Character Class
Rogue — Precision, Skill & Infiltration
Rogues are specialists in precision, mobility and difficult skills. They scout ahead, bypass locks and traps, read people, exploit openings in combat and solve problems that cannot always be beaten down with a sword. A thief can be a Rogue, but so can a spy, investigator, scout, diplomat, treasure hunter, courier, smuggler, infiltrator or professional problem-solver.
Rogue Rules
Select the ruleset used by your campaign. Each panel is native to that edition: progression, terminology and class mechanics are kept separate rather than blended.
5.5e Rogue Core Traits
Skills: choose four from Acrobatics, Athletics, Deception, Insight, Intimidation, Investigation, Perception, Persuasion, Sleight of Hand and Stealth.
Weapons: simple weapons and martial weapons with the Finesse or Light property.
Tool: Thieves’ Tools.
Starting Equipment: choose (A) Leather Armor, 2 Daggers, a Shortsword, a Shortbow, 20 Arrows, a Quiver, Thieves’ Tools, a Burglar’s Pack and 8 GP; or (B) 100 GP to purchase your own equipment.
5.5e Rogue Progression
| Level | PB | Features | Sneak Attack |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | +2 | Expertise, Sneak Attack, Thieves’ Cant, Weapon Mastery | 1d6 |
| 2 | +2 | Cunning Action | 1d6 |
| 3 | +2 | Rogue Subclass, Steady Aim | 2d6 |
| 4 | +2 | Ability Score Improvement | 2d6 |
| 5 | +3 | Cunning Strike, Uncanny Dodge | 3d6 |
| 6 | +3 | Expertise | 3d6 |
| 7 | +3 | Evasion, Reliable Talent | 4d6 |
| 8 | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | 4d6 |
| 9 | +4 | Subclass Feature | 5d6 |
| 10 | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 5d6 |
| 11 | +4 | Improved Cunning Strike | 6d6 |
| 12 | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 6d6 |
| 13 | +5 | Subclass Feature | 7d6 |
| 14 | +5 | Devious Strikes | 7d6 |
| 15 | +5 | Slippery Mind | 8d6 |
| 16 | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | 8d6 |
| 17 | +6 | Subclass Feature | 9d6 |
| 18 | +6 | Elusive | 9d6 |
| 19 | +6 | Epic Boon | 10d6 |
| 20 | +6 | Stroke of Luck | 10d6 |
Expertise
At 1st level, choose two of your skill proficiencies for Expertise. At 6th level, choose two more.
Sneak Attack
Once per turn, when you hit using a Finesse or Ranged weapon, you can deal Sneak Attack damage if you have Advantage on the attack roll.
You can also deal it when at least one ally is within 5 feet of the target, that ally isn’t Incapacitated, and you don’t have Disadvantage on the attack roll.
Thieves’ Cant
You know the coded language of Rogues and learn one additional language.
Weapon Mastery
Choose two eligible weapons with which you are proficient and use their mastery properties. Your selections can change after a Long Rest.
Cunning Action
From 2nd level, take Dash, Disengage or Hide as a Bonus Action.
Steady Aim
From 3rd level, if you have not moved during the turn, use a Bonus Action to gain Advantage on your next attack that turn. Your Speed becomes 0 until the end of the turn.
Uncanny Dodge
From 5th level, when an attacker you can see hits you, use your Reaction to halve the attack’s damage against you.
Reliable Talent
From 7th level, when an ability check uses one of your skill or tool proficiencies, a d20 roll of 9 or lower is treated as a 10.
Slippery Mind
At 15th level, gain proficiency in Wisdom and Charisma saving throws.
Elusive & Stroke of Luck
Elusive prevents attack rolls from gaining Advantage against you while you are not Incapacitated. Stroke of Luck can turn a failed D20 Test into a roll of 20 and refreshes after a Short or Long Rest.
Cunning Strike
Beginning at 5th level, you may trade Sneak Attack dice for additional effects. The saving throw DC is 8 + Dexterity modifier + Proficiency Bonus.
| Option | Cost | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Poison | 1d6 | Constitution save or Poisoned for up to 1 minute, with another save at the end of each turn. Requires a Poisoner’s Kit on your person. |
| Trip | 1d6 | A Large or smaller target makes a Dexterity save or falls Prone. |
| Withdraw | 1d6 | Move up to half your Speed without provoking Opportunity Attacks. |
At 11th level, Improved Cunning Strike allows two options on the same Sneak Attack if both dice costs are paid.
