Can someone explain how sneak attacks are triggered?

[Cylion]

I always tough the only way to trigger sneak attacks was hitting the target from behind, however this does not seem to be the case. For example when someone is knocks down it is also triggered. What other cc can trigger sneak attacks? I am especially curious in other to decide if the Ranger +30% sneak dmg on pets is worth it or not. Also, what about ranged weapons?

[Clerith]

Sneak Attack gives you extra damage when attacking a target that is either flanked or under any affliction. Backstab gives you extra damage when you attack from stealth or invis but you must be within 2 meters of the target. Deathblows is like Sneak Attack, gives you even more extra damage but the target must have two or more conditions that allow a Sneak Attack. No ability actually requires you to be behind the target (though that's nice for flanking).

[Cylion]

What should result in higher companion DPS then? Always +15 DMG and +2 Penetration or the +30% DMG when sneaking? Especially because you mentioned that sneak attacks work on any affliction witch means almost always.

[Purudaya]

The 30% damage isn't applied only when sneaking, it applies whenever your target has any kind of affliction (prone, flanked, dazed, confused, hobbled, distracted, etc etc). You don't need to be in stealth or behind your target, but the latter will add the flanked affliction if the target is engaged with someone else.

 

Also, it's not a set 30% damage - it scales with level. By the end of the game a multiclass rogue will deal +60% and I think a single class rogue will deal +70%.

[Cylion]

The 30% damage isn't applied only when sneaking, it applies whenever your target has any kind of affliction (prone, flanked, dazed, confused, hobbled, distracted, etc etc). You don't need to be in stealth or behind your target, but the latter will add the flanked affliction if the target is engaged with someone else.

 

Also, it's not a set 30% damage - it scales with level. By the end of the game a multiclass rogue will deal +60% and I think a single class rogue will deal +70%.

In the roque case yes it scales, however I don't think the 30% from pet scales, if it dows they really need to add more info.

[Noctaem]

Also remember diminishing returns exists.

[cfleeton]

Sneak Attack gives you extra damage when attacking a target that is either flanked or under any affliction. Backstab gives you extra damage when you attack from stealth or invis but you must be within 2 meters of the target. Deathblows is like Sneak Attack, gives you even more extra damage but the target must have two or more conditions that allow a Sneak Attack. No ability actually requires you to be behind the target (though that's nice for flanking).

 

Any affliction? Wow. So glad this was brought up, thanks. Going to have to work on my rogue builds!

[angryusaman]

So when reading sneak attack on the wiki I noticed that the description says bonus damage while attacking a target with ANY affliction.  However, when reading the other text in the ability description it says extra damage when the target has a MIND or BODY affliction.  Are mind and body the only 2 types of afflictions or is something in the ability text incorrect?

[Sarakash]

Afflictions are also lowering one attribute by a set amount, for instance hobbled lowers the dexterity score by 5. If I understand the system correctly, afflictions which lower physical attributs are body afflictions, those which lower mental attributes are mind afflictions.

 

However, there are status effects which donnot count as an affliction, like prone for instance. Just tested this and I didn´t get the bonus damage from sneak attack against a proned target.

[Sotnik]

It is stated that sneak attacks work vs flanked, Body and Mind afflicted (any afflictions connected with attributes). https://i.imgur.com/Vvv3daP.png

 

Also there was info that attack from sneaking/invisibility also count for sneak attacks.

[angryusaman]

Okay, the wiki was changed today after I made my last post in this topic and it now correctly reads that it adds "additional bonus damage to their weapon attacks when the target is Flanked, affected by any Affliction, or within the first two seconds of combat starting."

[Clerith]

So when reading sneak attack on the wiki I noticed that the description says bonus damage while attacking a target with ANY affliction.  However, when reading the other text in the ability description it says extra damage when the target has a MIND or BODY affliction.  Are mind and body the only 2 types of afflictions or is something in the ability text incorrect?

Body afflictions are str, dex, con afflictions while mind afflictions are per, int, res afflictions. 

 

I guess it only works on the -5 stat + extra afflictions then (if prone doesn't work).

[Sarakash]

A proned target also looses flanked while downed so beware