Snake Strike

[nil]

Snake Strike
...Once per opponent per combat, as a free action, you may draw 1 weapon you have not yet used during the current combat and take a Feint action, If this action is successful, you also inflict 1 die of sneak attack damage with your next successful attack against the opponent using the weapon drawn. This benefit is lost at the end of the current round.

First question - is drawing the weapon and the Feint action both a free action? Or is just the drawing free and the Feint action is done normally?

Second - when using throwing knifes or other such hurled weapons that come in multiples, would each throwing knife count as a 'new' weapon for the purpose of this feat? Or would the throwing knifes count as 'used during the current combat' once you have used one of them?

[spinningdice]

I don't know if you're looking for an official answer... but here's unofficial me's take on it.
1) Both free action's - at least it looks that way to me
2) If you look at the gear tables most thrown weapons have ammo magazines, meaning you can continue to use them without drawing another weapon, until you use up the 'magazine' then you presumably have to make some adjustment as you draw the next the one before you can continue to throw them without drawing.

[nil]

If you look at the gear tables most thrown weapons have ammo magazines, meaning you can continue to use them without drawing another weapon, until you use up the 'magazine' then you presumably have to make some adjustment as you draw the next the one before you can continue to throw them without drawing.

Yeah, though in this case you'd want to be forced to draw a 'new' weapon - another throwing knife - so you can take advantage of the Snake Strike feat.

[afrodave]

If you're asking about combining it with Steel Rain, I'd say you're only gaining one sneak attack die for the burst; not 3 dice, one for each knife.  Because with Steel Rain you're basically drawing all three in one fluid motion, that's how I see it.

[nil]

If you're asking about combining it with Steel Rain, I'd say you're only gaining one sneak attack die for the burst; not 3 dice, one for each knife.  Because with Steel Rain you're basically drawing all three in one fluid motion, that's how I see it.

No, that's not what I meant - though, uh, yeah, I think you're right on that one. :p

Let's say our character with Snake Strike has 4 throwing knifes on his person- which are all part of the same 'stack', have been gained as part of one pick - which he has not drawn yet. There are 2 enemies present. Our character draws one of the throwing knifes as a free action - not having used the knifes yet - and performs a Feint as a free action on enemy A, then throws the knife at him. Now the question is whether our character can draw another one of the throwing knifes as a 'new' weapon and thus use the Snake Strike feat on enemy B, or whether the throwing knifes from the 'stack' count as 'already used during the combat' since the character threw one of them already.

[afrodave]

From the book, "Once per opponent per combat,"  So yes if he attacks both of them.
So crazy time:  Quick Draw - Snake Strike, Steel rain, Contempt, Follow-up shot, Hail of Fire, etc.  that's 5 bursts of flying daggers, 15 knives in the air. and for each one that goes against a different enemy you can take a free feint action to get a bonus sneak attack die.  Is this a correct build?

[nil]

Yeah, that was what I was thinking.  Right now, you can only use Feint on adjacent enemies, though. But if the Feint Trick Distracting Shot from Practice Makes Perfect does what I think it does - and what the name seems to indicate - then that won't be an obstacle any more.

It'll only work if those knifes count as separate and thus 'new' weapons when they are drawn.

One other nice application might be a triggerman with that feat who has enough handguns on him to arm a small militia - which might be quite in genre. Take as many handguns as you can carry - one for every enemy present would be best - have Snake Strike and Ambush Basics for that extra sneak attack damage, all the nice feats that give more attacks, a good Sleight of Hand score for the Feint... and you might just be able to strike a fancy pose before all those dead bodies hit the floor during the first round of combat.

[afrodave]

I've got a triggerman in my group that is going that route. But she also has the Autofire branch of feats. and gets her pistols customed for full-auto...
I've always liked the idea of a blade-slinger, esp with mirrored or dark sunglasses and black leather.
But as far as the "carrying enough guns for a militia," comment am I the only one that thought of "I'm gonna get you Sucka"?

