Just to clear here, you can only take a single Reaction per round according to RAW. They don't get "reset" by taking a turn within the round itself.
The Player's Handbook disagrees with you. Here's what it says, with a little emphasis added by me.
Reactions
Certain special abilities, spells, and situations allow you to take a special action called a reaction. A reaction is an instant response to a trigger of some kind, which can occur on your turn or on someone else's. The opportunity attack, described later in this chapter, is the most common type of reaction.
When you take a reaction, you can't take another one until the start of your next turn. If the reaction interrupts another creature's turn, that creature can continue its turn right after the reaction.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Click ✨ HERE ✨ For My Youtube Videos featuring Guides, Tips & Tricks for using D&D Beyond. Need help with Homebrew? Check out ✨ thisFAQ/Guide thread ✨ by IamSposta.
Not really, he said only once per round specifically saying it is not reset on next turn. The actual text is once until start of next turn and there's a rogue class able to get 2 turns in the first round which does mean 2 reactions in one round.
Click ✨ HERE ✨ For My Youtube Videos featuring Guides, Tips & Tricks for using D&D Beyond. Need help with Homebrew? Check out ✨ thisFAQ/Guide thread ✨ by IamSposta.
Before your turn happens, take a reaction, getting a sneak attack.
On your init. (your turn) due, to being a rogue.
Now that your turn has happened, get ANOTHER Reaction Sneak Attack.
Again on your 2nd turn at -10 initiative, for being 17th level Thief using Thieves Reflexes, getting another sneak attack on your new turn.
As your turn has happened again, you can take yet ANOTHER reaction, getting a sneak attack.
To my knowledge, that is the most number of sneak attacks you get during a single round.
A cavalier 18/rogue 2 can get essentially an unlimited number of sneak attacks limited only by the number of enemies that trigger attacks of opportunity.
A Reaction happens "outside" of each players Turn, and, as such, can allow Sneak Attack damage. Some feats only allow for more reactions...
No, a reaction happens on whomever's turn it was when the reaction's trigger occurred. Normally that's someone else's turn, but if for whatever reason an enemy were to provoke an opportunity attack on the Rogue's turn and they had already used Sneak Attack, they wouldn't be able to get a second one.
Yeah this idea that Reactions are somehow exempt from or “outside of” turns and rounds is not supported by any rule whatsoever. And it causes further confusion because they then use this to justify Counterspell in the same turn the PC uses a Bonus Action Spell. You’re fighting the good fight!
Before your turn happens, take a reaction, getting a sneak attack.
On your init. (your turn) due, to being a rogue.
Now that your turn has happened, get ANOTHER Reaction Sneak Attack.
Again on your 2nd turn at -10 initiative, for being 17th level Thief using Thieves Reflexes, getting another sneak attack on your new turn.
As your turn has happened again, you can take yet ANOTHER reaction, getting a sneak attack.
To my knowledge, that is the most number of sneak attacks you get during a single round.
A cavalier 18/rogue 2 can get essentially an unlimited number of sneak attacks limited only by the number of enemies that trigger attacks of opportunity.
That requires a great deal of cooperation from the bad guys.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
Before your turn happens, take a reaction, getting a sneak attack.
On your init. (your turn) due, to being a rogue.
Now that your turn has happened, get ANOTHER Reaction Sneak Attack.
Again on your 2nd turn at -10 initiative, for being 17th level Thief using Thieves Reflexes, getting another sneak attack on your new turn.
As your turn has happened again, you can take yet ANOTHER reaction, getting a sneak attack.
To my knowledge, that is the most number of sneak attacks you get during a single round.
A cavalier 18/rogue 2 can get essentially an unlimited number of sneak attacks limited only by the number of enemies that trigger attacks of opportunity.
That requires a great deal of cooperation from the bad guys.
