In 5e the only way to sneak attack without needing advantage is by taking the swashbuckler (specialization? Archetype?).
Actually, since 5e this has been rolled this into the standard sneak attack that every Rogue gets
You don’t need Advantage on the attack roll if at least one of your allies is within 5 feet of the target, the ally doesn’t have the Incapacitated condition, and you don’t have Disadvantage on the attack roll.
So you don’t need flanking, you just need a buddy who is not unconscious.
I mean, imagine your some hired goon guarding the door to some culty bullshit. You get jumped by a group of do-gooders and as your about to get up to a bit of the old ultra-violence you notice one of these punks has a damned rat sticking out of a pocket, and it’s not even dead!
That’d be a little distracting at least. Did they train the rat? Is it a magic rat? Is the rat going to jump out and join the fight? Do they have to clean rat droppings out of the pocket every night? Do they keep the rat in a cage when it’s not in the pocket?
So many unanswered questio… Fuck I just got stabbed.
Actually, since 5e this has been rolled this into the standard sneak attack that every Rogue gets
So you don’t need flanking, you just need a buddy who is not unconscious.
Me and the mouse in my pocket are gonna fuck shit up.
I mean, imagine your some hired goon guarding the door to some culty bullshit. You get jumped by a group of do-gooders and as your about to get up to a bit of the old ultra-violence you notice one of these punks has a damned rat sticking out of a pocket, and it’s not even dead!
That’d be a little distracting at least. Did they train the rat? Is it a magic rat? Is the rat going to jump out and join the fight? Do they have to clean rat droppings out of the pocket every night? Do they keep the rat in a cage when it’s not in the pocket?
So many unanswered questio… Fuck I just got stabbed.
I think you overestimate how many people are gonna care about that kind of things when their lives are at stake. Rats are not that rare or unusual.
I think they were just rationalising the idea that a rodent pet could be effective enough ally to let you sneak attack
Probably. But some things just don’t make sense no matter how hard you try.