Trait for Snipers (P.E.A.C.H.)

[DracoDei]

Was making a sniper character for a player to use in my game and was reading a handbook or two to figure out how to do it better. Whipped up this trait to fix a common gripe. And yes, it is inspired by Hawkeye's statement in The Avengers.

Posting it here (with some revisions) for people to critique and/or use.

Should this have "4 ranks in Spot OR Skill Focus[Spot]" as an additional pre-requisite?

"I see better from further away"
You prefer to take the long (range) view of things.
Prerequisite
Proficient with at least one weapon with a range increment of greater than 30' (NOT counting feats, magic, etc), 4 (P.F. 1) Ranks in Spot (P.F. Perception)

Benefit
You count as having the Point Blank Shot feat for Pre-requisites, including for Prestige classes (but see below). You can deal Precision Damage out to 1 range increment (whatever that is for the individual weapon after accounting for feats, enhancements, etc.), but, again, see below.

Special
If you achieve 6th level in Ranger you may replace the Manyshot bonus feat with any feat with the Far-Shot feat, or any feat that has that feat as a pre-requisite. If you do so, you must meet all pre-requisites of the feat you select EXCEPT for dexterity score and the Point Blank Shot feat (if it has one or both of those as requirements).

Drawback
You suffer a -2 penalty to-hit and Spot for creatures/things/etc within 30', this includes with melee attacks. You do not gain precision based damage within this range.
You may never gain the Point Blank Shot feat or any feat that can substitute for it. If a class grants it you may instead select a different feat that has that feat as a prerequisite and that you qualify for. If you would gain it from an item and the item offers no alternative benefit if you already have it, then you do not gain anything from that aspect of the item. If it offers an alternative if you already have that feat then you may select such an alternative as if you had it.

Roleplaying Ideas
You may literally hang back from where-ever important things are happening, perhaps favoring high perches.

[Zaile]

I'd change it a bit to "you double all medium and long ranges for non-thrown ranged weapons." That's about a half-feat.

Defiantly require 4/5 ranks in Spot, that's attainable by 3rd level.

I'd also recommend a ranged Power Attack feat. 2-handed ranged weapons like bows and heavy crossbows are 2-handed weapons for the 2/1 tradeoff.

[noob]

I'd change it a bit to "you double all medium and long ranges for non-thrown ranged weapons." That's about a half-feat.

Defiantly require 4/5 ranks in Spot, that's attainable by 3rd level.

I'd also recommend a ranged Power Attack feat. 2-handed ranged weapons like bows and heavy crossbows are 2-handed weapons for the 2/1 tradeoff.

There is a reason for why there is no power attack feat at range: you can not trade conveniently attack strength for precision.
Pathfinder found an alternate fluff for a PA equivalent for ranged attacks but for some reason did not tag it precision damage while it is based on aiming where it hurts.

[Zaile]

There is a reason for why there is no power attack feat at range: you can not trade conveniently attack strength for precision.
Pathfinder found an alternate fluff for a PA equivalent for ranged attacks but for some reason did not tag it precision damage while it is based on aiming where it hurts.

Fore reference, here is the PF feat. My DMs have been fine with it. You're aiming for a smaller, more vulnerable area, so you do more damage but have more difficulty hitting. It's a tiered/set trade off instead of variable.

https://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/comba...ly-aim-combat/

[DracoDei]

I'd change it a bit to "you double all medium and long ranges for non-thrown ranged weapons." That's about a half-feat.

No such thing as "medium range" or "long range" in 3.5 D&D? Just number of range incriments away. And what would you replace with that text after fixing it to do whatever you meant?
Your mention of "half feat" and the next part of your comment makes me wonder if you were thinking of Pathfinder rather than 3.x?

Defiantly require 4/5 ranks in Spot, that's attainable by 3rd level.

I'll put it in at 4th (Correction: 4 ranks in Spot) since acquiring a drawback from leveling up feels off to me, and that would allow at least SOME characters (Rangers, Rogues, Scouts, and many homebrewed ToB-style ranged attackers) to start with it. A single-classed Fighter, Barbarian, or Paladin (as weird as a sniper paladin would be...) with it would still be a bit weird that way, but I can live with that I think.

I'd also recommend a ranged Power Attack feat. 2-handed ranged weapons like bows and heavy crossbows are 2-handed weapons for the 2/1 tradeoff.

I see that as a separate issue which I am sure has many homebrew solutions, and as your later reply proves, at least one big-name company published solution. Besides which, some characters might prefer to be further away rather than deal more damage if they have excess to-hit (and ignoring the encounter ranges given in the DMG spotting someone 600+ feet away is doable IRL, and that is before you get into the super-human level of vision that someone with, say, a +30 or higher total modifier to Spot checks would have).

[Zaile]

No such thing as "medium range" or "long range" in 3.5 D&D? Just number of range incriments away. And what would you replace with that text after fixing it to do whatever you meant?
Your mention of "half feat" and the next part of your comment makes me wonder if you were thinking of Pathfinder rather than 3.x?

I'll put it in at 4th since acquiring a drawback from leveling up feels off to me, and that would allow at least SOME characters (Rangers, Rogues, Scouts, and many homebrewed ToB-style ranged attackers) to start with it. A single-classed Fighter, Barbarian, or Paladin (as weird as a sniper paladin would be...) with it would still be a bit weird that way, but I can live with that I think.


I see that as a separate issue which I am sure has many homebrew solutions, and as your later reply proves, at least one big-name company published solution. Besides which, some characters might prefer to be further away rather than deal more damage if they have excess to-hit (and ignoring the encounter ranges given in the DMG spotting someone 600+ feet away is doable IRL, and that is before you get into the super-human level of vision that someone with, say, a +30 or higher total modifier to Spot checks would have).

My bad on that. It's been a while since I played 3.5, I was thinking about ranged, but remembered spell ranges.

Traits always have always been a 1st level thing. Take one, get a minor benefit/minor drawback. I think the trait interacting with feats/prohibiting feats could run into issues in a ranged build that relys on feats. I think a negative to Spot or ranged attacks within 30' for a further range increment would be OK. Kid of opposite of near-sighted.

I think what OP should look at is Completer Scoundrel's Skill Tricks. These are easy to give requirements like "4th level." Design a custom trick that increases the ranges by 10-20-30-40 feet as you level and spend more skill points on the Trick. It would be a less powerful version of the Far Shot feat https://www.dndtools.net/feats/playe...ar-shot--1078/

Crude binoculars, or even a sight-scope (spyglass) on a bow could be fun to play with.

[DracoDei]

I have added the following text and would appreciate double-checks that it is usable (how many feats have Far-Shot as a pre-requisite?), and also would like more feedback in general since it seemed like the discussion got sidetracked:
Special
If you achieve 6th level in Ranger you may replace the Manyshot bonus feat with any feat with the Far-Shot feat, or any feat that has that feat as a pre-requisite. If you do so, you must meet all pre-requisites of the feat you select EXCEPT for dexterity score and the Point Blank Shot feat (if it has one or both of those as requirements).