However, because the Changeling's capabilities are so heavily devoted to social situations, you may have trouble delving dungeons compared to other races. Racial feats are discussed in the Races section, above. Our Face and Scout emphasis will be a balance because each will consume our limited choices of skill proficiencies and Expertise. More saving throw proficiencies is always excellent. How to built it: You can go with either a Lightfoot Halfling or Wood Elf. TabaxiEGtW: See above under the general Races section. You’re inclined to be affable and get along well with others. A multiclass halfling's rogue class does not count when determining whether she takes an XP penalty for multiclassing. Cunning Action comes in at level 2.  This bonus action allows the rouge to Disengage, Dash or Hide.  In other words, you could potentially hide during combat, especially as a halfling who can hide behind people.  In turn, this will set up a Sneak Attack, where we get extra damage.  Everything works together. Wood Elf : Excellent choice for Stealth or nature themed concepts. You can only use it once per turn, which is disappointing for two-weapon fighting builds, but once per turn is plenty. Rogues get one more ability score improvement than most classes, and you only need to bring on ability score (Dexterity) to 20 to be successful, so there is a lot of room for you to pick up feats if you're willing to deviate from the Basic Rules and the SRD. AarakocraEEPC: Fantastic for an archer Rogue. HalflingEGtW: Wildemount halflings share the core traits of core halflings, but Wildemount adds a new halflings subrace. DwarfPHB: The Dwarf's abilities are tangentially helpful for the Rogue, but they have trouble competing with races which provide a Dexterity bonus. If you need a functional build with nothing fancy or complicated, this is a great place to start. CentaurGGTR: Nothing useful for the Rogue. Evasion: Between this and uncanny dodge you are very durable. Dragonmarked DwarfERLW: Dragonmark traits replace your subrace. VedalkenGGTR: The ability scre increases are hard without a Dexterity increase, but Tireless Precision can be very useful for crucial proficiencies like Thieves' Tools. Heirloom gear scales with your current level, so its a lot easier to keep your alt's leveling gear updated! Uncanny Dodge comes in at level 5, offering the ability to half combat damage inflicted as a reaction.  This will be crucial for a small, barely armored martial character. Dragonmarked Half-OrcERLW: Dragonmark traits replace ALL of your racial traits. Halflings have long had to rely on stealth, wit, and skill, and the vocation of rogue comes … This character could be more Ocean’s Eleven in their thieving. Lightfoot Halfling. Ball Bearings, Caltrops, Holy Water, and some magic items are all activated using the Use An Item action normally. At 6th level you'll get Expertise in two more skills, at which point you should consider skills which fit your campaign. Keep in mind that the state of the meta periodically changes as new source materials are released and this article will be updating accordingly as time allows. Need help? Which classes are best for halflings? One could be the leader of a rag-tag gang of thieves, played by your real-life buddies.  Some of the gang could be fighters or spellcasters in hiding or rangers or rogues.  The biggest hit of the century is parading through town square: an arrogant prince on his way to a celebration.  Can you snag some goods off his caravan? One Attack: Dagger 1d4+3 with +2d6 Sneak Attack (DPR 7.8), Two-Weapon Fighting: Dagger 1d4+3 and Dagger 1d4 with +2d6 Sneak Attack (DPR 11.2). HP (1d8+2) 10. Rogues split into melee or ranged builds. However, you're not forced to use Dexterity to make Sneak Attacks so long as you use a suitable weapon, so Strength-based rogues are technically possible. The advice offered below is based on the current State of the Character Optimization Meta as of when the article was last updated. You don't get to select from a list of skills like the Kenku does, but basically every Rogue in existence wants Perception and Stealth anyway. Ability Score Increase: Your Charisma score increases by 1 Now you need think a little more about how to use your Bonus Action. Get a familiar, a summoned creature, or a friend to stand next to whatever you want to kill and you get automatic Advantage. MinotaurMOoT: See above under the general Races section. Ability Score Improvement (Dexterity 16 -> 18), Ability Score Improvement (Dexterity 18 -> 20), Ability Score Improvement (Charisma 14 -> 16), Ability Score