[3.X] Sneak Attack v. Prone?

[goken04]

Any way I can get sneak attack versus a prone character? Been trying to figure this out and I can't find anything. Feats or magic items? Weapon special abilities? This seems like a natural thing, but I can't find it anywhere!

This is for a NPC I am making. I am the DM, so I'll allow pretty much any source book.

[Lycanthromancer]

Any way I can get sneak attack versus a prone character? Been trying to figure this out and I can't find anything. Feats or magic items? Weapon special abilities? This seems like a natural thing, but I can't find it anywhere!

The prone condition grants a -4 to attack with melee weapons, a -4 to AC vs melee attacks (and a +4 to AC vs ranged attacks), prevents you from moving more than 5 ft as a move action, prevents the use of most ranged weapons (except for crossbows, and possibly guns, if available), and provokes an attack of opportunity if you stand as a move action.

You can sneak attack if you are flanking an opponent or if the opponent is denied Dex to AC.

These don't intersect, and thus, you cannot sneak attack a prone target unless other conditions apply.

[Human Paragon 3]

As far as I know, nothing released by wotc automatically gives you sneak attack vs. prone creatures. However, any normal technique, such as feinting, that would deny them their dex bonus to AC would do it.

[Studoku]

I am the DM

It makes sense from an in game perspective, you could houserule in that prone characters are eligable sneak attack targets.

[goken04]

It makes sense from an in game perspective, you could houserule in that prone characters are eligable sneak attack targets.

Or a feat to do it, as well. I was just hoping it was out there somewhere. It makes so much sense!

I'm kinda at my own personal limit for bending the rules with this guy. Gave him a free feat, customized a PrC. He has a ton of tricks and he'll be an interesting fight, even without it. But as a Tripper with Reach AND Sneak Attack, it'd be a nice little bennie to the Improved Trip follow-up attack. :D

[Starbuck_II]

Or a feat to do it, as well. I was just hoping it was out there somewhere. It makes so much sense!

You can do it in 4th edition for this reason.

But in 3rd, unless you lost dex or flanked: 3rd edition doesn't care.

[deuxhero]

Or a feat to do it, as well. I was just hoping it was out there somewhere. It makes so much sense!

You have to spend 1/7th or so of your life training to hit the vitals of a guy when they are down (when you can alreddy hit their vitals)? Even for a specially designed NPC, I'm not big on that.

I'd say Skill trick at worst, but preferably just allow it as a sneak attack condition.

[Grumman]

The closest I can think of is the Epic feat, Sneak Attack of Opportunity, which would let you sneak attack them as they stand up.

Compared to Telling Blow, which lets you sneak attack on a crit, a feat that lets him sneak attack prone victims seems fair.

[deuxhero]

Pretty sure Telling blow is considered a poor feat.

Really, just tell the players sessions before you will allow prone foes to be sneak attacked as a house rule. If they didn't know that they can't, just go with it.

[goken04]

You have to spend 1/7th or so of your life training to hit the vitals of a guy when they are down (when you can alreddy hit their vitals)? Even for a specially designed NPC, I'm not big on that.

How about a feat that allows the attacker to treat his target as if he was denied his Dex bonus to AC when prone. This seems like a reasonable feat. COULD have potential even for those without sneak attack (...maybe?... Probably not.)

[Darrin]

Wouldn't grease/marbles still work? A prone character who doesn't have 5 ranks in balance would still be considered flat-footed on a slippery surface, wouldn't they?

[Sliver]

If WotC would have thought of Skill Tricks earlier, many bad feats would not exist as feats.. like Short Haft maybe?