Support Rogue

[ChaseC311]

Lately ive been wanting to try some strange builds to spice up dnd. One of the ideas I had in mind was if a rogue acted as a para-support. Is it strange? Yes. Would it even work? Probably not. My idea was a sort of Cheerleading rogue, akin to a bard but with none of the levels. Maybe an Aasimar for the healing touch as well as a Mastermind for the ranged Help action. I could also take the Inspiring Leader and The Tandem Tactician (UA) Feat to buff their Mastermind ability while also providing thp. Thoughts? Suggestions?

[JellyPooga]

Support Rogue is absolutely a thing!

Mastermind Rogue is one avenue, but both Thief and Arcane Trickster are also solid options. The Thiefs Fast Hands allows you to use objects and manipulate terrain to mould the battlefield to your parties advantage. AT obviously provides spell support; just pick the right spells.

Expertise in Athletics lets you Grapple and Shove better than most. Cunning Action lets you drag foes into the best position for your allies to murderise them. You don't require Extra Attack for this.

If the up close and personal style doesn't suit you, then you can take Expertise in other areas; Persuasion and Investigation, for example, could make you an excellent Face-man/Quartermaster, able to get supplies, locate the things that need locating and schmoozing the ladies with the upper crust to obtain special dispensations and the best paid jobs.

[RogueJK]

What about the Healer feat? You can both heal an ally and do your Bonus Action Ranged Help in the same round.

This would provide more healing than Aasimar's Healing Hands, and more often too. Going Variant Human (or Custom Lineage from Tasha's) means it wouldn't cost any more ASIs than otherwise.

I'd probably start VHuman with Tandem Tactician, so you have Bonus Action 15' Dual Help from the start. Then once you go Mastermind at Rogue 3, it jumps to 40' range. Take Healer at Rogue 4 to bring healing online. Then raise DEX at Rogue 8. Take Inspiring Leader at Rogue 10 for short rest Temp HP. Raise DEX (or CHA) at Rogue 12.

High DEX and decent CHA. Use Expertise for Face skills.

Competent Sneak Attack damage dealer, as are all Rogues. Good skill monkey, with excellent Face skills. Decent healer. And solid party support. (Especially if there's something like a critical-smite-fishing Elven Advantage Paladin or another Rogue in the party, who would gain even more benefit than usual from frequent Advantage through Help).

[micahaphone]

Some good ideas already put forward, I'll just also suggest a well-vetted homebrew, Kibblestasty's surgeon subclass for rogue. It's somewhat similar to a Thief rogue doing the Healer feat as a bonus action, just giving up other uses of their Fast Hands ability for more ways to heal.

It requires GM buy-in, but I find Kibble's stuff usually decently balanced, if sometimes too complicated. This one in particular seems to be perfect to me.

https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-LW4m980nnn1--TdBQiX

Do note the variant on the second page for using intelligence instead of wisdom for all the medicine related stuff, I prefer it personally.

[poopyloop]

I've sort of been doing a similar things in ghosts of salt marsh. Currently only lv 4, but started rogue for skills and sneak attack early, then dipped fighter for the UA swimming speed, (dunno if that's officially printed anywhere) then went mastermind rogue. Planning on taking battle master fighter for more possible support options than just BA help. Dunno if I'll go for extra attack or keep leveling rogue after that but it seems to be working out so far, really helps our sharp shooting ranger, and planning on taking trip and goading attack and shoot from a distance myself when I get there. More of an offensive support option I suppose.

[RogueJK]

really helps our sharp shooting ranger, and planning on taking trip and goading attack and shoot from a distance myself when I get there.

Don't take Trip! It'll hurt both you and your Ranger if you're shooting from a distance.

Trip makes the enemy Prone. And ranged attacks have Disadvantage against Prone enemies.

[poopyloop]

Don't take Trip! It'll hurt both you and your Ranger if you're shooting from a distance.

Trip makes the enemy Prone. And ranged attacks have Disadvantage against Prone enemies.

I'm aware lol. Everyone else save 1 other character is melee based, so the plan would be to trip one enemy and help on another, that way everyone could have advantage on one or the other

[werescythe]

I mean an inquisitor rogue could be a good support rogue. Be the detective that solves the mysteries for the party. :smallsmile: