D&D (2024) Ways to attack with advantage by level (with all the fine print)

[roguish]

I'm listing first general rules that apply, and then specific methods arranged by party level (it's a group game!). Note that the number next to classes is class lvl where the relevant ability is gained, the number next to feats is class level required to take it, and the number next to spells is spell level. The confusion about stealth rules will NOT be addressed here because who knows how it works, I may revisit it if we get any clarifications from the designers.

Work in progress, by all means feel free to correct any mistakes and add anything I missed!

The Basics: you roll with advantage when you

• attack while Invisible [see below]
• attack a Blinded target [see below]
• attack a Prone target within 5 ft (negated if you use a Ranged weapon, de-negated with Crossbow Expert (lvl 4))
• attack a Stunned target
• attack a Restrained target
• attack a Paralyzed target
• attack a Petrified target
• attack an Unconscious target
• [but NOT when you attack an Incapacitated target]

The Invisible condition

• the advantage is negated if "the creature can somehow see you" (please don't ask me how stealth works)
• the advantage is negated if you're in range of the target's Blindsight
• the advantage is negated if you're in range of the target's Truesight (including from the True Seeing spell) or See Invisibility spell, even if you gained the Invisible condition by using the mundane Hide action [this is RAW, not a suggestion]
• Tremorsense doesn't matter

The Blinded condition

• the advantage is negated if you're in range of the target's Blindsight
• if the condition comes from trying to see in Darkness, the advantage is negated if you're in range of the target's Darkvision (unless you're a Gloom Stalker)
• Tremorsense doesn't matter

LEVEL 1

• attack while Invisible from the Hide action, 1 attack normally but you can retain the Invisible condition with Cunning Strike: Supreme Sneak (Thief 9), or the Skulker feat (4) if you miss
• attack right after you've damaged the target with a Vex weapon
• attack after an ally within 5ft of the target used the Help Action to Assist an Attack Roll
• attack spending a Luck point from the Lucky feat (1), prof. bonus times / long rest
• target is affected by Faerie Fire (Bard/Druid 1st, Drow Elf 3, Magic Initiate feat 1), negated if you can't see the target, though the spell does negate the benefits of Invisible, up to 1 minute with concentration, 20-ft cube evocation, DEX save
• target is affected by Guiding Bolt (Cleric 1st, Magic Initiate feat 1), 1 attack
• target is Blinded because you are located in Darkness (assuming you can see, so generally you need Darkvision or Blindsight, unless somehow you're in Darkness but the target is not)
• target is Blinded because you and/or it are located in Heavily Obscured space (assuming you can see, so generally you need Blindsight)
• target is Blinded from Colour Spray (Bard/Sorcerer/Wizard 1st, Magic Initiate feat 1, Shadow Touched feat 4), ~1 round, 15-ft cone illusion, CON save
• target is Prone from Unarmed Strike: Shove
• target is Prone from a Topple weapon
• target is Prone from Ball Bearings (Utilize action, 10-ft square, Dex DC 10)
• target is Prone from a Goliath's Hill's Tumble, Hill Giant lineage, 1/day
• target is Prone from Command: Grovel (Bard/Cleric/Paladin 1st, Magic Initiate feat 1, Fey Touched feat 4)
• target is Prone from Grease (Sorcerer/Wizard 1st, Magic Initiate feat 1), 1 minute, 10-ft square conjuration, DEX save at casting/entering/ending turn
• target is Prone from Tasha's Hideous Laughter (Bard/Warlock/Wizard 1st, Magic Initiate feat 1, Fey Touched feat 4) up to 1 minute with concentration
• target is Prone from Thunderous Smite (Paladin 1st)
• target is Restrained from Ensnaring Strike (Ranger 1st) up to 1 minute with concentration
• target is Restrained from Entangle (Druid/Ranger 1st, Magic Initiate feat 1) up to 1 minute with concentration, 20-ft square conjuration, STR save at casting, Athletics checks every round
• target is Restrained with Manacles that are fixed in place (Utilize action DC 13 Dex (sleight of hand) target must be grappled etc to begin with)
• target is Restrained with Rope and their legs are bound (Utilize action DC 10 Dex (sleight of hand) target must be grappled etc to begin with)
• target is Restrained with a Net (replaces attack, DC 8+Dex+proficiency bonus)
• target is Unconscious from Sleep (Bard/Sorcerer/Wizard 1st, Magic Initiate feat 1, Fey Touched feat 4), 1 attack, 2 successive saves for unconsciousness, up to 1 minute with concentration

LEVEL 2

• attack with Reckless Attack (Barbarian 2) applies to all Strength-based attacks
• target is Prone from being hit by an Elk / Mastiff (Druid 2 wild shape)

