The 5e Rogue Class
Refitted
Criminals, spies, or secret agents. Rogues are specialized masters of many skills and strike with precision, dealing devastating blows to single targets.
The rogue class presented here has most of the same abilities it did in baseline 5e rules, but most of the abilities have been shuffled around. We also made sneak attack easier to perform, tweaked the rogue's high level abilities, and gave them a new high level ability. Existing 5e subclasses will all work mechanically with this form of the rogue class. Click here for a summary of changes.
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Navigation
Class Features by Level*
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*For abilities that appear at multiple levels, only the first case is listed. eg. Ability Score Improvement is only listed at level 4.
Recommended Ability Scores
When you make a level 1 character, you can take these recommended ability scores rather than roll or assign them yourself. You can switch any two ability scores, but you do not add any further bonuses (they're already included).
Strength: 8 Dexterity: 16 Constitution: 14 Intelligence: 10 Wisdom: 10 Charisma: 16
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Strength: 8 Dexterity: 14 Constitution: 14 Intelligence: 12 Wisdom: 12 Charisma: 16
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Hit Points
At First Level: 8 + Constitution Modifier
At Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + Constitution Modifier
Hit Dice: 1d8 per rogue level
When you create a level 1 rogue, you gain the following:
Proficiencies
Armor: Light Armor
Weapons: Simple Weapons, Hand Crossbows, Rapiers, Scimitars, and Shortswords
Tools: Thieves' Tools, and either an Exploration Tool -OR- Forgery Kit -OR- Poisoner's Tools
Saving Throws: Dexterity, Intelligence
Skills: four of: Acrobatics, Athletics, Deception, Insight, Intimidation, Investigation, Perception, Performance, Persuasion, Sleight of Hand, and Stealth
Language: Thieves' Cant
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Items
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a rapier -OR- a scimitar -OR- a shortsword
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a shortbow and quiver of 20 arrows -OR- a shortsword -OR- a small shield
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two daggers
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two sets of tools, which you gained proficiency with as part of the rogue class
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a burglar's pack -OR- a dungeoneer's pack -OR- an explorer's pack
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Class Features​
Class features here are sorted by level. When you reach a level as indicated by the icons on the left, you gain all feature or feature improvements listed between the red lines. For example, at first level Rogues gain the Expertise and Sneak Attack abilities.
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Fighting Style
You adopt a particular style of fighting as your specialty. Choose one of the following options. You can't take the same Fighting Style option more than once, even if you later get to choose again. Click here for more information on our changes.
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Archery
You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls you make with ranged and thrown weapons.
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Defense
While you are wearing armor, you gain a +1 bonus to Armor Class.​
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Protection
Reaction - 1 Ally (5 ft.)
When a creature hits one of your allies with an attack and that ally is within 5 ft. of you, you can force the attacker to reroll the attack, targeting you instead. You must be holding a shield or melee weapon to use this ability.
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Single Weapon Fighting
When you are wielding a single one or two-handed melee weapon and no other weapons, you gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls with that weapon.​
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Two-Weapon Fighting
When you make an attack with an off-hand weapon, you do not suffer disadvantage on the attack roll.
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Sneak Attack
As Part of a Weapon Attack - 1 Creature
You know how to strike subtly and exploit a foe's distraction. Once per turn, you can deal extra damage to one creature you hit with an attack. This damage counts as part of the attack, and if you roll critical hit and use sneak attack, your sneak attack damage is doubled. To deal this extra damage, your weapon cannot be a Heavy melee weapon, and you must meet one of the following criteria:
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You have advantage on the attack roll against your target
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Your target is within 5 ft. of another creature hostile to them, and the other creature is not incapacitated
Click here for an example (1).
Your Sneak Attack damage increases as you gain levels in this class, listed below and in the Sneak Attack column of the Rogue Progression Table.
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Cunning Action
Bonus Action - Self
Your quick thinking and agility allow you to move and act quickly.
You can use Thieves' Tools or take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide action. You cannot use the Dash action twice in one turn, as normal.
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Expertise
Choose any two of your skills. You have expertise (you add double your proficiency bonus) with checks made with these skills.
Precision Attack
When you deal Sneak Attack damage, you can sacrifice damage on your attack for a secondary effect. This can reduce your sneak attack damage to 0, but still add a secondary effect. Sometimes, these sneak attack options change the damage type of your sneak attack damage. Some require you to be within 5 ft. of your target. Otherwise, these options function exactly the same as Sneak Attack.
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When a sneak attack option requires the target to roll a saving throw, the DC is equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your strength or dexterity modifier (whichever is higher).
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Choose one of the following Precision Attacks. You gain another at levels 7 and 11.
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Hamstring
As Part of a Weapon Attack - 1 Creature - 1 Round
You can sacrifice 1d6 of your sneak attack damage to briefly hobble your target's movement.​
Dexterity Save
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Failure: Sneak Attack (-1d6) damage. Target's speed is halved.
