Sneak Attack - how often can you use it?

[STARP_JVP]

The book seems a little vague on exactly how often a rouge...sorry, a rogue can use Sneak Attack. Is it an action or is it part of another action or what? Feinting in combat is a standard action, unless one has the Improved Feint feat (or is that the Improved Feat feint? Either way...), but what about catching someone flat-footed or flanking them? Can you use it with every attack? I have ruled that you cannot, and it applies to only one strike per round. But what, asked a player, if you have two weapons, as I do? Can you make two sneak attacks at once, one with each weapon. After all, he pointed out, a sneak attack is merely striking somewhere critical, with effective aim and skill - it's perfectly possible in the real world, if one has two knives and good hand-eye co-ordination, to stab someone through the neck and through the back at the same time, is it not? I ruled that yes, that could be argued, and subsequently allowed him to use sneak attack twice, but only once per round with each weapon.
After having time to reflect on that decision, I'm fairly certain that was a bad call.
What exactly is the official line on this? How many times in a round can one use the Sneak Attack ability, is it an action, if so what kind of action, and if not, then...help!

 

[Thanee]

It's not an action. You can deal sneak attack damage on each and every attack, as long as the conditions are met.

i.e. when flanking a creature, you can make a full attack and every attack will add sneak attack damage.

When invisible from the 2nd level spell, only the first will be a sneak attack, since after the first attack you become visible. This is, of course, not true if you surprised the target, which then would be flat-footed, which in turn allows sneak attacks as well, until the target gets to act in the first round and is no longer flat-footed.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Hypersmurf]

If your target is denied Dex bonus to AC, or you are flanking your target, you can Sneak Attack.

If I'm flanking with my fighter buddy, and I get seven attacks with Greater Two Weapon Fighting, Haste, etc, all seven can be sneak attacks. Plus any AoOs I get on the target I'm flanking.

If I'm not flanking, and I feint this round, then make seven attacks next round, my target is denied Dex against the first attack (which is thus a sneak attack) but not the other six (which are not sneak attacks).

If my target is blind, he's denied Dex against all my attacks, so they're all sneak attacks.

If I'm using an Invisibility spell, he's denied Dex against my first attack (therefore a sneak attack), but then the spell is broken, so he isn't denied Dex against the other six (which therefore aren't sneak attacks).

-Hyp.

 

[Graf]

There is some kind of wonky rule involving sneak attacks and two weapon fighting.
(Like: Normally only your first attack applies gets the sneak attack bonus but if its two weapon fighting then both do, but iterative attacks don't, or something).

 

[Crothian]

There is some kind of wonky rule involving sneak attacks and two weapon fighting.
(Like: Normally only your first attack applies gets the sneak attack bonus but if its two weapon fighting then both do, but iterative attacks don't, or something).

that sounds a buit like invisibility with sneak attack which is a bit different

 

[Corsair]

There is some kind of wonky rule involving sneak attacks and two weapon fighting.
(Like: Normally only your first attack applies gets the sneak attack bonus but if its two weapon fighting then both do, but iterative attacks don't, or something).

This applies to volley attacks. (Such as Manyshot)

 

[STARP_JVP]

Doesn't that make rogues incredibly powerful? A 10th-level rogue, with the right two-weapon feats, could be attacking up to five times a round, doing more than 30 points each time - 150 points a round.

 

[Testament]

Doesn't that make rogues incredibly powerful? A 10th-level rogue, with the right two-weapon feats, could be attacking up to five times a round, doing more than 30 points each time - 150 points a round.

Yes, if they can set up for it, and can consistently connect with their beta BAB. Not to mention the risks involved when you have a d6 HD and can't wear medium or heavy armour.

 

[Viktyr Gehrig]

Doesn't that make rogues incredibly powerful? A 10th-level rogue, with the right two-weapon feats, could be attacking up to five times a round, doing more than 30 points each time - 150 points a round.

The problem comes when their victim survives the volley-- which happens more often than you'd think.

Rogues have suck AC and can get themselves chewed up very badly in melee.

 

[Thanee]

Doesn't that make rogues incredibly powerful? A 10th-level rogue, with the right two-weapon feats, could be attacking up to five times a round, doing more than 30 points each time - 150 points a round.

Only in theory.

Bye
Thanee