Rogues flanking at range?

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The following conditions cause a character to lose his/her Dex bonus to AC and allow rogues to sneak attack:

- Blinded
- Cowering
- Flat-Footed
- Helpless (effective Dex is 0 and allows sneak attack; includes the conditions paralyzed, held, bound, sleeping and unconscious)
- Stunned

An invisible rogue may sneak attack, but becomes visible after the first such attack. Remember that an unseen rogue who is hiding and sniping is effectively invisible. A rogue with darkvision can sneak attack an opponent who cannot see in the dark; snuff the light source and fire away. Or hide in the shadowy illumination of a light source and fire away at a target in the light.

A character that is balancing is considered flat-footed.

And I just want to point out that the danger of sneak attacking an opponent that is grappling is you have a 50% chance of sneak attacking your buddy instead.

 

[mikebr99]

And I just want to point out that the danger of sneak attacking an opponent that is grappling is you have a 50% chance of sneak attacking your buddy instead.

That's a little harsh... I am focused on my target's kidnee, but hit my buddy's instead? Just because my new target (in error) has lost his DEX, doesn't mean it is automatically a SA.


Mike

 

[Storm Raven]

And I just want to point out that the danger of sneak attacking an opponent that is grappling is you have a 50% chance of sneak attacking your buddy instead.

Yes, but the question was when a rogue could do it, not whether or not the tactic was risky.

 

[ThirdWizard]

And I just want to point out that the danger of sneak attacking an opponent that is grappling is you have a 50% chance of sneak attacking your buddy instead.

Wait, where's that rule? It isn't under grappling.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Wait, where's that rule? It isn't under grappling.

It is. Basically, if you make a ranged attack against someone involved in a grapple, your actual target is "determined randomly."

The actual method to "determine randomly" whom you hit is never actually spelled out.

3 Roll randomly to see which grappling combatant you strike. That defender loses any Dexterity bonus to AC.

 

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Footnote 3, Table: Armor Class Modifiers, Combat Modifiers, SRD:

3 Roll randomly to see which grappling combatant you strike. That defender loses any Dexterity bonus to AC.

Any ranged attack at a grappling defender has an equal chance of striking either grappler.

It's kinda buried in there, but it's there. I don't have my PHB handy so I don't know if it's spelled out elsewhere in there.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Any ranged attack at a grappling defender has an equal chance of striking either grappler.

That's going a bit farther than the rules do, however. The rules don't actually say that the chance is "equal," merely that your actual target is determined "randomly."

50 / 50 (or 33 / 33 / 33, or whatever) is probably the easiest method, but may not be appropriate in all circumstances - like a halfling grappling with a dragon, for instance.

 

[mikebr99]

but if your target of an SA has some form of cover/concealment... which if he's grappled, he would (by the other guy)... then no SA.


Mike

 

[PaulKemp]

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That's going a bit farther than the rules do, however. The rules don't actually say that the chance is "equal," merely that your actual target is determined "randomly."

You're absolutely right. I was assuming the grappling characters were of equal size; I should know better than to assume.

but if your target of an SA has some form of cover/concealment... which if he's grappled, he would (by the other guy)... then no SA.

Not sure about this. Grappling gives no AC modifier to the defender; the chance of hitting the wrong defender is in effect the only "cover" provided. But cover doesn't deny sneak attack; concealment does. Grappling provides no concealment to either grappler.