Devious Strikes
| Option | Cost | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Daze | 2d6 | Constitution save. On a failure, during its next turn the creature must choose between moving, taking an Action or taking a Bonus Action. |
| Knock Out | 6d6 | Constitution save or Unconscious for up to 1 minute. Damage ends the effect and further saves can end it. |
| Obscure | 3d6 | Dexterity save or Blinded until the end of the target’s next turn. |
See the Conditions index for the wider SpiralWorlds condition reference.
Rogue Subclass Starter Sets
These starter summaries help a player identify the style of Rogue they want before opening the full rules source. They do not replace the complete subclass rules.
Arcane Trickster, Assassin, Soulknife and Thief have revised 5.5e versions. Phantom has a newer 2026 version. Mastermind, Swashbuckler, Inquisitive and Scout remain useful compatible options from earlier fifth-edition books where the campaign permits them.
Thief
- 3rd — Fast Hands: exceptionally quick object, lock, trap and magic-item interaction.
- 3rd — Second-Story Work: climbing and jumping become natural parts of the Rogue’s movement.
- 9th — Supreme Sneak: adds a Cunning Strike option that helps a hidden Rogue preserve concealment after attacking.
- 13th — Use Magic Device: broadens attunement and the Rogue’s ability to exploit charges, magic items and spell scrolls.
- 17th — Thief’s Reflexes: gives the Rogue a second turn during the opening round of combat.
Assassin
- 3rd — Assassin’s Tools: disguise and poisoner’s kit training supports infiltration and preparation.
- 3rd — Assassinate: rewards striking decisively during the opening round and is easier to use than the older implementation.
- 9th — Infiltration Expertise: strengthens impersonation and infiltration while improving Steady Aim mobility.
- 13th — Envenom Weapons: makes the Poison option of Cunning Strike substantially more dangerous.
- 17th — Death Strike: dramatically increases the danger of a successful opening-round Sneak Attack.
Arcane Trickster
- 3rd — Spellcasting: adds Wizard magic to the Rogue’s skill and infiltration chassis.
- 3rd — Mage Hand Legerdemain: turns Mage Hand into a remote tool for subtle manipulation, theft and trap work.
- 9th — Magical Ambush: makes spells harder to resist when cast from concealment.
- 13th — Versatile Trickster: extends the usefulness of Mage Hand alongside the Rogue’s modern Cunning Strike toolkit.
- 17th — Spell Thief: can negate an incoming spell and temporarily steal the knowledge required to cast it.
Soulknife
- 3rd — Psionic Power: provides Psionic Energy Dice for skill support and silent communication.
- 3rd — Psychic Blades: manifests psionic weapons that leave little conventional evidence behind.
- 9th — Soul Blades: adds Homing Strikes and Psychic Teleportation.
- 13th — Psychic Veil: allows the Soulknife to become Invisible for prolonged infiltration.
- 17th — Rend Mind: can leave a creature Stunned after a Psychic Blade delivers Sneak Attack damage.
Phantom
- 3rd — Whispers of the Dead: borrows useful knowledge from lingering spirits.
- 3rd — Wails from the Grave: carries part of a Sneak Attack’s supernatural violence into another nearby enemy.
- 9th — Tokens of the Departed: manifests soul trinkets that fuel supernatural benefits.
- 9th — Voice of Death: allows the Phantom to question the dead more directly.
- 13th — Ghost Walk: assumes a spectral form capable of flight and incorporeal movement.
- 17th — Death’s Friend: strengthens the Phantom’s death-powered abilities and soul-trinket economy.
Mastermind
- 3rd — Master of Intrigue: disguises, forgery, languages and mimicry turn identity into a tool.
- 3rd — Master of Tactics: uses the Help action as a Bonus Action and supports allies at greater range.
- 9th — Insightful Manipulator: studies another creature’s mental, social and class capabilities.
