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Baldur's Gate 3 best Rogue build

In Baldur's Gate 3, the best Rogues are sneaky, stealthy, and a little shady

Astarion, a Rogue character in Baldur's Gate 3.
Image credit: Larian Studios / Rock Paper Shotgun
Whitney Meers avatar
Guide by Whitney Meers Contributor
Additional contributions by Jeremy Blum
Updated on

Do you need a strong Baldur's Gate 3 Rogue build? In Baldur's Gate 3, Rogues are excellent for sneaky moves, deceptive approaches, and overall shenanigans. These characters are among the most straightforward of classes, at least at the start of your journey. This can make them extremely solid for players new to character building in the Dungeons & Dragons universe. And of course, Rogues are especially fun if you prefer a little bit of backstabbling, both figuratively and literally.

If you have no issues with lying, cheating and stealing your way to infamy, a Rogue character is right for you. Here's everything to know about the best Rogue build in Baldur's Gate 3, including the best options for your race, background, subclass, feats, and more.

Note: Looking for lots more builds to choose from? Check out our dedicated list of the best builds in Baldur's Gate 3 for each class!

Now that Baldur's Gate 3 has left early access, vid bud Liam reckons it was worth the wait.Watch on YouTube

Baldur's Gate 3 best Rogue build

A strong Rogue character emphasises stealth. As a Rogue, you'll begin the game with Sneak Attack, which lets you deal extra damage to a foe you have advantage against, and works for both melee and ranged weapons. At Level 2, you'll also gain Cunning Action, which consists of three different skills, each of which apply to either Dash, Disengage, or Hide and let you perform these actions as a bonus action.

Rogue subclass options

Upon reaching Level 3, Rogues can choose from the following subclass options:

  • Thief: Use stealth and larceny to acquire whatever you wish.
  • Arcane Trickster: Enjoy all the perks of Rogue life, but with a clever touch of magic.
  • Assassin: A focus on the art of death, with emphasis on stealth, poison, and disguise.

Rogue weapon, armour, and class proficiencies

  • Rogue weapon proficiencies: Simple weapons, hand crossbows, longswords, rapiers, shortswords
  • Rogue armour proficiencies: Light armour
  • Rogue skill proficiencies: Choice of four: Athletics, Acrobatics, Deception, Insight, Investigation, Perception, Stealth, Sleight of Hand
  • Rogue saving throws: Dexterity, Constitution

Best Rogue race, background, and skills

Your race, background, and chosen skills can enhance your Rogue character in Baldur's Gate 3. While these may vary based on your team composition and approach, there are standout options for Rogue players.

The best Rogue race is Wood Elf.

The Wood Elf gains increased movement speed and a Stealth proficiency bonus. Elves also have Darkvision so they can see in the dark. Fey Ancestry grants advantage on saving throws against being Charmed, and magic cannot put elves to sleep. Wood Elves also have access to more weapon choices, as they gain proficiency with long and shortbows in addition to long and shortswords, which the Rogue already has.

The best Rogue background is Charlatan.

Charlatan grants Deception and Sleight of Hand proficiency. Deception proficiency assists with hiding the truth though actions or words, while Sleight of Hand assists with acts of manual trickery such as lockpicking and pickpocketing.

The best Rogue skill proficiencies are Deception, Sleight of Hand, Stealth, and Perception.

Deception and Sleight of Hand will land you extra bonuses in both, while adding Stealth can aid in the success rate of sneaky behaviors such as hiding from enemies, slinking past guards, and slipping away without attracting attention. Perception will help you spot and detect the presence of unusual things in your environment.

Best Rogue subclass

Each of the Rogue subclasses includes several unique features. However, Thief is our ultimate pick because the Fast Hands subclass feature grants an extra bonus action. This means you can use two Cunning Action abilities twice in a single turn. If you are dual wielding one-handed weapons, you can make two bonus action attacks per turn, which is a very powerful combat approach for Rogues.

Best Rogue feats

Rogues can choose feats at Levels 4, 8, and 12. The best Rogue feats are:

  • Dual Wielder
  • Alert
  • Tough

Get Dual Wielder to use Two-Weapon Fighting with weapons that aren't light. It also grants a +1 AC bonus if you have a weapon equipped in each hand. This means you can use more powerful weapons for your bonus action Attacks. Alert ensures you'll be early in the combat order with +5 to initiative rolls. Tough grants two extra max HP per level, and you'll find the most benefit from this near the end of your journey at Level 12, for an immediate 24 HP boost to help you tackle endgame content.

That sums up the Rogue class in Baldur's Gate 3. If you go through the game and feel the Rogue isn't right for you, we have a guide to let you know how you can respec your character. You may also want to learn more about multiclassing in Baldur's Gate 3", or just simply enjoy romance storylines with our romance guide.

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