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Can an artificer with the artillerist subclass' Arcane Cannon (tiny hand sized variation) be used with Sneak attack?

Granted common sense should say a cannon of any sort short of books/films is a ranged weapon. But it's not clearly stated in TCoE what weapon classification it is. Is the tiny variant of the Arcane Cannon a firearm which suggests that it should be useable with Sneak Attack?

Eddymage
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Jhyarelle Silver
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2 Answers2

7

No.

It isn't the size of the cannon that counts... it is how you use it.

The cannon has 3 types of activation and the one you are probably thinking of is Force Ballista, which says:

Make a ranged spell attack ...

A ranged spell attack does not qualify for sneak attack.

The other types of activation are even more obviously disqualified from sneak attack.

SeriousBri
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    Ranged Spell Attacks do qualify for sneak attack when they're made with a weapon. See magic stone, when flung from a sling. – nick012000 Nov 07 '21 at 00:18
  • @nick012000 actually, no. A spell attack, inherently, is not a weapon attack thanks to its spell attack typing. Even in the case of the magic stone spell, since it is used to make a spell attack, it is not being used as a weapon, and thus does not count as one and instead as an attack using a spell. – Smart_TJ Nov 08 '21 at 00:53
  • @Smart_TJ Note that Sneak Attack doesn't say "weapon attack using a Ranged weapon". It just says "attack using a Ranged weapon". – nick012000 Nov 08 '21 at 00:54
  • @nick012000 yes, but it must be considered that, since a pebble is not normally a weapon, it lacks any weapon properties- including thrown. In rogue's sneak attack, it states that the attack must be made with a finesse or ranged weapon. Since a pebble is not a weapon, and thus lacks either property, it is rendered ineligible. – Smart_TJ Nov 08 '21 at 00:56
  • @Smart_TJ Yes, which is why you only proc sneak attack when flinging a magic stone from a sling. – nick012000 Nov 08 '21 at 00:58
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    Is there a question on here about magic stone and sneak attack? This doesn't seem like the place for the disagreement – SeriousBri Nov 08 '21 at 08:56
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    Related question on sneak attack and magic stone – NotArch Nov 08 '21 at 13:39
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    For what it's worth, I brought up magic stone and sneak attack as a way of pointing out that you had the right answer (sneak attack doesn't work) for the wrong reason (sneak attack doesn't require weapon attacks). – nick012000 Nov 09 '21 at 01:23
7

An Artillerist Cannon is not a weapon, hence it does not qualify for Sneak Attack.

The rules for Sneak Attack says (emphasis mine):

Beginning at 1st level, you know how to strike subtly and exploit a foe’s distraction. 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.

But the Cannon is an object, not a weapon:

[… ]The cannon is a magical object. […]

Hence, the requirements for a Sneak Attack are not met.

Anyway, as observed in this answer:

Since an Eldritch Cannon acts as a weapon, it is used as a weapon, it does damage as a weapon and has the name of a weapon, a DM may reasonably consider it as a weapon.

Eddymage
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