Rogue Sentinel Build

[GWJ_DanyBoy]

I have an idea for a Rogue multi-class build which acts as a front-liner and fishes for attacks of opportunity. I'm looking for tips to fully realize this concept.

So my initial ideas are to get the sentinel feat, and to multiclass with a heavy martial, either Barbarian or Fighter, for about 5 levels.

Now, one concern I have is getting reliable sneak attack damage, especially on off-turns.
Question: How reliable would an Arcane Trickster using Mage Hand and/or a Familiar be in this way? Is there another way of getting a reliable sneak attack?

The barbarian seems good as there's Reckless Attack for on-demand advantage, Damage Resistance, and DEX+CON based armor, Danger Sense and extra movement. It does clash with the Arcane Trickster arch-type.
Fighter gives a fighting style, action surge, second wind and a strong second archtype. Also avoids any STR requirement if not doing an STR build.

Also I could skip the multiclass completely and grab the Moderately armored feat using Variant Human, and wait until 4 to get Sentinel.

Example Build:

Rogue 5/Barb 5, Variant Human
STR 13
DEX 18
CON 18
INT 10
WIS 10
CHA 8

HP: 101 (Or 105 if Barb First)
AC: 20 (With Shield)
Speed: 40'
Saves: DEX & INT (Or STR & CON)
Feats: Sentinel

2 Attacks: To hit = +8; Damage: 1d8 + 4 + 2(rage) + 3d6(sneak attack): 21 average damage, 10.5 without SA.

Features: 3 or 4 skills+background skills, 2 Expert skills, thieves tools, Cunning Action, Uncanny Dodge, 3 rages, Reckless Attack, Danger Sense, Extra Attack, Barbarian Archetype Feature, Rogue Archetype Feature

Equipment: No armor, Shield, Rapier, bundle of darts/daggers, longbow

[MightyDog16]

Another option is to take some War Domain cleric and cast Faerie Fire on targets that you want advantage (and the rest of your party as well). This will also get you your heavy armor and martial weapons proficiency. Only problem is that you would need 13 Wis to MC to cleric.

[Maxilian]

Another option is to take some War Domain cleric and cast Faerie Fire on targets that you want advantage (and the rest of your party as well). This will also get you your heavy armor and martial weapons proficiency. Only problem is that you would need 13 Wis to MC to cleric.

Also the DC of Faerie Fire is going to be based on his WIS, so i don't think its the best idea

[Nishant]

Why not swashbuckler rogue with battle master fighter- take duelist combat style or the two handed combat style, focus your maneuvers on locking down the enemy.

[GWJ_DanyBoy]

Why not swashbuckler rogue with battle master fighter- take duelist combat style or the two handed combat style, focus your maneuvers on locking down the enemy.

I'm definitely considering Swashbuckler. Toujours L'Audace (or whatever they call it in SCAG) definitely would allow for reliable sneak attacks and probably best fits the concept of someone who can hang at the front and tie down people. Having to now pump points into CHA will stretch things thin however.

Battlemaster would be a great choice, for Feinting attack (get advantage), Maneuvering attack (put an ally into position to Sneak Attack) and Riposte (Out of turn attacks). Mariner Fighting style and Dual Wielding feats would allow me to keep my AC up, which is critical, while upping my damage when not using cunning action.
Compared to a Barbarian, I'd lose a bit of HP, damage resistance, advantage on Dex saves and I'd have a lower potential max AC (19-20 vs 22).

Additional Versatility vs Additional Survivability.

[CNagy]

You don't get to add rage damage unless you are using Str to attack. Same with advantage from Reckless Attack. It makes Barbarian a tough road for Rogue multiclassing unless you are doing a Str-based armored Rogue.

[GWJ_DanyBoy]

Ah, that would make for fairly reduced damage and accuracy than I originally thought. To make it work better would require a very different build.

It seems that Fighter/Rogue would be the most straightforward way to go.

[MeeposFire]

Ah, that would make for fairly reduced damage and accuracy than I originally thought. To make it work better would require a very different build.

It seems that Fighter/Rogue would be the most straightforward way to go.

All that you need to do is switch your dex with your str. Then wear medium armor. One advantage is that you can have crazy awesome boost to athletics.

[Malifice]

Go frenzy barbarian. You can use your bonus action from frenzy to claim sneak attack on your turn, and then ready your standard action to do it again after your turn finishes.

Also grab that recent playtest fighting style that gives you unlimited AOO. Combine that with sentinel for lols.

