The Rogue, Perfected, by Strawberry Drugcake

by HaliwaaraGMBinder

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The Rogue, Perfected

Introduction

Rogue

Signaling for her companions to wait, a halfling creeps forward through the dungeon hall. She presses an ear to the door, then pulls out a set of tools and picks the lock in the blink of an eye. Then she disappears into the shadows as her fighter friend moves forward to kick the door open.

A human lurks in the shadows of an alley while his accomplice prepares for her part in the ambush. When their target — a notorious slaver — passes the alleyway, the accomplice cries out, the slaver comes to investigate, and the assassin’s blade cuts his throat before he can make a sound.

Suppressing a giggle, a gnome waggles her fingers and magically lifts the key ring from the guard’s belt. In a moment, the keys are in her hand, the cell door is open, and she and her companions are free to make their escape.

Rogues rely on skill, stealth, and their foes’ vulnerabilities to get the upper hand in any situation. They have a knack for finding the solution to just about any problem, demonstrating a resourcefulness and versatility that is the cornerstone of any successful adventuring party.

Skill and Precision

While most of the classic schools of magical study are well known and widely respected, the less refined and macabre incantations of Hemocraft have long been forbidden and lost to most of the civilized world. Blood Hunters have reclaimed these techniques away from the judging eyes of society, finding blood magic’s esoteric nature effective against the evils that often defy the divine powers that historically hold the line.

Through careful study and practice, blood hunters have honed the rites of hemocraft into their combat prowess, forfeiting a facet of their health to infuse their weapons with powerful blood magic and summoning the elements to envelop their strikes. They can sear an arcane brand into the body of their quarry that hinders their foe’s abilities and punishes their aggression, or call blood curses upon their enemies, manipulating their bodies from the inside. Willing to suffer whatever it takes to achieve victory, these adept warriors have forged themselves into a potent force against the terrors that threaten the innocent.

A Shady Living

Every town and city has its share of rogues. Most of them live up to the worst stereotypes of the class, making a living as burglars, assassins, cutpurses, and con artists. Often, these scoundrels are organized into thieves’ guilds or crime families. Plenty of rogues operate independently, but even they sometimes recruit apprentices to help them in their scams and heists. A few rogues make an honest living as locksmiths, investigators, or exterminators, which can be a dangerous job in a world where dire rats—and wererats—haunt the sewers.

Rogue
Level Proficiency Bonus Sneak Attack Features
1st +2 1d6 Expertise, Sneak Attack, Thieves’ Cant
2nd +2 1d6 Cunning Action, Fighting Style
3rd +2 2d6 Steady Aim, Roguish Archetype
4th +2 2d6 Ability Score Improvement
5th +3 3d6 Uncanny Dodge
6th +3 3d6 Expertise
7th +3 4d6 Evasion
8th +3 4d6 Ability Score Improvement
9th +4 5d6 Roguish Archetype Feature
10th +4 5d6 Ability Score Improvement
11th +4 6d6 Reliable Talent
12th +4 6d6 Ability Score Improvement
13th +5 7d6 Roguish Archetype Feature, Bonus Feat
14th +5 7d6 Blindsense
15th +5 8d6 Slippery Mind
16th +5 8d6 Ability Score Improvement
17th +6 9d6 Roguish Archetype Feature
18th +6 9d6 Elusive
19th +6 10d6 Ability Score Improvement
20th +6 10d6 Stroke of Luck

Creating a Rogue

As you create your rogue character, consider the character’s relationship to the law. Do you have a criminal past—or present? Are you on the run from the law or from an angry thieves’ guild master? Or did you leave your guild in search of bigger risks and bigger rewards? Is it greed that drives you in your adventures, or some other desire or ideal?

What was the trigger that led you away from your previous life? Did a great con or heist gone terribly wrong cause you to reevaluate your career? Maybe you were lucky and a successful robbery gave you the coin you needed to escape the squalor of your life.

Did wanderlust finally call you away from your home? Perhaps you suddenly found yourself cut off from your family or your mentor, and you had to find a new means of support.

Or maybe you made a new friend—another member of your adventuring party—who showed you new possibilities for earning a living and employing your particular talents.

Class Features

As a rogue, you gain the following class features

Hit Points


  • Hit Dice: 1d8 per rogue level
  • Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your
  • Constitution modifier
  • Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your
  • Constitution modifier per rogue level after 1st

Proficiencies


  • Armor: Light armor
  • Weapons: Simple weapons, hand crossbows, longswords, rapiers, shortswords
  • Tools: Thieves’ tools

  • Saving Throws: Dexterity, Intelligence
  • Skills: Choose four from Acrobatics, Athletics, Deception,
  • Insight, Intimidation, Investigation, Perception, Performance,
  • Persuasion, Sleight of Hand, and Stealth

Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

  • (a) a rapier or (b) a shortsword
  • (a) a shortbow and quiver of 20 arrows or (b) a shortsword
  • (a) a burglar’s pack, (b) a dungeoneer’s pack, or (c) an explorer’s pack
  • Leather armor, two daggers, and thieves’ tools

Expertise

At 1st level, choose two of your skill proficiencies, or one of your skill proficiencies and your proficiency with thieves’ tools. Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses either of the chosen proficiencies.

At 6th level, you can choose two more of your proficiencies (in skills or with thieves’ tools) to gain this benefit.

Sneak Attack

Beginning at 1st level, you know how to strike subtly and exploit a foe’s distraction. Once per turn, you can deal an extra 1d6 damage to one creature you hit with an attack if you have advantage on the attack roll. The attack must use a finesse or a ranged weapon.

You don’t need advantage on the attack roll if another enemy of the target is within 5 feet of it, that enemy isn’t incapacitated, and you don’t have disadvantage on the attack roll.

The amount of the extra damage increases as you gain levels in this class, as shown in the Sneak Attack column of the Rogue table.

Thieves’ Cant

During your rogue training you learned thieves’ cant, a secret mix of dialect, jargon, and code that allows you to hide messages in seemingly normal conversation. Only another creature that knows thieves’ cant understands such messages. It takes four times longer to convey such a message than it does to speak the same idea plainly.

