D&D 3.0 - Sneak Attack

[Guest WhammeWhamme]

My gaming group is currently doing a 'Thieves Guild' style D&D 3.0 game (3rd level)... hey... put away the pitchforks and torches fellas!

 

Anyway. I got an urge to convert my PC (pure class Rogue, focused on using Feint to Sneak Attack more often, and in doing social skill stuff. Oh, and in fighting with a Rapier in a really cool way) to HERO.

 

So I was wondering. How would you do Sneak Attack in HERO?

(Extra damage, only when they don't get DEX bonus to AC, only versus living targets; in his case, it triples his normal rapier damage)

 

It applies to both ranged and melee weapons, but it's much easier to use with melee (ranged requires you to either be imperceptible or to have ambushed them and just become visible, melee jsut requires either of those OR having someone helping you, OR [specialty] feinting).

 

(I provide all this info so HERO gurus who've never played D&D [or are used to a different edition] can still help. )

[CourtFool]

D&D 5u><or5!!11!

 

This has been discussed at some length.

 

• Deadly Blow
  
• Another Deadly Blow
  
• Alternative to Deadly Blow
  

There seem to be a few schools of thought on this subject:

 

1. Deadly Blow was obviously created to function nearly exactly like Sneak Attack. It does go against the grain of most Hero constructs, however, it is in Fantasy Hero and therefore given somewhat of an official blessing. Many argue that it causes balance issues especially at higher levels.
   
2. Combat Skill Levels can be used to add damage. If taken at the 5 pt level Limitations (such as Only Against A Target With Vitals and/or Only Against A Flanked Target) could be added. I have not seen this discuss quite as much so I could not say what sort of balance issues this could have.
   
3. Penalty Skill Levels against Hit Locations is my personal favorite. Again, there can be balance issues especially if you get someone who can call the head every time without worrying about penalties. Keeping the max levels to 4 seems to appease most alarmists. Head shots can be called against a stunned opponent, but a ready opponent still proves a little difficult.
   

Sneak Attack, if I remember correctly, says it is the ability to strike the vitals when a target is unaware or unready for the strike. This just screams Penalty Skill Levels to me. Even if the target is aware and ready, you could still go for the vitals, there is just less chance of scoring a hit. It automatically does not work againts targets with No Vitals without having to add any Limitations to it.

 

Sorry for the bias. Hope this offers some insight.

[Curufea]

Re: D&D 3.0 - Sneak Attack

 

Surely the Find Weakness power is the most relevant type of sneak attack?

[Rick]

Re: D&D 3.0 - Sneak Attack

 

Not really. It works but it's no better than Deadly Strike. Besides, you can limit DS to circumstance a little more readily, and hero has a built in sneak attack, x2 damage whenever suprised.