AT with maxed out Dex and Int as soon as possible.
The feats of ritual caster and magic initiate. And gather every single ritual spell, buy sell trade steal or just find them but get them all.
A good poison is not out of the question. Something to induce sleep or paralysis.
My character likes to use a short bow or rapier and gets the sneak attack bonus.
I try not to kill during personal jobs and will pay extra for good poisons to try to keep this going. Being wanted for theft is far different than being wanted for murder.
Use your sorcerer spell slots to cast spell save's and the rouges spells slots for everything else.
This is difficult in practice because the Rogue is limited to mostly illusions and enchantments. Spells like shield, protection from evil and good and feather fall are going to need to be on the sorcerer list
A level 5 arcane trickster rogue apart from the base rogue things can use an invisible mage hand (gith can do this) and cast level 1 spells... level 1 spells let that sink in. So I thought to myself, "Hmmm maybe due to their limited spell casting it should be used for buffs instead, helping to give an advantage in getting in and out of combat." so I looked at the level one spells on offer. If i was a building a thief character what would benefit me: Silent image, feather fall, expeditious retreat (useless since rogues can already bonus action dash), shield, disguise self (useless disguise kit), find familiar (useful for scouting not like the wizard cant do that), long stride (10 feet really isn't worth one of your little spell slots) and bla bla going for spells that buff and could possibly help me achieve peak ROUGENESS because gaining attack spells have little to no use. The highest damage spell you can achieve is a burning hands which is a genuine good spell but it doesn't bring anything to the rogue playstyle. You are sacrificing 3d6 consistent damage for free on top of weapon attacks by going something like swashbuckler for a 1 time 3d6 limp dick casting of burning hands of which the wizard next to you is already upcasting. At the end of the day do what you want and maybe the class comes into itself at later levels and as a concept ye arcane trickster is cool but practically I think the subclass was made the wrong way and maybe if it had class specific spells or maybe it could sneak attack on spells which would be insane but instead its dead weight that can do a little of rogue and a pixy dick of wizard coming out as a watered down salt water.
This is not an attack on people who love this class, this is me voicing my frustration from my party members picking this class to spam fire bolt and complain they deal no damage. If you want to cast spells and be sneaky make a wizard and mess with it. If you want to use spells to be a better rogue make a wizard friend or multiclass this isn't the arcane trickster for you
I love Wizard/Rogue multiclass but a single-classed AT is loads of fun. I've never had firebolt on a Rogue, but an Arcane Trickster with Booming Blade and Green Flame Blade will outdamage any other single-classed Rogue build in melee if he does nothing else.
You missed the best parts of the mage hand which are specific to the Rogue:
1. He can use thieves tools with it - disarm the trap and pick the lock from 30 feet away - so you don't get damaged by that Glyph of warding
2. He can use a contested slight of hand with it to steal things - steal the enemy Wizards spell focus or the quiver of arrows from the Archer during combat.
3. You can use it as a bonus action, so steal something as above, drop some caltrops, tie a rope to an enemies ankles or pour some oil on him before you hit him with Green Flame Blade any of these in addition to your normal action
The Mage hand can be tricky to use in combat because even though it uses a bonus action to use, it takes an action to cast it. However you cast it before you open the door, or you cast it on a turn you can't get sneak attack for some reason (no advantage or ally threatening)
As far as level 1 spells go remember most of them are illusions or enchantments, among those the following are useful at all levels provided you have a good intelligence:
Illusions/Enchantments:
Charm Person - The king of social spells.
Disguise Self - Better than a disguise kit because you can change your height, it takes less time and you don't need proficiency
Tasha's laughter - if you win initiativve and do not have sneak attack put down an enemy for several turns until they save .... once they save they are prone, go over and stab them with advantage
Silent Image - Can't get sneak attack? Maybe you are poisoned or Frightened or blinded and have disadvantage? Put up an illusion of a wall between you and the enemy. Now you are unseen which gives you advantage and cancels any disadvantage. Additionally enemies can't see you and have disadvantage attacking you.
Those are some of the best illusions and enchantments at 1st level, but here are some others to compete for your
non-illusion/enchantment spell:
1. Absorb elements - Best non-illusion/enchantment for an AT below level 7. Great at 5th level because you do not have evasion yet and uncanny dodge does not work unless it is an attack. Not as good at 7+, but at level 7 you can trade it for misty step, web, flaming sphere or one of the spells below.
2. Catapult - My personal favorite non-illusion/enchantment on an AT. You are already carrying oil and holy water for use with your mage hand, throw in some acid, alchemists fire and a net. Catapult one of those bad boys for 3d8+whatever damage or effect is done by the oil/holy water/acid/alchemists Fire/net. With Acid or holy water, this is more damage than a sneak attack will do at 5th level and with alchemists fire it will get there quick. Additionally you line up 2 or more enemies when you use it so if the first one makes his save, the object keeps going and the next one has to save, if he saves the third in the line has to savve ......
