Unearthed Arcana UA Phantom Rogue still seems BORING and feels OUTDATED in 5e2024. It's basically a vanilla Rogue before 9.

[Soulknife_Infiltrator]

The UA Phantom Rogue still seems boring and outdated in 5e2024.

The Wails from the Grave basically unchanged, which still does subpar damage and nothing else. Dex Mod per long rest is slightly better than 2014, but doesn't change the fact that "just a 2d6" is pure boring.

Whispers of the Dead is completedly unchanged. It gives you one proficiency in one skill or one tool, and, nothing. What's the fun in that when you have Soulknife, Thief, Arcane Trickster in your PHB? Even Assassin with Assassinate feels better than Phantom Rogue's Level3.

I've met tons of Phantom Rogue players back in 5e2014 who told me they feel like haven't picked a subclass at all before Level 9. I can't accept it still feels like this in 5e2024.

Tokens of the Departed still requires your Reaction to gain a trinket which conflicts with your Uncanny Dodge and OA.

Ghost Walk, unchanged, good, too late.

Death’s Friend, basically unchanged, still weak as hell as a lv17 feature.

Like, we have a Hexblade who's got free Hex uses+Hexblade's Maneuvers at level 3 which is so cool, fun and useful in the same UA.

HEXBLADE MANIFEST
Your patron grants you the power to summon cursed echoes of its blade to hinder your foes. You gain the following benefits.
Hexblade’s Curse. You can cast Hex without expending a spell slot a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of once), and you regain all expended uses when you finish a Long Rest. When you cast Hex, a spectral weapon resembling your patron orbits the cursed target.
Hexblade’s Maneuvers. Once per turn, when you hit a target cursed by your Hex with an attack roll, you can cause one of these additional effects:
Draining Slash. The target makes a Constitution saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failed save, the target can’t make Opportunity Attacks and its Speed is halved until the start of your next turn.
Harrowing Blade. The target makes a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failed save, the next time the target makes an attack roll against a creature other than you before the start of your next turn, the target takes Necrotic damage equal to your Charisma modifier.
Stymying Mark. The target has Disadvantage on the next saving throw it makes before the start of your next turn.

And we also have a new Ranger subclass that also provides powerful and flavorful feature at level3.

WRATH OF THE WILD
You draw on the strange and ancient horrors of the land for power. When you cast Hunter’s Mark, you transform, gaining the following benefits for the duration of the spell.
Ancient Armor. You gain a bonus to your AC equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of +1). Your body is wreathed in rotten bark or beastly bristles.
Unnerving Aura. When an enemy starts its turn within a 10-foot Emanation originating from you, it makes a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failed save, it can take either an action or a Bonus Action on this turn, not both. Your shadow lengthens and twists around you, or you sprout unnatural growths like bloody antlers or putrid fangs.

Like, I dunno why but Rogue is already a pretty weak class in 5e2024, but designers still treat it so carelessly. The Phantom Rogue's design and power is obviously outdated.

It can't keep up anymore from both power-wise and fun-wise. The mechanism of it also feels outdated if you tried those renewed PHB subclasses.

Designer still have a chance to renew the Phantom Rogue, and I hope they would.

 

[Henadic Theologian]

The UA Phantom Rogue still seems boring and outdated in 5e2024.

The Wails from the Grave basically unchanged, which still does subpar damage and nothing else. Dex Mod per long rest is slightly better than 2014, but doesn't change the fact that "just a 2d6" is pure boring.

Whispers of the Dead is completedly unchanged. It gives you one proficiency in one skill or one tool, and, nothing. What's the fun in that when you have Soulknife, Thief, Arcane Trickster in your PHB? Even Assassin with Assassinate feels better than Phantom Rogue's Level3.

I've met tons of Phantom Rogue players back in 5e2014 who told me they feel like haven't picked a subclass at all before Level 9. I can't accept it still feels like this in 5e2024.

Tokens of the Departed still requires your Reaction to gain a trinket which conflicts with your Uncanny Dodge and OA.

Ghost Walk, unchanged, good, too late.

Death’s Friend, basically unchanged, still weak as hell as a lv17 feature.

Like, we have a Hexblade who's got free Hex uses+Hexblade's Maneuvers at level 3 which is so cool, fun and useful in the same UA.


And we also have a new Ranger subclass that also provides powerful and flavorful feature at level3.


Like, I dunno why but Rogue is already a pretty weak class in 5e2024, but designers still treat it so carelessly. The Phantom Rogue's design and power is obviously outdated.

It can't keep up anymore from both power-wise and fun-wise. The mechanism of it also feels outdated if you tried those renewed PHB subclasses.

Designer still have a chance to renew the Phantom Rogue, and I hope they would.

What changes do you suggest?

 

[cbwjm]

One of the issues I have with the rogue is how spaced it its subclasses are. Having to wait until level 9 for the second subclass ability is too long a wait for all of the rogue subclasses.