Unleashing Overpowered Rogue Builds in Dungeons & Dragons: Assassin, Swashbuckler, Scout, and More!

Summary

The Rogue in D&D is a high-damage class with sneak attacks, best paired with other classes for optimal damage output.
The Kobold Assassin build optimizes sneak attacks with high damage and critical hit chances, perfect for high initiative.
The Swashbuckler/Hexblade combo synergizes well for high damage output with dual weapons and Hexblade magic.

Dungeons & Dragons, undeniably, holds the title as the most widely played tabletop roleplaying game globally. The reason behind its popularity, coupled with the widespread appeal of video games such as Baldur’s Gate 3 , is due to its extensive presence in a competitive market filled with remarkable roleplaying systems. What truly sets Dungeons & Dragons apart, beyond its user-friendly rules, is the vast array of character classes it provides for players to choose from.

Among the various characters in Dungeons & Dragons, none excel quite like the Rogue when it comes to dealing high damage quickly and frequently. Their stealthy abilities, strategic actions, and expertise make them formidable and adaptable on the battlefield, and it’s challenging to create a Rogue who doesn’t inflict significant damage. For players seeking to maximize their Rogue, there are some builds that can take their power to new heights. To maintain a level of control for the players, these builds won’t delve too deeply into specific items and will instead focus on class, race, or multiclass combinations that can transform the Rogue into an almost invincible force of destruction.

5. Assassin Champion Kobold

Giving An Advantage For Getting Advantage

Race Requirements: Kobold
Class Requirements: Level 3 Assassin Rogue, Level 3 Champion Fighter
Recommended High Stats: Strength, Dexterity

The role of a Kobold Assassin primarily revolves around enhancing the frequency, overall damage, and chances of critical hits from sneak attacks. This class is particularly beneficial for players who follow homebrew critical hit rules, like using special cards or more potent critical hits in general.

The Assassin benefits from an advantage when making attack rolls against opponents who haven’t taken their turn yet, which means a Kobold with a high initiative will be dealing sneak attack damage during the first round itself. It could be strategic to acquire the Alert feat for an even higher initiative, almost ensuring that your character acts before the enemy does.

In simpler terms, a Kobold’s racial trait allows them to roar loudly, which automatically provides advantage in combat to all nearby foes who hear the roar until the end of their next turn. This advantage, coupled with the ability to use Sneak Attack, offers players an immediate edge in battle. The Kobold class is primarily designed for Rogue levels following a 3/3 split into Rogue and Fighter, but adding up to level 5 in Fighter for the extra attack is beneficial. Lastly, the champion subclass causes critical hits when the roll results in a natural 19, serving as an excellent finishing touch for a high-damage, high-critical build that can quickly eliminate enemies.

4. Hobgoblin Mastermind, College Of Swords

A Powerful Supportive Foundation For The Rogue Class

Race Requirements: Hobgoblin
Class Requirements: Level 3 Mastermind Rogue, Level 3 College of Swords Bard
Recommended High Stats: Dexterity, Charisma

This strategy emphasizes a swift harmony between the Hobgoblin character type and the Mastermind class, making it exceptionally supportive compared to many Rogue configurations. To counteract this advantage, it specializes in a Bard subclass, amplifying both the defensive and offensive abilities of the Rogue. The Hobgoblin can utilize their Fey Gifts to perform the Help action as a bonus action on occasion, and they are also capable of enhancing the Help action to heal teammates, increase movement speed, or inflict Disadvantage on enemies.

As a movie buff who’s always got one eye on D&D campaigns, I’ve gotta say: The Hobgoblin, with its fun-filled gameplay, just got even more exciting! With the Mastermind subclass under my belt, my Help action can now reach up to 30 feet when my buddies are going after an enemy. That means I can support from a distance, making sure my team is always ready for combat. Plus, specializing in the College of Swords gives me extra damage-dealing options on my turn, complementing my powerful Sneak Attack. And let’s not forget about bardic inspiration! It adds another layer of support to my character, helping us out in all sorts of situations. Now, players can switch up their Bardic subclass for a more specialized build – it’s all about finding the right fit for your gaming style!

3. Swashbuckler/Hexblade

High Charisma, High Damage, High Chaos

Race Requirements: Any
Class Requirements: Level 5 Swashbuckler Rogue, Level 5 Hexblade Warlock
Recommended High Stats: Dexterity, Charisma

The Warlock class, packed with numerous advantages, makes an excellent choice for a subclass. It’s often referred to as ‘front-loaded’, since it provides plenty of benefits from the get-go. Players receive their subclass at level 1, a Pact Boon by level 3, and a selection of high-value invocations by level 5. Charisma serves as an excellent spellcasting attribute not only in combat but also for its numerous social applications, which are further enhanced by the Swashbuckler‘s panache.

This subclass, known for its aggressive nature, excels in wielding dual weapons, striking up to three times in a single turn while boosting damage with Hexblade magic. The Hexblade’s curse, reminiscent of the Champion’s ability, triggers critical hits on a roll of 19, making it an excellent complement to Rogue’s surprise attacks. Furthermore, the Swashbuckler flourishes in characters with high Charisma, thus, the strengthened Warlock magic becomes indispensable for them.

2. Scout/Arcane Archer

Sneak Attacks Are Augmented By Magical Arrows

Race Requirements: Any
Class Requirements: Level 9 Scout Rogue, Level 3 Arcane Archer Fighter
Recommended High Stats: Dexterity, Intelligence

The Scout often finds itself overshadowed amidst the Rogue subclasses, struggling to keep pace with the extraordinary skills of classes such as the Soulknife or Phantom, or the high-damage potential that a subclass like the Assassin offers. Yet, the Scout’s unique selling point lies in its exceptional mobility, which even surpasses that of other agility-focused classes like the Monk. This attribute becomes particularly advantageous when combined with a ranged subclass.

The Arcane Archer boasts several methods to amplify their hidden strike damage, such as Curving Shot which allows them to inflict hidden strike damage on another target if the initial attack fails, even with an advantage. Many of the Arcane Shot abilities, like Enfeebling and Grasping Arrow, are potent debilitating attacks that become exceptionally strong when combined with the Scout’s prowess in delivering hidden strike damage and unwavering accuracy.

1. Barbarian/Rogue Multiclass

Direct, Intense Damage

Race Requirements: Any
Class Requirements: Level 5 Rogue (any subclass), Level 5 Barbarian (any subclass)
Recommended High Stats: Strength, Dexterity

The Barbarian class, known for its high-damage potential on the battlefield, becomes even more powerful when paired with a Rogue’s abilities. This combination proves to be extraordinarily strong and potentially overpowering. The subclass selection for this class is largely player’s choice, but any non-magical subclasses like Assassin or Scout will blend harmoniously with the main focus of the Barbarian class, which revolves around using Reckless attacks to deal near-constant sneak attack damage.

As a passionate cinema-goer, I’d say reckless is an intriguing ability for a Barbarian that offers an advantage on attacks, but at the cost of allowing adversaries to gain the same advantage when attacking the Barbarian. To evade foes and create some breathing room after each attack, using a quick action to disengage can be quite handy. Moreover, with a feat like Mobile, you can not only distance yourself from enemies but also strategically move closer to them, dealing massive damage, and then swiftly retreating again.

2025-01-26 09:34