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View Full Version : NPC Sniper Build (3.5), Critiques appreciated



Hurlbut
2008-09-10, 12:52 AM
What I'm trying to present in an opponent is a sniper with great crossbow. I used several sources. This build is to provide a challenge to a party out in wilderness. The high ref save, evasion, and a high hide check should lessen the impact of AoE spells any caster may fling out. The tactic of this sniper is to attack the weaker members, pace out his shots after all he have to do a full round between shots just to reload it or harras them, slowing wearing them down with accurate shots over time. The goal was to present a party a credible threat where rangers and other scoutlike characters get to shine by tracking down the harrasing sniper and to encourage them to think out their course of action. Here is the build. References are listed below it.


Crossbow Sniper: Human Scout 12

HP 69 HP (12d8+12; Init +7; Speed 30 ft./6 squares
AC 22, touch 15, flat-footed 17

Str 8 Dex 20 Con 12 Int 14 Wis 13 Cha 10

Base Atk +9/+4; Grapple +8:
1 Atk +8/+3 1d6+0 (+1 shortsword)
1 Ranged Atk +15/+10 2d8+4 (18-20 x2) (+2 great crossbow, 180 ft increment)
SQ: 3d6 Sniper, Evasion, Uncanny Dodge, Camouflage, Flawless Stride, Blindsense 30 feet, Trackless Step, Battle Fortitude +2, Trapfinding

SV Fort +7, Ref +13, Will +5;

Skills Check Climb +14, Hide +30(+32), Jump +14, Knowledge (geography) +17, Knowledge (nature) +17 (+19), Listen +16, Move Silently +27, Spot +16, Survival +16(+18 or +20), Swim +14
Synergy (Shown in brackets in Skill checks above): Knowledge (geography) gives +2 bonus on Survival to avoid natural hazards or getting lost, Knowledge (nature) gives +2 bonus on Survival checks made in aboveground natural environments, Survival gives +2 bonus on Knowledge (nature) checks.

Feats
-Human Bonus; EWP: Great crossbow
-Weapon Focus: Great crossbow
-Crossbow Sniper
-Class Bonus; Point blank shot
-Far Shot
-Class Bonus; Skill Focus (Hide)
-Stealthy
-Class Bonus: Track
-Able Sniper

Gear 29,500 gp
+2 Darkwood great crossbow, 7 pounds, 8,590 gp
w/ Gnome Crossbow Sight, 1 pound, 150 gp
+2 Mithral shirt, 10 pounds, 5,100 gp
+1 shortsword, 2 pounds, 4,310 gp
Boots of elvenkind, 1 pound, 2,500 gp
Cloak of elvenkind, 1 pound, 2,500 gp
Gloves of Dexterity +2, 4,000 gp
Ring of protection +1, 2,000 gp
Camouflage Kit (+2 circumstance bonus on Hide checks, 10 uses), 5 pounds, 40 gp
300 gp

Basic gear
Backpack 2 pounds
Bronze cook pot 10 pounds
Canvas bag 1 pounds
Leather water bottle 4 pounds
Netting 1 pound
Rations (3 days) 3 pounds
Shaving razor and soap 1 pound
Spare change of clothes 3 pounds
Sponge
Woolen cloak 3 pounds
Complete Adventurer: Scout, Camouflage kit
Dragon #346: Scout variant feature Sniper
Arms and Equipment Guide: Gnome Crossbow Sight
Races of the Wild: Able Sniper
Races of the Stone: Great crossbow
Player Handbook 2: Crossbow Sniper

If it could be improve upon or modified somehow base on your critiques, I thank you in advance. I'm contemplating rolling up a set of attributes using same roll method that my players have used in my games if a situation arise where a sniper NPC could concievably appear.

Dode
2008-09-10, 01:24 AM
You need the Distance (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/magicWeapons.htm#distance) enchantment on your crossbow (doubles your sniping range), ditch Stealthy and get the Rapid Reload (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/feats.htm#rapidReload) feat (means you can attack every round and also ditch the Boots of Elvenkind and grab Skirmisher Boots (Magic Item Compendium, enhances Scout's Skirmish ability).

That being said, I'm not sure Scouts make good snipers seeing as their skirmish ability (and thus sniping potency) putzes out past 30 feet. If you want a sniper with range I suggest a Warlock with Eldritch Spear.

Ascension
2008-09-10, 01:34 AM
The prestige class Highland Archer, Highland Sniper, Highland something or another like that from Races of Stone gets some crazy, crazy range bonuses if you're on high ground. Your actual damage output per round won't matter, since it'll take anything more rounds to get to you than it will take for you to kill it. Perfect sniper.

Hurlbut
2008-09-10, 02:09 AM
You need the Distance (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/magicWeapons.htm#distance) enchantment on your crossbow (doubles your sniping range), ditch Stealthy and get the Rapid Reload (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/feats.htm#rapidReload) feat (means you can attack every round and also ditch the Boots of Elvenkind and grab Skirmisher Boots (Magic Item Compendium, enhances Scout's Skirmish ability).

