I'm making a rogue character for a future campaign who's greatly inspired by characters like Batman and Catwoman. And while I have equipped the character with typical Rogue weapons and gear, I'm curious if Rogues can be good at hand to hand combat as well, like Batman and Catwoman? Or is hand to hand combat a monk style? What would hand to hand combat fall under?
If you're asking about unarmed strikes (punches, elbowing, kicking, etc), then no. Rogues cannot be "good" at unarmed strikes, even if they multiclass. They will never be able to Sneak Attack with unarmed strikes, they will normally have to focus on Strength to deal decent damage with them (possibly snagging Tavern Brawler to be a bit better at them).
Rogues focus on Sneak Attack, and no current Rogue in 5e can sneak attack with Unarmed Strikes.
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Please check out my homebrew, I would appreciate feedback:
I would strongly recommend a Shadow Monk or Open Hand Monk for the brawling, Batman feel.
Specifically, the Shadow Monk provides all the required tools an ambusher like Batman would utilize (including stealth "spells" like Darkness or Pass Without Trace.
A monks ability to mitigate fall damage makes for a "gliding" like ability to leap from buildings.
"Stunning Strike" is also very much like Batman...it incapacitates the target (rather than explicitly kill them...though any class can choose to do damage non-lethally).
Likewise, the "monk weapon" damage scales with not only unarmed strikes, but any simple weapons...so your daggers can still be used as thrown equivalents when you don't want to punch.
Still, a level or two in Rogue doesn't hurt...the "Expertise" they get for just one level gives them good skill use.
Rogues are excellent melee combatants. Are you asking about punching and kicking?
He clearly is talking about unarmed combat, since he says 'hand to hand' twice and gives Batman and Catwoman as examples.
Hand to hand generally means melee combat, particularly especially short range melee combat, not specifically unarmed. Both Batman and Catwoman have used a mix of unarmed and weapon based combat.
Catwoman occasionally uses claws, but they are a martial arts weapon and usually built into the costume. If they count as weapons, so do Tabaxi claws and Aarakocra talons. Other than in the very very beginning (when he actually did occasionally use a gun and even hit someone over the head with a wrench), or some obscure alternative versions, Batman melees unarmed.
Catwoman has frequently made use of a whip. As for Batman, while he almost always goes unarmed for melee, he has been known to make use of weapons when the situation calls for them.
Catwoman occasionally uses claws, but they are a martial arts weapon and usually built into the costume. If they count as weapons, so do Tabaxi claws and Aarakocra talons. Other than in the very very beginning (when he actually did occasionally use a gun and even hit someone over the head with a wrench), or some obscure alternative versions, Batman melees unarmed.
Catwoman has frequently made use of a whip. As for Batman, while he almost always goes unarmed for melee, he has been known to make use of weapons when the situation calls for them.
Catwoman's claws are melee weapons in the way brass knuckles are. Tabaxi claws are part of their body, they count as unarmed strikes.
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"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
-Ilyara Thundertale
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I'm making a rogue character for a future campaign who's greatly inspired by characters like Batman and Catwoman. And while I have equipped the character with typical Rogue weapons and gear, I'm curious if Rogues can be good at hand to hand combat as well, like Batman and Catwoman? Or is hand to hand combat a monk style? What would hand to hand combat fall under?
I think you're wording your question incorrectly.
Rogues are excellent melee combatants. Are you asking about punching and kicking?
"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
-Ilyara Thundertale
If you're asking about unarmed strikes (punches, elbowing, kicking, etc), then no. Rogues cannot be "good" at unarmed strikes, even if they multiclass. They will never be able to Sneak Attack with unarmed strikes, they will normally have to focus on Strength to deal decent damage with them (possibly snagging Tavern Brawler to be a bit better at them).
Rogues focus on Sneak Attack, and no current Rogue in 5e can sneak attack with Unarmed Strikes.
Please check out my homebrew, I would appreciate feedback:
Spells, Monsters, Subclasses, Races, Arcknight Class, Occultist Class, World, Enigmatic Esoterica forms
I allow monk/rogues to SA with unarmed, but it is up to your DM.
“I will take responsibility for what I have done. [...] If must fall, I will rise each time a better man.” ― Brandon Sanderson, Oathbringer.
Yes, the RAW this is not allowed, but any DM can rule that you can do so.
Please check out my homebrew, I would appreciate feedback:
Spells, Monsters, Subclasses, Races, Arcknight Class, Occultist Class, World, Enigmatic Esoterica forms
exactly.
“I will take responsibility for what I have done. [...] If must fall, I will rise each time a better man.” ― Brandon Sanderson, Oathbringer.
Same. I find it annoying that something this basic is not RAW, but I try not to let RAW ruin a player's fun.
She/Her Player and Dungeon Master
I would strongly recommend a Shadow Monk or Open Hand Monk for the brawling, Batman feel.
Specifically, the Shadow Monk provides all the required tools an ambusher like Batman would utilize (including stealth "spells" like Darkness or Pass Without Trace.
A monks ability to mitigate fall damage makes for a "gliding" like ability to leap from buildings.
"Stunning Strike" is also very much like Batman...it incapacitates the target (rather than explicitly kill them...though any class can choose to do damage non-lethally).
Likewise, the "monk weapon" damage scales with not only unarmed strikes, but any simple weapons...so your daggers can still be used as thrown equivalents when you don't want to punch.
Still, a level or two in Rogue doesn't hurt...the "Expertise" they get for just one level gives them good skill use.
Hand to hand generally means melee combat, particularly especially short range melee combat, not specifically unarmed. Both Batman and Catwoman have used a mix of unarmed and weapon based combat.
OK. I'll just use stealth and weapons. Thanks guys.
Catwoman has frequently made use of a whip. As for Batman, while he almost always goes unarmed for melee, he has been known to make use of weapons when the situation calls for them.
Catwoman's claws are melee weapons in the way brass knuckles are. Tabaxi claws are part of their body, they count as unarmed strikes.
"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
-Ilyara Thundertale