I like Ranger as an option for Rogues. Fog Cloud + Blind Fighting is a nice mix for a melee Rogue, Pass Without Trace and Silence are great Rogue spells too. Fey Wanderer (party face!) or Monster Hunter are a nice match for Inquisitive. I also like Soul Knife with Swarmkeeper, reflavoring the psychic abilities as part of the swarm. Shadow Monk works with pretty much any Rogue - Pass Without Trace and Silence again, and bonus action teleport plus attack with advantage. Arcane Tricksters can pick up Devil's Sight from the Eldritch Adept feat to see through Darkness. Inquisitive and Stars Druid is another interesting mix - the Dragon Starry Form provides a minimum 10 to int and wis checks which ties in nicely with the core Inquisitive features and kicks in much earlier than Reliable Talent.
I just thought of multi-classing this with either The Mastermind rogue or the inquisitive rogue and have that character the leader of that small City or large city
Hexblade is super fun with a swashbuckler. Medium armour, shields, and being able to use charisma for attacks and damage pairs nicely with the charisma abilities of the swashbuckler. And booming blade is a perfect fit with fancy footwork. Run in, tag them, and run away safely knowing they’ll be taking a bunch of thunder damage if they try to pursue you.
I just thought of multi-classing this with either The Mastermind rogue or the inquisitive rogue and have that character the leader of that small City or large city
I’m doing a scout rogue and circle of the moon druid as a treasure hunter that wildshapes into animals in order to better explore caves and ruins or to turn into an animal and scout out the areas for the party ahead of time
I haven’t played as this character yet, but they are a Phantom Rogue / Hexblade Warlock. He’s a shadar-kai elf serving under the Raven Queen on a mission to eliminate a powerful lich. I chose to make Charisma my highest stat with Dexterity being the 2nd highest. Since Warlocks can cast Darkness and get the Devil Sight Invocation, you’ll always have guaranteed sneak attack against the creature you placed Hexblade’s Curse on. I plan on casting Darkness on a token of mine, using Ghost Walk to hide the Darkness by going into a wall/floor, popping out right behind my cursed target, and sneak attacking with Staggering Smite to prevent reactions and a 10% chance to crit for an insane amount of dmg. So, in an ideal situation: Lvl 13 Phantom Rogue / Lvl 7 Hexblade Warlock 1d8 dmg from rapier for 8 dmg Add Cha modifier for +5 dmg +6 dmg from proficiency bonus for rapier +6 dmg from Hexblade’s Curse proficiency bonus 4d6 from Staggering Smite for 24 dmg 7d6 sneak attack at lvl 13 rogue would do 42 dmg 91 x 2 = 182 dmg Even if we take the average rolls, I’d still do 108 dmg, which is nothing to sneeze at
I am starting to play a Shadar-Kai Hexblade who recently dipped into Rogue. I haven't decided which way to go if/when I get to 3rd lvl rogue as warlock is the primary class. He is being built as a super-spy with "mask of 1000 faces" and other deception skills (roleplay heavy table), and of course I have the darkness/devils sight loaded for when things go south. If anyone reads this and has thoughts of a good "spy" build using one of the rogue subclasses, please share with the rest of us!
I hadn't considered the Echo Knight with a Rogue's Sneak Attack! That's really cool. The echo/phantom theme is amazing, too. I'm adding this idea to my article.
Battlemaster is very efficient providing a lot of ways to trigger Sneak Attack twice per Round since Sneak Attack can only normally attack once per turn.
Me too! I made an anti-archmage article and video that talks about planning ahead by swiping key components from a dreaded spellcaster. They go to cast their big spell but find missing or counterfeit ingredients. Super fun to plan.
Mine was an Arcane Trickster (though he was an Assassin+Wizard during the 5e playtest)! I love Rogues. I have additional ideas in my article if you watch the video and want more ideas. I tried to use the ideas that seemed best for the video (for the sake of time).
Hex is strong on an inquisitive, targeting charisma for the insightful fighting ability and then enjoying the extra damage too. Make it a genie warlock and add you PB in damage each turn. Also having the Genie’s respite give you a place to safely store clues and files.
I love it! Hex is helpful in this way and I like the Genie Warlock. The damage boost is icing on the cake. I added the idea to my article and credited you.
Ah shucks, you are correct. I misremembered how the errata for the PHB addressed this. You're right that a free hand is required to use ammunition even if the "Loading" property is ignored (which essentially means you can fire the weapon more than once with multiple attacks on a turn). Scratch my comment about crossbows and shields.
i love your approach to this! so much more positive & creative than the usual “this is objectively good” or “this sucks.” i swear so many people think d&d is a competition.
I came up with a rogue assassin /monk Kensei concept for one of my characters. I plan on taking 15 levels of the rogue assassin and 5 in monk Kensei to get proficiency in extra weapons that can then be used as monk weapons allowing the use of dex instead of strength and to get an extra attack. I chose a variant human to get the skulker feat and took the faceless background to switch between rogue and monk personas for some anonymity.
Sounds fun! Are you wanting the Monk weapon proficiencies for mechanical benefits or to have weapon variety? It's notable that Sneak Attack will still depend on a finesse weapon if you're going melee, even if you're using Dex for attacks on a non-finesse weapon.
Not Optimized but was a fun concept to play…. A Rogue AT had as a backstory that a powerful being wanted to capture them. Rolled at each level up after 2 to see if we added a level of rogue or shadow sorcerer, which meant they were losing a part of their soul to the BBEG of the personal quest.
One of Opal's first articles was about how she loves multiclassing Rogue+Fighter. So much fun to be had. She's made like five characters who were different Rogue+Fighter combinations. :P
@@FlutesLoot roleplay wise my character was adopted by an assassin clan that is also trained by Tengu which I would consider a type of Archfey. Figured I'd go with a backstory and training to fit the theme. But basically he's a very good infiltrator and deceiver plus with the lvl 6 ability for Shadow Monks I'd say he has good balance.
I'm about to try out a rouge phantom mixed with a grave cleric. Using "path to the grave" for double DPS on a sneak attack or big hit from another player. After a sneak attack also using "Wails from the grave" to do additional DPS on another target or same target sense DM said I could. So sneak, X2 DPS & half of what I did in necrotic on top. (Outside of crazy early DPS, I can save others and buff my self or others)
Thanks for the nice conzepts again flutes. I wanted to make a suggestion as well since i'm playing it right now. For every race without darkvision 1 Level into Twilight Domain Cleric makes some great Roleplaying concept being a executive priest of a more shady god. try it guys i have lots of fun with it being a grey ribbon of mask. (imagine being a nightingale or member of the dark brotherhood)
Absolutely! As you implied, Skyrim did a great job with roguish syndicates that involve deities and deidra. The Twilight Cleric is an incredible one-level dip because you get so much with it.
I've been fond of the wood elf rogue/ranger multiclass since 3E/Pathfinder 1E. Sneakiness, good outdoors, can get a pet and sneak attack with bows, short swords, and knives. Even stack fighter on top of it.
What about MC with bladesinger 6 for the cantrip-able extra attack, bladesong for AC and Concentration bonus and lots of utility spells + familiar advantage? Maybe even squeezing fighter 2 or 3 If campaign goes to high levels. Rogue 10-12 and the rest bs or FG. Still figuring out which rogue archetype would fit best, probably arcane trickster for an upcast or two.
I did a Mastermind Rogue/Alchemist Artificer, flavoring him to be a very William James Moriarty-like character. A brilliant mathematician who knows all about potions and poisons, and uses his wits and ability to deceive or persuade in order to guide victims of heinous crimes in order to help them get their revenge on those who wronged them, setting up "perfect crimes". When he needs to fight, he has with his 4 level Artificer dip the ability to fire off his pistol with Repeating Shot infusion, meaning any kill he made was done without using any physical ammunition, thus leaving no evidence to trace.
