
Rogue Legacy This doesn't reflect the latest rules and lore. Learn More Class Details
Signaling for her companions to wait, a halfling creeps forward through the dungeon hall. She presses an ear to the door, then pulls out a set of tools and picks the lock in the blink of an eye. Then she disappears into the shadows as her fighter friend moves forward to kick the door open.
A human lurks in the shadows of an alley while his accomplice prepares for her part in the ambush. When their target — a notorious slaver — passes the alleyway, the accomplice cries out, the slaver comes to investigate, and the assassin’s blade cuts his throat before he can make a sound.
Suppressing a giggle, a gnome waggles her fingers and magically lifts the key ring from the guard’s belt. In a moment, the keys are in her hand, the cell door is open, and she and her companions are free to make their escape.
Rogues rely on skill, stealth, and their foes’ vulnerabilities to get the upper hand in any situation. They have a knack for finding the solution to just about any problem, demonstrating a resourcefulness and versatility that is the cornerstone of any successful adventuring party.
Skill and Precision
Rogues devote as much effort to mastering the use of a variety of skills as they do to perfecting their combat abilities, giving them a broad expertise that few other characters can match. Many rogues focus on stealth and deception, while others refine the skills that help them in a dungeon environment, such as climbing, finding and disarming traps, and opening locks.
When it comes to combat, rogues prioritize cunning over brute strength. A rogue would rather make one precise strike, placing it exactly where the attack will hurt the target most, than wear an opponent down with a barrage of attacks. Rogues have an almost supernatural knack for avoiding danger, and a few learn magical tricks to supplement their other abilities.
A Shady Living
Every town and city has its share of rogues. Most of them live up to the worst stereotypes of the class, making a living as burglars, assassins, cutpurses, and con artists. Often, these scoundrels are organized into thieves’ guilds or crime families. Plenty of rogues operate independently, but even they sometimes recruit apprentices to help them in their scams and heists. A few rogues make an honest living as locksmiths, investigators, or exterminators, which can be a dangerous job in a world where dire rats—and wererats—haunt the sewers.
As adventurers, rogues fall on both sides of the law. Some are hardened criminals who decide to seek their fortune in treasure hoards, while others take up a life of adventure to escape from the law. Some have learned and perfected their skills with the explicit purpose of infiltrating ancient ruins and hidden crypts in search of treasure.
Creating a Rogue
As you create your rogue character, consider the character’s relationship to the law. Do you have a criminal past—or present? Are you on the run from the law or from an angry thieves’ guild master? Or did you leave your guild in search of bigger risks and bigger rewards? Is it greed that drives you in your adventures, or some other desire or ideal?
What was the trigger that led you away from your previous life? Did a great con or heist gone terribly wrong cause you to reevaluate your career? Maybe you were lucky and a successful robbery gave you the coin you needed to escape the squalor of your life. Did wanderlust finally call you away from your home? Perhaps you suddenly found yourself cut off from your family or your mentor, and you had to find a new means of support. Or maybe you made a new friend—another member of your adventuring party—who showed you new possibilities for earning a living and employing your particular talents.
QUICK BUILD
You can make a rogue quickly by following these suggestions. First, Dexterity should be your highest ability score. Make Intelligence your next-highest if you want to excel at Investigation or plan to take up the Arcane Trickster archetype. Choose Charisma instead if you plan to emphasize deception and social interaction. Second, choose the charlatan background.
The Rogue Table
Level | Proficiency | Sneak | Features |
---|---|---|---|
1st | +2 | 1d6 | |
2nd | +2 | 1d6 | |
3rd | +2 | 2d6 | |
4th | +2 | 2d6 | |
5th | +3 | 3d6 | |
6th | +3 | 3d6 | |
7th | +3 | 4d6 | |
8th | +3 | 4d6 | |
9th | +4 | 5d6 | |
10th | +4 | 5d6 | |
11th | +4 | 6d6 | |
12th | +4 | 6d6 | |
13th | +5 | 7d6 | |
14th | +5 | 7d6 | |
15th | +5 | 8d6 | |
16th | +5 | 8d6 | |
17th | +6 | 9d6 | |
18th | +6 | 9d6 | |
19th | +6 | 10d6 | |
20th | +6 | 10d6 |
Class Features
As a rogue, you have the following class features.
Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d8 per rogue level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per rogue level after 1st
Proficiencies
Armor: Light armor
Weapons: Simple weapons, hand crossbows, longswords, rapiers, shortswords
Tools: Thieves’ tools
Saving Throws: Dexterity, Intelligence
Skills: Choose four from Acrobatics, Athletics, Deception, Insight, Intimidation, Investigation, Perception, Performance, Persuasion, Sleight of Hand, and Stealth
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- (a) a rapier or (b) a shortsword
- (a) a shortbow and quiver of 20 arrows or (b) a shortsword
- (a) a burglar’s pack, (b) a dungeoneer’s pack, or (c) an explorer’s pack
- Leather armor, two daggers, and thieves’ tools
Expertise
At 1st level, choose two of your skill proficiencies, or one of your skill proficiencies and your proficiency with thieves’ tools. Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses either of the chosen proficiencies.
