Today, we’re going to take a Closer Look at the nimble and sneaky Rogue job class!

The Rogue Job Class is known most for it’s “Assassin” sub class but this Job Class covers a variety of different Rogue archetypes. These types of characters are extremely skilled and usually thought of to be pretty shady characters.

The Rogue isn’t a job or anything like that. No Rogue character would ever call themselves a Rogue but rather it’s a game mechanic classification of an archetype of characters for those who tend who tend to have certain skillsets.

Rogues tend to be very agile placing a higher priority on cunning over brute strength. Rogues are arguably also the most skilled adventurers honing their skills across a variety of abilities and combat techniques. To play a rogue character, you will want to think about how you would want your character to approach situations both in and out of combat. But the rogue rarely rushes in head first recklessly.

Some rogues choose to prioritise their skills of sneaking out stealthily, deceiving others, and striking from the shadows while others like to focus on dungeon adventurer centric skills such as taking out traps and picking locks. Rogues tend to focus a lot more on accuracy hitting a sensitive organ rather wearing down opponents with a flurry of attacks like Monk or Barbarian might. Rogues generally like to avoid danger and find the best angle .

There are a lot of negative stereotypes out there about these kinds of people but there are more than enough people who live up to and reinforce those negative stereotypes often filling up the seedier underbellies of town.

Rogues are on all sides of the law. What kind of relationship does your character have with the law? How do they feel about authority. What kind of past does your character have? Did they grow up as a street urchin stealing to get by? Did they grow up as part of criminal organization? or even a vigilante group? Did something happen in their past – a fall from grace – pushing them into a very different lifestyle than they ever could have imagined? Or are they really driven by the almighty coin? Is your thirst for gold driven by greed or something else? (Is your family member sick and need a lot of money for their ongoing healer costs? Did someone borrow a lot of money from less than reputable people and now your character desperately need to make a lot of money to fix the situation?)

Stats

Finesse is typically the most important stat for Rogues. It affects much of your abilities from most of your attacks, your stealth abilities, and your ability to dodge to avoid taking damage. If you are going to take up the slightly Arcane Magic using “Arcane Trickster” subclass you will also want to give your Mental stat a lot of attention to help your spellcasting abilities. If you are going to be using a lot of deception and social interaction skills, then your control stat will be important.

Weapons

Rogues predominantly rely on their finesse stat for their weapons attacks. This means that they will often rely on ranged weapons and finesse weapons. Ranged Weapons that are not thrown rely on your finesse stat for accuracy and damage bonus. Finesse melee weapons also can use your finesse stat.

For your basic equipment, you will get a Rapier or Shortsword – both of which are Finesse weapons. You also get either a shortbow + quiver of 20 arrows OR another shortsword. Also, you get 2 “Light” Daggers that you can use them for stabbing or for throwing. The Rapier does more damage than the shortsword does but the shortword is considered a “Light” weapon that lets you wield two weapons at the same time. Two daggers, Two Swortswords, or a dagger plus a shortsword – Using two of these light weapons will allow you to take two attacks, one with each weapon.

You have proficiency in simple weapons but for martial weapons you are specifically proficient with Hand Crossbows, Longswords, Rapiers, and Shortswords.

• Rapier + Shortbow
• Dagger + Dagger + Shortbow
• Shortsword + Shortsword
• Dagger + Shortsword + Shortbow

Armour

Rogues only have a proficiency in wearing Light armour. Since your finesse is your best stat, light armour is the best class of armour. You can use your Finesse Stat Modifier to boost your AC (Armour Class – a hybrid stat of both how much attacking you can deflect off, brush off, etc… AND your ability to dodge attacks)

You initially start with Leather armour. You can use your full finesse-ness to maintain as much agility as possible with this armour while not compromising your ability to be stealthy like some armour will.

More Standard Issue Gear

• Thieve’s Tools – This is important because you need these tools plus proficiency in them (which Rogue has) in order to handle small delicate contraptions in particular for picking locks and disarming traps.
• You also get a Dungeoneer’s Pack, a Burglar’s Pack, or an Explorer’s Pack of standard equipment.

Over time when you get enough money, you can upgrade some of your equipment. You may want to upgrade to Studded Leather armour over time.