The crossbow expert feat doesn't let you ignore loading the crossbow, it let's you ignore the 'loading' property which means you can attack more than once in a round with a crossbow now. You still need a free hand to load the crossbow and you still need to load ammunition into it.
revisited this video. sword bard, swashbuckler. half elf high elf. booming blade. a thespian stage preformer with "stage magic" and combat training for swashbucklers sword play. two weapon fighting. hit with a balde flourish and then booming blade? or hit and run with swashbuckler? and sentinel feat for opportunity attacks and control the stage. or war caster. 14bard 6 rogue maybe
An idea I had was a warforged phantom rogue 11 / ancestral guardian barbarian 9 who is a wooden manifestation of death and decay. Your ancestors could be spirit's of plants and animals or even a dried that's disconnected from the source of it's magic. The idea of a character that is based of nature's wrath sounds fun to me
@@FlutesLoot more of an even split, I played it as a test build in a fairly high level one shot but the build is super fun, you could lean the character really in either direction, getting 5 in fighter just for the extra attack is nice though. Three attacks counting the bonus action is a decent number of dice to try and crit fish with. Edit: If I remember right it was a level 14 one shot and I went with 6 levels of fighter and 8 in Swashbuckler with the mobility, alert feats and dual wielder. Two weapon fighting style with a pair of rapiers with mobility made her an absolute terror to deal with especially with a bard as backup. (edit because I went into my files and pulled up the actual build)
I recommend one level of Arcana Cleric. You only need to gain the bonus spells, particularly Booming Blade. Level-one Cleric spells are fantastic, so you'll always have uses for them, plus a slight boost to your spell slot progression for an Arcane Trickster. If I were to invest in more Cleric levels because higher-level Rogue features weren't sounding interesting, I'd probably go for six levels of Arcana Cleric, possibly nine. It would mostly be for the additional spells. Taking two levels of Paladin for Divine Smite options could be awesome too if I went for more Cleric levels. Alternatively, you could be a High Elf so you can get the cantrip that way instead of multiclassing.
I'm building a thief and considering the ranger multiclass But idk if delaying evasion is good, and then delaying the lvl 8 ASI, and then delaying the level 10 ASI Idk when would i split off I was thinking I'll decide if i multiclass aftwr i hit uncanny dodge
I’m looking into making a character that’s primarily a wizard but dipping into rogue for some of the reasons stated here as well as some backstory elements. Would anyone recommend whether I stay at level 2 in rogue for cunning action or is it worth the third level to go arcane trickster? I haven’t multiclassed much with spellcasters.
I'd probably stop at two levels of Rogue in this case. I really like the Wizard's Spell Mastery feature at level 18. If I were to grab a third level of Rogue for a subclass, I'd consider Mastermind. Using the Help action as a bonus action at range is pretty cool for a Wizard since Wizards don't always use their bonus actions. I'd also consider the Thief subclass for Fast Hands. Swashbuckler would also be great for a boost to Initiative rolls if your Charisma is ok with Rakish Audacity, but Fancy Footwork can also be useful if you make a melee spell attack and want to move away from an enemy freely with your bonus action remaining. Arcane Trickster is ok if you enjoy using Mage Hand and would use it often as a bonus action with Mage Hand Legerdemain. Scout's Skirmisher ability can help you stay out of harm's way if a bruiser gets in your face. Great options!
You can go for the not much talked, swashbuckler Samurai. Rogue fighter. Swashbuckler gives advantage alone, then you get advantage when you are with teammates, for anything else, you got Samurai. Both also have a small dependency on charisma which you can justify to bump as your third stat. Then you have the Battle mastermind tactician. Go fae hobgoblin for the extra flavor help action, mastermind rogue allows you to do that at range, then battle Master for doing other control maneuvers. Then if you have it you can go for the UA tandem tactician for a broken combination of helpful actions. Almost as good as the telekinetic eldritch trickster, or trickery domain eldritch trickster. Because why not.
Those sound fun! I'm not sure I'd go for Samurai since its Wisdom saving throw proficiency is redundant with the Rogue's Slippery Mind. I also prefer Steady Aim to gain advantage when I'm a ranged Rogue who doesn't have to move, but you're right that Samurai would be useful for gaining advantage in melee if it's worth the levels to the player.
Inquisitive with order cleric seems intuitive both thematically and mechanically. A law enforcmen investigator that can bonus action hold person and sbeak attack sounds nice.
so many options, you can't name them all, but arcane trickster works wel with 5 or 8 levels of paladin, combining the smite with the backstaff and more like duelling fighting style and heavy armor
I've been "saving" ideas on how my Shepherd Druid can help my Arcane Trickster Rogue, but do you have other ideas how I can work WITH him? I have a LOT of ways I can step into his lane, step on his toes--- I'm also playing with a Paladin & a Bard. In RP, my half-elf Druid is already enamored and sees the High Elf Arcane Trickster Rogue as a "mentor" "impressive" figure she's very impressed with. But....sheez...turns out, a Druid COULD do a crapload of "Rogue stuff". And I'd rather be a helpmate to him, than overshadow him.
There are heaps of ways to contribute! You can eventually fly above him for scouting or to keep an eye out. You could be a high-perception beast on his shoulder during covert operations to make sure he doesn't miss anything. Casting spells on him would be helpful, too. You'll eventually have Conjure Animals and you could create a communication chain with them by summoning critters that can make little noises to alert him of danger. You even pick fireflies for your beasts (if they exist) to provide some light or to signal one another with their lights. The best way to support the Rogue would be to discuss options with him so he can get creative. Oh and you can cast Polymorph on him to disguise him or get him into a dangerous place unnoticed. He might pick different spells knowing you can help him with gaps in his skills and tools.
@@FlutesLoot I'm super psyched to make a fig that is only a flashing led light (firefly)!!!🤣🤣🤣 Thanks for the ideas!! **There's a TON of potential synergy between a Druid & Rogue. I'm also playing with a "tanky" Paladin & a Bard...not as much with them.
I’m a 11 rogue,thief I want to go into a spell caster multi class and my second highest skill is charisma any suggestions on what I should multi class into? My Dm has given me 2 weeks to decide
Hi! Are you thinking you'll be done with Rogue levels from now on? I ask because my recommendation will depend on whether or not you plan on taking more Rogue levels later on, and what level you expect to eventually reach when your campaign concludes. I'm inclined to say Bard, but it depends.
@@FlutesLoot I want to put at least 15-16 levels into rogues, but there are not a lot of sneaky encounters we come up against a lot are just face value, but I would like to at least maybe get up to slippery mind level 15. So I was thinking sorcerer level 5 I get to pick my subclass 1st level, but if I go hard I become a BIG skill monkey I’ll have a plus 10 to Initiative. I just don’t know.
@@yomarurenaa8178 I see, thanks for explaining. Which of your stats are 13 or greater? (since you will need minimum stats for classes) You can read my Thief multiclass ideas here: www.flutesloot.com/rogue-multiclass-guide-ideas/#thief There's a lot of directions you can go. It kinda depends on what you want to get out of multiclassing: spells, utility, shapeshifting, damage, etc. If you go Sorcerer, you could go Wild Magic one level for Tides of Chaos. Divine Soul one level would be great too for Favored by the Gods, and you could get an impactful spell from the Cleric list like Bless.
@@FlutesLoot only taking the 1 level dip in sorcerer. But I do plan to take a few more on rogue for that mastermind subclass. Most of the levels will be taken in Bard before I dip back into rogue though.
I'm playing a Phantom Rogue Shadar-Kai at the moment, and I was very tempted to take a level of Twilight Cleric because it fits the theme of the Shadar-Kai and the Raven Queen while giving several useful tools for just one level of investment. It would give me martial weapons to use a heavy crossbow, advantage on Initiative checks, super darkvision, and spellcasting! I have several more ideas for these subclasses in my article: www.flutesloot.com/rogue-multiclass-guide-ideas/
Ok so like, I’ve been playing around with a concept of a Rogue healer, and now I’m thinking, what would be a fun multi class for them? I was thinking cleric but I also have no idea about how the actual play works(send help, brainrot is strong)
My video about the Thief Rogue might help you wrap your head around options. It's the subclass I'd choose for a Rogue healer: ruclips.net/video/WXr-CL-8gjk/видео.html Here's Colby at D4 with a fun build based on a Rogue healer: ruclips.net/video/_Am28IWw3-s/видео.html And here's Bilbron's video about a healer Rogue: ruclips.net/video/u86OlTOzY1Y/видео.html
I'm playing Dungeon of the Mad Mage right now with a lv16 Arcane Trickster/Ancestral Guardian - Rogue/Barbarian. It's been so much fun! Lots of out-of-combat rogue and trickster action, and in combat I'm nearly impossible to hit and dodge every fireball!
