[3.5] How many attacks can we get in one attack?

[Flickerdart]

Full attacks are for squares. However, attacking is a staple of the game, so chances are that you'll need to do a couple of attack rolls per round as a melee character if you want to accomplish stuff (where by stuff I mean enemies, and by accomplish I mean dismember brutally).

Is there anything we can do to build a cooler attack sequence? By attack I mean damaging attacks, so if you trip the enemy, disarm him, tweak his nose, and write a mean letter to his mother, that's a cool bonus but not the main point.

A couple of things to get the party started:

Knock-down + Improved Trip: 2 attacks
Trample + Valenar Trample: 2 attacks, but one is from your horse
Snap Kick: +1 unarmed attack to any other attack sequence


Can we get a longer chain than 3?

[Grod_The_Giant]

Brutal Strike + Knock-Down + Improved Trip+ Knockback + Dreadful Wrath. Sicken 'em, trip 'em, knock 'em back, and intimidate everyone.

[Nettlekid]

War Mind and War Hulk both get sweeping strike attacks that hit multiple people in each attack.

Halfling Skiprocks can be used to hit more than one person with a single attack, as can some Master Thrower thing. You could probably combine those two. Add in Bloodstorm Blade on your Halfling Skiprocks and make each of those attacks work like War Mind's Sweeping Strike.

And of course, Lightning Maces could lead to a great number of attacks starting with a single strike.

[Eldonauran]

Anointed Knight (Book of Exalted Deeds) gets an ability called Inspired Strike: 3/day you can make an attack at your highest BAB, as a free action.

You need to have an Anointed Knight level + Cha modifier = 11 or higher to get it. You could even get it with one level of the class if you have a +10 Cha mod.

[IAmTehDave]

Roundabout Kick: Whenever you crit with an unarmed strike, you get a free attack.

[Nettlekid]

And of course there's the Avalanche of Blades maneuver. I read a cool thing where some Rokugan Kata allowed you to gain a cumulative +5 for each attack that hit. The normal effect of this is making iteratives all at your full BAB, so long as they all hit. But when combined with Avalanche of Blades, which lets you keep attacking but with a cumulative -4 on each attack until you miss, suddenly you are getting +1 cumulative until you miss. Manage to hit on a 2, have some rerolls, and make hundreds of attacks.

[Flickerdart]

War Mind and War Hulk both get sweeping strike attacks that hit multiple people in each attack.

Halfling Skiprocks can be used to hit more than one person with a single attack, as can some Master Thrower thing. You could probably combine those two. Add in Bloodstorm Blade on your Halfling Skiprocks and make each of those attacks work like War Mind's Sweeping Strike.

And of course, Lightning Maces could lead to a great number of attacks starting with a single strike.

Ah yes, of course. There's also Boomerang Ricochet and Ricochet and Chakram Ricochet, each of which does a mostly similar thing.

[Craft (Cheese)]

Do extra attacks made with Cunning Surge count? Human Factotum 20 with 10 feats in Font of Inspiration gets 62 IP per encounter, enough to get 20 standard actions.

[herrhauptmann]

Splitting. On an Energy bow.
Your beams of force split into 2 and hit different targets.

I'd swear there's an enchantment that lets your arrow/bolt go through one person and hit someone behind him too.

BAB 16 is 4 attacks.
With Manyshot, that goes to 8.
Splitting doubles your attacks to 16.
As an Energy Bow you can take a penalty to do Power Shots, helping you get past DR. (I forget if that's allowed as part of a full attack)
If the DM allows it, alter the Screaming Bolts (SRD) to Arrows. And use one of those for your first attack. (1 arrow, and 7 energy shots becomes 2 arrows and 14 energy shots)

edited due to more info.

[Fax Celestis]

I'd swear there's an enchantment that lets your arrow/bolt go through one person and hit someone behind him too.

There's a crossbow feat for it.