LEVEL 3

• attack while Invisible from Invisibility (Bard/Sorcerer/Wizard/Warlock 2nd, Shadow Touched feat 4), 1 attack only
• attack a target that relies on Darkvision to see while in Darkness and Invisible from your Umbral Sight (Gloom Stalker Ranger 3)
• attack with Steady Aim (Rogue 3) bonus action, and cannot move in this turn at all, unless you're an Assassin 9 in which case you can move after the attack
• attack with Assassinate: Surprising Strikes a target that hasn't taken a turn yet during the first round of combat (Assassin Rogue 3)
• attack with Feinting Strike (Battle Master Fighter 3, bonus action)
• attack while both you and your duplicate from Invoke Duplicity are within 5 ft of the target (Trickery Cleric 3) bonus action to cast / move the duplicate 30 ft
• target is Restrained from Web (Sorcerer/Wizard 2nd), up to 1 hour with Concentration, 20-ft cube conjuration, DEX save at entering/starting turn, Athletics check every round
• target is Restrained from Nature's Wrath (Oath of the Ancients Paladin 3) 1 minute, targets you can see within 15 ft, they save every round
• target is Paralyzed from Hold Person (Bard/Cleric/Druid/Sorcerer/Warlock/Wizard 2nd, Abyssal Tiefling 5), up to 1 minute with Concentration, target saves every round
• target is Blinded from Blindness/Deafness (Bard/Cleric/Sorcerer/Wizard 2nd) lasts up to 1 minute, target saves every round
• target is Prone from a Trip Attack (Battle Master Fighter 3)
• target is Prone from Open Hand Technique: Topple (Warrior of the Open Hand Monk 3)
• target is Prone from being hit by Primal Companion: Beast of the Land (Beast Master Ranger 3)
• target was hit by an ally's Distracting Strike (Battle Master Fighter 3)
• target is within 5 ft of an ally using Rage of the Wilds: Wolf (Path of the Wild Heart Barbarian 3)
• [2014 Legacy] attack after you've used a bonus action for Insightful Fighting (Inquisitive Rogue 3) requires an Insight vs Deception check, lasts for 1 minute

LEVEL 4

• attack with Mounted Strike from the Mounted Combatant feat (4) while mounted, a target smaller than your mount and within 5ft of your mount
• target is Grappled by you and you have the Grappler feat (4)
• target is Prone from being bashed by someone with the Shield Master feat (4)
• target is Prone from being hit by a Giant Goat / Warhorse (Druid 4 wild shape)
• target is Restrained from being hit by a Crocodile (Druid 4 wild shape)
• target was critically hit with a bludgeoning weapon by someone with the Crusher feat (4) 1 round

LEVEL 5

• target is Stunned from Stunning Strike (Monk 5)
• target is Blinded from Hunger of Hadar (Warlock 3rd) only if you can see in magical darkness, up to 1 minute with Concentration
• target is Prone from Eldritch Smite (Warlock 5)
• target is Prone from Cunning Strike: Trip (Rogue 5)
• target is Prone from Sleet Storm (Druid/Sorcerer/Wizard 3rd) area effect
• target was hit by Shining Smite (Paladin 2nd) up to 1 minute with Concentration

LEVEL 6

• attack while Invisible from your Steps of the Fey: Disappearing Step (Archfey Patron Warlock 6) 1 attack only

LEVEL 7

• attack while Invisible from Greater Invisibility (Bard/Sorcerer/Wizard 4th) up to 1 minute with Concentration
• target is Blinded from Fount of Moonlight (Bard/Druid 4th) until the end of the next turn
• target is Restrained from Evard's Black Tentacles (Wizard 4th)
• target is Prone from Telekinetic Thrust (Psi Warrior Fighter 7)

LEVEL 8

• target is Prone from being hit by a Brown Bear / Dire Wolf / Tiger (Druid 8 wild shape)

LEVEL 9

• attack while Invisible from your Mislead (Bard/Warlock/Wizard 5th) 1 attack
• target is Blinded by Blinding Smite (Paladin 3rd) up to 1 minute with Concentration, target saves every round
• target is Blinded by Jallarzi's Storm of Radiance (Warlock/Wizard 5th) up to 1 minute with Concentration, no save, area effect
• target is Paralyzed from Hold Monster (Bard/Sorcerer/Warlock/Wizard 5th) up to 1 minute with Concentration, target saves every round
• target is Prone from Yolande's Regal Presence (Bard, Wizard 5th)
• target is Restrained from Telekinesis (Sorcerer/Wizard 5th) 1 round
• target is Restrained from Conjure Elemental (Druid/Wizard 5th) up to 10 minutes with Concentration, target saves every round

LEVEL 10

• attack after an you or an ally used Zealous Presence (Path of the Zealot Barbarian 10) bonus action, 1 round

