All attacks sneak attacks? [Archive] - Wizards Community

All attacks sneak attacks? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Gneral Kass
04-22-08, 11:16 PM I was reading through the comprehensive rogue guide and it stated that the pixie's at-will greater invisibility would allow a pixie rogue to make all her attacks sneak attacks.

I was udner the impression only the first attack of any round could be a sneak attack. Is there something I'm missing?
Shaggy_Shaggs
04-22-08, 11:24 PM Any attack that qualifies to be a sneak attack (that is, any melee attack on a flanked target or any damaging attack a target that is denied its Dex bonus) is a sneak attack, unless some other factor negates it. This makes being flanked by a pair of rogues suck a lot, btw. Even if you try to move out, both the attacks of opportunity will normally be sneak attacks. Depending on the rogues' size you might be able to get away with a withdraw action, where you'd still take attacks of opportunity but be out of the pincer before they land, but I digress.

The disruption for full attacking while invisible is that with normal invisibility, you go visible after the first attack, and the target is no longer denied its Dex bonus against you. If your invisibility is constant and doesn't fail when you attack, you can perform full attacks that are all sneak attacks just fine.
jokey665
04-22-08, 11:26 PM As long as an attack meets the qualifications for a sneak attack (flanking or flat footedness, defender not immune) then the attack is a sneak attack.
Gneral Kass
04-22-08, 11:27 PM SO, in the case of the Pixie attacking and using her at-will greater invisibility in between attacks, she could get each attack in as a sneak attack?
Salla
04-22-08, 11:28 PM SO, in the case of the Pixie attacking and using her at-will greater invisibility in between attacks, she could get each attack in as a sneak attack?

You wouldn't need to use it 'in between' attacks. Greater Invisibility does not wear off when an attack is made, so the pixie would just remain invisible while attacking and, unless the target can see invisible or somesuch, every attack would get the sneak attack damage.
Shaggy_Shaggs
04-22-08, 11:29 PM As long as an attack meets the qualifications for a sneak attack (flanking or flat footedness, defender not immune) then the attack is a sneak attack.
Flanking or denied Dex to AC, not flanking or flat-footed. Flat-footed is one way to deny Dex to AC, but it's not the only way, and too many rogue PCs have been robbed of their rightful damage output due to this misconception.
SO, in the case of the Pixie attacking and using her at-will greater invisibility in between attacks, she could get each attack in as a sneak attack?
Why would she use it in between attacks? It doesn't turn off between attacks and (in the pixie's case) doesn't have a duration limit, it's constant unless she deliberately suppresses it. All she needs to do is not bother turning it off, and she can sneak attack as much as she wants.
Gneral Kass
04-22-08, 11:35 PM Well, thanks very much guys. I didn't think aboutt he effects of greater invisibility,, but I did learn more abouts sneak attacks. Thanks again!

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Gneral Kass 04-22-08, 11:16 PM	I was reading through the comprehensive rogue guide and it stated that the pixie's at-will greater invisibility would allow a pixie rogue to make all her attacks sneak attacks. I was udner the impression only the first attack of any round could be a sneak attack. Is there something I'm missing?
Shaggy_Shaggs 04-22-08, 11:24 PM	Any attack that qualifies to be a sneak attack (that is, any melee attack on a flanked target or any damaging attack a target that is denied its Dex bonus) is a sneak attack, unless some other factor negates it. This makes being flanked by a pair of rogues suck a lot, btw. Even if you try to move out, both the attacks of opportunity will normally be sneak attacks. Depending on the rogues' size you might be able to get away with a withdraw action, where you'd still take attacks of opportunity but be out of the pincer before they land, but I digress. The disruption for full attacking while invisible is that with normal invisibility, you go visible after the first attack, and the target is no longer denied its Dex bonus against you. If your invisibility is constant and doesn't fail when you attack, you can perform full attacks that are all sneak attacks just fine.
jokey665 04-22-08, 11:26 PM	As long as an attack meets the qualifications for a sneak attack (flanking or flat footedness, defender not immune) then the attack is a sneak attack.
Gneral Kass 04-22-08, 11:27 PM	SO, in the case of the Pixie attacking and using her at-will greater invisibility in between attacks, she could get each attack in as a sneak attack?
Salla 04-22-08, 11:28 PM	SO, in the case of the Pixie attacking and using her at-will greater invisibility in between attacks, she could get each attack in as a sneak attack? You wouldn't need to use it 'in between' attacks. Greater Invisibility does not wear off when an attack is made, so the pixie would just remain invisible while attacking and, unless the target can see invisible or somesuch, every attack would get the sneak attack damage.
Shaggy_Shaggs 04-22-08, 11:29 PM	As long as an attack meets the qualifications for a sneak attack (flanking or flat footedness, defender not immune) then the attack is a sneak attack. Flanking or denied Dex to AC, not flanking or flat-footed. Flat-footed is one way to deny Dex to AC, but it's not the only way, and too many rogue PCs have been robbed of their rightful damage output due to this misconception. SO, in the case of the Pixie attacking and using her at-will greater invisibility in between attacks, she could get each attack in as a sneak attack? Why would she use it in between attacks? It doesn't turn off between attacks and (in the pixie's case) doesn't have a duration limit, it's constant unless she deliberately suppresses it. All she needs to do is not bother turning it off, and she can sneak attack as much as she wants.
Gneral Kass 04-22-08, 11:35 PM	Well, thanks very much guys. I didn't think aboutt he effects of greater invisibility,, but I did learn more abouts sneak attacks. Thanks again!