Looking to make sure I understand the ways, and can clarify for my players, how a rogue can get sneak attack damage.
If I understand it:
Moving into flanking grants SA?
This in general is easy enough with proper positioning.
Having concealment, achieving stealth, then grants SA?
This one in my mind is tricky, is this solely based on a stealth vs perception check, plus or minus environment adjustments (bright light, plenty of obstacles to move behind, etc) or is there more to this?
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You get sneak attack damage any time the target is denied their DEX bonus to AC.
This includes being flat-footed prior to their first turn in combat.
Being blinded will do it, too. (Or effectively blinded, such as being without a light source and not having darkvision.)
Trying to balance on something or being in the middle of climbing will cost you your DEX bonus as well.
The list goes on.
Looking to make sure I understand the ways, and can clarify for my players, how a rogue can get sneak attack damage.
Sneak Attack Checklist (Any of the below allow SA)
Target is Flanked
Target is Suprised
Target is Flat Footed
Target is in a situation where it's denied it's dexterity bonus to AC (wether it actually has a bonus or not)
Target is Helpless
Target has been successfully feinted
Various magic items or feats or conditions that can recreate or include the above conditions.
The below may be factors that can mitigate SA validity.
Target has Uncanny Dodge or Improved Uncanny Dodge.
Target has cover and/or concealment.
This is just off the top of my head but I think it should cover 90% of the situations.
You pretty much got it right. Being denied dex for any reason allows for sneak attack.
Flanking is the other way.
Sorry, but stealth doesn't do it by RAW. The developers have stated that they want to errata the rules and make it so stealth does grant sneak attack by RAW, but in the meantime, it will be up to you as a GM to work out how that works. The ways you get SA is either you have a flank (and they do not have an ability that prevents flank or SA), or they are denied their dexterity bonus to AC. There are several ways to achieve this: feint, being invisible, attacking in the surprise round, or the first round of combat before they have acted, stun or cause the opponent to become paralysed, helpless or pinned, and some more convoluted ways that require either feats or special weapons which have the ability to cause your opponent to be denied their dexterity to AC.
Sneak Attack: The rogue's attack deals extra damage anytime her target would be denied a Dexterity bonus to AC, or when the rogue flanks her target.
Moving into flanking grants SA?
If a rogue makes a melee attack against an enemy that is threatened on the opposite border, the rogue can get sneak attack damage.
Having concealment, achieving stealth, then grants SA?
Any time the target is denied their Dexterity bonus to AC, the rogue can get sneak attack damage. This includes enemies that are flat-footed, running, squeezing though more than half space, blinded, cowering, stunned, helpless, pinned, feinted, etc.
This also includes when the rogue is invisible.
Using Stealth is complicated, and there's sort of a pending re-write to the stealth rules. Generally, if the target is unaware of your presence, he's denied dex and you can get sneak attack. Once you stick him, he's aware of your presence, so further attacks act as normal. It's extremely difficult to get a full attack of sneak attacks in using stealth.
OK, perfect, this makes sense... thanks
Sorry, but stealth doesn't do it by RAW. The developers have stated that they want to errata the rules and make it so stealth does grant sneak attack by RAW, but in the meantime, it will be up to you as a GM to work out how that works. The ways you get SA is either you have a flank (and they do not have an ability that prevents flank or SA), or they are denied their dexterity bonus to AC. There are several ways to achieve this: feint, being invisible, attacking in the surprise round, or the first round of combat before they have acted, stun or cause the opponent to become paralysed, helpless or pinned, and some more convoluted ways that require either feats or special weapons which have the ability to cause your opponent to be denied their dexterity to AC.
That is incorrect. Nobody has been able to find that mythical dev statement, and I showed that it is possible by RAW.
The devs are trying to make it possible in the middle of combat, which is another can of worms.
Sorry, but stealth doesn't do it by RAW. The developers have stated that they want to errata the rules and make it so stealth does grant sneak attack by RAW, but in the meantime, it will be up to you as a GM to work out how that works. The ways you get SA is either you have a flank (and they do not have an ability that prevents flank or SA), or they are denied their dexterity bonus to AC. There are several ways to achieve this: feint, being invisible, attacking in the surprise round, or the first round of combat before they have acted, stun or cause the opponent to become paralysed, helpless or pinned, and some more convoluted ways that require either feats or special weapons which have the ability to cause your opponent to be denied their dexterity to AC.That is incorrect. Nobody has been able to find that mythical dev statement, and I showed that it is possible by RAW.
The devs are trying to make it possible in the middle of combat, which is another can of worms.
You never did respond to my post about that...
Which post? If you give me a link I will answer. :)
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Something I was wondering recently, which relates to this thread, so I guess I'll ask it here: What about prone? It looks like prone targets aren't automatically sneak attackable, but I wanted to confirm that.
Being prone does not deny you your DEX bonus to AC, nor does it cause you to be flanked. Thus, it does not enable sneak attack.
Let the quibbling continue!
That link is not working. I do see it is post 216 though so I will go back to that thread and look for post 216.
Yea, I fixed that!