Crit Fishing With Targetteer?

[ATHATH]

The Targetteer variant for the Fighter class lets you pick up the following ability instead of a bonus feat (you can do this at 1st level, btw):


Sniper: When using the full attack option, the targetteer can sacrifice attacks to gain deadly accuracy. For each attack from a full attack sacrificed, the threat range of the targetteer's weapon increases by 1. Thus if the targetteer's ranged attack normally has a threat range of 19-20, sacrificing one attack from a full attack would increase the threat range to 18-20. A sacrificed attack only enhances the next attack. However, a targetteer can sacrifice multiple attacks to further increase the threat range. A targetteer cannot sacrifice all attacks from a full attack action.

This increased threat range can presumably be multiplied by Keen or the Improved Critical feat.

It's also interesting to note that this ability doesn't specify a ranged full-attack, but since I'm trying to make a sniper build (by using range-multipliers and boosters to enable to shoot enemies from a frankly absurd distance), I'll be focusing on the ranged-attack uses of this ability.

So, I have a few questions here:
1. Can I trade the attacks granted by the Snap Kick feat, the Improved Two Weapon Fighting feat, etc. for extra ranged attacks, even if there are no enemies within my melee reach?
2. What are some good debuffs/neat effects that only trigger on critical hits?
3. Can I trade in natural weapon attacks for crit range increases?
4. Is there a list of ways to auto-confirm crits somewhere?
5. Is there a list of ways to crit crit-immune enemies somewhere?

[ATHATH]

Death Master+Eviscerator seems like a pretty good combo to make those that you crit automatically frightened for 1 minute, but unfortunately, those feats only work with melee attacks.

[daremetoidareyo]

Death Master+Eviscerator seems like a pretty good combo to make those that you crit automatically frightened for 1 minute, but unfortunately, those feats only work with melee attacks.

Go sorcerer or wizard 1/fighter X/spellblade/abjurant champ/dragonslayer 1/ etc.

Get bloodwind, ghostly tail, and dolorous blow spells up and running and stretch punch the fandango out of your opponents.

[flappeercraft]

Mix it with Disciple of Dispater and Lightning mace, with aptitude kukris.

[Anthrowhale]

W.r.t. autoconfirmation,

Dolorous Blow (B/S/W 3) confirms all crits for a weapon without magical crit effects

Sense Weakness (C/S/W 2) confirms one hit

Exacting Shot (R 2) confirms all criticals vs favored enemies without magical crit effects

Curse of Arrow Attraction (R 2/C/S/W 3) confirms all crits on a given target after a will negates save.

Zealot Pact (C 6) confirms all crits against a foe of an opposite alignment (and doubles damage).

Not precisely related, Surge of Fortune (Cleric 5) generates a critical hit. Surge of Fortune + Sense Weakness is my goto approach for a critical on command.

W.r.t. immunities, look here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?454486-Piercing-Immunities).

[ATHATH]

Staggering Critical looks pretty nice, since it lets me slow critted targets without a save.

[ATHATH]

Telling Blow+1d6 of Sneak Attack+Craven looks pretty nice as well.

[ATHATH]

W.r.t. autoconfirmation,

Dolorous Blow (B/S/W 3) confirms all crits for a weapon without magical crit effects

Sense Weakness (C/S/W 2) confirms one hit

Exacting Shot (R 2) confirms all criticals vs favored enemies without magical crit effects

Curse of Arrow Attraction (R 2/C/S/W 3) confirms all crits on a given target after a will negates save.

Zealot Pact (C 6) confirms all crits against a foe of an opposite alignment (and doubles damage).

Not precisely related, Surge of Fortune (Cleric 5) generates a critical hit. Surge of Fortune + Sense Weakness is my goto approach for a critical on command.

W.r.t. immunities, look here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?454486-Piercing-Immunities).
Ooh, thanks.

Remind me: Do Deathstrike Bracers work with ranged attacks? Do they have a limited number of uses per day?