Basic Features of the Rogue

The rogue uses the d8 as its Hit Die. This gives the rogues a moderate amount of hit points. The Rogues will often play the Glass Cannon / Damage Dealer. Rogues will often want to avoid damage rather than shrugging off damage so they mostly rely on their dodging skills.

The rogue is also proficient in either Mental or Finesse Saving Throws [Saving Throws are your reactions to certain types of things – Physical: Poison, Eating nasty food, ODing on cheap alchohol, being shoved, being grappled, arm wrestling, etc / Finesse: Dodging area effects like fireballs and traps / Mental: Psychic attacks on your mind, gruelling cramming before a big test / Control: Resisting a lot of Magical Effects].

More Skills

One of the key characteristics of the Rogue are their proficiency and expertise in skills. While the Bard will cover a wide range of skills being minorly proficient across the board, Rogues get a lot of skill training and really hone their skills and crafts in their chosen areas.

[ Gain skill proficiency FOUR of the following skills: Acrobatics, Athletics, Deception, Insight, Intimidation, Investigation, Perception, Performance, Persuasion, Sleight of Hand, Stealth ]

How do I get better?

All characters as they level up gain more features and improvements. All characters start with a “Proficiency Bonus” of 2 that gets added to anything you are proficient in. This proficiency bonus increases by one at Character Levels 5, 9, 13, and 17 regardless of your job class(es).

At Rogue Class Levels 4, 8, 10, 12, 16, 19 (not Character Level) the character gets to Upgrade! This incidentally is one more than other Job Classes (except for Fighter which is one more than Rogue)! When you upgrade, you either get 2 Stat upgrade points OR you gain a “Feat” — Special new bonuses, abilities, boosts, etc.

All Rogues gain a number of other features as they level up Rogue Class Levels. This means that if you Level Up in other Job Classes, then they don’t count to you gaining these features.

Expertise

From Rogue Level 1, Two of your already Proficient skills (including your Thieve’s Tools proficiencies) can be upgraded to Expertise level. Expertise is double proficiency.

At Rogue Level 6, you gain two more expertise upgrades!

Sneak Attack

Starting at Rogue Level 1, you gain the Sneak Attack ability – THE fundamental Rogue skill. While you can only do this once a turn, when you attack a creature that you have combat disadvantage and you use a Finesse weapon or Ranged Weapon (they both take advantage of your Finesse Modifier), you do extra damage on the attack.

You can get the advantage you need through many situations that you can ask your DM whether something will give you the advantage you need. One definite way to get that advantage would be if you are stealthily hidden or invisible. Also, many abilities will explicitly grant attack advantage against a target that you can then make use of for your sneak attack. Finally, while you don’t get to “roll advantage” on your attack, having your target be within 5ft of another hostile creature towards your target (because they are distracted watching you and other hostile creatures), then that’s enough to be able to activate your sneak attack.

One example using this would be if your Tank is in melee range of your target as they are fighting and you sneak attack while they are busily engaged with each other.

From Rogue Level 1, you do an extra 1d6 damage. This damage increases as you gain Rogue levels – Level 3: 2d6, Level 5: 3d6, Level 7: 4d6, Level 9: 5d6, Level 11: 6d6, Level 13: 7d6, Level 15: 8d6, Level 17: 9d6, Level 19: 10d6.

Thieves’ Cant

This is basically spycraft for thieves. It allows you to communicate with other rogues with specialized jargon and code phrases. It takes 4 times longer to convey a message this way that just outright saying the message. It also helps you better understand the underworld including possibly using a network of contacts you build to get intel. You can also pick up on secret marks and signs denoting the balance of power in the underworld, which thieve’s guild controls and area, whether there is loot nearby, whether it’s an area where you can find easy marks for scams, etc, or to mark safe houses.

Cunning Action

From Rogue Level 2, you use your cunning wit and agility to respond quickly when the right moment presents itself. As a Bonus Action, you can take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide Action.

This is also a core Rogue skill because it allows you to get closer to your target, attack them, and then use your bonus action to disengage and get away without provoking attacks of opportunity against you. If you follow the Swashbuckler subclass, it will take this one step further so that you don’t have to use up your Bonus Action to disengage since swashbuckler’s really need their bonus action in order to make off-hand attacks (for dual wielders)

Uncanny Dodge

From Rogue Level 5, when an attack against you hits you, you can use your reaction to half the damage against you – like rolling with the punches.