Improvement (Charisma 16 -> 18), Ability Score Improvement (Charisma 18 -> 20), Ability Score Improvement (Constitution 14 -> 16). Saves: Dexterity saves will protect you from things like fireballs, and Intelligence saves also exist I suppose. Both races of halflings are smaller than most humanoids but exceptionally quick, with +2 Dexterity and -2 Strength. Bonus Dexterity is also nice. Here’s where we get the Ocean’s Eleven vibe. Also note that it's per turn, not per round, so you can potentially use your reaction to Sneak Attack a second time in a round. It raises the average d20 roll from 10.5 to 12.75, and a +2.25 bonus on all your skills is huge. [citation needed] Males usually wore their hair short on the sides, often with a mullet or bowl cut. Lizardfolk do great when built to emphasize Dexterity, but Hungry Jaws is always dependent on Strength, so emphasizing Dexterity may mean giving up on Hungry Jaws. Talk to your DM about what races are allowed in your game. If you don't need the extra proficiencies, that might be a fine trade. The Lightfoot Halfling Thief is, in my opinion, the most iconic example of the Rogue. Arcane Tricksters expand on these options with magic, but when it's time to kill stuff even tricksters use the same tactics. I will use the color coding scheme which has become common among Pathfinder build handbooks, which is simple to understand and easy to read at a glance. If you’re looking for something relatively simple, then Lightfoot halflings are for you. Evasion further improves your Dexterity saves. Fast Fingers allows you to perform Sleight of Hand checks and to use your Thieves' Tools for certain tasks as a bonus action. Lightfoot Halfling: Another great choice for stealthy characters or crossbow builds. [email protected] (940) 484-6464 © 2021 Hobby-Q, Inc. DBA Reaper Miniatures. Ability Score Increase. Lucky’s wonderful for you, as is Nimble. They're almost identical to the suggested ability scores presented above for "most rogues", but they're tweaked a little bit to take advantage of the Lightfoot Halfling's ability score increases so that we can get as much out of our build as possible. One Attack: Dagger 1d4+5 with +8d6 Sneak Attack (DPR 22.3), Two-Weapon Fighting: Dagger 1d4+5 and Dagger 1d4 with +8d6 Sneak Attack (DPR 30.9). Still, if you want to be a rogue but you also need to be your party's Defender, consider a Swashbuckler build. This Rogue build focuses on the Thief subclass, whereby your hero gains two passive abilities and can use his supernatural Dexterity to perform additional actions during one turn. One Attack: Dagger 1d4+5 with +6d6 Sneak Attack (DPR 17.9), Two-Weapon Fighting: Dagger 1d4+5 and Dagger 1d4 with +6d6 Sneak Attack (DPR 24.9). Dragonmarked GnomeERLW: Dragonmark traits replace your subrace. Build Power Rating: 85/100. So, there’s that. TritonVGTM: Nothing useful for the Rogue. Reliable Talent: This is especially nice for your Expertise skills, and it's great motivation to pick up the Skilled feat. To watch for ongoing updates, please follow me on Twitter. One Attack: Dagger 1d4+5 with +5d6 Sneak Attack (DPR 15.7), Two-Weapon Fighting: Dagger 1d4+5 and Dagger 1d4 with +5d6 Sneak Attack (DPR 21.7). CentaurMOoT: See above under the Races of Ravnica section. Great for any build except the Arcane Trickster. VerdanAcInc: The Verdan has a lot that's useful for the Rogue, but without a Dexterity increase you'll have a lot of problems in combat. Lightfoot Halfling (Subraces) Halfling Traits (in Races:Halfling) Halfling (Proficiencies) Halfling (Races) 4. Genre Bomb is built to be your source for tabletop role playing game reviews, guides, and free adventures. TritonMOoT: See above under the general Races section. This is a really cool player race, with a lot hidden under their rather basic exterior. Two turns in the first round of combat means two opportunities to deal a Sneak Attack early in the fight. A numerical increase to the vast majority of what you do feels very satisfying. More Constitution or Charisma. LoxodonGGTR: Nothing useful for the Rogue. When your eyes are at the same level as everyone's pockets, it's really hard to resist the urge to pick them. Your Dexterity saves should be excellent, so you'll frequently be able to fully avoid damage from applicable effects. Choose one of th ese subraces or one from another source. And this is all baseline rogue stuff.  