Combat Rogue Builds

[Teapot Salty]

Hey everyone. Lately I've become obsessed with the idea of a combat rogue, so I though, instead of being a good hardworking d&d player, I'd get you guys to help!
Essentially, post either your favorite combat rogue builds (preferably melee only but that's just me) or build suggestions, so we (I) can see and pick and choose.
Thanks, and as always, go nuts.

[ThermalSlapShot]

Hey everyone. Lately I've become obsessed with the idea of a combat rogue, so I though, instead of being a good hardworking d&d player, I'd get you guys to help!
Essentially, post either your favorite combat rogue builds (preferably melee only but that's just me) or build suggestions, so we (I) can see and pick and choose.
Thanks, and as always, go nuts.

I saw a Strength based rogue build. Human variant for medium Armor and shields at level 1. Rapier + Shield.

I'm going to try and play this build at my next AL game.

[iTreeby]

easy lee's iron scoundrel is very good at combat. you end up with shield mastery and expertise in athletics and grant yourself sneak attack by shoving things prone. it multi-classes fighter though so i'm not sure if thats what you want. what is it exactly that you want to get by being a rogue?

[ThermalSlapShot]

easy lee's iron scoundrel is very good at combat. you end up with shield mastery and expertise in athletics and grant yourself sneak attack by shoving things prone. it multi-classes fighter though so i'm not sure if thats what you want. what is it exactly that you want to get by being a rogue?

Sounds similar to the Cunning Knight (ChubbyRain) except there is no MC.

Looks like a lot of fun to be able to have a mobile Knight.

[Teapot Salty]

easy lee's iron scoundrel is very good at combat. you end up with shield mastery and expertise in athletics and grant yourself sneak attack by shoving things prone. it multi-classes fighter though so i'm not sure if thats what you want. what is it exactly that you want to get by being a rogue?

Honestly I'm just looking for any and all combat rogue builds, pick your poison.

[MeeposFire]

Well if you don't mind including something that gets rogue late (though it is more rogue than anything else_ then this might be up your alley.


fighter(EK)8/warlock2/rogue10

Your basic strategy is to use EB with your action and follow up with a bonus action melee attack with SA. YOU get around disadvantage with EB by taking crossbow expert (oddly confirmed to be intended to give that benefit to spells). I usually do this with a ranged build but it can do melee instead.

One nice thing about this is that you are never behind the curve really. UP to 8th level you are a basic fighter. By 10 level you are blasting and stabbing to victory. After that rogue adds to your damage, survivability, versatility, and utility. You even have one more than average ASI due to the rogue and fighter levels.

Sadly I a mo not sure it holds up as well starting rogue rather than starting fighter.

[Yagyujubei]

swashbuckler 12/ battlemaster 8 with rapier/shield.

Variant human
DEX 15+1
CON 15+1 RESILIENT CON
CHA 13+1
WIS 12
STR 8
INT 8
you get 7 feats/ASI's so go +2DEX, +2DEX, +2CON, lucky, sentinel, shield master, and feat/asi of your choice
take riposte, trip attack, pushing attack, and feinting attack

[MrStabby]

The most common multiclass rogues I see are with Barbarian, Paladin and With Fighter.

For fighter most use shield master to get advantage on shove attacks. In my first campaign we had one guy play a fighter rogue like this which was very effective. Battlemaster gives you riposte to get sneak attack on your opponents turn and is usually more rogue focussed. Champion will do huge amounts of damage by using sneak attacks on critical hits and is usually more fighter focussed (eventually ending up with three attacks). With three attacks and advantage you should be getting critical hits at least once every two turns. Generally speaking assassin is liked because action surge gives an extra surprise round hit.

Barbarian rogues use reckless attack to get advantage for sneak attack and use barbarian damage resistance and rogue reaction for half damage to be exceptionally tough.

Paladin rogues are pretty much always assassins - use the automatic critical from the assassinate ability to get double benefits from smites. Good if you dont mind all your awesomeness being compressed into just one round.