Evasion

From Rogue Level 7, you become better at dodging area attack spells. Attacks that force you to make a Finesse Saving Throw to determine whether you take full damage or half damage instead will be used to determine whether you take half damage or NO damage.

Reliable Talent

Yet another reason why Rogues have the best skill expertise and execution, from Level 11, your minimum ability check roll is 10. This is useful for all skills like stealth and perception but also for initiative.

Blindsense

From Rogue level 14, you can use your hearing to be away of the location of any hidden or invisible creature within 10ft.

Slippery Mind

From Rogue Level 15, you gain proficiency in Control Saving throws making you more resistant to spell effects.

Elusive

From Rogue Level 18, you take your agility and evasiveness to the next level. No Attack Roll as Advantage against you while you aren’t incapacitated.

Stroke of Luck

With the Rogue’s CapStone ability, you have more luck on your side. From Rogue Level 20, if your attack misses, you can turn that miss into a hit; Alternatively if your ability check fails, you can turn it into a Rolled 20 success. However, this is only usable after a rest.

Roguish Archetypes – the Rogue’s SubClasses

Every Job Class has some sort of mandatory sub class as a way of further customising and specialising exactly what kind of character you have. For the Rogue, they are called “Roguish Archetypes” that you have to choose at Rogue Level 3.

Thief

With a lot of tricky skills, persuasion, sleight of hand, etc you naturally get characters who lean towards thievery. They could be buglars, bandits, and other criminals, but also treasure hunters, explorers, investigators, etc.

Fast Hands

Thief Level 3, you can use your Cunning Action Bonus Action to not only do one of the things listed above in Cunning Action, but also make a Slight of Hand check, Thieve’s Tools check to disarm a trap or open a lock, or use the User an Object action (including healing potions)

Second-Story Work

Thief Level 3, you can climb faster than normal without costing you more movement that regular flat movement. When you make a running jump (parkour?) you can make an extra FinesseModifier feet of distance.

Supreme Sneak

Thief Level 9, you have Advantage on Stealth checks by sacrificing half of your movement. (This means if you normally move 30′, you can excel further at your stealthy skulking around if you move max 15′ a round)

Use Magic Device

Thief Level 13, you’ve picked up enough knowledge and skills dealing with magic that you can improvise the use of items even if not meant for you. You ignore class, race, and level restrictions/requirements on using any magical items.

Thief’s reflexes

Thief Level 17, you are a master at quick escapes and ambushes. You can take take two turns during the first round of combat if you weren’t “Surprise”. Your first turn will be at your initiative and your second turn will be at your initiative – 10.

Assassin

Striking from the shadows to deal precise and deadly damage, assassins are often hired killers, bounty hunters, and skilled damaged dealers. Stealth, Poison, and Disguise are tools of the trade for this archetype.

Poison!

From Assassin Level 3, you get Tool Proficiencies in the Disguise Kit and the Poisoner’s Kit.

Assassinate

From Asn. Level 3, take them by surprise and take them out. Assassinate is one of the most popular Rogue abilities making this arguably the most popular Roguish Archetype for this specific ability =P. You have Advantage [Roll twice and take the better of the two rolls] on your Attack Rolls against any creature that hasn’t taken a turn yet in combat. Even more, if that creature is considered “Surprised” then you automatically do a critical hit! This means if you are not in combat and you stealthily sneak up to someone and attack them from where they won’t notice you coming, you will automatically do massive damage do them. Also, since you likely have a high Finesse stat, you also are likely to have a high initiative roll. This means that you have a great opportunity to do a massive amount of damage in your first round of combat.

Infiltration Expertise

From Asn. Level 9 as you continue to perfect your abilities of disguise, you excel at making exceptional disguises. You can spend 7 days and 2500G to establish a history, profession, and affiliations for an identity. You’re creating a new identity not assuming someone else’s identity but it puts you in a good position to take on whatever endeavours you are trying to accomplish with this identity. You have the the clothing, the IDs, letters of introduction, official looking certifications, etc. If you adopt that new identity, people believe you unless you give them reason to suspect otherwise.

Impostor

From Asn. Level 13, you perfect for ability to mime a person’s speech, writing, and behaviour. It takes at least 3 hours of studying those 3 parts of a person including listening to speech, studying handwriting, and observing mannerisms. If someone has reason to suspect you of possibly being not quite who you are claiming to be when you are mimicking someone, you get advantage on your deception roll.

