Slip into the shadows and seize the spotlight-Dungeons & Dragons’ Rogue class in the 2024 Player’s Handbook is more cunning, versatile, and deadly than ever. Whether you’re outsmarting traps, picking locks, or unleashing devastating sneak attacks, this guide will show you how to build a Rogue who dominates both in and out of combat, mastering new features and tactics to outwit any foe and outshine your party.
Before we get started, a quick disclaimer: There’s no “best” anything in D&D. Classes tend to be well-balanced when it comes to damage output. More importantly, though, D&D is a roleplaying game as well as a combat game, so there’s more to it than stabbing monsters. And that diversity of situations – from picking locks to punting kobolds to seducing dragons – means “best” is entirely subjective.
Our D&D Player’s Handbook (2024) Rogue guide will walk you through the class and talk about some of the changes from D&D 5e.
Is Rogue the best class for you in D&D?
The Rogue is an excellent choice if you want a character who thrives on cunning, versatility, and precision. Rogues excel at stealth, trap disarming, and lockpicking, making them invaluable in and out of combat for parties that need a specialist in infiltration or problem-solving. In battle, their signature Sneak Attack delivers high burst damage when set up correctly, rewarding players who enjoy tactical positioning and careful planning. Rogues also boast unmatched skill versatility, with more proficiencies and Expertise options than any other class, allowing you to shine in social encounters, exploration, and skill challenges alike. If you prefer a flexible, skill-focused playstyle and enjoy being the party’s go-to for both combat tricks and clever solutions, Rogue may be the best class for you. However, if you want to be a frontline brawler or rely heavily on spellcasting, you might find other classes a better fit.
Rogues are equal parts sneaky and stabby, and there’s actually a bit of work that goes into making sure you’re getting the most out of your character. Finding ways to get your Sneak Attack damage with every attack means you’ll be moving around a lot and playing across the entire battlefield. Outside of combat, Rogues are a party’s go-to for picking locks and finding traps, and their skill proficiencies tend to make them good talkers (or liars).
Inspiration for your Rogue
The Rogue class draws on a rich tradition of fantasy archetypes, offering endless inspiration for your next character. Whether you imagine a suave professional in the style of James Bond or John Wick, a charming swashbuckler, or a clever con artist, the Rogue can embody far more than the classic thief stereotype. Consider characters like Han Solo or Lando Calrissian-who prove that rogues can be witty, resourceful, and even successful, yet still thrive on risk and cunning. You might also explore lighter or unconventional concepts, such as a jester, an intrepid explorer, or a noble who sneaks out for adventure. With the expanded character creation options in the 2024 rules, your Rogue’s background and origin feat can further personalize their story, making each build unique and memorable.
There are so many famous Rogue archetypes in fiction that it can be easy to just stick to the dagger-brandishing, cape wearing, hunched-over goober you see on the cover of fantasy novels everywhere. There’s nothing wrong with that kind of hero, of course, but there’s a wide world of inspiration for you to draw from:
- The scoundrel is an obvious pull, and you can take inspiration from characters like Han Solo. While that might conjure the image of a “down on their luck, always in-debt” kind of character, you could do a fun twist on it by pulling from Han’s good buddy Lando Calrissian, and show how the rich and successful can still cling to their thieving ways.
- The dark and quiet type of rogue conjures up Strider, AKA Aragorn’s “ranger” name in Lord of the Rings. This can be more of that classic fantasy Rogue, who listens rather than speaks and brews in the corner of dark taverns with a stiff drink and a lot of stories to tell.
- There’s also the noble rogue, who uses dastardly means of subterfuge to further their goals of helping others. Think about Robin Hood, Zorro, or even the Dread Pirate Roberts from Princess Bride.These are all swashbuckling, sword-fighting heroes who break the law but have hearts of gold.
- The trained professional is a fun twist on the classic fantasy rogue, and allows you to draw inspiration from characters like the smooth-talking James Bond to the devastatingly quiet John Wick. These are Rogues that are very good at what they do, whose meer mention strikes fear into the hearts of their enemies.
What’s new for Rogues in One D&D?
Rogues in One D&D (the 2024 Player’s Handbook update) gain several exciting new features and tweaks that boost both their versatility and tactical options. At level 1, Rogues now select two weapons for Weapon Mastery, unlocking special properties that can be swapped out after each long rest. Thieves’ Cant also improves, granting an extra language proficiency. The Steady Aim feature, previously from Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything, becomes a core class ability at level 3, letting Rogues more reliably set up their Sneak Attacks. The standout addition is Cunning Strike, allowing Rogues to trade Sneak Attack dice for powerful effects such as poisoning, tripping, or forcing enemies to withdraw, making their attacks more strategic and disruptive. Subclasses like Assassin and Thief have also received notable updates, further enhancing the Rogue’s role as a master of stealth and cunning in the new edition.
