Xanathar Samurai/Rogue Multiclass Build

[creakyaccordion]

Hey everyone! I was a diehard 3.5 nut for forever (and still mostly am) but my heart is finally coming around to 5th edition after reading Xanathar and Volo. I was wondering if a build that took 3 levels of Samurai to get Fighting Spirit and spent the rest of the levels in Rogue would be worth it for those 3 advantages-whenever-you-want-them for those sexy extra sneak attacks. On the flipside though, is that even worth it when the Swashbuckler's Rakish Audacity exists? RA seems like an absolutely perfect ability that's way overpowered compared to other Rogue abilities.

[Crgaston]

Seems like Rakish Audacity would make the Samurai Advantage somewhat diminished in value, though free advantage is never a bad thing.

I really dig the synergy between Samurai and Inquisitive, both benefitting from Wisdom.

I actually prefer the Inquisitive’s ability to get SA off an Insight/Deception contest over RA, since it will work with ranged attacks.

[PeteNutButter]

In most games sneak attack is almost always available, between either having an ally next to them or just using cunning action to hide. Sneak attack is balanced around being able to be used pretty much every round in 5e (or even more than once a round).

There are easier and better ways to get that sneak attack off that do more for rogues overall. It’s not horrible, but I’d definitely take fighter to level 5 for extra attack. That’s double the chances of landing that sneak attack.

[Grod_The_Giant]

In most games sneak attack is almost always available, between either having an ally next to them or just using cunning action to hide. Sneak attack is balanced around being able to be used pretty much every round in 5e (or even more than once a round).

There are easier and better ways to get that sneak attack off that do more for rogues overall. It’s not horrible, but I’d definitely take fighter to level 5 for extra attack. That’s double the chances of landing that sneak attack.
Yeah. Something like Rogue 1/Fighter 5/Rogue 14 is a pretty excellent badass normal build that functions well from 1-20.

[Diebo]

I think Samurai would be really solid on an ranged-attack-based rogue. Think of an Elven archer with Elven Accuracy feat and Sharpshooter. It is generally hard to get advantage on more than one ranged attack (a rogue can potentially hide every turn for one attack with advantage, but not for multiple). Melee-based rogues have more ways to get advantage (prone, optional flanking, wolf totem barbarian, etc).

The +2 from archery would offset -5 from sharpshooter, and 3x advantage would make most rolls hit, and increase critical hits.

If you were an assassin, you could sneak up 500-600' away from a tower with a guard in it, and send (at 5th level fighter with action surge) 4 attacks at triple advantage, one of them a sneak attack, all with +10 damage.

But it is so hard and DM-dependent to pull off assassin (and generally party unfriendly - what are they supposed to do when you run off on your own all the time?). Scout might be a better fit and would absolutely fit the theme.

What I don't like about this is it would take awhile to come online. If you went rogue 1, fighter 4, you'd probably take Elven Accuracy at 5th level with point buy (to get your 17 DEX to 18). Sharpshooter wouldn't come online until after level 9 (but it would provide a nice boost in damage at that point). That is pretty much end-game for most games. Of course, it is only one level behind a pure-class rogue. If you went 6 levels in fighter you could pick up an extra feat. But that is a long time to not have cunning action.

If you only went 3 levels of Samurai, it would take until level 11 to get the ASIs necessary and you'd only have 2 attacks (with action surge). Samurai's ability uses your bonus action, providing little synergy with crossbow master.

[2D8HP]

For a melee Rogue it's hard to beat a Swashbuckler, it's one of my favorite subclasses, but except for the CHA boost to Initiative there's not extra goodies for Archers.

A high WIS is always nice, and having extra uses for it besides the skills would be cool, and I love having levels in both Fighter and Rogue. ..

...I think you may have sold me on Samurai!