When it comes to stealth, precision and pockets potentially bulging with stolen goods, Dungeons & Dragons has made the sticky-fingered Rogue a nearly indispensable member of adventuring parties. As one of the game’s three original classes, the role of the Rogue is highly essential because there are a number of things they can do that other classes just can’t.
Rogues can easily be masters of stealth, infiltrators, trap disarmers and con artists, but there has to be more to a D&D player character than stealing and sneaking. That’s where crafting a powerful build comes into play.
Dexterity is the Rogue’s Most Important Stat
When it comes to stats, Dexterity is key for ensuring a Rogue is both stealthy and agile. It grants them the skills they need to infiltrate areas undetected so they can spy or steal without getting caught. This also influences how successfully sleight of hand tasks like lockpicking, trap disarming and pickpocketing are carried out. Every attack and damage roll, armor class, initiative bonus and essential core ability checks are completely reliant on the Rogue’s DEX stat, so get that to 20 as quickly as possible.
While not as essential to DEX, two other important stats for Rogues are Intelligence and Charisma. INT gives them the smarts they need to get in and out of sticky situations unscathed, while CHA empowers their ability to convince the world around them of their innocence — even when they’re anything but. INT is also essential for Rogues who choose to take a magical approach to their schemes by choosing the Arcane Trickster subclass because their spellcasting abilities and modifiers are INT-based.
Best Races for Rogues
While anyone can become a thief, some of D&D‘s races are simply more dexterous than others. Elves, Feral Tieflings, Goblins, Kobolds, Tabaxi, Halflings and Aarakocra all begin the game with a +2 DEX bonus that sets them well on their way. The Feral Tiefling has the added advantage of +1 INT, and the Tabaxi gets +1 CHA, which makes starting the game with one of those a surefire way to get a Rogue off on the right foot.
Satyrs are another decent option because they have +2 CHA and +1 DEX right off the bat. DEX can be made up elsewhere if absolutely necessary, and the boost to CHA will help the Satyr when it comes to conning, charming or intimidating their way out of bad situations.
The Best Roguish Archetypes
Arcane Trickster is an excellent Roguish Archetype because it grants the player access to useful spells and abilities that aid them in their work. With a few rare exceptions, they are limited to the magical school of Illusion, which provides them with the tools to draw attention away from themselves while they get their work done. Their access to the spell Mage Hand is special because the hand itself is invisible, meaning they can guide it from afar and use it to pick locks, disarm traps or even grab treasure. They can also gain access to spells like Invisibility and Greater Invisibility, which will allow them to get into position completely undetected.
Choosing the Assassin archetype grants the Rogue access to intriguing skills like poison and disguise, as well as bonus proficiencies. They also have powerful abilities designed to take out targets, potentially eliminated them in the first round of combat with a precise strike that pairs phenomenally with the Rogue’s sneak attack damage. Assassins are masters of disguise and impersonation, gaining the ability to set up false lives for themselves so they can move through the world as someone else, never tying their dark, clandestine activities to their true identity.
Finally, Swashbuckler grants the Rogue abilities like Fancy Footwork, which allows them to disengage from combat after making an attack, then dash away without provoking opportunity attacks. Rakish Audacity gives them the ability to use their sneak attack in duel situations and provides an initiative bonus, which will always come in handy.
Best Backgrounds & Feats for Rogues
Choosing a background for a Rogue isn’t always easy, but taking a moment to review what certain backgrounds provide for the character guarantees a perfect fit. Backgrounds like Criminal, Charlatan, Urchin and Urban Bounty Hunter offer incredibly useful tools and skills that accent a Rogue brilliantly, some of which are specifically designed for shady characters.
When it comes to choosing feats for Rogues, it’s important to examine how the feat will take advantage of the character’s skillset. A feat like Skulker is great because it helps obscure the Rogue’s position (even after making a ranged attack), and it also doesn’t affect their Perception skill when in dim light. Poisoner is well-suited to non-Assassin Rogues because adding a little poison damage to attacks is never a bad thing.
Skilled is perfect for Rogues, who tend to play a sort of jack-of-all trades role — especially after gaining Reliable Talent. Skilled grants proficiency in three additional skills or tools of their choice, expanding their arsenal and capabilities immensely. Finally, Sharpshooter is incredibly useful for Rogues who rely heavily on ranged attacks with crossbows, bows or even spells. While taking a -5 penalty to their attack roll, they add an additional 10 damage on a successful hit — which stacks well with sneak attack.
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