If my rouge character is talking with an NPC and the NPC doesn't suspect conflict, and I pull out a concealed hand crossbow, preloaded, and shoot them with an arrow, would I have sneak attack? I would have advantage because they weren't prepared for it right? If I don't want to kill them and instead want to use some sleeping poison, could I disregard the sneak attack and just use the base damage and say nonlethal and shoot them in the arm?
It's the DM's call whether or not you'd have advantage. Mechanically, there's not really any reason you should, since it doesn't sound like you're hidden. If you don't have advantage, then you probably don't meet the criteria for Sneak Attack.
It's the DM's call whether or not the target is surprised. Even if the target is surprised, you wouldn't necessarily have advantage on the attack, unless you happen to have the Assassin subclass.
You can always disregard Sneak Attack, it's something that you choose to activate.
You can't choose to make a ranged attack nonlethal, that's only an option for melee attacks. Your DM might make an exception because of the poison, but otherwise, the damage that you do and the effect of the poison are going to be separate.
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Look at what you've done. You spoiled it. You have nobody to blame but yourself. Go sit and think about your actions.
Don't be mean. Rudeness is a vicious cycle, and it has to stop somewhere. Exceptions for things that are funny. Go to the current Competition of the Finest 'Brews! It's a cool place where cool people make cool things.
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1. Mechanically, no, you wouldn't have Advantage, but your DM may give it anyway. I would. However, that would cancel the Disadvantage that you'd likely have from shooting someone within 5'.
2. Yes, you can disregard Sneak Attack if you wish.
3. Much easier would be to use a Dagger, coat the blade in the sleeping potion and stab them with it. It has the Finesse Property so you can still use Dexterity and your Sneak Attack, you won't get Disadvantage and being a melee attack, you can choose to make it non-lethal.
If you're not willing or able to to discuss in good faith, then don't be surprised if I don't respond, there are better things in life for me to do than humour you. This signature is that response.
If my rouge character is talking with an NPC and the NPC doesn't suspect conflict, and I pull out a concealed hand crossbow, preloaded, and shoot them with an arrow, would I have sneak attack? I would have advantage because they weren't prepared for it right? If I don't want to kill them and instead want to use some sleeping poison, could I disregard the sneak attack and just use the base damage and say nonlethal and shoot them in the arm?
If your rogue is talking with an NPC and pulled a weapon, there should be an initiative. Since neither side tries to be stealthy, they should automatically notice each other resulting in no surprise, unless the DM determine otherwise.
Your rogue will be able to use Sneak Attack if it has advantage somehow or if another enemy of the NPC not incapacitated is within 5 feet of it, and you don’t have disadvantage on the attack roll.
There's no nonlethal damage. Instead, If your rogue reduces the NPC to 0 hit points with a melee attack, you can knock the creature out the instant the damage is dealt. The NPC falls unconscious and is stable 1d4 hours.. Note that ranged attacks with a crossbow wouldn't let you Knocking a Creature Out.
I think the above posters covered the RAW. I’d add something that isn’t quite RAW, but I’d probably do something like your stealth check v NPC’s perception to see if they notice you reaching for and drawing the weapon. I’d let that dictate if the NPC was surprised, or if it was just a straight initiative roll. Some people just react quickly, it might also represent something like if the weapon got caught on something as you tried to quickly draw it.
Technically you could still proc the Sneak Attack feature if you had an ally adjacent to the target, I believe. As for making this kind of “quick draw” move, there’s no official RAW method for it, it’s up to the DM if they’ll let you make an attack like this outside of initiative and if they’ll give it advantage.
Not directly, but the fact that unseen attackers don’t have advantage and immunity to Surprised when conscious could be ruled to prevent this kind of sucker punch move from happening outside of initiative. I don’t believe that there’s any features that expressly shut down Sneak Attack, although some could prevent a Rogue from meeting the pre-reqs for it.
Yes Alert can prevent a rogue from using Sneak Attack on you if it doesn't gain advantage on attack rolls against you as a result of being unseen by you. The rogue can still get Sneak Attack on you if it doesn’t have disadvantage on the attack roll and that an another enemy not incapacitated is within 5 feet of you.
