Is there a basic list of ways in which a low-level Rogue can get advantage for sneak attack?

Question

I'm looking through the PHB and I don't see any simple list of ways for a rogue to get advantage in combat. At high levels, a Rogue might have a special subclass such as Assassin that might allow advantage on attacks for sneak attack. However, if I were running a rogue I would make attacks without knowing whether I had advantage. At low levels, the only reliable way to make sneak attack seems to be to hide until the target is engaged with someone else and then stab the target in the back -- that doesn't give advantage, but it appears to be the only reliable way for a low-level Rogue to sneak attack.

Am I reading the rules correctly?

Answer 1

Most of your sneak attacks will be triggered by an ally in melee with the target

You are reading the rules correctly: by far the most reliable way to trigger sneak attack is to attack an enemy engaged with an ally in melee. There's no need to hide or gain advantage: you can simply fight alongside an ally, or fight at range, shooting at the enemy your ally is attacking. As long as you have a melee attacker in your party, then they will be doing their best to always be in melee with at least one enemy, giving you a reliable trigger for sneak attack. This has been my experience playing in a party with a rogue, and watching/listening to D&D streams/podcasts with parties that include a rogue.

Of course, if you want to attack a specific target who isn't on the front lines and get sneak attack on that target, you're going to have a more difficult time. In that case, the next most reliable sneak attack trigger is probably to hide with your bonus action (Cunning Action, 2nd level) and then attack, gaining advantage from being unseen. Obviously this requires cover to hide behind, and you need to roll high on the stealth check, so it's less reliable than the "ally in melee" trigger, but it's still something that you can at least attempt on most combat turns, unlike most other ways of gaining advantage.

(Note: I'm not mentioning the optional flanking rules for gaining advantage, because if you're flanking then you already have sneak attack from an ally being in melee with your target.)

Answer 2

As you say, a rogue can use sneak attack "if you have advantage on the Attack roll" or "if another enemy of the target is within 5 feet of it, that enemy isn't Incapacitated, and you don't have disadvantage on the Attack roll."

The latter is by far and away the most reliable way for a rogue to get sneak attack and, except in very rare circumstances, its almost always achievable - most parties have someone who is a melee combatant who will want to get in this position.

Of course, having advantage is good because a) its advantage b) it gives sneak attack when you don't have a handy tank in melee and c) it can overcome disadvantage when you do have a handy tank in melee (because when you have both you have neither.

Here is a non-exhaustive way to get it:

• Help by an ally within 5-feet of your target. This can be the aforementioned tank (which is probably suboptimal) or it can be a familiar or something else who doesn't have anything useful to do. Note that it doesn't have to be your familiar although if you find a way to get the Find Familiar spell, it can be.
• Be Unseen when you attack. You can Hide using your Cunning Action once you reach 2nd level. Or a friendly spellcaster can cast Invisibility on you once they reach 3rd level but this only works once. Once they reach 7th level they can use Greater Invisibility which gives you unlimited advantage. Alternatively, you can look at methods of giving your opponent the Blinded condition.
• Paralyze, Petrify, Restrain, Stun or render your opponent Unconscious - of course, these are all a little hard to reliably pull off for a low level party. Some are tricky for high-level parties too. A party with a rogue and a monk who uses Stunning Strike can be devastating.
• Knock your opponent Prone and attack from within 5 feet. A grappler build is usually based around doing this so if you have one in your party this can be a very reliable method.

Answer 3

There are two basic ways to gain sneak attack. Having advantage on the attack and having an an enemy of the target within 5ft of it.

At level 1 your choices are more limited as hiding is an action until level 2. A level 1 Bard teammate can cause a few conditions to an enemy that will grant you advantage.

1. Glowing(Faerie Fire)
2. Prone(Tasha’s Hideous Laughter) attacks within 5ft
3. Unconscious (Sleep)
4. Blinded(Prestidigitation) to snuff a torch, if you have darkvision but enemy doesn’t.

Those are just some of the conditions that can cause you to gain advantage. Other conditions that cause you to have advantage are; Paralyzed,Petrified,Restrained, and Stunned.

The Help action can also grant you advantage. Though at level 1 and 2 the Help action would most also involve having a teammate within 5ft.

I have glossed over having an enemy of the target within 5ft as the accepted answer does an excellent job of explaining.

Hiding can grant you advantage but it is dependent on a stealth check and having the proper terrain/objects to hide behind. Certain Races can make hiding in battle a lot easier. The Lightfoot Halfling Rogue can attempt to hide behind a medium sized teammate. The Wood Elf can attempt to hide while only lightly obscured.

In my last campaign I was a Rogue (Scout) and spent most of my time trying to gain advantage to increase my chances to hit/crit. Even at level 15, the level we ended the campaign, I was scheming of ways to create advantage.