[Boggartbae]

By RAW, you could even sacrifice a bite attack, as well as any other attack you would be capable of making, even if there is no one to threaten (Just pretend that there might be an invisible assassin right next to you at all times, and rather than swinging at the air to try and hit them, you amplify your bow)

Remember though that Two-Weapon Fighting requires you to actually be wielding two weapons, so you would need to start the round holding your bow as an improvised quarterstaff in one hand, and then a dagger in the other. Then sacrifice all the dagger attacks, drop the dagger, and put your hand on your bow as a free action.

So that's 3 attacks from TWF, 1 from the bite, 1 from Rapid Shot, 1 from Improved Many Shot, and 3 from your base attack bonus. If you use a Sai instead of a Dagger, you can get 2 extra attacks from Flurry of Blows (fighter 9/monk 11 still gives BAB +16) Snap kick requires you to actually make an attack with a melee weapon, so you can't use it.

Thats a total of 3+1+1+1+3+2=+11 crit range. I'm not sure weather Order of Operations would mean that you apply this before or after Improved Critical, but worst case it's still 8-20x3 crit range. Make your bow splitting, and make your arrows out of some special material that improves crit multiplier, and you're good to go.

[SangoProduction]

Also, a dip in to Barbarian for the Whirling Frenzy alternative rage effect gives +1 attack per round.

[Grod_The_Giant]

Throw in Totemist 2 for Girallon Arms for another 4 attacks.

[Bucky]

Remember though that Two-Weapon Fighting requires you to actually be wielding two weapons, so you would need to start the round holding your bow as an improvised quarterstaff in one hand, and then a dagger in the other. Then sacrifice all the dagger attacks, drop the dagger, and put your hand on your bow as a free action.

You shouldn't need the dagger since an improvised quarterstaff is a double weapon.

[Rebel7284]

Would Arrow Demon's Symmetrical Archery apply before or after targeteer? Fiend Form->Draconic Polymorph does wonders. :)

[animewatcha]

Aren't Arrowsplit spell and splitting enchantment technically more attack rolls and thus can add to this?

[Boggartbae]

That's a good point about the quarterstaff, Bucky. Plus you can flurry with it naturally.

Symmetrical archery looks like it doubles the number of attacks you can make with a bow, and it reads like it stacks with 2WF, so I think that that would get us to 1-20 crit range on its own O_o

As for splitting, It's really confusing, because you need to sacrifice the attack before you loose the arrow, and splitting only doubles after you loose the arrow, but since splitting says that the arrows are identical in every way, then I see no reason why it wouldn't let you make two attacks rolls with the massively expanded crit range, so it's probably still worth it.

[ATHATH]

Would Arrow Demon's Symmetrical Archery apply before or after targeteer? Fiend Form->Draconic Polymorph does wonders. :)
I'd rather avoid Polymorph/Alter Self tricks, because using them opens up a can of worms that I'd rather keep closed.

Do y'all have any good ways of seeing stuff from really far away, preferably through walls (other than turning into a Formian Hive Queen and using the Mindsight and Assume Supernatural Ability feats)? Cragtop Archer and its ilk can get me the range I need; it's seeing my targets that's giving me trouble.

[Boggartbae]

Well seeing stuff really far away requires a perception check. To see a creature, the dc is 0+1/10' of distance, so every +1 to perception gives you ten feet you can see. So combine a ridiculously high perception modifier (that you get somehow) with the see beyond spell, and, as long as you can make your perception DC within 5 rounds, you can see them through walls.

[ATHATH]

Well seeing stuff really far away requires a perception check. To see a creature, the dc is 0+1/10' of distance, so every +1 to perception gives you ten feet you can see. So combine a ridiculously high perception modifier (that you get somehow) with the see beyond spell, and, as long as you can make your perception DC within 5 rounds, you can see them through walls.
The See Beyond spell is PF/3.PF exclusive.

[Anthrowhale]

If you can tolerate some form alteration then a Braxat is somewhat more reasonable than a Formian Queen in several ways. 10HD vs. 20HD, Monstrous Humanoid vs. outsider, Str 23/Dex 12 vs. Str 0/Dex 0. It grants a 1 mile range telepathy as a Su ability. You'll probably have to be a Zen Archer to make this work given the relatively low dexterity.