In addition, you understand a set of secret signs and symbols used to convey short, simple messages, such as whether an area is dangerous or the territory of a thieves’ guild, whether loot is nearby, or whether the people in an area are easy marks or will provide a safe house for thieves on the run.

Cunning Action

Starting at 2nd level, your quick thinking and agility allow you to move and act quickly. You can take a bonus action on each of your turns in combat. This action can be used only to take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide action.

Fighting Style

At 2nd level, you adopt a particular style of fighting as your specialty. Choose one from Archery, Dueling, Thrown Weapon Fighting or Two-Weapon Fighting. You can’t take a Fighting Style option more than once, even if you later get to choose again.

Archery

You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls you make with ranged weapons.

Adaptive mobility

You gain swimming and climbing speed equal to your speed and non-magical difficult terrain does not cost you extra movement

Blind Fighting

Being unable to see a creature doesn’t impose disadvantage on your attack rolls against it, provided the creature isn’t hidden from you.

Dueling

When you are wielding a melee weapon in one hand and no other weapons, you gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls with that weapon.

Thrown Weapon Fighting

You can draw a weapon that has the thrown property as part of the attack you make with the weapon.

In addition, when you hit with a ranged attack using a thrown weapon, you gain a +2 bonus to the damage roll.

Two-Weapon Fighting

When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the second attack.

Steady Aim

As a bonus action, you give yourself advantage on your next attack roll on the current turn. You can use this bonus action only if you haven't moved during this turn, and after you use the bonus action, your speed is 0 until the end of the current turn.

Roguish Archetype

At 3rd level, you choose an archetype that you emulate in the exercise of your rogue Abilities, such as Thief. Your archetype choice grants you features at 3rd level and then again at 9th, 13th, and 17th level.

Ability Score Improvement

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 10th, 12th, 16th, and 19th 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.

Uncanny Dodge

Starting at 5th level, when an attacker that you can see hits you with an attack, you can use your reaction to halve the attack’s damage against you.

Evasion

Beginning at 7th level, you can nimbly dodge out of the way of certain area Effects, such as a red dragon's fiery breath or an Ice Storm 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.

Reliable Talent

By 11th level, you have refined your chosen Skills until they approach perfection. Whenever you make an ability check that lets you add your Proficiency Bonus, you can treat a d20 roll of 9 or lower as a 10.

Bonus Feat

When you reach 13th level, you may select yourself a Bonus Feat. Bonus Feat Pool is pinned in #ordo-patch-notes. If a Bonus Feat includes and ASI, you do not gain that ASI.

Blindsense

Starting at 14th level, if you are able to hear, you are aware of the location of any hidden or Invisible creature within 10 feet of you. At 16th level the range increases to 20 ft and at 18 level it increases to 30 ft.

Slippery Mind

By 15th level, you have acquired greater mental Strength. You gain proficiency in Wisdom Saving Throws.

When you reach 19th level, you can use your reaction on your turn to gain advantage to Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma saving throws until the start of your next turn.

Elusive

Beginning at 18th level, you are so evasive that attackers rarely gain the upper hand against you. No Attack roll has advantage against you while you aren't Incapacitated.

Stroke of Luck

At 20th level, you have an uncanny knack for succeeding when you need to. If your Attack misses a target within range, you can turn the miss into a hit. Alternatively, if you fail an ability check, you can treat The D20 roll as a 20.

Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a short or Long Rest.

Roguish Archetypes
Name Source Page
Arcane Trickster Player's Handbook 7-8
Assassin Player's Handbook 9
Boogeyman ItzJes♤ 10
Cardslinger StrawberryDrugcake 11
Inquisitive Xanathar's Guide To Everything 12
Mastermind Xanathar's Guide To Everything 13
Quickdraw StrawberryDrugcake 14
Revived Unearthed Arcana 15
Scoundrel Shawn Ellsworth 16
Scout Xanathar's Guide To Everything 17
Sniper tygertygr 19
Soul Knife Tasha's 20
Swashbuckler Xanathar's Guide To Everything 22
Thief Player's Handbook 23
Tracker Rosocr010 24

Arcane Trickster

Some rogues enhance their fine-honed skills of stealth and agility with magic, learning tricks of enchantment and illusion. These rogues include pickpockets and burglars, but also pranksters, mischief-makers, and a significant number of adventurers.

Arcane Trickster Spellcasting
Level Cantrips Known Spells Known 1st 2nd 3rd 4th
3rd Mage Hand + 2 3 2
4th Mage Hand + 2 4 3
5th Mage Hand + 2 4 3
6th Mage Hand + 2 4 3
7th Mage Hand + 2 5 4 2
8th Mage Hand + 2 6 4 2
9th Mage Hand + 2 6 4 2
10th Mage Hand + 3 7 4 3
11th Mage Hand + 3 8 4 3
12th Mage Hand + 3 8 4 3
13th Mage Hand + 3 9 4 3 2
14th Mage Hand + 3 10 4 3 2
15th Mage Hand + 3 10 4 3 2
16th Mage Hand + 3 11 4 3 3
17th Mage Hand + 3 11 4 3 3
18th Mage Hand + 3 11 4 3 3
19th Mage Hand + 3 12 4 3 3 1
20th Mage Hand + 3 13 4 3 3 1

Spellcasting

When you reach 3rd level, you augment your martial prowess with the ability to cast spells.

Cantrips

You learn three cantrips: Mage Hand and two other cantrips of your choice from the wizard spell list. You learn another wizard cantrip of your choice at 10th level.

Spell Slots

The Arcane Trickster Spellcasting 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.

Spells Known of 1st Level and Higher

You know three 1st-level wizard spells of your choice, two of which you must choose from the enchantment and illusion spells on the wizard spell list.

The Spells Known column of the Arcane Trickster Spellcasting table shows when you learn more wizard spells of 1st level or higher. Each of these spells must be an enchantment or illusion spell of your choice, and must be of a level for which you have spell slots. For instance, when you reach 7th level in this class, you can learn one new spell of 1st or 2nd level.

