A while back I showcased the rogue from the previous D&D Next playtest, discussing how the class advanced from 1st to 20th level (you can find it here). The final public playtest has now been released, and I’d like to see how the rogue has changed from one version to the next. Join me as Gerta Knifethrust (old rogue) and Gladys Grimtooth (new rogue) size each other up.
Gladys Grimtooth, Female Half-Orc Rogue 1
Medium natural humanoid (orc)
HP 5 (1d6 HD) Initiative +3
AC 14 (leather) Senses darkvision 60’
Speed 30’
Proficiency Dexterity
Traits
Armor Proficiency
Gladys is proficient with light and medium armor.
Charlatan Background
Expertise
Gladys has expertise in Deception and Intimidation, and with disguise kits and thieves’ tools.
Sneak Attack
Gladys can deal 1d6 extra damage once per turn, if she has advantage against the target or the target is adjacent to an ally of hers and her ally can take actions.
Tool Proficiency
Gladys is proficient with disguise kits, gaming sets, and thieves’ tools.
Weapon Proficiency
Gladys is proficient with simple weapons, hand crossbows, long swords, rapiers, and short swords
Actions
m Rapier (weapon) * At-Will
Attack: Melee (one creature); +4 to hit
Hit: 1d6+3 piercing damage.
mr Dagger (weapon) * At-Will
Attack: Melee or Ranged 20’/60’ (one creature); +4 to hit
Hit: 1d4+3 piercing damage.
r Shortbow (weapon) * At-Will
Attack: Ranged 80’/320’ (one creature); +4 to hit
Hit: 1d6+3 piercing damage.
Skills Athletics (proficiency), Deception (expertise, proficiency), Insight (proficiency), Intimidation (advantage, expertise, proficiency), Search (proficiency), Sleight of Hand (proficiency), Stealth (proficiency)
Str 17 (+3) Dex 17 (+3) Con 8 (-1)
Int 13 (+1) Wis 12 (+1) Cha 15 (+2)
Alignment Neutral Languages Common, Elvish, Orcish
Equipment leather armor, daggers (2), rapier, shortbow, arrows (20), adventurer’s kit (backpack, healer’s kit (10 uses), hempen rope (50’), mess kit, rations (10 days), tinderbox, torches (10), waterskin), climber’s kit, colored water (10 vials), common clothing, disguise kit, noble clothing, playing cards, set of weighted dice, signet ring, thieves’ tools, 45 gp, 5 sp
For those wanting the short version – there’s not much that’s changed between the two at 1st level. The racial traits for the half-orc are the same, and the base information for the rogue is unchanged. When we look at Expertise, however, we can note some changes.
Gone is the Expertise die; instead, the rogue chooses any combination of four skills and tools with which she’s proficient, then gains a +5 bonus to checks made involving said skills and/or tools. This is a great boost at lower levels, but the benefit drops off as the rogue advances, because the bonus is static. In the previous version, the rogue’s Expertise die advanced all the way up to a d12 at 18th level, but the new version’s +5 bonus remains the same throughout the rogue’s career.
Another change is in the Background. While the bulk of the Charlatan background remains the same, gone are the Fields of Lore (yay!). Instead of politics and religion, the new charlatan focuses on Deception, Insight, and Sleight of Hand. While I agree that many charlatans make a career out of politics and religion, I think the skills are a better choice for D&D.
On the subject of skills, the rogue is now much more versatile, thanks to Proficiency and Expertise. We now have a definition for being proficient with the various tool kits offered in the Equipment section, and starting money increased (Gladys has 45 gp at 1st level, while Gerta only had 30 gp). Also, rapier damage was reduced from 1d8 to 1d6 for the new version.
Rather than advance Gladys all the way to 20th level and then compare the two rogues again, I thought I’d simply compare the class elements and the changes between them, since Hit Dice type, racial traits, and mundane equipment don’t change as a character advances in level. One thing I noticed right off the bat was Cunning Action. At 2nd level, the rogue now gains a second action each turn to disengage, hide, or hustle. This is a powerful boost to the rogue’s versatility, as Cunning Action was previously limited only to the Thievery rogue style, and you gained it at 3rd level.
When we take a look at the rogue styles, we see that Keen Intellect and Stunning Ambush have been dropped from the Assassin’s repertoire. Infiltration Expertise no longer provides a bonus to disguise attempts at 9th level, but the assassin picks up Impostor at 13th level, which provides advantage when attempting to mimic someone’s speech or handwriting (not quite as powerful as a boost to the actual Disguise skill, but close).
Finally, the Death Strike feature at 16th level changed somewhat, gaining wider scope but ultimately becoming less deadly. Now, it affects any creature the rogue surprises, instead of only living creatures below half hit points, but it deals only double damage instead of killing the target outright.
The Thievery rogue style has been completely revamped. As mentioned previously, Cunning Action was moved to a 2nd level class feature, and everything else is replaced or renamed except Supreme Sneak. Gone is any bonus to Charisma checks to talk yourself out of trouble. Gone is advantage on picking pockets. Gone is charming another creature.
Now, when a rogue chooses to specialize in thievery, he can climb faster and jump farther (Burglary), decipher unknown languages (Decipher Script), use any magic item (Use Magic Device), and Cunning Action expands to cover Sleight of Hand and using equipment. Master Thief is renamed Thief’s Reflexes.
There were no changes to the feats or the magic items, which suggests the designers are happy with how those are. Of course, it could also be that any changes they make now are not subject to debate – we shall see what the future brings.