[ATHATH]

Can Bloodstorm Blade make a thrown weapon attack count as both a ranged attack AND a melee attack simultaneously? Sniping people with thrown weapons (like Zeus and his thunderbolts?) might be fun, and I could use the Eviscerator line of feats to auto-frighten anyone I snipe/crit.

[Boggartbae]

The See Beyond spell is PF/3.PF exclusive.

Oh sorry I thought you were a PF player. My group basically allows all 3.0-3.P content, including 3rd party if you ask nicely, so I just assume that everyone else does, too :smallredface:

[ShurikVch]

2. What are some good debuffs/neat effects that only trigger on critical hits?Feats:
Disabling Strike (Dragon #339) stuns Humanoid Favored Enemy
Initiate of Erythnul (Dragon #342) kill with critical strike activates Death Knell (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/deathKnell.htm) effect (doesn't works with Coup de Grace)
Orcus's Bloodthirst Ritual (Dragon #315) 1/day critical strike with Sneak Attack stuns for 1 round
Staggering Critical (Drow of the Underdark) critical hit slows target for 1 round
Supremely Confident (Dragon #335) whenever you make a successful critical hit you can immediately attempt to demoralize your target as a free action
Telling Blow (Player's Handbook II) gain skirmish or sneak attack damage on critical hits



4. Is there a list of ways to auto-confirm crits somewhere?Fist of Raziel PrC (Book of Exalted Deeds) able to do it from the 3rd level when smites evil
Instinctive Consummator feat (Complete Psionic) can autoconfirm, but only for melee attacks
Power Critical feat used to be able to do it 1/day in 3.0, bu nowadays it gives +4 on confirmation rolls


5. Is there a list of ways to crit crit-immune enemies somewhere?
Deadgrim PrC (Magic of Eberron) Undead Slayer - 5th level CF - allow to make critical strike vs. Undead at the cost of 1 turn undead attempt
Supernatural Blow feat (Masters of the Wild) when you confirm crit. vs Favored Enemy which is immune to crits, you deal +1d6 damage per damage dice of your usual critical strike


Also -

Feats:
Cobalt Precision (Magic of Incarnum) insight bonus equal to the invested essentia on ranged confirmation rolls and damage rolls
Companion Guard Style (Dragon #315) +2 on rolls to confirm a critical his with any bow
Favored Critical (Masters of the Wild) not just doubles the threat range when attacking Favored Enemy, but also (by the RAW!) stacks with Keen (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/magicWeapons.htm#keen) special ability

Classes:
Deepwood Sniper (Masters of the Wild) increases crit. multiplier of projectiles at 2nd level (and one more time - at 7th)
Divine Mind (Complete Psionic) Conflict aura - +2 bonus on rolls to confirm critical hits (at the very 1st level)
Marshal (Miniatures Handbook) Minor Aura: Accurate Strike - +Cha bonus to confirm critical hit roll
Master Thrower (Complete Warrior) Deadeye Shot increases crit. multiplier of any thrown weapon
Menacing Brute (Races of Destiny) Ruthless Cut gives +4 on confirmation rolls, and Making an Example (AoE fear effect on kill) gets +4 on save DC when kill was from critical strike
Paragnostic Initiate (Complete Champion) 2nd-level CF Tactical Combat: Deadly Strike - +2 on confirmation rolls
Warblade (Tome of Battle) Battle Ardor - 3rd-level CF - +Int bonus on confirmation rolls
Weapon Master (Sword and Fist) despite the fluff suggesting it's melee specialist, nothing in the RAW confirms it; Ki Critical stacks with Improved Critical feat; Increased Multiplier is limited in uses/day, but still may occasionally work

[ATHATH]

Feats:
Disabling Strike (Dragon #339) stuns Humanoid Favored Enemy
Initiate of Erythnul (Dragon #342) kill with critical strike activates Death Knell (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/deathKnell.htm) effect (doesn't works with Coup de Grace)
Orcus's Bloodthirst Ritual (Dragon #315) 1/day critical strike with Sneak Attack stuns for 1 round
Staggering Critical (Drow of the Underdark) critical hit slows target for 1 round
Supremely Confident (Dragon #335) whenever you make a successful critical hit you can immediately attempt to demoralize your target as a free action
Telling Blow (Player's Handbook II) gain skirmish or sneak attack damage on critical hits


