[3.5e] Sneak Attack for Swordsage?

[Afraidofducks]

Just wanted to pose a quick question here. I'm completely obsessed with the Tome of Battle, and want to make a swordsage specializing in shadow hand and diamond mind. Those two disciplines have a ton of different ways to make attacks that would trigger sneak attack (ie. lots of flanking, flat-footed, and invisibility effects).

My question is this: aside from the obvious Assassin's Stance (3rd level Shadow Hand stance), are there any good ways to get extra sneak attack dice for this character without taking rogue levels?

Are there feats that grant sneak attack dice?

Are there good presteige classes that grant sneak attack dice at lvl 1?

[kirbsys]

If you have the pre-reqs you could take a level of Assassin, however I would recommend rogue. Why did you want to avoid rogue?

[Afraidofducks]

I guess I just like the idea of a Swordsage 20 with more than just the 2d6 sneak attack from assassin's stance, and wasn't sure if it was possible without rogue levels. Are there any feats that augment sneak attack damage?

[marjan]

Rogue's Vest from DMGII increases your SA by 1d6. Deadly Precision (MIC) weapon property increases your SA by 1d6 also.

[marjan]

I guess I just like the idea of a Swordsage 20 with more than just the 2d6 sneak attack from assassin's stance, and wasn't sure if it was possible without rogue levels. Are there any feats that augment sneak attack damage?

Craven from Heroes of Horror adds 1 dmg per level to your SA.

[Cuddly]

Three levels of swashbuckler & the daring outlaw feat get you 2d6 damage as well as intelligence to damage. Not that helpful, though. Sorry.

[AslanCross]

Strangely enough, a sizable chunk of the Sneak Attack-related feats involve sacrificing Sneak Attack dice in order to get an added effect, many of which aren't really worth it, IMO.

The only real suggestion I can give is to set up a lot of situations where you can sneak. Thankfully, Swordsage is adequately-equipped to do this.

[marjan]

Strangely enough, a sizable chunk of the Sneak Attack-related feats involve sacrificing Sneak Attack dice in order to get an added effect, many of which aren't really worth it, IMO.


Throat Punch would be the best of those SA sacrificing feats - 50% spell failure for 2d6 SA is not a bad trade of (though you must unarmed swordsage to pull this one of).

Staggering Strike is also nice. While it doesn't increase SA, it doesn't sacrifice anything and can possibly prevent your enemy from full-attacking.

[Afraidofducks]

Thanks everyone, I appreciate it. I was thinking I could make him a two weapon fighter, and thus gain 2d6 sneak attack from assassin's stance *twice* every round. Does this work? It seems to me that sneak attack should kick in every time you swing a weapon, but I can't find a ruling on this in PHB.

[marjan]

Thanks everyone, I appreciate it. I was thinking I could make him a two weapon fighter, and thus gain 2d6 sneak attack from assassin's stance *twice* every round. Does this work? It seems to me that sneak attack should kick in every time you swing a weapon, but I can't find a ruling on this in PHB.

You can do it each time you hit. Here's relevant quote from rogue's SA:


Sneak Attack

If a rogue can catch an opponent when he is unable to defend himself effectively from her attack, she can strike a vital spot for extra damage.

The rogue’s attack deals extra damage any time her target would be denied a Dexterity bonus to AC (whether the target actually has a Dexterity bonus or not), or when the rogue flanks her target. This extra damage is 1d6 at 1st level, and it increases by 1d6 every two rogue levels thereafter. Should the rogue score a critical hit with a sneak attack, this extra damage is not multiplied.

[Stycotl]

Transcendent Guerilla (Swordsage/Rogue) (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=83913)

this post inspired me to make a new feat, another complete-scoundrel-style creation.