How does sneak attack work?

[FB_Destroyer_Rebecca]

I have two options always, melee or range and no matter what scenario I can not use it on anything.
Do I really have to cast something that gives me "an advantage" on my enemy first before I can use that skill?
Kinda annoying mechanic to be honest.
Why not let me sneak or attack from behind with those?
I am on higher ground and everything but I still can not use it because no "advantage".

[Operation40]

I think there's other ways to do it, but I've only ever gained advantage when my other characters are in melee range of the mob.. basically, when it's not needed

[ODevil]

If you have an Advantage roll it'll be shown when hovering over an enemy with your attack.
The simplest way to get advantage is to use hide (a common action everyone has) or skills like True Sight, but yes you have to set it up in some way. Height-rules and flanking just give a bonus to your roll.

[Goob🍻]

getting advantage as a rogue will *most* commonly be positioning in a place out of enemy vision (hold shift to see the vision spread) and equal to or higher ground than the enemy and sneaking before shooting. You can also use invisibility (Dark urge gives you a GREAT item for this pretty early in, but other classes have items for this within act 1 at least). Or have your mages use crowd control like hold person.

[dulany67]

Height does not give advantage any longer. It was switched to a +2 to hit.

[Fuzzyballs01 ꦙ]

you need advantage
there's even a level up passive that makes it so anyone who moves after you on the first turn is automatically at a disatvantage
for me, I usually use a bow on characters in meelee

[Cuendillar]

Use Cunning Action Hide (Bonus Action) Then shoot them.

[R3sistance]

Sneak attack prompt is slightly misleading, there is TWO ways to activate sneak attack, first if via advantage, the second is by having an ally within normal melee distance of the target. This means when you have the ability to move a barbarian and rogue on same turn, you run the barbarian in first and then you can sneak attack. It is wasteful to use your rogue attack first but rogues are high dex so usually have a higher initiative.

In regards to getting advantage, there is a few ways, Asterion I believe defaults to Arcane Trickster, which gets access to find familiar (select it as the 3rd spell at level 3), choose the raven familiar when casting, it has rend vision, which blinds the target if it hits. A blinded target is advantage, there are also other conditions.

[Lur Nen Rue]

Tips on sneak attack, go to reaction set them to ask you, and then do a normal attack, useful if you have ways to make another attack in a turn as the game will automatically turn your first hitting advantage attack into sneak attack
Now you have more than one chances per turn to make your sneak attack

[cool skill]

It's not difficult to use sneak attack I use it constantly since the start of the game. Just get out of enemy red zone and go into hide mode. You can use melee to hit them or ranged.

[Kyutaru]

Stealth gives you advantage so as Astarion you should be finding spots on the battlefield to hide behind. Immediately when the battle starts, go run behind something that blocks line of sight to 90% of the battlefield and stealth.

[EricHVela]

I find "sneak attack" to be a bit of a misnomer, but I just accept it for what it is: a special advantage attack for those with the skill regardless what it's called in the rules.

[Jaggid Edje]

You don't need advantage if another party member is closed and in melee range of the enemy.

One of the easiest ways to get advantage if you do not have that is by hiding. Rogues get hide as a bonus action, and it's suprisingly easy to re-hide in mid-combat in BG3. Way more easy than my DM makes it in the tabletop campaign where I play a rogue.

[Awen]

I was having trouble with this not working, because I had put on some medium armor my sneak character was not proficient with.

[med_man555]

I wish WoTC would change the name of Sneak Attack to Precision Strike or something like that. You don't have to be sneaking to get sneak attack, but you can get advantage if you sneak. It can be confusing if you're not familiar with the 5E rules.