I'm relatively new to 5e (but not to D&D), and have never played a rogue before. I'm starting a game that's not focused on power gaming/min maxing, so I'm more invested in a character concept than mechanical advantage. However, I'm interested to hear what people might recommend that would fit with my character and make him at least functional. (Party is fighter, two rangers, druid, wizard, me-rogue)
My character - Eladrin rogue (mostly for backstory, flavor, and the cool seasonal aspect. I know High Elf would get booming blades, etc, but this is an example of character over mechaniscs) cut off from the feywild as a boy, grew up in a Oliver Twist-esque urchin thief background, starting to manifest his fey ancestry, escapes being made into a hired assassin, now wandering try to find way back to the Fey.
I have him set up with bow, but ready to fey step in to attack with dual wield short swords, and probably have more interest in the balde angle long term and less about being an archer (we have two rangers). Skills reflect thief background as well as a higher CHA to match the eladrin stuff on fey step. I don't want him to be one-dimensional, a trap monkey or a death dealer...someone with a foot in both worlds, and with a touch of fairy shenanigans from the eladrin side.
Future path - I'm starting at level 1, and not to get ahead of myself, but I'm trying to think through the next major steps.
For Rogueish archetype, I'm actually thinking swashbuckler might be the best fit. Being a very mobile fighter with almost assured sneak attack seems on point. Someone efficiently dancing his way through the fight. The footwork and Rakish audacity seem a good fit with my character, even if the flavor may need a little modification ( I'm thinking of something along the lines of a bladesinger-ish fighter than a sterotypical swashbuckler pirate, but that's just flavor.)
For 4th level, I'm thinking of taking the Magic Initiate feat, to bring in some of that eladrin/fey flavor (i.e. he's continuing to see an awakening of his fey nature)...things like Booming Blades (not only hitting them, but a little seasonal eladrin damage seems on flavor with the character concept) and Find Familiar (again with possibly a little flavor modification subject to DM approval)
For both mechanical and perhaps flavourful reasons, I'd be tempted to start with rapier and short sword (or dagger if short of money/also having purchased a short bow). You might even want to keep off-hand free so as to enable potential shenanigans. Attacking with a second weapon doesn't benefit from your attack modifier but still currently requires use of your bonus action. As a rogue you might want to use this for cunning action for instance to disengage or to dash. In Pathfinder you could use the spare hand for actions like to shove or (perhaps) grapple. Maybe it would be worth talking to your DM about involving sensible rules like these or perhaps you'd just want to use interact with an object to, say, throw caltrops or do something like try to throw your opponent's cloak across their face. :)
I think an Eladrin Swashbuckler is a fantastic idea for a character, sounds like a lot of fun. Which version of the Eladrin are you using, the one from Tome of Foes, or one of the dedicated seasonal Eladrin from Monster of the Multiverse? I ask because they all play a little differently.
Dual wielding shortswords is a great way to utilize your bonus action to get a second opportunity to attack in case you miss with your first one. It can also help you disengage from more enemies with Fancy Fiitwork without having to take the Disengage action that way you can still maximize your opportunities to attack and still slip away.
If you really want to focus on the Eladrin feel, you might want to consider the Fey Touched feat instead of Magic Initiate. It’s similar in that it grants spells, but it’ll give you misty step once per day to enhance your teleportation aspect and then a 1st-level spell from either the Enchantment or Illusion schools too. Find familiar is okay, but the familiar dies as soon as someone sneezes at it and with Rakish Audacity it won’t really benefit you very much. Besides, it’ll keep you Charisma focused instead of branching to Intelligence which is more in keeping with the whole Fey/Eladrin vibe you’ve got going on. Barring that you might instead choose Magic Initiate Bard/Sorcerer to stay within the Charisma flow too.
You could always go with Arcane Trickster as well. It will get you access to spells at 3rd level, of which one cantrip could be booming blade. It would also allow you to use your feat for something different then magic initiate. They are definitely not a "power" sub class in my opinion but do provide a lot of versatility with illusion and enchantment spells (both are fey like to me). I am playing in a Dragon Heist campaign presently and am having a lot of fun with the class. I will be taking a 2 level dip into wizard for "bladesinging" which will help with spells, spell slots, ritual casting, spell recovery, combat and overall feel for the character. Hope you have fun with whatever you decide to do though.
