So, I'm normally the forever DM. One of my players said they had an interest in DMing. I was like awesome I'd love to play. I've had an idea for a Bugbear Rogue for awhile that I never got to play. 

Fast forward to game night. I told him what I was playing (level 7 swashbuckler) and that I took the inspiring leader feat to help the team. He kept telling me my character is OP and I needed to do something to change it. I only have a rapier/shortsword and regular swashbuckler abilities. 

He straight up told me I was only allowed to do uncanny dodge once per combat because it's broken and wouldn't allow me to use the hide action because being able to get advantage on my attacks would make me OP. I was like so does that mean everyone else only gets 1 reaction per combat because that's what it is. 

 I was like "for real? this person just polymorphed into a giant ape how tf is me using uncanny dodge broken?"

We get into roleplay scenarios and I have expertise in Deception, Perception and Persuasion then he'll tell me to make a check like history or medicine instead to so I can convince this person about what I'm lying about. It's like why am I even here. 

I can't tell if this is just me not being used to playing or if my player is just better off not dming again. 

It's down to the DM to decide what they're ok with and some character classes are just broken. I don't allow the Shadar-Kai, race for instance.

However, you've been allowed to play rogue without that being discussed. As usual, the answer here is to talk to the DM. Explain that you made character build choices, using published rules, and now that you're playing it you're getting nerfed in a way that means you aren't enjoying it as you should. Explain that if those abilities were to be nerfed, it should have happened before you chose from the available options.

What the DM chooses for you to roll on is up to the DM. Explain your feelings that Deception feels like a pointless skill if you aren't getting to use it to deceive NPCs. If you can't Hide, however, then that's a core rule that's being denied. That's an issue.

Ultimately, you can tell the DM that you want to roll a new character, since Rogue isn't playing at is basic level in this game.

Ask yourself if you're being strictly honest, though. When I hear "bugbear" I hear "power gamer." There's little reason to take the race outside of overpowered racial abilities: there is no real flavour, lore or appeal to bugbears outside of that (what they even look like is disputable). I can see the combo you've come up with: are you unbalancing the game for the other players? Is this a bad response to another issue?

Ultimately the DM should let you have your abilities (in my opinion) and just up the combat encounters difficulty if they feel they're too easy, provided you're not dominating the game compared to the rest of the party.

I would have an out of game talk with your GM. It sounds a bit like they lack experience which you don't want to stomp on. This is your opportunity to nurture a new GM so that you don't have to do it all the time. Try to be understanding of their situation. It can be A LOT and you know what I'm talking about. 

Would recommend playing a different class until your GM has a better handle on things. 

It sounds like the DM isnt skilled at their craft, which makes sense if they are a first time DM based on what you said. If a player doesn't fit the narrative, then they try to knee cap it. You need to have a conversation with your DM. As a forever DM, you should have some idea where this is coming from. Explain that you understand where they are coming from. But calmly explain your circumstance as well. Many new DMs don't want to be bad but they also arent aware of why they would be bad.

A good DM should be able and willing to make adjustments to whatever the players are playing. But a good DM shouldn't seek to negate a players strengths. That usually comes from a nature of being overwhelmed and not knowing how to do anything on the fly. Straight up ignoring a whole base class in the game is kind of ridiculous. Were you starting at level 7? Thats a real rough way to learn. Players get a LOT of things to do at that level. People talk a lot of crap about low level play but level 1 is best for new things. But as is the case with all instances like this, I assume theres more to the story that you are not aware of or are glossing over. For example, I always ask my players what classes they are intending to play so I can simply be aware of it and prepare for it in the future. Make adjustments, etc. Maybe this conversation never happened? Sounds like gross miscommunication on both of your parts. 

It sounds like the GM is new to this. If so, they really should start at level 1.

Level 7 is where characters get a second serious bump in power. A first-time DM will be overwhelmed.

Additionally, suggest that the first time GM restrict options to one or two books. Only allowing PHB characters is a great place to learn.

A lot of DM's get intimidated by things like Sneak Attack and Advantage. They have it in their heads that Advantage is something reserved for special circumstances, and Sneak Attack seems like just from the name, something you only open an encounter with. 

Explain to them, or better yet find an article or Sage Advice thread or something, explaining that the Rogue is balanced with the assumption that they're accessing Sneak Attack more often than not, and the strength of the class is in using skills to gain advantages in battle. Their lack of multiattack is compensated for my Sneak Attack, their low hit points are compensated for by Uncanny Dodge, and their skills are part of the class identity. 

Claiming that these make the Rogue overpowered is like claiming that a Wizard accessing level 3 spells at level 5 is overpowered. 

I'd suggest having a chat with the DM out of game though it would be nice to avoid it devolving into an argument.

The issue sounds like the player is inexperienced and has no real idea how balance works for the classes. It also sounds like they may not have played much either since if they had then they would already be better acquainted with how the game mechanics work. I'm not sure how much of this you can explain to the person without stepping on toes. However, if you have DMed for them previously, and they are new to it, I am surprised that they aren't actually listening to your feedback instead of over-riding it.

In terms of the rogue character, it is NOT in any way over powered. Neither is a bugbear.

Stacking bugbear sneak attack on a crossbow expert gloomstalker ranger (ideally with sharpshooter too) is pretty optimized, especially in the first round of combat :). They are lucky that you didn't go that route though I have a person playing exactly that (bugbear xbow expert gloomstalker ranger - currently level 11) in an Out of the Abyss game I am running and even that build is NOT overpowered ... though it is good :).

Final comment though, Uncanny Dodge isn't overpowered - 1/2 damage from one attack - once/round, insignificant. If advantage from hiding is a concern, what do they do with Steady Aim? (though you don't get to move with steady aim, it does give you advantage and enable sneak attack for a ranged or melee attack). Avoiding using the skills you are good at even if they are the appropriate ones for a skill check in order to get your character to fail a skill challenge is just rude. All of these would seem to indicate that the person doesn't understand the rules of the game or how to appropriately apply them to create a fun situation for the players.

This isn't an issue with you not being used to playing. Some DMs have a trouble with not being in charge when someone else is DMing but this isn't that.

It's his first time DMing. Constructive criticism. Explain to him that it feels like he is changing Rules As Written and Intended in order to punish you for choosing a class he doesn't like. When he runs games in the future he should let all the players know about homebrew class restrictions before they make characters. 

Then your choice is to:

• Continue playing while never worrying about knowing your character will never get a fair shake.
• Ask him if there's a character he'd rather you play instead and play that one.
• Or simply say "And that's why I'm leaving your game." And move on. 

I once had a (bad) DM who didn't like that my rogue had such a high bonus in Investigation & Perception due to expertise. So he ratcheted up the DC and damage for the traps in the dungeon. He didn't let me use evasion on the dex saves from the traps. (Have to make it challenging when your modifier is so high.) Well, nobody always rolls 15+ on the dice. Two failed checks, he doesn't realize my rogue is at 1 hp. Third failed check the damage does a little over my max health. So I calmly explained that my rogue was dead. He got upset. Asking me why I would open the door with that low of health. I responded "Because my character honestly thought it wasn't trapped." And then he retconned it so that I didn't open the door. 

The moral of the story is that everyone has their own idea of what the most fun D&D is. His and mine were different. Although there was a revolving door for his groups, he did have a core group that enjoyed his DMing. I didn't. I completely stopped caring if my character survived or not. So myself and a couple of others just moved on after that game was completed, recruited new players and (hopefully) both groups had a great time after the split. I know we did. His style of DMing D&D is probably not yours so either ride it out go your separate ways. Whichever makes you happiest.