- 13th — Misdirection: exploits another nearby creature when an attack is directed at the Mastermind.
- 17th — Soul of Deceit: frustrates telepathy, magical truth detection and compelled honesty.
Swashbuckler
- 3rd — Fancy Footwork: rewards striking an opponent and immediately repositioning.
- 3rd — Rakish Audacity: improves Initiative and supports Sneak Attack against an isolated nearby opponent.
- 9th — Panache: turns confidence and persuasion into a social and combat tool.
- 13th — Elegant Maneuver: grants an edge on the next Acrobatics or Athletics check.
- 17th — Master Duelist: gives the Rogue another chance when an important attack misses.
Inquisitive
- 3rd — Ear for Deceit: improves reliability when identifying lies.
- 3rd — Eye for Detail: speeds searches for hidden creatures, objects and clues.
- 3rd — Insightful Fighting: analyses an opponent to create a personal Sneak Attack opening.
- 9th — Steady Eye: rewards deliberate movement with improved Perception and Investigation.
- 13th — Unerring Eye: helps detect illusions, shapechanging and supernatural deception.
- 17th — Eye for Weakness: converts successful analysis into additional Sneak Attack damage.
Scout
- 3rd — Skirmisher: slips away when an enemy closes in.
- 3rd — Survivalist: specialises in Nature and Survival.
- 9th — Superior Mobility: increases walking speed and applicable climbing or swimming speeds.
- 13th — Ambush Master: improves Initiative and helps allies exploit the first enemy the Scout hits.
- 17th — Sudden Strike: supports an additional attack and another Sneak Attack against a different target.
If a subclass has been revised for the ruleset in use, use that version consistently rather than cherry-picking individual features from older and newer versions.
Pathfinder 1e Rogue
Weapons: all simple weapons plus hand crossbow, rapier, sap, shortbow and short sword.
Starting Wealth: 4d6 × 10 gp (average 140 gp), plus one outfit worth 10 gp or less.
Class Skills: Acrobatics, Appraise, Bluff, Climb, Craft, Diplomacy, Disable Device, Disguise, Escape Artist, Intimidate, Knowledge (dungeoneering), Knowledge (local), Linguistics, Perception, Perform, Profession, Sense Motive, Sleight of Hand, Stealth, Swim and Use Magic Device.
Core Rogue Progression
| Level | BAB | Fort | Ref | Will | Special |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | +0 | +0 | +2 | +0 | Sneak Attack +1d6, Trapfinding |
| 2 | +1 | +0 | +3 | +0 | Evasion, Rogue Talent |
| 3 | +2 | +1 | +3 | +1 | Sneak Attack +2d6, Trap Sense +1 |
| 4 | +3 | +1 | +4 | +1 | Rogue Talent, Uncanny Dodge |
| 5 | +3 | +1 | +4 | +1 | Sneak Attack +3d6 |
| 6 | +4 | +2 | +5 | +2 | Rogue Talent, Trap Sense +2 |
| 7 | +5 | +2 | +5 | +2 | Sneak Attack +4d6 |
| 8 | +6/+1 | +2 | +6 | +2 | Improved Uncanny Dodge, Rogue Talent |
| 9 | +6/+1 | +3 | +6 | +3 | Sneak Attack +5d6, Trap Sense +3 |
| 10 | +7/+2 | +3 | +7 | +3 | Advanced Talents, Rogue Talent |
| 11 | +8/+3 | +3 | +7 | +3 | Sneak Attack +6d6 |
| 12 | +9/+4 | +4 | +8 | +4 | Rogue Talent, Trap Sense +4 |
| 13 | +9/+4 | +4 | +8 | +4 | Sneak Attack +7d6 |
| 14 | +10/+5 | +4 | +9 | +4 | Rogue Talent |
| 15 | +11/+6/+1 | +5 | +9 | +5 | Sneak Attack +8d6, Trap Sense +5 |
| 16 | +12/+7/+2 | +5 | +10 | +5 | Rogue Talent |
| 17 | +12/+7/+2 | +5 | +10 | +5 | Sneak Attack +9d6 |
| 18 | +13/+8/+3 | +6 | +11 | +6 | Rogue Talent, Trap Sense +6 |
| 19 | +14/+9/+4 | +6 | +11 | +6 | Sneak Attack +10d6 |
| 20 | +15/+10/+5 | +6 | +12 | +6 | Master Strike, Rogue Talent |
Sneak Attack
Deal precision damage when the target is denied its Dexterity bonus to AC or when you flank it. Ranged Sneak Attacks must be made within 30 feet. You must be able to see and reach a vulnerable point.