That's a fantastic combo! Advantage on those Dex saves along with potentially taking no damage feels great. Reckless Attack is great for Sneak Attack. The character sounds like it has fun options for many facets of play.
Those are two solid subclasses? Can you tell me more about what you love about this combination? I'd love to add it to my list of suggested multiclasses.
I'm currently running a Tempest Cleric multiclassing into Swashbuckler Rogue. I don't know how well the synergy here really works, but it's entirely thematic to the character because he's a pirate! I even got the DM to let me flavor in a "rusty pistol" (reflavored hand crossbow) and then later stole a flintlock pistol to complete the look. Now he's got a rapier made by one of my previous characters and a silvered pistol (the silver's just for show since it's the ammo that needs silver for it to mean anything lol) and he's gonna be an absolute force of nature on the open sea when I'm through with this campaign. 8D
I like the idea of rogue arcane trickster with enchantment wizard. But I was thinking about 3 levels of rogue just to get the arcane trickster and then all the way up on wizard. And make an story of a rogue who got in love with magic for his tricks. The thing is I don't know what race to use. For my story I like verdan but they don't help in the int. But gives some fun stuff like telepathy and advantage in wis and cha. What do you think?
If you're not using Tasha's rules for flexible ability scores from lineage, a few races stand out: High Elf, Tiefling, Yuan-ti Pureblood, Gith, Fire Genasi, and Hobgoblin. Even without an Int boost, races like Harengon are great for a Wizard.
Those sprites from the thumbnail are from Octopath Traveler, an excellent JRPG video game that I played on the Nintendo Switch a few years ago and enjoyed immensely.
odd combo but swashbuckler and storm barbarian. the bonus action is used for the storms different effect. thematically sea seam like a good mix and give small range attack but the others storm types are usefull to. hit and run. The mad swordsmans slashes and lashes with blade and bolt of lightning. (whip works to or throwing daggers)
@@FlutesLoot ive thought about making him have a master of arms mind of build. whip, sword, and daggers. a roge with many tools to do the job. all finesse so his strength wont be wasted. but background and race... feats... to i go defensive duelist, shield master, dual wielder. races also are struggle because those can overlap. Aasimir sourge, bugbear, centaur, dragonborn, dwarf, half orc, and even lizardfolk. so many opportunities
@@andrewbriggs2692 the feat options might depend on how many levels of either class the character would plan, and what the highest level reached would be.
@@FlutesLoot it would be a replacement pc for me so based o. current level 10. DM in hopeful thay we makenit to 20lvl. its wildemount campaign so i guess races could be limited. injust prefer to subvert expectations and bring something new or different each time. Ive used polearm mastery already for my current PC hexblade/paladin.
@@andrewbriggs2692 I always ask if the DM will allow flexible race ability scores from Tasha's Cauldron of Everything. Background is flexible. Do you know if you'd be mostly Rogue or mostly Barbarian?
I am getting back into DnD after 35 years off. lol The character I am making is a Rogue/Sorcerer. The concept is a fey blessed rogue that has wild magic. I am just trying to figure out how to build it up. I am thinking 1st level Rogue, then 3 levels of Sorcerer, then continuing as a Rogue.
I do like the weapon and shield expansion, though not as much as a two-level Artificer dip for Repeating Shot Infusion. The bonus action attack is cool though because then Crossbow Expert isn't really needed for range (not that it's "needed" for a Rogue in general).
Hi James! This seems like a great combination. What do you like about it? It seems like it would be a melee Rogue with Extra Attack and Fighting Spirit to gain advantage, though it might be less powerful compared to settling for Steady Aim as a standard Rogue feature from Tasha's.
@@FlutesLoot It has several advantages. It maximizes ASI's, it increases initiative and gives the ability to generate advantage. Taking alert and mobile I think its a solid build.
I've got Sambuckler/Swashurai on backup, I was thinking 8 fighter and 12 rogue with a focus on persuasion (fingers crossed on UA Kalashtar being allowed)
Hear me out, Rogue/ Paladin. There are several builds that work depending on your back story and play style. 1. The Inigo Montoya: Swashbuckler/ Oath of vengeance 2. The Conquistador: Swashbuckler/ Oath of Conquest 3. The Paladin Anderson: Oath of Devotion/ Assassin
I just thought of multi-classing this with either The Mastermind rogue or the inquisitive rogue and have that character the leader of that small City or large city
I had an inquisitive rogue mixed with knowledge cleric. The concept would work with assassin and most of the zanthar sub classes with arcana or knowledge cleric.
I want to combine a way of the shadow monk with a rogue and perhaps 2 levels of twilight cleric for the ability to create dim light or a bit of warlock. I am envisioning a small Kenku that teleports from shadow to shadow to infiltrate and take enemies by surprise combined with a bit of magic for versatility and variety. I am not sure how to distribute the levels yet. Going into all 4 would probably be a mistake. Shadow monk requires at least level 6 for shadow step and level 11 for invisibility or even up to 14 for diamond soul would be nice. I would not want to take more than 5 levels of rogue to get the feat/ASI and uncanny doge. Perhaps even a one or three level dip for either Swashbuckler or Assassin would be enough. Two levels of cleric for twilight sanctuary for dim light, eyes of the night for super darkvision and vigilant blessing for permanent advantage on initiative rolls would pair nicely with monk and getting some spells and cantrips could make it even more worthwhile. Then again a small Kenku can probably just step into the shadow of an ally or enemy and teleport from there to the next. I definitely want devil's eyes either from the eldritch adept feat or warlock so that I can hold my own when I am separated from the party. I'm not sure yet if I should forgo the cleric and focus on warlock instead. There are so many cool options for either class that add versatility or enhance the core aspects of the monk/rogue build. If I multiclass into warlock for devil's eyes, it would free up a feat or ASI slot. So many choices...
Yeah, Shadow Monk 6 is a big investment, but the teleporting is super fun. Have you considered Echo Knight instead and reflavoring it as your shadow doppleganger that you can teleport to? That would only require three levels instead of six.
@@FlutesLoot thanks, I'll take a look at it. At first glance, I still prefer the way of the shadow, but the added hit points and fighting style could be worth it.
3 lvls assassin rogue/17 lvls oath of vengeance paladin. A orphaned person tries to make on their own and gets caught up in the assassin guild. As last performance to become a member, character is order to kill a couple (turns out its the characters real parents). Gets thrown in jail and a deity breaks them out giving them power to avenge their loss. Mechanics smite + sneak attack + hunters mark vengeance list + assassinate ability.
Bugbear rogue bad reputation sailor assassin 3 any genie warlock pact of chain. Character concept:Hides In Bottles, is a bugbear with a bad reputation from his days as the muscle for the Red Barons bandits. He lost a drunken bet with his old gang mates and had to drink the contents of an ornate bottle before blacking out. upon waking he finds himself inside the same empty bottle briefly, before spilling out of it into the empty bandit hide out. The place appears to have been tossed, and abandoned in a hurry, an unknown amount of time having passed. Not knowing what’s transpired in his slumber, he cautiously collects his gear the bottle, and some supplies before he heads out into the world to look for his friends and answers as to what happened and where these strange new powers come from. The earth genie is also wondering when he gave powers to a bugbear and what happened to the guy who had initially sot him out for power.
Also rogue thief or assassin 3 and then shadow dancer monk congratulations you're a ninja. Also rogue 3 thief or scout + Druid 17 circle of the moon Druid. Turn into seagull make your way down town walking past the guards, but you're a seagull so they can go **** themselves. Do do do do do do do
Flutes Loot: Yeah, I can imagine this multi class of assassin and glamour be something of a dancer who allures people to get close and assassinate them. Video: *shows Primrose as the accurate representation of said subclass*
If you take a theif rougue and cross class into a conjuration wizard all you need to do is see a key and then you can duplicate it with minor conjuration, have fun with that.
