HOLY CRAP! Please tell me I'm wrong.

[Insight]

Well, I was speaking more to the flank situation than to flat footedness. I can understand the surprise situation moreso than when someone is flanked.

 

[geezerjoe]

I once thought rogues only got to apply thier sneak attack once each round as well, it is incorrect however.

I think the error/misconception lies in sneak attacks and some attacks like with shirikens. If you throw 3 shirikens with one attack, only one has the ability to add additional dice from the sneak attack ability and the other two only do an extra 1 point of damage each. If you get 2 attacks per round, you could throw 2 volleys of shirikens applying the sneak attack damage (if applicable) to the first shiriken of each volley.

It's not too broken, golems eat rogues ... so do ghouls come to think of it.

 

[Shadeus]

I once thought rogues only got to apply thier sneak attack once each round as well, it is incorrect however.

I think the error/misconception lies in sneak attacks and some attacks like with shirikens. If you throw 3 shirikens with one attack, only one has the ability to add additional dice from the sneak attack ability and the other two only do an extra 1 point of damage each. If you get 2 attacks per round, you could throw 2 volleys of shirikens applying the sneak attack damage (if applicable) to the first shiriken of each volley.

It's not too broken, golems eat rogues ... so do ghouls come to think of it.

In 3.5, they removed the "3 shuriken per attack" rule and now they are treated like ammunition (so one per attack with full Str bonus). Although your example still stands for a case like manyshot.

 

[Hypersmurf]

I'm pretty sure I read in the FAQ that the Sneak Attack damage is only the first attack in a round.

You may be thinking of the case when the Rogue makes a full attack while using an invisibility spell.

Attacking ends the spell... so he's only invisible for the first attack, and thus only the first attack is a sneak attack. (Unless there are other reasons for the rest to be sneak attacks as well - flanking, flat-footed, etc, etc.)

-Hyp.

 

[DaveStebbins]

Wasn't that "first attack only" ruling in response to a rogue sneak attacking while under the effects of an invisibility spell? Unless he had one of the other conditions going for him (opponent flanked or denied dex bonus) the invisibility only grants his first attack sneak damage, any others are normal ones. That's where I seem to remember seeing it.

-Dave

 

[Tatsukun]

As others have said, you can sneak attack as long as the conditions are right. If you are sneak attacking because the other person can't see you (like if you are invisible) and after the first attack you stop being invisible, you can't sneak attack any more.

Secondly, with multiple 'shots' with the same attack (many shot, rapid shot, the like) you only get sneak attack once.

But, in the case of a full attack where the sneak attack conditions remain correct, (like flanking) you can keep sneak attacking until the monster turns and eats your low-AC-D6-Hit-Die self.

-Tatsu

 

[Corlon]

As TheEvil said, you're not wrong, but it's really nothing to freak out about.

Getting excited about rogues being able to sneak attack on every attack in the round which fits the bill is something people have been having a knee-jerk reaction since info about 3e first came out. I remember the posts on Eric's original boards while we were waiting for the PHB to come out, with people going "A 20th lvl rogue does 9d6 on a single sneak attack! The world is ending!"

And every time, people see the ability in game and realize that it looks far worse on paper than in play. Rogues don't hit that often, aren't that durable, and at high levels tend to encounter lots of enemies who are immune to sneak attacks. In comparison, high-lvl fighters are doing damage much more reliably, barbarians are doing 100+ pts on a full attack without even landing a crit, and I'm not even mentioning spellcasters.

Really, the rogue's sneak attack ability is very seriously categorized under "No big whoop!"

That's where the ranks of intimidation come in: "guess how much damage I can do to you in one round?"


But yeah, it's useful but not the greatest thing in the world.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Secondly, with multiple 'shots' with the same attack (many shot, rapid shot, the like) you only get sneak attack once.

Uh, Rapid Shot is just an extra attack. Sneak Attack as usual.

Your point holds for Manyshot.

-Hyp.

 

[Calico_Jack73]

Thanks for the responses... I guess it isn't that big a deal. I can't wait to throw something like a group of Yellow Musk Creeper Orks at them and tell the party that the attack only did normal damage.

Besides... I got my Battlemat out and sketched out some formations that prevent Sneak attacks and allow for 2 or 3 (sometimes 4) attacks to come back on someone attacking the outer rank of the formation. Once the enemy forces start noticing that their troops are getting slain by sneak attacks I'd imagine they'd take steps to end the threat.

 

[Krafen]

Thanks for the responses... I guess it isn't that big a deal. I can't wait to throw something like a group of Yellow Musk Creeper Orks at them and tell the party that the attack only did normal damage.

Besides... I got my Battlemat out and sketched out some formations that prevent Sneak attacks and allow for 2 or 3 (sometimes 4) attacks to come back on someone attacking the outer rank of the formation. Once the enemy forces start noticing that their troops are getting slain by sneak attacks I'd imagine they'd take steps to end the threat.

Make sure to also give them good opportunities to use their preferred tactic.