note that the feats Rapid Shot and Two Weapon Fighting never state that they cannot be used together; you'd think TWF is for melee only, but it doesn't SAY so! Thrown daggers, and (if you can manage a good reloading method) light crossbows can function adequately to get you 3 attacks/round at level 1, admittedly at at LEAST a -4 to hit on all three.

Stay within 30 ft. and use Point Blank Shot; it's +1 to hit and to damage, and with daggers, you're at 3 range increments ANYWAY if you get to that distance. I also like javelins, but they're technically not Light weapons, so the penalties get harsher if you use them.

Quick Draw will also be your friend if you pursue this route: either to free-draw javelin (or dagger) after javelin (or dagger), or to do what a paladin I play in a Planescape does and have several loaded light crossbows tied with long leather straps to the inside of your cloak/cape/coat/whatever and draw-fire-drop them in rapid succession.

To manage sneak attacking at range, you require a reliable means of denying your foes their dex mod. Feat-side, once you're high enough level for 2nd level maneuvers, there's the Shadow Hand maneuver that gives you Greater Invisibility for a round as a swift action; pick that up with Martial Study. Class-side, you can get at least one such benefit off per round from the Ninja class's 2nd level Ghost Step power: it gives you Invisibility. Possibly more useful for regaining hiding capability after breaking cover with your attack, though.

Skills-wise, look closely at Hide. Ignore the part about sniping, unless your DM is the sort to read additional options that are flat worse than existing ones as restrictions on the existing ones. Look, instead, at attacking while remaining hidden. It takes a lot of bonuses, but if you can pull it off...

Finally, there's an oft-overlooked (in my opinion) PrC in Complete Warrior called the Invisible Blade. It's got some irritating feat prerequisites and only works with daggers, and isn't the strongest in the world...but it's level 5 ability is to make Feint checks as a free action. Since, wielding daggers, you'll want Far Shot to get out to 20 ft. without range penalties anyway, and daggers are almost tailor-made for Rapid Shot+TWF (being light weapons you can throw), and you're looking for ways to get sneak attack on every shot...

This is how you do it: Rapid Shot+TWF+iteratives+any greater TWF type extensions, Point-Blank Shot (+1 to hit and damage with each attack), Quick Draw, and Invisible Blade 5 to make EVERY attack a sneak attack.

Well, our DM is letting me get away with using Homebrew material, so he won't care about using TWF and Rapidshot together, more than likely.

Which reminds me, I should probably mention that the class I intend on using is the Jester (http://dnd-wiki.org/wiki/Jester_(3.5e_Class)#Jester). Because of this, Invisible Blade seems a little redundant, since this class can basically Feint as a Swift Action by 4th-level.

So I looked into some things, and found out about Oversized Two-Weapon Fighting. Would it be worth taking the feat to spare me the penalty for using all One-Handed Weapons if I go with using javelins?

Oh, and thank you for all the help so far! I don't think I'd have ever thought to stack TWF and Rapid shot if you hadn't mentioned it.

[Splendor]

It takes two hands to reload a crossbow... so fighting with two weapons is out.

I always suggest 2 levels in fighter for the extra feats.

Crossbow Sniper feat (PHB 2) extends sneak attack out to 60' and adds 1/2 your dex to the damage.

Race: Strong Heart Halfling

Needed Feats:
Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Weapon Focus, Crossbow Sniper, Deadeye Shot
1st Lv) Rogue; Point Blank Shot (1st level), Precise shot (race)
2nd Lv) Fighter; Wp Focus
3rd Lv) Fighter; Crossbow Sniper, Wp Finesse (3rd lv character)
4th Lv) Rogue
5th Lv) Rogue
6th Lv) Rogue; Deadeye Shot

Other: If you can take flaws, do so. Poor reflexes since your reflex will be your highest, non-combatant if you don't plan to be in melee. Plucky trait to up your will save. Luck of heroes would give you +1 to all saves & +1 to AC.
Equipment: +1 Quick loading X-Bow, Mithril Chain shirt +1, Cloak of resistance +1, Boots of Longstrider (+10 move)
Stats: 18 dex, 14 Int, 12 Wis, 10 Con
Attack: Normal (Cross Bow) +13 hit for d6+3, Within 30' +14 hit for d6+4.
Sneak attack: 60' range for +2d6 and if you ready an action you can catch an enemy flat-footed when an ally hits them.
AC: 20
Saves: 5/9/3 - Plus possible luck of heroes and plucky.
Hp: Even with a 10 Con you should have min 25hp, which isn't great, but a strait rouge would have 21.

[SciChronic]

If you could tell us the starting ECL that would help a lot.

if you want to do ranged sneak attacks, you goal is to be able to do it at over 30 feet away so that enemies can't move action + standard action you. The primary hurdle being that standard sneak attacks can't be done at farther than 30ft.

Feats:
The best solution i've found is through crossbows. The feat Crossbow Sniper allows you to make sneak attacks at up to 60ft with a crossbow, as well as adding 1/2 of you dex modifier to damage.

Another key feat you'll want is Woodland Archer, a staple for any ranged martial builds. One use of the feat will allow you to bypass concealment. A second use allows you to move between sniping attacks. The third use won't be as crucial with sniping, though in situations where you can't sneak attack its pretty handy, +4 to hit every time you miss that round.

Rapid Reload should be a standard choice, though there are alternatives. Such as Hand Crossbow Focus (DotU) which functions as both weapon focus and rapid reload for hand crossbows, and fills for Weapon Focus prereqs. There's also the Quickloading (MIC) enhancement which makes your crossbow reload speed the same as if you had rapid reload, plus you can store 100 bolts in it making it essentially your quiver (though i'd personally keep a secondary store of bolts, ask if you can modify the Efficient Quiver)

Then theres Point Blank Shot and Precise Shot. The first is a prereq for many ranged feats, so you have to pay the tax. The second is just silly to go without, and its a prereq for Crossbow Sniper

Craven(LoM) is a great feat for any sneak attacker, +1 damage for every character level on sneak attacks! Though you take a -2 penalty on saves against fear.

Knowledge Devotion is a great way to increase your accuracy and damage. though you'll somehow want access to knowledge(arcana, nature, religion, local, dungeoneering) at minimum. Using that Jester class doesnt provide too many skill points either, so you don't necessarily have to take it, though keep it in mind if you aim for this kind of build again.

Skills:
Hide:
Necessary for Sniping

Move Silently:
same as above, and well you're pumping hide ranks, you might as well become the scout of the group. And if you're going to do that, i suggest some kind of dip that will give you access to trapfinding.

Spot:
If you're going to scout, seeing the enemy before they see you is important

Listen:
Same as spot

Search:
Finding traps is always good.

Disable Device:
you should be able to disable them.

some good reading material:
The Archery Handbook (http://www.brilliantgameologists.com/boards/?topic=642.0) It was never finished, but it's still worth the read.
JaronK's Scout's Handbook (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=11034.0)