D&D 5E Yes, I know what RAW says, but, Effects of allowing Sneak Attack on Monk attacks.

[Li Shenron]

Yeah, see, I've never quite understood why it's okay for rogues to sneak attack with a bow

Toss in the possibility that the Rogue has Sharpshooter, and she can sneak attack someone at 320ft (600ft for a wood elf rogue) behind 3/4 cover who is engaged in melee with a rat.

IIRC in 3ed there used to be a range limit for sneak attack, but I don't think there is one in 5e.

 

[Coroc]

Toss in the possibility that the Rogue has Sharpshooter, and she can sneak attack someone at 320ft (600ft for a wood elf rogue) behind 3/4 cover who is engaged in melee with a rat.

IIRC in 3ed there used to be a range limit for sneak attack, but I don't think there is one in 5e.

Well you are right - but that is what a sniper does. Back then and now. Fun fact: Most people in history died of arrow wounds in medieval armed conflicts, often not, because the shot was lethal, but because of wound infection afterward.

 

[Northern Phoenix]

There's basically no difference since Monk/Rogue can sneak attack with most "Monk Weapons (shortswords, most notably). Letting Unarmed Attacks work too simply helps the fantasy for people who want to use only their fists.

 

[Ringtail]

Considering that a Monk is Proficient with Shortswords and Daggers, both Finesse weapons, they could by raw use Sneak Attack.

Martial Arts allows you to use Dex for both attacks and damage on unarmed strikes, and all monk weapons. That's basically Finesse. So I would allow it, especially when considering the highest damage die for a monk weapon is a d8, which matches up with a Rogue's Rapier. Most are d6s, matching the shortswords. If you can get sneak attack using a Dagger or Shortsword, there isn't much wrong with using fists, which deal basically the same damage.

Like others have said the only thing you have to consider is that flurry of blows/extra attack allow you more chance to land a sneak attack. But one costs ki, so you won't use it all the time and your sneak attack dice aren't going to be as high as a rogue's since you are multiclassed, so I think it balances out.

 

[Dausuul]

Allowing SA on unarmed strikes for a monk is fine. After all, a monk could dual wield short swords and get the same effect (regular attack plus bonus action attack, dealing martial arts damage, all eligible for SA).

The only difference would be on Flurry of Blows, and the increase in damage at that point is miniscule; you were already very likely to land a Sneak Attack.

 

[GlassJaw]

I never understood the separate classification of unarmed attacks. It always just creates confusion. It's a fantasy game. Who cares if throwing a punch and swinging a halberd are simply both called "melee attacks?"

 

[Cap'n Kobold]

Like the title says, I know that by RAW, you aren't supposed to allow monk unarmed strikes to work with rogue sneak attacks. OTOH, that seems needlessly fiddly and a huge PITA. Is there any really serious reasons for not allowing it? I can't see any huge problems.

I can see no issues. I already removed the Finesse weapon restriction for sneak attacks and haven't seen any issues.

 

[SkidAce]

I never understood the separate classification of unarmed attacks. It always just creates confusion. It's a fantasy game. Who cares if throwing a punch and swinging a halberd are simply both called "melee attacks?"

They were "trying" to limit things like weapon altering spells being cast on hands I think.

They phrased it poorly I suspect.

 

[billd91]

I don't really see it as an issue either. At worst, what would the effect be since the character could only get one sneak attack a turn anyway? Earlier access to multiple attempts to succeed at it in a single round?

 

[coolAlias]

A rogue can already use two-weapon fighting to gain a bonus action off-hand attack for an extra chance at landing Sneak Attack - this is essentially identical to the monk's regular bonus action unarmed attack.

Is an extra attack once in a while from Flurry of Blows, using a limited resource (ki), that gives the rogue an extra chance to land a potential Sneak Attack, going to break the game? Absolutely not.

Each level the rogue takes as monk delays their primary class features (or vice versa, if mainly monk), and their Sneak Attack dice will also suffer. They are giving up a lot for the arguably minor benefit of ensuring that they are able to land at least one hit (hopefully a Sneak Attack!) per round.