Best Rogue Class Build — Olles.ru (2024)

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Rogue Class Introduction & Overview

Best BG3 Rogue Build: Thief Overview

Best BG3 Rogue Build: Roleplay & Character Creation Choices

Feats, Spells, & Leveling Choices For Thief Rogue Builds

Best Rogue Equipment: Armor & Accessories

Best Rogue Multiclass Choices & Builds

Baldur's Gate 3 features a huge number of classic Dungeons and Dragons classes pulled right from the Fifth Edition of the tabletop RPG. Because it draws such heavy inspiration from D&D, some of the best builds in BG3 happen to also be the best builds players are already familiar with, including the Thief Rogue.

The Thief Rogue build is based on the Thief subclass that grants an additional Bonus Action in combat, which is ridiculously useful for getting into and out of stealth. Considering how completely busted Stealth is in Baldur's Gate 3, even with the chances from Early Access, Thief Rogues are sure to dominate damage-wise.

Updated Aug 3, 2024 by Erik Petrovich: A year after its launch, Baldur's Gate 3 remains firmly at the forefront of fans' minds as one of the best RPGs ever made – and it's still attracting new players. Now that we understand what makes the best Rogue build in BG3, helping to explain the basic concepts of the class and how it works can be a big aid for getting new players into the game. To help players unfamiliar with how the game works trying it out for the first time, this guide has been updated with several beginner-friendly tips and explanations. Among these updates to the best Rogue build below are new details on the basics of Class and Skill Proficiencies, your choice of Rogue Subclasses, what leveling up unlocks for both the Rogue Class and the Thief subclass, and a brief overview of the best Rogue ability scores.

Rogue Class Introduction & Overview

Rogue Playstyle & Signature Abilities

"With stealth, skill and uncanny reflexes, a rogue's versatility let's them get the upper hand in almost any situation."

Rogues are masters of Stealth and are easily able to slink in and out of dangerous situations while masterfully gaining Advantage whenever possible. They aren't too bad at Lockpicking and Disarming traps, and can dual-wield with ease, making them a good addition to a team that needs a dextrous melee member to do some dirty work. They aren't restricted to melee combat, and can be just as powerful when out of sight at a range thanks to the class' unique Sneak Attacks.

Rogues' unique class feature is the Sneak Attack, which deals massive damage with a higher chance to hit, but can only be initiated if players have Advantage over a target. There is a melee and a ranged option, both of which will break Stealth when used.

Because of the Rogue's other unique class feature Cunning Actions, they are able to use a Bonus Action to re-enter Hiding, Disengage, or make some distance with Dash.

Play the Rogue for a fast-paced, Stealth-oriented playstyle, and to have an easier time accessing Locked containers and Disarming traps.

Base Rogue Class Proficiencies: Armor, Weapons, Saving Throws, & Skill Choices

When you first start creating your Rogue Build, BG3 offers a selection of basic Class Proficiencies, and a choice of four Rogue Skill Proficiencies.

Proficiency Type	Proficiencies Granted/Choices Offered
Rogue Armor Proficiencies	Light Armor
Rogue Weapon Proficiencies	Simple Weapons Hand Crossbows Longswords Shortswords Rapiers
Rogue Saving Throws	Dexterity & Intelligence
Rogue Skill Proficiency Choices	Choose four of the following Skill proficiencies; Acrobatics Athletics Deception Insight Intimidation Investigation Perception Performance Persuasion Sleight of Hand Stealth

All Rogue Subclasses

There are a total of three BG3 subclasses Rogue players can try out, each of which focuses on different aspects of the class, and offers a selection of unique skills, proficiencies, and other features. As you level up in one of these BG3 Rogue subclasses, you will gain more abilities that are unique to your subclass choice.

Your choice of Rogue subclass can be changed by speaking with Withers, but you will start at Level 1 and have to make your BG3 Rogue build from scratch. Though this chart displays information for all subclasses, if you want to make best Rogue build BG3 has to offer, you should go for the Thief subclass.