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Success: Sneak Attack (-1d6) damage.
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Knockdown
As Part of a Weapon Attack - 1 Creature (5 ft.)
You can sacrifice 2d6 of your sneak attack damage to knock your target off their feet.​
Strength Save
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Failure: Sneak Attack (-2d6) bludgeoning damage. Target falls prone.
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Success: Sneak Attack (-2d6) bludgeoning damage.
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Poisoned Weapon
Prerequisite: Proficiency with Poisoning Tools
As Part of a Weapon Attack - 1 Creature
You can sacrifice 2d6 of your sneak attack damage to poison them.​
Constitution Save
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Failure: Sneak Attack (-2d6) poison damage. Target is poisoned.
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Success: Sneak Attack (-2d6) poison damage.
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Slicing Blow
As Part of a Weapon Attack - 1 Creature
You can sacrifice 1d6 of your sneak attack damage to gash and bleed your target.
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On Hit: Sneak Attack damage (-1d6) slashing damage. If your target has blood, they are drained a number of hit points equal to the sneak attack damage you deal. This drained effect lasts until the target finishes a long rest.
Roguish Archetype
You choose an archetype to embody. Your choice of roguish archetype represents training or exceptional practice at a roguish skillset. Your archetype grants you features at this level and again at 6th, 10th, and 14th level, also listed below.
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Roguish Archetypes published elsewhere are compatible with this version of the rogue class.
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Assassin
Assassins focus on striking quickly and decisively. They excel at finishing off wounded opponents and setting their opponents off balance when violence breaks out.
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Assassin: Ambush Tactics
You excel at surprising your foes. If you attack a creature that has not yet had a turn in combat, you are eligible for sneak attack. If you deal sneak attack damage to a creature that has not had a turn, then they are surprised.
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Assassin: Finishing Blow
No Action Cost - 1 Creature
When you deal sneak attack damage to a creature and reduce your target to a number of hit points equal to your rogue level or lower, they are instead reduced to 0 hit points.
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Brute
Brutes focus on overpowering their targets and pummeling them into submission. They wear armor and stride into battle with sophisticated weapons training. Rarely does a brute strike from a distance, rather rushing into battle and quickly dispatching threats.
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Brute: Enforcer's Training
You gain proficiency in all martial weapons, medium armor, and shields. Additionally, you can use Sneak Attack on any creature you are grappling.
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Duelist
Duelists are skilled at one-on-one combat, fighting with misdirection and waiting for the right tie to strike. They know how to strike faster and harder than all but the most skilled warriors. Most duelists fight with a rapier and either a small shield or a small off-hand weapon.
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Duelist: Feint
As Part of a Weapon Attack
Once per turn, when you attack with a melee or thrown weapon, after rolling your attack, you can turn the attack into a feint. You retroactively gain advantage on your attack, making you eligible for sneak attack and potentially turning a miss into a hit.
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Duelist: Lethal Opening
You can sneak attack using an attack of opportunity, even if you don't otherwise meet the criteria.
As usual, once you sneak attack, you can't sneak attack again until the beginning of your next turn.
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Mystic Trickster
Mystic Tricksters wield magic alongside their roguish talents. They know how to strike with spells just as effectively as weapons, and can use magic to distract their opponents. Rather than developing their own system of magic, they dabble in the spells used by more dedicated spellcasters, picking what simple spells will integrate with their martial skills.
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Mystic Trickster Spellcasting
You have dabbled in the spellcasting available to more powerful spellcasters. Your own journey to acquire magical ability is slow, but you have integrated spells into your fighting style in a way few spellcasters can. Choose one of the Bard, Cleric, Druid, Sorcerer, Warlock, or Wizard. Your chosen class determines your spellcasting ability, as well as which spell list you draw your spells from.
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Spell Slots
The Mystic Trickster Table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these spells, you must expend a slot of the spell's level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest. For example, if you know the 1st level spell Charm Person and have a 1st-level and a 2nd-level spell slot available, you can cast Charm Person using either slot.
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Cantrips
Cantrips are the simplest and weakest of spells, and can be casted without expending Spell Slots. You know three cantrips of your choice from your spell list.
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Spells Known of 1st Level and Higher
You know two 1st-level spells of your choice from your spell list. You learn one more spell for each two levels beyond level 3, as indicated on the spells known column of the Mystic Trickster Table. Each spell you learn must be of a level for which you have spell slots. For example, when you reach level 7 in this class, you can learn one new spell of 1st or 2nd level.
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Switching Spells
When you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the spells you know and replace it with another spell from your spell list, which also must be of a level for which you have spell slots. Alternatively, you can replace a cantrip.
