The rogue is definitely the class that does the most damage in d&d! Especially if she / he have the snack attack assured every turn.
If i were to make a Rogue OP, i would do it like this:
Race : high elf (+2 dex +1 int + cantrip)
Weapon: Rapier 1d8 + dex + sneak attack
Subclass: Arcane Trickster (DEX - INT - COS)
Since the thief has only one attack why not make it become a magical attack too. Bomming blade, Green-flame blade or Glacial blade. which give damage that adds to the sneak attack and this damage increases with the level!
SHADOW BLADE (this is surely the spell of excellence) You weave together threads of shadow to create a sword of solidified gloom in your hand. This magic sword lasts until the spell ends (1 min = 10 rounds). It counts as a simple melee weapon with which you are proficient. It deals 2d8 psychic damage on a hit and has the finesse, light, and thrown properties (range 20/60). In addition, when you use the sword to attack a target that is in dim light or darkness, you make the attack roll with advantage.
So the arcane Trickster at level 13 I would have this ability:
Versatile Trickster At 13th level, you gain the ability to distract targets with your Mage Hand. As a bonus action on your turn, you can designate a creature within 5 feet of the spectral hand created by the spell. Doing so gives you advantage on attack rolls against that creature until the end of the turn.
The Feats not to be missed are:
MOBILE: Your speed increases by 10 feet. When you use the Dash action, difficult terrain doesn’t cost you extra movement on that turn. When you make a melee attack against a creature, you don’t provoke opportunity attacks from that creature for the rest of the turn, whether you hit or not.
ELVEN ACCURACY: Increase your Dexterity, Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma score by 1, to a maximum of 20. Whenever you have advantage on an attack roll using Dexterity, Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma, you can reroll one of the dice once.
Mobile :This feat allows the rogue not to have to use the bonus action for disengage and so use it for the "Versatile Trickster" skill, and thus have an advantage every turn.
Elven accuracy: Since I've now secured the advantage every turn, with this feat I can make sure I hit and INCREASE THE CHANCE TO HAVE A CRITIC! The critic allows you to roll double the dice, thus also the sneak attack.
To conclude since I made a thief with a good score in int I can take 2 levels of Wizard Bladesinging.
Bladesong Starting at 2nd level, you can invoke an elven magic called the Bladesong, provided that you aren’t wearing medium or heavy armor or using a shield. It graces you with supernatural speed, agility, and focus.You can use a bonus action to start the Bladesong, which lasts for 1 minute. It ends early if you are incapacitated, if you don medium or heavy armor or a shield, or if you use two hands to make an attack with a weapon. You can also dismiss the Bladesong at any time (no action required).
While your Bladesong is active, you gain the following benefits:
You gain a bonus to your AC equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of +1) Your walking speed increases by 10 feet. You have advantage on Dexterity (Acrobatics) checks. You gain a bonus to any Constitution saving throw you make to maintain your concentration on a spell. The bonus equals your Intelligence modifier (minimum of +1).
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses of it when you finish a long rest.
The rogue is definitely the class that does the most damage in d&d! Especially if she / he have the snack attack assured every turn.
If i were to make a Rogue OP, i would do it like this:
Race : high elf (+2 dex +1 int + cantrip)
Weapon: Rapier 1d8 + dex + sneak attack
Subclass: Arcane Trickster (DEX - INT - COS)
Since the thief has only one attack why not make it become a magical attack too. Bomming blade, Green-flame blade or Glacial blade. which give damage that adds to the sneak attack and this damage increases with the level!
SHADOW BLADE (this is surely the spell of excellence) You weave together threads of shadow to create a sword of solidified gloom in your hand. This magic sword lasts until the spell ends (1 min = 10 rounds). It counts as a simple melee weapon with which you are proficient. It deals 2d8 psychic damage on a hit and has the finesse, light, and thrown properties (range 20/60). In addition, when you use the sword to attack a target that is in dim light or darkness, you make the attack roll with advantage.
