Can Rogues Use Sneak Attack Every Turn?
When it comes to playing a rogue, Sneak Attack is one of their most deadly and exciting abilities. But did you know that you can’t use it as much as you’d like? Yes, Sneak Attack has a very specific limitation.
In this article, we’ll dive deeper into what Sneak Attack can do and when you can use it.
So, Can Rogues Use Sneak Attack Every Turn?
Answer: No
As per the Player’s Handbook, Sneak Attack states: "Once per turn." This means that you can’t use it every single turn as much as you’d like. What are the consequences of using Sneak Attack too many times per turn? We’ll get into that in a minute.
Under What Circumstances Can Rogues Use Sneak Attack?
In order to use Sneak Attack, you need to meet some very specific conditions. Here they are:
- You must be using your Action or a Bonus Action
- Your target must be within 30 feet of you
- You have not used Sneak Attack in the same turn
- The attack roll is a Threat (i.e., your attack roll equals or beats your target’s Armor Class)
Additionally, Sneak Attack‘s damage type is determined by your chosen weapon, and if you attack an enemy that is unable to move (such as in some cases with Diplomacy), that too can affect Sneak Attack.
Consequences of Overusing Sneak Attack
Unfortunately, attempting to use Sneak Attack when you haven’t met one or more of these conditions can cause unforeseen consequences. Here’s a simple table to help you understand when this might happen:
| Behavior | Outcome |
|---|---|
| Miscounting your turns or misusing Sneak Attack | Your DM may determine you Missed your bonus or action |
| Claiming to have met the Sneak Attack conditions when you haven’t | Sneak Attack fails to trigger or dismantles the benefits for the rest of the turn |
Why is this important? Well, both for your character and for the game experience overall, Sneak Attack is a crucial ability for players to understand. Mismanagement of Sneak Attack may ruin the fun and create frustration during combat.
Other Important Nuances
Before we delve further into the Sneak Attack, let’s highlight a few critical tidbits to keep in mind.
- Two-weapon Fighting: If you use Sneak Attack and then roll again for your second attack, each weapon attack can be a successful or failed attack roll. Additionally, for each successful attack, each sneak attack can still be declared again.
- Cunning Action: Since Sneak Attack happens during the same turn that an action is performed, Sneak Attack doesn’t change that action. In other words, taking a bonus action to run to a specific location cannot grant you a sneak attack attack without meeting the prerequisites.
How then can we maximize our Sneak Attack abilities? Here we share some tips for the modern Rogue:
Develop a keen understanding of your surroundings so as to ensure you haven’t inadvertently used Sneak Attack
Prioritize maintaining line of sight (LOS) by not moving from your active action
Keep track of where all enemies are to ensure compliance with the 30-foot range Sneak Attack condition