D&D 5E Companion thread to 5E Survivor - Subclasses (Part XII: Rogues)

RealAlHazred · Nov 1, 2022

I think the Rogue subclasses are already very flavorful and balanced (even the much-maligned Arcane Trickster). Nevertheless, there are a couple of homebrews I really like:

Caitlin Bradbury's Roguish Archetype: The Clover is a luck-based rogue that looks really interesting. I haven't had the chance to try one yet, but I think it'll fit really well with urban, interaction-heavy campaigns where a gambler character would fit. I would like the Risky Play feature to have non-combat utility, but I think it would be hard to balance that.
TheForsakenEvil's Occult Agent is basically the character you play in Dishonored, an assassin who is bent on revenge for being framed, and uses stealth, weapons, and supernatural powers to achieve it. I haven't played the video game, but I wouldn't mind test-driving the character in a D&D game prior to console play!

DND_Reborn · Nov 1, 2022

Vaalingrade said:
And neither are good at that.

There's no actual blend of the two concepts, it's just adding bland spellcasting with a dumb restriction that betrays how little thought was put into them.

Rogues are sneaky, so they get illusions and enchantment. Which ones? Doesn't matter

Fighters are violent and also tanks even though we took away all tank abilities but the Sentinel feat. Evocation and Abjuration. Figure something out.

Your opinion of course but mine is they are fine at doing it. It is better if you remove the "dumb" restriction about what spells are allowed, but otherwise they work well for me.

niklinna said:
Just play a Ranger and take the Scout subclass!

LOL it would be the best option...

RoughCoronet0 · Nov 1, 2022

I’ll admit that the base class of Rogues doesn’t interest me all that much, but a few of the subclasses have caught my interest. I’ve played a Scout Rogue and enjoyed it, but always prefer the Ranger if I want to play an stealthy outdoor huntsman. Phantom Rogue is my favorite subclass though (I seem to enjoy subclasses themed around ghosts and undead). I am also a fan of the Soulknife (and any of the Psionic subclasses really. I wish their were more of them).

Undrave · Nov 1, 2022

doctorbadwolf said:
The Swashbuckler is a favorite for good reason, and I’m thrilled that the soul knife died first, and so quickly. Now let’s get rid of the phantom, and we can then choose between the worthwhile rogue archetypes!

I think the Phantom might have been more interesting if it had been all about those soul token things. Get the ability to gather them at level 3, and almost everything Phantom is fueled by spending them. Makes for a pretty dark character too as you need to actively take lives to fuel your powers…

Vaalingrade said:
There's no actual blend of the two concepts, it's just adding bland spellcasting with a dumb restriction that betrays how little thought was put into them.

The Mage Hand Ledgermain thing is pretty nifty though. It feels like a proper mix of magical and thievery skill. I’m not a fan of ‘magic on one hand, sword in the other’, like the Eldtrich Knight.

Vaalingrade · Nov 1, 2022

Undrave said:
The Mage Hand Ledgermain thing is pretty nifty though. It feels like a proper mix of magical and thievery skill. I’m not a fan of ‘magic on one hand, sword in the other’, like the Eldtrich Knight.

Ranged Ledgerdemain is pretty cool, even if (and this isn't a 5e thing, it's historical at least back to 3e), it feels like a thing Mage Hand or TK should do anyway.

I agree on the Eldritch Knight. A mage night should be doing cutting air attacks and charging their weaponry with lightning while their 'offhand' magic should be battlefield control like pushes and knockdowns, or body enhancement.

OB1 · Nov 1, 2022

Vaalingrade said:
I agree on the Eldritch Knight. A mage night should be doing cutting air attacks and charging their weaponry with lightning while their 'offhand' magic should be battlefield control like pushes and knockdowns, or body enhancement.

Think you just described the Psi-Knight!