why cant I sneak attack with a longbow?

[TimeOut]

... and in that case I would allow the damage to apply. But in a combat situation probably not.

 

[Whimsical]

I think you should be able to sneak attack with any weapon.
(three minutes and 30 seconds into the video)

 

[gamesmeister]

If you can Sneak Attack with a L Crossbow, why can't you sneak attack with Shuriken? Or can you...have I missed it?

 

[Silverblade The Ench]

"I backstab him with...A BALLISTA!"
classic

the rules are trying to suggest you have to use a very accurate, stealthy weapon, and probably to prevent abuse.

Crossbows are far closer to rifles, than than they are to a longbow (bar damage type).

• Crossbows are extremely accurate for a non-firearm.
• You can keep a crossbow cocked as long as you want. Try THAT with a longbow without losing your finger tips, or grip, lol. Most war longbows had a pull of between 80 and 120lbs. Try pulling a non-compound 60lb bow...!
• Bows work by "the archer's paradox", basically they cannot help but be innacurate, and there's no proper sights, so while an archer can hit a human target reliably if he has innate skill/practice, he's not gonna hit your heart/kidneys reliably, as we're talking combat, not a target shoot.
  Please remember, a real historical bow is NOT a modern target bow. And Mongolian archers did not and never could "hit someone in the heart from 200 paces", that kind of stuff is rubbish...if 1,000 archer's fire, some will of course, hit some unlucky buggers in the heart
  Horseback archery = garbage for accuracy, hence, Mongols and Huns had to practice constantly.
• You can fire a crossbow while lying on your belly, thus, attack from stealth is far easier. Interestingly, this is why the British Sten and Sterling submachine guns had the magazines fitted at the side, and the Australian Owen was a top loader, so you could fire them easier lying down.

 

[Shieldhaven]

My guess on why you can't sneak attack with a longbow? They haven't written the feat for it yet.

I would be willing to bet that there will be one, though.

And if there isn't, well, D&D is the kind of game where you could fix that yourself.

Haven

 

[lukelightning]

Easy. Because then everybody would be sneak attacking with longbows. That's why you can't sneak attack with greatswords or ballistas either.

 

[wujenta]

Multiclass into ranger so you can get hunters quarry (lasts until the end of your next turn, so you get the 1d6 extra damage twice).

Take one or more of the power substitution feats to get some powers that use your bow.

Now you can do great damage with bow AND rapier. If the damage is from sneak attack or hunters quarry doesn't matter so much?

Sounds like a great character btw

I like the idea, thanks. I will try to do exactly that and get some powers from ranger to be good in ranged combat with a bow... but now I dont know if i have the feats to do that, I´m at work and cant check my character...dammn real life getting in the way of playing...

 

[Stoat]

Is this a mechanical issue or just a flavor issue?

In other words, does it screw up the math or overpower the rogue to allow sneak attack to work with a longbow?

 

[Scalding]

How about a feat to allow this:

[sblock=Signature Weapon (Rogue)]
Prerequisites: Rogue Class, proficiency with weapon
Benefit: You can use Sneak Attack with this weapon.
[/sblock]

I think this feat would balance player's desire to sneak attack with other weapons. As a fantasy game, reality can take a back seat.

 

[threegee]

Easy. Because then everybody would be sneak attacking with longbows. That's why you can't sneak attack with greatswords or ballistas either.

I'm all about throwing greatswords for sneak attack damage. No one expects it. D&D FTW!