Subclass Name	Base Spec Features	Special Spec Proficiencies	Spells & Abilities
Arcane Trickster	Mage Hand: Legerdemain Bonus Action Unique Mage Hand that can use Thieves Tools, remain Invisible, and carry objects Grants Spell Slots and a choice os 2x Wizard Cantrips, 2x Enchantment or Illusion Lvl 1 spells, and 1x Lvl 1 Wizard Spell Later levels grant more Spell choices, higher-level spells, and ability to ambush enemies with Spells as well as regular attacks	Proficiency in Intelligence as your primary Spellcasting stat	Mage Hand: Legerdemain Choose 2x Wizard Cantrips upon choosing the spec Choose 2x Wizard Spells from the Enchantment or Illusion Schools (Lvl 1) Charm Person Color Spray Disguise Self Sleep Tasha's Hideous Laughter Choose any Wizard spell up to Level 1
Assassin	Assassin's Alacrity Passive Restores your Action and Bonus Action when combat begins Assassinate: Ambush Passive Turns successful Attacks against Surprised enemies into Crits Assassinate: Initiative Passive Gain Advantage against enemies that have not taken their turn yet Later levels grant the ability to change your appearance on demand	N / A	N / A
Thief	Fast Hands Passive Grants an additional Bonus Action slot Second-story Work Passive Grants Resistance to all Falling damage Later levels let you become Invisible while sneaking	N / A	N / A

Rogue Class Features – Level By Level

The max level in Baldur's Gate 3 is Level 12, and most of the time, each level you gain will grant something new for your Rogue build. On character creation you gain the basics for the Rogue class, then steadily gain Feat Choices, new spells and abilities, subclass features, and increase your Proficiency Bonus.

This chart displays everything you can expect to get at each Level-Up as a Rogue in your Baldur's Gate 3 journey.

	Class Feature	Proficiency Bonus
Rogue Lvl 1	Sneak Attack Action, Melee or Ranged (Weapon must have Finesse) Rogue must have Advantage against target Deals extra 1d6 damage on hit Expertise Gain Proficiency in two additional Skills	+2
Rogue Lvl 2	Cunning Action: Hide, Dash, Disengage Adds Bonus Action variants of Hide, Dash, and Disengage	+2
Rogue Lvl 3	Subclass choice Sneak Attack Improvement Deals (Main Hand Weapon)+2d6 damage	+2
Rogue Lvl 4	Feat choice	+2
Rogue Lvl 5	Sneak Attack Improvement Deals (Main Hand Weapon)+3d6 damage Uncanny Dodge Passive Ability (must be toggled) Can reduce incoming ranged damage once per round of combat	+3
Rogue Lvl 6	Expertise Add two more Skills to be Proficient in from the Rogue Skill Prof. list	+3
Rogue Lvl 7	Subclass Feature Sneak Attack Improvement Deals (Main Hand Weapon)+4d6 damage	+3
Rogue Lvl 8	Feat choice	+3
Rogue Lvl 9	Sneak Attack Improvement Deals (Main Hand Weapon)+5d6 damage	+4
Rogue Lvl 10	Feat choice	+4
Rogue Lvl 11	Sneak Attack Improvement Deals (Main Hand Weapon)+6d6 damage Reliable Talent Passive Ability Prevents the Rogue from rolling lower than 10 on Proficient Skills	+4
Rogue Lvl 12	Feat choice	+4

Best BG3 Rogue Build: Thief Overview

What Makes Thief the Best BG3 Rogue Subclass?

"Thieves use their skills in stealth and larceny to acquire whatever they wish, whether from a third story window or the depths of long-forgotten ruins."

The Thief Rogue subclass offers one simple, but powerful, benefit over the Arcane Trickster: an extra bonus action. With this extra Bonus Action, the Thief Rogue is able to move further away from enemies, disengage from Opportunity Attacks, attempt a second Hide action if a first fails, and much more. Arcane Tricksters gain access to a repertoire of useful spells and cantrips, but when focusing entirely on Stealth, the Thief Rogue's extra Bonus Action becomes incredibly powerful.

