Backstabbing and Flanking [Archive] - Wizards Community

Backstabbing and Flanking [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Tisner44
04-21-04, 09:41 PM I need to clarify some rules with Backstabbing and Flanking.

Does a rogue get backstab damage with every attack when flanking or is just the first attack?
hecate
04-21-04, 09:41 PM All of 'em :)
Edymnion
04-21-04, 11:17 PM Originally posted by Tisner44
I need to clarify some rules with Backstabbing and Flanking.

Does a rogue get backstab damage with every attack when flanking or is just the first attack? Its called Sneak Attack in 3e, you don't have to be behind them, and you don't have to stab them. You can walk up in front of somebody, go "Hi, I'm gonna kill you now.", and hit them with a warhammer and get sneak attack damage, if done right.

And you get Sneak Attack on EVERY attack that qualifies. So if you're flanking, and you get 8 attacks per round, then you get 8 full sneak attacks per round to go with it.
nevick
04-21-04, 11:28 PM Edymnion. you mean with using Feint right? or just beating initiative and acting 1st? (provided he is surprised).

damn rules for being hard! =P
Dauntless
04-22-04, 02:00 AM Originally posted by nevick
Edymnion. you mean with using Feint right? or just beating initiative and acting 1st? (provided he is surprised).

damn rules for being hard! =P

Or having your buddy standing on the other side of him with a pointy stick.
Gothic_Demon
04-22-04, 06:01 AM Sneak Attacks?

Start here:
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/rg/20040217a
Salla
04-22-04, 04:16 PM Originally posted by Edymnion
You can walk up in front of somebody, go "Hi, I'm gonna kill you now.", and hit them with a warhammer and get sneak attack damage

Thank you. I'm going to do this next game. :D
Tisner44
04-22-04, 04:22 PM Thanks that was very helpful.
Edymnion
04-22-04, 04:36 PM Originally posted by nevick
Edymnion. you mean with using Feint right? or just beating initiative and acting 1st? (provided he is surprised).

damn rules for being hard! =P Several ways.
On a Surprise round, pop out next to them. Say "Hi, I'm going to stab you." (only 6 words, so its a free action), and take your partial action to make a single sneak attack. Win init the next round, say "I'm gonna kill you now, okay?" (again, only 6 words, free action), and take your full attack. Say you maxxed out your TWF tree, thats 8 melee attacks in one round, each one doing Sneak Attack damage.

Or if you're flanking you can take the full sneak attack.

Aka, it no longer has anything to do about surprising the enemy, or them not knowing you're there. They can see you walk up, and you can still get Sneak Attack damage if you did it right. All you gotta do is deny them their Dex bonus to AC, or flank them. You do either one of those, and you get as many Sneak Attacks as you want.
Bedevere
04-22-04, 05:40 PM Or, you could just do all that to someone who is sleeping, simplifying the process somewhat. :D
Sildatorak
04-23-04, 03:37 AM Yeah, sneak attack is a total misnomer. It should be called "vital strike" or something.
Nyvinyd
04-23-04, 03:51 AM It should be called "dirty fighting" for what it really is. You could make a really nasty NE Druid/Rogue if you just took the druid levels for the animal companion, and took one that was mean enough to flank your enemy, like say... a wolf. Get up to Druid3/Rogue3, and you've got quite a nasty killer out in the woods. Move at normal speed, leaving no tracks, both you and your wolf companion have Evasion, and you get sneak attack +2D6.

That's quite a nasty woodland bandit, there.

add:

Also, at level 3 you have 2 level 1 druid spells and 1 level 2 druid spell. Take Obscuring Mist for yourself, Faerie Fire on your enemy, and then cast a little Fog Cloud.

"What? Who's there? AUGH!"
Bedevere
04-23-04, 11:36 AM Hmm. If we are talking about multiclassing for optimisation of sneak attack, I've always liked the monk 1/ rogue x combination.