So the arcane Trickster at level 13 I would have this ability:
Versatile Trickster At 13th level, you gain the ability to distract targets with your Mage Hand. As a bonus action on your turn, you can designate a creature within 5 feet of the spectral hand created by the spell. Doing so gives you advantage on attack rolls against that creature until the end of the turn.
The Feats not to be missed are:
MOBILE: Your speed increases by 10 feet. When you use the Dash action, difficult terrain doesn’t cost you extra movement on that turn. When you make a melee attack against a creature, you don’t provoke opportunity attacks from that creature for the rest of the turn, whether you hit or not.
ELVEN ACCURACY: Increase your Dexterity, Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma score by 1, to a maximum of 20. Whenever you have advantage on an attack roll using Dexterity, Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma, you can reroll one of the dice once.
Mobile :This feat allows the rogue not to have to use the bonus action for disengage and so use it for the "Versatile Trickster" skill, and thus have an advantage every turn.
Elven accuracy: Since I've now secured the advantage every turn, with this feat I can make sure I hit and INCREASE THE CHANCE TO HAVE A CRITIC! The critic allows you to roll double the dice, thus also the sneak attack.
To conclude since I made a thief with a good score in int I can take 2 levels of Wizard Bladesinging.
Bladesong Starting at 2nd level, you can invoke an elven magic called the Bladesong, provided that you aren’t wearing medium or heavy armor or using a shield. It graces you with supernatural speed, agility, and focus.You can use a bonus action to start the Bladesong, which lasts for 1 minute. It ends early if you are incapacitated, if you don medium or heavy armor or a shield, or if you use two hands to make an attack with a weapon. You can also dismiss the Bladesong at any time (no action required).
While your Bladesong is active, you gain the following benefits:
You gain a bonus to your AC equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of +1) Your walking speed increases by 10 feet. You have advantage on Dexterity (Acrobatics) checks. You gain a bonus to any Constitution saving throw you make to maintain your concentration on a spell. The bonus equals your Intelligence modifier (minimum of +1).
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses of it when you finish a long rest.
Critics? That's what I am. And glacial blade must be homebrew. It's also not entirely a rogue with a wiz dip.
A popular attack combination is being nerfed in Dungeons & Dragons' next expansion. Earlier this week, Dungeons & Dragons released a set of errata for its older publications, to reflect some revisions being made in the upcoming expansion Tasha's Cauldron of Everything. One of the more notable changes is to the spell booming blade, a popular cantrip used by many melee spellcasters. The spell was revised to remove its synchronicity with several feats and other spells, mostly through changing its range and component cost. Notably, the errata revealed that booming blade could no longer be stacked with the spell shadow blade, as booming blade now requires a material component - a melee weapon worth at least 1 silver piece.
Previously, a player could cast shadow blade as a bonus action and then booming blade as an action and stack the damage on the two spells. This was a particularly popular combination for Arcane Trickster rogues, who could also throw in their Sneak Attack damage for even more damage when using the shadow blade in dim light or darkness.
Because of its ability to force opponents to either stay where they are or take damage when they willingly moves, booming blade is a popular cantrip. Although the revisions to booming blade somewhat nerfs the spell (it's no longer eligible for the twinned or distant metamagic options, nor can it be used in conjunction with the spell sniper feat), players with the war caster spell can still use it as a reaction. D&D rules designer Jeremy Crawford confirmed the spell still worked with the war caster feat on Twitter.
Fix on shadow blade and blooming blade or green blade combination, but that doesn't negate the fact that this class does a lot of damage.
Yes he's not entirely a rogue, but with only 2 wizard levels he gets a lot of bonus movement and defense, not to mention ritual magic and a few more inc. He is practically the character who can do almost everything apart from heal.
I don't get what's so special about having advantage every turn that you had to make it bright red. That should be what every rogue does every turn, not just arcane trickster. I mean, heck, its pretty much a function of [Tooltip Not Found] to grant advantage.
Rogues don't even need advantage to add Sneak Attack to their damage. If you're insisting they engage in melee, all they need to do is:
Not have disadvantage on the attack roll against the target.