The spells you learn at 8th, 14th, and 20th level can come from any school of magic.

Spellcasting Ability

Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for your wizard spells, since you learn your spells through dedicated study and memorization. You use your Intelligence whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Intelligence modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a wizard spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.

Spell Save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus +

your Intelligence modifier

Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus +

your Intelligence modifier

Mage Hand Legerdemain

Starting at 3rd level, when you cast Mage Hand, you can make the spectral hand invisible, and you can perform the following additional tasks with it:

  • You can stow one object the hand is holding in a container worn or carried by another creature.

  • You can retrieve an object in a container worn or carried by another creature.

  • You can use thieves' tools to pick locks and disarm traps at range.

You can perform one of these tasks without being noticed by a creature if you succeed on a Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check contested by the creature's Wisdom (Perception) check.

In addition, you can use the bonus action granted by your Cunning Action to control the hand.

Magical Ambush

Starting at 9th level, if you are hidden from a creature when you cast a spell on it, the creature has disadvantage on any saving throw it makes against the spell this turn.

Versatile Trickster

At 13th level, you gain greater control over your Mage Hand and can use it in the best way a trickster can. As a bonus action on your turn, you can designate a creature within 5 feet of the spectral hand created by the spell. The hand then attempts to trip the creature. The creature must succeed on a Strength saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failed save, it falls prone.

Spell Thief

At 17th level, you gain the ability to magically steal the knowledge of how to cast a spell from another spellcaster.

Immediately after a creature casts a spell that targets you or includes you in its area of effect, you can use your reaction to force the creature to make a saving throw with its spellcasting ability modifier. The DC equals your spell save DC. On a failed save, you negate the spell's effect against you, and you steal the knowledge of the spell if it is at least 1st level and of a level you can cast (it doesn't need to be a wizard spell). For the next 8 hours, you know the spell and can cast it using your spell slots. The creature can't cast that spell until the 8 hours have passed.

Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.

Assassin

You focus your training on the grim art of death. Those who adhere to this archetype are diverse: hired killers, spies, bounty hunters, and even specially anointed priests trained to exterminate the enemies of their deity. Stealth, poison, and disguise help you eliminate your foes with deadly efficiency.

Bonus Proficiencies

When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with the disguise kit and the poisoner's kit.

Assassinate

Starting at 3rd level, you are at your deadliest when you get the drop on your enemies. You have advantage on attack rolls against any creature that hasn't taken a turn in the combat yet. In addition, any hit you score against a creature that is surprised is a critical hit.

Infiltration Expertise

Starting at 9th level, you can unfailingly create false identities for yourself. You must spend seven days and 25 gp to establish the history, profession, and affiliations for an identity. You can't establish an identity that belongs to someone else. For example, you might acquire appropriate clothing, letters of introduction, and official- looking certification to establish yourself as a member of a trading house from a remote city so you can insinuate yourself into the company of other wealthy merchants.

Thereafter, if you adopt the new identity as a disguise, other creatures believe you to be that person until given an obvious reason not to.

Impostor

At 13th level, you gain the ability to unerringly mimic another person's speech, writing, and behavior. You must spend at least three hours studying these three components of the person's behavior, listening to speech, examining handwriting, and observing mannerisms.

Your ruse is indiscernible to the casual observer. If a wary creature suspects something is amiss, you have advantage on any Charisma (Deception) check you make to avoid detection.

Death Strike

Starting at 17th level, you become a master of instant death. When you attack and hit a creature that is surprised, it must make a Constitution saving throw (DC 8 + your Dexterity modifier + your proficiency bonus). On a failed save, double the damage of your attack against the creature.

Boogeyman

You relish using your skills to haunt your target for days or even weeks before you decide to fully reveal yourself, all the while feeding on your victim's growing realization that they are not alone. The most evil of these are those who abandon the tactic of feeding on one person’s fears and instead take up roles of mass murderers or serial killers, or other pursuits designed to drive fear into the hearts of an entire city of victims.

Modus Operandi

Starting at 3rd level, your Sneak attack feature applies to all melee weapon attacks with the heavy or two-handed property. You can also use your Strength modifier in place of your Charisma modifier for Intimidation checks.

In addition, you gain proficiency with medium armor and all simple and martial weapons that don't have the special property.

Death Mark

Starting at 3rd level, you learn to use intimidation as a weapon in combat. As a bonus action, you can make a Strength or Charisma (Intimidation) check against a creature you are aware of within 60 feet that can see or hear you and is not immune to being frightened, contested by the target's Strength (Athletics) or Wisdom (Insight) check (the target chooses the ability to use). If it fails, the creature is Frightened of you for 1 minute. It can repeat the save at the end of each of its turns. If it succeeds, the creature is immune to this effect for the next 24 hours. Only one creature can be affected by this effect at a time.

Without a Trace

Starting at 3rd level, you can perform special grapple actions that require two free hands.

  • Kidnap. As an action, you can use two free hands to attempt a grapple on a suitable creature your size or smaller. Ability checks made to escape this grapple have disadvantage. Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained and cannot cast spells that require somatic components. In addition, you can free one of your hands at any time by switching to a normal grapple.

  • Strangle. As an action, you can use a free hand to attempt a grapple on a suitable creature that has a neck thin enough for your hand to wrap around. You have disadvantage on the initial grapple check if you cannot Sneak Attack the target. Until this grapple ends, the target can't speak or cast spells that require verbal components. In addition, the condition ends if you let go of the target with either hand at any time or use your movement.

Bump in the Night

Starting at 9th level, you have advantage on acrobatics, athletics, deception, and intimidation checks against creatures that you are hidden from, or that have disadvantage on or automatically fail Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight to perceive you unless they can perceive you with special senses such as blindsight or tremorsense.

