Iaijutsu Master One Strike, Two Cuts & Tome of Battle Strikes

[The_Mad_Linguist]

Sadly, the Katana limitation means only one of those attacks is capable of Iajutsu Focus damage...

Given the reference to "attack twice in the strike phase of an iaijutsu duel", I'd assume that both attacks from the ability are considered to be performed "immediately after" drawing the weapon.

[zook1shoe]

Agreed

[skydragonknight]

That's reasonable enough context.

[Tonymitsu]

This is going to sound really dumb, but I always assumed that all attacks made during the same round you drew your weapon were subject to the bonus from Iaijutsu Focus.

If not, then how is this skill worthwhile at all for a Factotum who can gain Sneak Attack, or even Sudden Strike for that matter?
Is it really worth it for the extra possible 9d6 damage to one attack?

[Kajhera]

1) A factotum can use the skill without spending inspiration points. They can then spend the points to *also* sneak attack. Or get more standard actions for...
2) If using a gnomish quickrazor, or quickdrawing their weapons and dropping them, they can have every attack in a round be immediately after drawing their weapon, however many attacks that is.

[SorO_Lost]

This is going to sound really dumb, but I always assumed that all attacks made during the same round you drew your weapon were subject to the bonus from Iaijutsu Focus.

If not, then how is this skill worthwhile at all for a Factotum who can gain Sneak Attack, or even Sudden Strike for that matter?
Is it really worth it for the extra possible 9d6 damage to one attack?

Nah it's each and every attack. As long as you have Quick Draw (or quickrazors) you can go nuts. The Flat-Footed part is the hard part. There are tons of no Dex to AC things to Sneak Attack application. For Sudden Strike & Iaijutsu, not so much for Flat-Footed. Blurstrike weapons and Skill Tricks come to mind though.

+9d6 to one attack worth 23 skill points? Yes, what the hell else are you going to do with Skill points? Take Appraise? You are playing an int focused character class whom gets 6 points per level, you got the useful skills area covered. Now +9d6 to every attack? Hecks yeah. As noted it stacks with Sneak Attack so stabbity stab stab away.

[xeno121]

Would Iaijutsu Focus and Guidance of the Avatar ( http://www.wizards.com/dnd/article.asp?x=dnd/sb/sb20010504a ) on a command word item be as awesome as I think it would be?

[zook1shoe]

Yeah, but Iaijutsu Focus has a cap on the table. So at higher levels, it's less useful.

[SorO_Lost]

Yeah, but Iaijutsu Focus has a cap on the table. So at higher levels, it's less useful.

Right, because +9d6 on every attack isn't useful. Doesn't SA cap out at +10d6 on pure Rogues? Hmm...

[Bauglir]

It's called context. Getting massive bonuses through shiny spells is less useful at higher levels because you already have a high enough bonus to hit the cap.

[Tshern]

Thank you for that Bauglir, I was about to type something with the same context formulated from harsher words.

[zook1shoe]

lol

sneak attack doesn't have a cap... there are many ways to gain additional sneak attack.

[SorO_Lost]

lol

sneak attack doesn't have a cap... there are many ways to gain additional sneak attack.

Sure, Hunter's Eye at CL 18 (540gp/use) gives +6d6 for one round. Deadly Precision is a +2 enhancement (10k~32k) that gives +2d6, Rogue's Vest (18k) gives +1d6, Hunter's Bracers give +1d6 (8.5k). So you could spend over 100k (and charged per use) for +10d6 which still has various hang ups in use that can be augmented onto any build, or you could spend 23 skill ranks and augment +9d6 though Iaijutsu which is doable with nothing more than a single weapon, or you could do both for +19d6 and stab things to death even faster.

Now for the basic question, the one that matters.
As a min/max character optimizer, what excuse is does anyone have for knocking +31.5 bonus damage to their attacks? Take both, be awesome.

[Bauglir]

None, which is why nobody was doing it. Please, read somebody's posts. There's no need to have an argument here. You both are saying the same thing. Don't make me turn this Internet around, I will do it if I have to. Is that what you want? Do you want to go back to AOL?

[zook1shoe]

*snickers*

[JaronK]

Note that there is an Epic Iaijutsu Focus feat, which breaks the cap.  But I think it's limited by skill ranks so even Dragonwrought Kobolds can't get it pre epic.  Not entirely sure though.

JaronK

[zook1shoe]

Web enhancement?

[Shiki]

None, which is why nobody was doing it. Please, read somebody's posts. There's no need to have an argument here. You both are saying the same thing. Don't make me turn this Internet around, I will do it if I have to. Is that what you want? Do you want to go back to AOL?

Awesome. +1 Internets for you.