Help in getting a second sneak attack

[Quartz]

If a rogue uses the Shield Master feat, can they gain Sneak Attack after pushing the opponent prone?

OP, are your PCs mainly fighting solo monsters or large mobs? Because in the latter case your rogue should be getting multiple Sneak Attacks as a matter of course, simply from other enemies being nearby.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

And 5E does the best job yet of preserving their niche, at least with the "investigation" skill (I've moved every find trap / spot hidden usage from Perception to Investigate)

But skills simply aren't central to D&D. And they can't be - the adventure needs to work even for parties without rogues.

A classic D&D adventure features a balance of combat and skill use. Thus a typical D&D adventuring party can be expected to include a skill monkey (who, may or may not be a rogue) in the same way as they can be expected to include a healer and a meat shield. If no one wanted to play a skill monkey I would have them joined by an NPC hireling/henchman/cohort with the appropriate skills (I usually have at least one prepared before hand).

 

[Paul Farquhar]

One thing to consider when dishing out magical weapons is if they give +damage, then a character that gets more than one attack per round (e.g. fighter) multiplies the benefit. So a rogue with a Flame Tongue may gain +3.5 dpr, where as a fighter gains +7 dpr.

Ergo rogue magic weapons, e.g. daggers, should have about twice as much +damage as fighter items.

 

[Ancalagon]

... dagger of venom?

"yep, rogue's can't keep up in combat-heavy situations" and more on "what can be done to make rogues keep up in combat-heavy situations".

See in most games I've been involved in, the rogue does less damage, but he's so useful to have around that's ok. But it is perhaps less combat heavy than yours.

Also.. it's ok if not everyone has the exact same DPS right? Like a wizard should be using control spells more and less blasting. And the rogue can help set up a situation where victory is easier to achieve...

Would you say you do combat as war, or combat as sport?

They even try sneaking up on foes everybody together. Sure, it fails 90% of the time (since there's always at least one bad roll), but at least it means everyone gets to join into combat at the same time.

No group check?

Having a point man walk two rounds ahead simply is more interesting for the point man than for the people in the rear who find they have to waste the two first rounds of combat just catching up.

... so the other players aren't willing to have the rogue have his moment? Sheesh....

 

[Warmaster Horus]

The road for more damage for my Rogue came from multiclassing to Fighter. The PC started as a Rogue and still identifies mainly as being one, but has more Fighter levels at this point. This has allowed for three attacks a round with Sharpshooter with the first generally being at Advantage because he hides every round. He still has a very good skill range, core Rogue capabilities like Uncanny Dodge & Evasion and is nigh-invisible with high Stealth and stealth-enabling gear.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Put in a magic greataxe that creates light or has a defensive effect (resistance to radiant is good).

Just worth a mention that Xanthar's Guide includes "common magic items" for this purpose. The "moon touched sword" is exactly this. A weapon can be magical without having bonuses to hit or damage. You could also have adamantine or silvered weapons that are not expressly magical but can hit some of the creatures that need magic weapons.

NB, on the original topic, the sneak attack description specifies "once per turn" not "once per round". So any reaction based attack you take on someone else's turn can qualify for a sneak attack. The Scout subclass also gains a special ability that allows a second sneak attack at level 17. But I really don't think this is the way to go in this case.

 

[mslewis7020]

I agree with what BooKBarbarian wrote. If you are looking for a magic item, then just make one for him that's class specific. For example; Leather Gauntlets that increase his Dex by let's say +2, and gives him a bonus attack roll on sneak attacks. This way he gets extra damage from dex bump and extra sneak attack roll. You also could include granting the extra die if you want.

 

[5ekyu]

If in my game i had reached the conclusion that this was a class issue problem, not a player or setting problem, then i would simply remove the per turn limit on sneak so that the rogue class could use TWF bonus attack to get second sneak.

Not saying i agree with this or see need of it in my games but **if** i had reached the conclusions stated by the OP i would deal with it mostly directly with rules chg.

 

[Wiseblood]

Look back at encounters that the rogue did shine in. Consider the elements that promoted that and introduce them in more encounters.

Enemies with damaging auras that trigger at the end of the players turn. This makes cunning action a lifesaver.

Raging enemies: enemies that effectively double in toughness just by being aware of the party.

Environments that reward acrobatics or penalize the lack thereof.

Enemy spellcasters: squishy enough to die from SA but dangerous to the whole party. With enough dangerous henchmen that shouldn't be ignored and they have counterspell.

Traps that are deadly. Not the rocks fall everyone dies but the door locks and archers unload from murder holes, boiling oil...oh the humanity.


Magic Item: Eye of the Assassin: (Rogue only requires attunement.) A large cats eye agate set in a plain gold amulet suspended by a gold chain.
Characters wearing this amulet can detect the approximate (ie. Full, more than half, half or less of their maximum HP total but not an exact number.)health of others without an action. Character can use cunning action to attempt a second sneak attack against an enemies with at half health or less.
1/day cast Hunter's Mark

I like that and may use it might reword it though.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Rapier of Retaliation +1. If you are hit in combat you may make an attack (with this weapon only) against your attacker as a reaction. This weapon is intelligent and has a really annoying personality.