Attack a target that has another enemy of theirs within 5 feet of them.
The enemy of your target isn't incapacitated.
That said, both barbarians and fighters can deal more damage than rogues. And all without casting spells, being affected by spells, or taking any feats. I don't know why you think rogues are the "best", but they're not. They're good, sure, but you should probably dial it back a bit.
I like your enthusiasm and I encourage you to go out there and wreck some monsters with your rogue build!
But I will agree with Jounichi that rogues are not an anomaly. Their damage is simply more apparent in that big handful of Sneak Attack dice. I encourage you to explore what you can do with a Fighter or Barbarian with an eye for damage. Fighters and Barbarians stack their static mods through multiple hits, which really adds up from flat bonuses from Fighting Style or Rage as well as magic weapon bonuses. You may also be interested in Hexblade and Paladin. All of these classes can achieve the kinds of numbers you show here - there is no clear winner in the damage game.
Even the Monk which is most often maligned as doing poor damage is up in the same general range for damage roughly. At least when it comes to what their typical sustainable base attacks can do. It's just a matter of if you see 1 or 2 larger numbers or if you see several smaller numbers doing that damage.
A popular attack combination is being nerfed in Dungeons & Dragons' next expansion. Earlier this week, Dungeons & Dragons released a set of errata for its older publications, to reflect some revisions being made in the upcoming expansion Tasha's Cauldron of Everything.
Upcoming expansion? That book was released four months ago.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
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The rogue is definitely the class that does the most damage in d&d! Especially if she / he have the snack attack assured every turn.
If i were to make a Rogue OP, i would do it like this:
Race : high elf (+2 dex +1 int + cantrip)
Weapon: Rapier 1d8 + dex + sneak attack
Subclass: Arcane Trickster (DEX - INT - COS)
Since the thief has only one attack why not make it become a magical attack too. Bomming blade, Green-flame blade or Glacial blade. which give damage that adds to the sneak attack and this damage increases with the level!
SHADOW BLADE (this is surely the spell of excellence)
You weave together threads of shadow to create a sword of solidified gloom in your hand. This magic sword lasts until the spell ends (1 min = 10 rounds). It counts as a simple melee weapon with which you are proficient. It deals 2d8 psychic damage on a hit and has the finesse, light, and thrown properties (range 20/60). In addition, when you use the sword to attack a target that is in dim light or darkness, you make the attack roll with advantage.
Damage: 2d8(shadow blade) + ~2d8 (cantrip) + dex + 5d6 (sneak attack lev 10)
So the arcane Trickster at level 13 I would have this ability:
Versatile Trickster
At 13th level, you gain the ability to distract targets with your Mage Hand. As a bonus action on your turn, you can designate a creature within 5 feet of the spectral hand created by the spell. Doing so gives you advantage on attack rolls against that creature until the end of the turn.
The Feats not to be missed are:
MOBILE:
Your speed increases by 10 feet.
When you use the Dash action, difficult terrain doesn’t cost you extra movement on that turn.
When you make a melee attack against a creature, you don’t provoke opportunity attacks from that creature for the rest of the turn, whether you hit or not.
ELVEN ACCURACY:
Increase your Dexterity, Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
Whenever you have advantage on an attack roll using Dexterity, Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma, you can reroll one of the dice once.
Mobile :This feat allows the rogue not to have to use the bonus action for disengage and so use it for the "Versatile Trickster" skill, and thus have an advantage every turn.
Elven accuracy: Since I've now secured the advantage every turn, with this feat I can make sure I hit and INCREASE THE CHANCE TO HAVE A CRITIC! The critic allows you to roll double the dice, thus also the sneak attack.
Damage: 2d8(shadow blade) + ~3d8 (cantrip) + dex + 7d6 (sneak attack lev 13)
Critical damage : 4d8(shadow blade) + ~6d8 (cantrip) + dex + 14d6 (sneak attack lev 13)
To conclude since I made a thief with a good score in int I can take 2 levels of Wizard Bladesinging.
