So I have find familiar and sneak attack. I have used find familiar to give me an owl. I want to be able to have my owl fly to the target, for sneak attack via adjacency, use my attacks, and then have the owl fly away. Would using ready make this possible?

EDIT: My question is different than the possible duplicate as this is more a question of the Ready action instead of interaction of familiars and sneak attack.


closed as unclear what you're asking by kviiri, user17995, Thomas Jacobs, Purple Monkey, Tim Grant Jun 26 '17 at 0:08


  • \$\begingroup\$ For some reason I cannot cast a different close vote, but: Possible duplicate of: Can a Familiar aid a Rogue's Sneak Attack? \$\endgroup\$ – Thyzer Jun 25 '17 at 21:00
  • \$\begingroup\$ Possible duplicate of Can a Familiar aid a Rogue's Sneak Attack? \$\endgroup\$ – user17995 Jun 25 '17 at 21:16
  • 1
    \$\begingroup\$ I saw that post as well but this is more about the Ready action instead of just the sneak attack and familiar interaction. \$\endgroup\$ – MorrowWolf Jun 25 '17 at 21:22
  • \$\begingroup\$ Who would be making the sneak attack? Can you sketch out exactly who would be doing what? \$\endgroup\$ – Tim Grant Jun 26 '17 at 0:08

Yes you can

Let me generalise this because it is irrelevant if the other creature is your familiar or someone else who is hostile to your target.

If you take the Ready action to make an attack when a creature hostile to the target is within 5-feet of it, then, you can make the attack and, if you don't have disadvantage, use Sneak attack. However, you only get one attack even if you have Extra Attack or Two Weapon Fighting because this is not the Attack action, it is a reaction.

If you do have disadvantage but also have advantage from some other source (like your ally using the Help action) you also get sneak attack because if you have both you have neither.

