Author Topic: Sneak Attack on a Cleric (no multiclass)  (Read 900 times)

Offline DnDStuff024

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Sneak Attack on a Cleric (no multiclass)
« on: February 20, 2023, 12:53:28 PM »
Title is about the sum of it - wondering if I can find a way to get sneak attack (*or sudden strike) on a cleric without multi-classing.
Intention is to find a way to get sneak attack via a 1st-level dip into cleric that I might set up a Cleric/Sorc/Spellwarp Sniper/Mystic Theurge (or other dual-progression PrC) build, without having to waste a level going into some pseudo-martial class that grants it. I only need the 1d6 baseline for Spellwarp Sniper, so I figured I'd see if there was a way to work it.
Any domains or quirky substitutions which might get me there?
If not with cleric, perhaps with some other Divine class that'd be a worthwhile combo in smaller doses (only ever get to CL 10 by lvl 20 in the divine casting class)?
« Last Edit: February 20, 2023, 12:57:22 PM by DnDStuff024 »

Offline Skyrock

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Re: Sneak Attack on a Cleric (no multiclass)
« Reply #1 on: February 20, 2023, 12:59:22 PM »
There are not many useable ways outside of rogue-like dips.

Craven, which increases precision damage, requires you to have SA in the first place.

Assassin's Stance (Shadow Hand 3) allows you to gain SA without class levels, and you could get there through a Cleric dip with the War Domain if you already have Weapon Focus, Martial Study and a high enough initiator level, but... That's awkward and probably not worth the effort.

Offline Power

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Re: Sneak Attack on a Cleric (no multiclass)
« Reply #2 on: February 21, 2023, 09:17:52 AM »
I'm inclined to recommend Assassin's Stance as well. That path also opens you up to the Shadow Trickster feat, which should be quite handy, and you can get it with a Shadow Hands (novice) gloves item (3k gp). (Shadow Hands is the name of the Shadow Hand discipline variant of the Crown of White Ravens.) You'll still need a Martial Adept feat, but that should be no trouble.
« Last Edit: February 21, 2023, 01:29:26 PM by Power »

Offline DnDStuff024

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Re: Sneak Attack on a Cleric (no multiclass)
« Reply #3 on: February 21, 2023, 10:06:52 AM »
There are not many useable ways outside of rogue-like dips.

Craven, which increases precision damage, requires you to have SA in the first place.

Assassin's Stance (Shadow Hand 3) allows you to gain SA without class levels, and you could get there through a Cleric dip with the War Domain if you already have Weapon Focus, Martial Study and a high enough initiator level, but... That's awkward and probably not worth the effort.

Yeah, neither of those avenues really helps me. As you noted, Craven requires you to have SA first, and Assassin's stance would be both feat intensive and not feasible in this game due to Tome of Battle being off the table (something I should have noted in my OP).

Offline DnDStuff024

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Re: Sneak Attack on a Cleric (no multiclass)
« Reply #4 on: February 21, 2023, 10:09:11 AM »
I'm inclined to recommend Assassin's Stance as well. ... You'll still need a Martial Adept feat, but that should be no trouble.

As noted to the previous poster, my DM has disallowed Tome of Battle, so that's off the table.

But thank you both for the kind suggestions!

I've searched around quite a bit, and - somewhat surprisingly - there doesn't seem to be a whole lot of means to access SA without dipping a rogue-like level. Which is a bummer, as I'd hoped there might be a feat or domain angle or something to help me along.

Offline Skyrock

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Re: Sneak Attack on a Cleric (no multiclass)
« Reply #5 on: February 21, 2023, 10:17:03 AM »
There are also a few playable monster with SA like the Splinterwaif, but they come all with monstrous HD and/or LA. Could be an alternative with LA buy-off, but more likely not.

Offline Nanshork

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Re: Sneak Attack on a Cleric (no multiclass)
« Reply #6 on: February 21, 2023, 12:20:32 PM »
Here's the list of stuff entry for sneak attack.

There are a lot of class dip options but WotC did not grant any easy way to access it outside of ToB (where you can just get it with feats).

Offline Power

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Re: Sneak Attack on a Cleric (no multiclass)
« Reply #7 on: February 21, 2023, 03:52:00 PM »
Odds are you will have to use a race with LA if GM permits LA buyoff. Other than that, there is the Critical Strike spell but it does not technically grant Sneak Attack. You could try equipping a Rogue's Vest with UMD, but strictly speaking it only gives +1d6 damage when making sneak attacks (ie. it does not grant the ability to make sneak attacks itself), so you will have to run that by your GM as well.

A shame ToB is banned though.
« Last Edit: February 21, 2023, 04:50:48 PM by Power »

Offline ketaro

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Re: Sneak Attack on a Cleric (no multiclass)
« Reply #8 on: February 22, 2023, 04:40:46 AM »
Since this is in the "Dnd 3.5 and Pathfinder" section I gotta ask;

Is Pathfinder on the table?

Because Pathfinder has several of ways to do this without feats or dipping non-casting classes, iirc.


Edit: Alternatively I've found you can do it with a custom magic item of the spell Hunter's Eye (Player's Handbook 2) which allegedly would cost 64,000 gp to have a continuous effect of it (having a 1 round duration makes the item cost a lot more even though its only a 2nd level spell).
The spell effect is granting the actual Sneak Attack ability, 1d6 per 3 caster levels, and it stacks with other sources of Sneak Attack.
« Last Edit: February 22, 2023, 04:55:29 AM by ketaro »