Signature Sneak Attack for NPC?

[fikoantunes]

I'm building this female Drow assassin with is feared for her Sneak Attack and will eventually face the PCs.

About making her SA a "signature" of her renown, what you think about this:
- Sickening Strike (DotU) – a no save debuff at a cost of 1d6 points of damage, making the target Sickened for 1 rd;
- Terrifying Strike (DotU) – as above, a useful no save debuff. And combos with Sickening Strike (for -4 to attack and saves).
- Staggering Strike (CAdv) – essentially Slows the target, preventing full attacks each round that they’re affected by it. Allows a Fort save, but it’s based on damage dealt which is good

Regarding mechanics: would the 2 first feats work to lessen the Fort Save to the Staggering Strike effect on the same attack? Or, as the all hit together, the Fort save would be normal, unless there's a second hit in the same round (from multiple attacks, for example).

Consider this for suggestions:
- Melee build;
- Style/conditions over damage;
- Flavor over optimization;
- "Craven" feat is not an option due to flavor (the NPC is not a "Dangerous coward" as described by the feat)
- [EDIT] No Tome of Battle too

[ShurikVch]

There are a few extra suggestions.

Feats:
Bloodsoaked Intimidate (Champions of Ruin)
Disemboweling Strike (Complete Scoundrel)
Intimidating Strike (Players Handbook II)

Maneuver (Tome of Battle): Fountain of Blood

Class feature: Frightful Attack (Ghost-Faced Killer PrC, Complete Adventurer or Dragon #289)

[fikoantunes]

There are a few extra suggestions.

Feats:
Bloodsoaked Intimidate (Champions of Ruin)
Disemboweling Strike (Complete Scoundrel)
Intimidating Strike (Players Handbook II)

Maneuver (Tome of Battle): Fountain of Blood

Class feature: Frightful Attack (Ghost-Faced Killer PrC, Complete Adventurer or Dragon #289)

Funny you mentioned the Ghost-Faced Killer! I was inclined using that PrC on this build. But ultimately I stick with the Rogue 5 / Assassin X combo due to the SA progression working better with the DC for the Staggering Strike. It's a quite flavorful PrC IMHO though.

From your suggestions, I liked the Disemboweling Strike due to its gore flavor. The drawback of -4d6 would also reduce the effectiveness of Staggering Strike... But even so I liked. The NPC could proceed in battle like this:

Round 1: Sneak Attack with reduced hp damage but doing CON damage (via Disemboweling Strike)
Round 2: Sneak Attack with full damage for the highest DC possible for the Staggering Strike

Unfortunately ToB maneuvers are out (I will even add this in the OP, Thank you)

[ShurikVch]

Funny you mentioned the Ghost-Faced Killer! I was inclined using that PrC on this build. But ultimately I stick with the Rogue 5 / Assassin X combo due to the SA progression working better with the DC for the Staggering Strike. It's a quite flavorful PrC IMHO though.Variant from #289 was notably better than in CAdv
For example, it give Sneak Attack instead Sudden Strike, and give all 3 daily uses of Frightful Attack at 4th level (so you can dip in and lose only 1d6 of SA)
The most notable downside is 4 feats in prerequisites

[fishyfishyfishy]

A couple of other options:

Maiming Strike [Exemplars of Evil, pg 25] for Charisma damage
Arterial Strike [Complete Warrior, pg 96] for bleed damage

A low Charisma character faces the very real threat of being dropped to 0 Charisma and rendered helpless. Bleed damage is nice to have as an option.

EDIT: You might consider more Rogue levels to get Crippling Strike special ability. Strength damage is a nice de-buff to have.

[fikoantunes]

All inputs were appreciated, Thank you!

Now, about the mechanics question of the OP... Would the -4 penalty be applied to the Staggering Strike DC? Or only if the NPC make another successful SA on the same round (thus triggering the Staggering Strike again?)

[ShurikVch]

A bit more.

Feats:
Wounding Attack (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/psionicFeats.htm#woundingAttack)
Vicious Wound (Savage Species)

Spells:
Bloodletting (Complete Mage)
Death Grimace (Book of Vile Darkness)

[Conradine]

Well, being feared in drow society is quite an hard task. I guess they use sneak attacks as a form of greeting.

