I am playing a Drow Rogue/Warlock in an Underdark campaign. I took 1 level of Warlock and am going the rest Rogue, primarily for role play purposes. I currently have a DEX score of 20 and a CHAR score of 14. I initially took Eldritch Blast and Mage Hand, but considering my low CHAR score I recently swapped it for Booming Blade. I am currently using a +1 light crossbow and a +1 Drowcraft dagger. Because of a low overall roll score, my DM granted me a feat at character creation. I chose Elven Accuracy.
I recently asked the others in my group for advice on leveling. I will soon level to level 5 with 1 level of Warlock and 4 levels of Rogue. I am considering a feat. I have considered Crossbow Expert, but I do not see the benefit since I use a light crossbow. I am now considering either Sharpshooter or Mobile.
A friend has suggested that I can do more damage, on average, with a dagger, booming blade, and Sneak Attack, as opposed to using a light crossbow with Sharpshooter and Sneak Attack, since Sharpshooter is less likely to hit. The problem I have with that argument is that using the hide action in melee combat according to RAW, is problematic and unreliable. My DM is very flexible when it comes to using the hide action in combat, but I think it is a very unreliable mechanic. I estimate that, according to RAW, the likelihood of getting a successful Sneak Attack as a result of the hide action is less than 20%. Whereas, using the new Steady Aim Rogue feature, and Elven Accuracy, even with the -5 to hit, I can reliably hit over 80% of the time.
Perhaps someone can help me with the Math?
However, let's assume, for argument's sake, that with the flexibility of my DM, that I can reliably use the hide action for Sneak Attack, roughly the same percent of the time, as I can reliably hit with the Sharpshooter feat, the damage output is still higher with Sharpshooter.
Since, I can still use a dagger and booming blade without the Mobile feat, I am more inclined to get the Sharpshooter feat and use a combination of both. That is to say, use a dagger attack initially in combat, which since I am an assassin, I will likely be able to get Sneak Attack, and then disengage and use the crossbow, and switch between the two.
I think it's time to choose your specialisation. Not that it prevents you from using the other option, but when taking feats, nearly the only feat that helps both tactics would be Piercer, since both tactics deal piercing damage.
So first off, it seems like you don't have a tank/front line character in your party. Am I correct? Because it doesn't seem like you want advantage for a better hit but rather for the sneak attack. Maybe I didn't understand you right but still, Steady Aim takes care of that problem. On the other hand, you can't use Mobile with Steady Aim. Second, Booming Blade may eat your Bonus Action, so you can't use it with Steady Aim anyway, but it also takes away your Cunning Action as a result. Except... with Mobile you don't really need that. Third, Booming Blade scales with levels even if you only have one level of a spell caster. So this level you'll have 1d8 immediate damage + 2d8 potential damage. 1d8<10 but 3d8's average is higher than 10, being 13.5. So it has the potential to deal more damage.
Now, the problem with hiding only seems to be positioning, since a 5th level character with 20 Dex and, I assume, Expertise in Stealth; will have +11 to Stealth. If so, there's another feat that might help you. It'll take time to reach it, but Skulker allows you to hide even if you're only lightly obscured. Additionally, even if you somehow manage to miss with your "triple advantage", you don't lose the status of being hidden.
In the end, I think both options are equal in power. Each has its advantages and disadvantages. In terms of damage output, I don't think there's a wrong choice here, so it's mainly whether you prefer the tactic of shooting from a distance or dash-and-slashing.
Lastly, you might want to consider taking just one more level of Warlock to get the invocations. Taking Devil's Sight, along with your innate spellcasting that gives you Darkness for free once per day means you'll have a minute of attacks with an advantage while all attacks against you will be made with disadvantage, leaving your Bonus Action to do something else. For a ranged attacker, you don't have much to do with your Bonus Action, but for a close-combat character, you'll have the ability to go out of the cloud of darkness, make an attack and run back in. It works well with the Mobile feat, actually. With your free Bonus Action, you could either use Two-Weapon Fighting or use Dash to have 40 ft. (40 to the target and 40 back to the cloud) around the cloud, which is already 15 ft., of a great control-zone.