If you take 3 levels as an Assassin and 2 levels as a Grave Domain you can essentially quadruple your sneak attacks when you pull them off. If you are hidden within 30 feat and are a Shadar-kai you can teleport to the target and surprise them with this killer move. Also if you go 1 level Rogue to get the 4 prof. in skills and then 1 level into Twilight Cleric for advantage on init. and 300 feet darkvision and then back to Rogue to get 2 more levels and become an Assassin... this way starting as early as 4th level you can 'Assassinate' from 300 feet away with a longbow (take any elf that has the new trance, the one that gives you 2 prof. in weapons/tools)... Surprise! You're dead and you never see it coming! Ha Ha Ha!
@@FlutesLoot tnx mate Yea I dont think that I d want people to know that I have Divination gatta keep some cards close to my chest and all They d also be a Changeling wich I do think fits the multichlass dont you?
When i think of rogue multiclassing (not using them as a dip for another class as like how assassin is often used for other builds), i first think of what's the role of the class/subclass in combat where it can excel. unlike other classes a rogue is pretty much limited to a striker. they simply don't have the tools to do other things. sure a hobgoblin mastermind can be a support but if there was another support in the party, they are going to get outperformed easily. same goes in trying to make an arcane trickster as a controller or a swashbuckler as a tank because they wont excel in those roles. skill monkey is also a role that all rogues are good at, especially the soul knife, but it's a non-combat role and i wont ever build a skill monkey except as a secondary role. the primary role should always be combat focused given how our table is also combat-focused. now that we've established that rogue mains can only compete as a striker in combat, given how low sneak attack dmg is and how they dont' have extra attack the only rogues i've seen compete as a striker are the ones that prioritize getting off-turn sneak attacks. this then influences my multiclass choices as i look for classes that can enable this (with 1 exception). i'll list my top 5 multiclass below: 1. battlemaster 3- quick toss, riposte and brace enable off-turn sneaks. fighting style-superior technique gives you more superiority dice to do this. action surge also enables off-turn sneaks. 2. hunter 3- campaign specific but giant killer is a sustainable way to generate off-turn sneaks. zephyr strike adds dmg, provides advantage and allows you to skirmish. 3. wild sorc 3- tides of chaos gives advantage and mirror image + sentinel or haste can generate off-turn sneaks. quickened booming blade is another way to off-turn sneak. 4. grave 2- this is the exception to the off-turn sneaks rule to make good rogue strikers. it doesn't generate off-turn sneaks but instead doubles the dmg of single attack which in essence has the same effect of doing the off-turn sneak for 2x sneak attack dmg per round. 5. eldritch knight 7- a bit heavy on the non-rogue levels but here we take advantage of war magic by readying an off-turn booming blade and use the war magic bonus action attack for our-turn sneak attack. yes readying a cantrip is considered casting a cantrip. EK will also allow us to gain access to the mirror image + sentinel off-turn sneak combo. this method i'd only consider if starting at higher tiers. action surge also enables off-turn sneaks. I'm glad to see you mentioned most of these in the vid. keep up the good work! I'm enjoying alot of the content.
@@FlutesLoot No, not at all! Just many different character concepts that would have been a lot closer if they were grouped by base class, like Rogue/Barbarian, for example, or Rogue/Cleric. One of the things that I like so much about the Rogue is that most of its features is baked into the base class. Most of the subclass features, especially those at 3rd level, don't make a whole world of a difference, especially when we're considering multiclass characters! Remember, the Rogue gets their second subclass feature at 9th level. Realistically, no multiclassed Rogue will ever have to consider those. Just to make an example, the Assassin/Gloomstalker and the Thief/Gloomstalker are going to be a lot more similar in both concept and in play than the Assassin/Gloomstalker and Assassin/Grave Cleric, which will be two completely different characters.
@@ME-kd1ko got it. I tend to mimic my article for my video "flow" but the mediums are very different. I'll have to consider how I can group for future videos to tidy things up.
@@FlutesLoot Take the Rogue/Barbarian, for example. There are a lot of different synergies, many of which you mentioned in the video, but here, subclasses can be used to create the flavour to go with the mechanical benefits. Take the Swashbuckler/Storm Herald, for example. Not really any additional synergies, but there's certainly a lot of pirate flavour here. Or how about the Mastermind/Wolf Totem Barbarian? Dealing out advantage to almost your entire party for free, no resources required!
You're right. Errata for the PHB clarified this point by adding a line to the Ammunition property: Loading a one-handed weapon requires a free hand. I did not know about the errata at the time.
I like Ranger as an option for Rogues. Fog Cloud + Blind Fighting is a nice mix for a melee Rogue, Pass Without Trace and Silence are great Rogue spells too. Fey Wanderer (party face!) or Monster Hunter are a nice match for Inquisitive. I also like Soul Knife with Swarmkeeper, reflavoring the psychic abilities as part of the swarm.
Shadow Monk works with pretty much any Rogue - Pass Without Trace and Silence again, and bonus action teleport plus attack with advantage. Arcane Tricksters can pick up Devil's Sight from the Eldritch Adept feat to see through Darkness.
Inquisitive and Stars Druid is another interesting mix - the Dragon Starry Form provides a minimum 10 to int and wis checks which ties in nicely with the core Inquisitive features and kicks in much earlier than Reliable Talent.
Shard, as always, you are full of excellent ideas. I'll have to add these ideas to my Rogue multiclassing article. *warms up fingers for typing*
I just thought of multi-classing this with either The Mastermind rogue or the inquisitive rogue and have that character the leader of that small City or large city
Hexblade is super fun with a swashbuckler. Medium armour, shields, and being able to use charisma for attacks and damage pairs nicely with the charisma abilities of the swashbuckler. And booming blade is a perfect fit with fancy footwork. Run in, tag them, and run away safely knowing they’ll be taking a bunch of thunder damage if they try to pursue you.
That's a great subclass match!
I was considering that. Looking for a good build
I just thought of multi-classing this with either The Mastermind rogue or the inquisitive rogue and have that character the leader of that small City or large city
I’m doing a scout rogue and circle of the moon druid as a treasure hunter that wildshapes into animals in order to better explore caves and ruins or to turn into an animal and scout out the areas for the party ahead of time
I love the concept of adding Wild Shape to a Scout Rogue!
I haven’t played as this character yet, but they are a Phantom Rogue / Hexblade Warlock. He’s a shadar-kai elf serving under the Raven Queen on a mission to eliminate a powerful lich. I chose to make Charisma my highest stat with Dexterity being the 2nd highest. Since Warlocks can cast Darkness and get the Devil Sight Invocation, you’ll always have guaranteed sneak attack against the creature you placed Hexblade’s Curse on. I plan on casting Darkness on a token of mine, using Ghost Walk to hide the Darkness by going into a wall/floor, popping out right behind my cursed target, and sneak attacking with Staggering Smite to prevent reactions and a 10% chance to crit for an insane amount of dmg.
So, in an ideal situation:
Lvl 13 Phantom Rogue / Lvl 7 Hexblade Warlock
1d8 dmg from rapier for 8 dmg
Add Cha modifier for +5 dmg
+6 dmg from proficiency bonus for rapier
+6 dmg from Hexblade’s Curse proficiency bonus
4d6 from Staggering Smite for 24 dmg
7d6 sneak attack at lvl 13 rogue would do 42 dmg
91 x 2 = 182 dmg
Even if we take the average rolls, I’d still do 108 dmg, which is nothing to sneeze at
I'm playing a Shadar-Kai Phantom Rogue hunting a lich, too! I feel such kinship here.
I am starting to play a Shadar-Kai Hexblade who recently dipped into Rogue. I haven't decided which way to go if/when I get to 3rd lvl rogue as warlock is the primary class. He is being built as a super-spy with "mask of 1000 faces" and other deception skills (roleplay heavy table), and of course I have the darkness/devils sight loaded for when things go south. If anyone reads this and has thoughts of a good "spy" build using one of the rogue subclasses, please share with the rest of us!
Got a phantom rogue with an echo knight. Sneak attack without giving away your position!
I hadn't considered the Echo Knight with a Rogue's Sneak Attack! That's really cool. The echo/phantom theme is amazing, too. I'm adding this idea to my article.
Battlemaster is very efficient providing a lot of ways to trigger Sneak Attack twice per Round since Sneak Attack can only normally attack once per turn.
Absolutely! That's a favorite combination of my wife when she plays Rogue/Fighter (which has been often).
