1st Timer - Building a Rogue, maybe Rogue/Fighter

[Gwazi Magnum]

I'm starting out 5th edition for the first time and I think I'm going to be playing a Rogue.
(Note: I have years of experience in 3.5, and by extension Pathfinder).

Now, I'm not looking for any hardcore "Pre-Meditated 20 Level Builds" stuff.
Because I want to leave room for flexibility to adapt as the Campaign goes on.

But whenever I ask my group questions on how to Build a Rogue the responses are usually "Don't Build! Just Play! <3".
And I've played D&D long enough to know going in like that can seriously shoot you in the foot later for certain things, like pre-requisites.
Hence I'm asking for help here.

So? Original/Original Idea I had was going Multi-Class Gallore.
Because Fighter, Bard, Ranger, Monk and Rogue all look very dippable and complimentary.

But eventually I crossed some classes out.
Monk because it doesn't play nice with Bows or Armor.
Bard because I found I was really just look at it for Skill Buffs.
Ranger because I didn't much care for wilderness.

Also my rolled Ability Scrolls (Before Race): 18, 16, 14, 13, 13, 9

And the Concept I'm planning is fast, mobile Archer.
The Kind who either:

A) Runs out, Shoots, Runs back
B) Runs circles around the Enemy shooting arrows
C) Uses Speed to always keep distance from Melee Characters

Now, Fighter looks nice because of Heavy Armour Proficiency = High AC.
And apparently in 5th that means no speed penalty at all if Proficient, which seems silly but cool. XD
Plus the Fighting Style could be a boon (Apparently +2 to attack means a lot more in 5th than in past editions).
And when I looked at Maneuvers, it seemed like it could get me a ton of flexibility.

And when I look at Rogue it seems nice because of all the trained skills, great utility.
Sneak Attack, which seems easier to set up each edition.
The ability to Dash as a bonus move, 70ft per turn (planning on Elf)? Yes please! :3

But, I'm only looking at this as a first timer only being given limited guidance on how well the classes work or how they synergize.

Am I on the right track?
Is there one class that I should prioritize?
Are there any class features or feats I should look out for?
Any General roleplaying tricks with the 5th edition engine?

[Malifice]

Rogue + battle master is a great combo man. You can't go wrong.

[MrStabby]

Rogue + Champion is good as well. You can also use barbarian as a solid alternative.

[Malifice]

Rogue + Champion is good as well. You can also use barbarian as a solid alternative.

Those crits hurt so baaad.

[Zman]

Put that 18 in Dex, go Rogue(Assassin)5, pick up Sharpshooter at 4th, then go Fighter(Champion) or Fighter(Battlemaster) after that.

[The_Ditto]

I'm playing a straight Fighter(Battlemaster) (archer) and the damage I'm doing is .. well .. disgusting ... easily the top single target damage dealer in our group.

True, after the expertise dice where out, my damage drops a tad, however, the consistency of the hits ensures constant, reliable damage.

In another game, I'm playing a melee rogue .. with Mobility it's a pretty simple build allowing for 3.5 spring attack type attacks.

I've kept eyeing rogue for my battlemaster, but just couldn't warrant (yet) giving up the stuff the next few levels of Fighter give ... but I'm sure there's a way to blend the two :)

[Malifice]

Put that 18 in Dex, go Rogue(Assassin)5, pick up Sharpshooter at 4th, then go Fighter(Champion) or Fighter(Battlemaster) after that.

I'd go rogue assasin to 5th with a 1 level dip in fighter for archery style.

After fighter 1/ rogue 5 it's fighter battlemaster for 4 levels to 5/ 5 spilt and then back to rogue for the rest.

Alert and Sharpshooter are your feats. The rest go to Dex then resilient (wisdom) for a backup defence.

Expertise in stealth, perception, acrobatics and 1 more. Probably deception for assasin.

Make extensive use of mask of the Wild and cunning action to hide and nail things.

BM manouvers are pushing strike, precise strike and menacing strike (being frightened means they can't get closer, and pushing them into dangerous terrain also keeps them at bay and can be hilarious. Precise strike is to ensure you hit when something must die).

Very effective ranged kite striker with a crap load of OOC versatility.

[Deadandamnation]

If your plan is to play an Archer Rogue then maybe Ranger is what you are looking for:

Start as a Ranger since it gives you better saves (Str and Dex).
Prioritize Dex then Con and Wis.
Perception, Stealth and another.
Fight sword and board the first level or twf, the chances that you will die are pretty low.

Second level as a Rogue, get one skill and thieve's tools.
SA 1d6 and Expertise in two skills. Still TWF rocks but Archery is not bad either.

From 3rd to 6 go Ranger (Hunter). You get Archery, 1 Extra Attack and Spells (Hail of Thorns will be your bread and butter for Aoe, spam it when two targets are near. Hunter's Mark will give you 2d6 extra damage on single target). Take Horde Breaker if you want a better Aoe potential or the extra 1d8 damage.
Take a Feat at 5th, stats are a trap, Crossbow Expert will give you the best damage potential, Lucky is simply the best feat and the list goes on.

