Swift Ambusher secondary benefit... what does it DO?!

[DEMON]

The CSco feat Swift Ambusher allows for combining Scout and Rogue levels for Skirmish and also
you can qualify for ambush feats as if your sneak attack bonus damage were the sum of your skirmish damage and sneak attack bonus damage. You cannot sacrifice skirmish extra damage to use those feats, however.

What does this actually means? Do you qualify for those feats? Do you qualify for the effect when you score a skirmish/sneak attack (as long as you have the feat)? Both? Since you can't sacrifice skirmish extra damage, does this only mean that you can deduce 1d6 from the feats' qualifiers but still need to score a Sneak Attack (and possibly also Skirmish) to actually use them?

I've been pondering this for freaking YEARS and can't come up with a satisfying conclusion.

As a side note, IMO, if this allowed for skirmish to qualify for the ambush feats (and allow you to sacrifice skirmish damage to use those feats), this would probably be on par with the Swift Hunter feat.

[Deadline]

What does this actually means? Do you qualify for those feats?

This is explicitly stated in the feat. Yes, you can qualify. Let's take Concussion Attack. It requires +3d6 sneak attack in order to qualify for it. If you had +1d6 Sneak attack, +2d6 skirmish, and Swift Ambusher, you'd qualify to take Concussion Attack. However, you couldn't use it, because you can only reduce your Sneak attack damage, and the feat requires that you reduce your Sneak attack damage by 2d6. If you had +2d6 Sneak attack, +1d6 Skirmish, and Swift Ambusher, you'd still qualify to take Concussion Attack, AND you'd be able to actually use the feat too.

[DEMON]

This is explicitly stated in the feat. Yes, you can qualify.

Is it, though? Not that I necessarily oppose your interpretation, I'm just not sure if the "qualifying" relates to taking the feat, or using the feat.

If I interpret this correctly, it should do both (as you state), but in the end, it only boils down to +1d6 SA, if you can score skirmish and sneak attack together. Since in other situations (many skirmish d6s, to take the feats and not enough SA d6s, to sacrifice to actually use the ambush feats) you could take the feat, but not benefit from it at all?

[Deadline]

Is it, though? Not that I necessarily oppose your interpretation, I'm just not sure if the "qualifying" relates to taking the feat, or using the feat.

It is both. However, there is a specific exception, called out in the Swift Ambusher feat, with regards to using the Ambush feats you've qualified to take - you can only sacrifice Sneak Attack dice to power them.

[DEMON]

It is both. However, there is a specific exception, called out in the Swift Ambusher feat, with regards to using the Ambush feats you've qualified to take - you can only sacrifice Sneak Attack dice to power them.

Thanks for the swift response(s), Deadline.

So, in short, it's at best a +1d6 SA for pre-reqs.

Sincerely, I'm a bit disappointed I read it the right way all along. I really hoped I was missing something plausible.

[Deadline]

Sincerely, I'm a bit disappointed I read it the right way all along. I really hoped I was missing something plausible.

You and me both. Swift Hunter is a way better feat.

But the various "combine two class features" feats are like that. There are some that are clearly superior to others.

[DEMON]

You and me both. Swift Hunter is a way better feat.

But the various "combine two class features" feats are like that. There are some that are clearly superior to others.

True enough. I was kind of hoping that both Scout-ish combo feats from CSco would be at least nearly on equal footing and I'm just missing something. Oh well.

A simple "You need to sacrifice at least +1d6 Sneak Attack damage that you qualify for, to use this feat." instead of the feat's last sentence would go a long way. And getting rid of it all along (i.e. allowing skirmish to qualify for ambush directly) would be a skirmisher's wet dream, of course.