You Cannot Hide

Starting at 13th level, you are aware of the location of any frightened creatures within 120 feet of you, and the target of your Death Mark feature, but only while the two of you are on the same plane of existence. Additionally, you have advantage on checks related to tracking down creatures that you have damaged. You can also see in dim light and darkness within the range of your darkvision as if it were bright light, but beyond that you can only see in dim light as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray. If you already have darkvision, the range doubles.

Fear Itself

At level 17, if you score a critical hit on a creature that is Frightened of you, it must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier or fall down in a prone position and be Paralyzed from fear for the next minute. It can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns.

Cardslinger

Being a cardslinger resulted in many weeks and months of practice because of one reason or another you chose to make cards you specialty cardslingers are very charismatic in nature having practiced showing card tricks and illusions you are very comfortable in front of people. With specialization in card slinging you can use your knowledge in combat situations to harm enemies or in social interactions to show off some talent.

Slash Draw

Starting at 3rd level, you are proficient at throwing cards as weapons. Any playing card you use is counted as a simple light finesse weapon for you. They deal 1d4 + your Dexterity modifier Slashing Damage and have a throwing range of 30/60. Your damage die increases to 1d6 at 8th level and to a 1d8 at 13th level.

Deck of Tricks

When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you can use Tricks to aid you in combat. Start out with 3 points you get one more every level After 3rd. You regain all your Trick points after a Short or Long rest. You can only use one Trick per turn.

Trick Save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus +

your Dexterity modifier

Double Aces

You can spend 1 Trick point to quickly throw a second card (You have to roll to hit again).

Ricochet

You can make your card bounce from target to target for each new target. Spend 1 Trick point as well as make an attack roll for each bounce. Each target has to be within 10ft of the previous and there can’t be anything in the way of a card. Each target can only be hit once this way.

Blinding Fling

You can spend 1 Trick point to distract an enemy granting the next attack against that enemy advantage.

Disarming Throw

You can spend 1 Trick point and attempt to disarm a target. The target must succeed on a Strength saving throw against your Trick DC. On a failed save it drops one item of your choice on the ground in front of them.

Hidden Strike

You can spend 1 Trick point when you attack while hidden. Making this attack does not reveal your position.

Sniper

You can spend 1 Trick point to double the range of your attack.

Scapegoat

You can spend 1 Trick point and anger a target, the Target makes a Wisdom saving throw against your Trick DC. On a failed save the target has disadvantage on all attacks targeted at anyone but you until the start of your next turn.

Magic Cards, Magic Hands

At 9th level, you learn to deal with both cards and magic on the level of an expert. Attacks with your throwing cards are considered magical for the purpose of overcoming magical resistance and immunity.

Additionally, you have advantage on all Dexterity and Charisma checks involving cards.

Deck of Several Things

At 13th level, you have learned enough about the workings of magic that you can imbue your cards with certain magical effects. When you make an attackroll using a card, you can imbue the card with a magical effect detailed below. You can imbue cards a number of times equal to your rogue level rounded down per long rest.

Damage

You can replace the damage type of your card with one of the following: Acid, Cold, fire, Lightning, Necrotic, Poison, Radiant or Thunder.

Area of Effect

You can make a card have an additional effect after being thrown regardless if it hits or misses.

  • Smoke Screen. 10 ft cube of smoke comes out of the card creating a Heavily Obscured area for one minute or until a strong wind disperses it.
  • Spike growth. This card deals no damage on a hit. 10 ft square of thorns spawns from the card. This area is difficult terrain. Creatures take 2d4 piercing damage for every 5 ft traveled in it.
  • Oil. 10ft square of flammable oil is spilled on the ground. when a creature moves over it it must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw against your Trick DC or fall prone and become covered in oil which takes a minute to clean off. If the target takes fire damage while covered in oil, the oil catches fire and the creature takes 2d6 fire damage per round for one minute or until the target spends an action to put the fire out or submerges over half of its body in water

Sensory Effect

You can make a card not do damage but turn into one of the following.

  • Illusion. Follows the same rules as minor illusion. At 17th level Illusion can create illusions as if casting the Major Image spell
  • Smell. You can make a scent or stench radiate in a 20 ft radius sphere that spreads around corners. It lingers for 5 minutes or 2 minutes if there is a breeze. A strong wind dissipates it in one round.

Ace in All of the Sleeves

When you reach 17th level, If you would be reduced to 0 hitpoints or killed outright (Such as disintegrate or power word kill), you can choose to instead go to 1 hitpoint and magically appear at a space within 300 ft. Once used, this ability can't be used again until you finish a long rest.

Additionally, you have an unlimited supply of cards which you can pull out of anywhere, such as a sleeve, behind your ear or out of thin air.

Inquisitive

As an archetypal Inquisitive, you excel at rooting out secrets and unraveling mysteries. You rely on your sharp eye for detail, but also on your finely honed ability to read the words and deeds of other creatures to determine their true intent. You excel at defeating creatures that hide among and prey upon ordinary folk, and your mastery of lore and your sharp eye make you well equipped to expose and end hidden evils.

Ear for Deceit

When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you develop a keen ear for picking out lies. Whenever you make a Wisdom (Insight) check to determine whether a creature is lying, treat a roll of 7 or lower on the d20 as an 8.

When you gain the Reliable Talent feature, you have Advantage on Insight checks.

Eye for Detail

Starting at 3rd level, you can use a bonus action to make a Wisdom (Perception) check to spot a hidden creature or object or to make an Intelligence (Investigation) check to uncover or decipher clues even during combat.

Insightful Fighting

At 3rd level, you gain the ability to decipher an opponent’s tactics and develop a counter to them. As a bonus action, you make a Wisdom (Insight) check against a creature you can see that isn’t incapacitated, contested by the target’s Charisma (Deception) check. If you succeed, you can use your Sneak Attack against that target even if you don't have advantage on the attack roll, but not if you have disadvantage on it.

This benefit lasts for 1 minute or until you successfully use this feature against a different target.

Steady Eye

At 9th level, you gain advantage on any Wisdom (Perception) or Intelligence (Investigation) check if you move no more than half your speed on the same turn.

