Brainstorming a Rogue/Magic user multiclass and while the consensus seems to be you can't roll sneak attack damage with a spell, I can't seem to find an answer to the question above. Assassinate reads as follows:
"Starting at 3rd level, you are at your deadliest when you get the drop on your enemies. You have advantage on attack rolls against any creature that hasn’t taken a turn in the combat yet. In addition, any hit you score against a creature that is surprised is a critical hit."
To me, that sounds like if you surprised somebody with a spells, it would auto-crit. But given the no sneak attack with spells, I wasn't sure. Does anybody have any opinions or rules they care to share?
If a spell requires you to make an attack roll then Assassinate can be used with that spell, so you will gain advantage on the attack roll, and you will auto-crit if they're surprised. But remembering that spells don't work with Sneak Attack is important, since it does specify that in order to use Sneak Attack you must use a weapon with a finesse or a ranged property. In this instance a Bow will do more damage for the Rogue overall combining it with the Sneak Attack, auto-crit, and normal damages + modifiers.
I.E. The critical hit still applies, you just don't get the Sneak Attack bonus damages.
To expand on what StylesStriker said, here are the rules for Sneak Attack from the PHB:
Sneak Attack
Beginning at 1st level, you know how to strike subtly and exploit a foe’s distraction. 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.
The amount of the extra damage increases as you gain levels in this class, as shown in the Sneak Attack column of the Rogue table.
The pertinent part is where it says that the attack must use a finesse weapon or ranged weapon. Spells that have an attack that use a melee weapon, such as Booming Blade or Green-flame Blade, would allow sneak attack and the spell damage to automatically critically hit using the assassin feature. Additionally, throwing or attacking with Shadow Blade would also automatically critical and allow sneak attack damage. Those the only ways in which this would work with both spell damage and sneak attack damage to my knowledge.
Another feature that is tangential to your goal is to take arcane trickster. This will give you spells and at level 9 you'll get Magical Ambush. This enables you to force disadvantage on saving throws when you target a creature with a spell. It's a pretty neat feature. You could sneak up, hold person on the guards, and run in to steal the treasure. Or do the same thing and attack the third with sneak attack. There are a lot of cool things you can do with the Arcane trickster.
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Brainstorming a Rogue/Magic user multiclass and while the consensus seems to be you can't roll sneak attack damage with a spell, I can't seem to find an answer to the question above. Assassinate reads as follows:
"Starting at 3rd level, you are at your deadliest when you get the drop on your enemies. You have advantage on attack rolls against any creature that hasn’t taken a turn in the combat yet. In addition, any hit you score against a creature that is surprised is a critical hit."
To me, that sounds like if you surprised somebody with a spells, it would auto-crit. But given the no sneak attack with spells, I wasn't sure. Does anybody have any opinions or rules they care to share?
As long as it uses an attack roll and isn't a save vs damage spell, yes it will auto crit.
Canto alla vita
alla sua bellezza
ad ogni sua ferita
ogni sua carezza!
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To pain and to strife, but all that dances through me
The rise and the fall, I've lived through it all!
If a spell requires you to make an attack roll then Assassinate can be used with that spell, so you will gain advantage on the attack roll, and you will auto-crit if they're surprised. But remembering that spells don't work with Sneak Attack is important, since it does specify that in order to use Sneak Attack you must use a weapon with a finesse or a ranged property. In this instance a Bow will do more damage for the Rogue overall combining it with the Sneak Attack, auto-crit, and normal damages + modifiers.
I.E. The critical hit still applies, you just don't get the Sneak Attack bonus damages.
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To expand on what StylesStriker said, here are the rules for Sneak Attack from the PHB:
The pertinent part is where it says that the attack must use a finesse weapon or ranged weapon. Spells that have an attack that use a melee weapon, such as Booming Blade or Green-flame Blade, would allow sneak attack and the spell damage to automatically critically hit using the assassin feature. Additionally, throwing or attacking with Shadow Blade would also automatically critical and allow sneak attack damage. Those the only ways in which this would work with both spell damage and sneak attack damage to my knowledge.
Another feature that is tangential to your goal is to take arcane trickster. This will give you spells and at level 9 you'll get Magical Ambush. This enables you to force disadvantage on saving throws when you target a creature with a spell. It's a pretty neat feature. You could sneak up, hold person on the guards, and run in to steal the treasure. Or do the same thing and attack the third with sneak attack. There are a lot of cool things you can do with the Arcane trickster.