From 7 to 10 go rogue getting Cunning Action to Hide after an Attack, another d6 of SA, Uncanny Dodge and a Feat. Take Assassin if you like oneshot things or Arcane Trickster if it gives you spell slots (I think that casting is Int based but you should get slots for the ranger, by the way 11/12 Int can give you the Shield spell that's great)

From 11 to 14 go Fighter to get Action Surge, Another Fighting Style (+1 CA or TWF/Dueling to be flexible), a short rest Heal and a feat and chose between Battlemaster or Eldritch Knight (Again only if you get spell slot progression).

From 15+ Ranger again or Rogue till 7

That build at the end is that:
Ranger 5+/Rogue 5+/Fighter4
giving you 2 attacks at range (2d8), 3d6 of SA, 2d6 of Hunter's Mark, 1d8 from ranger 3 and 1d8 from a battlemaster manouver.

Having Alert and 20 Dex (Achieved with a magic item) +10 Initiative let you assassinate one or two enemies from the start (Action Surging)

Since your damage against surprised enemies is doubled that's 10d6 (Mark+SA) + 6d8 (Attack+Manouver) +10 (Dex): Average of 72

Well is just damage after all but achieved pretty fast...and that's just your nova option...you can still run around shooting arrows with Cunning Action, mastershooting with Sharpshooter, Shoot, Run and Hide.

You are than adaptable when shooting is impossible either sword and boarding or two weapon fighting and your damage still is high.

If you want you can switch Ranger and Fighter starting as a Fighter and taking only 4 levels of Ranger. Both will work nice...

[Vogonjeltz]

And the Concept I'm planning is fast, mobile Archer.
The Kind who either:

A) Runs out, Shoots, Runs back
B) Runs circles around the Enemy shooting arrows
C) Uses Speed to always keep distance from Melee Characters

Now, Fighter looks nice because of Heavy Armour Proficiency = High AC.
And apparently in 5th that means no speed penalty at all if Proficient, which seems silly but cool. XD
Plus the Fighting Style could be a boon (Apparently +2 to attack means a lot more in 5th than in past editions).
And when I looked at Maneuvers, it seemed like it could get me a ton of flexibility.

And when I look at Rogue it seems nice because of all the trained skills, great utility.
Sneak Attack, which seems easier to set up each edition.
The ability to Dash as a bonus move, 70ft per turn (planning on Elf)? Yes please! :3

But, I'm only looking at this as a first timer only being given limited guidance on how well the classes work or how they synergize.

Am I on the right track?
Is there one class that I should prioritize?
Are there any class features or feats I should look out for?
Any General roleplaying tricks with the 5th edition engine?

Something to bear in mind, Rogue doesn't get Extra Attack, so if you don't take at least 5 levels in Fighter it wouldn't synergize particularly well with Battlemaster as you could pretty well use only one per round at best.

Sneak attack requirements mean that bonus action hide/stealth is your friend, especially for a wood elf who can hide when obscured by natural things. Dash is nice, circumstances dependent, but I'd advise you to try and hide after attacking every round, moving to a new location so enemies don't know to aoe or search where they last saw you. I'd say in general, yeah you're on the right track.

Something else to bear in mind about 5e, the character creation order is: 1) Pick race, 2) pick class, 3) determine stats.

[Gwazi Magnum]

I'll admit, Ranger is a bit tempting.
Though honestly how useful are the Spells and Wilderness Abilities for it?

Like, I'm not asking for any hardcore build stuff.
Just for a basic idea/gist of how Ranger works.

Though two things I'm concerned about:

1) Isn't take classes in anything less or more than 4 level increments going to shoot me in the foot in regards to feats?
2) Regardless of how attractive Fighter and Ranger look, and I'm debating at least two levels of Rogue first for the bonus action stuff.
2a) And at that point I'd probably just go Rogue 4 for the feat before mutli-classing.

[djreynolds]

I'll admit, Ranger is a bit tempting.
Though honestly how useful are the Spells and Wilderness Abilities for it?

Like, I'm not asking for any hardcore build stuff.
Just for a basic idea/gist of how Ranger works.

Though two things I'm concerned about:

1) Isn't take classes in anything less or more than 4 level increments going to shoot me in the foot in regards to feats?
2) Regardless of how attractive Fighter and Ranger look, and I'm debating at least two levels of Rogue first for the bonus action stuff.
2a) And at that point I'd probably just go Rogue 4 for the feat before mutli-classing.

The kicker with archery is this, you must max out your attack stats pronto and grab sharpshooter fast. Both fighter and ranger get extra stuff at 11. Cunning action lets you do something with your bonus action. Action surge lets you attack twice once a short rest.

But you want that extra attack, 20 dex, and sharpshooter right away. A ranger will get that by level 8 or if you put that 18 in dex with an elf you could have 20 dex and sharhooter by level 4 and an extra attack by level 5. So ranger 5 hunter. Then you can dip rogue and fighter as you wish.

Double proficiency in any intelligence or wisdom skill you have proficiency in, in your favored terrain. So take wood elf and get +2 dex & +1 wis. Get perception. Take outlander background and grab athletics and survival. And then add investigation, stealth, and nature. 4 skills your awesome in, in your terrain and stealth (pass without a trace) and athletics. Then after 5 levels grab rogue and get acrobatics or insight (wis) and expertise in stealth and another skill.