No matter what Class you end up picking, One D&D changes the way characters are created. Specifically, the Background you choose now comes with an Ability Score improvement (one point each in three Abilities, or two points in one Ability and one point in another). In addition, every character gets an Origin Feat. We’ll deal with both of those changes below.
One D&D’s Rogue class gets the weapon mastery class feature. You get to choose two weapons with which to use the Mastery Property when you attack.
At level 3, Rogues get the Steady Aim feature. This bonus action gives you advantage on your next attack during that turn (remember that you can use your bonus action at any point), provided you haven’t moved yet and also reduces your movement to 0. This is specifically useful for guaranteeing a Sneak Attack.
Certain actions – like Cunning Strike’s Poison or Trip at level 5 – have a Sneak Attack cost associated with them. Each of those cost 1d6 of your Sneak Attack damage, meaning you remove them from your Sneak Attack pool before you roll them (making it 2d6 at level 5) and then trigger the effect after your attack.
Rogue class features overview
The Rogue class in Dungeons & Dragons 5e (2024) is defined by its agility, cunning, and versatility, making it an essential choice for players who value stealth, precision, and adaptability. Rogues start with key features like Expertise, Sneak Attack, Thieves’ Cant, and Weapon Mastery at level 1, allowing them to excel in both combat and skill-based challenges. As they advance, Rogues gain Cunning Action for quick movement, Steady Aim for improved accuracy, and subclass features that further customize their playstyle. Defensive abilities such as Uncanny Dodge, Evasion, and Slippery Mind enhance their survivability, while offensive upgrades like Cunning Strike and Devious Strikes boost their impact in battle. With proficiency in a broad range of skills and tools, and the ability to deal significant damage through Sneak Attack, Rogues remain one of the most adaptable and effective classes in the game, capable of thriving in a variety of roles within any adventuring party.
- Primary Ability: Dexterity
- Hit Point Die: d8 per level
- Saving Throw Proficiencies: Dexterity and Intelligence
- Skill proficiencies: 4 of: Acrobatics Athletics, Deception, Insight, Intimidation, Investigation, Perception, Persuasion, Sleight of Hand, Stealth
- Weapon Proficiencies: Simple, Martial with Finesse or Light property
- Armor Training: Light
Expertise
Expertise grants you Expertise in two of the skills you’re already proficient in, which allows you to essentially double your proficiency bonus for a given skill. This level 1 class feature is not unique to Rogues, but it can be used to emphasize either combat or social skills. From the get-go, Rogues can become an expert in two additional skills again at level six.
This feature is extremely potent, and just factors into the “rogues are never OK at anything, they’re either incredible or terrible” mentality.
Sneak Attack
Sneak attack is the way to do damage as a Rogue, and “how do I prepare to sneak attack this target next turn” should go through your head every time you make a move.
Basically, you’re able to deal 1d6 bonus damage once per turn to a single creature if you have Advantage on your attack roll and you’re using a Finesse (like daggers or rapiers) or a Ranged weapon. The caveat to that is that you can also sneak attack if you have any ally within five feet of the target.
Just keep in mind that you must declare your intent to sneak attack to your DM. So when you attack with advantage, say you’re spending your sneak attack and roll that bonus damage dice!
Thieves’ Cant
Thieves’ Cant is basically the language of the streets in D&D. You’ll be able to communicate secretly with others who know Thieves’ Cant, like people in the local thieves guild, street toughs, vagabonds, etc. If you walk into a shady area or are talking to a suspicious person, ask your DM if you can communicate with them in Thieves’ Cant to either keep secrets from your party or just add some fun flavor to the scene. Maybe the NPC will even trust you more!
You also are able to learn an additional language of your choice for free.
Weapon Mastery
You are well-trained in two weapon types, allowing you to use the mastery properties of each. You’re able to change out which two weapons you have mastery with each Long Rest.
