(Optimization) Thrown Weapons

[Equinox]

How do you pimp out a thrown weapon specialist? I'm looking for feats, skills and classes. It seems to me that, in spite of some of the very cool tricks one can do with Thrown weapons, the lack of damage output makes it not very worthwhile (unless you specialize in a combat-oriented class).

[Krensky]

Nothing particularly comes to my mind (assuming the tricks you mentioned are the ones from Practice Makes Perfect).  Which isn't entirely off either.  Generally throwing your weapon away is a loosing strategy.  The major advantage of throwing knives is that they're quiet and concealable.  Spears were always much more effective used as polearms are like asagai then thrown, and guns and 'proper' primative ranged weapons like a sling, bow, or cross bow are superior to a thrown knife or rock, and the rules replicate this.

[Crafty_Alex]

You definately have some nasty tricks for the hurled weapon specialist, but as far as effective builds go, there's a few things that could really do the job:

1) Steel Rain feat - Burst Firing shuriken or throwing knives is cool, especially when you have them poisoned (see below)

2) Science (Pharmacology) - all major thrown weapons have the INJ quality, which means you can really do a job on someone with them. Making your own low-grade poisons is a good idea as it really ups the results with a slight delay. Problem here is damage dealing, since you need to actually hurt the target to expose them to the poison (see below). The Poison Basics feat really helps if you go this route.

3) Bullseye feat and sneak attack dice feats/class abilities: I find the easiest way to make a hurled weapon guy really turn on the pain is the use of these feats. You don't get many chances to do that, but Bullseye can consistantly crank up the damage (esp for a high BAB character) and Sneak Attack damage can be devestating on almost anything. Up the damage and you up the chances even an armored foe suffers poison...if you have the fortune to play a Thug (for vicious attack) or a Soldier (for Weapon Specialist abilities) you can up damage even higher. For the sneak attacker, though, it's imperative you keep the enemy vulnerable as often as possible (see below).

4) Ninja class: It's almost here. This nasty piece of work's first 2 levels define him as the premier thrown wepaons expert - Steel Rain is a prereq. His core ability, ambusher, gives him BAB equal to his career level when attacking a flat footed opponent, and his second level ability makes sure that a flat-footed target does not lose the flat-footed condition when you attack them. Combine that with multiple shuriken attacks and sneak attack damage and you're tearing it up - FAST.

There's a few PMP tricks that may also help, but my ideal thrown weapon specialist would probably be a Sol 6/Ninja 2, with high Dex and Str, Science (Pharmacology) at max, and the Steel Rain, Bullseye, Ambush Basics, and Poison Basics feats. He'd likely use shuriken or throwing knives, and take the Weapon Specialist ability that gives +1d4 damage to each attack with your chosen weapon. High Spending Cash is almost requisite to meet the Project Investment costs when you make your own poisons, but Possessions and Lifestyle can be slammed at the minimum.

[tenebrae]

What about Hurled Mastery (PMP)? +5 damage on each attack can't be a bad thing (and can help in making those poisoned hits into poisoned wounds). Plus, if you don't want to kill someone, you can now do that too.

[famine]

Our GC used trick shot to pin an agent with shurikens, taking away their dex defense bonus to make further hits easier to make.  Plus you make the held person have to break free instead of getting their full action.