I'm more a fan of sharpshooter. 10 flat damage, ignores 1/2 and 3/4 cover, and doesn't impose disadvantage on long range shots. With elven accuracy I feel like you already started down this path. Steady action aim will increase your hit/crit chance significantly so the -5 won't be that much a problem
Ah, you're right. It doesn't take your Bonus Action. I mistook it for a spell similar to one of the various Ranger spells, which are Bonus Action to cast and affect your next attack/hit. It doesn't take your Bonus Action then, which is even better. Still, I'd say it's about balanced.
As for the Darkness spell, you said the character is a Drow Elf, right? If so, you should get a single use of the spell per long rest once you hit total character level of 5.
Drow Magic
You know the dancing lights cantrip. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the faerie fire spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. When you reach 5th level, you can cast the darkness spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells.
I'm playing a swashbuckler which works well with the warlock charisma casts stat. The swashbuckler uses his charisma for some of his skills so works well with warlock. Though I'm going pure rogue I took the magic initiate feat for booming blade/green flame blade and find familiar. I use a weasel which rides my shoulder which holds the help action for when I get into 5 feet of an enemy which give me advantage. Also with swashbuckler you can pull off snark attack very reliably without the advantage
Hiding is impractical in melee. To sneak attack your relying almost entirely on the positioning part of the ability rather than the having advantage. Advantage through hiding is far easier to achieve with ranged weapons which could mean that your striking more often. Specially with certain feats (skulker I believe being one of them) that help to retain that stealth at ranged. Advantage can be useful to help undo the negative modifier of sharp shooter. While some see being ranged as not having a use for the bonus action. This really isn't true since for a rogue hiding is a bonus action and hiding makes you harder to target while helping you to get advantage on your attacks in a mostly reliable manner.
Also Sneak Attack actually works on the ranged attack and Booming Blade has requirements to it's damage that means that unless they are met the damage is not all that significant. Green Flame Blade can be slightly better as far as damage goes but it's full damage is in no way guaranteed. So the +10 damage that is guaranteed should you hit is not behind or even significantly behind until higher level as long as you can make it so you don't miss in any significant amount over the physical attacks. Your elven Accuracy may in fact be enough to cover most if not all of the negative modifier on average but you can also use things like bracers of Archery as well to actually work on coming out ahead.
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I am playing a Drow Rogue/Warlock in an Underdark campaign. I took 1 level of Warlock and am going the rest Rogue, primarily for role play purposes. I currently have a DEX score of 20 and a CHAR score of 14. I initially took Eldritch Blast and Mage Hand, but considering my low CHAR score I recently swapped it for Booming Blade. I am currently using a +1 light crossbow and a +1 Drowcraft dagger. Because of a low overall roll score, my DM granted me a feat at character creation. I chose Elven Accuracy.
I recently asked the others in my group for advice on leveling. I will soon level to level 5 with 1 level of Warlock and 4 levels of Rogue. I am considering a feat. I have considered Crossbow Expert, but I do not see the benefit since I use a light crossbow. I am now considering either Sharpshooter or Mobile.
A friend has suggested that I can do more damage, on average, with a dagger, booming blade, and Sneak Attack, as opposed to using a light crossbow with Sharpshooter and Sneak Attack, since Sharpshooter is less likely to hit. The problem I have with that argument is that using the hide action in melee combat according to RAW, is problematic and unreliable. My DM is very flexible when it comes to using the hide action in combat, but I think it is a very unreliable mechanic. I estimate that, according to RAW, the likelihood of getting a successful Sneak Attack as a result of the hide action is less than 20%. Whereas, using the new Steady Aim Rogue feature, and Elven Accuracy, even with the -5 to hit, I can reliably hit over 80% of the time.
Perhaps someone can help me with the Math?
However, let's assume, for argument's sake, that with the flexibility of my DM, that I can reliably use the hide action for Sneak Attack, roughly the same percent of the time, as I can reliably hit with the Sharpshooter feat, the damage output is still higher with Sharpshooter.
Since, I can still use a dagger and booming blade without the Mobile feat, I am more inclined to get the Sharpshooter feat and use a combination of both. That is to say, use a dagger attack initially in combat, which since I am an assassin, I will likely be able to get Sneak Attack, and then disengage and use the crossbow, and switch between the two.
What do you think?
I think it's time to choose your specialisation. Not that it prevents you from using the other option, but when taking feats, nearly the only feat that helps both tactics would be Piercer, since both tactics deal piercing damage.
