The Rogue in Pathfinder 2e is a master of skills, adaptable and deeply customizable. They excel in stealth, thievery, and ambushes, making them valuable party members. Rogues have a single major decision point, the Rogue Racket, further diversifying their capabilities.
Rogue’s Core Strengths
Rogues possess a unique blend of skills and combat prowess, making them versatile assets to any party. Their core strength lies in their ability to deliver devastating Sneak Attacks, especially when combined with cunning tactics. They are masters of infiltration, capable of navigating treacherous environments undetected. Furthermore, their adaptability through the selection of a Rogue Racket allows them to specialize in different areas of expertise, such as damage dealing, intimidation, or knowledge gathering. Rogues can use their skills to get into places they should not be.
Rogue Rackets⁚ Thief, Ruffian, Mastermind
Rogues choose a Racket, defining their playstyle. The Thief focuses on damage, the Ruffian on harder hits, and the Mastermind on knowledge and stealth. This choice is key to the Rogue’s customization.
Thief Racket⁚ Damage Focus
The Thief Racket is excellent for dealing damage, with options to use a rapier alone or dual-wielding a rapier and shortsword. Feats like Analyze Weakness, Poison Weapon, and Twist the Knife enhance their offensive capabilities. They aim to maximize sneak attack opportunities, making them deadly in combat. This specialization makes them a good choice for your first rogue. The Thief is a classic damage dealer.
Ruffian Racket⁚ Harder Hitter
The Ruffian Racket trades subtlety for increased damage and durability. They are a good choice for those that want a tougher rogue. They use Strength and Dexterity, focusing on Athletics skills. The Ruffian can use sneak attack with a wider range of weapons, making them less reliant on finesse. They are the opposite of the Thief, making them a hard-hitting option that takes more punishment in battle.
Mastermind Racket⁚ Knowledge and Stealth
The Mastermind rogue excels at leveraging knowledge and stealth to gain advantages in combat. This racket is focused on using Recall Knowledge and Stealth to make targets flat-footed at range. This allows them to maximize their sneak attacks. They utilize their intelligence and cunning to outmaneuver their opponents. This makes the Mastermind a unique and viable option for those seeking a strategic approach to combat.
Weapon Choices for Rogues
Rogues have diverse weapon options, but some stand out. The rapier is a deadly single weapon choice. The main-gauche can boost AC and serve as an off-hand weapon. These choices support different rogue playstyles.
Rapier⁚ Deadly Single Weapon
The rapier is perhaps the most deadly single weapon available to the rogue. It is an excellent option if you don’t plan to use every action attacking, but instead incorporate other actions like moving or using skills. It is especially useful when paired with the Twin Feint feat, as it allows you to set up sneak attacks more reliably. Its finesse trait also aligns well with the Rogue’s Dexterity focus.
Main-Gauche⁚ Off-Hand Weapon and AC Boost
The main-gauche is a solid choice for rogues who want to boost their AC without using a shield or are aiming for a two-weapon fighting build. It functions well as an off-hand weapon, providing an additional attack option while also granting a bonus to Armor Class. This makes it a versatile choice for rogues who want to balance offense and defense, especially in melee situations where they are more vulnerable.
Sneak Attack Mechanics
Sneak Attack is a core Rogue mechanic, dealing extra damage when a foe is flat-footed. Rogues need reliable ways to trigger this, often by flanking or using other combat maneuvers.
Reliable Ways to Trigger Sneak Attack
To consistently trigger Sneak Attack, Rogues often rely on flanking enemies, which requires a melee ally. Diversion can also work by attacking different targets each round. Additionally, certain spells or class abilities that make enemies flat-footed can be used. Utilizing stealth and positioning to gain an advantage is also critical, especially for ranged rogues. The Mastermind racket, for example, uses knowledge and stealth to gain these combat advantages.
Multiclassing and Archetypes
Multiclassing allows Rogues to gain abilities from other classes. Archetypes, like the Marshal via the Fighter, enhance a Rogue’s versatility. This can be achieved with general feats, saving class feats for other abilities.
Marshal Archetype for Rogue
The Marshal archetype can be accessed by a Rogue through a Fighter multiclass. However, a more efficient way to gain this is by taking the general feat weapon proficiency twice. This approach saves on class feats and may be a more cost-effective option for Rogues looking to bolster their combat prowess. This allows the Rogue to gain the benefits of the Marshal’s abilities without sacrificing too many of their core Rogue skills and feats.
Key Rogue Feats
Essential Rogue feats include Sneak Attacker, Basic Trickery, and Advanced Trickery. These enhance damage output and provide unique tactical options. Mobility, Dread Striker, and Uncanny Dodge are also very useful for rogues.
Sneak Attacker
The Sneak Attacker feat is a core component of the Rogue’s damage output in PF2e. It allows the Rogue to deal extra precision damage when they hit a flat-footed target. This feat is crucial for maximizing a Rogue’s effectiveness in combat, and learning how to reliably trigger it is key to playing the class well. Understanding how to flank and use other conditions to make enemies flat-footed is essential to make the most of the Sneak Attacker Feat.
Basic and Advanced Trickery
Rogues benefit significantly from feats such as Basic Trickery and Advanced Trickery. These feats enhance a Rogue’s ability to perform sneaky actions, providing options like mobility and dread strikes. These skills allow rogues to manipulate combat to their advantage, improving their positioning and their ability to trigger sneak attacks. Mastering these tricks is key to maximizing a rogue’s effectiveness in combat.
Popular Rogue Builds
Popular builds include ranged Masterminds, focusing on knowledge and stealth, and two-weapon fighting builds. These builds maximize a Rogue’s damage output and battlefield control, making them versatile and effective. These builds are a great starting point for players.
Ranged Mastermind Build
This build emphasizes using Recall Knowledge and Stealth to gain advantages at range. The ranged Mastermind focuses on making targets flat-footed by using their knowledge and stealth skills, maximizing opportunities for sneak attacks. This build is especially exciting because it makes a less popular Rogue racket viable, allowing a player to take on a less common rogue role. This build can effectively use its skills to set up advantageous positions.
Two-Weapon Fighting Build
A Two-Weapon Fighting build for a Rogue can be effective, especially if utilizing a rapier and shortsword. This build benefits from feats that enhance damage, such as Analyze Weakness and Opportune Backstab. The main-gauche can also be considered as an off-hand weapon. This helps boost AC if you do not want to use a shield. This style of play offers flexibility and a high damage output when properly built.
Rogue’s Role in a Party
Rogues provide skills and versatility to any party. They can infiltrate restricted areas and eliminate threats swiftly. Their abilities make them a valuable addition to any adventuring group.
Skills and Versatility
The Rogue class in Pathfinder 2e is renowned for its exceptional skill proficiency, allowing them to excel in various situations. They are masters of stealth, thievery, and infiltration. Rogues can also contribute significantly in combat by exploiting enemy weaknesses. This versatility makes them a highly adaptable asset to any adventuring group, able to handle a wide array of challenges with their broad skill set and cunning tactics. Their ability to adapt to different situations makes them invaluable.
Character Customization and Backgrounds
Rogues offer many possibilities for character customization. Consider exploring archetypes for interesting hooks. Creative backstories can greatly enhance your Rogue’s roleplaying experience. Their diverse skill set makes them adaptable to many backgrounds.
Backstory Ideas for Rogues
Rogues could have a history as a street urchin honing their skills in the dark alleys. Perhaps they were a disgraced noble, forced to rely on their wits and agility to survive. Consider a past as a member of a secret society, or a former performer using their talents for less savory activities. A rogue may have been a con artist, always seeking the next big score, or a former soldier who learned to fight dirty. Alternatively, they could be an escaped prisoner with a thirst for revenge, or a curious scholar delving into forbidden knowledge.