Great video! I love the idea of the thief taking the component pouch or focus from a spell caster.
Me too! I made an anti-archmage article and video that talks about planning ahead by swiping key components from a dreaded spellcaster. They go to cast their big spell but find missing or counterfeit ingredients. Super fun to plan.
Rogue was my first PC 23 yrs ago. Or Thief I should say! Can't wait to watch this in full.
Mine was an Arcane Trickster (though he was an Assassin+Wizard during the 5e playtest)! I love Rogues. I have additional ideas in my article if you watch the video and want more ideas. I tried to use the ideas that seemed best for the video (for the sake of time).
Hex is strong on an inquisitive, targeting charisma for the insightful fighting ability and then enjoying the extra damage too. Make it a genie warlock and add you PB in damage each turn. Also having the Genie’s respite give you a place to safely store clues and files.
I love it! Hex is helpful in this way and I like the Genie Warlock. The damage boost is icing on the cake. I added the idea to my article and credited you.
Crossbow expert does not allow using a shield and reloading because it removes the loading requirement but not the ammunition requirement.
Ah shucks, you are correct. I misremembered how the errata for the PHB addressed this. You're right that a free hand is required to use ammunition even if the "Loading" property is ignored (which essentially means you can fire the weapon more than once with multiple attacks on a turn). Scratch my comment about crossbows and shields.
Two lvls of artificer if you want repeating with a shield
@@matthewguinn5371Or do what the rl Milanese did and put the shield on your back and/or on a pole you put in front of yourself.
i love your approach to this! so much more positive & creative than the usual “this is objectively good” or “this sucks.” i swear so many people think d&d is a competition.
I'd go crazy if I only talked about the objectively best options :P I'm glad you like the approach!
I came up with a rogue assassin /monk Kensei concept for one of my characters. I plan on taking 15 levels of the rogue assassin and 5 in monk Kensei to get proficiency in extra weapons that can then be used as monk weapons allowing the use of dex instead of strength and to get an extra attack. I chose a variant human to get the skulker feat and took the faceless background to switch between rogue and monk personas for some anonymity.
Sounds fun! Are you wanting the Monk weapon proficiencies for mechanical benefits or to have weapon variety? It's notable that Sneak Attack will still depend on a finesse weapon if you're going melee, even if you're using Dex for attacks on a non-finesse weapon.
Not Optimized but was a fun concept to play…. A Rogue AT had as a backstory that a powerful being wanted to capture them. Rolled at each level up after 2 to see if we added a level of rogue or shadow sorcerer, which meant they were losing a part of their soul to the BBEG of the personal quest.
That's an interesting way to multiclass! Each level is a surprise.
My personnal favorite Multiclass is Rogue (Swashbuckler)/Fighter (Battle Master) - The Duelist.
One of Opal's first articles was about how she loves multiclassing Rogue+Fighter. So much fun to be had. She's made like five characters who were different Rogue+Fighter combinations. :P
The build i made for my Rogue is 11 in Rogue/Assassin, Monk/Way of the Shadows 6, and Warlock/Archfey 3 with Pact of the Tome
Ooo, how did this type of character play/function? I'm particularly intrigued by the Archfey choice.
@@FlutesLoot roleplay wise my character was adopted by an assassin clan that is also trained by Tengu which I would consider a type of Archfey. Figured I'd go with a backstory and training to fit the theme. But basically he's a very good infiltrator and deceiver plus with the lvl 6 ability for Shadow Monks I'd say he has good balance.
@@frankthecrow9526 I love a good infiltrator
@@FlutesLoot thanks for the input. I try to make characters that I try I fit into different cultures and mythologies.
I'm about to try out a rouge phantom mixed with a grave cleric. Using "path to the grave" for double DPS on a sneak attack or big hit from another player. After a sneak attack also using "Wails from the grave" to do additional DPS on another target or same target sense DM said I could. So sneak, X2 DPS & half of what I did in necrotic on top. (Outside of crazy early DPS, I can save others and buff my self or others)
Dude, trickery domain arcane trickster sounds amazing! Just for my twin illusion invisible hand trick!
I thinking at least now, Artificer or Bladesinger are INCREDIBLY good multiclasses for Arcane Trickster... or really any Rogue tbh
Those are great for adding to a Rogue's toolkit!
Thanks for the nice conzepts again flutes.
I wanted to make a suggestion as well since i'm playing it right now.
For every race without darkvision 1 Level into Twilight Domain Cleric makes some great Roleplaying concept being a executive priest of a more shady god.
try it guys i have lots of fun with it being a grey ribbon of mask. (imagine being a nightingale or member of the dark brotherhood)
Absolutely! As you implied, Skyrim did a great job with roguish syndicates that involve deities and deidra. The Twilight Cleric is an incredible one-level dip because you get so much with it.
I've been fond of the wood elf rogue/ranger multiclass since 3E/Pathfinder 1E. Sneakiness, good outdoors, can get a pet and sneak attack with bows, short swords, and knives. Even stack fighter on top of it.
What about MC with bladesinger 6 for the cantrip-able extra attack, bladesong for AC and Concentration bonus and lots of utility spells + familiar advantage? Maybe even squeezing fighter 2 or 3 If campaign goes to high levels.
Rogue 10-12 and the rest bs or FG. Still figuring out which rogue archetype would fit best, probably arcane trickster for an upcast or two.
Great idea! I'm going to add the suggestion to the article.
I did a Mastermind Rogue/Alchemist Artificer, flavoring him to be a very William James Moriarty-like character. A brilliant mathematician who knows all about potions and poisons, and uses his wits and ability to deceive or persuade in order to guide victims of heinous crimes in order to help them get their revenge on those who wronged them, setting up "perfect crimes". When he needs to fight, he has with his 4 level Artificer dip the ability to fire off his pistol with Repeating Shot infusion, meaning any kill he made was done without using any physical ammunition, thus leaving no evidence to trace.
Oooo I like the Repeating Shot Infusion as a method to leave no evidence. I'm sure they had to keep that device a secret.
The crossbow expert feat doesn't let you ignore loading the crossbow, it let's you ignore the 'loading' property which means you can attack more than once in a round with a crossbow now. You still need a free hand to load the crossbow and you still need to load ammunition into it.
Thank you
revisited this video. sword bard, swashbuckler. half elf high elf. booming blade. a thespian stage preformer with "stage magic" and combat training for swashbucklers sword play. two weapon fighting. hit with a balde flourish and then booming blade? or hit and run with swashbuckler? and sentinel feat for opportunity attacks and control the stage. or war caster. 14bard 6 rogue maybe
Sounds fun! 14/6 sounds like a good split.
An idea I had was a warforged phantom rogue 11 / ancestral guardian barbarian 9 who is a wooden manifestation of death and decay. Your ancestors could be spirit's of plants and animals or even a dried that's disconnected from the source of it's magic. The idea of a character that is based of nature's wrath sounds fun to me
That's a great concept that can mechanically flow, too!
Swashbuckler-Champion is incredibly fun if you want a very brawly rogue, dual wielding and mobility are great with this one, as well as alert
Is that 3 levels of Champion for the crit range or is it focused on Champion?
@@FlutesLoot more of an even split, I played it as a test build in a fairly high level one shot but the build is super fun, you could lean the character really in either direction, getting 5 in fighter just for the extra attack is nice though. Three attacks counting the bonus action is a decent number of dice to try and crit fish with.
Edit: If I remember right it was a level 14 one shot and I went with 6 levels of fighter and 8 in Swashbuckler with the mobility, alert feats and dual wielder. Two weapon fighting style with a pair of rapiers with mobility made her an absolute terror to deal with especially with a bard as backup. (edit because I went into my files and pulled up the actual build)
Question: For the Arcane trickster / Arcana Cleric build... How many level do you recommand in each class to make it really good?
I recommend one level of Arcana Cleric. You only need to gain the bonus spells, particularly Booming Blade. Level-one Cleric spells are fantastic, so you'll always have uses for them, plus a slight boost to your spell slot progression for an Arcane Trickster. If I were to invest in more Cleric levels because higher-level Rogue features weren't sounding interesting, I'd probably go for six levels of Arcana Cleric, possibly nine. It would mostly be for the additional spells. Taking two levels of Paladin for Divine Smite options could be awesome too if I went for more Cleric levels.
