Making a Sniper

[SpicyBoi_Nezu]

I was looking into making a scout, and I found an interesting variant.

Sniper (Dragon Magazine #346)

Some scouts do not specialize in close-quarters skirmishing, but instead stalk their targets from afar. This kind of scout prefers a precise, potentially lethal shot from the most extreme reaches her weapon allows, all the while remaining well hidden. If you select the sniper variant class feature, you give up your ability to deal extra damage in melee and a bonus to your Armor Class to gain that extra damage from a distance. You shine in the wilderness, especially on the plains or in other environments that let you stay far from the action while still giving you a clear line of sight.

Level: 1st.

Replaces: By choosing the sniper variant class feature, you give up both the skirmish ability (normally gained at 1st level) and fast movement (normally gained at 3rd level and improved at 11th level).

Benefit: At 1st level, you gain the ability to make precise shots at long range. As a full-round action you can make a precise shot against a target farther than 60 feet away. You cannot move (even a 5-foot step) in the round you take the shot. If you hit, you deal an extra 1d6 points of damage. The extra damage applies only to attacks made with a missile weapon, such as a bow or crossbow. This extra damage increases by 1d6 for every four levels gained above 1st (2d6 at 5th, 3d6 at 9th, 4d6 at 13th, and 5d6 at 17th level).

The extra damage only applies against living creatures with a discernible anatomy. Undead, constructs, oozes, plants, incorporeal creatures, and creatures immune to extra damage from critical hits are not vulnerable to this additional damage. You must be able to see the target well enough to pick a vital spot. If it has any form of cover or concealment you cannot use this ability against it.


This got me thinking, there has to be a more optimized version, such as extending the range of a rogue's ranged sneak attack. I'd say, the main goal is for the sniper to be able to apply as much ranged damage as possible (Without relying on spells) at a range of at LEAST 60 ft. I know there is probably a feat somewhere that allows the sniper to make a hide check after attacking with less of a penalty, but I don't know if there is one that can increase the ranged sneak attack range.

[RatElemental]

Pathfinder has a magic item that lets rogue sneak attacks work at any range called horizon goggles, I'm not sure if they're a port of a 3.5 item or not. As far as making hide checks after sniping, the -20 hide penalty can be mitigated by just sniping from far enough away, since the target's spot check will be penalized based on distance.

[AvatarVecna]

Let's ignore for a moment how that particular Scout ACF is basically a 100% downgrade to normal skirmish. Normal skirmish is "+5 AC, and +5d6 damage on any attack made this round if you move at least 10 ft", while this is "+5d6 on a single attack as a full round action, and you can't move even a 5ft step". Like, heck, one of these things isn't even compatible with the sniping function of the Hide skill, because that's also a full round action (emerging from hiding to take a shot then moving back into hiding).

Persistent "Sniper's Shot" (SC pg 194) lets you spend a swift action in order to remove the Sneak Attack maximum range for 1 round. A continuous magic item giving this spell effect would cost 8000 gp. Pathfinder has the Sniper Goggles (20k) which allow you to make SAs at any range, as well as giving a significant damage bonus on SAs made within the normal 30 ft rang (+2 per die). If you spring for the greater version, the +2 per die applies to SA at any range. Sneak Attack also has some ways of improving it that are fairly useful - Craven feat is the obvious method, adding your level to the damage, but also if you wanna spend a fortune on it (or a friend's good will), you can get a persisted or continuous item of "Hunter's Eye" at a high CL. This gives you 1d6 of SA per 3 CLs of the spell, and it explicitly stacks with any SA you already have. It's only a spell for Rangers, and it's personal range, but there's no CL cap, so if you can cast it yourself while having decent SA, or get an item at good CL made of it for your Rogue, you're gonna have an amazing time.

[Kadhel]

I don't know after reading this :


This got me thinking, there has to be a more optimized version, such as extending the range of a rogue's ranged sneak attack. I'd say, the main goal is for the sniper to be able to apply as much ranged damage as possible (Without relying on spells) at a range of at LEAST 60 ft. I know there is probably a feat somewhere that allows the sniper to make a hide check after attacking with less of a penalty, but I don't know if there is one that can increase the ranged sneak attack range.