LEVEL 11

• target is affected by Otto's Irresistible Dance (Bard/Wizard 6th) up to 1 minute with Concentration
• target is Unconscious from Eyebite (Bard/Sorcerer/Warlock/Wizard 6th) 1 attack only
• target is Restrained or Petrified from Flesh to Stone (Druid/Sorcerer/Wizard 6th)
• target is Restrained from Otiluke's Freezing Sphere (Sorcerer/Wizard 6th) 1 minute, Str (Athletics) to break free, targets swimming on the surface only!
• target is Blinded from Sunbeam (Cleric/Druid/Sorcerer/Wizard 6th) 1 minute

LEVEL 12

• target is Prone from being hit by an Elephant (Circle of the Moon Druid 12 wild shape)

LEVEL 13

• attack while Invisible from your Psychic Veil (Soulknife Rogue 13) 1 attack that deals damage only
• attack with Studied Attacks (Fighter 13) 1st attack after you've attacked target and missed
• target is Blinded or Stunned from Divine Word (Cleric 7th)
• target is Restrained, Petrified or Blinded from Prismatic Spray (Bard/Sorcerer/Wizard 7th)
• target is Stunned from Staggering Smite (Paladin 4th) until the end of the caster's next turn
• target is Unconscious (1 attack) or Stunned (1 minute) from Symbol (Bard/Cleric/Druid/Wizard 7th)
• [2014 Legacy] attack a target previously hit in the first round of combat with Ambush Master (Rogue Scout 13) lasts until the start of the Scout's next turn

LEVEL 14

• attack while Invisible from your Nature's Veil (Ranger 14) bonus action, lasts until the end of your next turn
• target is Prone from Power of the Wilds: Ram (Path of the Wild Heart Barbarian 14)
• target is Unconscious from Cunning Strike: Knock Out (Rogue 14) 1 attack
• target is Blinded from Cunning Strike: Obscure (Rogue 14) lasts until the end of target's next turn
• target is Blinded from Searing Vengeance (Celestial Patron Warlock 14) lasts until the end of the current turn

LEVEL 15

• target is Prone from Earthquake (Cleric/Druid/Sorcerer 8th)
• target is Blinded from Holy Aura (Cleric 8th)
• target is Stunned from Power Word Stun (Bard/Sorcerer/Warlock/Wizard 8th)
• target is Blinded from Sunburst (Cleric/Druid/Sorcerer/Wizard 8th) 1 round

LEVEL 17

• attack while affected by Foresight, lasts for 8 hours (Bard/Druid/Warlock/Wizard 9th)
• attack while a duplicate from Improved Duplicity is within 5 ft of the target (Trickery Cleric 17)
• attack while Invisible from your Cloak of Shadows (Warrior of Shadow Monk 17) lasts up to 1 minute under conditions
• target is affected by your Hunter’s Mark (Ranger 17) up to 1 hour with Concentration
• target is Prone from Destructive Wave (Paladin 5th) 30-ft emanation (sphere), CON save
• target is Blinded, Restrained, or Petrified from Prismatic Wall (Bard/Wizard 9th) 1 minute
• target is Restrained or Unconscious from Imprisonment (Warlock/Wizard 9th) until dispelled
• target is Stunned from Rend Mind (Soulknife Rogue 17) 1 minute, saves every round
• [2014 Legacy] use Master Duelist (Swashbuckler Rogue 17) to reroll with advantage an attack that missed

LEVEL 19

• attack while Invisible from the Boon of the Night Spirit epic boon feat, 1 attack only

Spoiler: WIP test table

SOURCE	DURATION	TARGETS	GAINED FROM	NOTES

LEVEL 15

SOURCE	DURATION	TARGETS	GAINED FROM	NOTES

LEVEL 15

SOURCE	DURATION	TARGETS	GAINED FROM	NOTES

LEVEL 15

SOURCE	DURATION	TARGETS	GAINED FROM	NOTES

LEVEL 15

SOURCE	DURATION	TARGETS	GAINED FROM	NOTES

LEVEL 15

SOURCE	DURATION	TARGETS	GAINED FROM	NOTES

LEVEL 15

SOURCE	DURATION	TARGETS	GAINED FROM	NOTES

LEVEL 15

LEVEL 13

LEVEL 14

SOURCE	DURATION	TARGETS	GAINED FROM	NOTES
Power of the Wilds: Ram makes target Prone	until target gets up	1 target	Path of the Wild Heart Barbarian 14	you or ally
Cunning Strike: Knock Out makes target Unconscious	1 attack	1 target that failed a CON save	Rogue 14	you or ally
Cunning Strike: Obscure makes target Blinded	until the end of target's next turn	1 target that failed a DEX save	Rogue 14	you or ally