3. protection from good and evil - immune to charm, frighten form a lot of enemies and disadvantage on attacks too those same enemies.
4. unseen servant - tons of possibilities in and out of combat
Cunning action gives you that extra bonus action. I do not always use it but it does come in handy.
Uncanny dodge lets you reduce any incoming damage to yourself, that you see coming, in half by using your reaction.
Evasion lets you remove all damage from an area effect with a successful Dex save.
Reliable talent, all proficiency checks never role under a 10 on a D20.
The thief was never meant to go toe to toe with some raged out barbarian. But used from a distance he can make the barbarian really work for the kill. The AT gets spells to make this even harder.
Cunning action gives you that extra bonus action. I do not always use it but it does come in handy.
Not sure if you meant it the way it's worded, but Cunning Action does not give you an extra bonus action. It just gives you more things you can do with your one bonus action.
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AT with maxed out Dex and Int as soon as possible.
The feats of ritual caster and magic initiate. And gather every single ritual spell, buy sell trade steal or just find them but get them all.
A good poison is not out of the question. Something to induce sleep or paralysis.
My character likes to use a short bow or rapier and gets the sneak attack bonus.
I try not to kill during personal jobs and will pay extra for good poisons to try to keep this going. Being wanted for theft is far different than being wanted for murder.
This is difficult in practice because the Rogue is limited to mostly illusions and enchantments. Spells like shield, protection from evil and good and feather fall are going to need to be on the sorcerer list
I love Wizard/Rogue multiclass but a single-classed AT is loads of fun. I've never had firebolt on a Rogue, but an Arcane Trickster with Booming Blade and Green Flame Blade will outdamage any other single-classed Rogue build in melee if he does nothing else.
You missed the best parts of the mage hand which are specific to the Rogue:
1. He can use thieves tools with it - disarm the trap and pick the lock from 30 feet away - so you don't get damaged by that Glyph of warding
2. He can use a contested slight of hand with it to steal things - steal the enemy Wizards spell focus or the quiver of arrows from the Archer during combat.
3. You can use it as a bonus action, so steal something as above, drop some caltrops, tie a rope to an enemies ankles or pour some oil on him before you hit him with Green Flame Blade any of these in addition to your normal action
The Mage hand can be tricky to use in combat because even though it uses a bonus action to use, it takes an action to cast it. However you cast it before you open the door, or you cast it on a turn you can't get sneak attack for some reason (no advantage or ally threatening)
As far as level 1 spells go remember most of them are illusions or enchantments, among those the following are useful at all levels provided you have a good intelligence:
Illusions/Enchantments:
Charm Person - The king of social spells.
Disguise Self - Better than a disguise kit because you can change your height, it takes less time and you don't need proficiency
Tasha's laughter - if you win initiativve and do not have sneak attack put down an enemy for several turns until they save .... once they save they are prone, go over and stab them with advantage
Silent Image - Can't get sneak attack? Maybe you are poisoned or Frightened or blinded and have disadvantage? Put up an illusion of a wall between you and the enemy. Now you are unseen which gives you advantage and cancels any disadvantage. Additionally enemies can't see you and have disadvantage attacking you.
Those are some of the best illusions and enchantments at 1st level, but here are some others to compete for your
non-illusion/enchantment spell:
1. Absorb elements - Best non-illusion/enchantment for an AT below level 7. Great at 5th level because you do not have evasion yet and uncanny dodge does not work unless it is an attack. Not as good at 7+, but at level 7 you can trade it for misty step, web, flaming sphere or one of the spells below.
2. Catapult - My personal favorite non-illusion/enchantment on an AT. You are already carrying oil and holy water for use with your mage hand, throw in some acid, alchemists fire and a net. Catapult one of those bad boys for 3d8+whatever damage or effect is done by the oil/holy water/acid/alchemists Fire/net. With Acid or holy water, this is more damage than a sneak attack will do at 5th level and with alchemists fire it will get there quick. Additionally you line up 2 or more enemies when you use it so if the first one makes his save, the object keeps going and the next one has to save, if he saves the third in the line has to savve ......
3. protection from good and evil - immune to charm, frighten form a lot of enemies and disadvantage on attacks too those same enemies.
4. unseen servant - tons of possibilities in and out of combat
Cunning action gives you that extra bonus action. I do not always use it but it does come in handy.
Uncanny dodge lets you reduce any incoming damage to yourself, that you see coming, in half by using your reaction.
Evasion lets you remove all damage from an area effect with a successful Dex save.
Reliable talent, all proficiency checks never role under a 10 on a D20.
The thief was never meant to go toe to toe with some raged out barbarian. But used from a distance he can make the barbarian really work for the kill. The AT gets spells to make this even harder.
I believe this only works on attacks, not all damage.
Not sure if you meant it the way it's worded, but Cunning Action does not give you an extra bonus action. It just gives you more things you can do with your one bonus action.