Methods of Ignoring Concealment for Melee Sneak Attacks

[Iainuki]

I'm writing a melee handbook and want to devote one (small) section to defeating one of the banes of sneak attack, concealment, so I'm looking for a relatively-comprehensive list of abilities that let you ignore concealment.  Weirdly, no such list seems to exist.  There are lists of ways to get concealment, but not to ignore it.  Since this is for melee, I only care about abilities that can affect melee attacks.  The core feat Improved Precise Shot already gives ranged characters as much concealment-ignoring as they're likely to get, albeit at a high level.  If people want to help me with other ranged abilities, I can do that and throw up the list somewhere as a reference, but I'm not going looking myself.  Obviously, anything that gives blindsight solves this problem, but blindsight is hard to get, especially for noncasters, and sometimes comes with other limitations.  Here's what I've found so far: note that most of these abilities only say you can ignore the miss chance from concealment, not concealment itself, and a pedantic DM might say that the target is still technically concealed for the purposes of sneak attack immunity even though you have no miss chance against it, and so I'm especially interested in more ways to actually ignore concealment.

• Pierce Magical Concealment (CAr 81-82)
• illusion bane (MIC 36-37, DMG2 259-260)
• crystal mask of visual insight (MIC 92): this is the only thing that actually ignores concealment totally by the RAW

I'm pretty sure there are more. 

[Tonymitsu]

Rapier of Unerring Direction (MiC, pg 55).  Requires worship of Farlanghn and either the True Believer feat or giving up a 5th level spell slot.

Lesser Revalation Crystal (pg 66) turns off invisibility for one round if you sucessfully damage them.  Greater version turns off concealment effects as long as they are not generated by the environment (like fog or darkness)... I see so many headaches sprining up from that one.

Bracers of Accuracy (pg 80) is also interesting.  For all three charges it says, verbatim, you ignore all concealment (as previous entries) for all your attacks for one round.  Previous entries go on to say that fewer charges cause you to ignore the miss chance from varying levels of concealment.  A truly, maliciously, pedantic DM would use this as precedent that just being able to ignore the miss chance from concealment still does not actually negate that concealment and allow you to make sneak attacks.

[Maat Mons]

A Hathran mask of true seeing (Unapproachable East, p57) negates many effects that provide concealment. 

An eye of the beholder (Dragon 340, p69) allows you to ignore the effects of concealment for one minute three times per day, but it's a standard action to activate. 

[Gazzien]

I was about to say Seeking, but that's for ranged, again.

Er... put it on daggers? That's all I've got...

[kitep]

Have your buddy take Improved Precise Shot and Fling Ally?   

Rapier of Unerring Direction (MIC-55)
Revelation Crystal (MIC-66) - this is a bit tricky, since first the concealed creature needs to be hit, and it then cancels the concealment for 1 round
Bracers of Accuracy (MIC-79) - ignore miss chance, but not from TOTAL concealment
Crystal Mask of Visual Insight (MIC-92) - ignore concealment, but not from invisibility

Pierce Magical Concealment (CArc-81) - feat, disregard miss chance that's a result of a spell or SLA, such as Blur or Invisibility.  Doesn't help vs non-magical concealment.  Doesn't mention SU concealment, but I assume not.

Faerie Fire (PHB-229) - outlined creatures do not benefit from concealment from darkness, though concealment from 2nd-level or higher spells still apply
See Invisibility (PHB-275) - see invisible & ethereal targets, doesn't help with other concealment
True Seeing (PHB-296) - will allow you to see through some concealment such as blur or invisibility; won't help some other kinds of concealment (though a RAW arguement would say it doesn't even help vs blur & invisibility)
True Strike (PHB-296) - not affected by miss chance

Corpse Candle (CArc, SpC) - incorporeal & invis creatures no longer benefit from concealment
Fire Eyes (Masters of the Wild, a 3.0 book) - ignore concealment from normal smoke, fire, and fog.  Does not help vs magical versions.
Heartfire (SpC) - outlined creatures do not benefit from concealment, although 3rd level spells still provide it
Illusion Purge (Races of Eberron) - negate illusions of 7th level or lower.
Mark of the Hunter (CDiv, SpC) - only vs a favored enemy
Shroud of Flame (SpC) - negates any concealment the target may have



Blindsight (DMG-290) - makes concealment irrelevant
(note that Blindsense (DMG-291) doesn't help

Scent (DMG-298) - maybe?  There's a line near the end of DMG-295, talking about invisiblity, that says

A creature with the scent ability (page 298) can detect an invisible
creature as it would a visible one.

but actually looking at the scent ability, it merely says it can "pinpoint" the creature and doesn't mention negating concealment.  We've played it does, but it hasn't come up a lot.

