SNEAK ATTACK?!

[Darth_Nihlus]

what is it and how do i use it, cause i played as an assassin and i dont know what sneak attack does

[jodo kast 5]

It helps your stealth abilites out. Meaning it modifies them to be alittle bit better than they would be with 'Sneak Attack'. 'Sneak Attack' is a feat and modifier, not a power.

[vaxen83]

Will add a bit.

 

Sneak attack is extra damage added to character attacks when enemy is supposedly stasised, stunned or paralysed in some way. Is basically non-critical damage. Can be used with or without stealth, of which such skill is optional.

 

Plague/master force scream with insanity weakens enemies considerably, thus making sneak attacks substantial with damage.

Edited November 12, 2006 by vaxen83

[Darth_Nihlus]

how do i use it?

[DeathScepter]

listen to vaxen, for that user has a good stragtey in their post.

[vaxen83]

Just select prestige class as either Watchman or Assassin. Your character gets first if alignment is lightside and if you are at least at level 15. You get assassin class if your character is darkside and are at level 15. Speak to Kreia after getting to level 15 to select class.

 

Both classes have sneak attack feats with them. However, assassin does more substantial damage with sneak attacks (around up to 10-60 points for damage). Its basically a passive feat that is used against enemies when they cannot respond to or block your attacks. (Same for unarmed attacks, attacks with lightsabers, blasters, vibro weapons or any attack where target cannot move or if your character is in stealth mode)

 

However, character can only use sneak attack once with stealth. (Hardly use stealth anyway, except for getting past enemies, but they are not half as hard as they could have been) Sneak attacks are automatically applied in above situations. They don't have to be activated like how flurry or critical strike feats have to be used.

Edited November 14, 2006 by vaxen83

[Darth_Nihlus]

so if the enemy is stuned or in stasis or insanity and i go and use ANY for of hit (power critical flurry regular) then i get a damage bonus? no stealth mode?

[DeathScepter]

yep, For a sneak attack user, statsis, horror and all stun effects(force bases or other wise) are your friends.

[vaxen83]

Stealth is optional. Even when playing as Assassin or Watchman. Which means that if your character has base Int 14-16, points that you might want to put into Stealth can be used for other skills that also help with making upgrades for weapons, armour or lightsabers. That is plus for not having to use stealth as a main skill. Some other skills like Demolitions need only 15-20+ points or even less, so remaining points can be put into skill like Awareness, for additional dialogue options and building upgrades for ranged attacks (Like with Mira, etc).

Edited November 16, 2006 by vaxen83

[old gamer]

The sneak attack also works when one character is attacking,you can go behind the enemy and attack and do massive damage.Atton does this really well,use him to lead your party and when the other characters are attacking go behind them and attack.

[vaxen83]

Of course, apart from being able to be added to usual damage of attacks for character, sneak attacks don't get doubled with critical hits. Instead, damage from ordinary attacks is doubled, then added to sneak attack damage.

Edited November 20, 2006 by vaxen83

[Gecon]

Teh. Surprising how long it took to get the most usual useage of Sneak Attacks into this thread !

 

In practice this is the most common useage of Sneak Attacks - you let your tank go for the enemy, and then the thief gets something really nasty in by flanking the enemy. "

 

This way it works in all DnD3.x games (Neverwinter Nights, Icewind Dale 2, Knights of the Old Republic, The Temple of Elemental Evil).

 

The limitation of having to be in stealth mode is only in ADnD (Baldurs Gate, Icewind Dale 1, Planescape: Torment etc). The ability was called "Backstab" back then, and it gave a muliplier to your damage, not additional damage.

 

 

 

To summarize:

- Sneak attacks appear always when your opponent is not aware of your attack.

(a) if you flank opponents, most importantly attacking from the backside (but in normal DnD some classes, such as Barbarian, cannot be flanked)

(b) if you paralyze opponents

© if you are successfully sneaking up on them

 

To add:

- You cannot sneak attack opponents which are immune to critical hits. In normal DnD the undead are the most important examples for people immune to crits. In KotoR items protecting against crits should help against sneaks too, but I haven't had any opponent with sneaks yet so I don't know for sure yet.

[ghosta]

useing force jump to attack an enemy that doesn't see you git a sneek attack bonus

 

in k1 a scoundral gardian would deal large dammage this way.