Thief Rogues, therefore, are able to set up Sneak Attacks more often, and the boost Rogues get to Sneak Attack damage at Level 5 makes it all the more powerful. The most broken way to play a Thief Rogue is to keep them separate from the rest of the party before combat, then sneak to a vantage point, and fire off a Sneak Attack for free before entering the fray. Oftentimes, this one-shots weak to medium-strength enemies.

Because of the extra Bonus Action, Thief Rogues can virtually always remain Stealthed, or Dash/Disengage to get away with their Cunning Action. Thief Rogues also gain resistance to Fall damage, which comes in handy more often than one might think.

Thief Subclass Features – Level By Level

In addition to everything you unlock while leveling as a Rogue, your Subclass also determines what you unlock at certain levels. As a Rogue, you can select a subclass at Level 3.

For the purposes of this guide to the BG3 best Rogue build, choose the Thief when prompted to choose a Subclass.

Thief Rogue Lvl 3	Fast Hands Passive Ability Gives the Rogue a second Bonus Action Second-Story Work Passive Ability Fall Damage reduced by half
Thief Rogue Lvl 9	Supreme Sneak Action Turns the Rogue Invisible for 10 turns

Best BG3 Rogue Build: Roleplay & Character Creation Choices

Best BG3 Rogue Race: Duergar

The Duergar are a great choice for classes that need to remain defensive while staying mobile in combat. Though the Rogue gains the ability to go invisible at Level 9 with Supreme Sneak, the Duergar gain the ability to turn invisible from Level 5 once per long rest, granting Rogues this powerful skill far earlier than most will normally get it.

Duergar also gain the Dwarven Resilience passive alongside Duergar Resilience, granting Advantage on saving throws against Illusions, Charm, Paralysis, and Poison. The Darkvision can be nice, too, though the reduction in movement distance is a notable downside of the race. Most races can move at leas 9m on a turn, while Dwarves can only go 7.5m.

Best Rogue Backgrounds in BG3: Urchin… Or Charlatan… Or Guild Artisan

The best background for Rogues in BG3 in general is the Urchin background. It grants proficiency in Sleight of Hand and Stealth, two skills which Rogues regularly use, and will trigger moments of Inspiration when doing typical Rogue shenanigans, like unlocking heavily locked treasures, sneaking into areas, and performing stealthy maneuvers in and out of combat.

If one chooses a Wood Half-Elf for their Thief Rogue BG3 build, though, the Urchin's proficiency in Stealth is wasted as the subrace already grants that. In the case that you don't go with a Duergar and instead choose the Half Elf for the Mask of the Wild passive, choose the Charlatan background, which grants bonuses to Deception and Sleight of Hand, or the Guild Artisan background, which grants proficiency to Insight and Persuasion. Of the two, Charlatan is the best backup.

Best BG3 Rogue Skill Proficiency Choices: Persuasion, Perception, Deception, & Investigation

The Urchin background grants proficiency in Sleight of Hand and Stealth, so these two classic Rogue options are removed from their massive list of 11 possible skills. Charlatans lose Deception and Sleight of Hand, while Guild Artisans lose Persuasion and Insight. No matter what background you choose, two options will be removed, but that leaves players to choose four from a list of nine others.

No matter what, be sure to get the Stealth, Persuasion, Perception, and Deception proficiency. These checks naturally fall into Rogue playstyles, especially Stealth. If your Background covers any of these options, think about picking up Insight or Investigation, which can be useful for lots of dialogue checks.

Best BG3 Rogue Expertise Choices: Insight, Stealth, Persuasion, or Sleight of Hand

At the character creation screen and again at Level 6, Rogues get to choose two extra skills to gain Expertise in, for a total of four. Expertise is a little bit different than just being Proficient in a skill. When a Rogue has Expertise in a skill, their normal Proficiency bonus is doubled for that skill. So, as long as a Rogue is proficient in Stealth, that Proficiency bonus increases when they choose to gain Expertise in Stealth as well.