Good luck!

[kitep]

If you go with "pinpoint" = "ignore concealment", like with scent, then I guess tremorsense also works.  Here's a recent thread on how to get it

Good luck!

[Piggy Knowles]

Pinpoint sadly doesn't ignore concealment.  Mindsight, blindsense, scent, etc., let you pinpoint enemies, but they still have concealment if you can't see them.

Shadowblade from ToM has unerring strike as an ability at level 1, which lets you ignore the miss chance from concealment or total concealment.  Still runs into the issues with pedantic DMs.

(One of my favorite entries to the Iron Chef competition, Jef Costello, used this alongside Flyby Attack, the shoulders bind from Phase Cloak, the ninja's level 8 ghost strike ability, Mindsight, a reach weapon, and Maiming Strike.  The net result was the ability to fly back and forth under an enemy, ethereal from Phase Cloak, finding enemies via Mindsight and eliminating concealment from unerring strike, striking upwards through the floor with his reach weapon to sneak attack/Maiming Strike them.)

[Brassthorn]

Lurks have an augment to sneak attack called "Ignore Concealment" that lets you ... ignore concealment. Available at 5th level.

Also from Complete Psionic, the power "Moment of Insight" (swift action, 1 round duration) allows you to ignore concealment on any creature within 30 feet of you. (lurk 2, psychic warrior 2) This is the power that the above mentioned "Crystal Mask of Visual Insight" relies on.

[Gazzien]

Rapier of Unerring Direction - relic - 13HD / 7th Divine Spell relic of Fhatlanghn
+4 Ghost Touch Rapier, ignores /all/ miss chances. ("Concealment, Blink, or another source")
Complete Divine, p99.

[Iainuki]

Here's what I have so far.  Thanks for all your help.

Viable methods for melee:

• crystal mask of visual insight (MIC 92, CP 109): ignore concealment as a swift action for 1 round, unlimited uses.
  
• moment of insight (CP 93): ignore concealment as a swift action for 1 round.
  
• Pierce Magical Concealment (CAr 81-82): ignore the miss chance from magical concealment.
• illusion bane (MIC 36-37, DMG2 259-260): ignore the miss chance from illusions.
• greater revelation crystal (MIC 66): pretty vague rules, you still have to hit the target in the first place so you won't benefit until after your first attack hits, maybe you could combine it with one of the non-viable methods below that only works on one attack.
  
• Awesome Smite (CC 55): ignore all miss chances, from concealment or otherwise, during a smite; since you can nova smites, you can use this in a full attack.
• rapier of unerring direction (MIC 55, CD 99): this item has all sorts of downsides starting with the fact that it's a relic, but it does work even if it's not relevant to my guide.
  
• faerie fire: target doesn't benefit from some concealment effects.
  
• heart fire (SC 112): same deal as faerie fire.
  
• shroud of flame (SC 189): target doesn't benefit from any concealment.
  
• mark of the hunter (SC 138, CD 168): you ignore miss chances from concealment when attacking the target, must be a favored enemy.
  

Nonviable methods for melee

• shadow blade's unerring strike feature (TM 129): only works one attack and takes a swift action so you can't even nova it.
• lurk's ignore concealment augment (CP 15): also works on only one attack and takes a swift action.
• true strike: even if you can quicken it, it only affects one attack.
  

Sensory modes

There are a variety of sensory effects that let you ignore specific kinds of concealment.  The only one of these that's general is blindsight.

• Blindsight.
• True seeing: all concealment from illusions.
• See invisibility and similar effects: invisibility only.
• Various: see through magical darkness.
• Darkvision: ordinary darkness.

Ranged-only methods

• Improved Precise Shot: ignore miss chances from concealment.
• seeking: ignore miss chances from concealment.
• bracers of accuracy (MIC 79): ignore miss chances or ignore concealment one round a day.
  

[Maat Mons]

Touchsight works too.  Crystal master can give it continuously at 2nd level, which may be handy for a psychic rogue or lurk. 

[nijineko]

Touchsight works too.  Crystal master can give it continuously at 2nd level, which may be handy for a psychic rogue or lurk.

ninja'd. ^^