Probably because WotC figured if you were going to be using the Criminal background you'd be playing a rogue who does start with Thieves' Tools and what's the point in having two sets, not considering that Rogues aren't the only class to be criminals and mechanically don't even have to be criminals themselves.

If you’re building a rogue then you already have thieves’ tools. The thieves’ tools here are redundant.

Therefore, DnDBeyond is asking what else you’d want.

First off I'm completely new to dnd. Making my first character actually...gonna be a high elf arcane trickster.

In the character creation phase I picked 4 proficiencies as part of the rogue class (sleight of hand, acrobatics, persuasion, investigation) Sidenote: def open to other suggestions there.

My question is, with a criminal/spy background, am I automatically awarded proficiency in stealth and deception and am therefore free to pick other things (like those above?)

Thanks!

It's not an option because as a Rogue you already have proficiency in Thieves' Tools.

You cannot get proficiency twice in the same skill, and because the game recognizes you already have the proficiency, it offers you a choice of any as a result.

You start with the proficiency, you don't start with a set. You would have to either use Starting Gold instead of equipment to buy them yourself at the start of the game, or find them for sale during play.

And yes, you are absolutely correct. However, there are some things you need to understand first.

If you choose to forego getting Stealth or Deception with your Rogue skill proficiencies, then you are also not able to select them as your Expertise skills either.

This is because the order of selection. You are a level 1 Rogue first, therefore you choose all your level 1 abilities first, then you assign your Attributes, THEN you choose your background. So you would have to wait until a later level to get Stealth Expertise.

Dndbeyond doesn't double check this rule however. You can choose your background, move back to Class, and then assign Stealth from the Background as your Expertise. I think this is because DMs may allow you to do this, as it's not a set in stone rule for most DMs.

Hope this helps d9mpxrnjc5.

I think it would work well with the spy, just give them the investigator feat and there ya go.

cOOl LOL

Uwu 

i thought of a backstory all i had to do was make the werewolf race rogue and pickpocket criminal was perfect i didnt know anything about d and d exept it was pretend and looks cool i wrote my backstory then started making my character

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smooth criminal

W.D Gaster here in the comment section haha lol

Thri-Kreen is the best race for rogue. look at his abilities. (Especially with crits and sneak attack).

Yeah