[Corinath]

Telekenetic Thrust (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/telekineticThrust.htm)

Up to 15 Attacks as a standard action, depending on Manifester Level. Pair it with Sniper's Eye (http://dndtools.eu/spells/complete-adventurer--54/snipers-eye--430/), and you make those Sneak Attacks. Pair it with Hunter's Eye (http://dndtools.eu/spells/players-handbook-ii--80/hunters-eye--2941/) and Critical Hit (http://dndtools.eu/spells/complete-adventurer--54/critical-strike--370/) spells, and you get an added 1d6+(Caster Level/3)d6 Sneak Attack per hit. Pair it with Polymorphing into Kelvezu (MMIII), and you add another 8d6 Per hit on top of that. Per hit

dmgdmgdmgdmg. (Lots of set up required)

[Flickerdart]

Do extra attacks made with Cunning Surge count? Human Factotum 20 with 10 feats in Font of Inspiration gets 62 IP per encounter, enough to get 20 standard actions.
Well the idea is to chain more abilities like "when X condition is met, you get a free attack" rather than just do the same old thing we've always done around here.

[Craft (Cheese)]

Well the idea is to chain more abilities like "when X condition is met, you get a free attack" rather than just do the same old thing we've always done around here.

Ahh, k

*respectfully bows out, since honestly that was the only thing I had to say*

[OldTrees1]

War Mind and War Hulk both get sweeping strike attacks that hit multiple people in each attack.

I recently made a War Hulk and discovered the following (immediately followed by asking my DM for a nerf)

Lets say you are surrounded by 12 enemies (adjacent to your Large Size). These Enemies are named A thur L.
You start with a Mighty swing against A, B and C. You deal 10+ damage to each A, B & C. Knock-Down now gives you a Trip attack against each of A, B & C. Your Trip Attack against A is a Mighty swing that is a normal attack against B & C. We will only pay attention to the first instance of Knock-Down per enemy. By tripping A you get another attack against A. This is another Mighty Swing against A, B & C.

Currently: A[2], B[3], C[3] and unresolved Trip attacks against B & C

Your Mighty Swing Trip attack & Improved Trip attacks against B & C affect BCD and CDE respectively. This will undoubtly trigger Knock-Down against D & E

Currently: A[2], B[4], C[6], D[4], E[2] and unresolved Trip attacks against D & E

Your Mighty Swing Trip attack & Improved Trip attacks against D & E affect DEF and EFG respectively. This will undoubtly trigger Knock-Down against F & G. This will eventually wrap around until you have tripped everyone. Everyone will suffer 5 attacks beyond your initial attack against A, B & C

Currently: A, B & C[6], D-L[5]

I call it The Warhulk Greatest Whirlwind Attack of Opportunity


Mighty Swing (Ex): Starting at 4th level, a war hulk can make a mighty swing. A mighty swing is like a great swing, except that it is a standard action rather than a full-round action. Thus, the character can move and make a mighty swing or (if he can make multiple attacks) make multiple mighty swings in a single round.

the war hulk can choose three squares adjacent to one another (he must threaten all of them). His attack applies to all creatures in those squares. Make one attack roll and apply that roll as an attack against each defender. If the war hulk uses a special attack (such as disarm, trip, or sunder), this special attack affects only the first target; the other creatures are attacked normally.

Whenever you deal 10 or more points of damage to your opponent in melee, you make a trip attack as a free action against the same target.

If you trip an opponent in melee combat, you immediately get a melee attack against that opponent as if you hadn’t used your attack for the trip attempt.

[Heliomance]

Crescent Knife (Dragon #275) gets you a free attack for every attack you make with it.

Some of the tricks from here (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=146.0) are probably usable.

Is it going against the spirit to combine pounce, Sudden Leap, and Battle Jump? ^_^

[TuggyNE]

I'd swear there's an enchantment that lets your arrow/bolt go through one person and hit someone behind him too.

Exit Wound. I forget where it is, but it might be 3.0.

[Chronos]

Quoth OldTrees1:

Your Trip Attack against A is a Mighty swing that is a normal attack against B & C.
Doesn't work. Mighty Swing requires a standard action, which Improved Trip doesn't give you.

Heliomance, is that exactly what Crescent Knife gives you? An unlimited number of attacks? There's obviously some error, here, but I'm not sure if it's yours or the original author's.

[Nettlekid]

Doesn't work. Mighty Swing requires a standard action, which Improved Trip doesn't give you.

Heliomance, is that exactly what Crescent Knife gives you? An unlimited number of attacks? There's obviously some error, here, but I'm not sure if it's yours or the original author's.

The War Mind's Sweeping Strike WOULD allow this however, since it says "on each melee attack a War Mind makes," which is pretty cool for a vaguely PsyWar build.

With that in mind, everything this thread is coming up with that allows additional attacks when it works (like Improved Trip) can be multiplied many times, given enough enemies!

