Larian Studios Forums Baldur's Gate III Baldur's Gate III - Suggestions & Feedback Rogue sneak attack is clunky to use

The title pretty much says it all. It's pretty weird that sneak attack is a separate ability that has to be manually activated, and that there's no feedback in the UI for when an attack will be a sneak attack.

Instead, there should be a UI toggle like the AoO button for "use sneak attack when possible", and when that toggle is active, it should be an effect applied to the first attack you make each round that fits the conditions (including potentially an attack of opportunity after your turn if you don't make any attacks, since sneak attack isn't a separate action in the tabletop). Also, when you hover over an enemy after selecting an attack, it should clearly display if it will be a sneak attack.

We've been wondering why that's the case since day 1 and Larian has yet to answer us.

A reasoning might be so that rogues have an ability to use in combat rather than just a generic melee attack. But the end result is clunky and imo not fun. It is a needless slowing down if combat as well as a direct rogue nerf.

Rogues being one of my favourite classes I frankly have no clue whatsoever what purpose they serve in BG3 when anyone can use a lockpick and their perhaps their most defining combat skill has been reduced to...actually I don't even know how sneak attack in BG3 works or what it does. It should be straightforward, why did they needless complicate/ruin it?

In 5e, anyone can take the criminal background for thieves tools proficiency and pick locks.

However, rogues did get shafted by sneak attack's implementation, cunning action's handout, and expertise missing. Hopefully these will be fixed while we are still in EA.

Shafted? Yes, you have to do one more click, but at the same time, getting an advantage is so ridiculously easy that if you don't get the sneak attack bonus, you're doing something wrong.

That one more click is still rogues getting a nerf. While advantage is (too) easy, it is an unneccesary part of the UI with needing extra clicks and actions and it only works on that one clickable attack. Sneak attack should be once a turn on a succesful attack. You should be able to get it on off-hand attacks too, if the first main-hand misses.

And while just a minor thing not relevant right now due to no multiclassing (except maybe for tieflings with the smite ability): you cannot combine it with other attacks like smites or stuff like ensnaring strike. It is minor and kind of a niche situation but, still a result/nerf due to how it is handled in BG3.

OK, fair enough. I definitely consider it tedious (especially when combined with the standard "small steps to get behind the enemy without triggering their AoO" stuff) and didn't realize there are actual mechanics/balance implications because of that.

It also prevents you from getting sneak attack using your reaction. Rogues can get 2 sneak attacks in a round, as you can get 1 on your turn and 1 on other's. If you make an attack of opportunity or attack due to a battlemaster's commander's strike, for example, as long as the requirements for sneak attack are met, a hit on that attack rolls sneak attack damage.

With solid planning and teamwork, a rogue can achieve 2 sneak attacks fairly often in the right party, and sneak attack was originally balanced around that.

Not trying to hound on you here, just pointing out the full potential of sneak attack.