At Level 1, the best two Expertise choices are Stealth and Persuasion, as these play well into the Rogue's strengths in sneaky combat and dialogue checks. Later down the line, players can pick up Insight and Sleight of Hand at Level 6, though players who don't do much pickpocketing may find that Deception is a more useful skill to gain Expertise in here.

Best BG3 Rogue Feats: Dual Wielder, Savage Attacker, Sharpshooter, Alert

Dual Wielder Effects: Allows the Rogue to use Two-Weapon Fighting even if their weapons are not of the Light weapon class (but not Heavy). Additionally, grants +1 AC when Dual Wielding.
Savage Attacker Effects: When making Melee Weapon attacks, roll all damage dice twice. The higher of the two results is used.
Sharpshooter Effects: Grants two new abilities, Sharpshooter: Low Ground, and Sharpshooter: All In
- Low Ground nullifies High Ground rules for ranged attacks made below a target
- All In reduces your Attack Rolls with Ranged weapons (that you are Proficient with) by 5, but increases their damage by a flat 10
Alert Effects: You gain +5 to Initiative and can't be Surprised

Best Rogue Ability Scores & Stat Distribution

To create the best BG3 Rogue build, we recommend putting the majority of points into your Dexterity, followed by an even mix between Constitution, Wisdom, and Charisma. The primary stat for most Thief Rogue spells and abilities in BG3 is Dexterity, but these other three stats can boost your abilities and, particularly, your out-of-combat skills. Intelligence and Strength are not required for the best Thief Rogue build.

	STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
Base	10	16	14	8	14	14
Modifier		+3	+2	-1	+2	+2

Feats, Spells, & Leveling Choices For Thief Rogue Builds

Class Level	Choices & Recommendations
Level 1	Best Expertise Skills Stealth & Sleight of Hand
Level 2	NONE
Level 3	Subclass Choice Thief
Level 4	Feat Choice Dual Wielder or Ability Improvement Players who want to focus entirely on Ranged combat as a Thief Rogue should choose to improve their Ability Scores (DEX) at Level 4
Level 5	NONE
Level 6	Best Expertise Skills Perception & Deception
Level 7	NONE
Level 8	Feat Choice Dual Wielder or Savage Attacker
Level 9	NONE
Level 10	Feat Choice Sharpshooter or Ability Improvement
Level 11	NONE
Level 12	Feat Choice Savage Attacker or Alert

Best Rogue Equipment: Armor & Accessories

This section covers the best equipment for Thief Rogues in BG3 across all three Acts. Some pieces from early Acts may still be powerful in later ones, though, and will remain equipped through several Acts.

Items with bolded names are new options for the build in each Act, and may replace older pieces of equipment.
Items with unbolded names must be acquired in earlier Acts, but are strong enough that they don't need to be replaced in Acts 2 or 3.

Best Thief Rogue Items & Equipment: Act 1

	Name	Effect	Location
Head	Frayed Drow Hood	+1 to DEX saving throws	Found on a dead Drow just south of the Selunite Outpost
Cloak	Deathstalker Mantle	Grants Expertise in Stealth Wearer can become invisible for two turns upon killing an enemy	Only available to Dark Urge origin characters, after Alfira joins the camp
Chest	The Graceful Cloth	+2 to DEX (to a max of 20) +1 to DEX saving throws Jump distance increased by 1.5m (5ft)	Purchased from Lady Esther outside the Rosymorn Monastery
Gloves	Gloves of Dexterity	Sets DEX score to 18 Grants +1 to Attack Rolls	Purchased from A'jak'nir in the Githyanki Creche Y'llek
Boots	Disintegrating Night Walkers	Can't be enwebbed, entangled, ensnared, and can't slip Grants Misty Step	Drops from True Soul Nere in the Grymforge
Neck	Moondrop Pendant	Prevents Opportunity Attacks against wearer when they are below 50% HP	Looted from the locked Selunite Gilded Chest in the Owlbear Nest
Ring 1	Smuggler's Ring	+2 to Stealth and Sleight of Hand, -1 to Charisma	Looted from a Skeleton near the Risen Road bridge
Ring 2	Ring of Protection	+1 to AC and Saving Throws	Steal the Druid Idol in the Emerald Grove for Mol
Main Weapon	Knife of the Undermountain King	Lowers Critical Hit threshold for wielder to 19. Damage Rolls of 2 or less get automatically re-rolled. Grants Advantage against Light or Heavily Obscured enemies	Purchased from Ajak'nir Jeera in Creche Y'llek in the Mountain Pass
Offhand	Sussur Dagger	+1 to hit chance Chance to Silence enemies on hit	Complete "Finish The Masterwork Weapon" and choose the Dagger

