Best Baldur's Gate 3 Rogue build: Race, skills, subclass, background & more
Finding out how to build the best Baldur's Gate 3 Rogue build with the perfect race, skills, subclass, and background is vital if you want to make the most of this stealthy class to strike from the shadows.
Baldur's Gate 3 facilitates a myriad of playstyles thanks to the game's 12 classes alongside the choices you can make when levelling, the many companions you can bring along, and the further decisions you'll make during gameplay that can split the story off into several directions.
So if you're planning on taking a sneakier approach and want to know how to build the best Rogue in Baldur's Gate 3, let's get into everything you'll need to know.
Not a fan of the Rogue build? Check out our recommendations for other best builds in Baldur's Gate 3:
- Best Baldur's Gate 3 Barbarian build
- Best Baldur's Gate 3 Bard build
- Best Baldur's Gate 3 Druid build
- Best Baldur's Gate 3 Monk build
- Best Baldur's Gate 3 Sorcerer build
- Best Baldur's Gate 3 Warlock build
- Best Baldur's Gate 3 Wizard build
Baldur's Gate 3 Rogue explained
The Baldur's Gate 3 Rogue is a Dexterity-based class that focuses on stealth and subterfuge, excelling when striking from the shadows, accessing locked-off areas, or disarming traps to keep the party safe.
Rogues are the premiere stealth class in the game and an excellent class for the more patient players looking to pick off enemies with high single-target damage. Outside of combat, they are highly perceptive, able to spot and disarm traps and unlock containers and doors that are hard to open.
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All Rogue subclasses in Baldur's Gate 3
The Baldur's Gate 3 Rogue class has three subclasses to pick from: Thief, Arcane Trickster, and Assassin. We'll explain each one below.
Thief
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.
Subclass Feature | Description |
Fast Hands | Gain an additional bonus action |
Second-Story Work | Gain resistance to falling damage |
Arcane Trickster
Arcane Tricksters are rogues with a clever touch of magic, using illusions and enchantments to keep their opponents on the back foot.
Subclass Feature | Description |
Cantrips | Pick two cantrips of your choice |
Spells | Pick two spells of your choice |
Mage Hand Legerdemain | When you cast Mage Hand, the hand is invisible and can carry out additional tasks |
Assassin
You prefer to deal sublime punishment to a single foe at a time - not in a duel, mind, because a dual implies chivalry, and you're too busy getting the job done for honour.
Subclass Feature | Description |
Assassinate: Initiative | In combat, you have Advantage on Attack Rolls against creatures that haven't taken a turn yet |
Assassinate: Ambush | Any successful Attack Roll against a Surprised creature is a Critical Hit |
Assassin's Alacrity | Immediately restore your action and bonus action at the start of combat |
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What is the best Rogue subclass in Baldur's Gate 3?
Our pick for the best Rogue subclass is the Assassin, as they excel at high-single target damage, and their passive features are huge boons during combat encounters, especially when you get to make the first move on Surprised enemies.
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Best Baldur's Gate 3 Rogue build
Read on for everything you need to know when building the best Baldur's Gate 3 Rogue build.
It's worth noting you can respec your character in Baldur's Gate 3, so if you've already started, you can use the feature to make some of the changes below.
The Rogue class also doesn't have options for every level, so we've only covered the level-ups where you can make choices for new features.
Level 1
Option | Selection |
Race & Subrace | Half-Elf / Wood Half-Elf |
Background | Criminal |
Skill Proficiencies | Acrobatics, Sleight of Hand, Investigation, Persuasion |
Skill Expertise | Sleight of Hand, Stealth |
Ability Points |
|
Level 3
Option | Selection |
Subclass | Assassin |
Level 4
Option | Selection |
Feat | Mobile |
Level 8
Option | Selection |
Feat | Ability Improvement, +2 Dexterity |
Level 10
Option | Selection |
Feat | Sharpshooter |
That's all for our coverage of the best Baldur's Gate 3 Rogue build, and now you know what choices to make when creating and levelling your character in the game.
For more Baldur's Gate 3 guides, stick with GGRecon. Alternatively, check out how to get to the Underdark in Baldur's Gate 3, or learn how to find the Adamantine Forge location in Baldur's Gate 3.