[RFLS]

Do extra attacks made with Cunning Surge count? Human Factotum 20 with 10 feats in Font of Inspiration gets 62 IP per encounter, enough to get 20 standard actions.

I thought that Cunning Surge cost 4 IP to use. Is that not the case?

[Ezekiul]

relevant Optimization World Records (http://community.wizards.com/forum/previous-editions-character-optimization/threads/1160861)(slightly dated)

[Karnith]

I thought that Cunning Surge cost 4 IP to use. Is that not the case?
Cunning Surge costs 3 IP to get an extra standard action.

[Darrin]

Can we get a longer chain than 3?

Spring Attack/Bounding Assault/Rapid Blitz gets 3 attacks on a standard action. Snap Kick and Planar Touchstone: Oxyrhynchus can add 2 more. Slashing Flurry for 6? Then Knockdown/Improved Trip for 7?

[Spuddles]

Brutal Strike + Knock-Down + Improved Trip+ Knockback + Dreadful Wrath. Sicken 'em, trip 'em, knock 'em back, and intimidate everyone.

Add great cleave and reach and do that to all his friends.

[ranagrande]

Druid 5 with Combat Expertise and Improved Trip. Wildshape into a wolf. Bite your opponent to get a free trip attack. Trip your opponent to get a free attack. Use it to bite your opponent. Repeat until you miss.

[Fax Celestis]

Cunning Surge costs 3 IP to get an extra standard action.

Now we need a way to get extra move actions so we can get extra full attacks.

[Dusk Eclipse]

Now we need a way to get extra move actions so we can get extra full attacks.

Can't you trade a Standard action for a move? Or is that just a 4e rule?

[Chronos]

A move action and a standard action is not a full-round action. You can convert a full-round to a move and a standard, but not the other way.

And you can't chain wolf-bites and Improved Trip indefinitely. Once the target is down from the first trip, you can't trip him again until after he stands up.

[herrhauptmann]

Heliomance, is that exactly what Crescent Knife gives you? An unlimited number of attacks? There's obviously some error, here, but I'm not sure if it's yours or the original author's.

1d3 damage. 20x2 crits. At a -2 to attack.
When allowed, I keep it on me just in case a monster swallows me whole.

[Keld Denar]

Whirling Blade could arguably have any record beat, but it's not really feasable outside of thought experiments. A Twinned Enlarged Whirling Blade is a 7th level spell. It attacks 240 squares in a straight line, twice each. If the foes were small enough that you could stack on 4 foes per square (tiny? fine? anything non-swarm). That's 480 attacks squares x 4 foes per square = 1440 attacks. Not bad for a standard action. In theory.

EDIT: I'm only thinking in 2d. If you stacked another set of flying foes on top of the first, and WBed on the axis at the top of the 5' square directly in front of you, you'd hit twice as many foes, or 2880 attacks. Still a standard action.

[ranagrande]

And you can't chain wolf-bites and Improved Trip indefinitely. Once the target is down from the first trip, you can't trip him again until after he stands up.
That's logical and sensible of course, but not RAW. As far as I know, there is nothing to say you can't trip someone when they're prone.

[Fax Celestis]

Can't you trade a Standard action for a move? Or is that just a 4e rule?

No. You can perform a move action with a standard action: it doesn't become a move action.

[Keld Denar]

There are also no rules for combining a Move + Standard into a full attack either. You can break a Full Round Action into a Move + Standard, but not the other way around. Even if you could generate infinite Standard actions, its not the same.

EDIT: /wave at Fax!

[Dusk Eclipse]

Well... a belt of battle can give you 3 move actions per day IIRC, but you would need extra swift actions (RKV anyone?) to use them.

Err Factotum 8/Cleric 1/Crusader 4/ RKV 7? Would probably work best in gestalt though

[WhamBamSam]

Now we need a way to get extra move actions so we can get extra full attacks.Divine Impetus+Nightsticks+Hustle should work if you ignore the Divine Impetus dysfunction and can get all the necessary levels in. You also need a pretty big PP reserve from somewhere.

I suspect that the others who have said that it's a one way street going from full round to move+standard are right though, so it probably doesn't matter.

On a less silly note, I'm surprised Whirling Frenzy hasn't been mentioned yet.

[Dusk Eclipse]

Whirling Frenzy only works on full attacks though.