Unerring Eye

At 13th level, your senses are almost impossible to foil. As an action, you sense the presence of illusions, shapechangers not in their original form, and other magic designed to deceive the senses within 30 feet of you, provided you aren't blinded or deafened. You sense that an effect is attempting to trick you, but you gain no insight into what is hidden or into its true nature.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of once), and you regain all expended uses of it when you finish a long rest.

Eye for Weakness

At 17th level, you learn to exploit a creature’s weaknesses by carefully studying its tactics and movement. While your Insightful Fighting feature applies to a creature, your Sneak Attack damage against that creature increases by 3d6 and your melee attacks ignore the creatures resistances.

Mastermind

Your focus is on people and on the influence and secrets they have. Many spies, courtiers, and schemers follow this archetype, leading lives of intrigue. Words are your weapons as often as knives or poison, and secrets and favors are some of your favorite treasures.

Master of Intrigue

When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with the disguise kit, the forgery kit, and one gaming set of your choice. You also learn two languages of your choice.

Additionally, you can unerringly mimic the speech patterns and accent of a creature that you hear speak for at least 1 minute, enabling you to pass yourself off as a native speaker of a particular land, provided that you know the language.

Master of Tactics

Starting at 3rd level, you can use the Help action as a bonus action. Additionally, when you use the Help action to aid an ally in attacking a creature, the target of that attack can be within 30 feet of you, rather than 5 feet of you, if the target can see or hear you.

Insightful Manipulator

Starting at 9th level, if you spend at least 1 minute observing or interacting with another creature outside combat, you can learn certain information about its capabilities compared to your own. The DM tells you if the creature is your equal, superior, or inferior in regard to two of the following characteristics of your choice:

  • Intelligence score
  • Wisdom score
  • Charisma score
  • Class levels (if any)

At the DM's discretion, you might also realize you know a piece of the creature's history or one of its personality traits, if it has any.

Misdirection

Beginning at 13th level, you can sometimes cause another creature to suffer an attack meant for you. When you are targeted by an attack while another creature is within 5 feet you, you can use your reaction to have the attack target that creature instead of you.

Soul of Deceit

Starting at 17th level, your thoughts can't be read by telepathy or other means, unless you allow it. You can present false thoughts by making a Charisma (Deception) check contested by the mind reader's Wisdom (Insight) check.

Additionally, no matter what you say, magic that would determine if you are telling the truth indicates you are being truthful if you so choose, and you can't be compelled to tell the truth by magic.

Quickdraw

In the early days of firearms they were a novelty, and even more of a novelty was to watch a pistol duel or a long ranged shot from a passing stranger. The man who was quickest on the draw kept his life and his reputation and the man whose aim was deadly often found himself with an abundance of high paying work. The Quickdraw exemplifies this lifestyle.

Bonus Proficiencies

You gain proficiency with firearms and tinker's tools.

Fish In a Barrel

Starting at 3rd level, you have advantage on attack rolls against any creature that hasn't taken a turn in the combat yet.

In addition when you reach 18th level, if a creature is restrained, stunned, unconscious or prone, any attack with a firearm withing 5 feet of it against it is treated as an automatic hit.

I shot first

Starting at 9th level, you gain advantage on and may add your proficiency bonus to initiative rolls.

Damn Fine Shootin'

At 13th level your reputation lends itself to your performance, allowing you to add your charisma modifier to damage rolls made with a firearm. You also add your proficiency bonus to all performance checks made with firearms. If you already have proficiency in performance, double your proficiency bonus for all performance checks made with firearms.

Pack Iron

Starting at the 17th level, you treat your firearm as an extension of yourself. You have advantage on all Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) and Charisma (Deception) checks for hiding firearms. Additionally, you gain Archery or Superior Technique (Your choice). If you already have one, you add the other.

Revived

You’ve had a soul-shaking realization: you’ve been dead before, yet somehow you are alive again. This life isn’t your first; it might not even be your second. Your past life, or lives, are unclear to you, but you know that you passed through the gates of death. And the powers of death, or some other influence, wasn’t done with you. You might have convinced a deity to let you return to the Material Plane, perhaps you signed a deal with a fiend, or maybe you used an artifact that revived you. Whatever force brought you back, you now know the truth about yourself: that you are one of death’s representatives among the living.

Tokens of Past Lives

At 3rd level, you remember talents you had in your previous life. When you finish a long rest, you gain one skill and tool proficiency of your choice. You can replace this proficiency with another when you finish a long rest.

Revived Nature

Additionally at 3rd level, your newfound connection to death gives you the following benefits.

  • You have advantage on saving throws against disease and being poisoned, and you have resistance to poison damage.

  • You don’t need to eat, drink, or breathe.

  • You don’t need to sleep. When you take a long rest, you must spend at least four hours in an inactive, motionless state, rather than sleeping. In this state, you remain semiconscious, and you can hear as normal.

Power From The Grave

At 3rd level, you have learned to unleash the necrotic energy from within your revived body as a devastating force. Immediately after you use an Attack Action, you can make a melee spell attack against a creature within 5 feet of you, provided you haven’t used your Sneak Attack this turn. You are proficient with it, and you add your Dexterity modifier to its attack and damage rolls. A creature hit by this attack takes necrotic damage equal to your Sneak Attack. This uses your Sneak Attack for the turn.

You can use this feature only once per round.

Connect with the Dead

At 9th level, you can create a link with a spirit through their corpse. When you do so, you cast the speak with dead spell, without using a spell slot or material components. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for this spell. Speaking with the dead in this way temporarily gives you a capability from a past life. When the spell ends, you gain one random benefit from the Revived Capabilities table. The benefit lasts until you finish a short or long rest.

Revived Capabilities
d3 Capability
1 You learn how to speak, read, and write one language of your choice.
2 You gain one skill or tool proficiency of your choice.
3 You gain proficiency with one saving throw of your choice.

After you cast the spell with this feature, you can’t do so again until you finish a short or long rest.

Death Will Not Have Me

At 13th level, when at death’s door, you can converse with the powers of death to give you a snippet of its power. You have advantage on death saving throws.