Warlock rogues sometimes see play as bladelock assassins. There are a decent number of good invocations for a rogue and a route to a second attack. For this you can actually go Cha 13 without too much worry if you really want to (although eldritch blast + agonising blast can be hard to give up).

I have had one guy play a rogue ranger for a couple of levels in a campaign - the ranger was just a 2 level dip for archery style and hunter's mark (as well as fluff and character).

[PoeticDwarf]

To answer the question. A rogue can be good in combat itself. An assassin with a friendly party and alert can do much damage.

If you want to multiclass, maybe 5 levels in fighter/ranger/paladin OR 5 levels in barbarian for and an extra attack and or a frenzy or many free res.

If you DM allows sneak attacking with monk fists. Monk isn't a bad idea either.

[Jamesps]

Barbarian 5, Rogue the rest is my personal favorite for Hefty Rogue builds.

You'd be a strength rogue that takes between 1/2 and 1/4 damage from attacks. For style I usually go two scimitars, but shield and sabre is probably slightly stronger. You've always got sneak attack when you need it by virtue of reckless attack, and you've got danger sense to go with your eventual evasion. Finally you're quicker and attack more than a standard rogue from level 5 barbarian.

It's a good mix of defense and offense that tends to lend itself to a very balanced and capable fighting type.

[djreynolds]

Can't you just use monk weapons instead of unarmed strikes? You just need the sneak attack damage from a dagger or other simple finesse weapon. Shadow monk and assassination legit combat. The damage comes from sneak attack. Hit and move.

[Psikerlord]

If you dont allow the -5/+10 mechanic from GWM and SS, any rogue is a competitive damage dealer without having to multiclass or pick Assassin. The SA damage is great all on it's own.

That would be my recommendation. I play a dagger/whip thief in such a campaign and it's excellent. We dont allow MCing either however, so not sure if that changes things. Reading the other posts in this thread, I get the impression it would.

[djreynolds]

The "death dealers handbook" I'm sure there is a link to it in the guides section really lays it all out for a real first strike stealthy build. Cunning knight and iron scoundrel are awesome and show off that nasty guy with a shield in your face. I'd go with battle master and then assassin 4 each and then one extra in fighter for that second attack and then who knows. I like to shield bash or trip and then have my comrades feast. It's best if you have another melee guy who can set up sneak attacks for you or another rogue to set him up. That will pull you into either a iron scoundrel type or a fleet footed assassin. Long range city sniper is cool, but more "mission" based and not an every session game. Rapier or scimitar, or a short sword work just fine. Like in "Gladiator" when the Romans are stabbing that bug barbarian. Someone set him up, and then his buddies finished him.

[Kidbuu51]

Mt dwarf str rogue that duelweilds. Uses dagger off hand for sneak attack

[djreynolds]

I like it. Can a hand axe be used with finesse? I can see the dwarf exchanging hits to get in close and jab a dagger under his opponent's chin. Or I need medication.

[Dralnu]

I'm partial to Assassin 3 / Fighter 2 builds. It gives you a crazy opener and then good sustained damage. When you get the jump on opponents, action surge lets you get double value out of your assassinate, which could end encounters at times (and probably get the DM throwing books at you).

The DEX build is probably the strongest. All you need is a high DEX. High DEX also helps with initiative, which helps your assassinates. You get +2 attack bonus from Fighter along with action surge. Pick up Crossbow Expert. Either go for Fighter 5 for Extra Attack or stick with Rogue for goodies, or swap between both. Eventually you pick up Sharpshooter too and you'll pewpew everything.

STR build is interesting. I'd pick half orc as the race. Fighter gives you two weapon combat, action surge, and medium armor since your DEX won't be as high. Your assassinate burst is even higher because you're a half orc but you lack big range and don't have anything comparable to sharpshooter. I'd probably go Fighter ~6 and then back to Rogue.