5e Rogue Knife Thrower Build Help

[hyenagame]

With the release of the latest UA Class Variant options, I got the idea to make a new character for an upcoming campaign. I am planning on Making a Scout Rogue with 2 levels in Spell-less Ranger. I am planning on taking the Favoured Foe variant and the Deft Explorer (Canny or Roving), The the fighting style I am choosing the Throwing Weapon Fighting Style, with the Feiting Attack and Snipe Maneuver.
Is there any other option for this build idea I can use to improve it?

[Dork_Forge]

With the release of the latest UA Class Variant options, I got the idea to make a new character for an upcoming campaign. I am planning on Making a Scout Rouge with 2 levels in Spell-less Ranger. I am planning on taking the Favoured Foe variant and the Deft Explorer (Canny or Roving), The the fighting style I am choosing the Throwing Weapon Fighting Style, with the Feiting Attack and Snipe Maneuver.
Is there any other option for this build idea I can use to improve it?

What are you referring to with spell-less ranger? That isn't a variant in the new UA and the throw weapon fighting style doesn't provide Battle Master maneuvers?

[Arkhios]

Rouge Knife, you say?

https://www.kuhnrikon.ie/media/catalog/product/cache/c687aa7517cf01e65c009f6943c2b1e9/c/o/colori_chefs_knife_2_26651_1.jpg

...Just kidding, couldn't resist.

It's Ro-gue. Not Rou-ge.
Rouge is french for "red".

That said, I get you want Favored Foe and Deft Explorer, as well as Combat Superiority, but why not just start as a Fighter at 1st level, pick a level of rogue next, then continue fighter for 5th or 6th level, becoming a battle master, and then continue with rogue for the rest.

With Fighter you would get the Throwing Weapon Fighting Style immediately at first character level. That's not something to scoff at.

[nickl_2000]

What are you referring to with spell-less ranger? That isn't a variant in the new UA and the throw weapon fighting style doesn't provide Battle Master maneuvers?

Spell-less Ranger is one of the first 5e UAs and it has some maneuvers in it. https://dnd.wizards.com/articles/unearthed-arcana/modifying-classes

[Misterwhisper]

With the release of the latest UA Class Variant options, I got the idea to make a new character for an upcoming campaign. I am planning on Making a Scout Rouge with 2 levels in Spell-less Ranger. I am planning on taking the Favoured Foe variant and the Deft Explorer (Canny or Roving), The the fighting style I am choosing the Throwing Weapon Fighting Style, with the Feiting Attack and Snipe Maneuver.
Is there any other option for this build idea I can use to improve it?

You must have a very open minded dm.

That is a lot of ua and variants

[CheddarChampion]

Mechanics-wise, it'll work. I recommend not using snipe unless you miss your first attack and didn't get sneak attack damage this turn.
Cunning Action: Aim should help too.

I think you can snipe maneuver on your turn, then ready an action to throw another dagger on an opponent's turn to double up on sneak attack, though I wouldn't recommend exploiting rules like that.


You must have a very open minded dm.

That is a lot of ua and variants

Seconded.

[Dork_Forge]

Spell-less Ranger is one of the first 5e UAs and it has some maneuvers in it. https://dnd.wizards.com/articles/unearthed-arcana/modifying-classes

Well that is certainly... an interesting take on Ranger. Give up all of your casting to get less than a Fighter would taking Battle Master and a mediocre healing ability that serves no purposes besides between combat healing that doesn't scale well.

OP if you want to go the spell less ranger type then just mainline Scout Rogue or MC into Fighter and grab the Healer feat, you'll be far better off.

[BigPixie]

[QUOTE=Arkhios;24248793]Rouge Knife, you say?

https://www.kuhnrikon.ie/media/catalog/product/cache/c687aa7517cf01e65c009f6943c2b1e9/c/o/colori_chefs_knife_2_26651_1.jpg

...Just kidding, couldn't resist.

It's Ro-gue. Not Rou-ge.
Rouge is french for "red".


Beat me to it:smallbiggrin:

[Misterwhisper]

Rogue is one of the very few classes that can play a thrower.

They don’t have but one attack anyway so no drawing problem.
Their major damage comes from sneak attack not weapon dice so if they throw daggers is is no big deal.
They can sneak attack with a dagger in melee or thrown.

2 levels of artificer would be nice to be able to have a returning thrown weapon and one other magic item. Lots of tools. Play as a high elf and take whatever can trip you want, like booming blade or prestiditation or whatever. Then all rogue either swashbuckler or scout probably.

[hyenagame]

Rouge Knife, you say?

With Fighter you would get the Throwing Weapon Fighting Style immediately at first character level. That's not something to scoff at.

That is true but the main job I am going to have in the party is a lookout and skill monkey. I am aiming for the Ranger Hunters Mark ability and the early maneuvers. Since I want to keep the highest possible level of rogue. And the maneuvers will help me to gain more chances to sneak attack my opponents.

[OzDragon]

Rogue is one of the very few classes that can play a thrower.

They don’t have but one attack anyway so no drawing problem.
Their major damage comes from sneak attack not weapon dice so if they throw daggers is is no big deal.
They can sneak attack with a dagger in melee or thrown.
.

Um this is not an issue as the style says "You can draw a weapon that has the thrown property as part of the attack you make with the weapon."

[Misterwhisper]

Um this is not an issue as the style says "You can draw a weapon that has the thrown property as part of the attack you make with the weapon."