If you are wanting to go melee I really do think you are right to go swashbuckler (and wield two weapons), especially as you have high charisma. Especially as you go up levels you are doing most of your damage with sneak attack so if you miss with your first attack you really want to make a second attack with your off hand but with most subclasses that makes you vulnerable to either an op attack or being next to the bad guy when it is his turn (rogues are skirmishers you go in attack and get out again, the fighter the rangers and the druid (if moon) make better meat shields than you.
If you don't go swashbuckler mobile is a feat worthy of consideration but fancy footwork removes the biggest benefit of it. Otherwise take what you like, a feat that gives you a bit of spell casting fits in with your backstory, skill expert can boost your prowess as a skill monkey especially when you get relaible talent. Increasing your dex increases your damage (chance to hit, and initiative) and your AC and stealth but you migtht consider it boring.
You could always go with Arcane Trickster as well. It will get you access to spells at 3rd level, of which one cantrip could be booming blade. It would also allow you to use your feat for something different then magic initiate. They are definitely not a "power" sub class in my opinion but do provide a lot of versatility with illusion and enchantment spells (both are fey like to me). I am playing in a Dragon Heist campaign presently and am having a lot of fun with the class. I will be taking a 2 level dip into wizard for "bladesinging" which will help with spells, spell slots, ritual casting, spell recovery, combat and overall feel for the character. Hope you have fun with whatever you decide to do though.
The seasonal one. I'm excited about that aspect of their new take on eladrin, it opens up so much potential role playing interest and material. Thanks for your thoughts on the feats, I'll check that out!
I am 100% taking the mobile feat on my character like Jegpeg suggested. It gives the benefit I like most about the swashbuckler sub class, attack and move without taking an AoO, while saving your bonus action. I view taking the mobile feat and Arcane Trickster as kind of the best of both worlds. You get some fun spells to uses as well as having a bit of swashbuckler flare added in.
For both mechanical and perhaps flavourful reasons, I'd be tempted to start with rapier and short sword (or dagger if short of money/also having purchased a short bow). You might even want to keep off-hand free so as to enable potential shenanigans. Attacking with a second weapon doesn't benefit from your attack modifier but still currently requires use of your bonus action. As a rogue you might want to use this for cunning action for instance to disengage or to dash. In Pathfinder you could use the spare hand for actions like to shove or (perhaps) grapple. Maybe it would be worth talking to your DM about involving sensible rules like these or perhaps you'd just want to use interact with an object to, say, throw caltrops or do something like try to throw your opponent's cloak across their face. :)
My understanding was that rapier couldn't be used for two handed fighting because it wasn't light, correct? Finesse, but not light? Good point about the bonus action, but I think it's going to just be an early issue. Until I get fancy footwork with Swashbuckler (which eliminates the need for the bonus action to disengage as long as I attack) it's going to be more problematic, and I'll probably be doing bow work until I get it and cunning action. But once I have footwork, I don't need to use bonus action to disengage. I think ?
You are correct about the rapier and dual weapon fighting. I made the same mistake until just recently when I realized that a rapier is in fact a finesse but not light weapon.
You can use the Dual Wielder feat to include a rapier in two-weapon fighting, but the extra point of damage per attack and +1 ac might not be worth the cost of a feat. Also, aesthetically, two rapiers just seems weird; two shortswords or a shortsword and a dagger feels more appropriate.
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I'm relatively new to 5e (but not to D&D), and have never played a rogue before. I'm starting a game that's not focused on power gaming/min maxing, so I'm more invested in a character concept than mechanical advantage. However, I'm interested to hear what people might recommend that would fit with my character and make him at least functional. (Party is fighter, two rangers, druid, wizard, me-rogue)
My character - Eladrin rogue (mostly for backstory, flavor, and the cool seasonal aspect. I know High Elf would get booming blades, etc, but this is an example of character over mechaniscs) cut off from the feywild as a boy, grew up in a Oliver Twist-esque urchin thief background, starting to manifest his fey ancestry, escapes being made into a hired assassin, now wandering try to find way back to the Fey.
I have him set up with bow, but ready to fey step in to attack with dual wield short swords, and probably have more interest in the balde angle long term and less about being an archer (we have two rangers). Skills reflect thief background as well as a higher CHA to match the eladrin stuff on fey step. I don't want him to be one-dimensional, a trap monkey or a death dealer...someone with a foot in both worlds, and with a touch of fairy shenanigans from the eladrin side.
Future path - I'm starting at level 1, and not to get ahead of myself, but I'm trying to think through the next major steps.
Any thoughts or advice?
