The Ultimate Rogue Class Build for Baldur's Gate 3: Unleash Your Full Sneaky Potential!

Baldur's Gate 3 offers a wide range of classic Dungeons and Dragons classes taken directly from the Fifth Edition of the tabletop RPG. As it takes heavy inspiration from D&D, some of the most effective builds in BG3 are also ones that players are already familiar with, such as the Thief Rogue.

The Thief Rogue build is centered around the Thief subclass, which provides an extra Bonus Action during combat. This ability proves incredibly valuable for quickly and effectively entering and exiting stealth. Given the current state of Stealth in Baldur's Gate 3's Early Access (which will be revised for the official launch), Thief Rogues are likely to excel in terms of dealing damage.

Thief Rogue Build Overview

Looking to maximize your potential as a Rogue in the Early Access version of Baldur's Gate 3? Look no further! This custom build is specifically tailored to enhance your gaming experience. However, keep in mind that with the full release of Baldur's Gate 3 on August 3, 2023, there may be some modifications and updates to the game mechanics. So be sure to return here for the latest and greatest tips on constructing the ultimate BG3 Rogue build.

"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."

The Thief Rogue excels in subterfuge, possessing remarkable stealth abilities and prioritizing high damage output over intricate gameplay. In comparison to the Arcane Trickster subclass, Thief Rogues have superior agility and a greater knack for achieving and maintaining Stealth.

As a result, Thief Rogues can consistently execute Sneak Attacks, aided further by the significant increase in damage at Level 5. To maximize their effectiveness, the optimal approach is to separate the Thief Rogue from the rest of the party prior to combat, enabling them to find a strategic position and unleash a Sneak Attack without cost or warning. This tactic often proves devastating against opponents of low to moderate strength. With their additional Bonus Action, Thief Rogues can effectively remain hidden or use Dash/Disengage through their Cunning Action to evade danger.

Best Rogue Build Character Creation

Best Rogue Race: Wood Half-Elf

The Wood Half-Elf is considered the optimal choice for players who prefer the Thief subclass and those who play as Rogues in general. This particular race offers two key abilities, Fleet of Foot and Mask of the Wild, making it the top pick. With the Fleet of Foot racial ability, characters gain a significant advantage in terms of movement, allowing them to cover a distance of 10.5m. This is 1.5m more than the default movement speed, providing a notable edge. Additionally, the Mask of the Wild passive grants characters proficiency in Stealth, which proves to be an immensely beneficial skill for the chosen playstyle.

The Class in Baldur's Gate 3 will now determine the allocation of Ability Scores, rather than being tied to race. Regardless of the race chosen by players, they will have the flexibility to allocate +2/+1 to two desired Ability Scores.

Best Rogue Subclass: Thief

The Thief Rogue subclass provides a significant advantage compared to the Arcane Trickster: an additional bonus action. This bonus action allows the Thief Rogue to effectively evade enemies, avoid Opportunity Attacks, attempt a second Hide action if the first one fails, and accomplish much more.

In addition to the extra bonus action, Thief Rogues also possess resistance to Fall damage, which proves to be unexpectedly useful quite frequently. Although Arcane Tricksters have access to a variety of beneficial spells and cantrips, the Thief Rogue's additional bonus action becomes immensely potent when their focus is solely on Stealth.

Best Rogue Proficiencies and Background: Urchin or Charlatan

If you opt for a Wood Half-Elf as your character for the Thief Rogue BG3 build, the Urchin's proficiency in Stealth becomes redundant since the subrace already provides that skill. In lieu of this, it is advisable to select the Charlatan background, which offers bonuses to Deception and Sleight of Hand, or alternatively, the Guild Artisan background, which grants proficiency in Insight and Persuasion.

A Choice at Level 4: Dual Wielder Feat Or Ability Scores

At Level 4, Thief Rogues are presented with a pivotal decision: should they opt for a Feat, or should they enhance two Ability Scores? This choice is contingent upon the preferred combat style of the Thief Rogue.

A Thief Rogue with an extra bonus action has the advantage of being able to move, Hide, or make two Offhand attacks while dual-wielding. This makes them more proficient in melee combat rather than ranged. To enhance their combat skills, the Duel Wielder Feat is highly recommended. It not only increases their armor class when wielding weapons in both hands but also allows them to use the Two-Weapon fighting style, regardless of whether their weapons are Light or not.

However, players who wish to prioritize Ranged combat as a Thief Rogue should instead allocate points to improving their Ability Scores at Level 4. Specifically, focusing on increasing their DEX is crucial to enhance accuracy and damage output.

Baldur's Gate 3 is currently in Early Access and will have its full PC release on August 3, 2023. The PlayStation 5 version is scheduled for release on September 6, 2023, while the development of an Xbox Series X/S version is ongoing.