My point was that a rogue does not need it because they are only going to be throwing one a turn more than likely anyway.

If I muliclassed to get a fighting style you would be better off with either two weapon fighting if you plan to carry 2 at a time or dueling if you don’t.

[OzDragon]

My point was that a rogue does not need it because they are only going to be throwing one a turn more than likely anyway.

If I muliclassed to get a fighting style you would be better off with either two weapon fighting if you plan to carry 2 at a time or dueling if you don’t.

Or carry a crap ton of Darts which is finesse and thrown and pick them up after combat!

The only issue with basing a character on this is magic weapons. Unless you have returning weapons you need more than one magic weapon for it to be effective.

[Misterwhisper]

Or carry a crap ton of Darts which is finesse and thrown and pick them up after combat!

The only issue with basing a character on this is magic weapons. Unless you have returning weapons you need more than one magic weapon for it to be effective.

Or just take 2 levels of artificer and throw the same dart every round.

[OzDragon]

Or just take 2 levels of artificer and throw the same dart every round.

If you mean repeating shot that requires a weapon that fires ammo from my reading. It creates ammo not the weapon.

So it would not work with a knife thrower.

[Misterwhisper]

If you mean repeating shot that requires a weapon that fires ammo from my reading. It creates ammo not the weapon.

So it would not work with a knife thrower.

Not repeating weapon, returning weapon, +1 to a weapon with thrown property and it instantly returns to your hand after attack.

Also great for covering your tracks, you never leave the weapon.

A shield in one hand and a dart or dagger in the other.
Or just carry one returning dart and enchant the other through artificer to be a magic +1.

Or if you want a little longer and bigger you could go javelin.

[OzDragon]

Not repeating weapon, returning weapon, +1 to a weapon with thrown property and it instantly returns to your hand after attack.

Also great for covering your tracks, you never leave the weapon.

A shield in one hand and a dart or dagger in the other.
Or just carry one returning dart and enchant the other through artificer to be a magic +1.

Or if you want a little longer and bigger you could go javelin.

Ah then my apologies, I don't remember everything about artificer.

[Teaguethebean]

My point was that a rogue does not need it because they are only going to be throwing one a turn more than likely anyway.

If I muliclassed to get a fighting style you would be better off with either two weapon fighting if you plan to carry 2 at a time or dueling if you don’t.

Or even archery because that +2 to hit can really make a difference because missing your one attack sucks.

[Misterwhisper]

Or even archery because that +2 to hit can really make a difference because missing your one attack sucks.

True but then you are stuck to darts, much more likely to come across nifty knives than darts.

[Damon_Tor]

With the release of the latest UA Class Variant options, I got the idea to make a new character for an upcoming campaign. I am planning on Making a Scout Rogue with 2 levels in Spell-less Ranger. I am planning on taking the Favoured Foe variant and the Deft Explorer (Canny or Roving), The the fighting style I am choosing the Throwing Weapon Fighting Style, with the Feiting Attack and Snipe Maneuver.
Is there any other option for this build idea I can use to improve it?

You would be better off with the Archery fighting style, and using darts instead of daggers. As a rogue you've got just the one attack per turn, so you don't need the free weapon redraw, and +1 damage isn't worth near as much as +2 to attacks, especially on a rogue.

EDIT: Oh jeez, well that will teach me to open a thread, do other stuff for hours before replying, then reply as if nobody else had said anything.

[Damon_Tor]

True but then you are stuck to darts, much more likely to come across nifty knives than darts.

Yeah, but you're even more likely to come across magic bows, which work just fine with the archery fighting style.

Of course here you face the real damage of the throwing-based fighting style: the part where you ask yourself why you're even bothering with it.

[Dork_Forge]

Yeah, but you're even more likely to come across magic bows, which work just fine with the archery fighting style.

But if someone closes into melee, you'll need to draw a dagger to enter melee .


Of course here you face the real damage of the throwing-based fighting style: the part where you ask yourself why you're even bothering with it.

Because the person playing it finds it a fun concept to play, the same reason why someone would play anything that isn't the most mathmatically optimised, the object of the game is to have fun after all and we all have fun in different ways.

[Damon_Tor]

But if someone closes into melee, you'll need to draw a dagger to enter melee .

You get a free item draw each turn. This is unlikely to be relevant.


Because the person playing it finds it a fun concept to play, the same reason why someone would play anything that isn't the most mathmatically optimised, the object of the game is to have fun after all and we all have fun in different ways.

I agree with you, and that was my point. I was simply taking the point to its logical conclusion. A player who wants to use darts should do so, irrelevant to the greater availability of magic daggers. On the same token, someone who wants to use thrown weapons should do so, regardless of the availability (and objective superiority) of bows.

[Dork_Forge]

You get a free item draw each turn. This is unlikely to be relevant.

You have to use said free interaction to draw your dart every turn, mix in the need every now and then for a potion to save a life and it's not really that hard to imagine. By using darts you also lock yourself out of Two Weapon Fighting and if you miss your sneak on your action, the option of a second throw is always nice (besides general DPR boost).


I agree with you, and that was my point. I was simply taking the point to its logical conclusion. A player who wants to use darts should do so, irrelevant to the greater availability of magic daggers. On the same token, someone who wants to use thrown weapons should do so, regardless of the availability (and objective superiority) of bows.

That didn't really come across in the original post, but glad you agree.

[Teaguethebean]

True but then you are stuck to darts, much more likely to come across nifty knives than darts.

oh yeah totally missed that. Thought it was ranged attacks.