Trapfinding
Add half your Rogue level to Perception checks to locate traps and to Disable Device checks, with a minimum bonus of +1. You can disarm magical traps.
Rogue Talents
Gain a Rogue Talent at every even Rogue level. From 10th level you may choose Advanced Talents.
Uncanny Dodge
At 4th level, you normally retain your Dexterity bonus to AC when caught flat-footed or attacked by an invisible opponent. Improved Uncanny Dodge arrives at 8th level.
Trap Sense
Beginning at 3rd level, gain bonuses on Reflex saves against traps and dodge AC against trap attacks.
Master Strike
At 20th level, a Sneak Attack can additionally attempt to put a creature to sleep, give it the Paralyzed condition, or kill it. The Fortitude save DC is 10 + half Rogue level + Intelligence modifier.
Unchained Rogue
The Unchained Rogue is an official revised class rather than a minor archetype. It keeps the familiar Rogue identity while strengthening Dexterity-based combat, skill mastery and battlefield pressure.
Finesse Training
Gain Weapon Finesse at 1st level. Beginning at 3rd level, select an eligible finesse weapon and use Dexterity instead of Strength for its melee damage. Further choices arrive later.
Danger Sense
Gain increasing bonuses against traps and to Perception checks made to avoid being surprised.
Debilitating Injury
From 4th level, Sneak Attack can leave the target Bewildered, Disoriented or Hampered, reducing defence, attacks or movement.
Rogue’s Edge
Beginning at 5th level, unlock exceptional uses of chosen skills. Additional skill choices arrive at 10th, 15th and 20th level.
Unchained Master Strike
The capstone retains sleep, paralysis and death options but calculates its save DC with Dexterity rather than Intelligence.
If the campaign permits Unchained classes, use the chosen progression consistently. Do not silently combine replacement features from both versions.
D&D 3.5 Rogue
Weapons: all simple weapons plus hand crossbow, rapier, sap, shortbow and short sword. Rogues are proficient with light armor but not shields.
Starting Gold: 5d4 × 10 gp (average 125 gp).
Class Skills: Appraise, Balance, Bluff, Climb, Craft, Decipher Script, Diplomacy, Disable Device, Disguise, Escape Artist, Forgery, Gather Information, Hide, Intimidate, Jump, Knowledge (local), Listen, Move Silently, Open Lock, Perform, Profession, Search, Sense Motive, Sleight of Hand, Spot, Swim, Tumble, Use Magic Device and Use Rope.
Rogue Progression
| Level | BAB | Fort | Ref | Will | Special |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | +0 | +0 | +2 | +0 | Sneak Attack +1d6, Trapfinding |
| 2 | +1 | +0 | +3 | +0 | Evasion |
| 3 | +2 | +1 | +3 | +1 | Sneak Attack +2d6, Trap Sense +1 |
| 4 | +3 | +1 | +4 | +1 | Uncanny Dodge |
| 5 | +3 | +1 | +4 | +1 | Sneak Attack +3d6 |
| 6 | +4 | +2 | +5 | +2 | Trap Sense +2 |
| 7 | +5 | +2 | +5 | +2 | Sneak Attack +4d6 |
| 8 | +6/+1 | +2 | +6 | +2 | Improved Uncanny Dodge |
| 9 | +6/+1 | +3 | +6 | +3 | Sneak Attack +5d6, Trap Sense +3 |
| 10 | +7/+2 | +3 | +7 | +3 | Special Ability |
| 11 | +8/+3 | +3 | +7 | +3 | Sneak Attack +6d6 |
| 12 | +9/+4 | +4 | +8 | +4 | Trap Sense +4 |
| 13 | +9/+4 | +4 | +8 | +4 | Sneak Attack +7d6, Special Ability |
| 14 | +10/+5 | +4 | +9 | +4 | — |
| 15 | +11/+6/+1 | +5 | +9 | +5 | Sneak Attack +8d6, Trap Sense +5 |
| 16 | +12/+7/+2 | +5 | +10 | +5 | Special Ability |
| 17 | +12/+7/+2 | +5 | +10 | +5 | Sneak Attack +9d6 |
| 18 | +13/+8/+3 | +6 | +11 | +6 | Trap Sense +6 |
| 19 | +14/+9/+4 | +6 | +11 | +6 | Sneak Attack +10d6, Special Ability |
| 20 | +15/+10/+5 | +6 | +12 | +6 | — |
Sneak Attack
Deal extra damage when the target is denied its Dexterity bonus to AC or when you flank. Ranged Sneak Attacks must be within 30 feet.