For both mechanical and perhaps flavourful reasons, I'd be tempted to start with rapier and short sword (or dagger if short of money/also having purchased a short bow).
You might even want to keep off-hand free so as to enable potential shenanigans.Attacking with a second weapon doesn't benefit from your attack modifier but still currently requires use of your bonus action. As a rogue you might want to use this for cunning action for instance to disengage or to dash. In Pathfinder you could use the spare hand for actions like to shove or (perhaps) grapple. Maybe it would be worth talking to your DM about involving sensible rules like these or perhaps you'd just want to use interact with an object to, say, throw caltrops or do something like try to throw your opponent's cloak across their face. :)
I think an Eladrin Swashbuckler is a fantastic idea for a character, sounds like a lot of fun. Which version of the Eladrin are you using, the one from Tome of Foes, or one of the dedicated seasonal Eladrin from Monster of the Multiverse? I ask because they all play a little differently.
Dual wielding shortswords is a great way to utilize your bonus action to get a second opportunity to attack in case you miss with your first one. It can also help you disengage from more enemies with Fancy Fiitwork without having to take the Disengage action that way you can still maximize your opportunities to attack and still slip away.
If you really want to focus on the Eladrin feel, you might want to consider the Fey Touched feat instead of Magic Initiate. It’s similar in that it grants spells, but it’ll give you misty step once per day to enhance your teleportation aspect and then a 1st-level spell from either the Enchantment or Illusion schools too. Find familiar is okay, but the familiar dies as soon as someone sneezes at it and with Rakish Audacity it won’t really benefit you very much. Besides, it’ll keep you Charisma focused instead of branching to Intelligence which is more in keeping with the whole Fey/Eladrin vibe you’ve got going on. Barring that you might instead choose Magic Initiate Bard/Sorcerer to stay within the Charisma flow too.
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You could always go with Arcane Trickster as well. It will get you access to spells at 3rd level, of which one cantrip could be booming blade. It would also allow you to use your feat for something different then magic initiate. They are definitely not a "power" sub class in my opinion but do provide a lot of versatility with illusion and enchantment spells (both are fey like to me). I am playing in a Dragon Heist campaign presently and am having a lot of fun with the class. I will be taking a 2 level dip into wizard for "bladesinging" which will help with spells, spell slots, ritual casting, spell recovery, combat and overall feel for the character. Hope you have fun with whatever you decide to do though.
If you are wanting to go melee I really do think you are right to go swashbuckler (and wield two weapons), especially as you have high charisma. Especially as you go up levels you are doing most of your damage with sneak attack so if you miss with your first attack you really want to make a second attack with your off hand but with most subclasses that makes you vulnerable to either an op attack or being next to the bad guy when it is his turn (rogues are skirmishers you go in attack and get out again, the fighter the rangers and the druid (if moon) make better meat shields than you.
If you don't go swashbuckler mobile is a feat worthy of consideration but fancy footwork removes the biggest benefit of it. Otherwise take what you like, a feat that gives you a bit of spell casting fits in with your backstory, skill expert can boost your prowess as a skill monkey especially when you get relaible talent. Increasing your dex increases your damage (chance to hit, and initiative) and your AC and stealth but you migtht consider it boring.
The seasonal one. I'm excited about that aspect of their new take on eladrin, it opens up so much potential role playing interest and material. Thanks for your thoughts on the feats, I'll check that out!
I am 100% taking the mobile feat on my character like Jegpeg suggested. It gives the benefit I like most about the swashbuckler sub class, attack and move without taking an AoO, while saving your bonus action. I view taking the mobile feat and Arcane Trickster as kind of the best of both worlds. You get some fun spells to uses as well as having a bit of swashbuckler flare added in.
My understanding was that rapier couldn't be used for two handed fighting because it wasn't light, correct? Finesse, but not light? Good point about the bonus action, but I think it's going to just be an early issue. Until I get fancy footwork with Swashbuckler (which eliminates the need for the bonus action to disengage as long as I attack) it's going to be more problematic, and I'll probably be doing bow work until I get it and cunning action. But once I have footwork, I don't need to use bonus action to disengage. I think ?
You are correct about the rapier and dual weapon fighting. I made the same mistake until just recently when I realized that a rapier is in fact a finesse but not light weapon.
You can use the Dual Wielder feat to include a rapier in two-weapon fighting, but the extra point of damage per attack and +1 ac might not be worth the cost of a feat. Also, aesthetically, two rapiers just seems weird; two shortswords or a shortsword and a dagger feels more appropriate.