Shuriken Attack and Damage

[bensei]

SRD:
Up to three shuriken can be thrown per attack (all at the same target).

Some questions:

1. How many attack rolls are done: 1 or 3?
2. How often is bonus damage (point blank shot, weapon specialization, inspire courage, favored enemy, etc.) added? Once each attack or to each shuriken.
3. I suppose one does not need quick draw for throwing 3 shurikens, but one needs quick draw to use multiple attacks on a full round action. Correct?[/list=1]

 

[dcollins]

From the Official D&D FAQ, 7/12/2002, p. 21-22:

Do I have to roll three times when attacking with three
shuriken, or just once? If I have to roll three times, are
there penalties on the second and third attacks? If I have to
roll only once, is there any reason why I would throw fewer
than three shuriken?

When you throw three shuriken, make a separate attack roll
for each, even though it counts as one attack. There’s no attack
penalty for the extra two shuriken.

Can a rogue sneak attack with three shuriken if he is
within 30 feet of a target? If each hits, does each gain the
sneak attack bonus?

You apply sneak attack damage only once per attack. If you
use one attack to throw three shuriken, you get to apply sneak
attack bonus damage only once. Sneak attack damage—and a
ranger’s favored enemy bonus damage—apply only to one of
the three shuriken that you throw. You do not have enough
precision with the extra shuriken to get bonus sneak attack or
favored enemy damage.

Is the throwing rate for throwing shuriken always 3
shuriken a round, or is that 3 per normal attack? (So if you
have 3 attacks, you can actually throw 9 shuriken?)

You throw 3 shuriken as a single attack. If you’re allowed
more than one attack each round you could throw more than
three shuriken; however, unless you have the Quick Draw feat,
you’ll need an action to draw more shuriken and one attack is
all you’ll get.

 

[bensei]

Thanks.

You apply sneak attack damage only once per attack. If you use one attack to throw three shuriken, you get to apply sneak attack bonus damage only once. Sneak attack damage—and a ranger’s favored enemy bonus damage—apply only to one of the three shuriken that you throw. You do not have enough precision with the extra shuriken to get bonus sneak attack or favored enemy damage.

I see the point with sneak attack damage. That makes sense. I do not see the point with the favored enemy damage bonus though. But since that is the ruling, let it be so.

But that leaves the question: What about weapon specialization, inspire courage, +1 shurikens, etc.?

E.g. weapon specialization gives a weapon damage bonus like the +1 weapon damage bonus that +1 shurikens give. So both should apply to each of the three shurikens, shouldn't it?

 

[Romotre]

It applies to each of the shurikens. Makes em MUCH better.

If a 4th lvl fighter wiht point blank shot, weapon spec. and three +1 shurikens throws three, and hits with only two, he still does 10 damage.

If a another fighter has a dagger with the same feats and a +1 dagger, he does 1d4+1+2+1=6.5 damage

But a decent mighty bow will do 1d8+2(Str) +1(magic arrow) +1(magic bow) +1(point blank) +2(weapon spec.)=12.5 average damage. still, with three chances and assured damage, they are quite better than the solid 1 dmg they did before.

 

[bensei]

So what I got frm the anwers, from bonus damage, some apply to only one shuriken, and others apply to each of them:

Only to one: sneak attack, favoured enemy (none else?)
To each: boint blank shot, weapon spec., +x weapon, inspire courage, etc.

Looks like shurikens are a perfect weapon for a dexterous, but not very strong fighter. With Ex.Weapon Prof., PBS, Rapid Shot, Precise Shot, Quick Draw, Weapon Focus, Weapon Spec., Ambidex., TWF, Impr. TWF a 10th level fighter does 5x3x4=60 pints damage for a full attack action (given each attack hits). That with BAB 10, Str 1, and no magic. If a bard sings, it increases to 75 points, and if additionally he uses +1 shurikens, it rises to 90 points. And it's nice flovorwise...

 

[RogueJK]

Actually, you're missing an important question in the FAQ.

The description of the shuriken in the Player's Handbook says you can't apply your Strength bonus to shuriken damage. Can you use the +2 damage bonus from specialization if you're specialized with shuriken?
Yes, you can apply the damage bonus for weapon specialization in shuriken, but only if the target is within 30 feet. Only the first shuriken you throw in an attack gets the
bonus damage. As noted before, only one of shuriken thrown in an attack has any real degree on precision; the other one or two are just along for the ride.

Since only the first shuriken is thrown with any precision, I think that any bonus damage only applies to the first shuriken in a volley.

A case could be made for enchanted shuriken, though, since the bonus damage comes from the shuriken itself, and not the thrower.

 

[bensei]

Hmm, okay.
So shurikens aren't that good (in the sense of dealing damage. Flavorwise they are still nice).
Thank you.

 

[Staffan]

Hmm, okay.
So shurikens aren't that good (in the sense of dealing damage. Flavorwise they are still nice).
Thank you.

Shuriken aren't supposed to be big damage dealers. They're supposed to be good at delivering poisons - especially since you can deliver three times the normal amount (or have three chances of hitting, or whatever).

 

[reapersaurus]

favored enemy, weapon spec, and sneak damage and point blank shot all are only for one shuriken in the volley.

inspire courage and Divine Might are for ALL the shuriken.

You can do over 1000 points of damage in a round with that and using poison (see Sultans of Smack Shuriken Smackdown)

 

[Vaxalon]

Shuriken suck, unless they rock.

Usually, when you find a weapon and think, "Why the heck would anyone use this weapon? It's clearly inferior to [some other weapon] in every way," you're not thinking creatively enough.

Shuriken suck. They suck unless you're delivering poison with them, in which case they rock.