Author Topic: Sneak Attack question  (Read 2877 times)

Offline Hazren

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Sneak Attack question
« on: November 20, 2011, 03:49:49 PM »
All the players of our group have searched for this answer and can't seem to find where the DM has come up with what he says is Offical and not homebrew.

How many sneak attacks does a character get per round if they have more than one attack per round?

If you answer this please give a page and book to support your answer as I know I'll be asked for it.
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Offline X-Codes

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Re: Sneak Attack question
« Reply #1 on: November 20, 2011, 03:52:01 PM »
Every attack made against a target that is either flanked or denied their dexterity bonus to AC is a sneak attack and applies the damage.  There is absolutely no per-round or per-day limit.

Example Situations:
A Rogue with TWF enters combat and wins the surprise round.  He charges and makes one attack (because it's a charge) against a surprised opponent.  This is a sneak attack because the opponent is flat-footed, and therefore denied Dex to AC.

The Rogue wins initiative and attacks the opponent again, this time twice because it's a full attack.  The opponent is still flat-footed, and denied his Dexterity to AC against both attacks.  Both attacks are, therefore sneak attacks.

The Rogue gets Invisibility cast on him and attacks his opponent.  The first attack is a sneak attack, because his opponent can't see him and is, therefore, flat-footed.  The second attack is not, however, because the first attack ends the Invisibility effect after it is made, and the enemy can now see the rogue.

A Fighter then moves up to flank with the Rogue as the Rogue's turn comes up again.  He makes his two attacks and both are sneak attacks, because on each attack the Rogue is flanking with the Fighter.
« Last Edit: November 20, 2011, 03:57:13 PM by X-Codes »

Offline weenog

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Re: Sneak Attack question
« Reply #2 on: November 20, 2011, 05:16:08 PM »
It's on PHB page 50, in the first paragraph of the Sneak Attack description.  The relevant sentence:

Quote
Basically, the rogue's attack deals extra damage any time her target would be denied a Dexterity bonus to AC (whether the target actually has a Dexterity bonus or not), or when the rogue flanks her target.

Emphasis mine.

According to the dictionary, "any time" can be contracted into one word, is an adverb, and is defined as

Quote
  • at any time;  regardless of hour, date, etc.; whenever.
  • invariably; without doubt or exception; always: I can do better than that anytime.

Again, emphasis mine, and fuck's sake the highlighter on this forum is ugly.
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Satori

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Re: Sneak Attack question
« Reply #3 on: November 21, 2011, 02:19:10 PM »
« Last Edit: November 21, 2011, 02:21:52 PM by Satori »

Offline Hazren

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Re: Sneak Attack question
« Reply #4 on: November 23, 2011, 11:38:25 PM »
I'm fairly certain there was a "rules of the game" thingie on this...

ah, here we go...

1) http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/rg/20040217a
2) http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/rg/20040224a
3) http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/rg/20040302a
4) http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/rg/20040309a

that should answer your group's questions.

Many thanks for  the answers.

Part three of that spells out what the group thought but the DM was saying that it was only the first attack.
"My solution way too often is to press the red button and see the world burn, which brings us back to the fiery pits of Hell..."
Tshern

Offline weenog

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Re: Sneak Attack question
« Reply #5 on: November 24, 2011, 04:36:51 PM »
Your DM got his start in 2nd edition or earlier?
"Whoops, forgot to roll my fire and holy damage."
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Offline SorO_Lost

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Re: Sneak Attack question
« Reply #6 on: November 24, 2011, 06:56:22 PM »
Your DM got his start in 2nd edition or earlier?
Or he was confused :p

Say he though you can SA once per attack. His short hand way of remembering stabbing someone once with a sword doesn't let you deal SA twice or effects that generate multiple attacks off a single action excluding normal Full-Attacks, such as Manyshot or Scorching Ray. 30 minutes later his usage of "attack" becomes known to him as being ambiguous as he assumed his player used the same definition of attack and said player is now quoting BG at him.