First Strike and Sneak Attack

[essenbee]

Rogues get First Strike and Sneak Attack as class features.

First Strike gives the rogue Combat Advantage against all enemies that follow him in the initiative order.
Sneak Attack allows the rogue to perform a sneak attack for extra damage against a target he has Combat Advantage over.

Last night, the rogue player claimed a sneak attack according to the above, but I ruled that his attack was not "sneaky" because it was at range and he was standing next to the ranger who was peppering the target with arrows. According to the rules as written 'though, was the rogue's player right in claiming the sneak attack? Am I missing something?

Thanks!

 

[Mouseferatu]

Well, First Strike only applies if the rogue goes first and the target hasn't gone yet. So it's only useful for the first round of combat (or the surprise round plus the first round, sometimes.)

But within that first round, your player was correct. If he acts first, he gets combat advantage, and if he has combat advantage, he can make a sneak attack. It doesn't matter if it's not "really" sneaky; he's able to react before the foe can properly defend himself (or however else you want to justify it).

 

[Maximillian]

First Strike gives the rogue Combat Advantage against all enemies that follow him in the initiative order.

That's not quite right. First Strike grants CA against targets who "have not yet acted" in the encounter. (See page 117.) It only matters in the first round. Regardless of how sneaky the attack may be, it only applies to that first round, and only once per round as usual.

Edit: I have, as they say, been "ninja'd"

 

[Family]

So did they guy the rogue attacked

 

[essenbee]

The "not yet acted" bit was what I was missing - thanks very much!