At 6th level, you can choose two more of your proficiencies (in skills or with thieves’ tools) to gain this benefit.
Sneak Attack
Beginning at 1st level, you know how to strike subtly and exploit a foe’s distraction. Once per turn, you can deal an extra 1d6 damage to one creature you hit with an attack if you have advantage on the attack roll. The attack must use a finesse or a ranged weapon.
You don’t need advantage on the attack roll if another enemy of the target is within 5 feet of it, that enemy isn’t incapacitated, and you don’t have disadvantage on the attack roll.
The amount of the extra damage increases as you gain levels in this class, as shown in the Sneak Attack column of the Rogue table.
Thieves’ Cant
During your rogue training you learned thieves’ cant, a secret mix of dialect, jargon, and code that allows you to hide messages in seemingly normal conversation. Only another creature that knows thieves’ cant understands such messages. It takes four times longer to convey such a message than it does to speak the same idea plainly.
In addition, you understand a set of secret signs and symbols used to convey short, simple messages, such as whether an area is dangerous or the territory of a thieves’ guild, whether loot is nearby, or whether the people in an area are easy marks or will provide a safe house for thieves on the run.
Cunning Action
Starting at 2nd level, your quick thinking and agility allow you to move and act quickly. You can take a bonus action on each of your turns in combat. This action can be used only to take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide action.
Roguish Archetype
At 3rd level, you choose an archetype that you emulate in the exercise of your rogue abilities: Thief, detailed at the end of the class description, or one from another source. Your archetype choice grants you features at 3rd level and then again at 9th, 13th, and 17th level.
Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 10th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
Using the optional feats rule, you can forgo taking this feature to take a feat of your choice instead.
Uncanny Dodge
Starting at 5th level, when an attacker that you can see hits you with an attack, you can use your reaction to halve the attack’s damage against you.
Expertise
At 6th level, choose two more of your skill proficiencies, or one more of your skill proficiencies and your proficiency with thieves’ tools. Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses either of the chosen proficiencies.
Evasion
Beginning at 7th level, you can nimbly dodge out of the way of certain area effects, such as an ancient red dragon’s fiery breath or an ice storm spell. When you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, and only half damage if you fail.
Reliable Talent
By 11th level, you have refined your chosen skills until they approach perfection. Whenever you make an ability check that lets you add your proficiency bonus, you can treat a d20 roll of 9 or lower as a 10.
Blindsense
Starting at 14th level, if you are able to hear, you are aware of the location of any hidden or invisible creature within 10 feet of you.
Slippery Mind
By 15th level, you have acquired greater mental strength. You gain proficiency in Wisdom saving throws.
Elusive
Beginning at 18th level, you are so evasive that attackers rarely gain the upper hand against you. No attack roll has advantage against you while you aren’t incapacitated.
Stroke of Luck
At 20th level, you have an uncanny knack for succeeding when you need to. If your attack misses a target within range, you can turn the miss into a hit. Alternatively, if you fail an ability check, you can treat the d20 roll as a 20.
Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.
Roguish Archetypes
Rogues have many features in common, including their emphasis on perfecting their skills, their precise and deadly approach to combat, and their increasingly quick reflexes. But different rogues steer those talents in varying directions, embodied by the rogue archetypes. Your choice of archetype is a reflection of your focus—not necessarily an indication of your chosen profession, but a description of your preferred techniques.
Thief Legacy This doesn't reflect the latest rules and lore. Learn More
You hone your skills in the larcenous arts. Burglars, bandits, cutpurses, and other criminals typically follow this archetype, but so do rogues who prefer to think of themselves as professional treasure seekers, explorers, delvers, and investigators. In addition to improving your agility and stealth, you learn skills useful for delving into ancient ruins, reading unfamiliar languages, and using magic items you normally couldn’t employ.
Fast Hands
Starting at 3rd level, you can use the bonus action granted by your Cunning Action to make a Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check, use your thieves’ tools to disarm a trap or open a lock, or take the Use an Object action.
Second-Story Work
When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you gain the ability to climb faster than normal; climbing no longer costs you extra movement.
In addition, when you make a running jump, the distance you cover increases by a number of feet equal to your Dexterity modifier.
Supreme Sneak
Starting at 9th level, you have advantage on a Dexterity (Stealth) check if you move no more than half your speed on the same turn.
Use Magic Device
By 13th level, you have learned enough about the workings of magic that you can improvise the use of items even when they are not intended for you. You ignore all class, race, and level requirements on the use of magic items.
Thief’s Reflexes
When you reach 17th level, you have become adept at laying ambushes and quickly escaping danger. You can take two turns during the first round of any combat. You take your first turn at your normal initiative and your second turn at your initiative minus 10. You can’t use this feature when you are surprised.
