Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Lanyon 02-06-07, 12:20 PM	First, I apologize if this has already been asked... not having a search function on these boards stinks, and I don't have the time to go slogging through a bunch of forum pages. Hopefully this question gets a quick, easy answer! I was wondering if there are any hard-set rules (or if it's just the DM's call) regarding the size of a creature a PC can sneak attack. It says in the PHB that the sneak-attacker must be able to reach the discernible anatomy, and Skip Williams further states in his "All About Sneak Attacks" article that rogues reduced to beating a foe about the ankles cannot sneak attack. Now, for my game right now I'm just using DMs call... I set up an encounter for my players last night with Dinosaurs... all the dinos were Huge creatures, but some were 'tall' (i.e. allosaurus, tyrannosaurus) while some were 'short' (i.e. ankylosaurus). I reasoned that the ankylosaurus could still be sneak attacked because its much lower to the ground (despite its size) and an adept rogue could still reach vital parts, such as its neck, abdomen, etc. The tell guys though, a rogue would only come up to his knee or so, so I said he couldn't sneak attack them. Well, my rogue PC was not impressed with this, so yeah... just wondering if there are any 'official' rules governing this, or if I'm doing the right thing. Thanks!
ShinAkuma2 02-06-07, 12:25 PM	I once had my knee hyperextended. Let me tell you, it was extremely painful. Being beaten or slashed in the knees would be even worse. Along the legs, there are plenty of sensitive tissues, blood vessels, and tendons just ripe for the Sneak Attacking. Simply bashing someone in the shin with a baseball bat would be enough to take an average person out of a fight.
Orcdoubleax 02-06-07, 01:10 PM	A lot of people ignore the rule because it is not specific. I think your call was as close to the rules as you can get. The house rule I like is 2 size cat. so small can sneak attack large, med can sneak attack huge. It is just make it simple. In judgement calls you are always better to not side with the PC's. Pc's can be sneaky little kobolds and if you give them a dagger they will take a greatsword.:D
draconic_swine 02-06-07, 02:16 PM	Being able to sneak attack a Long creature two size categories larger, but not a Tall creature two size categories larger, seems reasonable enough, and I like it better than the flat two size categories larger. But it's definitely a houserule - the rule is so unbelieveably vague however you decide to handle it, it's gonna be a houserule. I can definitely see why your player is upset, especially if he's played D&D before and had no problem sneak attacking creatures of any size. Players tend not to like things when a DM makes up a rule mid-session. Make it an official houserule, and explain the rationale to the players, and that should help smooth things over.
Cathnard 02-06-07, 02:41 PM	If You don't mind: if you attack the tenden in the heel of any size monster is that not called a sneak attact of a vitle spote? in the rules if the monster dose not have a discernable vitle spots "then it can not be Sneak Attack" And i do understand if the monster has havy fort' or the monster is immuned to SK in its discription
runestar 02-06-07, 10:10 PM	There is nothing in the rules stopping a tiny NPC from sneak attacking a collosal foe... It assumes that you are somehow able to reach a vital spot. So long as you meet the criteria for sneak attacking, you are good to go.:)