D&D 5E Advantage in 5e combet

[damngravity]

I was running Phandelver at my FLGS (woot Brass City Games!) and I have a question on when to give advantage during combat I didn't find much guidance in the Starter rule booklet or the 5e Basic PDF. I decided to give advantage during the surprise round. This greatly helped the rogue, she rolled 3 crits for 4d6 while sniping with surprise. Absolutely destroying some goblin sentries. The archer fighter was grumbling by the end of game about the amount of more damage the rogue was doing. So should I have given advantage during a surprise round? Or is there an issue with the rogue getting to roll extra dice for both weapon damage and sneak attack damage on a crit? Or was she just lucky?



When else should advantage given in combat?


Mike

 

[the Jester]

My attitude while running the playtest (I haven't yet gotten the Starter Set, so I've yet to run any 'final' 5e) was to give advantage whenever someone managed to get an edge on his or her opponent.

Jump on a table and attack from high ground? Sure, advantage. Your enemy is waist-deep in mud? Yeah, I can see that. You catch your foe on the toilet? Advantage.

I wouldn't give advantage for surprise, though. That's too easy.

You get advantage if you're hidden, for the rogue.

 

[MerricB]

Note that rogues get sneak attack if they have advantage OR if they have an ally adjacent to their target. The latter is likely to be more common.

Inspiration can give you advantage on a roll.

You gain advantage if you are hidden from the opponent when you attack. Rogues tend to do this if they can attack from shadows using their bonus action - they make very good snipers.

You can also Help an ally attack a creature; using your action to give their first attack advantage.

Apart from that, there are a number of spells (Beacon of Hope and Faerie Fire) that grant advantage to attackers.

Cheers!

 

[Agamon]

Merric's got it right. If the rogue is hidden to start combat, he'll have advantage. Just having surprise isn't enough to get advantage. Surprise is enough of a bonus, as is.

 

[d20Dwarf]

Surprise alone doesn't seem to me to be enough to grant advantage; there should be some other element present. Sentries presumably are alert and ready for action so just surprising them should grant the surprise round but not advantage. If the rogue took the trouble to sneak around into a surprising, hidden position and then attacked during a surprise round then I think advantage would be appropriate.

I suspect this will be an ongoing and fierce debate during 5e's run: when and when not to grant advantage. The Sage is going to have his or her hands full.

 

[fba827]

Until such a time that further guidance is provided ( probably in the dmg) I would suggest based on what is written in the starter guide that advantage should come most of the time from a specific class ability or spell.

Chap 7 in the start guide does talk about advantage being from spells or abilities; it's just a small tack on at the end about how the dm may give it in certain situations, so Situational advantage granted by the dm should be an outlier/rare occurrence rather than something easily replicated

At least that's my take on it until such time that the dmg/FAQ is released with potentially more guidance.

 

[Thaumaturge]

Surprise is enough of a bonus, as is.

This.

Thaumaturge.

 

[TerraDave]

Blind, Paralyzed, Petrified, Prone (within 5ft--this is important), Restrained, Stunned, and Unconscious opponents grant advantage.

 

[Li Shenron]

I have a question on when to give advantage during combat

...

When else should advantage given in combat?

My personal take is: don't ever give advantage, unless the rules tell you to do so.

 

[jrowland]

My personal take is: don't ever give advantage, unless the rules tell you to do so.

This. Players are bastards and don't deserve advantage. Unless they bring yummy snacks.