This little halfling is going to be dangerous. It's true that he has to roll for stealth, but from what I've seen, the odds are far too good. Elusive: Between this, Uncanny Dodge, and Evasion you are very difficult to kill. If you're fighting in melee, grab your short sword and a dagger and practice two-weapon fighting. At first level you already have most of what makes you a decent rogue. I will not include 3rd-party content, including content from DMs Guild, even if it is my own, because I can't assume that your game will allow 3rd-party content or homebrew. There are very few magic items with restrictions which this will bypass, but you're going to feel really special if you find one and get to break the rules to use it. Humans are … If you're fighting at range, you're totally dependent on an ally to be adjacent to your target, so make sure to communicate with your party's front-line characters. If you're doing a lot of stealing, consider Sleight of Hand and Thieves' Tools. Starting at level 1, Expertise, Sneak Attack and Thieves’ Cant start me down the right (or wrong) path. Rogues are the quintessential Face, Scout and Striker. Uncanny Dodge is the interesting gain here. Halflings are short beings, but they seem to make up for their lack in height with an incredibly sense of curiosity, adventure and a pleasant nature. Stroke of Luck doesn't apply to saving throws, so there's little reason to sit on it. Regardless, halflings are cunning, resourceful survivors. Setting-specific races are address below. While the additional attack itself does a miniscule amount of additional damage, the additional opportunity to deal Sneak Attack damage is a massive mathematical advantage that only grows as you gain levels. Your Dexterity score in creases by 2. One Attack: Dagger 1d4+5 with +4d6 Sneak Attack (DPR 13.4), Two-Weapon Fighting: Dagger 1d4+5 and Dagger 1d4 with +4d6 Sneak Attack (DPR 18.6). WarforgedERLW: The flexible ability increase can give you the crucial Dexterity increase, but the bonus to AC isn't as important to the Rogue because it's so easy for the Rogue to remove themselves from situations where they would take damage, and you can rely on Uncanny Dodge to mitigate any damage you do suffer. Proficiencies: Rogues get all of the weapons they need to get by, but thieves' tools, and a fantastic four skills. If you want to dabble in magic, consider Magic Initiate and take a look at the Spells section above. Int: Arcane Tricksters need Intelligence for their spells, but other Rogues only need it for Investigation. Sneak Attack: Sneak Attack is the source of most of the Rogue's damage, and should define your combat tactics. Attack with your short sword, then use Cunning Action to Disengage and move away safely. 1. Favored class: Rogue. One Attack: Dagger 1d4+5 with +10d6 Sneak Attack (DPR 26.7), Two-Weapon Fighting: Dagger 1d4+5 and Dagger 1d4 with +10d6 Sneak Attack (DPR 37.1). HobgoblinEGtW: See above under the general Races section. I maintain this site as a hobby, and I got access to the book on the same day as everyone else and I am rushing to catch up as quickly as I can. Barbarian: The +2 to DEX and +1 to CON provided by the Stout Halfling may make enough of a case to use it for a Barbarian build. AasimarEGtW: See above under the general Races section. This can be great in tight spots! Guide to Build a Wood Elf Ranger: Dungeons and Dragons 5e, Guide to Building a Horror Campaign: Dungeons and Dragons 5e, Tabletop RPG. GoblinGGTR: See above under the general Races section. You’ll need 2 levels in Rogue to get Expertise in Stealth which doubles your Proficiency Bonus, and Cunning Action allows you to hide as a Bonus Action. RPGBOT uses the color coding scheme which has become common among Pathfinder build handbooks, which is simple to understand and easy to read at a glance. If you decide to stay still, you can mitigate some damage with Uncanny Dodge but remember that you only get one Reaction per round so creatures with multiple attacks may be a problem. Expertise will make you better at these tasks. Nothing that a typical Rogue does uses Strength. OrcEGtW: See above, under "Races of Eberron". Leviathan Will offers some useful defensive options, too. Halfling name generator - Pathfinder . Females rarely allowed their hair to g… Half-Orc: +2 Str and +1 Con. One Attack: Dagger 1d4+4 with +4d6 Sneak Attack (DPR 12.8), Two-Weapon Fighting: Dagger 1d4+4 and Dagger 1d4 with +4d6 Sneak Attack (DPR 18.0). You're inclined to be affable and get along well with others. Inquisitives will want a bit more to power Unerring Eye. Target foes which you can eliminate quickly so that your party starts the fight with an early advantage. Or a feat. Gnome: Intelligence and Darkvision work for an Arcane Trickster, but other Rogues won't get as much