Yes Alert can prevent a rogue from using Sneak Attack on you if it doesn't gain advantage on attack rolls against you as a result of being unseen by you. The rogue can still get Sneak Attack on you if it doesn’t have disadvantage on the attack roll and that an another enemy not incapacitated is within 5 feet of you.
Or they could use the Steady Aim feature from Tasha’s for advantage.
If my rouge character is talking with an NPC and the NPC doesn't suspect conflict, and I pull out a concealed hand crossbow, preloaded, and shoot them with an arrow, would I have sneak attack? I would have advantage because they weren't prepared for it right? If I don't want to kill them and instead want to use some sleeping poison, could I disregard the sneak attack and just use the base damage and say nonlethal and shoot them in the arm?
A few things:
Look at what you've done. You spoiled it. You have nobody to blame but yourself. Go sit and think about your actions.
Don't be mean. Rudeness is a vicious cycle, and it has to stop somewhere. Exceptions for things that are funny.
Go to the current Competition of the Finest 'Brews! It's a cool place where cool people make cool things.
How I'm posting based on text formatting: Mod Hat Off - Mod Hat Also Off (I'm not a mod)
1. Mechanically, no, you wouldn't have Advantage, but your DM may give it anyway. I would. However, that would cancel the Disadvantage that you'd likely have from shooting someone within 5'.
2. Yes, you can disregard Sneak Attack if you wish.
3. Much easier would be to use a Dagger, coat the blade in the sleeping potion and stab them with it. It has the Finesse Property so you can still use Dexterity and your Sneak Attack, you won't get Disadvantage and being a melee attack, you can choose to make it non-lethal.
If you're not willing or able to to discuss in good faith, then don't be surprised if I don't respond, there are better things in life for me to do than humour you. This signature is that response.
If your rogue is talking with an NPC and pulled a weapon, there should be an initiative. Since neither side tries to be stealthy, they should automatically notice each other resulting in no surprise, unless the DM determine otherwise.
Your rogue will be able to use Sneak Attack if it has advantage somehow or if another enemy of the NPC not incapacitated is within 5 feet of it, and you don’t have disadvantage on the attack roll.
There's no nonlethal damage. Instead, If your rogue reduces the NPC to 0 hit points with a melee attack, you can knock the creature out the instant the damage is dealt. The NPC falls unconscious and is stable 1d4 hours.. Note that ranged attacks with a crossbow wouldn't let you Knocking a Creature Out.
I think the above posters covered the RAW. I’d add something that isn’t quite RAW, but I’d probably do something like your stealth check v NPC’s perception to see if they notice you reaching for and drawing the weapon. I’d let that dictate if the NPC was surprised, or if it was just a straight initiative roll. Some people just react quickly, it might also represent something like if the weapon got caught on something as you tried to quickly draw it.
How is it a sneak attack if you are standing there talking to them? Do you mean like a sucker punch? That's still a roll for initiative.
Technically you could still proc the Sneak Attack feature if you had an ally adjacent to the target, I believe. As for making this kind of “quick draw” move, there’s no official RAW method for it, it’s up to the DM if they’ll let you make an attack like this outside of initiative and if they’ll give it advantage.
What if enemy has Alert Feat?
would that negate any sneak attack damage?
Not directly, but the fact that unseen attackers don’t have advantage and immunity to Surprised when conscious could be ruled to prevent this kind of sucker punch move from happening outside of initiative. I don’t believe that there’s any features that expressly shut down Sneak Attack, although some could prevent a Rogue from meeting the pre-reqs for it.
Yes Alert can prevent a rogue from using Sneak Attack on you if it doesn't gain advantage on attack rolls against you as a result of being unseen by you. The rogue can still get Sneak Attack on you if it doesn’t have disadvantage on the attack roll and that an another enemy not incapacitated is within 5 feet of you.
Or they could use the Steady Aim feature from Tasha’s for advantage.
Or the rogue can still use Sneak Attack with other souce of advantage ex. Fearie Fire .