D&D 5e Rogue Guide (2014)

Introduction

The Rogue is D&D 5e's master of precise strikes, superior skill use, and tactical mobility. Sneak Attack scales to 10d6 at level 20: single-hit damage that no other martial class approaches without magical smiting. Expertise doubles your proficiency in chosen skills to levels that break the game's bounded accuracy. Cunning Action gives you a bonus action Dash, Disengage, or Hide every single turn. Reliable Talent at level 11 removes nearly all failure from your expert-level skill checks.

The Rogue does one thing per turn better than any other class. When that one thing is a Sneak Attack, it ends encounters faster than it has any right to. When that one thing is picking a lock, scaling a wall, or fast-talking a noble, the Rogue is similarly supreme. The class rewards players who plan their turns carefully, understand when to hide versus when to attack, and recognize the value of consistent, repeatable excellence over burst reliance.

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Disclaimer

• ● Red: Bad. Actively weak or superseded.
• ● Orange: Situational. Correct in specific builds or campaigns.
• ● Green: Good. Reliable and consistently strong.
• ● Blue: Fantastic. Best-in-class, almost always the right choice.

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Class Features

Expertise (1st, 6th Level) ●

Double proficiency bonus for two chosen skills at level 1, two more at level 6. The Rogue's single most powerful feature. At proficiency +5 and DEX 20, Stealth Expertise gives +15 to Stealth, a roll that no standard encounter challenge can reliably beat. Thieves' Tools Expertise with the same numbers gives +15 to lock-picking. Expertise + Reliable Talent (level 11) creates minimum roll floors that bypass nearly all skill challenges.

Sneak Attack (1st Level) ●

Deal extra damage once per turn when hitting with a finesse or ranged weapon attack, with advantage OR when an ally is adjacent to the target (and no disadvantage). Scales as 1d6 per two Rogue levels: 1d6 at level 1, 5d6 at level 9, 10d6 at level 19 (unchanged at level 20).

The math: a 10th-level Rogue dealing 5d6+DEX Sneak Attack on one hit per turn averages 17.5+5 = 22.5 damage per turn, comparable to a Fighter's multiple attacks. The Rogue achieves this with one hit where a Fighter needs 2-3. The Rogue can theoretically trigger Sneak Attack on an opportunity attack as well (second Sneak Attack of the round).

Thieves' Cant ●

A secret language shared among thieves. Information utility in criminal underworld settings; irrelevant in most combat or exploration scenarios.

Cunning Action (2nd Level) ●

Bonus action: Dash, Disengage, or Hide. Every turn. No resource cost. This is the foundation of the Rogue's combat identity:

• Hide: Gain advantage on next attack (triggering Sneak Attack), become unseen for reaction attacks.
• Disengage: Strike and retreat without opportunity attacks.
• Dash: Move up to 3× your speed in one turn for chase or closing distance.

In almost every round, one of these three options is the correct bonus action. The Rogue who defaults to doing nothing with their bonus action is leaving the class's second-most-important feature unused.

Roguish Archetype (3rd Level) ●

See Subclasses section.

Uncanny Dodge (5th Level) ●

Reaction: when an attacker you can see hits you, halve the damage. Compete reaction: you lose your opportunity attack for the round. In most combats, the correct call is to Uncanny Dodge the biggest hit: a boss dealing 30 damage reduced to 15 is 15 HP saved. That 15 HP difference can be the margin between surviving and dying.

Evasion (7th Level) ●

DEX save for half damage: succeed for no damage, fail for half. Against Fireball (8d6 = 28 avg), the Rogue takes 0 on success (which becomes likely with high DEX) and 14 on failure. One of the best damage-mitigation features in D&D, available to a light-armor class that would otherwise take full AoE damage. Combined with Uncanny Dodge, the Rogue is more durable than its d8 hit die suggests.