How to build an effective Rogue
Building an effective Rogue in Dungeons & Dragons 5e (2024) starts with prioritizing Dexterity, as it powers your attacks, boosts your defense, and enhances your stealth abilities. Rogues thrive on mobility and cunning-use Cunning Action to Dash, Disengage, or Hide as a bonus action, allowing you to strike and slip away or reposition for maximum advantage. To consistently trigger Sneak Attack, plan your movement to ensure you have advantage or an ally nearby your target, and consider ranged options for survivability if you want to avoid direct melee. Outside of combat, lean into the Rogue’s expertise in skills like Stealth, Sleight of Hand, and Deception, making you invaluable for exploration and social encounters. Finally, choose a subclass and feats that match your preferred playstyle, whether you want to specialize in combat, infiltration, or social manipulation.
When you first make your character, you’ll need to assign your attribute points. For most non-magical Rogues, here’s your priority list:
- Dexterity
- Constitution
- Wisdom
- Charisma
- Intelligence
- Strength
If you’re an Arcane Trickster Rogue, you’ll want to prioritize Intelligence after Dexterity in order to increase your spellcasting ability, but the rest of the order doesn’t change.
Best Rogue Backgrounds and Origin Feats
Choosing the right background and origin feat can significantly enhance a rogue’s versatility and flavor in D&D 5e (2024). Classic backgrounds like Criminal and Wayfarer remain top picks: Criminal offers thematic synergy and useful proficiencies, though its thieves’ tools overlap with the rogue’s starting kit, making it wise to swap for other tool proficiencies if possible. Wayfarer, from the 2024 Player’s Handbook, grants Insight, Stealth, and a Lucky feature, making it both mechanically strong and rich in narrative potential for streetwise rogues. Sailor is another standout, providing Acrobatics and Perception, which pair well with rogue expertise and support both urban and swashbuckling archetypes. For origin feats, Magic Initiate is highly recommended for rogues seeking magical utility, while Skill Expert and Mobile further boost skill prowess and battlefield mobility, respectively-allowing rogues to excel both in and out of combat. Ultimately, the best choices depend on the rogue’s intended playstyle and campaign setting, but these options offer a strong foundation for any build.
Backgrounds in One D&D are a way to codify your character’s personal history into their stats. Backgrounds give you a bump to your stats, a couple of skills, tool proficiencies, and an Origin Feat.
For Rogues, let’s start with anything that lets you bump Dexterity – Artisan, Charlatan, Criminal, Entertainer, Guide, Sailor, Scribe, Soldier, Wayfarer. Beyond that, it depends on what kind of Rogue you want to make.
- If you want to be good at lying, you’ll want to also bump Charisma with Charlatan, Entertainer, or Wayfarer
- If you want to be good at investigating, you’ll want Intelligence with Artisan, Criminal, or Scribe
Criminal is a good fallback if you can’t decide. The Alert Origin Feat you get will bump up your Initiative, and it gets you proficiency in Sleight of Hand and Stealth – opening up more options for your Class-granted skill proficiencies.
Rogue subclasses
Rogue subclasses in the 2024 Player’s Handbook offer a wide range of playstyles, each emphasizing different aspects of the Rogue’s toolkit. The four official subclasses are Arcane Trickster, Assassin, Thief, and Soulknife. Arcane Trickster introduces spellcasting, blending magic with stealth and utility for creative problem-solving. The Assassin focuses on dealing massive damage early in combat and excels at infiltration and disguise. The Thief specializes in agility, quick thinking, and using items in inventive ways, making them masters of exploration and resourcefulness. The Soulknife, a more recent addition, wields psionic power to create psychic blades and communicate telepathically, offering a unique, supernatural approach to classic Rogue skills. Each subclass has received updates or tweaks in the 2024 rules, ensuring that every Rogue can carve out a distinct role in the party, whether through cunning, magic, or sheer lethality.
You don’t pick a Rogue subclass until Level 3, but you’ll want to think about where you’re heading pretty early on – especially in terms of Background and Origin Feat (above).
Arcane Trickster
The Arcane Trickster is one of the most powerful subclasses in the game, as it allows you to combine the high damage of a dagger or crossbow-wielding Rogue with the utility of a Wizard.
At level 3, you gain access to spellcasting, including three Cantrips and some spell slots. Notably, this gives you access to Mage Hand, which allows you to pilfer pockets magically and from a distance, as well as any number of interesting things.
You’ll continue to gain spell slots and access to more powerful spells as you grow in level. Eventually, at level 17, you’ll be able to steal spells from other spellcasters. You can then cast that spell for the next 8 hours.
Assassin
Assassin is about what you’d think it is, and is all about dealing massive damage before your targets even know you’re there.
Your main tool as an assassin is . Assassinate, which gives you Advantage on all Initiative rolls and you’re able to deal bonus damage during the first round of combat.
