[RPG] Can swashbucklers sneak attack with disadvantage

advantage-and-disadvantagednd-5esneak-attack

The rules:

Once per turn, you can deal an extra 1d6 damage to one creature you hit with an attack if you have advantage on the attack roll. The attack must use a finesse or a ranged weapon.

You don't need advantage on the attack roll if another enemy of the
target is within 5 feet of it, that enemy isn't incapacitated, and you
don't have disadvantage on the attack roll. (PHB, pg 96)

and

In addition, you don't need advantage on your attack roll to use your Sneak Attack if no creature other than your target is within 5 feet of you. All the other rules for the Sneak Attack class feature still apply to you. (SCAG, pg 136)

This rule has been errata'd and will be changed in the upcoming Xanathar's Guide To Everything.

The way I understand them:

Step 1. identify the rules in the swashbuckler's feature

  • if your target is the only creature within 5' of you then you do not
    need advantage

All the other rules for the Sneak Attack class feature still apply to you

Step 2 identify "all other" rules

  • if your target is the only creature within 5' of you then you do not
    need advantage

  • if you have advantage [OR] you don't need advantage
    then you can deal an extra 1d6 damage once per turn

  • the attack must use a finesse or a ranged weapon

  • if your target has a non-incapacitated enemy that is not you within
    5' of it
    [AND] you don't have disadvantage
    then you don't need advantage on the attack roll

Given: no creature other than your target is within 5 of you
Simplified: using standard logical operations

  • you don't need advantage on your attack roll

  • you can deal an extra 1d6 damage once per turn

  • the attack must use a finesse or a ranged weapon

Am I correct, a swashbuckler can sneak attack with disadvantage?
If not, please identify and explain the error?

NOTE:

  • if your target has a non-incapacitated enemy that is not you within
    5' of it
    [AND] you don't have disadvantage
    then you don't need advantage on the attack roll

must be applied if and only if the non-incapacitated enemy that is not you is within 5' of your target and within 5' of you, which is typically an easy situation to fix.

Best Answer

As of Xanathar's Guide to Everything's release, the Swashbuckler's Rakish Audacity feature has been errata'd to the following:

You also gain an additional way to use your Sneak Attack; you don’t need advantage on the attack roll to use your Sneak Attack against a creature if you are within 5 feet of it, no other creatures are within 5 feet of you, and you don’t have disadvantage on the attack roll. All the other rules for Sneak Attack still apply to you.

It now explicitly requires the Rogue to not be attacking with disadvantage to function.

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