Hide in Plain Sight and Dex to Damage

[RPGaddict28]

3.P, whipping up a Drow Noble Slayer at 20th level for a two-shot campaign. So far, the two big things I need are Dex to damage and HiPS. I know Fierce can give me the first, but that drops my AC. What should I do? I have full 20th WBL and a buddy who can craft items.

[Snowbluff]

The Shadow Blade Feat from Tome of Battle and the Dark Template from Tome of Magic, which is available through the Collar of Umbral Metamorphosis.

Additionally, the Darkness SLA qualifies you for the Blend Into Shadows feat from Drow of the Underdark, as well as several other good feats.

[QuickLyRaiNbow]

Instead of Fierce you could try reverse-engineering the Sword of Graceful Strikes from AEG using the same process people use for Valorous. If you're going Dex to damage sounds like you'll be using Weapon Finesse, which means you could use Feycraft weapons to save a feat. Hit and Run Fighter can give you Dex to damage to flatfooted enemies. Also if you don't have it, definitely go Darkstalker, which no sneaky build is complete without.

[geekintheground]

3.P? as in you have access to pathfinder? agile weapon enhancement is a +1 bonus that gives you dex to damage (though only on finesseable weapons)

[Psyren]

Hellcat Stealth (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/general-feats/hellcat-stealth) gives you HiPS at a penalty. You may also want Shadow Strike to ignore concealment while sneak attacking.

[KingAtomsk]

The Shadowdancer prestige class gives Hide in Plain Sight at 1st-level. The Dark Creature template also has a limited form of Hide in Plain Sight. The Collar of Umbral Metamorphosis (Tome of Magic, 10,800 gp) allows you to have the Dark Template for 10 minutes per day.

[Psyren]

Umbral Disciple from MoI also gets it (earlier than Shadowdancer and Assassin do.)

[KingAtomsk]

Umbral Disciple from MoI also gets it (earlier than Shadowdancer and Assassin do.)

You can qualify for Umbral Disciple earlier, but it doesn't grant HiPS until 3rd-level, so you get it at minimum ECL 8.
You can have Shadowdancer 1 with HiPS by ECL 8 as well.

[Psyren]

You can qualify for Umbral Disciple earlier, but it doesn't grant HiPS until 3rd-level, so you get it at minimum ECL 8.
You can have Shadowdancer 1 with HiPS by ECL 8 as well.

Okay, you got me - they are even. But UD is much easier to get into than Shadowdancer at least - all you need is a single incarnum feat (or not even that depending on race/dip.) And unlike SD it advances sneak attack.

[KingAtomsk]

Okay, you got me - they are even. But UD is much easier to get into than Shadowdancer at least - all you need is a single incarnum feat (or not even that depending on race/dip.) And unlike SD it advances sneak attack.

This is true. The important thing will be opportunity cost - what other class levels and abilities could be gained in the two levels lost to Umbral Disciple 1-2?

[Psyren]

This is true. The important thing will be opportunity cost - what other class levels and abilities could be gained in the two levels lost to Umbral Disciple 1-2?

Conversely - what feats could be gained in place of Dodge and Mobility, or skills in place of Perform (dance) 5? :smallsmile:

[KingAtomsk]

Conversely - what feats could be gained in place of Dodge and Mobility, or skills in place of Perform (dance) 5? :smallsmile:

Fine points. all of this depends upon the character being designed - Dodge and Mobility are very feat-taxing, but are also prereqs for many other things stealthy characters might like to use

[Snowbluff]

Mobility might be good to have if you're trying to flank in PF. Tumbling is harder, so it can be better just to provoke and tank the AoO's for your battle buddy.

[Shinken]

Doesn't Slayer get HiPS as a talent, anyway?

[Snowbluff]

Doesn't Slayer get HiPS as a talent, anyway?

Isn't it tied to an environment?

[Psyren]

Slayer Camouflage (assuming that's what you folks are referring to) lets you hide without cover/concealment. What it does not let you do however is hide while being observed. So I suggest picking up Hellcat Stealth and ignoring this, particularly since Hellcat Stealth is available earlier.

[Snowbluff]

I concur. That would be the right course of action if your using PF feats.