If the topic is about optimizing your Scout to be a sniper, or your scout variant "sniper", or to build a good sniper.

I'll then address the third point, and it's up to you if you find it useful or not.

What is a sniper ?
- It's hidden (and good at it)
- It does long shot
- It does lot of damage in one attack

So here are some suggestion that come to my mind at this late hour :
- Mystic Ranger Variant (DR#336 p.105) could be a good opportunity for a dip (in order to gain specific ranger spell for improving your damages or touch more efficiently. There are a lot, for exemple Hunter's Mercy)
- Targetteer fighter variant (DR#310 p.38) fit also thematically with a sniper. Targetteer can trade some bonus feats of fighter to gain specific abilites, for example one called "sniper" that enable to trade attacks from a full attack in order to increase critical chances with one ranged attack.
- For great range, the Cragtop Archer from Race of Stones come to my mind. A dip in it for 3 level gives you arcing shot (range increment is now 15 instead of 10) and Farsight (reduce range increment penalty to attack).
- If 3.0 content is allowed, you can alse check Deepwood Sniper from Master of The Wild. An errata to adapt the class for the 3.5 can be find on internet, if I remember correctly.
- Again, for 3.0 content, Peerless Archer. It benefit from Power Shot (power attack with bow). There is also the Energy Bow of Wotc website, or a pathfinder feat that enable power attack from distance (Deadly shot if i remember correctly). Trade accuracy for damage, good deal if you're doing only one shot anyway.
- The feat Woodland Archer gives some nice options for hidding and sniping tactics.
- The feat Able Sniper is good for hidding and sniping tactics.
- The feat Far Shot is fantastic for range. (The magic item Helm of the Hunter from Magic Item Compendium also give this feat, if wanted)
- If you want a little addition, you can go the Weapon Focus + Weapon Specialization + Ranged Weapon Mastery for some more bonus atq, dmg and range.
- The feat Concealed Ambush enable you to take -10 penalty instead of -20 in order to hide after a shot.
- Magic property "Distance" for weapon, because, YEP RANGE AGAIN.
- You want to go with Composite Bow or Composite GreatBow (exotic) or Dragonbone bow (Dragoncraft item). Because range, and high str modifier mean more flat dmg.
- Splitting property (+3) from Champion of Ruins could be nice also, when you can afford the money.
- Force Property (+2) enable to ignore majority of DR and to hit ethereal opponent. It's a matter of choice.
- Seeking Property (+1) to ignore concealment and some other things. Really nice.
- Bracers of Archery (lesser and greater) can be a little cherry on the cake in order to get more bonus to attack roll with your favorite bow.


There aren't many ways to get good precision dmg from 60ft away or more, so making damage as a snipe tend to repose on flat dmg and critical, and fi possible power shot, in order to do ridiculous damage with one deadly shot. As a sniper do :)

Hope those things help.

[Gruftzwerg]

What is a sniper ?
- It's hidden (and good at it)
- It does long shot
- It does lot of damage in one attack



If that's the criteria , than why not go something like (Hellfire) Warlock/Arcane Trickster? 250ft with no range penalty (due to the range) and ranged touch attacks. Further adds other nice tools to a snipers repertoire: fly, invisibility, HIPS with Nightmares Made Real, essences for save rolls..

back @topic:

increase the ranged sneak attack range

as far as I know there are 2 options:
a) Crossbow Sniper feat (PHB II) doubles sneak attack/skirmish range to 60ft and gives your 1/2 Dex bonus on dmg.
b) Assassin Spell(4th): Sniper's Eye doubles your sneak/death attack range with any weapon, but only buffs the square where you cast it and not you.

[Kadhel]

a) Crossbow Sniper feat (PHB II) doubles sneak attack/skirmish range to 60ft and gives your 1/2 Dex bonus on dmg.