Best Thief Rogue Items & Equipment: Act 2

	Name	Effect	Location
Head	Covert Cowl	While Obscured, the number needed for a Critical Hit is reduced by 1, and grants +1 to DEX saving throws	Found underneath the Last Light Inn, on the body of one of the Meenlocks
Cloak	Deathstalker Mantle	Grants Expertise in Stealth Wearer can become invisible for two turns upon killing an enemy	Only available to Dark Urge origin characters, after Alfira joins the camp (Act 1)
Chest	The Graceful Cloth	+2 to DEX (to a max of 20) +1 to DEX saving throws Jump distance increased by 1.5m (5ft)	Purchased from Lady Esther outside the Rosymorn Monastery (Act 1)
Gloves	Gloves of Dexterity	Sets DEX score to 18 Grants +1 to Attack Rolls	Purchased from A'jak'nir in the Githyanki Creche Y'llek (Act 1)
Boots	Disintegrating Night Walkers	Can't be enwebbed, entangled, ensnared, and can't slip Grants Misty Step	Drops from True Soul Nere in the Grymforge (Act 1)
Neck	Surgeon's Subjugation Amulet	When Critically Hitting an enemy humanoid, the Rogue can Paralyze them Works once per Long Rest	Drops from Malus Thorm (the surgeon) in the House of Healing
Ring 1	Smuggler's Ring	+2 to Stealth and Sleight of Hand, -1 to Charisma	Looted from a Skeleton near the Risen Road bridge (Act 1)
Ring 2	Ring of Free Action	Wearer isn't affected by Difficult Terrain, can't be paralysed, and can't be Restrained	Purchased from Araj Oblodra in Moonrise Towers
Main Weapon	Knife of the Undermountain King	Lowers Critical Hit threshold for wielder to 19. Damage Rolls of 2 or less get automatically re-rolled. Grants Advantage against Light or Heavily Obscured enemies	Purchased from Ajak'nir Jeera in Creche Y'llek in the Mountain Pass (Act 1)
Offhand	Sussur Dagger	+1 to hit chance Chance to Silence enemies on hit	Complete "Finish The Masterwork Weapon" and choose the Dagger (Act 1)