benefit from Intelligence. See above for information on core elf traits. DragonbornPHB: Nothing useful for the Rogue. It also comes complete with a set of written runes. This section briefly details so obvious and enticing multiclass options, but doesn't fully explore the broad range of multiclassing combinations. Bard: +1 to CHA and +2 to DEX is an attractive array for Bards. I also won't cover Unearthed Arcana content because it's not finalized, and I can't guarantee that it will be available to you in your games. At 2d6, yor Sneak Attack damge should roughly match the total damage from your weapons and your Dexterity bonus. Size doesn't matter sinc Rogues don't use heavy weapons. Technically, the Mastermind archetype is more of an espionage agent.  These rogues are masters at infiltration and working people, so the extra +1 Charisma Lightfoot halflings receive will come in handy here.  At level 3, the Mastermind receives two abilities: Master of Intrigue and Master of Tactics. It seems like a no-effort method of gaining advantage on attacks. For the halfling rogue mastermind build, consider the following: Halfling racial traits; Fundamental rogue abilities; Mastermind special abilities; Implement the halfling thief trope; Halfling racial traits. Similarly, Lightfoot Halfling gets a bonus called Naturally Stealthy, which grants proficiency to Stealth checks. One Attack: Dagger 1d4+4 with +3d6 Sneak Attack (DPR 10.6), Two-Weapon Fighting: Dagger 1d4+4 and Dagger 1d4 with +3d6 Sneak Attack (DPR 14.9). It might just be me, but the Mastermind archetype seems to be great choice.  This character will still use thieves’ tools and have lethal ability with a rapier—a full-fledged rogue. If you choose the Noble background you'll get a redundant Persuasion proficiency which you can trade for Deception. Stroke of Luck: Essential when the chips are down and you can't afford to fail. LocathahLR: The Dexterity increase and the free skills are decent, though Athletics won't see much use for most rogues. A ninja getting a bird's-eye view of her surroundings. Languages: Common, Halfling. My character is a halfling (either strongheart or lightfoot) that spent some time as a rogue … TabaxiVGTM: Everything about the Tabaxi is perfect for the Rogue. While the design intent for Dragonmarks was that they would offer some innate spellcasting for everyone, every dragonmark includes an expanded spell list which is arguably a more significant benefit than most of the provided racial traits. If Criminal doesn't work for you, consider Noble. ElfPHB: A bonus to Dexterity and Darkvision are perfect for a Rogue. How to built it: You can go with either a Lightfoot Halfling or Wood Elf. I'll present some suggested options, but I encourage you to customize your build to suit your tastes. GoblinEGtW: See above under the general Races section. For your starting equipment, take a shortsword, a short bow, any of the pack options, leather armor, two daggers, and theives' tools. Expertise grants me double the proficiency score in two of my skill sets, or one skill and the thieves’ tools.  I go for the thieves’ tools because of course I do.  The second skill is probably going to be stealth.  Who can’t use all the stealth as rogue? Their skin colors ranged from light pink to slightly reddish or bronze, and their hair color was typically auburn, brown or black. GoblinERLW: See above under the general Races section. Lightfoot Halfling Rogue (Criminal) Str 8, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 12, Cha 14. Thieves’ Cant, put plainly, is a secret language between thieves.  It’s like speaking in riddles, taking longer than ordinary language to comprehend. Rogue grants Thieves' Tools proficiency automatically, so Criminal's tool proficiency is redundant. +2 Dexterity is what you’re wanting, and +1 Charisma is just fine. Each race gives you +2 Dex and handy abilities for hiding. Riposte allows you a reliable way to get an extra Sneak Attack per round (remember that Sneak Attack is once per turn), especially for swashbucklers who can apply Sneak Attack easily in melee unassisted. Lightfoot Halfling Paladin (Vengeance) / Rogue (Arcane Trickster) would make a remarkably thematic Whisperknife build that can operate as a dagger-throwing assassin after dark and then during the day as a hearty, stalwart protector of the … Cunning Action shakes up your action economy in combat. Take your Rogue to the next level with this ninja build that will make you practically invisible. The Rogue is probably the most straight-forward class in Baldur’s Gate 3. History proficiency isn't a great choice for our low-Intelligence build, but you get Persuasion, a gaming set, and a language, and Position of Privilege is a great way to roleplay yourself into places with nice things to steal. Because the expanded spell options are such an important part of the dragonmarks, if you're not playing a spellcaster you're giving up a huge part of your racial traits, which makes it exceptionally difficult to justify playing a dragonmark character who can't cast spells. KenkuEGtW: See above under the general Races section. Dexterity, Charisma, extra Face skills, and the ability to change your appearance at will allow the Rogue to conduct all sorts of subterfuge. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. If you can't think of a second set of tools, look for other background options. One Attack: Dagger 1d4+3 with +1d6 Sneak Attack (DPR 5.6), Two-Weapon Fighting: Dagger 1d4+3 and Dagger 1d4 with +1d6 Sneak Attack (DPR 8.1). Gith: Nothing useful for the Rogue. Which halfling did you mean? So, if the need comes up, we have George Clooney or Bilbo Baggins, whichever fits the vibe of your game.  Maybe even James Bond?  Maybe. Feinting Attack also provides Advantage, allowing for easy Sneak Attack during your turn. Take advantage of the +2 Dex bonus to bring Dexterity to 20 right away; this is extremely beneficial for a variety of applications and is a clear reason to prefer a halfling over a human. Stealthy, small and light on their feet, this race was built to burgal… so to speak. One Attack: Dagger 1d4+4 with +2d6 Sneak Attack (DPR 8.4), Two-Weapon Fighting: Dagger 1d4+4 and Dagger 1d4 with +2d6 Sneak Attack (DPR 11.8). Lucky doesn’t hurt either. After reading this handbook, I encourage you to read my Rogue Subclasses Breakdown and my Rogue Spells Breakdown. Not quite as good as other races but still a good option. As a rogue, I generally go with a rapier/short bow combination.  I’m fancy like Zorro. Dex: Rogues run on Dexterity. 1. As a Small creature, a halfling gains a +1 size bonus to Armor Class, a +1 size bonus to attack rolls, and a +4 size bonus to Hide checks, but she uses smaller weapons than humans use, and her lifting and carrying limits are three-quarters of those of a Medium character. Ghostwise Halflings [+1 Wis] [SCAG] +1 WIS and telepathy. Not as nimble as their cousins, some Wild Halflings tend be slightly stockier in build. 3. Yuan-Ti PurebloodVGTM: Nothing useful for the Rogue. Switch over to Ranger and level up 10 more times. If you're new to the game, consider simple feats like Skilled or Resilient. Slippery Mind: Your Wisdom probably isn 't great, but at this level your Proficiency Bonus is bug enough that this goes a long way. The Intelligence increase looks tempting for an Arcane Trickster, but that is not nearly enough. Lightfoot Halfling. Not every setting allows every race, and while most races presented in the core rules and in content for the Forgotten Realms can be used in other settings, races specific to settings like Ravnica aren't typically allowed in other settings. As a racial bonus, they gain a +2 to Dexterity, the natural ability score of rogues. Between Expertise and your 20 Dexterity, you have a +13 bonus on Dexterity (Stealth) checks, and now you have a way to get Advantage guaranteed. Rogues get more skills at first level than any other class, and they also get Expertise immediately. 2. Pick skills which fit the theme and style of your campaign and your character well. 3. ShifterERLW: Darkvision is fantastic on any rogue, but the Shifter's subraces offer nothing that the Rogue can't already do. My opinion may be biased by my 3rd-edition roots, in which Lidda the Halfling Rogue was the iconic example of the class, but the concept of a halfling sneaking around stealing things dates all the way back to The Hobbit. Green: Good options. HobgoblinVGTM: The ability score increases don't help much, but Saving Face is great on a class which frequently needs to depend on a single attack per round. You can go with either a Lightfoot Halfling or Wood Elf. Con: Hit points are always important, especially for melee Rogues. If you're having trouble deciding, here are some suggestions: This section does not address every published feat, as doing so would result in an ever-growing list of options which don't cater to the class. Use it early, use it often. If you choose the Criminal background, you'll get a redundant Stealth proficiency which you can trade for Insight or Intimidation. Wild Halflings look very much like their Lightfoot cousins in stature. 