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[Dorsidwarf]

Well, that sucks. So a 2nd level paladin always has only 2 spell slots? That sucks.

Yeah you always only have the number of spell slots it says on your advancement table. Giving you extra slots for high caster bonus would be awful game design because... to have a maxed out caster stat is already the optimal choice, why should casters be rewarded further for it?

[pikachu17]

In 5E, what is the highest possible AC, for a PC, without magic, and what is the highest possible number of proficient skills?
I found 20 for AC, at level 4, and I found 11 proficient skills at level 2.

@person who had a half-Orc assassin: Why are you only getting an extra d6 on surprised people?
Why aren't you two-weapon fighting, or using a rapier? And if you are willing not to do sneak attack damage, you can do it with a great-axe.

[MetalSlimeHunt]

Not just an extra d6. One from standard damage, two from sneak attack at level 3, one from being a crit because assassin makes all surprise attacks crits, and one from the half-orc racial bonus on crits. And advantage against anybody I beat initiative on, which then means automatic sneak attacks. Assassin is fucking nuts.

I'm not proficient in two-weapon fighting and there's no reason for me to use a rapier when I've got a +1 shortsword.

I should note that my limitations with sneak attack are partially DM imposed. She's of the opinion that a Sneak Attack ought to be a surprise attack. I've barely argued her down to being allowed to sneak attack prone people in combat. Haven't even brought up the five-foot rule or the synergy with assassin advantage. In fairness, I would probably slaughter everything she threw at me if I could use it as written. I mean, did you see that shit up there ^? 5d6 surprise attack, with advantage, at level three! Only our boss enemies so far could tank max damage from that.

[pikachu17]

6d6? I only counted five... Two from crit, two from sneak attack, and one from half-orc. With two-weapon fighting, you could hit them twice, each time for at least 3d6 damage, and the first time having the extra 2d6 sneak attack damage. With a great axe, you could hit them for 3d12 damage, admittedly not really worth it.
With a heavy crossbow, you could do 4d10 damage.
Why should a sneak attack always be a surprise attack? Shouldn't hiding, then striking them work even in the middle of combat, or am I forgetting that there actually is a surprise attack? After all, you can hide in the middle of combat.

[Criptfeind]

Shouldn't it be seven d6? d6 from the sword, 2d6 from the sneak attack, combine those for another 3d6 from the crit, and then 1d6 again from the orc racial?

Also you might be thinking of 3.5 or something pikachu17, because that's not how it works in 5E which is what MSH is (I'm pretty sure) playing. Sneak attacks are once per turn in 5E, and in 3.5 crits don't double sneak attacks. Also he's not proficient with the weapons you're suggesting. (Edit: Nvm, I just reread your post and realized you were sugguesting that the attacks in the surprise round would do lots of damage when duel wielding, not all the time.)

Honestly fuck my reading comprehension here.

[pikachu17]

1d6 for the sword, I'm pretty sure sneak attacks aren't doubled in crit, that 1d6 is doubled to make 2d6, then another 2d6 for because half-Orc, plus 2d6 sneak attack.
I already knew the second sentence of the second paragraph. I know that sneak attacks are once per turn in 5E. I believe I mentioned that fact.
I know he's not proficient, but isn't a non-proficient attack roll with advantage worth a base 1d10 ranged crit with sneak attack damage? Just take one level of a class that gives you profiency with heavy crossbows, and I'm pretty sure it's worth taking one level of a different class. Choose 1 level of fighter, and maybe the archery fighting style.
EDIT:I found out sneak attack damage is also doubled in a crit. So, it is definitely not worth it to use a great axe, but I think 3d10 and 4d6 damage is worth an unproficient attack roll with advantage.

Anyway, what is the highest possible AC, and proficient skills for a PC?

[Kadzar]

I'm not proficient in two-weapon fighting and there's no reason for me to use a rapier when I've got a +1 shortsword.

