Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 wizzzzzard Oct 07, 2014 8:50:16	So how far away can a Rogue be, and still get sneak attack?  The way I read it, with a short bow, and an ally adjeacent to an enemy, the Rogue can sneak attack with his 'ranged weapon' from up to 80 feet away, the range of the short bow.   Once per turn, you can deal an extra 1d6 damage to one creature you hit with an attack if you have advantage on the attack roll. The attack must use a finesse or a ranged weapon. 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.   Ranged weapon?  Short Bow! Check! Dwarf Ranger in my party, adjacent to goblin enemy?  Check! Rogue standing 75 feet away from Goblin?  Check! Sneak Attack OK?  Check?   Something about that just doesn't seem kosher. Back in previous editions sneak attack with a ranged weapons was only possible within 30 feet, and IIRC, you needed a special feat to even do that.   Am I wrong in this?
#2 Noctaem Oct 07, 2014 9:01:08	he could be shooting from the moon to the earth, as long as he meets the requirements the rogue can sneak attack.
#3 BW0222 Oct 07, 2014 9:30:18	As long as you are in weapon range and you have advantge or an opponent is within 5' of your target.   Realistically, you likely can't fire into long ranges with weapons since that means a disadvantage. Also, you need to be able to see your opponent, have a straight line, and have gained advantage. Terrain, needs to hide, distance you can see, dungeon/room sizes, battlemap size, range and which you detect a target, the ability of other players to do something, etc. will typically limit this to realistic distances. In forest, grasslands, dungeons, fog, etc. you typically can't see targets at such great distances. In open mountains, plains, hills, water, etc. you typically can't hide or get advantage on folks.   The 3.x rule of 30' was equally silly. Kind of hard to claim that at exactly 30' you could no longer do sneak attack damage. It creates a lot of meta-gaming issues and bizzare combat setups. Yes... 200' isn't likely realistic either, but it is simplier to rule and in most cases won't be an issue. If an elven rogue with a longbow opens up at 200'... his opponents will just drop prone (hence losing any advantage on attack rolls against them) and crawl off or move to cover. He isn't likely to get more than a hit or two in. I can buy a long-distance arrow coming from nowhere doing a lot of damage.   In the past ten years of gaming, I don't think I've seen too many combats happen at distances beyond 100' or so. Most PCs and enemies can't do enough damage and folks either close to melee or flee.
#4 mellored Oct 07, 2014 10:54:34	Longbows are 600'.   So that.
#5 Trance-Zg Oct 07, 2014 12:05:00	mellored wrote:
#6 wizzzzzard Oct 07, 2014 12:34:00	So here's the exact situation. We were playing the Lost Mines mod from the Starter Kit.  Allies go investigate a dead horse that it bait for a goblin trap.  The goblins jump out, and ambush the party.  My rogue was 60 feet away from the horse, having been in the rear of the party.  The 80 foot range on the short bow, and open trail, meant I could easily hit them. The question was whether or not I could sneak attack the goblins, that were boxing in our dwarf ranger and half-elf warlock. Each of my allies had a goblin next to them, so but RAW I could  sneak attack, even though I did not have advantage on the roll. There was no place really to hide, except maybe behind the oxen that were pulling a cart of supplies.  It just seems to go against all I ever learned from sneak attack.
(Reply to #6) OoftaMeg	wizzzzzard wrote:
(Reply to #6) Coredump00	wizzzzzard wrote:
#9 Clutchbone Oct 07, 2014 13:40:14	Remember that if your ally is between you and the goblin, the goblin gets +2 AC from cover (pg 196). Train your allies to move to the side to grant a clear shot.   Otherwise have fun Sneak Attacking from a safe distance!
#10 lawrencehoy Oct 07, 2014 21:38:32	Since Sneak Attack is just either a subtle attack or one that exploits the target's distractedness (providing some extra damage), I don't see where a ranged attack on a target, that is engaged in melee, goes against that concept.
#11 mellored Oct 08, 2014 5:03:07	It's probably also worth mentioning that...   With sneak attack, rogues do slightly less damage then others. They do slightly more damage if they get advantage, and your teammates do not. And they do alot more damage if they get oppertunity attacks.
#12 Joe_the_Rat Oct 08, 2014 7:03:46	wizzzzzard wrote: