D&D 5E Rogues are Awesome. Is it the Tasha's Effect?

[Mistwell]

The more d20's you roll, the more chances to crit you get. That's going to increase the sneak attack damage over the long run.

While true I sadly find this happens so rarely as to be not something to fret about. I think around 80% of my rogue's crits with sneak attack the foe was dropped by the regular attack and sneak attack before any crit damage was applied.

 

[Mistwell]

We'll see.

Core mechanics don't support Crawford's PoV. It's not core in the PHB.

Uh, what? Of course hiding in combat to gain advantage is a core mechanic. How is it not?

 

[Zardnaar]

Agreeing to play a certain way doesn’t mean you agree that way is RAW or RAI etc.

I'll specifically tell them if I'm deliberately changing a rule. I may be wrong on a ruling here and there but that's not deliberate.

 

[billd91]

What I'm not understanding is how you aren't getting advantage for both of the attacks. Any attack that would give a single attack rogue advantage should also be giving the two-weapon rogue advantage on both attacks.

The off-hand attack consumes a bonus action. That rogue's bonus action is most often what enables them to get advantage on their attack - either via hiding or via aim.
Now, if there's some other condition affecting the combat and the rogue gets advantage independent of using his bonus action, well then, go to town on the off-hand attacks. But that's not the usual case people are debating when the topic comes up. It's usually use the bonus action to get advantage or use the bonus action to get an off-hand attack.

 

[Maxperson]

While true I sadly find this happens so rarely as to be not something to fret about. I think around 80% of my rogue's crits with sneak attack the foe was dropped by the regular attack and sneak attack before any crit damage was applied.

If it's one thing I've learned in 30 years of D&D play is not to worry about averages. The dice have a will of their own.

 

[Zardnaar]

If it's one thing I've learned in 30 years of D&D play is not to worry about averages. The dice have a will of their own.

Current rogue crits a lot with steady aim and elven accuracy.

Crit fishing builds not really worth building around IMHO but if you get it via something you're doing anyway it's nice.

 

[Rabulias]

I see now that those advocating advantage for the single-weapon-wielding rogue are using the Steady Aim feature from Tasha's (which I am not). So, yes, if Steady Aim is an option, a single weapon with advantage practically every round is probably a better option than dual wielding without advantage. If Steady Aim is not in use, I stand by my assertion that using two weapons is better.

 

[Charlaquin]

We'll see.

Core mechanics don't support Crawford's PoV. It's not core in the PHB.

He may have changed his mind or thinks they should but its not in the PHB.

Very few players irl are overly familiar with his Twitter stuff or even the errata.

The reason I don't use things outside the PHB is because of that. If you are you need to be specific not "I'm using the errata and JCs personal opinion".

Nonsense. The PHB says you can’t hide from a creature that can see you clearly, and the DM determines when it’s possible to hide. Neither of those things preclude the possibility of hiding in the same spot and attacking from it with advantage over and over again unless the DM decides it isn’t possible.

If the Halfling ability works as JC intended they really screwed up as it's a quasi greater invisibility effect. Combined with the rest of the halfling package that's pretty damn good relative to the other PHB races espicially Dragonborn.

Either way they done screwed up good.

The lightfoot’s naturally stealthy is not even a fraction as powerful as greater invisibility. Literally all it does is enable sneak attack, since opposing creatures will know your location and can easily move to a position where they can see you clearly. Furthermore, even if you believe the ability to be too good under that interpretation, it’s literally useless under your interpretation, so I’d say that’s strong evidence it isn’t supposed to work that way.

 

[Charlaquin]

That's not quite what he says. In fact he repeatedly says "The DM decides" based on the circumstances.

I agree it's a core mechanic, and I agree that's why they added Steady Aim. I simply disagree that a DM is going outside of the rules as written if they apply advantage or disadvantage because they deem the circumstances of hiding in a particular spot repeatedly warrant it.

You are correct - ruling that you can’t hide in an obvious spot and attack from it with advantage is 100% supported by RAW. It also makes rogues’ damage output lower than intended to do so. These two things can both be true (and are both true).

 

[Plaguescarred]

It's also 100% supported by RAW that a hidden creature can retain the benefits while coming out in plain sight, due to distractions etc...

Hiding: In combat, most creatures stay alert for signs of danger all around, so if you come out of hiding and approach a creature, it usually sees you. However, under certain circumstances, the Dungeon Master might allow you to stay hidden as you approach a creature that is distracted, allowing you to gain advantage on an attack before you are seen.