Alternatively, you could be a High Elf so you can get the cantrip that way instead of multiclassing.
@@FlutesLoot Thank you so much for this quick answer! Have a wonderful day! May your rolls be high! :)
@@davecorriveau4057 you're welcome!
I'm building a thief and considering the ranger multiclass
But idk if delaying evasion is good, and then delaying the lvl 8 ASI, and then delaying the level 10 ASI
Idk when would i split off
I was thinking I'll decide if i multiclass aftwr i hit uncanny dodge
You accurately described the dilemmas I find myself in when I plan to multiclass! :P
I’m looking into making a character that’s primarily a wizard but dipping into rogue for some of the reasons stated here as well as some backstory elements. Would anyone recommend whether I stay at level 2 in rogue for cunning action or is it worth the third level to go arcane trickster? I haven’t multiclassed much with spellcasters.
I'd probably stop at two levels of Rogue in this case. I really like the Wizard's Spell Mastery feature at level 18. If I were to grab a third level of Rogue for a subclass, I'd consider Mastermind. Using the Help action as a bonus action at range is pretty cool for a Wizard since Wizards don't always use their bonus actions. I'd also consider the Thief subclass for Fast Hands. Swashbuckler would also be great for a boost to Initiative rolls if your Charisma is ok with Rakish Audacity, but Fancy Footwork can also be useful if you make a melee spell attack and want to move away from an enemy freely with your bonus action remaining. Arcane Trickster is ok if you enjoy using Mage Hand and would use it often as a bonus action with Mage Hand Legerdemain. Scout's Skirmisher ability can help you stay out of harm's way if a bruiser gets in your face.
Great options!
You can go for the not much talked, swashbuckler Samurai. Rogue fighter. Swashbuckler gives advantage alone, then you get advantage when you are with teammates, for anything else, you got Samurai.
Both also have a small dependency on charisma which you can justify to bump as your third stat.
Then you have the Battle mastermind tactician. Go fae hobgoblin for the extra flavor help action, mastermind rogue allows you to do that at range, then battle Master for doing other control maneuvers. Then if you have it you can go for the UA tandem tactician for a broken combination of helpful actions.
Almost as good as the telekinetic eldritch trickster, or trickery domain eldritch trickster. Because why not.
Those sound fun! I'm not sure I'd go for Samurai since its Wisdom saving throw proficiency is redundant with the Rogue's Slippery Mind. I also prefer Steady Aim to gain advantage when I'm a ranged Rogue who doesn't have to move, but you're right that Samurai would be useful for gaining advantage in melee if it's worth the levels to the player.
Inquisitive with order cleric seems intuitive both thematically and mechanically. A law enforcmen investigator that can bonus action hold person and sbeak attack sounds nice.
That does sound fitting
so many options, you can't name them all, but arcane trickster works wel with 5 or 8 levels of paladin, combining the smite with the backstaff and more like duelling fighting style and heavy armor
I can see how smite+sneak attack would be satisfying to play!
I've been "saving" ideas on how my Shepherd Druid can help my Arcane Trickster Rogue, but do you have other ideas how I can work WITH him? I have a LOT of ways I can step into his lane, step on his toes--- I'm also playing with a Paladin & a Bard. In RP, my half-elf Druid is already enamored and sees the High Elf Arcane Trickster Rogue as a "mentor" "impressive" figure she's very impressed with. But....sheez...turns out, a Druid COULD do a crapload of "Rogue stuff". And I'd rather be a helpmate to him, than overshadow him.
There are heaps of ways to contribute! You can eventually fly above him for scouting or to keep an eye out. You could be a high-perception beast on his shoulder during covert operations to make sure he doesn't miss anything. Casting spells on him would be helpful, too. You'll eventually have Conjure Animals and you could create a communication chain with them by summoning critters that can make little noises to alert him of danger. You even pick fireflies for your beasts (if they exist) to provide some light or to signal one another with their lights. The best way to support the Rogue would be to discuss options with him so he can get creative. Oh and you can cast Polymorph on him to disguise him or get him into a dangerous place unnoticed. He might pick different spells knowing you can help him with gaps in his skills and tools.
@@FlutesLoot I'm super psyched to make a fig that is only a flashing led light (firefly)!!!🤣🤣🤣 Thanks for the ideas!!
**There's a TON of potential synergy between a Druid & Rogue. I'm also playing with a "tanky" Paladin & a Bard...not as much with them.
I’m a 11 rogue,thief I want to go into a spell caster multi class and my second highest skill is charisma any suggestions on what I should multi class into? My Dm has given me 2 weeks to decide
Hi! Are you thinking you'll be done with Rogue levels from now on? I ask because my recommendation will depend on whether or not you plan on taking more Rogue levels later on, and what level you expect to eventually reach when your campaign concludes. I'm inclined to say Bard, but it depends.
@@FlutesLoot I want to put at least 15-16 levels into rogues, but there are not a lot of sneaky encounters we come up against a lot are just face value, but I would like to at least maybe get up to slippery mind level 15. So I was thinking sorcerer level 5 I get to pick my subclass 1st level, but if I go hard I become a BIG skill monkey I’ll have a plus 10 to Initiative. I just don’t know.
@@yomarurenaa8178 I see, thanks for explaining. Which of your stats are 13 or greater? (since you will need minimum stats for classes)
You can read my Thief multiclass ideas here: www.flutesloot.com/rogue-multiclass-guide-ideas/#thief
There's a lot of directions you can go. It kinda depends on what you want to get out of multiclassing: spells, utility, shapeshifting, damage, etc.
If you go Sorcerer, you could go Wild Magic one level for Tides of Chaos. Divine Soul one level would be great too for Favored by the Gods, and you could get an impactful spell from the Cleric list like Bless.
Not gunna lie... "POCKET SAND!" Earned the like, and the great ideas and concept knowledge earned the sub 👏
lol thanks jack, it seemed too good not to reference
I have a rogue1/bard3eloquence/sorcerer1(divinesoul). He’s a bit of an innkeeper spy type character who is favored by Tymora. He is quite fun to play
Nice! Are you going to take a second level of Rogue or Sorcerer in the future?
@@FlutesLoot only taking the 1 level dip in sorcerer. But I do plan to take a few more on rogue for that mastermind subclass. Most of the levels will be taken in Bard before I dip back into rogue though.
Any good recommendations with soulknife or phantom?
I'm playing a Phantom Rogue Shadar-Kai at the moment, and I was very tempted to take a level of Twilight Cleric because it fits the theme of the Shadar-Kai and the Raven Queen while giving several useful tools for just one level of investment. It would give me martial weapons to use a heavy crossbow, advantage on Initiative checks, super darkvision, and spellcasting!
I have several more ideas for these subclasses in my article: www.flutesloot.com/rogue-multiclass-guide-ideas/
Thanks!
Ok so like, I’ve been playing around with a concept of a Rogue healer, and now I’m thinking, what would be a fun multi class for them? I was thinking cleric but I also have no idea about how the actual play works(send help, brainrot is strong)
My video about the Thief Rogue might help you wrap your head around options. It's the subclass I'd choose for a Rogue healer: ruclips.net/video/WXr-CL-8gjk/видео.html
Here's Colby at D4 with a fun build based on a Rogue healer: ruclips.net/video/_Am28IWw3-s/видео.html
And here's Bilbron's video about a healer Rogue: ruclips.net/video/u86OlTOzY1Y/видео.html
@@FlutesLoot thanks 🙏
I'm playing Dungeon of the Mad Mage right now with a lv16 Arcane Trickster/Ancestral Guardian - Rogue/Barbarian. It's been so much fun! Lots of out-of-combat rogue and trickster action, and in combat I'm nearly impossible to hit and dodge every fireball!
That's a fantastic combo! Advantage on those Dex saves along with potentially taking no damage feels great. Reckless Attack is great for Sneak Attack. The character sounds like it has fun options for many facets of play.
@@FlutesLoot I'm a Dex build with Con, so I don't get to reckless much, but my AC is 22 with a shield and common clothes
@@MrVotiga right on!
Swashbuckler w 3 levels of gloomstalker is supreme
Those are two solid subclasses? Can you tell me more about what you love about this combination? I'd love to add it to my list of suggested multiclasses.
Was checking to see if anyone else ce up W/ this before I said it. Great! This is my immediate go-to striker-party-face...
I'm currently running a Tempest Cleric multiclassing into Swashbuckler Rogue. I don't know how well the synergy here really works, but it's entirely thematic to the character because he's a pirate! I even got the DM to let me flavor in a "rusty pistol" (reflavored hand crossbow) and then later stole a flintlock pistol to complete the look.
Now he's got a rapier made by one of my previous characters and a silvered pistol (the silver's just for show since it's the ammo that needs silver for it to mean anything lol) and he's gonna be an absolute force of nature on the open sea when I'm through with this campaign. 8D
I love Rogues and Clerics, so it's tough to go wrong when combining them!
I like the idea of rogue arcane trickster with enchantment wizard. But I was thinking about 3 levels of rogue just to get the arcane trickster and then all the way up on wizard. And make an story of a rogue who got in love with magic for his tricks. The thing is I don't know what race to use. For my story I like verdan but they don't help in the int. But gives some fun stuff like telepathy and advantage in wis and cha. What do you think?
If you're not using Tasha's rules for flexible ability scores from lineage, a few races stand out: High Elf, Tiefling, Yuan-ti Pureblood, Gith, Fire Genasi, and Hobgoblin.
Even without an Int boost, races like Harengon are great for a Wizard.
I want to try GOOlock soul knife combo.
The old gods will gladly put that psionic mind to good use! >:)
What are those sprites from in the opening card?
Those sprites from the thumbnail are from Octopath Traveler, an excellent JRPG video game that I played on the Nintendo Switch a few years ago and enjoyed immensely.
Rogues have some of the best subclasses! It's hard not to want to try them all.
I do enjoy them :) and that's probably why I've played Rogues in campaigns 3+ times
Arcane trickster with a dip in either artificer or wizard is top tier in my opinion
As a Rogue lover, I dig it!
odd combo but swashbuckler and storm barbarian. the bonus action is used for the storms different effect. thematically sea seam like a good mix and give small range attack but the others storm types are usefull to. hit and run. The mad swordsmans slashes and lashes with blade and bolt of lightning. (whip works to or throwing daggers)
Definitely unconventional, but the way you described it sounds like fun (especially a whip + thunder crack). :)
@@FlutesLoot ive thought about making him have a master of arms mind of build. whip, sword, and daggers. a roge with many tools to do the job. all finesse so his strength wont be wasted. but background and race... feats... to i go defensive duelist, shield master, dual wielder. races also are struggle because those can overlap. Aasimir sourge, bugbear, centaur, dragonborn, dwarf, half orc, and even lizardfolk. so many opportunities
@@andrewbriggs2692 the feat options might depend on how many levels of either class the character would plan, and what the highest level reached would be.
@@FlutesLoot it would be a replacement pc for me so based o. current level 10. DM in hopeful thay we makenit to 20lvl. its wildemount campaign so i guess races could be limited. injust prefer to subvert expectations and bring something new or different each time. Ive used polearm mastery already for my current PC hexblade/paladin.
@@andrewbriggs2692 I always ask if the DM will allow flexible race ability scores from Tasha's Cauldron of Everything. Background is flexible.
Do you know if you'd be mostly Rogue or mostly Barbarian?
Circle of the Stars Dragon Constellation is excellent for an inquisitive
Absolutely! I have that idea listed in my article (two levels of Stars Druid).
I am getting back into DnD after 35 years off. lol The character I am making is a Rogue/Sorcerer. The concept is a fey blessed rogue that has wild magic. I am just trying to figure out how to build it up. I am thinking 1st level Rogue, then 3 levels of Sorcerer, then continuing as a Rogue.
Sounds like a fun concept to get back into the hobby. I'm not a huge fan of wild magic, but I know many players love it!
Ranger hunter with Horde Breaker gives you two attacks with a 3 level dip plus you get martial weapons and shields
I do like the weapon and shield expansion, though not as much as a two-level Artificer dip for Repeating Shot Infusion. The bonus action attack is cool though because then Crossbow Expert isn't really needed for range (not that it's "needed" for a Rogue in general).
Fighter-6/Rogue-14 Samurai/Swashbuckler
Hi James! This seems like a great combination. What do you like about it? It seems like it would be a melee Rogue with Extra Attack and Fighting Spirit to gain advantage, though it might be less powerful compared to settling for Steady Aim as a standard Rogue feature from Tasha's.
@@FlutesLoot It has several advantages. It maximizes ASI's, it increases initiative and gives the ability to generate advantage. Taking alert and mobile I think its a solid build.
@@jamesparsons2722 You could probably even skip Mobile since the Swashbuckler's Fancy Footwork feature partially covers it.
I've got Sambuckler/Swashurai on backup, I was thinking 8 fighter and 12 rogue with a focus on persuasion (fingers crossed on UA Kalashtar being allowed)
@@corrosivecabal two great subclasses with interesting synergies! What draws you to the UA Kalashtar?
Hear me out, Rogue/ Paladin. There are several builds that work depending on your back story and play style.
1. The Inigo Montoya: Swashbuckler/ Oath of vengeance
2. The Conquistador: Swashbuckler/ Oath of Conquest
3. The Paladin Anderson: Oath of Devotion/ Assassin
It can certainly work!
I just thought of multi-classing this with either The Mastermind rogue or the inquisitive rogue and have that character the leader of that small City or large city
Solid idea!
I had an inquisitive rogue mixed with knowledge cleric.
The concept would work with assassin and most of the zanthar sub classes with arcana or knowledge cleric.
Do you like the Knowledge Cleric combined with Rogue for the flexibility of skills?
@@FlutesLootI didn’t play the combo for long. What little I had, it worked well.
@@Kizzy-qb9si I enjoy that kind of fun character combo, even if just for a short time :)
I want to combine a way of the shadow monk with a rogue and perhaps 2 levels of twilight cleric for the ability to create dim light or a bit of warlock. I am envisioning a small Kenku that teleports from shadow to shadow to infiltrate and take enemies by surprise combined with a bit of magic for versatility and variety.
I am not sure how to distribute the levels yet. Going into all 4 would probably be a mistake. Shadow monk requires at least level 6 for shadow step and level 11 for invisibility or even up to 14 for diamond soul would be nice. I would not want to take more than 5 levels of rogue to get the feat/ASI and uncanny doge. Perhaps even a one or three level dip for either Swashbuckler or Assassin would be enough.
Two levels of cleric for twilight sanctuary for dim light, eyes of the night for super darkvision and vigilant blessing for permanent advantage on initiative rolls would pair nicely with monk and getting some spells and cantrips could make it even more worthwhile. Then again a small Kenku can probably just step into the shadow of an ally or enemy and teleport from there to the next.
I definitely want devil's eyes either from the eldritch adept feat or warlock so that I can hold my own when I am separated from the party. I'm not sure yet if I should forgo the cleric and focus on warlock instead. There are so many cool options for either class that add versatility or enhance the core aspects of the monk/rogue build. If I multiclass into warlock for devil's eyes, it would free up a feat or ASI slot. So many choices...
Yeah, Shadow Monk 6 is a big investment, but the teleporting is super fun. Have you considered Echo Knight instead and reflavoring it as your shadow doppleganger that you can teleport to? That would only require three levels instead of six.
@@FlutesLoot thanks, I'll take a look at it. At first glance, I still prefer the way of the shadow, but the added hit points and fighting style could be worth it.
What about...
Arcane Trickster + Bladesinging Wizard?
That could be a fun one! It comes with some redundancies, but I'd play it. I'd probably use Booming Blade and then move away with Cunning Action.
cool ideas! thanks!
You're welcome!
3 lvls assassin rogue/17 lvls oath of vengeance paladin. A orphaned person tries to make on their own and gets caught up in the assassin guild. As last performance to become a member, character is order to kill a couple (turns out its the characters real parents). Gets thrown in jail and a deity breaks them out giving them power to avenge their loss. Mechanics smite + sneak attack + hunters mark vengeance list + assassinate ability.
Oooo that's an interesting concept. I like that the parents aren't dead in the character backstory, lol.