You don't need to be proficient in two-weapon fighting to use it (also, two-weapon fighting isn't really a proficiency, it's a style. You can really only be proficient with weapons, skills, tools, and saving throws). Anyone can use two weapons to fight so long as both weapons have the "light" property and you use your bonus action for the second attack. You just won't get to add you ability modifier to the damage of the second attack unless you have the Two-Weapon Fighting fighting style.

[scriver]

Sneak Attack is a pretty bad name for Sneak Attacks. Maybe they should've stolen from the old 3.5 Swashbuckler the name Precise Attack on edition change. Or renamed it Trick Attack. Or Underhanded Attack. Or Exploiting-Your-Enemies-Weaknesses Attack. I mean, I would go with Dirty Fighting but I wanted it to end with Attack and "Dirty Attack" just makes it sound like a whole other kind of thing.

[GiglameshDespair]

Highest AC without any magic or enchanted equipment is 24, far as I know. A level 20 barbarian with 24 con and 20 dex and a shield using unarmoured defence has an AC of 10+7+5+2=24.

As for skills just go knowledge cleric and burn a channel divinity for whichever skill you want.

[pikachu17]

I also meant most profiency skills without magic.
I got 11 through human rogue with the skilled feat, and then taking a level of bard, but there are probably better ways to do it.

[Harry Baldman]

I should note that my limitations with sneak attack are partially DM imposed. She's of the opinion that a Sneak Attack ought to be a surprise attack. I've barely argued her down to being allowed to sneak attack prone people in combat. Haven't even brought up the five-foot rule or the synergy with assassin advantage. In fairness, I would probably slaughter everything she threw at me if I could use it as written. I mean, did you see that shit up there ^? 5d6 surprise attack, with advantage, at level three! Only our boss enemies so far could tank max damage from that.

The shit is this? Sneak Attack already doesn't do that much damage to begin with and there's measures being taken to make it downright marginal? Thing is, it seems like 5d6 is a lot, but the fact is that rogues never get an extra attack and even if they did they'd still only get to apply Sneak Attack once per turn. Compare Magic Missile, a 1st level spell, which does 3d4+3 and also doesn't need a to-hit roll, let alone what a well-placed Fireball or a Spike Growth can do to a whole group of people. A Rogue that can't sneak attack reliably is just a recipe for misery.

Besides, even with Assassin the fact that you need to do a surprise attack to get an auto-crit pretty much means you're only gonna get the opportunity to do it when you haven't got the rest of the party with you (and manage to make a bunch of Stealth checks in the process, most likely), which also means it's probably when you'll really, really need it and honestly it kind of makes sense that if you get the drop on someone as an archetype whose whole thing is killing people silently you get to, well, kill them silently when you get the drop on them. It's actually one of the less powerful Rogue archetypes compared to, say, the Swashbuckler who gets to apply Sneak Attack to any target they're engaging with in single combat and then also retreat from any serious reprisal that same turn.

Although if your DM can't be budged, a way to get around that is definitely to get at least one of your two bards to learn and cast Invisibility (and, should you get that far, eventually Greater Invisibility) on you. That ought to get you at least one nearly guaranteed stabbing against a given enemy.

[MrWiggles]

Not just an extra d6. One from standard damage, two from sneak attack at level 3, one from being a crit because assassin makes all surprise attacks crits, and one from the half-orc racial bonus on crits. And advantage against anybody I beat initiative on, which then means automatic sneak attacks. Assassin is fucking nuts.

I'm not proficient in two-weapon fighting and there's no reason for me to use a rapier when I've got a +1 shortsword.

I should note that my limitations with sneak attack are partially DM imposed. She's of the opinion that a Sneak Attack ought to be a surprise attack. I've barely argued her down to being allowed to sneak attack prone people in combat. Haven't even brought up the five-foot rule or the synergy with assassin advantage. In fairness, I would probably slaughter everything she threw at me if I could use it as written. I mean, did you see that shit up there ^? 5d6 surprise attack, with advantage, at level three! Only our boss enemies so far could tank max damage from that.