That being said, I'm not sure Scouts make good snipers seeing as their skirmish ability (and thus sniping potency) putzes out past 30 feet. If you want a sniper with range I suggest a Warlock with Eldritch Spear.Um if you notice the References, I used the Scout varaint feature called "sniper", that replace the skirmish feature, which grant you bonus damage dices when you take a full round to make an attack on a target more than 60 feet away. That's why I did not take rapid reload which still take a move action therefore nulfulling the normal skirmish feature.

Distance seems a nice option. Lose +1 to attack and damage for doubling range increment which translate to 360 feet increment...wow that's a great suggestation can't believe I didn't reconsider looking over weapon special properties. Especially when you use it with the gnome crossbow sight that allow you to treat target as up to 2 range increments closer (not counting the first range increments that target is in).

Hurlbut
2008-09-10, 02:24 AM
The prestige class Highland Archer, Highland Sniper, Highland something or another like that from Races of Stone gets some crazy, crazy range bonuses if you're on high ground. Your actual damage output per round won't matter, since it'll take anything more rounds to get to you than it will take for you to kill it. Perfect sniper.You mean Cragtop Archer which mostly give you bonuses for having a position that's higher/overlook the target(s) and require you to take Mountain Warrior feat?

Epinephrine
2008-09-10, 07:45 AM
Goggles of Foefinding
2,500gp value, ignores cover bonuses excepting full cover. Page 108, MIC

Potion of Raptor Sight (Druid 1/Ranger 1, page 174 RotW)
50gp value for 1st level potion,
+5 competence bonus to Spot checks; if you have 5 ranks or more in Spot you only suffer -1 penalty per range increment (instead of -2).
Lasts 1 hour per level. Ridiculously cheap, long-lasting, and perfect for finding your foe and dealing with them from a range.

Goggles prevent silly trees etc. getting in the way, the potion is cheap and useful for long range sniping; at 1 hour/level duration and halving the range penalty you can hit well from very farr off - 361'-720' feet is only -1, 721'-1080' is -2, ... you can hit from up to 3600' at a mere -9 to hit.

I'd consider Woodland Archer instead of Able Sniper, if he can fire every round. It has a moving sniper option, and also allows you to ignore the miss chance due to concealment if you hit through concealment the previous round.

Hinder would be really annoying, as would the use of poisons.

A Forestwarden Shroud is a cheap flavour item that he might be packing - 100gp value, 2 pouinds, worn over armour, negates any penalties to Tumble and Move silently that would be caused by underbrush or heavy underbrush (RotW).

A Survival Pouch (RotW, or MIC, p.187) is pretty cheap as magic items go (3,300gp, not bad for an item useable 5 times a day), and is perfect for someone who wants to travel lightly but have gear with them. Doesn't make him any tougher, but adds to the sense that he can survive anywhere, since he's got a pack of stuff with him at all times.

A Thornpouch (MIC, p.188) is a great little magic item for its price, allowing a getaway when needed. At 4,400gp it'd dent his treaure, but honestly it's pretty darn useful - probably better than the second point of AC on the armour, since it can prevent his enemies getting to him in the first place. Has 5 charges per day, renewed at dawn. Depending on how many charges are used, produces a different effect when you drop a thorn.
1 charge: Entangle
3 charges: Spike Growth
5 charges: Wall of Thorns
You drop it in your own square or an adjacent square, one round later it takes effect. Great way for a sniper to get away from people trying to hunt him down, and re-useable. As a 9th level caster item the Entangle is 9 minutes (plenty of time to get away), the Wall of Thorns lasts 90 minutes, and the Spike Growth lasts 9 hours! (that's one you can lay on the party's expected travel, and ambush them while they limp around, or put at the base of a tree that you snipe from, then retreat through the branches).

Ehlonna's Seed Pouch (MIC, p.158) is another option for self-sufficiency; at 1,400gp it's not a bad item, producing 3 goodberries a day. Since goodberries can heal, it's like a mini heal that's available on a daily basis to speed up recovery times, a berry can be used to stabilise oneself or heal the effects of something like Spike Growth, or it can serve as a really efficient form of food, since a berry replaces a whole meal - you can track a target all day long without carrying food with you, nor needing to stop to hunt - just pop a berry in your mouth. Not gamebreaking, but again provides that flavour of a scout-type who can just keep going - never has to stop to hunt or cook, doesn't need to be weighed down with supplies.

Cheesegear
2008-09-10, 08:20 AM
You mean Cragtop Archer which mostly give you bonuses for having a position that's higher/overlook the target(s) and require you to take Mountain Warrior feat?

With a bit of creative rules bending, 'In a tree' counts as higher ground. On city rooftops, etc. Granted, the Mountain Warrior feat itself only works for melee and is therefore totally useless to a sniper...