[Tanarii]

Beastmaster Ranger 5. Extra Attack + Companion. Proc sentinel when it gets attacked. Of course, you'll be spending a lot of time bonding with new beasts at 8hrs a pop, since it'll top out at 20 hps.

Warlock Pact of the Chain 3. No Extra Attack, but you'll have an invisible companion (disadvantage when attacked). Plus only takes 1 hr 10 mins + 10 gp to summon up a replacement. But you seem to really want Extra Attack.

I don't think either are optimal, but just tossing out some alternative ideas to what's already been said.

[djreynolds]

I have an idea for a Rogue multi-class build which acts as a front-liner and fishes for attacks of opportunity. I'm looking for tips to fully realize this concept.

So my initial ideas are to get the sentinel feat, and to multiclass with a heavy martial, either Barbarian or Fighter, for about 5 levels.

Now, one concern I have is getting reliable sneak attack damage, especially on off-turns.
Question: How reliable would an Arcane Trickster using Mage Hand and/or a Familiar be in this way? Is there another way of getting a reliable sneak attack?

The barbarian seems good as there's Reckless Attack for on-demand advantage, Damage Resistance, and DEX+CON based armor, Danger Sense and extra movement. It does clash with the Arcane Trickster arch-type.
Fighter gives a fighting style, action surge, second wind and a strong second archtype. Also avoids any STR requirement if not doing an STR build.

Also I could skip the multiclass completely and grab the Moderately armored feat using Variant Human, and wait until 4 to get Sentinel.

Example Build:

Rogue 5/Barb 5, Variant Human
STR 13
DEX 18
CON 18
INT 10
WIS 10
CHA 8

HP: 101 (Or 105 if Barb First)
AC: 20 (With Shield)
Speed: 40'
Saves: DEX & INT (Or STR & CON)
Feats: Sentinel

2 Attacks: To hit = +8; Damage: 1d8 + 4 + 2(rage) + 3d6(sneak attack): 21 average damage, 10.5 without SA.

Features: 3 or 4 skills+background skills, 2 Expert skills, thieves tools, Cunning Action, Uncanny Dodge, 3 rages, Reckless Attack, Danger Sense, Extra Attack, Barbarian Archetype Feature, Rogue Archetype Feature

Equipment: No armor, Shield, Rapier, bundle of darts/daggers, longbow

I like the build and the idea and concept.

At 10th level, expertise is any skill is +8, and that is huge. While raging, you will have advantage on strength checks and your athletics check if expertised would be a 9 that is the same score of someone with a 20 in strength and proficiency in athletics.
Shield master allows you to shove a bonus action, allowing you to sneak attack. This is a reliable way. But a rogue benefits from pairing up on the lines.

This sounds crazy but I would begin as a barbarian, 1. Up close you will need to strength to prevent grapples and shoves. 2. Barbarian gain advantage vs dex saves he can see and he will have a high dex and resistance if raging and shield master. 3. Con saves, enough said. 4. Int, you will most likely fail these. 5. You will lose out on one skill by going barbarian first.

But going dex barbarian and finessing a weapon, you will lose out on that strength bonus damage of the rage, which you are not there for anyhow because you want sneak attack.

My opinion is this, since you are multiclassing anyhow, I would max strength and con and keep dex at 14 and wear medium armor because you will not get that cap stone of the barbarian. Breast plate and shield would give you an 18 AC. Now can you live with that 18AC. You can finesse a rapier and gain you strength and rage bonus and at 10th level with an 18 in strength your athletics check could be a 13, and with advantage when shoving.

But sentinel works better? with a polearm because of the reach property.

But what else is this rogue doing? Is he your scout? Are you going 15 rogue, 5 barbarian? 14 rogue/ 6 barbarian? Or are you just playing, which is fine.

I made a mountain dwarf champion/rogue. He started of 15/13/14/12/10/8. 17/13/16/12/10/8. I took fighter first and then took heavy armor master giving me an 18 strength at level 4. I then took rogue and at level 8 took shield master. Then I took sentinel at level 10, 6 fighter, and took sentinel. I used a shield and rapier. Very tanky in plate armor. AC is 20. But I wasn't the scout of the party.

[Jeebs]

I like the Thief Archetype for this, because at higher levels, you can get three Sneak Attacks in the first round and two every other round.

Barbarian 2/Rogue 18 with 20 CON and STR, in Medium Armor or Unarmored.

[JackPhoenix]

If you have barbarian levels, you have proficiency with martial weapons.

Whip is a martial weapon with reach and finesse

Rogue needs finesse weapon for sneak attack, Sentinel works even better with reach...