D&D 5E What Is Sneak Attack "Equal" To, Balance-wise?

[Xeviat]

I’ll consider that, though I may reduce the number of dice after low levels instead.

I've thought about sneak attack for the ranger before too. Are you concerned that it steps on the rogue's toes? Personally, I love when classes are designed with a mechanic that makes their playstyle different, but I'm not sure 5E has that:

Barbarian: Rage, Reckless Attack
Fighter: Action Surge, Second Wind, more Extra Attacks
Monk: Martial Arts, Flurry, and Stunning Fist
Paladin: Smite, Improved Divine Smite
Rogue: Sneak Attack and Cunning Action

In theory, Favored Enemy is the historic thing I'd be trying to lean into. It couldn't hurt to have it steal from sneak attack a bit, though. But, to make it different, having Favored Enemy be a mark that gives the Ranger bonus damage (similar to sneak attack progression, if you don't give extra attack you can probably get away with it) and tells the ranger things about the creature.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

I've thought about sneak attack for the ranger before too. Are you concerned that it steps on the rogue's toes? Personally, I love when classes are designed with a mechanic that makes their playstyle different, but I'm not sure 5E has that:

Barbarian: Rage, Reckless Attack
Fighter: Action Surge, Second Wind, more Extra Attacks
Monk: Martial Arts, Flurry, and Stunning Fist
Paladin: Smite, Improved Divine Smite
Rogue: Sneak Attack and Cunning Action

In theory, Favored Enemy is the historic thing I'd be trying to lean into. It couldn't hurt to have it steal from sneak attack a bit, though. But, to make it different, having Favored Enemy be a mark that gives the Ranger bonus damage (similar to sneak attack progression, if you don't give extra attack you can probably get away with it) and tells the ranger things about the creature.

Hmm. The way to go might be to word it as “you have this benefit against favored enemies, and you can use a bonus action to Mark an individual creature, treating them as a favored enemy for 24hours or until the target dies or you use this ability on a different creature.”

Then again, the ranger uses their BA a lot already.

Food for thought, though.

 

[Xeviat]

Hmm. The way to go might be to word it as “you have this benefit against favored enemies, and you can use a bonus action to Mark an individual creature, treating them as a favored enemy for 24hours or until the target dies or you use this ability on a different creature.”

Then again, the ranger uses their BA a lot already.

Food for thought, though.

Hmmmm. Interesting.

 

[cbwjm]

I've thought about sneak attack for the ranger before too. Are you concerned that it steps on the rogue's toes? Personally, I love when classes are designed with a mechanic that makes their playstyle different, but I'm not sure 5E has that:

Barbarian: Rage, Reckless Attack
Fighter: Action Surge, Second Wind, more Extra Attacks
Monk: Martial Arts, Flurry, and Stunning Fist
Paladin: Smite, Improved Divine Smite
Rogue: Sneak Attack and Cunning Action

In theory, Favored Enemy is the historic thing I'd be trying to lean into. It couldn't hurt to have it steal from sneak attack a bit, though. But, to make it different, having Favored Enemy be a mark that gives the Ranger bonus damage (similar to sneak attack progression, if you don't give extra attack you can probably get away with it) and tells the ranger things about the creature.

I've been thinking of doing something like this recently, granting the ranger an extra d6 against their favoured enemies (and treating humanoid as a single enemy type) and then have it increase by +1d6 each time they gain a new favoured enemy. Might make it apply with each hit or change it to once per turn, but then again it will only apply to 3 creature types at most so dealing an additional 3d6 damage each hit against them at level 14 might be fine.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

My rough analysis based on the spell creation rules is that Sneak Attack starts out at sub-cantrip damage, and ends at approximately a Level 3 Spell worth of damage for every hit by Level 20. Given about 8 combats lasting 2-3 rounds, if a Rogue can get Sneak Attack most every time they hit...that's a lot of Spell slots worth of damage.

My analysis puts sneak attack at technically 3/4 of full casting, but really more like 1/2 casting when you look at what 6+ level spells can do.

Even then...all it can do is damage, so it has to be paired with stuff like Expertise and extra skills for the rogue to be on par with the half caster classes, so I don’t think it is actually equal to half casting, by itself.

it’s harder to compare utility than to compare damage, though.

Since I do think Rangers have room for more power, I’m fine with something like 3/4 the progression of full sneak attack on a Ranger in place of Extra Attack. Trade fighting style to get full progression.