At level 17, you can use Death Strike to deal double damage on your first sneak attack of a combat.
Soulknife
The Soulknife trades out normal blades for special psychic blades and dice. You can also do some pretty wild stuff with these energy dice you get – like reroll an ability check – but the coolest feature here are the knives themselves. Instead of using traditional weapons, you can manifest physic blades in your hands when you attack, which deal damage and then disappear as if they were never there.
If that’s not cool enough, at level 9 you gain the ability to throw one of your Psionic blades and then teleport to it.
Thief
The Thief is probably the most well-known archetype of the Rogue, and is focused more on the out of combat skills that come with being a Rogue. You’re able to climb, and jump very efficiently, and you can steal stuff easier than the average character.
How can I build a Rogue that dominates both stealth and combat in 2024
To build a Rogue that dominates both stealth and combat in Dungeons & Dragons 5e (2024), focus on maximizing Dexterity, selecting synergistic feats, and leveraging class features that enhance both sneaky movement and battlefield impact.
Key Ability Scores and Skills
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Prioritize Dexterity as your main stat for attack rolls, AC, and stealth checks. Consider boosting Constitution for survivability and Intelligence if you want to play an Arcane Trickster.
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Take Expertise in Stealth and another skill like Acrobatics or Perception to excel in both sneaking and situational awareness.
Class Features and Subclass Choices
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Rogues excel at hiding and repositioning thanks to Cunning Action, which lets you Dash, Disengage, or Hide as a bonus action.
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Subclasses like Thief, Assassin, or Arcane Trickster each offer unique ways to enhance stealth or combat. Thief boosts mobility and utility, Assassin specializes in surprise attacks, and Arcane Trickster adds magical tricks for infiltration and escape.
Feats for Stealth and Combat
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Skulker: Hide even when lightly obscured, making it easier to stay unseen.
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Silent Step: Makes your movement nearly undetectable, perfect for slipping past enemies.
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Shadow Touched: Grants access to spells like Invisibility for magical stealth options.
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Alert and Defensive Duelist: Improve initiative and survivability in combat.
Tactics and Playstyle
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Use Cunning Action to stay mobile, hiding or repositioning each round to set up Sneak Attack.
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Light or finesse weapons (like rapiers, shortswords, or hand crossbows) synergize with Sneak Attack and allow you to strike hard when enemies are distracted or flanked.
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Consider multiclassing with Monk for increased mobility and more attack opportunities, or with Artificer for utility spells and magical enhancements.
Sample Build Outline
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Race: Halfling or Elf for Dexterity bonuses and stealth-related racial traits.
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Subclass: Thief for mobility, Assassin for combat burst, or Arcane Trickster for magical tricks.
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Feats: Skulker, Silent Step, Shadow Touched, Alert, Defensive Duelist.
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Skills: Expertise in Stealth, Acrobatics, Perception, or Sleight of Hand.
By combining high Dexterity, the right feats, and tactical use of Rogue features, you can create a character who slips through shadows and strikes with deadly precision-dominating both stealth and combat in the 2024 ruleset.
What feats in 2024 best enhance both stealth and combat for Rogues
The best feats in the 2024 Player’s Handbook that enhance both stealth and combat for Rogues are:
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Skulker: This feat is almost essential for Rogues focused on stealth. It allows you to hide more easily in dim light and avoid revealing your position after missing a ranged attack, making it perfect for both sneaking and striking from the shadows.
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Mobile: Greatly improves your hit-and-run tactics by increasing your speed and letting you avoid opportunity attacks from creatures you attack, which helps you slip away after landing Sneak Attack.
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Shadow Touched: Grants you the ability to cast Invisibility and another spell from the Illusion or Necromancy schools once per long rest, giving you magical options for both stealth and tactical advantage in combat.
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Sharpshooter: For ranged Rogues, this feat allows you to ignore cover and make long-range attacks without disadvantage, increasing your damage output while staying hidden or at a distance.
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Elven Accuracy: If you’re playing an elf, this feat lets you reroll one die when you have advantage on an attack, making your Sneak Attacks even more reliable-especially when attacking from stealth.
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Fade Away: Allows you to turn invisible as a reaction when you take damage, offering an emergency escape or a way to reposition for your next attack.
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Boon of Combat Prowess (Epic Boon): This high-level feat is highly rated for Rogues, giving you a significant edge in combat scenarios.
These feats, especially when combined with high Dexterity and the Rogue’s Cunning Action, will make your character a master of both stealth and combat in 2024.