Bladesong
Starting at 2nd level, you can invoke an elven magic called the Bladesong, provided that you aren’t wearing medium or heavy armor or using a shield. It graces you with supernatural speed, agility, and focus.You can use a bonus action to start the Bladesong, which lasts for 1 minute. It ends early if you are incapacitated, if you don medium or heavy armor or a shield, or if you use two hands to make an attack with a weapon. You can also dismiss the Bladesong at any time (no action required).
While your Bladesong is active, you gain the following benefits:
You gain a bonus to your AC equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of +1)
Your walking speed increases by 10 feet.
You have advantage on Dexterity (Acrobatics) checks.
You gain a bonus to any Constitution saving throw you make to maintain your concentration on a spell. The bonus equals your Intelligence modifier (minimum of +1).
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses of it when you finish a long rest.
Speed = 40 (50) feet each turns
AC = Dex + Light armor + (Int) + prof (Defensive Duelist) = 10 + 5(dex) + 1 (armor) + 5(int) + 6 (prof) = ~27
AC = Dex + magic armor+ (Int) + prof (Defensive Duelist) = 10 + 5(dex) + 3 (magic armor) + 5(int) + 6 (prof) + 2 (BRACERS OF DEFENSE)= ~31
Yes Defensive Duelist is another anomaly, it's like having the spell shield at will!
Critics? That's what I am. And glacial blade must be homebrew. It's also not entirely a rogue with a wiz dip.
I have a weird sense of humor.
I also make maps.(That's a link)
Because of its ability to force opponents to either stay where they are or take damage when they willingly moves, booming blade is a popular cantrip. Although the revisions to booming blade somewhat nerfs the spell (it's no longer eligible for the twinned or distant metamagic options, nor can it be used in conjunction with the spell sniper feat), players with the war caster spell can still use it as a reaction. D&D rules designer Jeremy Crawford confirmed the spell still worked with the war caster feat on Twitter.
Fix on shadow blade and blooming blade or green blade combination, but that doesn't negate the fact that this class does a lot of damage.
Yes he's not entirely a rogue, but with only 2 wizard levels he gets a lot of bonus movement and defense, not to mention ritual magic and a few more inc. He is practically the character who can do almost everything apart from heal.
I don't get what's so special about having advantage every turn that you had to make it bright red. That should be what every rogue does every turn, not just arcane trickster. I mean, heck, its pretty much a function of [Tooltip Not Found] to grant advantage.
Rogues don't even need advantage to add Sneak Attack to their damage. If you're insisting they engage in melee, all they need to do is:
That said, both barbarians and fighters can deal more damage than rogues. And all without casting spells, being affected by spells, or taking any feats. I don't know why you think rogues are the "best", but they're not. They're good, sure, but you should probably dial it back a bit.
I like your enthusiasm and I encourage you to go out there and wreck some monsters with your rogue build!
But I will agree with Jounichi that rogues are not an anomaly. Their damage is simply more apparent in that big handful of Sneak Attack dice. I encourage you to explore what you can do with a Fighter or Barbarian with an eye for damage. Fighters and Barbarians stack their static mods through multiple hits, which really adds up from flat bonuses from Fighting Style or Rage as well as magic weapon bonuses. You may also be interested in Hexblade and Paladin. All of these classes can achieve the kinds of numbers you show here - there is no clear winner in the damage game.
My homebrew subclasses (full list here)
(Artificer) Swordmage | Glasswright | (Barbarian) Path of the Savage Embrace
(Bard) College of Dance | (Fighter) Warlord | Cannoneer
(Monk) Way of the Elements | (Ranger) Blade Dancer
(Rogue) DaggerMaster | Inquisitor | (Sorcerer) Riftwalker | Spellfist
(Warlock) The Swarm
Even the Monk which is most often maligned as doing poor damage is up in the same general range for damage roughly. At least when it comes to what their typical sustainable base attacks can do. It's just a matter of if you see 1 or 2 larger numbers or if you see several smaller numbers doing that damage.
Upcoming expansion? That book was released four months ago.
Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.