For the record, in the general rules it says you interrupt the turn, and their turn resumes after stating that it’s your turn taking place not theirs. So you should only have 1 per round
For the record, in the general rules it says you interrupt the turn, and their turn resumes after stating that it’s your turn taking place not theirs. So you should only have 1 per round
Your reaction interrupts the their turn and they resume it after your reaction but it still remains their turn. The point of that statement is to ensure people are aware that after your reaction the character can continue with their turn rather than forfeiting it. Nothing says that the reaction is your turn, it is still occurrng on that other creature's turn. That's why there's a line "A reaction is an instant response to a trigger of some kind, which can occur on your turn or on someone else's."
You regain your reaction at the start of your next turn. - This is why your reaction is not considered to be "your turn".
The Thief subclass of the Rogue class has a feature that lets you take two turns during the first round of combat.
Round Begins Turn 1: Rogue moves to enemy, attacks with sneak attack. Enemy moves, provoking Attack of Opportunity, Rogue uses reaction to take it, deal sneak attack again. Turn 2: Rogue moves to enemy, attacks with sneak attack. Round Ends.
Assuming conditions for sneak attack are met each time, of course.
3 sneak attacks and 2 turns all in 1 round.
There is also the Sudden Strike feature for the Scout subclass which lets you do 2 sneak attacks on your turn.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Click ✨ HERE ✨ For My Youtube Videos featuring Guides, Tips & Tricks for using D&D Beyond. Need help with Homebrew? Check out ✨ thisFAQ/Guide thread ✨ by IamSposta.
Reaction is specifically placed under the player turn section in the turn order of the rules. The Thief double turn is a exception along with battlemaster order to make you attack or a haste/prepared action. But a reaction is specifically put in the category of "your turn" in the rules. This means that when it says "interrupt" you are interrupting with the reaction you gain from your turn. Saying it can occur on your turn or someone else's is to specify that a reaction can take place at any time in this situation or what was written contradicts itself. As a DM i take this to mean that it is part of your turn and does not get the second sneak attack.
For people who are trying to min/max characters, I can understand the argument the other way but I honestly dont think the design is meant to operate this way. No other class would match their damage.
For example I have a arcane trickster rogue in my campaign, constantly using booming blade on a raiper.
Thus, they currently doing 1d8+2d8+3d6 and can also disengage. I have 2 paladins, a barbarian, a druid and a sorcerer and none of them can even max roll to get near the average of that number.
People have already come forward saying they dont enjoy combat because they feel like they basically dont contribute and this is BEFORE sneak attack on a attack of Opportunity. Which is why I dont allow it and I feel like while it can be argued either way, by taking the rules as written and their formatting, I would say you dont get it twice in one round without Haste/Battlemaster/Theif.
While you may not disagree in the end dnd is meant for everyone to enjoy and everyone has their own way of doing so. In my personal experience this exact thing has destroyed campaigns and led to hours of arguments over the topic, to the point where i had to bring it to "im the dm and the other players arent enjoying this so im saying this is how its played". For those who play in the very serious games and want to max out everything i understand but I think the ruling can be read either way.
Reaction is specifically placed under the player turn section in the turn order of the rules. The Thief double turn is a exception along with battlemaster order to make you attack or a haste/prepared action. But a reaction is specifically put in the category of "your turn" in the rules. This means that when it says "interrupt" you are interrupting with the reaction you gain from your turn. Saying it can occur on your turn or someone else's is to specify that a reaction can take place at any time in this situation or what was written contradicts itself. As a DM i take this to mean that it is part of your turn and does not get the second sneak attack.
The people who designed the game disagree with you.
From Sage Advice: (emphasis mine)
Can a rogue use Sneak Attack more than once per round?
The Sneak Attack description specifies that you can use the feature once per turn, but it’s not limited to your turn. The feature also doesn’t limit the number of times you can use it in a round.
You sometimes get a chance to use Sneak Attack on someone else’s turn. The most common way for this to happen is when a foe provokes an opportunity attack from you. If the requirements for Sneak Attack are met, your opportunity attack can benefit from that feature. Similarly, a fighter could use Commander’s Strike to grant you an attack on the fighter’s turn, and if the attack qualifies, it can use Sneak Attack. Both of those options rely on the use of your reaction, so you could do only one of them in a round.
Because you get only one reaction per round, you’re unlikely to use Sneak Attack more than twice in a round: once with your action and once with your reaction.
