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I am playing a level 4 almost 5 Rogue Assassin. I have been trying to find out if Assassinate grants 2 attacks, say in the circumstance I fire my shortbow at a surprised enemy and Assassinate comes in to play its an automatic crit.

However, I've read on some websites that Assassinate grants 2 arrows to be fired (or 2 strikes with a shortsword) and on other sites it tells me nothing just, need an answer. Does Assassinate grant 2 attacks?

Someone_Evil
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Jacobtherogueboi
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    Welcome! Please take the [tour] as an introduction to the site and check the [help] for further guidance. Good luck and happy gaming! – Sdjz Jun 07 '19 at 10:56

1 Answers1

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No, Assassinate does not grant two attacks

The Assassinate feature grants two benefits: advantage against an enemy that hasn't taken a turn in the combat yet. And if the creature is surprised, then any hit you score is a critical hit.

There is nothing in the rules about the Assassinate feature granting additional attacks, so it doesn't.

Of course, you may make two attacks due to some other factor, such as two-weapon fighting. If you are wielding two weapons and attack before another creature has had it's turn, then both of those attacks would be made with advantage thanks to Assassinate.

I would be less inclined to have both of those attacks, if successful, turn into criticals though, since its arguable that after the first successful attack, your opponent is no longer surprised. However, that is a separate question discussed here (link provided by Sdjz)

PJRZ
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    "since its arguable that after the first successful attack, your opponent is no longer surprised" - By the rules, surprise ends after the end of the enemy's first turn during the first round of combat; it's clear that if they're surprised during your first attack on your first turn, they'd still be surprised during a second attack on the same turn. The only difference is that if you were hidden before the first attack (as you'd likely need to be to surprise an enemy), you'd be revealed after the first attack hit or missed. – V2Blast Jun 07 '19 at 18:28
  • (Since you'd need to beat them in initiative for them to still be surprised, you'd have advantage anyway from your class feature.) – V2Blast Jun 07 '19 at 18:29