How do you feel about the final playtest packet? Do you like the changes, or prefer features from the previous iterations? Let me know how you feel in the comments below.
Gladys Grimtooth, Female Half-Orc Rogue 1
Medium natural humanoid (orc)
HP 5 (1d6 HD) Initiative +3
AC 14 (leather) Senses darkvision 60’
Speed 30’
Proficiency Dexterity
Traits
Armor Proficiency
Gladys is proficient with light and medium armor.
Charlatan Background
- False Identity: Gladys has a second identity as Lady Myrna Mosstower, a destitute minor noblewoman. She has documentation, established acquaintances, and a disguise to support the identity.
Expertise
Gladys has expertise in Deception and Intimidation, and with disguise kits and thieves’ tools.
Sneak Attack
Gladys can deal 1d6 extra damage once per turn, if she has advantage against the target or the target is adjacent to an ally of hers and her ally can take actions.
Tool Proficiency
Gladys is proficient with disguise kits, gaming sets, and thieves’ tools.
Weapon Proficiency
Gladys is proficient with simple weapons, hand crossbows, long swords, rapiers, and short swords
Actions
m Rapier (weapon) * At-Will
Attack: Melee (one creature); +4 to hit
Hit: 1d6+3 piercing damage.
mr Dagger (weapon) * At-Will
Attack: Melee or Ranged 20’/60’ (one creature); +4 to hit
Hit: 1d4+3 piercing damage.
r Shortbow (weapon) * At-Will
Attack: Ranged 80’/320’ (one creature); +4 to hit
Hit: 1d6+3 piercing damage.
Skills Athletics (proficiency), Deception (expertise, proficiency), Insight (proficiency), Intimidation (advantage, expertise, proficiency), Search (proficiency), Sleight of Hand (proficiency), Stealth (proficiency)
Str 17 (+3) Dex 17 (+3) Con 8 (-1)
Int 13 (+1) Wis 12 (+1) Cha 15 (+2)
Alignment Neutral Languages Common, Elvish, Orcish
Equipment leather armor, daggers (2), rapier, shortbow, arrows (20), adventurer’s kit (backpack, healer’s kit (10 uses), hempen rope (50’), mess kit, rations (10 days), tinderbox, torches (10), waterskin), climber’s kit, colored water (10 vials), common clothing, disguise kit, noble clothing, playing cards, set of weighted dice, signet ring, thieves’ tools, 45 gp, 5 sp
For those wanting the short version – there’s not much that’s changed between the two at 1st level. The racial traits for the half-orc are the same, and the base information for the rogue is unchanged. When we look at Expertise, however, we can note some changes.
Gone is the Expertise die; instead, the rogue chooses any combination of four skills and tools with which she’s proficient, then gains a +5 bonus to checks made involving said skills and/or tools. This is a great boost at lower levels, but the benefit drops off as the rogue advances, because the bonus is static. In the previous version, the rogue’s Expertise die advanced all the way up to a d12 at 18th level, but the new version’s +5 bonus remains the same throughout the rogue’s career.
Another change is in the Background. While the bulk of the Charlatan background remains the same, gone are the Fields of Lore (yay!). Instead of politics and religion, the new charlatan focuses on Deception, Insight, and Sleight of Hand. While I agree that many charlatans make a career out of politics and religion, I think the skills are a better choice for D&D.
On the subject of skills, the rogue is now much more versatile, thanks to Proficiency and Expertise. We now have a definition for being proficient with the various tool kits offered in the Equipment section, and starting money increased (Gladys has 45 gp at 1st level, while Gerta only had 30 gp). Also, rapier damage was reduced from 1d8 to 1d6 for the new version.
Rather than advance Gladys all the way to 20th level and then compare the two rogues again, I thought I’d simply compare the class elements and the changes between them, since Hit Dice type, racial traits, and mundane equipment don’t change as a character advances in level. One thing I noticed right off the bat was Cunning Action. At 2nd level, the rogue now gains a second action each turn to disengage, hide, or hustle. This is a powerful boost to the rogue’s versatility, as Cunning Action was previously limited only to the Thievery rogue style, and you gained it at 3rd level.
When we take a look at the rogue styles, we see that Keen Intellect and Stunning Ambush have been dropped from the Assassin’s repertoire. Infiltration Expertise no longer provides a bonus to disguise attempts at 9th level, but the assassin picks up Impostor at 13th level, which provides advantage when attempting to mimic someone’s speech or handwriting (not quite as powerful as a boost to the actual Disguise skill, but close).
Finally, the Death Strike feature at 16th level changed somewhat, gaining wider scope but ultimately becoming less deadly. Now, it affects any creature the rogue surprises, instead of only living creatures below half hit points, but it deals only double damage instead of killing the target outright.
The Thievery rogue style has been completely revamped. As mentioned previously, Cunning Action was moved to a 2nd level class feature, and everything else is replaced or renamed except Supreme Sneak. Gone is any bonus to Charisma checks to talk yourself out of trouble. Gone is advantage on picking pockets. Gone is charming another creature.
Now, when a rogue chooses to specialize in thievery, he can climb faster and jump farther (Burglary), decipher unknown languages (Decipher Script), use any magic item (Use Magic Device), and Cunning Action expands to cover Sleight of Hand and using equipment. Master Thief is renamed Thief’s Reflexes.
There were no changes to the feats or the magic items, which suggests the designers are happy with how those are. Of course, it could also be that any changes they make now are not subject to debate – we shall see what the future brings.
How do you feel about the final playtest packet? Do you like the changes, or prefer features from the previous iterations? Let me know how you feel in the comments below.