The reaction is put in your turn section because it is granted when you get your turn. It doesn't mean usng the reaction makes it "your turn again".
I'll trust RAW and the people who made the game over you. Sorry.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Click ✨ HERE ✨ For My Youtube Videos featuring Guides, Tips & Tricks for using D&D Beyond. Need help with Homebrew? Check out ✨ thisFAQ/Guide thread ✨ by IamSposta.
To add to what Cyb3rM1nd has said, there are some spells and abilities in the game that very specifically say they trigger during your turn (or next turn), to emphasise that they don't take effect during enemy turns due to reactions. It's something you need to watch out for, as these effects don't apply to reactions, but others might if their other conditions can be met.
This is done on purpose, otherwise they'd just specify "your next attack" or such.
Former D&D Beyond Customer of six years: With the axing of piecemeal purchasing, lack of meaningful development, and toxic moderation the site isn't worth paying for anymore. I remain a free user only until my groups are done migrating from DDB, and if necessary D&D, after which I'm done. There are better systems owned by better companies out there.
I have unsubscribed from all topics and will not reply to messages. My homebrew is now 100% unsupported.
Sentinel uses the character's reaction to pull off their extra attack, so you have to make the choice of that or an Opportunity Attack.
Thief archetype can get a extra sneak attack in there, at higher levels (17th+ level), with use of their Thief's Reflexes (Two turns during the first round of combat, first at normal imitative second at initiative minus 10)
Then there is also the UA fighting style Tunnel Fighter, which is a touch ridiculous;
You excel at defending narrow passages, doorways, and other tight spaces. As a bonus action, you can enter a defensive stance that lasts until the start of your next turn. While in your defensive stance, you can make opportunity attacks without using your reaction, and you can use your reaction to make a melee attack against a creature that moves more than 5 feet while within your reach.
Yikes lol
Since monsters of the same type move on same initiative, it is considered one turn by most DM so you couldn't sneak attack more than 1 of the 20 goblins being feared past you in a tunnel.
Since monsters of the same type move on same initiative, it is considered one turn by most DM so you couldn't sneak attack more than 1 of the 20 goblins being feared past you in a tunnel.
That wouldn't be following the rules as written; D&D combat is explicitly structured as a series of combat rounds, each of which is 6 seconds long, and features one turn per creature involved the combat. Each turn is its own discrete unit; certain actions you can do during your own turn, other things you can do during enemy turns.
Sneak Attack doesn't specify only your turn, it specifies once per turn, meaning once during your turn, and theoretically once during every other creature's turn as well (though in practice you can only really manage two or three at most).
Former D&D Beyond Customer of six years: With the axing of piecemeal purchasing, lack of meaningful development, and toxic moderation the site isn't worth paying for anymore. I remain a free user only until my groups are done migrating from DDB, and if necessary D&D, after which I'm done. There are better systems owned by better companies out there.
I have unsubscribed from all topics and will not reply to messages. My homebrew is now 100% unsupported.
Sentinel uses the character's reaction to pull off their extra attack, so you have to make the choice of that or an Opportunity Attack.
Thief archetype can get a extra sneak attack in there, at higher levels (17th+ level), with use of their Thief's Reflexes (Two turns during the first round of combat, first at normal imitative second at initiative minus 10)
Then there is also the UA fighting style Tunnel Fighter, which is a touch ridiculous;
You excel at defending narrow passages, doorways, and other tight spaces. As a bonus action, you can enter a defensive stance that lasts until the start of your next turn. While in your defensive stance, you can make opportunity attacks without using your reaction, and you can use your reaction to make a melee attack against a creature that moves more than 5 feet while within your reach.
Yikes lol
Since monsters of the same type move on same initiative, it is considered one turn by most DM so you couldn't sneak attack more than 1 of the 20 goblins being feared past you in a tunnel.
This is incorrect. Same initiative =/= same turn. Every character still has its own turn, the DM my just do them all in the same initiative for convenience but it's still individual turns.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Click ✨ HERE ✨ For My Youtube Videos featuring Guides, Tips & Tricks for using D&D Beyond. Need help with Homebrew? Check out ✨ thisFAQ/Guide thread ✨ by IamSposta.