In addition, whenever you have 0 hit points and are healed or stabilized, you can change any of your personal characteristics: personality traits, ideals, bonds, or flaws and you are cured of any diseases you had.

Ethereal Jaunt

When you reach 17th level, like a ghost, you have the ability to slip in and out of the Ethereal Plane. You can now use your Cunning Action to teleport to an unoccupied space within 30 feet of you. You don’t need to see that space to teleport to it, but your teleportation fails, wasting your bonus action, if you attempt to teleport through magical force that is Medium or larger, such as a wall of force.

If you appear in a space occupied by another creature or filled by an object, you are immediately shunted to the nearest unoccupied space that you can occupy and take force damage equal to twice the number of feet you are shunted.

Scoundrel

As a Scoundrel, life has not been easy, but you have figured out how to turn the tables a bit in your favor. You use your smile, quick wits, and odd dirty trick to find your way into and out of trouble. Making friends is easy and even your enemies have trouble resisting your charm. When things go sideways and the time for talk is over, you are fine with fighting your way out of a bad situation too. Some call you a pirate, smuggler, outlaw, or brigand, but you are just doing what you need to stay on the winning side.

Bonus Proficiencies

When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with one type of gaming set and improvised weapons. In addition, you can sneak attack with an improvised weapon that you wield in one hand.

Fast Talk

Starting at 3rd level, your have become adept at using your words to cause confusion, anger, or just to catch someone off-guard.

You can use a Bonus Action to Fast Talk a creature who can hear you and has an Intelligence score higher than 4 that is within 30 feet. The target must make a Wisdom saving throw with a DC of 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier. On a failure, for the next minute you don’t need advantage on the attack roll to you use your Sneak Attack against the target if you are within 30 feet of it and you don’t have disadvantage on the attack roll. All the other rules for Sneak Attack still apply to you.

Unsavory Connections

When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you can draw on your connections to locate people and things that are hard to find. You have made some important friends, and your connections go beyond the mere contacts of a common criminal.

By spending four hours carousing within a populated area you can gain one of the following (at your DM's discretion).

  • Knowledge of the profession, a recent location, and the affiliates of a civilized creature who currently resides there.

  • Access to any rare or illegal goods and services that are available.

  • Offer of employment or meeting from a criminal enterprise.

  • Access to a hidden pathway or entrance that is known to your connections.

Dirty Trick

Starting at 9th level, you learn to use your surroundings to turn a retreat into an opportunity. When you take the Disengage action, you can find an object (such as debris, a torch, or a drink) to toss at a creature within 5 feet of you. The target must make a Dexterity saving throw with a DC of 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier. On a failed save, you have advantage on the next attack roll against that creature until the end of your turn.

Smooth Talk

At 13th level, you have mastered saying what people want to hear and turning foes into friends. When you are interacting with a creature that can hear and see you, even if they are hostile toward you, you can force the creature to made a Charisma saving throw with a DC of 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier. On a failed save, the creature is Charmed by you for 1 minute or until you damage it or force it to make a savingthrow.

In addition, if you use your Fast Talk feature and the creature fails their saving throw, you can add your Charisma modifier to your next attack roll.

Tight Spot

Starting at 17th level, you have become an expert at combining words and weapons to get out of tight spots.

When a creature misses you with an attack, you can use your reaction to make an attack against that creature, adding your Charisma modifier to the attack roll. In addition, you can choose to expend half of your total movement to not provoke opportunity attacks until the start of your next turn.

Scout

You are skilled in stealth and surviving far from the streets of a city, allowing you to scout ahead of your companions during expeditions. Rogues who embrace this archetype are at home in the wilderness and among barbarians and rangers, and many Scouts serve as the eyes and ears of war bands. Ambusher, spy, bounty hunter – these are just a few of the roles that Scouts assume as they range the world.

Skirmisher

Starting at 3rd level, you are difficult to pin down during a fight. You can move up to half your speed as a reaction when an enemy ends its turn within 5 feet of you. This movement doesn’t provoke opportunity attacks

Survivalist

When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you gain proficiency in the Nature and Survival skills if you don't already have it. Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses either of those proficiencies.

Superior Mobility

At 9th level, your walking speed increases by 10 feet. If you have a climbing or swimming speed, this increase applies to that speed as well.

Ambush Master

Starting at 13th level, you excel at leading ambushes and acting first in a fight.

You have advantage on initiative rolls. In addition, the first creature you hit during the first round of a combat becomes easier for you and others to strike; attack rolls against that target have advantage until the start of your next turn.

Dual Strike

Starting at 17th level, you can strike with deadly speed. If you take the Attack action on your turn, you can make one additional attack as a bonus action. This attack can benefit from your Sneak Attack even if you have already used it this turn, but you can't use your Sneak Attack against the same target more than once in a turn.

Sniper

Not all rogues specialize in sneaking or in delivering a knife to the back. Some work by hiding and taking a shot it the dark. Snipers use ranged weapons - including firearms - to great effect, especially when they can do so from ambush.

Bonus Proficiencies

When you select this archetype at 3rd level you gain proficiency with tinkerer's tools, heavy crossbows and firearms. You also learn how to make gunpowder and you can use tinkerer's tools to make or maintain firearms or to make ammunition.

Long Shot

At 3rd level you no longer have disadvantage on ranged weapons attacks when attacking at the weapon's long range. Does not apply to thrown weapons.

One Shot, One Kill

At 9th level you shoot with deadly accuracy while concealed. When you hit a ranged weapon attack and apply sneak attack damage to a foe while hidden, you can add an extra 2d6 of the weapons damage. This damage increases to 3d6 at 13th level and increases again to 4d6 at 17th level.

Deer Blind

At 13th level you can prepare a position from which to fire. To use this ability you must have no enemies present or they must be unaware of you. Preparation takes a full round during which you can take no other actions. While you remain in this prepared position you are Heavily Obscured to creatures more than 5 ft away from you. When you are hidden from a creature in this position and miss it with a ranged weapon attack, making the attack doesn't reveal you.