Death Strike

From Asn. Level 17, you are the bringer of instant death. When you hit a surprised creature, it will make a Physical Save vs. DC 8+FinesseModifier+ProficiencyBonus or take double the damage.

Arcane Trickster

Another path for the Rogue to follow could be one of augmenting the stealth and agility with arcane magic. These are often pickpockets, burglars, mischief-makers, pranksters, and definitely adventurers.

Arcane Magic Cantrip Spellcasting

Arcane tricksters through study learn 3 cantrip spells at AT Level 3. (Cantrips are spells that you can do as much as you want without it tiring you out). At AT Level 10, you learn one more cantrip.

SpellCasting Stats

In your online character sheet, select your SpellCasting “Spell Stat” to be Mental. This is determine your Spell DC and Spell Atk Bonus.

Higher Level Arcane Magic Spellcasting

Arcane Tricksters follow a very slow spell power progression since they are still predominantly fighting characters that are only augmenting their abilities with magic.

At AT Level 3, you gain 3x Level 1 Wizard spells but 2 of them have to be from either the Enchantment school or Illusion school. This means you can only ever learn 1 non Enchantment or Illusion spell at Level 3 so you’ll probably want to get the most utility out of it. The spells you learn at level 8, 14, 20 are not limited to those 2 school but all others will be.

As you gain levels in AT, you will gain access to more powerful levels of spells from those two specific spell schools. You also become capable of learning and memorising more spells. When you gain levels in AT, you can also swap out 1 of your previous spells for a new one. If you replacing spell that is from the two specific schools, they can only be swapped with a spell from those schools.

Like every other magic user, you use spell slots to cast non-cantrip spells. These spells are a limited resource and will tire you out. You need to take a long rest before you can replenish those spell slots.

Mage Hand Legerdemain

From AT Level 3, your Mage Hand (cantrip spell) is not like other spellcasters like the Wizard. Your Mage Hand that creates a spectral hand to do things is invisible. Beyond the regular Mage Hand being able to open doors, open chests, pull levers, carry light items, etc., the AT Mage Hand can also

• stow an object the hand is holding into a container worn or carried by another creature like a spectral reverse pickpocket.
• retrieve an object in those same circumstances like a spectral pickpocket.
• Use the delicate thieve’s tools to pick locks and disarm traps at range (Regular Mage Hand can still trigger traps but the AT Mage Hand’s ability to do this at range is a lot better and safer)
• Be done during your Cunning Action (for these special extra abilities)

These actions still require some rolling for success and will be your Sleight of Hand ability roll vs. the creature’s Perception roll.

Magical Ambush

From AT Level 9, if you are hidden from a creature when you cast a spell against it, they will have disadvantage on their saving throws vs. your spell.

Versatile Trickster

From AT Level 13, you can also distract creatures within 5′ with your Mage Hand as a bonus action. This will give you Advantage on your Attack Roll against that creature util the of the turn.

Spell Thief

The Bard picks up other spellcasters’ spells through information sharing but the Spell Thief actually gets its spell from observing someone attacking you with a spell. When a spell is throw against you (whether an area spell or specifically targeted to you), use your reaction to try and steal the spell. The caster will making a Control Save vs. your Spell DC. If they fail, the effect of their spell is nullified by you. Also, if that spell is a level 1 to 4 spell at the level that you have achieved access to, you can cast that spell using your own spell slots for 8 hours and the caster cannot use the spell for 8 hours. This is usable once until you take a long rest (effectively meaning that you can only steal 1 spell at time)

Swashbuckler

With the art of the blade, speed, elegance, and charm, their fighting is almost a performance rather than being a brute fighters. The hallmark of this archetype is the duel-wielding of two light blades plus the fancy footwork to get two strikes in plus a quick escape.

Fancy Footwork

SB Level 3, you gain this hallmark ability to hit your mark and escape without reprisal. If you make a melee attack, your target cannot make opportunity attacks against you for the rest of your turn. This is really key to this archetype. Other rogues can use their Cunning Action to move in, attack their foe, and use cunning action as a bonus action to disengage, and then move away. The swashbuckler on the other, since they will often dual-wield, would be able to move in, attack with their main hand, attack with their off-hand as a bonus and then move away without needing to use their disengage cunning action to prevent getting attacked as they move away. Disengage would be more effective if you are surrounded by enemies and you still have the option to do that like any other rogue, but if you are only next to 1 enemies, then you can easily get both of your hands’ attacks in and escape safely.