LEVEL 15

SOURCE	DURATION	TARGETS	GAINED FROM	NOTES
Earthquake makes targets Prone	until targets get up / 1 minute, concentration	any in a 100-ft radius circle that fail a DEX save at any round	Cleric/Druid/Sorcerer 8th	you or ally, but this spell doesn't spare friends
Holy Aura makes targets Blinded	1 minute, concentration	any fiend or undead within 30 ft of caster that attack a creature protected by this spell and fail a CON save	Cleric 8th	you or ally
Power Word Stun makes target Stunned	until target succeeds on a CON save, repeated every round	1 target <150 hp that failed the initial CON save	Bard/Sorcerer/Warlock/Wizard 8th	you or ally
Sunburst makes targets Blinded	1 minute, target saves every round	any in a 60-ft radius sphere that fail a CON save	Cleric/Druid/Sorcerer/Wizard 8th	you or ally

LEVEL 17

SOURCE	DURATION	TARGETS	GAINED FROM	NOTES
Foresight	8 hours	all	Bard/Druid/Warlock/Wizard 9th	you or ally, spell gives you advantage for the duration
Improved Duplicity	1 minute	any within 5ft of the duplicate	Trickery Cleric 17	you or ally
Cloak of Shadows makes you Invisible	1 minute	all	Warrior of Shadow Monk 17	you, must be in Dim Light or Darkness
Destructive Wave makes targets Prone	until targets gets up	any in a 30 ft sphere than fail a CON save	Paladin 5th	you or ally
Prismatic Wall makes targets Blinded	1 minute, concentration	any within 20 ft of the <90 ft wall that fail a CON save	Bard/Wizard 9th	you or ally
Imprisonment makes target Restrained	until dispelled	1 target that failed a WIS save	Warlock/Wizard 9th	you or ally, spell takes 1 minute to cast
Master Duelist	1 attack	1	[2014] Swashbuckler Rogue 17	you, if you attack and miss, reroll with advantage 1/long rest

LEVEL 19

SOURCE	DURATION	TARGETS	GAINED FROM	NOTES
Boon of the Night Spirit makes you Invisible	1 attack	1 target	Boon of the Night Spirit epic boon feat 19	you

 

[roguish]

...I realise this is a lot, and that I'm also accidentally compiling ways to make things Prone.

 

[Kinematics]

Crusher feat: When you score a Critical Hit that deals Bludgeoning damage to a creature, attack rolls against that creature have advantage until the start of your next turn.

Available from level 4, when you can get the feat.

 

[Kinematics]

Shining Smite: A Smite spell that uses concentration and lasts 1 minute. 2nd level spell, so available from level 3 5.

- Until the spell ends, the target sheds Bright Light in a 5 foot radius, attack rolls against it have Advantage, and it can't benefit from the Invisible condition.

 

[roguish]

Crusher and Shining Smite added, thanks!

 

[Kinematics]

Wait, stupid mistake. Shining Smite is a 2nd level spell, but since it's on a paladin, that means min level of 5, not 3.

 

[roguish]

I think I finished this, or at least I found as many as I could find. I'm sure I still missed some. It's a big book! I may mess with the details at a later time, adding even more fine print, but the basics are there.

So this is a list of how to attack with advantage. Accidentally, it's also a list of how to impose all the relevant conditions (blinded, stunned, etc). Who needs that, you may ask? Well it's useful for Rogues, and I think it works as a reference sidebar to any relevant handbook.

But I'll tell you why it's super useful for this Rogue: I'm playing with a houserule (still untested with 2024 rules) where rogues get Extra Attack, and Sneak Attack applies once per turn per target. This increases complexity (which I dig, I'm all for tactical combat), and now with another attack from Nick (and possibly Dual Wielder if we go overboard, though bonus actions are arguably too precious for Rogues), setting up sneak attacks for all these different targets becomes comically complicated. So I wanted to gather all the relevant info for future reference.

And that's what I ended up with.

 

[aco175]

There is the optional flanking rules.

 

[ECMO3]

Question on restrained with rope:

• target is Restrained with Rope and their legs are bound (Utilize action DC 10 Dex (sleight of hand), target must be grappled etc to begin with)

What exactly does this mean? If they are grappled and I have rope I can make a DC10 SOH check (which seems pathetically easy) and they are restrained? What is the part about legs bound, do their legs already need to be bound ahead of time?

 

[DrJawaPhD]

Question on restrained with rope:

• target is Restrained with Rope and their legs are bound (Utilize action DC 10 Dex (sleight of hand), target must be grappled etc to begin with)

What exactly does this mean? If they are grappled and I have rope I can make a DC10 SOH check (which seems pathetically easy) and they are restrained? What is the part about legs bound, do their legs already need to be bound ahead of time?

In the Equipment section, Rope has a specific Utilize Action that you can bind an unwilling creature if they are Grappled, Incapacitated, or Restrained. Binding them requires a DC10 sleight of hand check, and then they can break out with either a DC20 Athletics or DC15 Acrobatics check. While bound they are Restrained (which is where Advantage comes into play)