Reliable Talent (11th Level) ●

When making an ability check using a skill proficiency, treat any d20 roll below 10 as a 10. With Stealth Expertise at proficiency +5 and DEX 20: minimum roll = 10+5+10 = 25. The highest standard passive DC in D&D 5e is 25 (Detection DC for a Rogue using Skulker). Reliable Talent makes you undetectable in your trained skills. It also means you never fail skill checks you're good at: Thieves' Tools, Perception, Deception, Athletics, whatever your Expertise covers.

Blindsense (14th Level) ●

If you can hear, you are aware of any hidden or invisible creature within 10 feet. Prevents invisible enemies from having advantage against you and negates the hidden condition's sneaking benefit at close range.

Slippery Mind (15th Level) ●

WIS save proficiency. Covers charm, fear, and many of the most dangerous boss abilities. The Rogue's weakest defensive save area (naturally proficient in DEX and INT only) now covers WIS as well.

Elusive (18th Level) ●

While not incapacitated, no attack roll has advantage against you. This prevents the Rogue from being snuck up on, flanked, or ambushed. Combined with Evasion (no AoE damage on DEX success), the level-18 Rogue is extraordinarily difficult to damage effectively.

Stroke of Luck (20th Level) ●

Turn a missed attack roll into a hit (once per short rest), or a failed ability check into a 20 (once per short rest). Emergency save features: the missed attack option is occasionally critical for a Sneak Attack that would have ended a fight.

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Ability Scores

Recommended Array:

● DEX: Max first, always. Every feature the Rogue uses in combat depends on it.

● CON: HP and CON saves. 13-14 minimum. The Rogue's d8 hit die with light armor (AC 14-17) means you rely on Uncanny Dodge and positioning to avoid damage, not raw HP. CON 14 provides adequate buffer.

● WIS: Perception, Insight, and WIS saves (until Slippery Mind at 15). 12 minimum; 14 is better for Perception investment.

● INT: Only relevant for Arcane Trickster Rogues who intend to use spell save effects. For standard Rogues: dump to 8.

● STR: No Rogue feature uses STR for attacks or damage. Dump to 8.

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Races

● Halfling (Stout or Lightfoot) - +2 DEX, +1 CON or +1 CHA. Lucky: reroll 1s on attack rolls, ability checks, and saves. Brave: advantage on saves vs. frightened. Halfling Nimbleness: move through any creature's space. Lucky is the standout: rerolling 1s on Sneak Attacks (which roll many dice) is statistically meaningful. Best overall Rogue race.

● Wood Elf - +2 DEX, +1 WIS, 35-foot speed, Mask of the Wild, Darkvision. The WIS and speed bonuses are both useful. Mask of the Wild (hide in natural terrain) is perfect for an outdoor Rogue.

● Variant Human - +1 DEX, +1 any, extra skill, feat at level 1. Alert at level 1 (initiative +5, no surprise) ensures first-turn Sneak Attack against any surprised target. Skulker at level 1 (no penalty for missing from hidden) eliminates the main Stealth downside.

● Tabaxi (Volo's) - +2 DEX, +1 CHA, Feline Agility (double speed on burst), Cat's Claws (climb speed, d4 claws), Darkvision. Feline Agility + Cunning Action Dash = covering extreme distances in a single turn. Strong for mobile Rogues.

● Gnome - +2 INT (Arcane Trickster utility), Darkvision, advantage on INT/WIS/CHA saves vs. magic. The Gnome's magic resistance is excellent for a class that relies on mobility over raw HP; enemy enchantments that slow or stop your movement are your main enemy.

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Skills

Rogues choose 4 from any skill list, plus Thieves' Tools.

● Stealth - DEX-based. Core Rogue skill. Take Expertise here every build.

● Perception - Most called skill in D&D. High WIS modifier + proficiency = reliable. Often Expertise at level 6.

● Acrobatics - DEX-based. Escape grapples, balance, falling. Competes with Stealth for Expertise slot but useful in physical encounters.

● Deception - CHA-based. The Rogue's face role. Expertise here makes you the best liar in the party if you have reasonable CHA.

● Investigation - INT-based. Traps, hidden doors, evidence. Extremely useful in dungeon-crawl and mystery campaigns.