Thus, they currently doing 1d8+2d8+3d6 and can also disengage. I have 2 paladins, a barbarian, a druid and a sorcerer and none of them can even max roll to get near the average of that number.
Are your playing the right rules? The Rapier does 1d8, 3d6 Sneak Attack is level 6, and Booming Blade only does 1d8 at that level (and 2d8 extra if they move). For only 1 attack per round.
A Paladin and Barbarian at level 6 attack twice and Barbarians get reckless and likely GWM for an extra 10 per hit, and Paladins get ridiculous Smites on top. How are you comparing these??
How to get 5 sneak attacks in a single round:
To my knowledge, that is the most number of sneak attacks you get during a single round.
Just to clear here, you can only take a single Reaction per round according to RAW. They don't get "reset" by taking a turn within the round itself.
The Player's Handbook disagrees with you. Here's what it says, with a little emphasis added by me.
Click ✨ HERE ✨ For My Youtube Videos featuring Guides, Tips & Tricks for using D&D Beyond.
Need help with Homebrew? Check out ✨ this FAQ/Guide thread ✨ by IamSposta.
Isn't that what he said?
"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
-Ilyara Thundertale
Not really, he said only once per round specifically saying it is not reset on next turn. The actual text is once until start of next turn and there's a rogue class able to get 2 turns in the first round which does mean 2 reactions in one round.
Click ✨ HERE ✨ For My Youtube Videos featuring Guides, Tips & Tricks for using D&D Beyond.
Need help with Homebrew? Check out ✨ this FAQ/Guide thread ✨ by IamSposta.
Ah, thank you for the clarification =)
"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
-Ilyara Thundertale
A cavalier 18/rogue 2 can get essentially an unlimited number of sneak attacks limited only by the number of enemies that trigger attacks of opportunity.
Yeah this idea that Reactions are somehow exempt from or “outside of” turns and rounds is not supported by any rule whatsoever. And it causes further confusion because they then use this to justify Counterspell in the same turn the PC uses a Bonus Action Spell. You’re fighting the good fight!
That requires a great deal of cooperation from the bad guys.
"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
-Ilyara Thundertale
Hehe, very true 🙂
For the record, in the general rules it says you interrupt the turn, and their turn resumes after stating that it’s your turn taking place not theirs. So you should only have 1 per round
Your reaction interrupts the their turn and they resume it after your reaction but it still remains their turn. The point of that statement is to ensure people are aware that after your reaction the character can continue with their turn rather than forfeiting it. Nothing says that the reaction is your turn, it is still occurrng on that other creature's turn. That's why there's a line "A reaction is an instant response to a trigger of some kind, which can occur on your turn or on someone else's."
You regain your reaction at the start of your next turn. - This is why your reaction is not considered to be "your turn".
The Thief subclass of the Rogue class has a feature that lets you take two turns during the first round of combat.
Round Begins
Turn 1: Rogue moves to enemy, attacks with sneak attack.
Enemy moves, provoking Attack of Opportunity, Rogue uses reaction to take it, deal sneak attack again.
Turn 2: Rogue moves to enemy, attacks with sneak attack.
Round Ends.
Assuming conditions for sneak attack are met each time, of course.
3 sneak attacks and 2 turns all in 1 round.
There is also the Sudden Strike feature for the Scout subclass which lets you do 2 sneak attacks on your turn.
Click ✨ HERE ✨ For My Youtube Videos featuring Guides, Tips & Tricks for using D&D Beyond.
Need help with Homebrew? Check out ✨ this FAQ/Guide thread ✨ by IamSposta.
Reaction is specifically placed under the player turn section in the turn order of the rules. The Thief double turn is a exception along with battlemaster order to make you attack or a haste/prepared action. But a reaction is specifically put in the category of "your turn" in the rules. This means that when it says "interrupt" you are interrupting with the reaction you gain from your turn. Saying it can occur on your turn or someone else's is to specify that a reaction can take place at any time in this situation or what was written contradicts itself. As a DM i take this to mean that it is part of your turn and does not get the second sneak attack.