[Kelvarius]

Personally, I'm a fan of ensuring Sneak Attacks continue to happen, regardless of circumstances.

With that in mind, I like crit stacking with Sneak Attacks because of Telling Blow (PHBII, pg 83), which allows all critical hits to be considered Sneak Attacks. That's not everyone's preferred method, though.

I also enjoy Persistent Attacker (Complete Scoundrel, pg 80) for the same reason. It's a hefty loss of 4d6, but it allows you to continuously use your Sneak Attack once per round.

And if you're open to Dragon Magazine material, for the same reason, there's Sneak Attack of Opportunity (Dragon 340) which lets your first AoO in the round count as Sneak Attack.

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For your debuff theme, Painful Strike (Dragon 344) would work well. -2 penalty to attacks, skill checks, and ability checks. But if Dragon is out of the question, either of its little brothers might work, though they are significantly weaker than this one. See below.

Concussion Attack (Complete Scoundrel, pg 75) reduces all Intelligence and Wisdom ability and skill checks by 2. Might be useful to reduce in specific situations. If nothing else, it reduces their Will Save and their ability to detect a stealthed character.

Impeding Attack (Complete Scoundrel, pg 78) does the same as above, only versus Strength and Dexterity. Perhaps combined with traps and balance themed obstacles.

If you can fit in a level of Monk, you could also take Throat Punch (Complete Scoundrel, pg 82) which, depending on your interpretation, prevents people from talking for a few rounds. If you can split one person away from the party... And if not, it does severely mess with a caster's ability to cast verbal spells.

There's also Weaken the Heart (Dragon 344) which doesn't do anything by itself, but if you then force that character to make any Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution skill or ability check they become fatigued. And oh look at all those other Sneak Attack abilities you have that requires saving throws. Or as previously mentioned, add some traps or obstacles that force balance checks.

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Finally, if you want a little more control, Lacerate (Dragon 344) has some heavy pre reqs so might not be viable, but if you can work it in, it could put a damper on uberchargers by preventing two handed weapons, or it could force a two weapon specialist to waste half its potential.

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Regarding mechanics: would the 2 first feats work to lessen the Fort Save to the Staggering Strike effect on the same attack? Or, as the all hit together, the Fort save would be normal, unless there's a second hit in the same round (from multiple attacks, for example).

I'm not entirely sure I understand the question. But I think what you're asking is if the debuffs of the first two will affect the DC of the third. The answer is yes, but not in the way I think you mean.

All the effects apply at the same time, as they're all part of the same attack. So the sickened/shaken won't affect the DC of the Staggering Strike. However, reducing the damage done to apply the Sickened/Shaken does affect the DC directly.

That said, if you're making multiple attacks per round, and you can reasonably hit more than once, you can apply the debuffs on the first attack, then stagger on the second attack and the debuffs will apply to the DC.

[ILM]

If you're going to use Sickening Strike and Terrifying Strike, might as well add on Aleval School from the same book - another -2 to saves! (well, to one save of your choosing for 1 round)

Avenging Executioner is a better Ghost-Faced Killer than GFK, and only 5 levels long.

As Kelvarius said, the save debuffs won't apply to Staggering Strike if part of the same attack. However, you could use two-weapon fighting and one of the various ways of delivering two attacks as a standard action (or as part of a charge) to get that to work. I had an NPC once who used much the same tactics, except she used the debuffs as a wind-up for her death attack. Fun times!

[fikoantunes]

Got it! All the three effects (Terrifying + Sickening + Staggering) trigger at the same time... Understood!

I liked the Dragon Magazine material it was mentioned. The Sneak AoO feat can lead to a "semi lockdown" build: if the target stays, it faces a potential Staggering; if he tries to leave, the AoO turns into a SA, how would again trigger a possible Staggering. I'm imagining the NPC with a spiled chain now! Hm...

And that Avenging Executioner is indeed a good PrC. Very flavorful for building some sort of disturbed villan. Good for a dark ranger (due to favored enemy bonuses being applied to demoralize checks). Also very easy to gain access to (no Feats as pre req!). Thank you again for all the input!

[ShurikVch]

One more feat: Lacerate (Dragon #344) - reduce SA by 3 dice, enemy can't use hand for 1 minute

EDIT:
Also, Skewer Foe from Champions of Ruin