Still, sitting in a tree or on a roof or in a window, or perhaps on battlements shooting downwards, makes for a perfect city-sniper.

Epinephrine
2008-09-10, 08:28 AM
If you are looking for a damage boost for being on higher ground, Plunging Shot (RotW) fills that role, with only Dex 13 and PBS as prerequisites.

Ascension
2008-09-10, 08:46 AM
With a bit of creative rules bending, 'In a tree' counts as higher ground. On city rooftops, etc. Granted, the Mountain Warrior feat itself only works for melee and is therefore totally useless to a sniper...

Still, sitting in a tree or on a roof or in a window, or perhaps on battlements shooting downwards, makes for a perfect city-sniper.

What he said. A whole lot of prestige classes make you throw away a feat, this one is no different. It's definitely the way to get longer range than anything else, though.

Magnor Criol
2008-09-10, 08:47 AM
Goggles of Foefinding... you can hit from up to 3600' at a mere -9 to hit.

That's a disturbing thought.

Actually, I think Dode's Rapid Reload suggestion still has merit. You'll be firing at a distance most of the time, yes, but eventually the PCs are going to catch up to the guy - hopefully, at least - and this will give him another ace up his sleeve, making him less a one-trick pony and more useful in more direct combat.

Eppy's suggestion of Ehlonna's Seed Pouch is great, I think; if fits quite well thematically - if I were a sniper and you knew I were setting off on a mission to harass a group of adventurers for a potentially long time, a ready source of food would be one of the first things I'd assure myself of - and it'd make for a nice little present for the PCs when they down the guy.

Hurlbut
2008-09-10, 12:48 PM
Stuff
Thanks for the suggestations on items. Perhap I can give him wealth comperable to a 12th level PC since he is being used alone. That'll allow a shortbow or light crossbow (w/ rapid reload) for closer in work and some poisons.
With the great crossbow which he is making his sniper shots on, he can only attack every other round if he want to make use of Sniper damage with Rapid Reload or without.

"Goggles... you can hit from up to 3600' at a mere -9 to hit."
Would that be -7 if you account for the gnome Crossbow Sight?

Magnor Criol: like I mention, rapid load with a great crossbow still require a move action to reload, limiting his options somewhat. Althought a light crossbow or a shortbow/longbow (no feat required for loading arrows faster) would work?

Cheesegear & Ascension: My only issue with Cragtop Archer, whenever reflavored or such, is that it would require a "perch" position which could limit him to certain terrains.

Although that might be a helpful limit on the NPC, letting a party have a better chance of ascertaining his position.

Epinephrine
2008-09-10, 01:06 PM
"Goggles... you can hit from up to 3600' at a mere -9 to hit."
Would that be -7 if you account for the gnome Crossbow Sight?

Yes - though the range increment penalty going to -1 is not due to the goggles, the potion (at 50gp, 1 hour duration) is responsible for that.

Wow, that Crossbow Sight with a Raptor Sight potion is scary with a Distance great crossbow, no penalty for up to 1080 feet, and only -1 per 360 feet after that. 2000 feet is a mere -3 to hit.

Good luck, I hope the characters do well hunting down their foe!

Lochar
2008-09-10, 01:13 PM
Hell, at 2000 feet, I hope your sniper can spot them to shoot at them.

Triaxx
2008-09-10, 01:43 PM
Unless you consider giving him one of those classes that lets you use a whip as rope, then he can pursue them from the treetops, and is only lacking damage at range. And I know of nothing short of an ICBMM that can hit back at 3600'. So even on open plains, if he's got some speed boosts, he can run away.

Human Paragon 3
2008-09-10, 02:13 PM
Some notes on cragtop archer:

1) The Mountain Warrior feat wouldn't be wasted. It gives you a +1 to hit with ranged weapons if you have higher ground.

2) The only high ground benefit cragtop archer PrC gives you is +2 to damage from higher ground. Most of the other abilities increase your range increminent and let you shoot farther. I would suggest skipping the 5th level though which gives you a weird damage resistance power that doesn't fit with your idea.

Hurlbut
2008-09-11, 01:44 PM
Yes - though the range increment penalty going to -1 is not due to the goggles, the potion (at 50gp, 1 hour duration) is responsible for that.

Wow, that Crossbow Sight with a Raptor Sight potion is scary with a Distance great crossbow, no penalty for up to 1080 feet, and only -1 per 360 feet after that. 2000 feet is a mere -3 to hit.

Good luck, I hope the characters do well hunting down their foe!Actually the crossbow sight only let you count the target up to 2 range increments closer except when it's in within first 2 range increments, so that still give you a -1 if he's within the second range increment. Oddily enough if he's in the third range increment, you get zero penalty for range.
edited (durr no penalty for first range increment, I realize that just now)

Hurlbut
2008-09-11, 01:51 PM
Hell, at 2000 feet, I hope your sniper can spot them to shoot at them.Perhap he's using spyglass?