114
votes
Are melee combatants limited to standing around saying "I attack"?
Imagine you have a friend who roleplays in Second Life. There are all kinds of emoting macros there to supplement the textual channel they use to weave their stories.
Now put that person on the stage. ...
- 239k
85
votes
Accepted
Assassin using Arcane Trickster's Mage Hand: Is it Unbalanced?
Although many tables allow some degree of tweaking in order to make a build match a concept, they usually involve some degree of horse trading, i.e. giving up something to get something else. ...
- 31k
81
votes
How far does a rogue move when dashing twice using Cunning Action?
Cunning Action absolutely does let you Dash again, but Dash doesn't work quite like you're remembering (PHB, p. 192):
When you take the Dash action, you gain extra movement for the current turn. ...
- 239k
75
votes
How do I allow the Rogue opportunities to be stealthy with a Druid in the party?
You have a few options.
Don't change your stealth missions at all.
Instead provide a scenario in which the Druid is the only one that can do something with any reasonable chance of success, while at ...
- 21.8k
71
votes
Accepted
Does advantage negate disadvantage (for things such as the rogue's Sneak Attack)?
Yes, advantage would negate disadvantage for purposes of Sneak Attack.
According to the rules on advantage and disadvantage (PHB 173, emphasis mine):
If circumstances cause a roll to have both ...
- 29.4k
65
votes
Accepted
Do rogues get sneak attack damage added to attacks made outside their turn?
Yes!
The verbiage 1/turn definitely allows for the use of Sneak Attack out of turn for the rogue if they somehow get a reaction attack (either granted by an ally or by an opportunity attack).
Note ...
- 102k
57
votes
Accepted
Are melee combatants limited to standing around saying "I attack"?
Yes...sort of. More at L1 than at other levels though.
For a brief look at this, let's look at the 4 basic L1 characters and see what their defined combat options are.
Wizard: 3 L1 spells/day (they ...
- 102k
56
votes
Accepted
How should I handle a ruling that really hurts my character?
You can't build for this on your own, or with our help
It sounds very much like the DM is using 3.5e rules as a toolbox to create a home-brewed game that works somewhat like the older AD&D 2nd ...
- 239k
55
votes
Accepted
Evolution of the Rogue in D&D
The Rogue, a bowdlerized Thief, was always an Adventurer / Treasure Hunter
For a swords and sorcery genre fictional or legendary root, you could look at the Grey Mouser (from Fritz Lieber's fiction), ...
- 138k
55
votes
Accepted
Benefit of Dual Daggers?
In terms of dealing lethal damage, a dagger is strictly inferior to a short sword--to a user proficient in both.
Daggers, however, have all the benefits in-game that they enjoy in real life: they are ...
- 98.6k
55
votes
Accepted
Would a Rogue's Uncanny Dodge feature halve the damage of a Magic Missile spell?
No, Magic missile is not an attack.
The general rule is:
If there's ever any question whether something you're doing counts as
an attack, the rule is simple: if you're making an attack roll, you're
...
- 90.1k
55
votes
Accepted
Are there any published alternatives to sneak attack?
Keep the mechanic, change the name
There is actually nothing “sneaky” about “Sneak Attack” - the name is a holdover from earlier editions when it was sneaky. Indeed, in really early editions it was ...
- 187k
53
votes
Accepted
If I have both advantage and disadvantage, and my target has the Elusive rogue class feature, do I have disadvantage on the attack?
The attacking enemy has disadvantage on the roll.
The relevant quote from the PHB is here:
If circumstances cause a roll to have both advantage
and disadvantage, you are considered to have ...
- 46.9k
53
votes
Accepted
Bards acting as rogues?
Class names and in-universe terms don't need to be the same
What, really, is a 'bard'? It's somebody who earns their living by entertaining people with music and song. This doesn't require any form of ...
- 35.4k
53
votes
Accepted
How can a DM make a low-level melee rogue feel useful in combat when the party has no tank who triggers sneak attack for her?
For Druid + Rogue at level 1; combat is not necessarily required.