Spellcasting Ability
Your spellcasting ability is based on the class you chose for your spellcasting. Bards, Sorcerers, and Warlocks use charisma. Clerics and Druids use wisdom. Wizards use intelligence.
You use your chosen spellcasting ability score whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your spellcasting ability modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.
Spell Save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your spellcasting ability modifier
Spell Attack Modifier = your proficiency bonus + your spellcasting ability modifier​
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Spellcasting Focus
You can use a spellcasting focus or a component pouch for casting your spells. To do so, you need a free hand to hold your focus or access your components. Your focus replaces the need for you to have specific material components to cast spells, unless that material component costs 1 gold or more, in which case you must use the specific component instead​
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Spell Slots
Mystic Trickster: Devastating Cantrips
Your sneak attack can apply to cantrips you learn from the class you chose as part of being a Mystic Trickster. You can use your Alternative sneak attack options with cantrips as well (except Poisoned Weapon, which still requires a weapon). You only deal sneak attack damage to one target if your cantrip targets multiple creatures, and you can't sneak attack with a Minor Magic Missile.
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Other Archetype: Level 3 Feature
Choose this option if you'd like to use a Roguish Archetype that comes from a source that isn't Elkan 5e. Your chosen archetype grants you one or more features at this level.
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Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, and 16th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
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Feat
At this level and every level you gain an ability score improvement, you also gain a feat of your choice. You are eligible for general feats, rogue feats, and combat maneuver feats by default.
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Extra Attack
You can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn. If you are dual-wielding, your off-hand attack brings you to a total of three attacks.
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Roguish Archetype Feature
Your chosen Roguish Archetype grants you a new feature.
Assassin: Snap Reaction
Your initiative increases by 5.
Reaction - Self
When you roll initiative, you can immediately move up to your speed without triggering attacks of opportunity.
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Brute: Brutal Fighting
No Action Cost
When you successfully shove or grapple a creature, you can choose to deal 1d6 bludgeoning damage to your target. At the start of each of your turns, you can deal this damage to any creature you are grappling.
Duelist: Face Me!
No Action Cost
When you start your turn, you mark a creature as your target, moving effortlessly to pursue them. Until the end of your turn, you are not slowed by difficult terrain and do not trigger attacks of opportunity when moving towards your target.
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Mystic Trickster: Magic Trickery
Bonus Action - 1 Creature
You cast a cantrip that doesn't deal damage or buff a creature. Some examples include minor illusion or thaumaturgy. When you do, choose one creature within range of the spell to be distracted by the effect. You can use Sneak Attack on them for the duration of the spell.
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Other Archetype: Level 6 Feature
Your chosen Roguish Archetype grants you one or more features at this level. If using an archetype not from Elkan 5e, your archetype's feature is likely listed at level 9.
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Evasion
Your instinctive agility lets you dodge out of the way of certain area effects, such as a blue dragon's lightning breath or a Fireball spell. When you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, and only half damage if you fail. This ability does not function if you are incapacitated.
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Precision Attack
Choose one of the following Precision Attacks. You gain another at level 11.
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Focusing Strike
As Part of a Weapon Attack - 1 Creature
You can sacrifice 3d6 of your sneak attack damage to refocus your mind in the heat of battle.
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On Hit: Sneak Attack (-3d6) damage. You also remove the confused, frightened, and goaded conditions from yourself.
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Sand in the Eyes
As Part of a Weapon Attack - 1 Creature (5 ft.) - 1 Round
You can sacrifice 4d6 of your sneak attack damage to briefly blind your target with sand, dirt, or something else in your environment.​
Constitution Save
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Failure: Sneak Attack (-4d6) damage. Target is blinded.
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Success: Sneak Attack (-4d6) damage.
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Sunder
As Part of a Weapon Attack - 1 Creature - 1 Round
You can sacrifice 3d6 of your sneak attack damage to temporarily create an opening in your enemy's armor or defenses.​
Dexterity Save
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Failure: Sneak Attack (-3d6) damage. All attacks against the target have advantage.
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Success: Sneak Attack (-3d6) damage.
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Ability Score Improvement
You increase one ability score of your choice by 2 or increase two ability scores of your choice by 1, to a maximum of 20.
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Feat
You gain a feat of your choice.
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Slippery Mind
You have acquired greater mental strength. You gain proficiency in Wisdom saving throws. If you already this proficiency, you may choose any other saving throw to become proficient in.
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Roguish Archetype Feature
Your chosen Roguish Archetype grants you a new feature.
Assassin: Improved Finishing Blow
No Action Cost - 1 Creature
You no longer need to deal sneak attack damage to use Finishing Blow. When you deal damage with a weapon attack and reduce a creature to a number of hit points equal to your rogue level or lower, they are instead reduced to 0 hit points.
