Sneak Attack Damage and Multiple Attacks In a Round

[Craer]

Both a rules question and something of an opinion.

I'm playing a Fighter 5, Rogue 2, Ninja of the Crescent Moon 5 character. He's gone down the Two-Weapon Fighting path, so he has 5 attacks in a round and +4d6 sneak attack damage dice. My DM has ruled that only the first strike in a surprise round (or while the opponent is unaware) counts when deciding whether or not I can apply my sneak attack damage, while I insist that if all five of my attacks hit, I get my bonus damage to all the attacks. My argument is that it has to be like that for a balance issue, since sneak attack is the rogue's (or in this case, ninja's) most powerful offensive ability, while he refutes this by saying that a possible 20d6 + weapon damage (5d6+13 in total) is too much, not even counting possible critical hits.

So here are my questions:First, which one of us is right, rules wise? Has this been changed? As far as I remember it, the PHB states that a rogue gets his sneak attack damage to every attack that hits.

Second, what are your opinions on this matter? Should a rogue get their sneak attack damage to every hit, or do you believe that to be overpowerful?

-Craer

 

[Crothian]

A rogue gets sneaks attack for every attack that qualifies. So, if you are flanking, all five attacks are sneak attacks. If you're oppoent is denied his Dex because of being flatfooted or other reason, all your attacks are sneak attacks.

 

[Craer]

Does anyone else have an opinion on the balance of this?

 

[maddman75]

Yup - nothing has changed, your DM is in error (or has houserules as to hose rogues, depending on your perspective )

 

[Shin Okada]

While conditions are met (flanking or no Dex bonus to AC) all the attacks from a Rogue are sneak attacks.

My opinion? Leave it as it is. So many things (including characters with Uncanny Dodge) are immune, or at least partially immune to sneak attacks.

 

[dkilgo]

I say that the DM has erred, and the rogue needs to be left the way that he is.

 

[Dr. Zoom]

Sneak attack is balanced by the fact that it does not apply to every attack the rogue makes, only when the conditions are met. If your DM has house ruled to just one per round, IMO that will underbalance the rogue's major combat ability, especially at higher levels where the fighters will do more damage than sneak attack anyway.

 

[Dr_Rictus]

Of course, there remains the question of what you mean by "my first strike in a surprise round," since a surprise round only consists of partial actions anyway (meaning you can't get more than one attack in a surprise round).

 

[kreynolds]

...(meaning you can't get more than one attack in a surprise round).

Usually.

 

[Cygnus]

I wont say that your DM is wrong because I don't know all of the circumstances, but this is a fairly straight forward issue. I have a Rog5/Ftr5/Outcast(House PrC)2, and sneak attacks figure prominately in his survival. He also has gone the 2weap. route and during a surprise round he can only attack once because it takes a full round action to do any more (unless there is a haste item involved or attacking from being hidden during combat rounds and has a full action). Therefore, he only gets one attack with the extra damage dice. However, if he is able to maneuver in to a flanking attack, all attacks made while flanking get the extra dice.