Is this e5? Cause in e5, sneak attack, not about finding suprising your oppenent. Its hitting them when their distracted, and cant property defend against you. Its become a much more active skill. Great for a flanking rogue.

[Jimmy]

Yeah, the rules for Sneak Attack from 3.5e days were pretty simple.

Is the opponent flat-footed or denied Dexterity to AC? You get sneak attack.
If not, are you flanking? You get sneak attack.

Pretty simple, though they then screwed it up with a heap of monsters gaining immunity to the ability. Pathfinder at least made an effort to fix this, giving Sneak Attack back on all but a few types of creatures.

[Trekkin]

Yeah, the rules for Sneak Attack from 3.5e days were pretty simple.

Is the opponent flat-footed or denied Dexterity to AC? You get sneak attack.
If not, are you flanking? You get sneak attack.

Pretty simple, though they then screwed it up with a heap of monsters gaining immunity to the ability. Pathfinder at least made an effort to fix this, giving Sneak Attack back on all but a few types of creatures.

And a couple of different kinds of sneak attack, though.

[Kadzar]

5e Sneak Attack rules are also pretty simple: are you wielding a finesse or ranged weapon, and do you have advantage on the attack or a non-incapacitated ally within 5 ft. of your target (or, technically, an enemy of the target) and don't have disadvantage on the attack? Have you not yet used Sneak Attack on this turn (it can be yours or somebody else's if there's something allowing you to attack outside of your turns, like an opportunity attack)? Then you can Sneak Attack.

There isn't anything restricting the types of creatures you can Sneak Attack (presumably you are hitting some sort of structural weakness or something) or a limit to how far away ranged weapons can be used. Technically, you'd probably be limited to the normal range of weapons, because you have disadvantage to attack at long range, which would cancel out any advantage you would have and nullify the effect of having an ally next to the target, but, if you have the Sharpshooter feat, you can ignore disadvantage from shooting at long range (so, if you have some sort of build that gives you the Sharpshooter feat and also something that allows your rogue to use longbows (such as being an elf), you could potentially Sneak Attack people from up to 600 ft. away, though you'll still need an ally next to your target or some source of advantage).

So, probably the most reliable way to get Sneak Attack is to just have one of your allies standing right next to your target. The next is attacking from hiding, as this gives you advantage for attacking a creature that doesn't see you (this doesn't just apply to rogues; anyone gets advantage for attacking a target that can't see you).

For this, you'll need something to hide behind, and have to take the Hide action to properly hide yourself (which rogues of 2nd level or higher can do as a bonus action). This requires a Stealth roll, which is compared to the creature's passive perception, to work, and after you make the attack, whether you hit or miss, the creature can see you (so you'll need to hide again to use this tactic).

There are also other ways to get advantage, such as having someone cast Faerie Fire or Guiding Bolt (both 1st level spells), having a familiar with flyby (ignores opportunity attacks) use the Help action to distract them (granting advantage on the next attack against them), blinding or stunning them, knocking them prone (only really helpful if attacking from melee, and I'm not sure how a rogue would do it alone; maybe pick up the Shield Master feat (and also shield proficiency) and make sure your DM is okay with you using the bonus action shove (to knock them prone) before you use the Attack action).

As far as feats, there's Grappler, which gives you advantage to attack creatures you are grappling. It takes an action to grapple (or, technically, part of an Attack action, but that's immaterial since rogues never get Extra Attack), but it also takes an action to try to break out of a grapple, and, if you use Expertise as a rogue to double your proficiency with Athletics, it can be very hard for them to break out of it. Only works on things up to one size larger than you, though.

There's also Mounted Combat, which lets you roll with advantage on melee attacks against any unmounted creature that's smaller than your mount. So it'll probably take DM approval to get anything larger than a horse or possibly an elephant, and you're limited to only finesse weapons, but you can use this to do ride-by Sneak Attacks.

These are just a few ways to get Sneak Attack; the rules for it are lenient enough that all kinds of weird combos and builds will work. Now, if you excuse me, I'm off to build a cavalry rogue.