D&D (2024) Rogue Playtest Discussion

[UngeheuerLich]

Oh! I thought I was being a bit thick in my understanding. That makes sense. I thought he meant you didn't get advantage in situations where you can try again, which seemed like a really weird idea to me. Of course, I'm not sure I'd ever make anyone roll a check if they could just keep going and going. I'd just say "it takes you twenty minutes, but you get it done..." or something.

As a lock picking "expert" myself, I can assure you, a youtube video and two paperclips will let you open a standard padlock in 20 minutes. Faster if you are lucky.
With a sport lockpick set you get it done in a few minutes or with some luck in 6 seconds.

It has taken me a while to understand 3e in that regard: if there is no time pressure, just allow the rogue to always take 20 and suddenly DCs work right out of the book without magic items and the rogue feels good and useful.

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

Sneak attack criticals,

Still possible. They changed back the Critical Hit rules on this playtest.

sneak attacks with Booming Blade,

Still possible, but only for rogues that multiclass 6 levels into Bladesinger Wizard (because you can then cast a cantrip as part of the Attack Action).

Thief's whole selling point of using objects as a bonus action...

That feature was too confusing for the majority of people, "Using objects" isn't really a thing Thieves in the real world are known for, and the subclass got buffs in other places.

 

[Kobold Stew]

One change I am sorry for, though the writing had been on the wall, was that rogues can no longer take expertise in Thieves' tools. It was one of the very few edges rogues could have over Bards as a skill monkey.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

One change I am sorry for, though the writing had been on the wall, was that rogues can no longer take expertise in Thieves' tools. It was one of the very few edges rogues could have over Bards as a skill monkey.

Just take the expertise in Sleight-of-hand. That's now Thievery and all tools just give you advantage to checks using skills (or prof. bonus if no skill applies but the tool does).

Which means "musical instrument" is pretty much always A performance check with advantage. (Though this has been true since Xanathar's). Now Thieves' Tools are the same, but with SoH.

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

One change I am sorry for, though the writing had been on the wall, was that rogues can no longer take expertise in Thieves' tools. It was one of the very few edges rogues could have over Bards as a skill monkey.

It looks like Thieves' Tools Checks are just Sleight of Hand Checks now. So you get expertise in both if/when you take expertise in Sleight of Hand.

 

[Kobold Stew]

I get what the change is, I am just sorry that they took away one of the very few Rogue-only abilities. Anyone can take expertise in Sleight-of-Hand.

 

[Mind of tempest]

Expertise only works with skills in this playtest packet. But yeah, looks like Sleight of Hand is now the new "Thievery" Skill and you use it to pick locks. In fact, a Thief with SoH expertise would be rolling 2d20(high)+dex bonus+2x prof bonus to pick locks. (Advantage for using both a tool and a skill). Lock DCs are gonna have to be pretty high if you want to keep a thief out.

so we have evolved into skyrim which is good to know.

it might need a combat buff from the looks of it but otherwise, it seems fine.

 

[Charlaquin]

taking your time means that you are not in a hurry and you can afford time lost for failing the check several times.

If the rogue has the luxury of enough time to do this, the dungeon isn’t dangerous enough. IMO.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

That feature was too confusing for the majority of people, "Using objects" isn't really a thing Thieves in the real world are known for, and the subclass got buffs in other places.

It was dropping caltrops and ball bearings as your bonus action. Drinking a potion too.
Drawing an extra dagger also was...

Maybe this is what a bonus action can do soon by default. .. so maybe it will become redundand...

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

It was dropping caltrops and ball bearings as your bonus action. Drinking a potion too.
Drawing an extra dagger also was...

And apparently, a lot of people found it confusing. So changing it is probably a good thing.