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Brute: Swift and Brutal
Bonus Action - Self
When you use your Cunning Action, you can shove or grapple a creature in addition to dashing, disengaging, hiding, or using thieves' tools as part of the same bonus action.
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Duelist: Light on the Feet
Your armor class increases by 1 and your speed increases by 10 when you are not wearing armor heavier than light armor.
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Mystic Trickster: Devastating Spells
Your Devastating Cantrips ability now works with spells of 1st level or higher. You only deal sneak attack damage to one target if your cantrip targets multiple creatures, and you can't sneak attack with a Minor Magic Missile​ or a Magic Missile.
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Other Archetype: Level 10 Feature
Your chosen Roguish Archetype grants you one or more features at this level. If using an archetype not from Elkan 5e, your archetype's feature is likely listed at level 13.
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Precision Attack
Choose one of the following Precision Attacks.
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Sap
As Part of a Weapon Attack - 1 Creature - 1 Round
You can sacrifice 4d6 of your sneak attack damage to strike your target in just the right way to disorient them.​
Constitution Save
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Failure: Sneak Attack (-4d6) damage. Target is dazed.
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Success: Sneak Attack (-4d6) damage.
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Throat Punch
As Part of a Weapon Attack - 1 Creature (5 ft.) - 1 Round
You can sacrifice 4d6 of your sneak attack damage to interrupt and briefly prevent your opponent from speaking.​
Constitution Save
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Failure: Sneak Attack (-4d6) damage. Target is silenced.
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Success: Sneak Attack (-4d6) damage.
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Vicious Wound
As Part of a Weapon Attack - 1 Creature - 1 Hour
You can sacrifice 5d6 of your sneak attack damage to injure your target and prevent them from fighting at full effectiveness.​
Constitution Save
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Failure: Sneak Attack (-5d6) damage. Target takes one level of exhaustion.
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Success: Sneak Attack (-5d6) damage.
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Ability Score Improvement
You increase one ability score of your choice by 2 or increase two ability scores of your choice by 1, to a maximum of 20.
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Feat
You gain a feat of your choice.
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Reliable Talent
You have refined your chosen skills until they approach perfection. Whenever you make an ability check (including a skill check or ability check using tools) that lets you add your proficiency bonus, you can treat a d20 roll of 9 or lower as a 10.
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Roguish Archetype Feature
Your chosen Roguish Archetype grants you a new feature.
Assassin: Assassin's Reflexes
You can take two turns during the first round of any combat. You take your first turn at your normal initiative and your second turn at your initiative minus 10. You can’t use this feature when you are surprised.
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Brute: Improved Brutal Fighting
No Action Cost
When you successfully shove or grapple a creature, you can choose to deal a total of 2d6 bludgeoning damage. At the start of each of your turns, you deal this damage to any creature you are grappling. This damage replaces your Brutal Fighting damage.
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Duelist: Master Duelist
You are a master of misdirecting with your attacks. When you use Feint and miss, you can reroll the attack a second time.
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Mystic Trickster: Master Trickster
Bonus Action - Self
When you use your Magic Trickery ability, you can also use your Cunning Action as part of the same bonus action.
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Other Archetype: Level 14 Feature
Your chosen Roguish Archetype grants you one or more features at this level. If using an archetype not from Elkan 5e, your archetype's feature is likely listed at level 17.
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Expertise
Choose any two of your skills. You have expertise (you add double your proficiency bonus) with checks made with these skills.
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Ability Score Improvement
You increase one ability score of your choice by 2 or increase two ability scores of your choice by 1, to a maximum of 20.
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Feat
You gain a feat of your choice.
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Elusive
You are so evasive that attackers rarely gain the upper hand against you. Any creature that would normally have advantage on an attack roll against you rolls without advantage, unless you are incapacitated.
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Blindsight
You remain aware of creatures and objects near you even when you can't see them. You have blindsight with a radius of 30 ft. ​
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Superior Ability
You increase one ability score of your choice by 2, to a maximum of 22.
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Stroke of Luck
No Action Cost - Self - 1/Short Rest
You have an uncanny knack for succeeding when you need to. After you roll an attack roll, you can choose to have your attack roll count as a natural 20 on the d20, turning the attack from a miss or a hit into a critical hit. Alternatively, after you learn whether or not you succeed at an ability check (including skill checks or checks made with tools), you can decide to change your d20 roll on that check into a 20, using the new total to determine the result of the ability check.
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Notes and Examples
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(1) Let's say a rogue is attacking a bandit, and the bandit is also attacking a goblin. The rogue gets to add Sneak Attack because the goblin is hostile to the bandit, even though the rogue and the goblin are not allies.
If the goblin were to be stunned, the rogue could not use Sneak Attack on the bandit because the stunned condition will make the goblin incapacitated.
If the goblin were to die, but the rogue gained advantage because the bandit was knocked prone, the rogue could use Sneak Attack.
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