D&D 5E The Scout Rogue - how did it work out?

[Horwath]

Personally, I would never waste a fighting style for cantrips, especially when I would get them at level 3 anyway.

FWIW, to make up for Paladins and Rangers not getting spells until level 2, we house-ruled they get cleric and druid cantrips (respectively) as well. It makes no sense to me the two subclasses (EK and AT) get cantrips, but the two half-caster classes don't...

yeah, 2 cantrips(3 at level 8, 4 at level 20) for Paladin and Ranger is a good house rule.

Problem with cantrips and fighting styles is that 2 cantrips is to weak for a fighting style(maybe 3 would be good), Magic initiate feat is on a weak side for a full feat(3 cantrips maybe?) and UA feat that gives fighting styles is also too weak for a full feat, half feats is just right for a style.

 

[FrozenNorth]

I'm assuming that new fighting styles for cantrips will show up in Tasha's. That will go a long way to fixing the eldritch knight issue I think since the biggest issue for me is that knowing that's what I'll be but I can't start with magic.

Honestly, if I’m going Eldritch Knight, I’d probably either go Human + Mage Initiate, or take a race that gave spells (ie High Elf or Tiefling).

 

[Weiley31]

I've gone ahead and just added this to my house rule document:

Scout. The Survivalist ability now reads, “When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you gain proficiency in the Nature, Perception, and Survival skills if you don't already have it. If you already had proficiency any of those skills, it instead gains expertise, which doubles your proficiency bonus for any check that uses that skill.”

Would you consider that a fair trade?

Ya. Infact, I argue that ANY background that offers a duplicate skill via race/class/background, ends up doing that or doubling your proficiency bonus for that skill. That way it's not a skill waste on doubling it up.

 

[Ancalagon]

I'm a bit disappointed how few people reported actual play experience... :/

 

[Weiley31]

Star wars doesn't have spell books.

This is true. So a Holocron would pretty much do the same thing.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I'm a bit disappointed how few people reported actual play experience... :/

I saw it played, but not to a high enough level for it to seem much different to a vanilla rogue.

 

[DND_Reborn]

I'm a bit disappointed how few people reported actual play experience... :/

Well, unless you have specific questions about it, I can't tell you much more.

I loved it, it is my favorite rogue subclass, skirmisher has been great and i love having the speed boost. I only got to level 12, so didn't get to have fun with ambush master, but for a rogue gaining advantage on initiative and advantage on your target for your allies is a nice treat. It makes hitting the solo BBEG really important on the first round I would think.

If you are considering it, I would recommend it.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

yeah, 2 cantrips(3 at level 8, 4 at level 20) for Paladin and Ranger is a good house rule.

Problem with cantrips and fighting styles is that 2 cantrips is to weak for a fighting style(maybe 3 would be good), Magic initiate feat is on a weak side for a full feat(3 cantrips maybe?) and UA feat that gives fighting styles is also too weak for a full feat, half feats is just right for a style.

Magic initiate is one of the most taken feats in our games. Because the right level 1 spell and two cantrips is amazing in some camapigns.

 

[Laurefindel]

Acquiring magical power overnight, because magic, is one thing. Going against the normal order of things is the very definition of « magic ».

going from someone who can’t tell a rose from a dandelion to an expert in the field of fauna and flora overnight is another level of suspension of disbelieve (exaggerated for emphasis).

taking the outlander (or another nature-theme background) is either a happy coincidence or shows deliberate (mechanical) planning from level 1, which contrast with most (but not all) subclasses in 5e where the subclass « branches out » from the main class rather than turn it around.

Anyway, all that to say that this bothers me too, just not as much as @WayOfTheFourElements.

as for the OP, I’ve played a scout/gloom stalker multiclass in a 1-shot with 10th level pre-generated characters, so I feel that my experience will be of little help.

 

[DND_Reborn]

Magic initiate is one of the most taken feats in our games. Because the right level 1 spell and two cantrips is amazing in some camapigns.

It is interesting how different D&D games/ experiences are! I've only seen it taken once in over 20 PCs...

But it is like other feats or the perception discussion earlier--some tables just see more use of some things. Like GWM and SS, they are hardly never taken at our table, but I know other groups see them all the time.

All I can say is "great game, D&D is."