D&D 5E The Dumbest Rogue

[Zardnaar]

Here's a stupid theoretical build I came up with a few years back. The rough idea is strength based rogue.

So Zardnaar you drunken kiwi hillbilly (dkh) with a taste for Russian beer why would you be dumb enough to do this?

Well the fighter rogue/thief is a very old concept. You can't sneak attack attack with great weapons longswords and lance's anymore you stupid dkh.

Well in a haze of a Baltika infused hangover clutching the porcelain throne I had the following epiphany.

1. You can still sneak attack with a rapier using strength.

2. Cunning action dash and disengage works in heavy armor.

3. Sneak often doesn't get used much.

While Rogues theoretically deal decent damage often they do something like win initiative and fail to sneak attack or have to ready to an action which negates dual wielding something smart rogues should probably do. Lower initiative theoretically means more sneak attacks.

The fighter level also gives you a combat style which should be dual wielding or +1 AC. That's AC 17 or 19 or you get +3 or more damage with your off hand weapon.

Fighter saving throws are better than a rogues as well IMHO. Start as a rogue you can multicass into fighter easier than the other way around. If you start above level one you don't have to even play level 1 as a strength based rogue.

The fighter or rogue level is probably a dip although I would take more rogue levels after fighter 6/rogue 1. Otherwise Rogue XYZ/fighter 1 or 2.

Worth doing idk I'm a dkh. Chainmail or full plate rogue using dash is kinda funny with an AC of 19-21.

 

[Oofta]

LOL. Sounds like my PC from the first 5E campaign I ran. Dwarf with twin war hammers (in home campaigns my wife and I allow non-finesse weapons for sneak attack) who was pretty good at locks but primarily just wanted to bash in heads.

I eventually fixed the sneak issue with mithral plate armor, when he retired at level 20 he had a 14 dex, for most of his career it was a 12 because I wanted to be decent at lock-picking and disabling traps. So fighter 6 for the extra attack and feat, rogue 14.

Primarily did it as an homage to one of my first long term PCs that went back to 1E/2E days. Still miss playing him.

 

[Zardnaar]

LOL. Sounds like my PC from the first 5E campaign I ran. Dwarf with twin war hammers (in home campaigns my wife and I allow non-finesse weapons for sneak attack) who was pretty good at locks but primarily just wanted to bash in heads.

I eventually fixed the sneak issue with mithral plate armor, when he retired at level 20 he had a 14 dex, for most of his career it was a 12 because I wanted to be decent at lock-picking and disabling traps. So fighter 6 for the extra attack and feat, rogue 14.

Primarily did it as an homage to one of my first long term PCs that went back to 1E/2E days. Still miss playing him.

Nice.

Fighter 6 XYZ is good for a lot if concepts.

 

[Mistwell]

Yes I love strength rogues (thugs). I think the concept needs more work, but I look forward to seeing your eventual build.

 

[ccooke]

I have had a lot of fun with something orthogonal to this concept - the Strength-based pure rogue.

Mountain Dwarf rogue[Assassin], using shortsword and shield. Expertise in Athletics, and Shield Master at level 4.
We ended up finding a gauntlet of ogre power, which got his strength up to 19 and therefore his Athletics check up to +10 - basically, he would run out into combat first, knock down a target and then attack with advantage for sneak. It worked fine without that, but the item definitely helped!
Disengage to get out of nasty situations, dash to close distance... it works rather well.

(Played him as an old soldier who had been a quartermaster, and "sneak attack" as horribly dirty fighting)

 

[DND_Reborn]

FWIW, To help the idea of the STR-rogue, we house-ruled Sneak Attack must be done with a Light weapon, not Finesse. I like the idea of clubs and handaxes being used for Sneak Attacks instead of rapiers and scimitars.

 

[ccooke]

FWIW, To help the idea of the STR-rogue, we house-ruled Sneak Attack must be done with a Light weapon, not Finesse. I like the idea of clubs and handaxes being used for Sneak Attacks instead of rapiers and scimitars.

I wouldn't say that helps. Light weapons generally do less damage, and the ones that make best sense for sneak attack are already finesse - including the scimitar.

 

[DND_Reborn]

I wouldn't say that helps. Light weapons generally do less damage, and the ones that make best sense for sneak attack are already finesse - including the scimitar.

It opens up more weapon choices, for one thing, and it keeps those annoying rapier and scimitar builds away from rogues. As far as damage goes the loss of the d8 is only a single point on average... big loss (not). shrug

All that helps in my book.

 

[Cap'n Kobold]

I removed the finesse requirement for sneak attack, but like you say, a Str-based rogue works fine without that houserule.
I've seen a couple of rogues with higher Str than Dex, but I've not seen one completely dump Dex; - even the one that didn't take Stealth proficiency.
Not seen any Rogues in heavy armour as far as I remember - or many with fighter levels either which seems surprising.

FWIW, To help the idea of the STR-rogue, we house-ruled Sneak Attack must be done with a Light weapon, not Finesse. I like the idea of clubs and handaxes being used for Sneak Attacks instead of rapiers and scimitars.

I wouldn't say that helps. Light weapons generally do less damage, and the ones that make best sense for sneak attack are already finesse - including the scimitar.

As mentioned I just removed the finesse requirement outright: dirty fighting is dirty fighting whether you're using a dagger, club, or greatsword.
I've not seen any issues from this houserule yet.

 

[Zardnaar]

Rogue should probably be able to sneak attack with the rogue weapon list but not anything they're proficient in a'la 3E raging barbarian/rogue or 2E fighter/rogue with a lance on a charging warhorse (3d6 X10 damage).

Rogue using a longsword two handed is about the best you could do with a mastermind and not suck.