Think about it. To sneak attack with a weapon, you must make optimum use of a weapon, IE you cant accept a -4 to switch between lethal and nonlethal. Well, monks attack for either, unarmed, with no penalty. This means you can constantly sneak attack for either, with no need for a weapon. Sure a monk doing d20 plus whatever strength damage is good, but compare to a rogue doing 11d6 plus strength, and as usual, the rogue looks so good. (assuming no pesky immune to crits guys, of course.:mad: )

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Tisner44 04-21-04, 09:41 PM	I need to clarify some rules with Backstabbing and Flanking. Does a rogue get backstab damage with every attack when flanking or is just the first attack?
hecate 04-21-04, 09:41 PM	All of 'em :)
Edymnion 04-21-04, 11:17 PM	Originally posted by Tisner44 I need to clarify some rules with Backstabbing and Flanking. Does a rogue get backstab damage with every attack when flanking or is just the first attack? Its called Sneak Attack in 3e, you don't have to be behind them, and you don't have to stab them. You can walk up in front of somebody, go "Hi, I'm gonna kill you now.", and hit them with a warhammer and get sneak attack damage, if done right. And you get Sneak Attack on EVERY attack that qualifies. So if you're flanking, and you get 8 attacks per round, then you get 8 full sneak attacks per round to go with it.
nevick 04-21-04, 11:28 PM	Edymnion. you mean with using Feint right? or just beating initiative and acting 1st? (provided he is surprised). damn rules for being hard! =P
Dauntless 04-22-04, 02:00 AM	Originally posted by nevick Edymnion. you mean with using Feint right? or just beating initiative and acting 1st? (provided he is surprised). damn rules for being hard! =P Or having your buddy standing on the other side of him with a pointy stick.
Gothic_Demon 04-22-04, 06:01 AM	Sneak Attacks? Start here: http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/rg/20040217a
Salla 04-22-04, 04:16 PM	Originally posted by Edymnion You can walk up in front of somebody, go "Hi, I'm gonna kill you now.", and hit them with a warhammer and get sneak attack damage Thank you. I'm going to do this next game. :D
Tisner44 04-22-04, 04:22 PM	Thanks that was very helpful.
Edymnion 04-22-04, 04:36 PM	Originally posted by nevick Edymnion. you mean with using Feint right? or just beating initiative and acting 1st? (provided he is surprised). damn rules for being hard! =P Several ways. On a Surprise round, pop out next to them. Say "Hi, I'm going to stab you." (only 6 words, so its a free action), and take your partial action to make a single sneak attack. Win init the next round, say "I'm gonna kill you now, okay?" (again, only 6 words, free action), and take your full attack. Say you maxxed out your TWF tree, thats 8 melee attacks in one round, each one doing Sneak Attack damage. Or if you're flanking you can take the full sneak attack. Aka, it no longer has anything to do about surprising the enemy, or them not knowing you're there. They can see you walk up, and you can still get Sneak Attack damage if you did it right. All you gotta do is deny them their Dex bonus to AC, or flank them. You do either one of those, and you get as many Sneak Attacks as you want.
Bedevere 04-22-04, 05:40 PM	Or, you could just do all that to someone who is sleeping, simplifying the process somewhat. :D
Sildatorak 04-23-04, 03:37 AM	Yeah, sneak attack is a total misnomer. It should be called "vital strike" or something.
Nyvinyd 04-23-04, 03:51 AM	It should be called "dirty fighting" for what it really is. You could make a really nasty NE Druid/Rogue if you just took the druid levels for the animal companion, and took one that was mean enough to flank your enemy, like say... a wolf. Get up to Druid3/Rogue3, and you've got quite a nasty killer out in the woods. Move at normal speed, leaving no tracks, both you and your wolf companion have Evasion, and you get sneak attack +2D6. That's quite a nasty woodland bandit, there. add: Also, at level 3 you have 2 level 1 druid spells and 1 level 2 druid spell. Take Obscuring Mist for yourself, Faerie Fire on your enemy, and then cast a little Fog Cloud. "What? Who's there? AUGH!"
Bedevere 04-23-04, 11:36 AM	Hmm. If we are talking about multiclassing for optimisation of sneak attack, I've always liked the monk 1/ rogue x combination. Think about it. To sneak attack with a weapon, you must make optimum use of a weapon, IE you cant accept a -4 to switch between lethal and nonlethal. Well, monks attack for either, unarmed, with no penalty. This means you can constantly sneak attack for either, with no need for a weapon. Sure a monk doing d20 plus whatever strength damage is good, but compare to a rogue doing 11d6 plus strength, and as usual, the rogue looks so good. (assuming no pesky immune to crits guys, of course.:mad: )