Bullet With Your Name On It

At 17th level you can prepare special ammunition for weapons which you are proficient with to deal with a specific type of target. Choose a creature type (such as Humanoids, Beasts or Fiends) and prepare six special shots for that creature type. All created ammo target the same type of enemy. If you hit a target of that type with a ranged weapon attack using this ammo, you may re-roll any damage die (including Sneak Attack dice) that comes up as 1 and take the higher result.

Ammunition made using this ability is considered magical for the purposes of overcoming resistance and immunity. The ammunition retains its special qualities for up to a day before reverting to normal. Preparation takes 10 minutes and can occur during a short or long rest.

You can make one batch of special ammo until you need to take a long rest to do it again.

Soul Knife

Most assassins strike with physical weapons, and many burglars and spies use thieves' tools to infiltrate secure locations. In contrast, a Soulknife strikes and infiltrates with the mind, cutting through barriers both physical and psychic. These rogues discover psionic power within themselves and channel it to do their roguish work. They find easy employment as members of thieves' guilds, though they are often mistrusted by rogues who are leery of anyone using strange mind powers to conduct their business. Most governments would also be happy to employ a Soulknife as a spy.

As a Soulknife, your psionic abilities might have haunted you since you were a child, only revealing their full potential as you experienced the stress of adventure. Or you might have sought out a reclusive order of psychic adepts and spent years learning how to manifest your power.

Psionic Power

Starting at 3rd level, you harbor a wellspring of psionic energy within yourself. This energy is represented by your Psionic Energy dice, which are each a d6. You have a number of these dice equal to twice your proficiency bonus, and they fuel various psionic powers you have, which are detailed below.

Some of your powers expend the Psionic Energy die they use, as specified in a power's description, and you can't use a power if it requires you to use a die when your dice are all expended. You regain all your expended Psionic Energy dice when you finish a long rest. In addition, as a bonus action, you can regain one expended Psionic Energy die, but you can't do so again until you finish a short or long rest.

When you reach certain levels in this class, the size of your Psionic Energy dice increases: at 5th level (d8), 11th level (d10), and 17th level (d12).

The powers below use your Psionic Energy dice.

Psi-Bolstered Knack

When your nonpsionic training fails you, your psionic power can help: if you fail an ability check using a skill or tool with which you have proficiency, you can roll one Psionic Energy die and add the number rolled to the check, potentially turning failure into success. You expend the die only if the roll succeeds.

Psychic Whispers

You can establish telepathic communication between yourself and others — perfect for quiet infiltration. As an action, choose one or more creatures you can see, up to a number of creatures equal to your proficiency bonus, and then roll one Psionic Energy die. For a number of hours equal to the number rolled, the chosen creatures can speak telepathically with you, and you can speak telepathically with them. To send or receive a message (no action required), you and the other creature must be within 1 mile of each other. A creature can't use this telepathy if it can't speak any languages, and a creature can end the telepathic connection at any time (no action required). You and the creature don't need to speak a common language to understand each other.

The first time you use this power after each long rest, you don't expend the Psionic Energy die. All other times you use the power, you expend the die.

Psychic Blades

Also at 3rd level, You can manifest your psionic power as shimmering blades of psychic energy. Whenever you take the Attack action, you can manifest a psychic blade from your free hand and make the attack with that blade. This magic blade is a simple melee weapon with the finesse and thrown properties. It has a normal range of 60 feet and no long range, and on a hit, it deals psychic damage equal to 1d6 plus the ability modifier you used for the attack roll. The blade vanishes immediately after it hits or misses its target, and it leaves no mark on its target if it deals damage.

After you attack with the blade, you can make a melee or ranged weapon attack with a second psychic blade as a bonus action on the same turn, provided your other hand is free to create it. The damage die of this bonus attack is one smaller than normal, for example a 1d4, instead of 1d6.

Soul Blades

Starting at 9th level, your Psychic Blades are now an expression of your psi-suffused soul, giving you these powers that use your Psionic Energy dice:

Homing Strikes

If you make an attack roll with your Psychic Blades and miss the target, you can roll one Psionic Energy die and add the number rolled to the attack roll. If this causes the attack to hit, you expend the Psionic Energy die.

Psychic Teleportation

As a bonus action, you manifest one of your Psychic Blades, expend one Psionic Energy die and roll it, and throw the blade at an unoccupied space you can see, up to a number of feet away equal to 10 times the number rolled. You then teleport to that space, and the blade vanishes.

Psychic Veil

At 13th level, you can weave a veil of psychic static to mask yourself. As an action, you can magically become invisible, along with anything you are wearing or carrying, for 1 hour or until you dismiss this effect (no action required). This invisibility ends early immediately after you deal damage to a creature, or you force a creature to make a saving throw.

Once you use this feature, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest, unless you expend a Psionic Energy die to use this feature again.

Rend Mind

When you reach 17th level, you can sweep your Psychic Blade directly through a creature's mind. When you use your Psychic Blades to deal Sneak Attack damage to a creature, you can force that target to make a Wisdom saving throw (DC equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Dexterity modifier). If the save fails, the target is stunned for 1 minute. The stunned target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

Once you use this feature, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest, unless you expend three Psionic Energy dice to use it again.

Swashbuckler

You focus your training on the art of the blade, relying on speed, elegance, and charm in equal parts. While some warriors are brutes clad in heavy armor, your method of fighting looks almost like a performance. Duelists and pirates typically belong to this archetype.

A Swashbuckler excels in single combat, and can fight with two weapons while safely darting away from an opponent.

Fancy Footwork

When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you learn how to land a strike and then slip away without reprisal. During your turn, if you make a melee attack against a creature, that creature can't make opportunity attacks against you for the rest of your turn.

Rakish Audacity

Starting at 3rd level, your confidence propels you into battle. You can give yourself a bonus to your initiative rolls equal to your Charisma modifier.

You also gain an additional way to use your Sneak Attack; you don't need advantage on the attack roll to use your Sneak Attack against a creature if you are within 5 feet of it, no other creatures are within 5 feet of you, and you don't have disadvantage on the attack roll. All the other rules for Sneak Attack still apply to you.

