Invisible Blade

[Aurion]

How good is the invisible blade PRC? If you haven't seen it, http://psuwld.pbwiki.com/ApprovedPrestigeClasses#InvisibleBlade

As far as I can tell, feignting isn't that useful and hard to pull off.... but all the same it seems to be an interesting prc with full BAB and 3d6 sudden strike...

[Skjaldbakka]

I believe "It's a Trap!" is the appropriate answer here.

IIRC, there is an issue with the class having retarded prereqs and not being able to use feint with a full attack. I'm sure someone will elaborate further eventually.

[Jasdoif]

It was a lot better before the errata.

The invisible blade can use his uncanny feint ability once per round.Before that, there was no reason not to feint before every attack with 5 levels of Invisible Blade, when it becomes a free action to feint. Remember, a successful feint means your opponent is denied its Dex bonus to AC, and a foe denied its Dex bonus is eligible for sneak attack.

[dr.cello]

Still useful, though not quite so much. Charge, feint, sneak attack--handy.

What is with the prerequisites for the class, though? Isn't there some form of unofficial errata about it so that they actually apply to the class?

[iceman]

While I think it could be better, I still like the class. The free action to feint after level five is nice. (No more blowing a move action to feint for a sneak attack because my fighter moved out of flanking position or won't move into flanking position). The bonus to AC isn't bad either. I don't know maybe its just the flavor I like so much. Then again I like combining it with a level of Master Thrower and a few levels of Assassin as well.

[Zincorium]

Here's the story as far as I know:

Originally, master thrower and invisible blade were part of a single 10 level prestige class.

They got broken into two parts, and the prereqs, which were focused on throwing, got divided between the two.

Is it retarded? Yes. But you can still freely use the feats to throw daggers without losing much. Invisible blade is best for swashbucklers, since
A. Swashbuckler isn't really good enough to take past 3(maybe 5 with the PHB2)
B. High intelligence
C. Full BAB already
D. Insightful strike works on ranged attacks with daggers or other light thrown weapons RAW.

[Skjaldbakka]

But you can still freely use the feats to throw daggers without losing much.

You only lose your primary class feature by using thrown weapons, after all.

(you can't use feint with thrown weapons).

[Prince_of_Blades]

You only lose your primary class feature by using thrown weapons, after all.

(you can't use feint with thrown weapons).

You can't feint with ranged attacks. But with two levels of Bloodstorm Blade (ToB), you can change thrown weapon attacks to melee attacks with a swift action each round. Feint away!

Also, Surprising Riposte (Drow of the Underdark) allows you to make foes you fient flatfooted if you damage them with an attack, almost nullifying the errata.

[Skjaldbakka]

Ah, so we just need to add another PrC and two more sourcebooks and it works! I could see playing something like that, or at least tinkering with a build.

[Aurion]

I think the original prereqs were supposed to be Weapon Focus (dagger like weapon), Weapon Finesse, Point Blankshot, Far Shot. But there is a correction on the wizards site to remove Far Shot and PBS because it used to be a 10 level class. The one thing no one addressed was how often you're likely to succeed on a feint. Looking through most of the monsters, they either have high sense motive ranks, or all of their armor is natural so it doesn't drop any...

[Skjaldbakka]

That assumes you fight monsters. Monsters are about 1/3 of the encounters in my typical games. The rest are PC races.

[Person_Man]

Invisible Blade is a joke. It recently got fixed via a feat in Drow of Underdark (allowing your fient to last all round). But even then, its a waste of feats and class levels.

Flanking is VERY easy via teamwork, or a Wand of Summoning, or that ToB Shadow Hand stance that let's you Flank with someone standing next to you, or you can just ask the party spellcaster to use Greater Invisibility on you, or you can buy a Ring of Blinking. So if you want a Skill Monkey that focuses melee Precision Damage, you're much better off as a Rogue/Swash or Scout/Rogue with good use of Complete Scoundrel.