Rakish Audacity

SB Level 3, your confidence propels you into battle. Add your Control Modifier to your Initiative rolls. Init. rolls are already boosted by your Finesse Modifier as well. If you have max Finesse and max Control plus Reliable Talent at Level 11, you’re looking at Initiative rolls of 20-30 while other character will be 1-20; That’s a massive boost to your initiative.

Panache

SB Level 9, your charm is very effective. As an action, check your Persuasion roll vs. a creature (who can hear you and understand your language)’s Insight check.

If that creature is hostile and fails the check, then will have disadvantage on targets other than you plus cannot make attacks of opportunity against you. This lasts for 1 minute (10 rounds) or until one of your allies attacks it, or if you are more than 60 feet away. While this is somewhat of an aggro mechanic, it’s really lock them into a one on one duel with you (protecting your allies) while putting you into an advantageous position for a quasi “fair fight”.

If the creature isn’t hostile towards you and fail the check, they are charmed by you for 1 minute and think of you as a friendly acquaintance unless you or your allies do anything to harm them. (Keep in mind though that some creatures – specifically several of your allies – are immune to charm so they might get upset if you use this on them)

Elegant Maneuver

SB Level 13, gain Advantage on a Acrobatic or Athletics check during your turn as a Bonus Action. This is a great opportunity to flavour up your combat with some crazy style, panache, and awesome.

Master Duelist

SB Level 17, is the swashbuckler’s capstone ability to turn failure around. If you miss with an attack roll, roll it again with advantage, usable once until rest.

Mastermind

The mastermind is focused on influence and secrets making them good spies. For the mastermind, words are just as much weapons as poisons or daggers with secrets and favours being coveted.

Master of Intrigue

MM Level 3, gain tool proficiency in the Disguise Kit, Forgery Kit, 1 gaming set (Dice Set, Dragonchess Set, Playing Card Set, Three-Dragon Ante Set, etc… combined with other roguish skills puts you into a good position to cheat). You also learn 2 more languages of your choice (other than secret languages like Druidic). Also, if you hear a creature speak for at least 1 minute, you can mimic their speech patters and accent passing yourself off as a native and local speaker on that particular land (if you know the language to begin with)

Master of Tactics

MM Level 3, Use the Help action as a bonus action. Even more so if you are helping them attack, you don’t have to be standing next to their target to help them as long as their target can hear you and are within 30ft.

Insightful Manipulator

MM Level 9, you can learn certain information about a target creature by observing or interacting with someone for at least 1 minute. You can often figure out (DM will tell you) if you are greater, equal, or lower to them for around 2 of these points of information: Mental score, Control score, Character Level, something about the creature’s history, something about its personality trait. (Keep in mind that it’s up to the DM how effective this will be in that specific situation. They may give you more or less information. They may ask you to roll your insight check if it’s difficult to get a good read on the target, etc.)

Misdirection

MM Level 13, you can sometimes redirect attacks meant for you. When you are targeted by an attack while a creature within 5ft of you is giving you cover against that attack, you can use your reaction to have that attack target that creature instead of you. [ This works really well if you are a halfling since regular size creature can provide you with good cover options but since in Rabbit Hole all the player characters are regular-ish sizes, this might be more difficult but it’s certainly still doable ]

Soul of Deceit

MM Level 17, your thoughts can’t be read by telepathy, etc if you don’t want them to be. Make a Deception check vs. their Insight check to give them false thoughts instead. Also, if they are trying to find out if you are telling the truth or not, magic will tell them that you are being truthful. Finally, you can’t be compelled in any magical way to tell the truth.

Other Martial Archetypes

You can find other martial archetypes if they are noted to be used with “5e” (that denotes the 5th edition of Dungeon’s & Dragons). If you find an archetype you are interested in, discuss it with your DM and they may adapt it for you to use in the Rabbit Hole.

How do I play the Rogue?

A lot of players new to the Rogue seem to have some trouble with getting used to how Rogues operate. Imagine yourself in the rogues position with the abilities they have. How would you approach that situation? (and how strong is your desire for coin?)

Bards and Rogues are the most skilled (as in ability skills) in these games but while bards are generally good across all skills, Rogues are truly exceptional at their focused skills. You really want to play up those skills to maximize your roleplaying and your effectiveness.