It is a real nice one ! In pair with some of the feats I gave, you can :
- Apply as much ranged damage as possible (Without relying on spells) at a range of at LEAST 60 ft. (Sneak attack or Skirmish damages)
- Extending the range of a rogue's ranged sneak attack / Skirmish
- Make a hide check after attacking with less of a penalty

So in fact, responding to the given criteria without spell or weird multi-classing ! :)

PS : Thank you Gruftzwerg for the Crossbow Sniper. A really nice thing to know :p

[Maat Mons]

You could always do one of those Monk builds that gets 12d8 damage on unarmed strikes. Then take a level of Drunken Master, which causes any improvised weapons you use to deal the same damage as your unarmed strike. Throw a rock (or really anything) at someone for 12d8 damage.

The major downside is that improvised weapons have a range increment of 10 feet, and thrown weapons can only be thrown out to 5 range increments. So you'll have to bump that up somehow.

[Seerow]

You could always do one of those Monk builds that gets 12d8 damage on unarmed strikes. Then take a level of Drunken Master, which causes any improvised weapons you use to deal the same damage as your unarmed strike. Throw a rock (or really anything) at someone for 12d8 damage.

The major downside is that improvised weapons have a range increment of 10 feet, and thrown weapons can only be thrown out to 5 range increments. So you'll have to bump that up somehow.

If you can afford 4 fighter levels (or some other class that counts as it), Ranged Weapon Mastery adds 20ft to range increments of your weapons.

If Pathfinder is on the table there's a Barbarian Archetype (Hurler) that replaces Fast Movement with +10ft to thrown weapon range increment

There's also the typical Far Shot/Distance enhancement. Far Shot actually doubles for Thrown Weapons, so that gets you up to 80ft non-magically, 160ft with the enchantment.

I could have sworn there was another 20ft flat enhancement somewhere, but I am not finding it through google so it may have been a houserule thing at some point or another. If it actually does exist it can get you as far as 120 non-magically and 240 magically, throwing your barbarian damage stone at longbow ranges for the win.

[Gruftzwerg]

You could always do one of those Monk builds that gets 12d8 damage on unarmed strikes. Then take a level of Drunken Master, which causes any improvised weapons you use to deal the same damage as your unarmed strike. Throw a rock (or really anything) at someone for 12d8 damage.

The major downside is that improvised weapons have a range increment of 10 feet, and thrown weapons can only be thrown out to 5 range increments. So you'll have to bump that up somehow.

nah, that's not really effective...

+ you dip 1lvl Barb for ACF Pounce
+ dip 2lvl DM for stagger
+ add 2-4 lvls of Bloodstormbalde
+ add Shock Tropper
= build ranged ubercharger

several of my ubercharger builds (see signature) build on this. Add Whirlwind for extra cheese, since it works with Pounce. Whirlwind + 2lvl of BSB = Hit all enemies in 50ft range (with your pounce multipliers and dmg buffs/feats). you could still use improvised weapons for this build, but why cut off yourself from flurry and take a -4 penalty for no weapon proficiency?

[Blue Jay]

- Targetteer fighter variant (DR#310 p.38) fit also thematically with a sniper. Targetteer can trade some bonus feats of fighter to gain specific abilites, for example one called "sniper" that enable to trade attacks from a full attack in order to increase critical chances with one ranged attack.

Combine this one with the Telling Blow feat from PHB2, which adds your precision damage to a critical hit, regardless of range. I built a gestalt character that uses a musket, and I got a couple favorable rulings that let me sacrifice extra shots from a full attack (even though reload time prevents actual full attacks with a musket), and that let me count the Sniper Shot as a full attack. I never got to play the character, and I never went very deep into the crit-range optimization, but I bet it wouldn't be difficult to give yourself 50%+ chance of a crit, especially if you use a crossbow.

[Anthrowhale]

W.r.t. Hunter's Eye, I believe it's more appropriate to think of it as an Archivist spell. They get access to Hunter's Eye earlier, at a higher caster level, and can eventually straight-up persist it unlike Ranger.