Creature Restriction
The base 3.5 rule requires a living creature with discernible anatomy. Undead, constructs, oozes, plants, incorporeal creatures and creatures otherwise immune to critical hits are normally immune.
Trapfinding
A Rogue can locate traps with Search DCs above 20 and use Disable Device against magical traps.
Evasion
When a successful Reflex save would normally halve damage, a Rogue in light armor or no armor takes no damage instead.
Uncanny Dodge
Arrives at 4th level. Improved Uncanny Dodge at 8th level normally prevents the Rogue from being flanked.
Special Abilities
At 10th, 13th, 16th and 19th level choose from options such as Crippling Strike, Defensive Roll, Improved Evasion, Opportunist, Skill Mastery, Slippery Mind or a bonus feat.
Sneak Attack — The Important Differences
“Can I Sneak Attack?” is the Rogue question most likely to suffer cross-edition drift. The answer changes materially between editions.
| Question | 5.5e | PF1e | 3.5e |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic trigger | Advantage, or a non-Incapacitated ally within 5 feet of the target while the Rogue has no Disadvantage. | Target denied Dexterity bonus to AC, or Rogue flanks target. | Target denied Dexterity bonus to AC, or Rogue flanks target. |
| Weapon requirement | Finesse or Ranged weapon. | Attack must reach a vulnerable point. | Attack must reach a vulnerable point. |
| Ranged limit | No special 30-foot Sneak Attack limit. | 30 feet. | 30 feet. |
| Frequency | Once per turn. | Each qualifying attack. | Each qualifying attack. |
| Undead? | Not automatically immune. | Not automatically immune under the core Sneak Attack rule. | Normally immune under the base SRD rule. |
| Concealment | Resolve using applicable attack and visibility rules. | Total concealment prevents Sneak Attack. | Concealment prevents Sneak Attack. |
In 5.5e, the nearby ally provides a separate route to qualifying for Sneak Attack. The ally must be within 5 feet of the target and not Incapacitated, and the Rogue cannot have Disadvantage.
A qualifying attack made on another creature’s turn can potentially use Sneak Attack again because it is a different turn.
Playing a Rogue Well
Create the opening
Coordinate with allies, use cover, hide, reposition and attack targets already occupied by the rest of the party.
Move with purpose
Mobility is one of the class’s best defences. The right position can be worth more than simply standing still for another exchange of attacks.
Protect your Reaction
Defensive abilities and reaction attacks can compete for the same Reaction. Decide whether survival or another strike matters more.
Scout without disappearing
Establish a return point and signal before moving ahead. Good scouting gives the group information; bad scouting merely isolates the Rogue.
Use the whole skill list
Investigation, Perception, Insight, Deception and Persuasion can decide an encounter before anyone draws steel.
Think vertically
Balconies, rooftops, walls, galleries, rigging and ruins reward investment in movement and Acrobatics.
Expertise, precision and unconventional problem-solving work just as well for investigators, military scouts, diplomats, treasure hunters, couriers and explorers.
SpiralWorlds Campaign Present
The Rogue in 1454
In a world of walled cities, merchant houses, toll gates, sealed correspondence, mercenary companies, contested roads and dangerous ruins, information can be worth more than silver. Rogues prosper wherever access is restricted and somebody urgently needs to know what lies on the other side.
