Variants/Subclass for a DPR Rogue

[Zardnaar]

Also CBE doesn’t fix the fact that Assassins only get a boost in round 1, and then only really if there are surprised enemies. The Swahsbuckler and Inqusitive get more out of just being more reliable at getting SA than the Assassin gets out of anything but it’s capstone feature, in terms of damage dealing.

And if the 5/10 feats make one feel that rogues “suck” in a game with feats, the entire problem is those feats. Full stop.

All the “people don’t know how to play rogues and won’t listen to advice” nonsense is just window dressing. There is nothing wrong with subclasses that push a class more into a pillar that the main class isn’t as focused on. It broadens the basic sorts of characters people can play. The College of Swords Bard shows this quite well. It and the Lore Bard live alongside one another just fine

Likewise, optional rules that shift the focus of the class from heavily focused one way to slightly less focused on that pillar aren’t going to hurt the game..

Did I not call out the - 5/+10 feats back in 2014 for being so far out of whack with the other feats. I had a player with CBE+Sharpshooter at the end of 2014 after a bow using hunter was using sharpshooter just after 5E landed.

You can play without feats and I can recommend a 3pp pdf that replaces sharpshooter with a toned down variant.

You could also errata perhaps turn the - 5/+10 part into - 2 extra attack as a bonus action.