For people who are trying to min/max characters, I can understand the argument the other way but I honestly dont think the design is meant to operate this way. No other class would match their damage.
For example I have a arcane trickster rogue in my campaign, constantly using booming blade on a raiper.
Thus, they currently doing 1d8+2d8+3d6 and can also disengage. I have 2 paladins, a barbarian, a druid and a sorcerer and none of them can even max roll to get near the average of that number.
People have already come forward saying they dont enjoy combat because they feel like they basically dont contribute and this is BEFORE sneak attack on a attack of Opportunity. Which is why I dont allow it and I feel like while it can be argued either way, by taking the rules as written and their formatting, I would say you dont get it twice in one round without Haste/Battlemaster/Theif.
While you may not disagree in the end dnd is meant for everyone to enjoy and everyone has their own way of doing so. In my personal experience this exact thing has destroyed campaigns and led to hours of arguments over the topic, to the point where i had to bring it to "im the dm and the other players arent enjoying this so im saying this is how its played". For those who play in the very serious games and want to max out everything i understand but I think the ruling can be read either way.
The people who designed the game disagree with you.
From Sage Advice: (emphasis mine)
The reaction is put in your turn section because it is granted when you get your turn. It doesn't mean usng the reaction makes it "your turn again".
I'll trust RAW and the people who made the game over you. Sorry.
Click ✨ HERE ✨ For My Youtube Videos featuring Guides, Tips & Tricks for using D&D Beyond.
Need help with Homebrew? Check out ✨ this FAQ/Guide thread ✨ by IamSposta.
To add to what Cyb3rM1nd has said, there are some spells and abilities in the game that very specifically say they trigger during your turn (or next turn), to emphasise that they don't take effect during enemy turns due to reactions. It's something you need to watch out for, as these effects don't apply to reactions, but others might if their other conditions can be met.
This is done on purpose, otherwise they'd just specify "your next attack" or such.
Former D&D Beyond Customer of six years: With the axing of piecemeal purchasing, lack of meaningful development, and toxic moderation the site isn't worth paying for anymore. I remain a free user only until my groups are done migrating from DDB, and if necessary D&D, after which I'm done. There are better systems owned by better companies out there.
I have unsubscribed from all topics and will not reply to messages. My homebrew is now 100% unsupported.
Since monsters of the same type move on same initiative, it is considered one turn by most DM so you couldn't sneak attack more than 1 of the 20 goblins being feared past you in a tunnel.
That wouldn't be following the rules as written; D&D combat is explicitly structured as a series of combat rounds, each of which is 6 seconds long, and features one turn per creature involved the combat. Each turn is its own discrete unit; certain actions you can do during your own turn, other things you can do during enemy turns.
Sneak Attack doesn't specify only your turn, it specifies once per turn, meaning once during your turn, and theoretically once during every other creature's turn as well (though in practice you can only really manage two or three at most).
Former D&D Beyond Customer of six years: With the axing of piecemeal purchasing, lack of meaningful development, and toxic moderation the site isn't worth paying for anymore. I remain a free user only until my groups are done migrating from DDB, and if necessary D&D, after which I'm done. There are better systems owned by better companies out there.
I have unsubscribed from all topics and will not reply to messages. My homebrew is now 100% unsupported.
This is incorrect. Same initiative =/= same turn. Every character still has its own turn, the DM my just do them all in the same initiative for convenience but it's still individual turns.
Click ✨ HERE ✨ For My Youtube Videos featuring Guides, Tips & Tricks for using D&D Beyond.
Need help with Homebrew? Check out ✨ this FAQ/Guide thread ✨ by IamSposta.
Are your playing the right rules? The Rapier does 1d8, 3d6 Sneak Attack is level 6, and Booming Blade only does 1d8 at that level (and 2d8 extra if they move). For only 1 attack per round.
A Paladin and Barbarian at level 6 attack twice and Barbarians get reckless and likely GWM for an extra 10 per hit, and Paladins get ridiculous Smites on top. How are you comparing these??
Rogues LOVE spellcasters with the Dissonant Whispers spell.