● Sleight of Hand - DEX-based. Pickpocketing, planting objects, palming. Useful in urban and social campaigns; less relevant in dungeon delving.

● Insight - WIS-based. Detect lies. Less reliable than Deception due to the Rogue's middling CHA emphasis.

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Backgrounds

For a full ranking of all 13 PHB backgrounds and how each compares outside this class, see the D&D 5e 2014 Backgrounds Guide.

● Criminal - Deception and Stealth, Thieves' Tools, Gaming Set. Criminal Contact provides underworld connections. Stealth from background is excellent. Thieves' Tools is largely covered by class; but the background package is thematically and mechanically ideal.

● Urchin - Sleight of Hand and Stealth, Thieves' Tools and Disguise Kit, City Secrets. Two excellent Rogue skills. City Secrets (find hidden paths through cities) is campaign-level utility.

● Charlatan - Deception and Sleight of Hand, Disguise Kit and Forgery Kit. Two CHA and DEX skills, strong for a Rogue who wants a social face role. False Identity provides an established second persona.

● Sage - Arcana and History. INT-based skills, only useful for Arcane Trickster builds.

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Feats

● Alert - +5 to initiative, can't be surprised while conscious, hidden enemies gain no advantage. Initiative is the Rogue's key first-round resource: going before targets are surprised means they still grant Sneak Attack without Assassinate, but your Stealth approach gives you the hidden advantage on the attack.

● Skulker - While hidden, no disadvantage for missing from hidden; don't reveal yourself on a miss; dim light doesn't impose disadvantage on Stealth. The Rogue's stealth loop (hide, attack, hide again) breaks if a miss reveals you. Skulker prevents that break.

● Sharpshooter - Ignore cover, no long-range penalty, -5/+10 toggle. For Rogue builds focused on crossbow or ranged attacks, Sharpshooter's cover ignore is the primary value. The +10 toggle matters less for Rogues (one hit per turn) than for Fighters (multiple hits), but still adds 10 damage per Sneak Attack turn.

● Lucky - Three rerolls per long rest. The Rogue's Sneak Attack die pool is large enough that one lucky reroll on a critical moment (a save, a death-preventing attack, a critical skill check) can change an outcome.

● Mobile - +10 speed, Dash without OAs, no OA from creatures you attack. Enhances the Cunning Action loop: Cunning Action Disengage + Mobile means you never take opportunity attacks from creatures you engage. Strong for Rogues who fight in melee.

● Tough - +2 HP per level. The Rogue's light armor and d8 hit die can leave it vulnerable. Extra HP provides a buffer, but the Rogue's defensive features (Uncanny Dodge, Evasion, Elusive at 18) matter more than raw HP in most combats.

● Great Weapon Master - Heavy weapons only. Rogues have proficiency in hand crossbows, longswords, rapiers, and short swords, not heavy weapons. Off limits.

For the complete feat priority list by level, see our Best Feats for Rogue guide.

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Subclasses

The Rogue chooses a Roguish Archetype at 3rd level. All nine are compared in depth, feature by feature, in the D&D 5e Rogue Subclasses Guide.

The short version: judge an archetype by how it turns Sneak Attack on when no ally is next to your target, because that condition decides whether your turn works.

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Weapons

● Rapier (d8 finesse) - The best single melee weapon for a Rogue. Finesse: use DEX. D8 damage. Applies Sneak Attack. Best for Swashbuckler builds with Fancy Footwork.

● Shortsword (d6 finesse, light) - One size down from Rapier. Two shortswords for TWF bonus action attack. The bonus attack (no Sneak Attack on the bonus action in TWF) still adds DPS.

● Hand Crossbow (d6, 30/120) - Crossbow Expert enables bonus action hand crossbow attack (no TWF required). Best ranged option. With Sharpshooter: ignores cover, +10 damage toggle.

● Dagger (d4 finesse, thrown) - Light and thrown, a versatile backup. On turns where melee is unavailable, thrown dagger adds DPS at range 20/60.