SpiralWorlds begins in 1454 CE. Political borders are unstable, gunpowder is changing warfare, merchants connect distant ports, and courts, guilds and armies depend upon messengers, informants, intermediaries and private networks.
See the SpiralWorlds Timeline for the wider campaign present.
Urban Infiltrator
A climber and lock-worker who knows service passages, rooflines, warehouses and the routines of city watches.
Courier & Informant
Carries sensitive letters, recognises seals, knows safe intermediaries and understands that reaching the destination can matter more than winning a fight.
Military Scout
Reads roads and fortifications, observes camps, locates crossings and returns with intelligence before the main force commits itself.
Merchant-House Agent
Investigates missing cargo, checks rumours, watches rivals and solves awkward problems without deploying household soldiers.
Ruin Delver
Searches old chambers, identifies traps, opens sealed passages and knows when an apparently abandoned site is anything but empty.
Dockside Fixer
Knows pilots, porters, guards, brokers and tavern-keepers and can find a route through a city when official channels have closed.
Historical visual reference. Period civilian and court clothing is often more useful for grounding a 1454 Rogue than the standard fantasy uniform of black hood and assassin armor.
Bartolomeo Veneto, portrait of Lodovico Martinengo. Public domain. Wikimedia Commons provenance .
Global Rogue Traditions
Regional Rogue Variants
A Rogue’s methods grow from place, law, trade, terrain and opportunity. These traditions belong to the campaign world of 1454 rather than forcing later pirates, highwaymen, criminal societies and spy technology backwards into the fifteenth century.
Brethren of the Coast Corsair
Region: contested Caribbean ports, islands and sea lanes.
Role: privateer, harbour scout, smuggler, free-port fixer or coastal infiltrator.
Context: rival colonies, Indigenous powers, maroon communities, free ports and the loose multinational Brethren of the Coast create constant opportunities for covert trade and maritime espionage.
Arms & Gear: knives, bows or crossbows, boarding weapons, rope, hooks, lanterns and maritime tools.
Methods: night landings, harbour intelligence, hidden cargo, pilotage and false papers.
Adventure Hook: carry a sealed dispatch through a harbour where three rival authorities claim the right to inspect it.
Muromachi Scout-Infiltrator
Region: Japan, especially mountain districts and contested routes around Iga, Kōka and neighbouring provinces.
Role: scout, courier, observer, clandestine guide or saboteur.
Context: 1454 is Muromachi Japan, before the Ōnin War and the later Sengoku environment most strongly associated with popular shinobi imagery.
Arms & Gear: practical blades, bow, rope, climbing tools, writing materials and ordinary travelling clothes.
Methods: reconnaissance, route memory, disguise, observation and night movement.
Adventure Hook: cross a disputed mountain district and identify which lord is secretly moving troops before open war begins.
Venetian Informant & Covert Agent
Region: Republic of Venice and its commercial network.
Role: informant, courier, merchant-house observer, counter-spy or discreet intermediary.
Context: Venice’s political and commercial survival depends upon information, diplomats, merchants and governors.
Arms & Gear: period civilian blade, dagger, letters, seals, wax, coded notes, merchant clothing and concealed documents.
Methods: human sources, intermediaries, tavern and dockside contacts, copied correspondence and social cover.
Adventure Hook: discover who is selling a Venetian convoy’s route before its cargo reaches the Adriatic.
Late-Medieval Urban Burglar
Region: London, Bruges, Paris, Cologne, Strasbourg and other large towns.
Role: burglar, roof-runner, warehouse thief, lock-worker or night infiltrator.
Context: dense streets, courtyards, workshops, guildhalls and merchant houses offer enough opportunity without importing the Victorian cat burglar.
Arms & Gear: short blade, rope, hook, wedges, compact tools and a hooded lamp.
Methods: shutters, roofs, servants’ doors, courtyards, festival crowds and watch rotations.
Adventure Hook: enter a supposedly empty merchant house whose upper floor has begun showing lights after midnight.
Ming Coastal Smuggler
Region: Fujian coast and connected maritime markets.
Role: illicit trader, harbour broker, warehouse infiltrator, coastal pilot or cargo fixer.
Context: coastal shipping and restrictions on private overseas commerce create exactly the grey market in which Rogue networks thrive.