Focusing on the rogue's DPR is, IMO, you as DM viewing this party through a very narrow lens. I suggest that, since (1) you only ...
- 138k
52
votes
Accepted
Reckless Attack + Sneak Attack synergy?
The Finesse property allows you to choose between using strength or dexterity when making an attack. As such, so long as you're making a melee weapon attack and choose to use strength for the attack ...
- 55.5k
52
votes
Accepted
Can unarmed strike work with a rogue's sneak attack?
Strictly by Rules as Written and Intended, no.
By RAW, no. What you ruled doesn't work. Let's look at the important passages from the skills involved.
Martial Arts:
You can use Dexterity instead of ...
- 3,093
50
votes
Potent Cantrip with Toll the Dead vs Evasion
The Rogue and Monk would take half damage
Your argument seems sound. Since the Evasion feature specifies Dexterity saving throws, but Toll the Dead requires a Wisdom saving throw, Evasion simply doesn'...
- 76.9k
49
votes
Accepted
Should rogues play stealth or tank on D&D?
High Reflex Doth Not A Tank Make
Having a high reflex doesn't count for anything extraordinary. It's one of four defences beside armor, fortitude and will, and one quarter of attacks missing you more ...
- 36.8k
49
votes
Does limiting Sneak Attack to the Dexterity choice on Finesse Weapons imbalance anything?
Removing balanced player options is unfair (and unfun).
The reason that sneak attack requires finesse (or ranged) weapons is less to do with the Ability (Strength or Dexterity) and more to do with the ...
- 19.9k
49
votes
Accepted
Can a ranged rogue effectively stand back and sneak attack opponents every turn with a ranged weapon while their allies fight on the front line?
Yes, rogues can sneak attack at range pretty effectively.
You're reading the rules right, and all a ranged rogue needs for sneak attack is an ally's adjacency. (Actually, an enemy-of-my-enemy's ...
- 98.6k
48
votes
How should I handle a ruling that really hurts my character?
Wait, what?
Sneak Attack Does Work While Flanking
What in the world is your DM basing this ruling on? The rules are very clear on this.
The rogue’s attack deals extra damage any time her target would ...
- 32.1k
48
votes
Accepted
Do I need advantage to sneak attack someone who is incapacitated?
You don’t need advantage on the attack roll 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 (emphasis mine)
...
- 35.8k
48
votes
How do I allow the Rogue opportunities to be stealthy with a Druid in the party?
Create scenarios that require resource management
Your players are right that a wild-shaped druid is a lot better at infiltration than a rogue. However, don't forget that a druid at your party's ...
- 62.4k
45
votes
Accepted
What happens if you roll a Nat1 on a proficient skill with Reliable Talent?
Ability checks don't critically succeed or fail.
In 5th edition, ability checks don't typically automatically succeed on a 20, or automatically fail on a 1. It's only attack rolls that have ...
- 46.9k
44
votes
Accepted
Can the rogue repeatedly hide in combat to sneak attack the same enemy?
No, this doesn't work in melee.
At least not the important second half.
Yes, they can duck behind the corner and hide. All they need to do to be allowed to hide is break line of sight.
No, they can'...
- 239k
44
votes
Can an Assassin stack critical hits?
If you hit, it is already considered a critical hit
This is the case regardless of whether you then roll a natural 20 or not.
When the Rogue is assassinating a surprised target, it will be a ...
- 8,352
44
votes
Accepted
How do hit dice affect my attacks?
Hit dice have no impact on attacks
Your Hit-Dice have nothing to do with your attacks, and are related to your HP max and HP recovery while resting. They're "hit dice" as in "hit points", not as in "...
- 6,242
42
votes
Accepted
Does Elusive trump Reckless Attack?
Enemies don't get advantage against you in this scenario.
Yes, Reckless Attack grants them advantage. However, no-one ever has advantage unless something grants it to them. If Elusive doesn't work ...
- 141k
42
votes
Accepted
How does a Swashbuckler rogue "fight with two weapons while safely darting away"?
The next paragraph reads
When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you learn
how to land a strike and then slip away without reprisal.
During your turn, if you make a melee attack against a
...
- 1,169
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