Fist of Raziel PrC (Book of Exalted Deeds) able to do it from the 3rd level when smites evil
Instinctive Consummator feat (Complete Psionic) can autoconfirm, but only for melee attacks
Power Critical feat used to be able to do it 1/day in 3.0, bu nowadays it gives +4 on confirmation rolls


Deadgrim PrC (Magic of Eberron) Undead Slayer - 5th level CF - allow to make critical strike vs. Undead at the cost of 1 turn undead attempt
Supernatural Blow feat (Masters of the Wild) when you confirm crit. vs Favored Enemy which is immune to crits, you deal +1d6 damage per damage dice of your usual critical strike


Also -

Feats:
Cobalt Precision (Magic of Incarnum) insight bonus equal to the invested essentia on ranged confirmation rolls and damage rolls
Companion Guard Style (Dragon #315) +2 on rolls to confirm a critical his with any bow
Favored Critical (Masters of the Wild) not just doubles the threat range when attacking Favored Enemy, but also (by the RAW!) stacks with Keen (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/magicWeapons.htm#keen) special ability

Classes:
Deepwood Sniper (Masters of the Wild) increases crit. multiplier of projectiles at 2nd level (and one more time - at 7th)
Divine Mind (Complete Psionic) Conflict aura - +2 bonus on rolls to confirm critical hits (at the very 1st level)
Marshal (Miniatures Handbook) Minor Aura: Accurate Strike - +Cha bonus to confirm critical hit roll
Master Thrower (Complete Warrior) Deadeye Shot increases crit. multiplier of any thrown weapon
Menacing Brute (Races of Destiny) Ruthless Cut gives +4 on confirmation rolls, and Making an Example (AoE fear effect on kill) gets +4 on save DC when kill was from critical strike
Paragnostic Initiate (Complete Champion) 2nd-level CF Tactical Combat: Deadly Strike - +2 on confirmation rolls
Warblade (Tome of Battle) Battle Ardor - 3rd-level CF - +Int bonus on confirmation rolls
Weapon Master (Sword and Fist) despite the fluff suggesting it's melee specialist, nothing in the RAW confirms it; Ki Critical stacks with Improved Critical feat; Increased Multiplier is limited in uses/day, but still may occasionally work
This is immensely helpful. Thank you.

[ATHATH]

I'm considering switching to a melee build so that I can take advantage of all of these melee-only feats.

Are there any (other) melee-exclusive feats that I should know about?

[ShurikVch]

A bit more stuff:

Blood in the Water stance (Tome of Battle): it doesn't say it should be melee attack :smallwink:

Spells:
Bless Weapon (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/blessWeapon.htm) - auto-confirms vs. Evil
Burning Sword (Spell Compendium) - despite the name, targeted weapon mustn't be sword (or melee weapon at all); extra fire damage on crit.
Distort Weapon (Book of Vile Darkness) - auto-confirms vs. Good
Hunter's Mercy (Spell Compendium) - auto-crit for one shot (with a bow)
Profane Weapon (Dragon #312) - auto-confirms vs. Good
Weapon of Energy (Spell Compendium) - extra energy damage on crit.

Spirit of War power (Complete Psionic) auto-confirm 1/duration

[SangoProduction]

Well seeing stuff really far away requires a perception check. To see a creature, the dc is 0+1/10' of distance, so every +1 to perception gives you ten feet you can see. So combine a ridiculously high perception modifier (that you get somehow) with the see beyond spell, and, as long as you can make your perception DC within 5 rounds, you can see them through walls.

Strictly RAW, you only need to make a perception check if someone is hiding. Otherwise, there's no check required, IIRC.

[Anthrowhale]

If you are going melee, then Vorpal + Surge of Fortune + Sense Weakness is obviously powerful. It's not precisely critfishing since it works on anything with a head. If you pair that with an x4 crit weapon and two-handed power attack you'll be able to lop off anything with a head and apply heavy damage to anything vulnerable to crits that lacks a head.

This strategy is limited to 1-2 attack/encounter on 4 encounters/day basis given spell use.