So first off, it seems like you don't have a tank/front line character in your party. Am I correct? Because it doesn't seem like you want advantage for a better hit but rather for the sneak attack. Maybe I didn't understand you right but still, Steady Aim takes care of that problem. On the other hand, you can't use Mobile with Steady Aim.
Second, Booming Blade may eat your Bonus Action, so you can't use it with Steady Aim anyway, but it also takes away your Cunning Action as a result. Except... with Mobile you don't really need that.
Third, Booming Blade scales with levels even if you only have one level of a spell caster. So this level you'll have 1d8 immediate damage + 2d8 potential damage. 1d8<10 but 3d8's average is higher than 10, being 13.5. So it has the potential to deal more damage.
Now, the problem with hiding only seems to be positioning, since a 5th level character with 20 Dex and, I assume, Expertise in Stealth; will have +11 to Stealth. If so, there's another feat that might help you. It'll take time to reach it, but Skulker allows you to hide even if you're only lightly obscured. Additionally, even if you somehow manage to miss with your "triple advantage", you don't lose the status of being hidden.
In the end, I think both options are equal in power. Each has its advantages and disadvantages. In terms of damage output, I don't think there's a wrong choice here, so it's mainly whether you prefer the tactic of shooting from a distance or dash-and-slashing.
Lastly, you might want to consider taking just one more level of Warlock to get the invocations. Taking Devil's Sight, along with your innate spellcasting that gives you Darkness for free once per day means you'll have a minute of attacks with an advantage while all attacks against you will be made with disadvantage, leaving your Bonus Action to do something else. For a ranged attacker, you don't have much to do with your Bonus Action, but for a close-combat character, you'll have the ability to go out of the cloud of darkness, make an attack and run back in. It works well with the Mobile feat, actually. With your free Bonus Action, you could either use Two-Weapon Fighting or use Dash to have 40 ft. (40 to the target and 40 back to the cloud) around the cloud, which is already 15 ft., of a great control-zone.
Varielky
Thank you. Something to consider.
However, how would booming blade eat a bonus action?
And the Darkness spell is 2nd level and would require 3rd level Rogue to use.
I'm more a fan of sharpshooter. 10 flat damage, ignores 1/2 and 3/4 cover, and doesn't impose disadvantage on long range shots. With elven accuracy I feel like you already started down this path. Steady action aim will increase your hit/crit chance significantly so the -5 won't be that much a problem
No, booming blade doesn't take your bonus action I don't believe
Ah, you're right. It doesn't take your Bonus Action. I mistook it for a spell similar to one of the various Ranger spells, which are Bonus Action to cast and affect your next attack/hit. It doesn't take your Bonus Action then, which is even better. Still, I'd say it's about balanced.
As for the Darkness spell, you said the character is a Drow Elf, right? If so, you should get a single use of the spell per long rest once you hit total character level of 5.
Varielky
Oh, I stand corrected. That is true.
I'm playing a swashbuckler which works well with the warlock charisma casts stat. The swashbuckler uses his charisma for some of his skills so works well with warlock. Though I'm going pure rogue I took the magic initiate feat for booming blade/green flame blade and find familiar. I use a weasel which rides my shoulder which holds the help action for when I get into 5 feet of an enemy which give me advantage. Also with swashbuckler you can pull off snark attack very reliably without the advantage
I'm a fan of skulker feat. If you are in the dark you can "hide in plain sight" even from things using darkvision.
Hiding is impractical in melee. To sneak attack your relying almost entirely on the positioning part of the ability rather than the having advantage. Advantage through hiding is far easier to achieve with ranged weapons which could mean that your striking more often. Specially with certain feats (skulker I believe being one of them) that help to retain that stealth at ranged. Advantage can be useful to help undo the negative modifier of sharp shooter. While some see being ranged as not having a use for the bonus action. This really isn't true since for a rogue hiding is a bonus action and hiding makes you harder to target while helping you to get advantage on your attacks in a mostly reliable manner.
Also Sneak Attack actually works on the ranged attack and Booming Blade has requirements to it's damage that means that unless they are met the damage is not all that significant. Green Flame Blade can be slightly better as far as damage goes but it's full damage is in no way guaranteed. So the +10 damage that is guaranteed should you hit is not behind or even significantly behind until higher level as long as you can make it so you don't miss in any significant amount over the physical attacks. Your elven Accuracy may in fact be enough to cover most if not all of the negative modifier on average but you can also use things like bracers of Archery as well to actually work on coming out ahead.