D&D 5E Rogue Hit Dice

[Jester David]

(ENWorld decided to stop working for me mid-post. Sorry)

From 1e to 3e wizards had d4 Hit Dice and rogues had d6s. For Pathfinder, they upgraded the wizard to a d6 but also upgraded the rogue to a d8. This put the rogue in line with other occasional melee combatants like the monk and cleric, but kept them above the squishy wizard.

Now with D&D Next they've bumped up the wizard to d6s, but have not changed the rogue.'

Should the rogue remain at d6? Or should they be upgraded to d8s?

 

[MerricB]

I think they should go back to d4 hit dice, like they had in the beginning.

Honestly, I'm not sure. My favourite version of the rogue in combat has been the 4E Essentials Thief, who was able to snipe from the shadows and slip in and out of combat. With that type of rogue, I'd be happy with them having a d6 hit die, as it reinforces the role.

If the rogue ends up being the character who has to flank and is surrounded by lots of opponents (often how the 3E Rogue needed to be played), then d8 hit points would make more sense.

Cheers!

 

[Kobold Stew]

Any answer has to be contextualized within the whole suite of abilities given to the Rogue.

Given the most recent package:
My gut says it should be below fightery-types and above magey-types.
My gut also says it shouldn't be below clericy-types.

That would suggest bumping it up to a d8.

 

[Paraxis]

They also have the same attack progression as mages do right now which also makes no sense.

They should have cleric HD and cleric attack bonus.

 

[pemerton]

They also have the same attack progression as mages do right now which also makes no sense.

They should have cleric HD and cleric attack bonus.

Don't clerics, druids, mages and rogues all have the same attack progression?

 

[Kobold Avenger]

Rogue should have d8's along with the Bard, even with the d8's both classes are still kind of squishy.

 

[irontyrant]

Rogue should have d8's along with the Bard, even with the d8's both classes are still kind of squishy.

Rogues should stay at d6, at the most. They are not front line combatants. Giving them d8 is too MMOish.

 

[irontyrant]

d4 is totally appropriate. Great post.

 

[irontyrant]

Because they are squishy. They are not meant to be fighters. If you do not want to be squishy then do not play one. Fighters are there for non-squishyness.

 

[cmbarona]

Because they are squishy. They are not meant to be fighters. If you do not want to be squishy then do not play one. Fighters are there for non-squishyness.

By this logic, everyone but the Fighter should have d4, including the Barbarian. And I don't think that's what you mean to imply.

Regardless, I don't think it's fair to put players in one of two piles, Squishy and Non-Squishy. D&D Next is trying to create characters that run the gamut. Indeed, they seem to be trying to create Rogues that run the gamut, from the sneaky, lurking thief to the brutish thug, and the swashbuckler somewhere in between.

All that said, I think there seems to be a reasonable assumption that they will be in the thick of combat from time to time, which leads me to cast my vote for the d8.