Panache

At 9th level, your charm becomes extraordinarily beguiling. As an action, you can make a Charisma (Persuasion) check contested by a creature's Wisdom (Insight) check. The creature must be able to hear you, and the two of you must share a language.

If you succeed on the check and the creature is hostile to you, it has disadvantage on attack rolls against targets other than you and can't make opportunity attacks against targets other than you. This effect lasts for 1 minute, until one of your companions attacks the target or affects it with a spell, or until you and the target are more than 60 feet apart.

If you succeed on the check and the creature isn't hostile to you, it is charmed by you for 1 minute. While charmed, it regards you as a friendly acquaintance. This effect ends immediately if you or your companions do anything harmful to it.

Elegant Maneuver

Starting at 13th level, you can use a bonus action on your turn to gain advantage on the next Dexterity (Acrobatics) or Strength (Athletics) check you make during the same turn.

Master Duelist

Beginning at 17th level, your mastery of the blade lets you turn failure into success in combat. If you miss with an attack roll, you can roll it again with advantage. Once you do so, you can't use this feature again until you finish a short or long rest.

Thief

You hone your skills in the larcenous arts. Burglars, bandits, cutpurses, and other criminals typically follow this archetype, but so do rogues who prefer to think of themselves as professional treasure seekers, explorers, delvers, and investigators. In addition to improving your agility and stealth, you learn skills useful for delving into ancient ruins, reading unfamiliar languages, and using magic items you normally couldn't employ.

Fast Hands

Starting at 3rd level, you can use the bonus action granted by your Cunning Action to make a Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check, use your thieves' tools to disarm a trap or open a lock, or take the Use an Object action.

Second-Story Work

When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you gain climbing speed equal to your speed. If you have the Adaptive Mobility Fighting Style, your speed increases by 10 ft.

In addition, when you make a running jump, the distance you cover increases by a number of feet equal to your Dexterity modifier.

Double Tap

Starting at 9th level, when you use your Cunning Action to Use an Object action, you can also Use an Object again as a part of that Bonus Action.

Use Magic Device

By 13th level, you have learned enough about the workings of magic that you can improvise the use of items even when they are not intended for you. You ignore all class, race, and level requirements on the use of magic items.

Additionally, when using your fast hands, activating a magical item that requires a reaction counts as an item interaction for you.

Thief's Reflexes

When you reach 17th level, you have become adept at laying ambushes and quickly escaping danger. 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.

Additionally, you have advantage on spellcasting ability checks using spell scrolls.

Tracker

While many rogues use their skills for personal gain, Trackers tend to be more "law abiding", as loose as that term is. They usually follow a set of self made rules in order to keep themselves in check. These rules can be followed anywhere from loosely to religiously, depending on the Tracker's personality.

Tracking Expert

At level 3, you learn two new skills required to track down the target. You gain proficiency in Survival and Investigation.

At level 6, you can double the proficiency bonus in both Survival and Investigation checks.

At level 13, you can now use your Wisdom modifier instead of your Intelligence modifier for any Investigation checks.

Tracker's Robes

Also at the 3rd level, you create the Tracker's most important tool. You receive Tracker's Robes, a set of multilayered robes with that take 1 minute to change in between Common Clothes, Traveler's Clothes and Fine Clothes .

If you are wearing light armor, you can wear the Robes over your armor. While wearing the Robes over your armor, you may spend at least one minute in a crowd of people to almost perfectly blend in as one of the crowd, giving you advantage on any Dexterity (Stealth) check you make to avoid detection and allowing you to hide in plain sight among crowds. This disguised state ends if you leave the crowd of people, attack a creature or force a creature to make a saving throw.

At level 13, you also gain advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks you make to Hide from sight.

Freerunning

At the 9th Level, you have mastered the freerunning technique, an advanced form of parkour that all Trackers train to hone.

Your walking speed increases by 10 feet.

You gain proficiency in the Acrobatics skill. If you already have it, you gain expertise instead.

Additionally, while a creature you've damaged within the last minute is within 100 feet of you, you gain a bonus 10 ft movement when moving towards that creature.

Death From Above

At the 13th Level, you have learned how to fall from any height, soaring like an eagle and landing unharmed. When falling you can use your Reaction to make a Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. The fall damage you take is reduced by your Acrobatics roll.

If you were to fall in the same space as a creature that is the same size or larger that you, you can choose to land on top of the creature instead, preventing falling damage according to the creatures height. If it is your turn you can also perform a melee weapon attack on the creature as a Bonus Action as long as you did not take fall damage.

Peerless Sight

Once you reach the 17th level, you have mastered the technique of Peerless Sight, a very distinguished Tracker skill that allows you to find your target with ease. You can use an Action to activate this enhanced visual skill for one hour.

While Peerless Sight is active, you gain advantage on all Wisdom (Perception) checks, Intelligence (Investigation) checks and Wisdom (Survival) checks and True Sight with a range of 30 ft.

You can't use this ability again until you finish a long rest.

Credit:

Project leader

The project was started and lead by StrawberryDrugcake

Artists

  • Assassin Artwork by u/akidneythief

  • Assassin by ⓒ NetEase Co.,Ltd All rights reserved.

  • Magic bag by RobertMorris1969

  • Night Stalker by Lee Kent

  • Breton Thief by Bethesda Softworks

  • Smoke Hand by CodyBuddy

  • Drow in the rain by Alexandra Ishchenko

  • Творчество by David Palumbo

  • Half Orc Rogue by DMantz

Thrive in shadows

The Rogue, Perfected is a collection of both official, playtesting and homebrew material that aims to make the class into the most enjoyable experience for all who select the class for their DUNGEONS & DRAGONS® game.

Use this book as a reference point for improving your campaigns and one-shots with a huge variety of gameplay options.

This book also contains playtesting material from Unearthed Arcana® which includes class features and subclasses of which some have been altered in order to not contradict with each other. Good luck and keep your hood up!

Made by and for the Haliwaara Discord® server.

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