D&D (2024) The Evil Rogues of Legend Idea

[Minigiant]

A while ago I mentioned D&D's over-reliance of having humanoid villains just being high level spellcasters or some version of lich. So I got the idea to ponder how a non-full-spellcaster humanoid or a small group of them could be a challenging threat that a DM could throw at a party to spook them in ways unfamiliar or rare in TTRPGs. However I wasn't going to put any serious thought in the idea until the next set of books started to give solid information of how D&D might look in it new update an be handed out to people.

Well..

So here is one such idea.

Four rogues, each from a different D&D setting, meet. They scaled the ladders of power at home and have finished their epic quests against their great enemy. They've departed from their friends and allies and slinked into the shadows. And Fate or some roguish deity has given them a way to leave their home settings and meet.

They've agreed to set up shop in a new setting (The DM's setting). They would create a grand old school rogue's guild and control the setting (or at least part of it) from the shadows. How they treat and interact with the setting is up to the DM.

• The main guildhouse could be an almost unreachable vault for their riches. Stolen treasures and hidden evidence of their crimes back home.
• The setting could be their personal playhouse with the guild as their tool. Anytime something unexplainable or stupid happens that the PCs run into, it is them.
• The guild could be a trap. One of the rogues is secretly CG and is using the guild to pull these unkillable tricksters into a situation where the good PCs can finally take them out.
• The guild could be a trap. One of the rogues is a betrayer and is using the guild to pull these unkillable tricksters into a situation where the good PCs can finally take them out.... in order to steal their stuff off their corpses.
• The guild could be a trap. One of the rogues is secretly a slain villain of another rogue, reborn and out for revenge. "I'm from Theros" Sure. Sure. OK Buddy.
• The guild is a vacation spot. A place to relax, lick wounds after a hard fight, or lay low after a big score.
• All of the above.

The main idea is that the four would be:

1. Equivalent to a high level rogue.
2. Be of a different 2024 PHB rogue subclass:
   • A Thief
   • An Assassin
   • An Arcane Trickster
   • A Soul Knife
3. Be "Immortal" in a matter befitting a rogue and their subclass.
   • They no longer age
   • They have limited ability to defy death

Since they don't have to be real "by the book" rogues, the actual official books aren't needed. Just a description of what rogues and their subclasses could do.

So if the DM chooses to challange the party with the Legendary Evil Thief, they have to deal with a monster with bonus action upcasted magic missile every turn from a wand the Thief stole from a teacher in Strixhaven.

What would their actions?
What weapons would their use?
What armor would they wear?
Which class and subclass features would they have?
Which class and subclass features shouldn't they have to make it easy for DM?

1. Legendary Thief
   • Dexterity 20
   • Actions:
     • Rapier
   • Bonus Action:
     • Cunning Action
     • Wand of Fireball
     • Wand of Magic Missile
2. Legendary Assassin
   • Dexterity 20
   • Actions:
     • Dagger (Poison damage?)
   • Bonus Action:
     • Cunning Action
3. Legendary Arcane Trickster
   • Dexterity 20, Intelligence 16
   • Actions:
     • Mage Hand
     • 2 other Cantrips
   • Bonus Action:
     • Cunning Action
4. Legendary Soul Knife
   • Dexterity 20
   • Actions:
     • Psychic Blade
     • Psychic Dagger
     • Teleport
   • Bonus Actions:
     • Cunning Action
     • Psychic Dagger

 

[J-H]

I would add some epic boons on, like being immune to divination spells, +10 to Stealth, +30' speed, etc. It makes them a lot harder to pin down.
An array of poisons to apply to weapons?
Also, blindsight. The rogue 10' blindsense in 5.14 doesn't give blindsight, so fog cloud or an eversmoking bottle can really mess them up in terms of landing sneak attack.

 

[aco175]

If they are monsters, I say go wild.

Give one tremmorsense and another flying. Give them all a blast power and a teleport reaction. Have one be part beholder and emits an anti-magic eye at the PCs. They are monsters for the PCs to fight.

 

[Minigiant]

If they are monsters, I say go wild.

Give one tremmorsense and another flying. Give them all a blast power and a teleport reaction. Have one be part beholder and emits an anti-magic eye at the PCs. They are monsters for the PCs to fight.

I would add some epic boons on, like being immune to divination spells, +10 to Stealth, +30' speed, etc. It makes them a lot harder to pin down.
An array of poisons to apply to weapons?
Also, blindsight. The rogue 10' blindsense in 5.14 doesn't give blindsight, so fog cloud or an eversmoking bottle can really mess them up in terms of landing sneak attack.

Well that's what I'm asking


Which one should get what?

 

[J-H]

That's up to you.

Play with the action economy, too. Give them multiattack or two bonus actions or extra reactions (don't forget Uncanny Dodge!).

A 20th level Arcane Trickster with pretty good gear is only CR 15.

 

[mellored]

Which one should get what?

