Rogue Advice

[FoxDropz]

My brother decided to join me in a Descent into Avernus campaign and he asked me for advice to build a Rogue.
However, I never played a Rogue and dont know how to properly build one.
Could you guys chip in?


Best Subclasses? *He kinda likes the Swashbuckler and Arcane Trickster.
Races?
Backgrounds?
Builds?
Good ol' tips?


edit: Ok, now he said he likes both Swashbuckler and Arcane Trickster.

[Crgaston]

Have him check out the Class Guides for Rogue in this link. TONS of info.

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?377491

[JNAProductions]

My brother decided to join me in a Descent into Avernus campaign and he asked me for advice to build a Rogue.
However, I never played a Rogue and dont know how to properly build one.
Could you guys chip in?


Best Subclasses? *He kinda likes the Swashbuckler.
Races?
Backgrounds?
Builds?
Good ol' tips?


1) Not Assassin. Everything else is good, Assassin is a little too DM dependent. (That being said, you're still a Rogue. You still do well.)

2) I like Tabaxi and Half-Elf, for the stat bonuses and skills/climb speed. I generally go talky Rogue, though, with less focus on the stabby bits.

3) Whatever makes sense. You get 4 skills from class, possibly more from race, so background is REALLY not gonna matter a ton. Better to focus on your character's history.

4) More details on build parameters needed. Point buy? Standard array? Rolled stats (and if so, what was rolled)? Starting level? Etc.?

5) Skills FO DAYS! Reliable Talent is, in my opinion, one of the single best abilities in the game. Make good use of it, and your skills in general.

[FoxDropz]

4) More details on build parameters needed. Point buy? Standard array? Rolled stats (and if so, what was rolled)? Starting level? Etc.?

Our DM havent figure out these details yet. The campaign will only begin next month.
Now my brother read more about Arcane Trickster and also liked that Archetype

[stoutstien]

Our DM havent figure out these details yet. The campaign will only begin next month.
Now my brother read more about Arcane Trickster and also liked that Archetype
A lot of the potential of rogue is from the base class so even the subclasses that are considered lacking will do just fine. The thief is often overlooked but has so much potential for random fun with items and the environment.

[Gignere]

Our DM havent figure out these details yet. The campaign will only begin next month.
Now my brother read more about Arcane Trickster and also liked that Archetype

Arcane trickster is IMO the strongest rogue archetype especially at higher levels. Nothing really can match the versatility of spell casting as limited as it is at high levels. Just haste alone can double a rogues expected DPR by providing a reliable way of providing off turn sneak attacks.

Then you got fly, greater invisibility or even hidden hypnotic pattern.

Also easy access to booming blade or greenflame blade guarantees higher damage than most of the other rogue archetypes.

[dragoeniex]

Personally, while I like both subclasses your brother is eyeing quite a lot, my favorite is the Swashbuckler. It lends itseld to both fun play and ease of use- getting sneak attacks off in almost every situation, a nice bump to initiative, and free Disengage applied to anything you swing at, leaving you free to dash or hide with your bonus action each turn. That's a lot of flexibility.

Arcane Trickster is also a nice choice; it just has a different kind of flexibility. If your bro wants to use magic tricks or feel a bit gishy, go here. If he wants to feel like the ultimate fencer, Swashbuckler.

[FoxDropz]

Personally, while I like both subclasses your brother is eyeing quite a lot, my favorite is the Swashbuckler. It lends itseld to both fun play and ease of use- getting sneak attacks off in almost every situation, a nice bump to initiative, and free Disengage applied to anything you swing at, leaving you free to dash or hide with your bonus action each turn. That's a lot of flexibility.

Arcane Trickster is also a nice choice; it just has a different kind of flexibility. If your bro wants to use magic tricks or feel a bit gishy, go here. If he wants to feel like the ultimate fencer, Swashbuckler.

And how do you feel about them off-combat? RPing, solving problems, etc...

[dragoeniex]

And how do you feel about them off-combat? RPing, solving problems, etc...

Trickster plays easily into a pickpocket supreme or generally smug nuisance role with the buffed Mage Hand and bit of casting.

Swash flavors around being a show-offy charmer and incentivizes charisma as a stat a bit more with its initiative ability, so they often end up more socially suave.

In either case, the rogue class gives lock pick abilities and your choice of two skills (four later!) to be an expert in, so they can lean well into whatever you want them to. I enjoy taking one or two unusual expertises-- like history, so my fancy fencer is a true, well-read Renaissance man. But sky's the limit!

Rogue itself- with aforementioned skills, a secret criminal language, theive's tools, etc- provides plenty of out of combat fun to work with. A lot of people want stealth expertise to be the party scouting ninja.

Trickster does give a couple more things to poke around with due to spells, but I enjoy being rewarded for investing in social skills like persuasion as a Swash.

Relevant to none of this, a pair of Slippers of Spider Climbing is my favorite item to plug on rogues. Bonus action sprinting up the side of a tower or library shelf to fence something mid-air is a treat.

[SpawnOfMorbo]

My brother decided to join me in a Descent into Avernus campaign and he asked me for advice to build a Rogue.
However, I never played a Rogue and dont know how to properly build one.
Could you guys chip in?


Best Subclasses? *He kinda likes the Swashbuckler and Arcane Trickster.
Races?
Backgrounds?
Builds?
Good ol' tips?


edit: Ok, now he said he likes both Swashbuckler and Arcane Trickster.

Rogues are the most well made martial class in the game, there's just so many ways to make an effective character.

My favorite Rogue is the Master Mind and Inquisitive.

Always use two daggers, twf works off them being used as a melee or thrown weapon, thus more chances to land sneak attack withiut getting close.

My biggest tip would be, don't worry about doing a lot of damage. Rogues can do consistent damage so look for ways to help the party or yourself in ways that Rogues typically don't get to.

You can actually go Strength Rogue, grapple via expertise, and drag enemies all along the map... Bonus Action Dash is hilarious.

Thief Halflings can climb on bigger creatures and just stab them to death. Swashbuckler are great for this.

I think my favorite feat on a rogue, well dex based at least, is Observant. Poor man's telepathy.

[da newt]

I love rogues.
Arcane trickster with a familiar is always nice (owl = ~ SA adv always). BB is a nice way to bump damage for a AT too.
Mage armor makes rogues happy.
I also like a MC dip for added punch / flavor - fighter for fighting style, second wind, action surge, BM skills ... Barbarian for damage resistance and always on advantage ... Gloom Stalker ... any magic class for that stuff ... hex blade and swashbuckler go hand in hand ... mask of many faces is so fun too.
I like to move around the battle - tabaxi scout would offer so much mobility. I also like Bugbear rogue so you can attack from 10' and bonus dash without needing disengage.
Hand crossbow and crossbow expert are good for a rogue (SS for even more fun).

So many possibilities for the rogue chassis - its hard to go wrong, but first you have to figure out want you want to be good at - ranged, melee, face, trickery, hit and run, skills, ...

[Daphne]

Don't worry too much about it. Rogues are pretty good and fun to play, while being simple at the same time. The only subclass I'd avoid is the Assassin.

Any race that gives +1 or +2 to DEX is a great choice.