Bugbear rogue bad reputation sailor assassin 3 any genie warlock pact of chain.
Character concept:Hides In Bottles, is a bugbear with a bad reputation from his days as the muscle for the Red Barons bandits. He lost a drunken bet with his old gang mates and had to drink the contents of an ornate bottle before blacking out. upon waking he finds himself inside the same empty bottle briefly, before spilling out of it into the empty bandit hide out. The place appears to have been tossed, and abandoned in a hurry, an unknown amount of time having passed. Not knowing what’s transpired in his slumber, he cautiously collects his gear the bottle, and some supplies before he heads out into the world to look for his friends and answers as to what happened and where these strange new powers come from. The earth genie is also wondering when he gave powers to a bugbear and what happened to the guy who had initially sot him out for power.
What a fun way to gain a patron!
Just need a group to play it with. But someday
@@patrickhandley627 I hope you find a group online or in person!
Also rogue thief or assassin 3 and then shadow dancer monk congratulations you're a ninja.
Also rogue 3 thief or scout + Druid 17 circle of the moon Druid.
Turn into seagull make your way down town walking past the guards, but you're a seagull so they can go **** themselves. Do do do do do do do
Hahaha I love that you picked seagull over other birds XD
Flutes Loot: Yeah, I can imagine this multi class of assassin and glamour be something of a dancer who allures people to get close and assassinate them.
Video: *shows Primrose as the accurate representation of said subclass*
You know what's up!
If you take a theif rougue and cross class into a conjuration wizard all you need to do is see a key and then you can duplicate it with minor conjuration, have fun with that.
Do you think you can do that without being a Thief Rogue, just a Conjuration Wizard?
If you take 3 levels as an Assassin and 2 levels as a Grave Domain you can essentially quadruple your sneak attacks when you pull them off. If you are hidden within 30 feat and are a Shadar-kai you can teleport to the target and surprise them with this killer move.
Also if you go 1 level Rogue to get the 4 prof. in skills and then 1 level into Twilight Cleric for advantage on init. and 300 feet darkvision and then back to Rogue to get 2 more levels and become an Assassin... this way starting as early as 4th level you can 'Assassinate' from 300 feet away with a longbow (take any elf that has the new trance, the one that gives you 2 prof. in weapons/tools)... Surprise! You're dead and you never see it coming! Ha Ha Ha!
Great ideas! I have an article about the Assassin+Grave combo because it's surprisingly divisive for people based on what triggers combat or not.
I prefer multiclassing the Phantom Rogue with the Necromancy Wizard.
That way, a phantom rogue could be more of a phantasmal force on the Battlefield.
Ooo I like that. The Phantom Rogue is very fun and thematic.
I am going to try clockwork soul with mastermind. That way I am the ultimate helper.
I love the support life. You can also consider a level of Order Cleric for more support options! :)
I guess I’m first. Rogue is a class I wanna get into.
It's the first class I ever played! I love Rogues.
Soul knife & Stars Druid on a Gem Dragonborn.
I can see that theme!
got one for mistermind: divination wizard x mastermind
That could be a fun one! You could describe the Portent ability as masterful prediction instead of divination magic. I have that one in my article.
@@FlutesLoot tnx mate Yea I dont think that I d want people to know that I have Divination gatta keep some cards close to my chest and all They d also be a Changeling wich I do think fits the multichlass dont you?
@@ender4548 absolutely fits
@@FlutesLoot I have an intire story for a charcter with this type of multichalss
Also random question does blood magic axist in dnd?
When i think of rogue multiclassing (not using them as a dip for another class as like how assassin is often used for other builds), i first think of what's the role of the class/subclass in combat where it can excel. unlike other classes a rogue is pretty much limited to a striker. they simply don't have the tools to do other things. sure a hobgoblin mastermind can be a support but if there was another support in the party, they are going to get outperformed easily. same goes in trying to make an arcane trickster as a controller or a swashbuckler as a tank because they wont excel in those roles.
skill monkey is also a role that all rogues are good at, especially the soul knife, but it's a non-combat role and i wont ever build a skill monkey except as a secondary role. the primary role should always be combat focused given how our table is also combat-focused.
now that we've established that rogue mains can only compete as a striker in combat, given how low sneak attack dmg is and how they dont' have extra attack the only rogues i've seen compete as a striker are the ones that prioritize getting off-turn sneak attacks. this then influences my multiclass choices as i look for classes that can enable this (with 1 exception). i'll list my top 5 multiclass below:
1. battlemaster 3- quick toss, riposte and brace enable off-turn sneaks. fighting style-superior technique gives you more superiority dice to do this. action surge also enables off-turn sneaks.
2. hunter 3- campaign specific but giant killer is a sustainable way to generate off-turn sneaks. zephyr strike adds dmg, provides advantage and allows you to skirmish.
3. wild sorc 3- tides of chaos gives advantage and mirror image + sentinel or haste can generate off-turn sneaks. quickened booming blade is another way to off-turn sneak.
4. grave 2- this is the exception to the off-turn sneaks rule to make good rogue strikers. it doesn't generate off-turn sneaks but instead doubles the dmg of single attack which in essence has the same effect of doing the off-turn sneak for 2x sneak attack dmg per round.
5. eldritch knight 7- a bit heavy on the non-rogue levels but here we take advantage of war magic by readying an off-turn booming blade and use the war magic bonus action attack for our-turn sneak attack. yes readying a cantrip is considered casting a cantrip. EK will also allow us to gain access to the mirror image + sentinel off-turn sneak combo. this method i'd only consider if starting at higher tiers. action surge also enables off-turn sneaks.
I'm glad to see you mentioned most of these in the vid. keep up the good work! I'm enjoying alot of the content.
Very well explained! Thanks for taking the time to express the concept so clearly.
11:42. I wish that was an actual statue you could buy. :(
That would be marvelous
I think this list would have been a lot more tidy if the concepts had been sorted by secondary class than by Rogue subclass.
Oh, I haven't heard that feedback before. Was this video difficult to follow along with?
@@FlutesLoot No, not at all! Just many different character concepts that would have been a lot closer if they were grouped by base class, like Rogue/Barbarian, for example, or Rogue/Cleric. One of the things that I like so much about the Rogue is that most of its features is baked into the base class. Most of the subclass features, especially those at 3rd level, don't make a whole world of a difference, especially when we're considering multiclass characters! Remember, the Rogue gets their second subclass feature at 9th level. Realistically, no multiclassed Rogue will ever have to consider those. Just to make an example, the Assassin/Gloomstalker and the Thief/Gloomstalker are going to be a lot more similar in both concept and in play than the Assassin/Gloomstalker and Assassin/Grave Cleric, which will be two completely different characters.
@@ME-kd1ko got it. I tend to mimic my article for my video "flow" but the mediums are very different. I'll have to consider how I can group for future videos to tidy things up.
@@FlutesLoot Take the Rogue/Barbarian, for example. There are a lot of different synergies, many of which you mentioned in the video, but here, subclasses can be used to create the flavour to go with the mechanical benefits. Take the Swashbuckler/Storm Herald, for example. Not really any additional synergies, but there's certainly a lot of pirate flavour here. Or how about the Mastermind/Wolf Totem Barbarian? Dealing out advantage to almost your entire party for free, no resources required!
Assassin/Glamor Bare.. hello Ezio Auditore da Firenze
Does Ezio have Bard-like abilities? I haven't played AC.
@@FlutesLoot He can play instruments, sing, and loves the ladies.
@@ottomackensen I had no idea he was so versatile!
mastermind rogue and divination wizard
That sounds like fun, squirrely support caster. I like the flavor of it, too.
Barb 11 rogue 9
What are your favorite synergies with Barbarian + Rogue?
Rogue + Paladin. Sneak Attack Smite.
I'd probably have to go for a Swashbuckler to go into melee with that combo.
@@FlutesLoot Yup. It’s a pretty nasty combo. Swashbuckler + Oath of Vengence = Inigo Montoya. Lol.
Fighter and Rogue have infinite multiclassing options
You cant use crossbow and Shield
Even with the feat you must have a free hand
You're right. Errata for the PHB clarified this point by adding a line to the Ammunition property: Loading a one-handed weapon requires a free hand. I did not know about the errata at the time.