Reply to thread

Message

<blockquote data-quote="Aluvial" data-source="post: 5155072" data-attributes="member: 6862">I was implying that you needed blindsight or darkvision.&nbsp; In the scenario given he has darkvision, so their is no concealment.&nbsp; The reason you need a reach weapon or a ranged attack to get the sneak attack is that the rat has Scent.&nbsp;Scent allows the creature to know the &quot;presence&quot; of the creatures that are within 30' (or 60' downwind), typically, and allows the creature to pinpoint the character when he is within 5'.&nbsp; Since most PC's are either Medium or Small, they will be &quot;spotted&quot; when they are within one square of the creature with scent.&nbsp;&nbsp; Therefore, you cannot approach[u/] and sneak attack a creature with Scent in the dark (w/ darkvision).&nbsp;Obnoxious underlining is mine.&nbsp; &nbsp;So the word &quot;pinpoint&quot; is the thing here.&nbsp; The rat knows the rogue is nearby...&nbsp; and smells the bugger, probably getting closer...&nbsp; at the last moment, the rogue moves within one square for the Sneak Attack and is caught by the scent of the rat!&nbsp; He can't sneak attack because essentially he's been caught and his position is pinpointed.&nbsp; &nbsp;Now if you add any cover into the mix.... the rogue is hiding behind some cover... and the rat can smell him and is tracking...&nbsp; where is that tasty aftershave...&nbsp; rat waddles within 5' and the rogue let's loose with his ready action to hit the rat as it enters the threat range of the rogue.&nbsp; The rat can be subjected to sneak in this case, because he provoked the attack ENTERING the threat range of the rogue and is technically at the 5' border when attacked, just out of the rat's pinpointing capability.&nbsp; &nbsp;In the OP case, the rogue is entering the domain of the rat... who pinpoints him, ruining the sneak attack.&nbsp; If the rogue had only brought along his ransuer...&nbsp; all this would be moot.&nbsp;Aluvial</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Aluvial, post: 5155072, member: 6862"] I was implying that you needed blindsight or darkvision. In the scenario given he has darkvision, so their is no concealment. The reason you need a reach weapon or a ranged attack to get the sneak attack is that the rat has Scent. Scent allows the creature to know the "presence" of the creatures that are within 30' (or 60' downwind), typically, and allows the creature to [u]pinpoint[/u] the character when he is within 5'. Since most PC's are either Medium or Small, they will be "spotted" when [u]they are within one square[/u] of the creature with scent. Therefore, you cannot [u]approach[u/] and sneak attack a creature with Scent in the dark (w/ darkvision). Obnoxious underlining is mine. So the word "pinpoint" is the thing here. The rat knows the rogue is nearby... and smells the bugger, probably getting closer... at the last moment, the rogue moves within one square for the Sneak Attack and is caught by the scent of the rat! He can't sneak attack because essentially he's been caught and his position is pinpointed. Now if you add any cover into the mix.... the rogue is hiding behind some cover... and the rat can smell him and is tracking... where is that tasty aftershave... rat waddles within 5' and the rogue let's loose with his ready action to hit the rat as [u]it enters the threat range of the rogue[/u]. The rat can be subjected to sneak in this case, because he provoked the attack ENTERING the threat range of the rogue and is technically at the 5' border when attacked, just out of the rat's pinpointing capability. In the OP case, the rogue is entering the domain of the rat... who pinpoints him, ruining the sneak attack. If the rogue had only brought along his ransuer... all this would be moot. Aluvial[/u] [/QUOTE]

Verification