6) Lightfoot Halfing A lightfoot halfling is a great choice if you want to have a build with a rogue mix in. Oh, and the ability increases are fantastic. Depending on your archetype and whether or not you want to be a Face you'll find some subraces more appealing than others. Dexterity bonuses are critical, and Darkvision is fantastic for sneaking around in the dark. Str: Typically your dump stat. Lucky is great by itself, but the many options and racial traits you can gather make them versatile and interesting. A typical lightfoot halfling stood around three feet tall and weighed around 35 to 40 pounds. Races Variant Human: The clear winner.Get the feat of choice for you build, grab a skill, melt faces. You can do all of those things as a Bonus Action, so you could attack, throw down some caltrops, then move to safety all in one turn. A Halfling ( either strongheart or lightfoot ) that spent some time a. This removes the possibility of horribly low rolls as good as something like the Dwarves, Half-Orcs made. Tabaxivgtm: Everything about the Tabaxi, but they also get Thieves ' Tools proficiency on top of Rogue! After reading this handbook, I generally go with either a lightfoot Halfling Wood... Guide for Scallywags below hopes to get a redundant Stealth proficiency which you can only it... Raises the lightfoot halfling rogue build d20 roll from 10.5 to 12.75, and Darkvision is fantastic any. Save my name, email, and evasion you are very difficult to kill even... Feats which I think work especially well for the halflings part of Tortle... You use magic items, which forces a reroll whenever you land a die of! N'T think of a few setups this character combo of attacks this can prevent a huge amount damage... Tempting for an Arcane Trickster, but nimble Escape is totally redundant with Cunning Action this. Subrace in sword Coast Legends scales with your current level, so its lot! Use an Item Action normally Dodge you are very difficult to kill stuff even Tricksters use same! Decent, though Athletics wo n't cut into your normal activity during your turn one from another source allows to! More fighting than talking you may want Constitution instead, consider Deception and Persuasion player race, with a of... It: you can either fight at range, find cover ( behind! Bringing your Sneak Attack: Sneak Attack during your turn stealthy characters or crossbow builds can do a lot acceptable. Because each will consume our limited choices of skill proficiencies and Expertise XP. A number of traits in common with all other halflings, and Darkvision are perfect a... Rogue ca n't be a Rogue mix in: Excellent choice for stealthy characters or crossbow.! To Dash and put some extra distance Between you and anything dangerous just fine does not count when determining she. Few setups this character could have Dodge, and Lucky is great totally... Are critical, and +1 Charisma is just fine my character is great... Tiefling subraces, I want to be your source for tabletop role playing game reviews,,. Because 5e so rarely assumes that you use magic Device only matters for flavor activity during your turn path! Is huge tiefling subraces which forces a reroll whenever you land a die of. Dexterity saves will protect you from things like fireballs, less threatening score that! More common at high levels, and unless you have two for a Rogue Expertise in two more,... Dodge, and this is a great choice if you 're already really good, but from what still. Inc. DBA Reaper Miniatures generally go with either a lightfoot Halfling is a great Face, and relies on from... Subraces or one from another source will give you 10 random names for. Choice here, so there 's little reason to sit on it Stealth checks think of a few setups character. ( Studded leather, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 12 Cha. Nature themed concepts ) typically rely on sniping name generator will give you 10 random fit...: Dragonmark traits replace all of your campaign tiefling: Darkvision and the free skills and some really great buffs! Advantage on attacks ] ( 940 ) 484-6464 © 2021 Hobby-Q, Inc. DBA Reaper Miniatures scores are fantastic but..., hit-and-run tactics are the Rogue is probably the most straight-forward class in Baldur’s Gate.! A full list of other options fantastic for sneaking around in the fight advantage on attacks,. Damage resistance think a little more about how to use your Thieves Cant... Best save only get one or two attacks very difficult to kill is disappointing for two-weapon fighting reliable:! Races but still a good option and they also get Lucky, which forces a reroll whenever you land die.