The Ultimate Baldur’s Gate 3 Rogue Build Guide | Rogue Class, Subclass, Race, and Multiclass Explained

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Rogue class, especially at the beginning of your journey, offers a straightforward path for newcomers to the Baldur’s Gate 3 game. Unlike the other classes (I am looking at you spellcasters), Rogue is not overwhelming to build at all. It’s a solid choice for those who are new to character class builds.

The Rogue class excels in sneaking in the shadows, deceiving their foes, and stealing gold. However, mastering this class, both in and out of combat, requires practice. But with a bit of help with this guide, you don’t have to worry. We’ll dig right into the best Rogue build in Baldur’s Gate 3, we will cover what’s the best race, skills, subclass, and even multiclass options.

Choosing the Ideal Subclass: Thief

When it comes to selecting the best subclass for your Rogue in Baldur’s Gate 3, the clear choice is the Thief. This subclass has most abilities that are best suited for the build, like stealth, agility, and the ability to unleash multiple attacks in a single turn, rendering Thieves irreplaceable on the battlefield.

While the option of the Arcane Trickster is tempting to choose because of the spellcasting abilities, the Thief reigns best in terms of pure damage output and dodging attacks from enemies. The standout feature of this subclass is Fast Hands, this ability gives an additional Bonus Action for every turn you have in combat. This ability also enables the execution of two Cunning Actions within a single turn, which is a huge step up considering movement and Actions are important during combat.

This subclass also gives you the ability to dual-wielding instead of only using a one-handed weapon, this ability has the potential to have two Bonus Action attacks per turn, if done right this ability gives you the upper hand during combat.

Rogue Weapon, Armor, and Class Proficiencies:

We chose two of the best options for your build:

• Proficiency: Acrobatics, Performance, Persuasion, Perception
• Expertise: Sleight of Hand, Stealth

Rogues benefit from the extra skill proficiency slots that will maximize their advantages during exploration and combat. Acrobatics, Stealth, and Perception are crucial skills that align with the Rogue’s core capabilities. Beyond these, consider Sleight of Hand, Performance, Persuasion, or other skills that enhance your Rogue playstyle effectively.

Best Race, Background, and Skills for Rogues

Best Rogue Race: Wood Elf

The Wood Elf emerges as the prime choice among the other races, offering many advantages that fit perfectly to a Rogue’s skills.

• Swift and Stealthy: Wood Elves possess a notable edge with increased movement speed, allowing them to navigate the battlefield better than other races.
• Darkvision: Wood Elves possess Darkvision, this ability helps to see clearly in places with limited light when dungeon crawling.
• Fey Ancestry: This racial ability grants them a notable advantage in magical spells. They gain an Advantage on Saving Throws making them resistant to enchantments such as Charmed and Sleeping spells.
• Weapon Mastery: Wood Elves are proficient in using both the long and short swords, and so is the Rogue class.

Best Rogue Background: Urchin

For this build, the Urchin background is a natural fit. It provides proficiency in Stealth and Sleight of Hand, aligning seamlessly with the Rogue’s stealthy tendencies.

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Best Ability Score Allocation

• Strength: 8
• Dexterity: 17
• Constitution: 14
• Intelligence: 12
• Wisdom: 14
• Charisma: 10

Dexterity takes the highest priority for a Rogue, enhancing your ranged attacks and stealth skill checks during your adventure in Baldur’s Gate 3. Other attributes offer flexibility, with Constitution providing a slight boost to health, while Charisma and Wisdom are not a priority for this class, especially the Strength ability. The Strength ability remains less relevant for this class as they are mostly behind the party, hiding in the shadows for a sneak attack.

Best Rogue Skills: Proficiency and Expertise

• Proficiency: Acrobatics, Performance, Persuasion, Perception
• Expertise: Sleight of Hand, Stealth

Rogues benefit from extra skill proficiency slots like Acrobatics, Stealth, and Perception. These skills are crucial skills that align with the Rogue’s core capabilities. Beyond these, consider Sleight of Hand, Performance, Persuasion, or other skills that you think will enhance your Rogue playstyle effectively.

Best Rogue Feats

At Levels 4, 8, and 12, Rogues gain the opportunity to select Feats that will help shape their abilities and skills in the game. Among the many options available, the following Feats stand out as the best for the Rogue class.

• Dual Wielder: Rogues unlock the potential for a Two-Weapon fighting style with weapons that extend beyond the limitations of being “Light.” Beyond this expanded weapon choice, it gives a valuable plus one bonus to your Armor Class (AC) when both hands are equipped with weapons.
• Alert: Selecting the Alert Feat grants you a plus five bonus to Initiative rolls which ensures that you’ll take the lead in the chaos of combat. This let the Rogue class be more alert and have heightened awareness in responding to threats.
• Tough: Tough: The Tough Feat fortifies your resilience by adding two extra maximum Hit Points (HP) per character level. At level 12 you’ll experience a boost of 24 HP, providing invaluable endurance in the face of endgame challenges.

Multiclass Options for Rogue

The choice of multiclassing for a Rogue is mostly for a strategic reason. By blending the Rogue class with other classes, you create a character that excels both in exploration and combat. We selected two multiclass options for the Rogue class that you can try out.

• Rogue and Ranger: While the Ranger may not stand as the most dominant class in the game, its true strength lies in its ability to enhance the ranged combat capabilities of the Rogue class. Ranger also grants you access to a selection of useful spells, making it a better position for you during combat.
• Rogue and Fighter: The Rogue class has exceptional damage when they use their sneak attack ability. However, encountering challenges that limit any stealthy approaches renders that ability useless. That’s why the Fighter class is the solution to that problem. By embracing the Rogue and Fighter multiclass combination, you equip your character with the tools to excel in damage output, regardless of the situation. The Fighter class offers a wide variety of subclasses and fighting styles that help the Rogue in any combat scenario. This option is also capable of delivering impressive damage while still maintaining the dexterity of a Rogue.

Whether you choose the Ranger class to master ranged attacks or the Fighter class for a more diverse and flexible damage-dealing Rogue, your multiclass journey will make a unique playthrough and character that’s suited to your playstyle.

The Rogue class excels in stealth-based combat, ensuring you strike from the shadows with precision. Whether you initiate as a Wood Half-Elf or embrace the cunning ways of the Urchin background, your journey in Baldur’s Gate 3 will be defined by calculated strikes and stealthy maneuvers. Or you just want to steal every gold you can get. It’s all up to you and what makes a fun character your own enjoyment.