Best Thief Rogue Items & Equipment: Act 3

	Name	Effect	Location
Head	Covert Cowl	While Obscured, the number needed for a Critical Hit is reduced by 1, and grants +1 to DEX saving throws	Found underneath the Last Light Inn, on the body of one of the Meenlocks (Act 2)
Cloak	Shade-Slayer Cloak	When Hidden, the number needed for a Critical Hit is reduced by 1	Purchased from Sticky Dondo in the Guild's hideout in the Baldur's Gate sewers
Chest	Bhaalist Armor	Enemies within 2 meters become Vulnerable to Piercing Grants +2 to Initiative	Purchased from Echo of Abazigal, after becoming an Unholy Assassin
Gloves	Gloves of Dexterity	Sets DEX score to 18 Grants +1 to Attack Rolls	Purchased from A'jak'nir in the Githyanki Creche Y'llek (Act 1)
Boots	Disintegrating Night Walkers	Can't be enwebbed, entangled, ensnared, and can't slip Grants Misty Step	Drops from True Soul Nere in the Grymforge (Act 1)
Neck	Magic Amulet	Wearer can use a Reaction to make an Attack or Saving Throw with Advantage	Reunite Sarin's skull with her skeleton near the Undercity Ruins Waypoint in the Baldur's Gate 3 sewers
Ring 1	Smuggler's Ring	+2 to Stealth and Sleight of Hand, -1 to Charisma	Looted from a Skeleton near the Risen Road bridge (Act 1)
Ring 2	Ring of Free Action	Wearer isn't affected by Difficult Terrain, can't be paralysed, and can't be Restrained	Purchased from Araj Oblodra in Moonrise Towers (Act 2)
Main Weapon	Knife of the Undermountain King	Lowers Critical Hit threshold for wielder to 19. Damage Rolls of 2 or less get automatically re-rolled. Grants Advantage against Light or Heavily Obscured enemies	Purchased from Ajak'nir Jeera in Creche Y'llek in the Mountain Pass (Act 1)
Offhand	Sussur Dagger	+1 to hit chance Chance to Silence enemies on hit	Complete "Finish The Masterwork Weapon" and choose the Dagger (Act 1)

Best Rogue Multiclass Choices & Builds

Players can choose to Multiclass beginning at Level 2. Look for the "Add Class" button on the top right of the level up overview menu – this will open up a new menu where players can choose one of any other class in Baldur's Gate 3 when selected.

Ranger Multiclass – Ranger 3/Rogue 9

As a Rogue multiclassing options can be hard to nail down, because the class is so focused on stealth throughout all three of its subclasses. One powerful pairing for the Thief rogue in particular is the Gloomstalker Ranger, which requires players to put three points into the Ranger class to unlock.

Gloomstalker Rangers are, like Rogues, masters of stealth combat with a unique set of abilities and sneaky ways to maneuver the battlefield – but it doesn't have access to Sneak Attack. By multiclasing into the Gloomstalker subclass as a Rogue, players are able to take advantage of Sneak Attack alongside the Gloomstalker's powerful stealth abilities.

It's not a bad idea to go down to Rogue 7 and also multiclass into Fighter for two levels – Action Surge can be extremely useful for this build.

Fighter Multiclass – Rogue 10/Fighter 2

Indeed, the Fighter multiclass is one of the most common options for players to pick in Baldur's Gate 3 because it doesn't require much investment to see great returns. By putting just two levels into Fighter, players unlock Action Surge, which grants an additional Action for a turn at the cost of a Bonus Action.

For Rogues, this means sacrificing some Sneak Attack damage for the ability to perform another Sneak Attack in the same turn. Getting to Rogue 10 keeps Sneak Attack's bonus damage at a nice 5d6, and getting two of them off in one turn means a total of 10d6 damage on top of regular weapon damage – plus, the ability to wear heavier armor is a nice bonus, too.

Platform(s) PC , macOS , PS5 , Xbox Series X Released August 3, 2023 Developer(s) Larian Studios ESRB M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Violence Franchise Baldur's Gate Publisher(s) Larian Studios How Long To Beat 100+ Hours Expand

Best Rogue Class Build — Olles.ru (2024)

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The Best Subclass for the Rogue is Thief, because it provides additional bonus actions, can pick locks, disarm traps and has high movement. The Thief subclass can be unlocked at level 3 and is great in combat and out to provide your team with high damage and great group utility.

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The Soulknife is the strongest rogue subclass in the game.

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Rogues who want to excel in social situations, such as those lacking a sorcerer or bard in the party, should keep Charisma high. Others will prefer Wisdom for its saving throw benefits and ties to some of D&D 5e's best skills like Perception. Only the Arcane Trickster rogue subclass needs Intelligence high.

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Here are some of the best proficiencies for a DnD Rogue.

Stealth.
Perception.
Persuasion.
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Intimidation.
Sleight of hand.

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