How much do they enhance your sneak attack?
Classes in D&D 5e have been refreshed and improved with D&D 2024. With this has come more flexibility and new features, and one of these new features is the rogue’s cunning strike.
Cunning strike is an add on to the rogue’s sneak attack. It allows you to layer different abilities into the sneak attack by sacrificing some of the damage you’d normally deal. This usually means removing a d6 (or a few) from the damage you deal. The more damage dice removed, the more powerful the effect is.
This gives the rogue a little more tactical nous than simply using sneak attack in combat on repeat (though you can still expect to do this). But which of these cunning strike options works best and is the most worthwhile using? I’ve gone into detail in my analysis below.
Analysing the different cunning strike options
It’s worth being aware that cunning strike comes from a few different features. Namely, cunning strike at level 5, devious strike at level 14 and also from the thief’s level 9 subclass option, supreme sneak. The assassin also gets an enhancement to the poison cunning strike at level 13 with envenom weapons. The arcane trickster also gets an enhancement to trip at level 13 too with versatile trickster.
Cunning strike options (Lv 5)
Poison
Cost: 1d6
Ability: Attempt to inflict the poisoned condition for a minute.
Tactics: The expense of a single d6 for the chance to inflict the poisoned condition is pretty strong. Especially as you’re likely to reduce the damage from that enemy by more than the d6 damage you’ve lost just by making them miss one attack.
It’s less useful against spellcasters that can switch to saving throw spells instead. It’s also best against lower constitution enemies.
If you’re an assassin, the damage lost from using this is made up for and probably a little bit more with envenom weapons making this an almost automatic option for level 13+ assassins.
Trip
Cost: 1d6
Ability: Attempt to knock the target prone.
Tactics: Knocking prone is decent and gives the chance to get a bunch of attacks with advantage against the enemy. You likely won’t benefit from this directly, but allies can. You’ll want to make sure to do this against enemies that aren’t right after you in the initiative order (so they can’t just stand back up). I’d also avoid aiming this at enemies that are primarily being shot at (as they’ll be harder to hit once prone).
If you can coordinate with a strong ally, they can even grapple the target once prone to keep them down there.
While this costs the same amount as poison, it only lasts for a turn, whereas poison can continue having an effect. This can still work well, but requires coordination with your party and a convenient initiative order.
Arcane tricksters can use this against 2 enemies simultaneously by level 13 making it an even better option.
Withdraw
Cost: 1d6
Ability: Move half your speed without provoking opportunity attacks.
Tactics: You can disengage with your bonus action, but this is for those times when you’ve either used all your movement or you don’t have your bonus action spare. I can see this being the case a lot for something like the arcane trickster who might be using their mage hand for tripping as a bonus action.
The cost is definitely worthwhile, but your use of this may depend on your subclass and how much you might need your bonus action for things other than disengaging.
Devious strike options (Lv14)
Daze
Cost: 2d6
Ability: On a failed save, the target can only do one of the following; move, take an action or take a bonus action.
Tactics: Limiting the options of a foe can be decent, but it can also be fairly unimpactful. For instance, using this on a melee enemy engaged in melee combat may only need to use their action for attacks. Using it on a ranged enemy may have a similar impact.
There are plenty of creatures that rely on using all 3 of these though, it’s just a case of choosing the right times and enemies to make the biggest impact and limit the options of your enemy.
Knock out
Cost: 6d6
Ability: On a failed saving throw, the target is knocked unconscious.
Tactics: This is powerful, but it comes at a big cost and there’s a potential for this to be wasted. Still, it’s great on highly dangerous, but not too tough enemies to take them out of the mix for a bit. Think things like spellcasters in particular.
I’d still be wary of that high damage cost, but this is worth combining with something that can reduce saving throws (like mind sliver or bane) to up your odds. Just be prepared for this to sometimes fail. And it’s not worth using on enemies that you’re not far from killing anyway (that 6d6 could be enough to finish the creature off anyway).
Obscure
Cost: 3d6
Ability: On a failed saving throw, the target is blinded for a turn.
Tactics: This is sort of a combination of poison and trip giving both the target disadvantage on attacks and yourself advantage. It’s better than prone as ranged attacks will also get advantage on attack rolls.
Just keep in mind it will only last a single round.
Thief options (Lv 9)
Stealth attack
Cost: 1d6
Ability: The invisible condition from the hide action isn’t ended by this attack if you end your turn behind three quarters or total cover.
Tactics: This is one for preserving your bonus action if you need it for another reason (like dash or to use a magic item), it means you don’t have to keep hiding. In fact, I’d typically do this to allow you to maintain hiding while using your horde of magic items. This can allow you to ramp up what you can do on your turns significantly.
Just be aware that it won’t work on subsequent attacks that turn (like those made when dual wielding)
Is cunning strike any good?
I’d say so. It gives the rogue a lot of versatility in combat rather than just being a damage machine. I’d tend to lean towards lower cost options because of the reduced risk of a failure. It also makes rogues better team players as they typically rely on allies to help keep them safe or help them get advantage. Now you can return the favour.
It also makes them less reliant on cunning action in certain situations. This can free up their bonus action for other things like the thief’s fast hands or the arcane trickster’s mage hand legerdemain.
I also think the cost of 1d6 for most of these options is a small sacrifice for their potential benefits. I’d even say it’s almost worth attempting a 1d6 cunning strike at pretty much every opportunity you can considering the low price required.
What do you think of cunning strike? Do you have any favourite options? Let me know about them in the comments below.
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