D&D 5E Poll: Which do you prefer to play more. A Fighter or a Rogue?

[Draegn]

It probably depends on your play group, I help run a gaming club and I tend to find that the younger/anti social ones (the irony is not is upon me that these people come to a social club and take such an approach) pick the rogue. They tend to be the people who want to just steal everything and more so from their fellow play group. I have tried explaining that a rogue does not mean you are just a scum bag that steals and suggested alternative approaches such as being witty/ cunning individual; sadly however the problem with this is that it requires the individual to some degree to be cunning themselves rather than rely on dice rolls so they just give up, game mechanics can only do so much to promote a character concept.

The opposite of your example are the players who regardless of class treat the rogue as expendable trap finding cannon fodder and should the rogue return, they then subject that player to an invasive strip search just to make sure the rogue is not being greedy. Do you have a problem with a rogue who after being forced to go off solo and risking life and limb keeping some loot for him or herself?

I recall an area in an older version of Isle of Dread where there are lava pools that only a character with a high dexterity can get across. At the end of the area there was a bag of emeralds. After getting there and back would you demand the rogue or other character report and share what was found? Would you allow the other players to aggressively search the rogue to the extent that in game rape was implied?

 

[FrogReaver]

The opposite of your example are the players who regardless of class treat the rogue as expendable trap finding cannon fodder and should the rogue return, they then subject that player to an invasive strip search just to make sure the rogue is not being greedy. Do you have a problem with a rogue who after being forced to go off solo and risking life and limb keeping some loot for him or herself?

I recall an area in an older version of Isle of Dread where there are lava pools that only a character with a high dexterity can get across. At the end of the area there was a bag of emeralds. After getting there and back would you demand the rogue or other character report and share what was found? Would you allow the other players to aggressively search the rogue to the extent that in game rape was implied?

2 wrongs don't make a right

 

[Afrodyte]

I gravitate to rogues and other skill-based classes because I like utility outside of combat, and I like not having to depend on magic to have something interesting to do. I like the versatility of rogues, which means I can play a variety of character concepts without altering the class or requiring anything other than the PHB.

 

[Phion]

The opposite of your example are the players who regardless of class treat the rogue as expendable trap finding cannon fodder and should the rogue return, they then subject that player to an invasive strip search just to make sure the rogue is not being greedy. Do you have a problem with a rogue who after being forced to go off solo and risking life and limb keeping some loot for him or herself?

I recall an area in an older version of Isle of Dread where there are lava pools that only a character with a high dexterity can get across. At the end of the area there was a bag of emeralds. After getting there and back would you demand the rogue or other character report and share what was found? Would you allow the other players to aggressively search the rogue to the extent that in game rape was implied?

Did anything I state imply that I would allow your so called opposite scenario to happen? Did it not occur to you that I would also find this scenario unacceptable? Has it occurred to you I have never even seen your scenario take place because no one I have played with would reach to that level of stupid? Did you not understand that a recommendation does not mean I have enforced my personal preference upon someone else?

Don't feel the need to reply. I sure won't reply to anything else you have to say after that response.

 

[Zardnaar]

In older D&D gold was xp and thieves leveled faster. They were also a bit weaker than the other classes so a thief scouting ahead might pocket some shinies. We had some thieves get 2 -4 levels ahead of the average party level if they got creative or optional rules like 1gp=2xp were used.

It's when they actually started stealing from the other pics it became a big problem as then they were taking xp off them if they had not already got the xp for the gold.

 

[g4m3kn1ght]

My first character was a halfling fighter/thief using AD&D rules. Up until 5e rogues/thieves were my go to class, but now I play fighters with the criminal and/or urchin background. I just feel like I can buckle swashes and hood robins better as a fighter nowadays.

 

[Zardnaar]

I find the 5E rogue a bit weak. Not a fan of the class when Monks, lore bards and decided based fighters seem better. They are better at skills I suppose but aid another and guidance help out there and a rogue plus aid another and guidance is generally overkill.

 

[jgsugden]

In 5E, Fighter over rogue.

The rogue lost some of the things that made them unique, and they really can't compete from a damage perspective. As a result, they always feel like secondary characters in a party when I see them played. They're the best friend to the main character, if you will.

Historically, rogue/thief was a favorite of mine. I liked playing for the chance to deliver one big hit that changed a combat. They just don't hit that hard on that one big hit in 5E. An 11th level fighter is attacking about 4 times per round most rounds and delivering about 25 damage per strike (great weapon master) for about 100 damage. The 11th level rogue is dealing about 35 to 40 with a sneak attack - maybe doubling that if they can deliver another sneak on their reaction. Their best efforts are blown away by the fighter. Yes, the fighter has a harder time hitting, but at those levels the fighter hits well enough.

I think the damage dice for sneak attack should have escalated to d8s at 5th level, d10s at 11th and d12s at 17th.

Monk and rogue are the two classes I wish they'd give the ranger treatment and revise for a new supplement book. Both are just lacking that essential element that would make them great.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

It’s no contest for me. Rogues are a fun class, while Fighter (for me) is just a set of low level features to make a character tougher and a little more fightey via multiclassing. I doubt I’d ever play a character that was primarily a fighter.

Fighters are excellent for making your gish more weapon/melee oriented, making your Zen Archer more versatile (and getting archery fighting style), etc, but the most I’d ever go is 4 levels for feat equilibrium. Maybe 5 if I don’t care about any high level features and really want extra attack, but that would be a tough sell.