[Mister Andersen]

Snake-strike = McClane's final confrontation with Hans in Die Hard

[Toccata]

From the book, "Once per opponent per combat,"  So yes if he attacks both of them.
So crazy time:  Quick Draw - Snake Strike, Steel rain, Contempt, Follow-up shot, Hail of Fire, etc.  that's 5 bursts of flying daggers, 15 knives in the air. and for each one that goes against a different enemy you can take a free feint action to get a bonus sneak attack die.  Is this a correct build?

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't believe you can apply a burst trick to a final attack.

[Kagemaru]

One other nice application might be a triggerman with that feat who has enough handguns on him to arm a small militia - which might be quite in genre. Take as many handguns as you can carry - one for every enemy present would be best - have Snake Strike and Ambush Basics for that extra sneak attack damage, all the nice feats that give more attacks, a good Sleight of Hand score for the Feint... and you might just be able to strike a fancy pose before all those dead bodies hit the floor during the first round of combat.

Sounds like a job for a jacket full of Derringers

[Aragathor]

Sounds like a job for a jacket full of Derringers

Derringer Meryl like?

[nil]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't believe you can apply a burst trick to a final attack.

You can - the final attack is a standard attack action, so are able to apply tricks. ( pg. 329 )

Sounds like a job for a jacket full of Derringers

Hmmm... they seem small enough that you could hide two under the wide sleeves your classical Triggerman's leather coat. In fact... why not have multiple Derringers on slides attached to your forearms, let them pop into your hands, shoot, drop them, get the next ones. Oooh, gungasm.

Edit: I actually have another question about Snake Strike. A talent in the WoF preview ( shifty ) allows to target multiple enemies with a Feint action. Would one get the additional Sneak Attack damage on all these opponents with Snake Strike? The description of Snake Strike assumes that one can target only one opponent, speaking of "the opponent", singular.

[Morgenstern]

So, first, lets look at Snake Strike.

Benefit: Once per opponent per combat, as a free action, you may draw 1 weapon you have not yet used during the current combat and take a Feint action. If this action is successful, you also inflict 1 die of sneak attack damage with your next successful attack against the opponent using the weapon drawn. This benefit is lost at the end of the current round.

Yes, the draw weapon AND feint are performed as a single free action (a real winner for surprise rounds).

Hurled weapons that use no other launcher than your arm are seperate weapons. Multiple knives, axes, ect. -even if acquired as a single gear pick- still represent multiple weapons. If you are looking for a rule of thumb, consider whether dividing the stack into two or more parts means multiple characters could use them at the same time. True for knives, not true for a bow and arrows.

Now for the Shifty Talent.

When you take a Feint action, you may target 1 additional opponent. You roll only once for all Feint actions, while each opponent rolls to resist separately. The number of opponents you may target with a Feint action increases by an additional +1 at Career Levels 4, 8, 12, 16, and 20.

Additional opponents could be feinted with the Feint comming from your snake strike, but additional opponents are not subject to the extra die of sneak attack. Only the inital target gets that kick in the teeth . Still, a good spread of feints is always a welcome prospect for your treammates and allies to capitalize on.

[nil]

Thanks for the answers. I imagine both Snake Strike / the additional targets from the Shifty talent really become powerful with the possibility to perform ranged Feints - something that I believe was in Practice Makes Perfect. Now combine that with ninjas living for flat-footed opponents... hmm.

Yes, the draw weapon AND feint are performed as a single free action (a real winner for surprise rounds).

Nitpick alert! Since one can only perform one ( free / half / full ) action, a Snake Strike during a surprise round wouldn't really do anything. Sine it is the surprise round, the opponent is probably flatfooted anyway - and there's no action left to take advantage of the bonus Sneak Attack damage, which will be gone by the start of the next round.

While I understand the likely motivation for limiting the free actions during the surprise round - preventing characters like Triggermen with many free action final attacks at their disposal from killing everyone while they are flatfooted during the surprise round - I think it prevents some nice tricks. Hell, if you haven't your weapons out in the surprise round, you won't get to attack anyone, since drawing your weapons would take a free action at the minimum. Personally, I'd allow a non-attack free action in addition to the actions allowed during the surprise round. That'd allow for drawing weapons while running for cover ( incidental action ), Snake Strike feints or simply shouting "Now you'll all die! Ahahahaha!" while you jump on your hapless victim during the surprise round.

Erm. And now I'll be quiet.