Thief: +40' move speed, swim, climb, and a sling (slow 10', can knock out) and a bag of endless DC 15 oiled ball bearing that she can use with her sling or dropb behind her if she uses her action to dash (disappears after 1 minute). Can DC 20 taunt enemies into following her as she kites and does not get exhausted from running. After everyone is out of position, she runs around and steals from their camp / house. Tends not to kill because you can only steal from the dead once, but won't hesitate either.

Assassin: shapshooter + skulker + custom built double range longbow with a 1/short rest DC 17 poison that inflicts a level of exhaustion after each failed saves. High perception and truesight. Waits for hours or days until they come out in the open, takes 1 shot from 300'-600' and runs. Occasionally sneaks in to finish the job up close, but only after a month and fully scouting the place.

Trickster: High Deception, disguises self at-will, Mislead and misty step a few time. Can stealthily pick pocket, make a temporary copy, and plant small items at 30'. Tends not to fight directly, loves to do the "I'm not the fake he's the fake" and otherwise sow distrust and chaos.

Soul Knife:.. ran out of ideas at the moment. But maybe torturing people with his knives that leave no physical wounds. Maybe some mind reading and cutting out memories.

 

[Rabulias]

Trickster: High Deception, disguises self at-will, Mislead and misty step a few time. Can stealthily pick pocket, make a temporary copy, and plant small items at 30'. Tends not to fight directly, loves to do the "I'm not the fake he's the fake" and otherwise sow distrust and chaos.

Make them a doppelganger or a changeling for added fun!

 

[CreamCloud0]

is it a hard rule on them being the 2024 subclasses? i came up with some interesting ideas before i noticed that perticular detail, i've modified some of the features considering they're an opponent not a PC, also i'm assuming there will be minions of some form in the fight to facilitate getting sneak attack.

Legendary Grung Swashbuckler
----stats
DEX 20, CHA 18
----actions
Rapier(+2d6 poison DC 12 CON save)
Unarmed Attack (use Poisonous Skin trait to inflict poisoned condition, DC12 CON save)
Panache
Zephyr Strike(5 uses)
----bonus actions
Cunning Action
Quickened Lightning Lure (CHA casting)
Quickened Gust
Quickened Vicious Mockery
----other
Move and Climb Speed 25ft
Standing Leap
Fancy Footwork
----legendary boons
?
----immortality
discovered and drank from the fountain of youth/life

Legendary Dhamphir Phantom
----stats
DEX 20, CON 18
----actions
Vampiric Bite(modified: finesse)(modified: remove cap from empower uses)
----bonus actions
Cunning Action
Ghost Walk(modified: lasts until start of your next turn)
----other
Movespeed and Spider Climb 35ft
Vampiric Bite Empower effects: Bonus, Heal(modified: healing bite now heals d8+CON+peircing damage dealt)
Wails From The Grave
Tokens Of The Departed(modified: 3 tokens, each recharges on a d8 rolled at end of turn)
----legendary boons
?
----immortality
learned to summon their own soul back from death

Legendary Hobgoblin Inquisitive
----stats
DEX 20, WIS 18
----actions
L-Crossbow
Call for reinforcements(3 uses)
----bonus actions
Insightful Fighting
Cunning Action
Fey Gift(unlimited uses)
----other
Eye For Weakness
Fortune From The Many
----legendary boons
?
----immortality
bargained immortality from the reaper to 'work' for them hunting down escaped souls

Legendary Satyr Scout
----stats
DEX 20, CON 18
----actions
Shortbow
Pipes of Haunting(all-3 uses)(change PoH fear immunity on successful save to resistance against fear)
----bonus actions
Pipes of Haunting(single target-unlimited)(immunity to resistance)
Sudden Strike
Cunning Action
Steady Aim
----other
Skirmisher
45ft speed(satyr 35+10 from superior mobility)
----legendary boons
Wildshape Form: Giant Goat
----immortality
hijacked the cycle of reincarnation for their own ends


i wouldn't call these concepts completely fleshed out but hopefully you can see what i was going for with each one?

 

[Shardstone]

Soul Knife turns their death into a passing thought.

 

[CreamCloud0]

Legendary Grung Swashbuckler
----stats
DEX 20, CHA 18
----actions
Rapier(+2d6 poison DC 12 CON save)
Unarmed Attack (use Poisonous Skin trait to inflict poisoned condition, DC12 CON save)
Panache
Zephyr Strike(5 uses)
----bonus actions
Cunning Action
Quickened Lightning Lure (CHA casting)
Quickened Gust
Quickened Vicious Mockery
----other
Move and Climb Speed 25ft
Standing Leap
Fancy Footwork
----legendary boons
?
----immortality
discovered and drank from the fountain of youth/life

for their boon i might actually give them some magic, some quickened cantrips: lightning lure, gust and vicious mockery seem apt and offer more use for their bonus action, and a good handful of uses of zephyr strike(not quickened though)