D&D 5E Elusive class feature

[AaronOfBarbaria]

Well, I'd prefer the ability to sneak attack consistently over two more rogue levels, YMMV.

I think the prime way in which this varies is that I don't see a rogue without reckless attack not still having the ability to sneak attack consistently.

So it isn't a choice of "sneak attack consistently" or "two more rogue levels" so much as "sneak attack consistently with 2 levels of barbarian stuff" or "sneak attack consistently with 2 more levels of rogue stuff"

 

[jaelis]

Certainly a rogue should get SA almost all the time, pretty much from level 1. Getting advantage every time is not as easy, but even that isn't crazy for a straight rogue. You should be able to hide really well, for instance, and your party should have lots of ways to gain advantage for each other.

Even if your DM makes getting advantage hard, the Str restriction means this really only works well if you start play at level 20. Even then, it's not obviously worth giving up Stroke of Luck, +1d6 SA, and another feat.

 

[serch]

Problem with continuous advantaged sneak attack is also double opportunity for nasty-nasty crit. Still, if neither of you think that may be unbalanced, I suppose I'd allow it. Dont want to be a party breaker

 

[Mistwell]

It's an 18th level ability, and requires 20th level. I wouldn't worry about breaking the party with it. The luck feature you miss out on at 20th level is almost as useful.

 

[jaelis]

Problem with continuous advantaged sneak attack is also double opportunity for nasty-nasty crit. Still, if neither of you think that may be unbalanced, I suppose I'd allow it. Dont want to be a party breaker

Three levels of fighter would give you that double crit chance easier, or quadruple chance when you have advantage. Plus other stuff that's useful.

 

[leonardoraele]

20th level characters are supposed to be able to do extremely powerful things... and I think a rogue-ish character is probably going to prefer 2 more levels of rogue over 2 levels of barbarian in the majority of cases, so I don't think there is actually a problem with the the combo.

Exactly. Also, rogues have many ways to gain advantage to their attacks without relying in multiclassing two levels just to do it. An arcane trickster, for example, can learn the Find Familiar spell and gain advantage to all attacks (Help action) without suffering disadvantage, and he can do this since 3rd level.

 

[The Crimson Binome]

Exactly. Also, rogues have many ways to gain advantage to their attacks without relying in multiclassing two levels just to do it. An arcane trickster, for example, can learn the Find Familiar spell and gain advantage to all attacks (Help action) without suffering disadvantage, and he can do this since 3rd level.

Your mileage may vary on that. Gaining advantage from a familiar requires significantly more buy-in from the DM than gaining advantage from a class feature. There was a big discussion about that, a ways back.

 

[leonardoraele]

Your mileage may vary on that. Gaining advantage from a familiar requires significantly more buy-in from the DM than gaining advantage from a class feature. There was a big discussion about that, a ways back.

Why not? Spellcasting is also feature.

EDIT: Also, even if your DM doesn't allow, its actually RAW.

 

[The Crimson Binome]

Why not? Spellcasting is also feature.

EDIT: Also, even if your DM doesn't allow, its actually RAW.

RAW is way more complicated than you might think it is, and you should not resort to it when talking about 5E. The topic of Find Familiar is filled with nuance and room for interpretation. RAW says to ask your DM whenever there is any room for doubt.

Spellcasting is a class feature, but individual spells are not class features. Your DM is unlikely to disagree with you about how many spells you can cast in a day, but is very likely to disagree with you about how some of those spells work.

 

[Sage Genesis]

If we accept for the sake of argument that there's a problem with the Rogue18/Barbarian2 multiclass combo, then I would propose that the real problem is the optional multiclassing rules and not the Elusive ability itself. You don't like how things shake out? Then why did you allow it?

Mind you, I am not convinced that there actually is a real problem going on here.