[OldTrees1]

Doesn't work. Mighty Swing requires a standard action, which Improved Trip doesn't give you.



Mighty Swing (Ex): Starting at 4th level, a war hulk can make a mighty swing. A mighty swing is like a great swing, except that it is a standard action rather than a full-round action. Thus, the character can move and make a mighty swing or (if he can make multiple attacks) make multiple mighty swings in a single round.

Sorry, but it doesn't require a standard action since it gives explicit permission to use it multiple times if you have multiple attacks. Thus a Mighty swing is a basic attack for a 4th level War Hulk.

[Nettlekid]

Like a week or two ago someone was throwing around a Teflammar Shadowlord Duskblade build which Full Attack Channeled Dimension Hop into his weapon, smacked his foes around, and then on the last attack hit himself, so he Dimension Hopped, which activated Shadow Pounce, which let him do it all again. I feel this is pertinent.

[Tim Proctor]

According to the SRD you can Attack, 5-foot step, and then take the remainder of your attacks. So you can hit 2 squares normally.

You can go Warshaper/Shapeshifter Ranger and have 1,000 natural attacks and decimate with the Rapid Blitz chain.

I can't remember but I wanted to say there was a feat or class ability that allowed a free attack when you quick drew a weapon. Basically you quick draw swing, drop the weapon (free action), drop prone (free action), quick draw the sword on the ground (free action), kip up (thief acrobat class feature, free action), swing (free action). It also combos with Iajastu focus.

[IAmTehDave]

Like a week or two ago someone was throwing around a Teflammar Shadowlord Duskblade build which Full Attack Channeled Dimension Hop into his weapon, smacked his foes around, and then on the last attack hit himself, so he Dimension Hopped, which activated Shadow Pounce, which let him do it all again. I feel this is pertinent.

I don't remember the thread, but that sounds like the one I was participating in.
Duskblade 13/SOMETHING/TSL 4. As part of your first full attack from Shadow Pounce you channel Dimension Hop (since Arcane Channeling doesn't require a full round action, it's part of a full attack action. Shadow pounce from TSL specifically allows a full attack action after any teleportation effect) and hit your enemies with the first 3 (or 4, if you have Haste) attacks. Your last attack you tap yourself with your weapon to dimension hop next to either the same enemy or another enemy. This triggers Shadow Pounce. You shouldn't have to channel a new Dimension hop, since "the spell affects each target you hit in melee combat that round." so it continues past your first full attack. As long as you can tap yourself (a touch attack dealing 0 damage) as your last attack of each full attack action, you can travel an NI distance, with NI full attacks. As a standard action.

Edit: The thread: http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=316405

[killem2]

Splitting. On an Energy bow.
Your beams of force split into 2 and hit different targets.

I'd swear there's an enchantment that lets your arrow/bolt go through one person and hit someone behind him too.

BAB 16 is 4 attacks.
With Manyshot, that goes to 8.
Splitting doubles your attacks to 16.
As an Energy Bow you can take a penalty to do Power Shots, helping you get past DR. (I forget if that's allowed as part of a full attack)
If the DM allows it, alter the Screaming Bolts (SRD) to Arrows. And use one of those for your first attack. (1 arrow, and 7 energy shots becomes 2 arrows and 14 energy shots)

edited due to more info.


And if you want to take the slight hit to attack, you could have a thri kreen wielding two of them. :smallsigh:

[IAmTehDave]

And if you want to take the slight hit to attack, you could have a thri kreen wielding two of them. :smallsigh:

Not as a standard action though. I don't think there's a ranged equivalent of Dual Strike

[ben-zayb]

Or, as inspired by this ToS (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=125698), you can make a Psi-Gish Lightning Mace build and bean yourself in the head with a dang mace via Death Urge.

Of course, since Snap Kick is a non-action (not covered by Death Urge), you may rules lawyer your way into getting a free attack against your enemy every single time you hit yourself. Just optimize your Unarmed Strike damage, while you minimize the Mace damage (to a minimum of 1 damage) or maximize DR/-.

[Heliomance]

Heliomance, is that exactly what Crescent Knife gives you? An unlimited number of attacks? There's obviously some error, here, but I'm not sure if it's yours or the original author's.

No, it doubles your number of attacks. For every attack you would normally make with it, you instead make two.