● Longbow (d8) - Good range and damage but requires two hands (competes with Cunning Action benefit of having a free hand). Crossbow Expert + Hand Crossbow is better for most Rogue builds.

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Armor

● Studded Leather (AC 12 + DEX) - Best light armor. With DEX 20: AC 17. No Stealth penalty. The correct armor for any Rogue who values Stealth.

● Mage Armor (via multiclass or magic) - AC 13 + DEX. Slightly better than Leather but worse than Studded Leather. Only relevant if light armor proficiency is somehow unavailable.

● Medium or Heavy Armor - Rogues are not proficient in medium or heavy armor. Impose Stealth disadvantage and eliminate Dexterity-based defense. Never wear these unless forced.

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Multiclassing

Multiclassing requirement: DEX 13.

● Ranger 3 (Gloom Stalker) - Dread Ambusher + Assassinate: on surprised enemies, three attacks in round 1 (two Extra Attack-equivalent + Dread Ambusher), all with advantage, all with Assassinate auto-crit (since surprise is active). The Rogue 9/Ranger 3 Gloom Stalker Assassin is one of the highest-burst first-round builds in D&D.

● Fighter 1-3 - Action Surge allows two full Attack actions in one turn. Two Sneak Attacks if both hit (one per turn on your turn, one more from the extra attack action = two per round). Fighter 2 adds Action Surge; Fighter 3 can add Battle Master maneuvers (Trip Attack to enable guaranteed Sneak Attack next turn).

● Warlock 1-3 (Hexblade) - Eldritch Blast for CHA-based ranged damage. Hex (concentration, +1d6 to every hit). Pact of the Blade (melee warlock weapon). At Rogue 9/Warlock 3: Sneak Attack on Eldritch Blast (a ranged weapon attack, so it applies Sneak Attack with the right invocations).

● Monk 2-4 - Ki for Flurry of Blows (two unarmed strikes bonus action), extra movement, and Unarmored Defense if you give up light armor. Niche and mechanically awkward.

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Example Build: The Perfect Thief (Arcane Trickster, DEX Finesse)

Race: Lightfoot Halfling (+2 DEX, +1 CHA, Lucky passive, Halfling Nimbleness, Brave)

Starting Stats: DEX 17 (15+2), WIS 13, CON 13, INT 14 (AT spellcasting), CHA 10, STR 8

Tactics: Open every combat from Stealth using Cunning Action Hide on the previous turn. When hidden: attack from hiding with Booming Blade (weapon attack + 1d8 thunder if target moves + Sneak Attack). With Magical Ambush active (hidden before casting), any Hold Person you cast has disadvantage on the WIS save. Against a paralyzed target (Hold Person succeeded): auto-crit on melee Sneak Attack hits. At level 11 with Reliable Talent: Stealth minimum 25 regardless of roll, Thieves' Tools minimum 25, Perception minimum 21. In a combat with a boss caster at level 17+: Spell Thief reaction steals their best spell (free cast with their save DC). Elusive at 18 means you simply cannot be subject to advantage attacks: invisible enemies gain nothing, flanking provides nothing, no ambush works against you.

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Final Notes

The Rogue is one of the most satisfying classes in D&D because its fantasy (the precise, intelligent professional who does one thing at exactly the right moment) maps cleanly onto mechanical excellence. Reliable Talent at level 11 is one of the strongest features in the game; Elusive at 18 removes the primary defensive weakness of a light-armor martial; and Sneak Attack at 20 is an offense that no non-magical class can replicate.

Arcane Trickster is the most versatile subclass and the safest choice. Swashbuckler provides the most reliable Sneak Attack access and best melee mobility. Assassin provides the highest burst first-round potential. Phantom and Soulknife are the strongest Tasha's additions, offering necrotic AoE and always-available psychic blades respectively.

Whatever archetype you choose: max DEX first, take Expertise in Stealth and your most campaign-relevant skills, and use Cunning Action every turn. A Rogue who understands those three principles will contribute at the highest level from level 1 to 20.

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