It is implied to be the first attack that hits. After the first hit, the enemy is no longer 'surprised' and the rest of the attacks you may have are expected as you are no longer Sneaking. It's called Sneak attack after all. But as written, you are correct. But definately DM's discretion involved.
Also I believe it doesn’t have to be on the first attack that hits. I think you can pick to which to apply it...
You can get your sneak attack as a Reaction though. "Once per turn" is the rule, so when its someone else's turn, like an enemy, and they provoke an Attack of Opportunity from you then you can get your Sneak Attack as long as you meet the requirements for it. Your archtype may change this from the basic way to Sneak Attack.
Also the Scout's Sudden Strike feature at level 17 let's them use Sneak Attack twice but at different targets if they use the attack action.
is sneak damage double on crit?
Why 10d6 at 17th? Does the psychic blade not simply deal 1d6?
You are not forced to run away when the frightened condition is on you, but you do suffer disadvantage on all attack rolls and ability checks while the source of your fear is in sight. So, if the target of this ability does not choose to run, then he/she will have a harder time attacking you. If they DO choose to run, you might get an attack of opportunity, or at least one less enemy to worry about for a moment. The ability to apply fear is a very powerful tool.
Yes, you double both the sneak attack damage and the weapon die damage.
If you crit do you double sneak attack too or just the weapon die?
What is the point of terrifying blade? You are battling someone; you dont want them to run away from you unless you are trying to disengage.
its cool anyway and you shouldent downside its sweet
revived=awesome, I mean you have a second life thats sweet! I need to be able to create that!
and soulknife I mean psychic power be awesome and I need it!
It is a very cool flavor build with a lot of potential... but I've grown weary of the playtest content, always gets super altered and nerfed before release. The paladin build was best example... amazing flavor, gutted on release and not even the same feel.
Not trying to be negative, just set realistic expectations, this is 5th, you get a minorly cool thing every 3-5 levels, not like 4th where you had all kinds of fun stuff to do.
I played a half-orc asassin as my first character. At 3rd level he dealt 3d8+4d6+3 piercing damage (with a rapier) on the first round of combat, provided he caught the enemy by suprise. It was a suprisingly good build, and he only died after trying to solo a mini-dungeon. In tomb of annihilation. without magic items. His name was Ortan Fang
You only get Assassinate if you attack before they attack in the first round of combat after that you just get sneak attack if you have another party member within 5 feet or you use the hide action as a bonus before attacking.
For the Assassinate ability "you are at your deadliest when you get the drop on your enemies. You have advantage on attack rolls against any creature that hasn’t taken a turn in the combat yet." Does this mean that in "every round" if you try to attack an enemy that has lower initiative than you "Has not take a turn in the round yet" you get audo advantage and sneak attack, or its just a one time thing in the first round of combat. I'm just asking because the whole assassin class is just ..... lame in all honesty and this could be the one thing that makes it consistently useful. The proficiency on poison kit and disguise kit is usefull too.
hey you have not bought it yet
THAT. WAS. AMAZING. I love the revived!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Melee Vs. Range (without Multiclassing), which class is better at damaging your enemies? Single target? Multiple targets?
Two thoughts:
I think you're overestimating the damage potential of this ability. This is a 17th-level rogue, so they're already firing off their normal attacks at 10d6 + Dex (if they're using their Psychic Blade). This can be even higher if they've picked up Booming Blade somewhere.
Your solution is a bit over-complicated, which is usually less than ideal, especially for a rouge (generally a simple class). It would be easier to simply change the DC to 8 + Int + prof, and/or make the ability a 1/rest thing.
I love the concept and flavor of the Soulknife, but I think it can use a little tweaking. Rend Mind is a little overpowered, and more importantly, leaves the character with an all-or-nothing playstyle: overpowered when Rend Mind uses are available and underwhelming otherwise. I'm pretty new to D&D mechanics, but here's why I think Rend is OP:
at level 20 with +4 int modifier, that's a 10 +6 proficiency + 4 int = 20 DC, pretty good and the target has disadvantage if you're hidden, so likely to hit
12d6 dmg on failed save means 12 * 3.5 = 42 damage and the target is stunned, so they cannot respond. The target can't escape, heal, or otherwise mitigate the damage coming in.
4 * 42 dmg = 168 damage which is more hp than many classes have at lv 20.
So essentially, in a 1v1 the Soulknife is most likely going to dominate, with no creativity or room for counterplay, and then, without Rend, the Soulknife is underpowered until they have a long rest.
Suggestion: Consider making it so that the stun effect applies a mind-numbing state which makes the target immune to stun for 2 rounds (i.e. 1 round following the stunned round). This will allow the target to respond every other turn to run, heal, or otherwise make the battle interesting. With this nerf, I'd be open to adding another power to make the class more combat versatile, like a weaker multi-target attack, or a debuff ability. Perhaps enemies take light damage and have their wisdom and dex saves reduced so that allied casters can combo some spells after.