There are all kinds of Rogues but for example if your rogue has expertise in persuading people, then gently nicely charismatically persuading people is going to be a much more effective means that trying to intimidate people. If you are a stealthy rogue, make the most use of that. Use your stealth skills to sneak around and gather information or strike from the shadows, etc. Think thematically. Also remember that the more in character you are — flaws and all — the more likely you are to get the ever so coveted “Inspiration” (Inspiration is given by the DM for awesome roleplaying especially when you take actions that are not good for you and your party but are very fitting with what your character would do – It allows you to reroll a bad roll)

Play up your skills, rogues are really good at what they do.

Make sure you have defined your background and your background feature. A lot of rogues as a part of their background feature have access to networks of contacts in the dark underbellies of any society. This can be a good source of information, acquiring certain things, etc. You can work with your DM to try to take advantage of that underworld resource you have.

A lot of rogues have a lot of tool proficiencies whether that is making disguises or picking locks. Make use of your tools for even more role-playing. If you are a master of making disguises, make a disguise to reach your goals (getting key information, etc). Some level of outside-the-box thinking will be needed from time to time but the Rogue can accomplish truly great things.

If you are in a particularly dangerous area like a “dungeon” then approach is cautiously as a rogue. If you need to be stealthy, help your party keep stealthy. You can sometimes even do a group stealth roll… or if you have an awesome stealth roll but your heavy armoured ally fails their roll, you still might be able to save your group’s stealth when you are bringing the awesome. You may also want to use your stealthy abilities to “peak” around corners. You could add more flavour by using a pocket mirror to peak around corners.

A key feature of the Rogue involves traps. Now anyone in your party can check for traps if they have a good perception or investigation skill. However, only someone proficient with Thieves’ Tools can effectively disarm traps: Enter the Rogue. Before you enter a door or open a treasure chest, etc. you can tell your DM “I check for traps”. In a dangerous dungeon your DM will probably ask you to “roll perception” etc. to try and spot the trap. You may have potentially saved your party from a horrible pit of acid! [ Although there are plenty of times when your DM will not make you roll anything and will just tell you that you find or don’t find a trap. That is typically in the interest of saving time. There are plenty of cases where a rogue wants to check for traps every 5 seconds and it can bog down the flow of the game — but people then say that the one time you don’t check, a trap springs…. or because you decided to check for traps but rolled poorly, you get caught in a trap that wouldn’t have otherwise been there ]

Finally, we get to the combat section. First of all, Rogues are not Fighter, Barbarians, Paladins, nor Rangers that have more Hit Points but what Rogues do bring to the table is speed, accuracy, and stealth.

Know your combat abilities. If you are using the Sneak Attack + Assassinate ability, understand the mechanic and try to take advantage of it as much as you can.

Understand the Disengage Action [ Disengage somewhat removes you from combat in that you can move around without provoking attacks of opportunity against you. When you exit a hostile creatures melee attack range, they can attack you while you run as an Attack of Opportunity ]. On your turn, you can take 1 “Action” and up to 1 “Bonus Action” (if it’s your turn) or “Reaction” (if it’s not your turn at the time). You’re not made of hit points, so it’s advantageous for you to escape harms way. Very importantly from Level 2, you get your Cunning Action which you can use to Disengage as a Bonus Action. What this effectively means is that you can move up to your target, attack then, use Disengage so you can now safely move away from your target without them attacking you. On their turn, they may decide to attack you but at least that’s one attack and not being attacked on your turn and their turn.

Swashbuckler’s can take this further with your Fancy Footwork that will prevent Attacks of Opportunities in that specific situation. What this effectively means is that you don’t have to use up your Bonus Action on Disengaging (via Cunning Action); instead you can use it to make an off-hand attack as swashbuckler’s are known for attack with both hands and being especially evasive.

With the four typical major roles (Tanks, Damage Dealers/Glass Cannons, Battlefield Controllers, and Boosters/Hinderers), Rogues are typically be Glass Cannons. Deal your damage but avoid injury.

Lastly this might be obvious but as a Rogue you don’t want to rush headlong into battle. Between Rogues and Rangers, you probably have some of the highest initiative giving your the ability to attack first but take a few seconds, understand your character’s abilities, and enter the fray as a Rogue, not a Fighter or Barbarian.