D&D (2024) Rogue, Thug. Homebrew subclass

[UngeheuerLich]

In as far as they can be ranked, Strength is an inferior stat to Dexterity in 5E, as Dex covers offense, defense, initiative, stealth, etc. A 14 dex is no small investment in point buy, then you need to buy your actual attacking stat (and Con, and Cha if you want to intimidate). Evasion is Dex based. Everyone wants some Dex, Strength is an afterthought save for a Strength focused character.

This is just not true. Just last week people complained that rangers are bad at swimming and climbing... because they dump str.

The only thing making dex slightly better is initiative and long range.

Grabs, trips and thrown weapons got a big upgrade. Melee git a big upgrade. Especially with heavy weaponry.

Athletics is such a poorly defined and vague skill, and IIRC even got a downgrade in 2024 with trip/push being a strength save vs an Athletics check in 2014.

Athletics is way better defined than acrobatics. It got an upgrade actually as many straight strength checks were replaced woth athletics checks. Just look into the DMG.

A bruiser rogue is MAD as hell, and any benefit is mainly flavor. You're basically buying two attack stats for the benefit of one.

Yes it is mad. But you get along with slightly lower cha, wis and even con. You can get the tough origin feat if you are concerned about hp. 1 point lower mental stats won't kill you. As I said in the quoted post. No matter how bad you are at dex saves. Evasion basically makes you succeed on every save half spell with your failed saves.

Dex superiority was never true in 5.14 and it is even less true in 5.24.

If anything, 5.14 had a range superiority... but even then, if everyone is backline, everyone is also frontline...

Of course, if you don't have access to heavy armor, 14 dex is useful, If you have heavy armor proficiency, 13 or 15 str are the values you need.

Str, Int and Cha are intentionally less directly valuable in combat for classes that don't need them. But they are still useful often enough for skills.

 

[Minigiant]

Meh.

I designed my Thug rogue not to be a STR rogue but to be a Organized Crime Rogue.

Big Joey, Anton the Hammer, or Oba "Bing Hands" Ewe who walks up to the fruit vendor and say "That's a nice stand you go. Be a shame..." or hold the whitesmith's rival in a cellar for a discount on knives.

"I work in Waste Management. Waste Management is about family. And I'm looking for a "cousin" of mine. My "aunt" is worried sick."