[Pickford]

Shield Slam (shield attack as part of a charge)-> Shield Charge (free trip attempt) -> Improved Trip (free attack on success)

But wait, we can make it better. Instead of just using a regular shield, let's use either a Gnome Tortoise-Blade or Dwarven Buckler-Axe (or even both!).
Now we can take advantage of Bear Fang style (free grapple), Crescent Moon style (free disarm), or High Sword Low Axe style (free trip)

OR

Two-Weapon Pounce (attack with both weapons) + Slashing Flurry (a second attack with a slashing weapon) + Versatile Unarmed Strike (lets you make unarmed strikes as slashing weapons) + Roundabout Kick (extra unarmed strikes off critical hits) + Sundering Cleave (Combat Brute, bonus attack for destroying a weapon)


So, by my count up to 8 attacks from a single action (a charge attack, which can be done in the surprise round as a standard action). I suspect I'm not thinking of some other options.


herrhauptman:

I'd swear there's an enchantment that lets your arrow/bolt go through one person and hit someone behind him too

There's a feat for that: Penetrating Shot (PHB II), you hit everyone in a 60' line as a standard action.

[Heliomance]

Shield Slam (shield attack as part of a charge)-> Shield Charge (free trip attempt) -> Improved Trip (free attack on success)

But wait, we can make it better. Instead of just using a regular shield, let's use either a Gnome Tortoise-Blade or Dwarven Buckler-Axe (or even both!).
Now we can take advantage of Bear Fang style (free grapple), Crescent Moon style (free disarm), or High Sword Low Axe style (free trip)

OR

Two-Weapon Pounce (attack with both weapons) + Slashing Flurry (a second attack with a slashing weapon) + Versatile Unarmed Strike (lets you make unarmed strikes as slashing weapons) + Roundabout Kick (extra unarmed strikes off critical hits) + Sundering Cleave (Combat Brute, bonus attack for destroying a weapon)


So, by my count up to 8 attacks from a single action (a charge attack, which can be done in the surprise round as a standard action). I suspect I'm not thinking of some other options.


herrhauptman:


There's a feat for that: Penetrating Shot (PHB II), you hit everyone in a 60' line as a standard action.

If you're allowing charge, you might as well just stick pounce in there, at which point you're getting a full attack and can make 1,067,212 (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=146.0) attacks.

[Darrin]

Whirling Frenzy only works on full attacks though.

Does it? Or is it an exception to the rule? There's nothing in the Whirling Frenzy text that says it only applies to full-round attacks.

According to Tippy, the text of the TWF feat in the PHB allows two attacks on a standard action attack. I haven't quite made up my mind if I agree, as I don't see a lot of evidence that the designers intended it to work that way.

[Chronos]

Unless otherwise specified, anything that gives you extra attacks works only when you're taking a full-round action to attack (this really ought to say "full attack action", but doesn't). This applies to iteratives, multiple weapons, Haste, whirling frenzy, flurry of blows, whatever. The only reason it doesn't apply to Snap Kick is that it specifically overrides it, while the others don't.

[NEO|Phyte]

Or, as inspired by this ToS (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=125698), you can make a Psi-Gish Lightning Mace build and bean yourself in the head with a dang mace via Death Urge.

Amusing as it may be, that doesn't actually work. Lightning Maces triggers on a critical threat, which requires an attack roll. Death Urge gives no attack roll, you autohit.

[Drachasor]

Telekenetic Thrust (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/telekineticThrust.htm)

Up to 15 Attacks as a standard action, depending on Manifester Level. Pair it with Sniper's Eye (http://dndtools.eu/spells/complete-adventurer--54/snipers-eye--430/), and you make those Sneak Attacks. Pair it with Hunter's Eye (http://dndtools.eu/spells/players-handbook-ii--80/hunters-eye--2941/) and Critical Hit (http://dndtools.eu/spells/complete-adventurer--54/critical-strike--370/) spells, and you get an added 1d6+(Caster Level/3)d6 Sneak Attack per hit. Pair it with Polymorphing into Kelvezu (MMIII), and you add another 8d6 Per hit on top of that. Per hit

dmgdmgdmgdmg. (Lots of set up required)


I know it isn't quite the theme of the thread. Just wanted to point out a Ring of Telekinesis let's you do this with 9 attacks every round (it would need to be custom to have a CL of 15 for 15 attacks).

Since you are making attack rolls (though not melee attacks) it might be possible to chain something off of these attacks. Though nothing immediately comes to mind.