Easy proof is the rogue crippling strike feat. -2 str on each hit (sneak?) and... uhhh.... the effect of it is still only minimal when you also consider the amount of creatures with any sort of NEP/Foe/general ability drain immunity.
...tend to get crippling strike (epic-ish... as there are no pure rogue...
Rephrasing... high/epic level pure rogue.
So seven attacks ( which rogues can work up-to ) out of nowhere ( which shadow-dancers are ALL working up-to ) will in your eyes not make a HUGE difference ?I would suggest to get your highest character remade in a single module and try it out against a monster that is capable to the previous described .My guess is you will find out that no matter what poison they use , it IS a big difference .You keep telling what the " really big and nasty monsters " can have , maybe you should try to think further and take into account that there aren't many monsters as you describe .With exception off those " epic " monsters and maybe some " epic " characters , the impact off poisons weakening creatures/ player-characters is HUGE.( especially if they stack , like from the description from Filatus , " crippling strike " does )
The system is there, and should be used, just it is unusable the way things are currently. Not asking for epic dcs, or epic effects, I am just asking for a poison that....is capable of actually being used, rather than watching the pretty green glow for a few short moments.
What about the constitution example then ?Suggesting that poisons that affect constitution are thrown out ?
I for one would expect , that if duration of poisons are extended , that NPC's must also be able to use poisons.
This should include EVERY NPC with even a touch of a class that CAN use poisons.
Question then is : is it desirable to have that ? Is any one waiting on a way to have their character killed by NOT being able to react due to poison ? Or because the combined penalties from constitution affecting poison and arrows provide to be an easy way for your character to die with out having the opportunity to even fight back ?
(Additionally, you indicate that a Rogue can make seven attacks - Barion, as an example, could make eight just as easily.)
argument against this. Poisons are useful at current stats for low levels.
Hum I'm sorry but unless it's a dual class rogue/monk I don't think it's possbile for a rogue to have more than 5 attacks per round and that is by using improved two weapon fighting. unhasted that is.
I can't say I agree to this, as to 1 the dc needed to beat to apply it is dext related if I remember correctly. So you need a good dext to apply it, which most chars, at low level usually don't have.
Crippling strikes only stack up to -8 str if I remember correctly.