Arms & Gear: practical knife or sword, rope, cargo seals, account notes and concealed compartments.
Methods: false manifests, hidden cargo, bribed intermediaries and coastal navigation.
Adventure Hook: recover a cargo ledger before it exposes every captain in a forbidden trading network.
Red Sea Caravan Runner
Region: Arabian Peninsula, Red Sea ports and inland caravan routes.
Role: caravan scout, guide, courier, cargo broker or smuggler.
Context: long-distance maritime and overland trade meets at ports and desert routes.
Arms & Gear: dagger, bow where appropriate, water skins, rope, trade weights and route notes.
Methods: route knowledge, concealment among legitimate goods, night travel and negotiated passage.
Adventure Hook: guide a caravan around a newly occupied pass without revealing which merchant paid for the detour.
Gujarat Caravan-Road Outlaw
Region: Gujarat, Cambay and roads connecting inland markets to Indian Ocean trade.
Role: caravan agent, road outlaw, guide, broker or covert merchant’s servant.
Context: prosperous fifteenth-century trade replaces the much later and historically problematic Thuggee stereotype.
Arms & Gear: knife, sword, bow, trade clothing, rope, pack animals and merchant correspondence.
Methods: caravan intelligence, forged introductions, roadside contacts and hidden goods.
Adventure Hook: determine whether repeated caravan attacks are banditry or a rival merchant coalition destroying a route.
Owo Trade-Route Scout
Region: Owo and the Yoruba-Edo frontier.
Role: scout, trader’s guide, diplomatic messenger, interpreter or route watcher.
Context: trade, cultural exchange and political rivalry make information as important as weapons.
Arms & Gear: locally appropriate blade, spear or bow, travel supplies and trade goods.
Methods: route memory, border contacts, observation and negotiation.
Adventure Hook: escort an Owo trading party while identifying who is provoking violence along a previously safe route.
English Road Outlaw
Region: English roads, woodland edges, market routes and border districts.
Role: fugitive, road robber, guide, poacher, messenger or member of an outlaw network.
Context: medieval outlawry already produces fugitives, confiscated property, pardons, accomplices and informal protection networks.
Arms & Gear: bow, knife, staff, short sword, cloak and rope.
Methods: woodland paths, sympathetic households, market intelligence and avoiding officials who know the main roads.
Adventure Hook: carry evidence that could clear one outlaw while condemning a powerful local patron.
Great Basin Shoshone Scout
Region: Great Basin and neighbouring western landscapes.
Role: hunter-scout, tracker, pathfinder, observer or long-distance messenger.
Context: the later mounted Comanche identity has not yet formed in 1454.
Arms & Gear: bow, knife, spear where appropriate and equipment suited to pedestrian travel and hunting.
Methods: tracking, concealed observation, water knowledge and route selection.
Adventure Hook: follow a group that crossed supposedly trackless country without leaving the signs expected of ordinary travellers.
Sama-Bajau Sea Scout
Region: Sulu Archipelago, Basilan Strait, northern Borneo and connected island waters.
Role: sea scout, pilot, fisher, courier, trader or covert coastal transporter.
Context: centuries of maritime experience make Sama-Bajau communities natural sources of pilots and scouts.
Arms & Gear: knife, spear, fishing gear, rope, nets and small boats.
Methods: diving, coastal navigation, shallow-water approach and reading tides.
Adventure Hook: guide outsiders through reefs to an island that official charts insist does not exist.
Inca Road Scout & Outlaw
Region: Qhapaq Ñan and the expanding Tawantinsuyu.
Role: road scout, messenger, storehouse infiltrator, mountain guide or fugitive.
Context: the immense Andean road network links administration, armies, storage and distant settlements.
Arms & Gear: sling, club or mace, spear, knife, woven carrying equipment and high-altitude supplies.
Methods: pass knowledge, relay stations, bridges, mountain concealment and storehouses.
Adventure Hook: find out why messengers are vanishing from one section of a road never previously considered dangerous.
People & Calling
Non-Human Rogues
Ancestry does not determine morality, loyalty or profession. These are examples of how individuals from different SpiralWorlds peoples can use Rogue skills within their own communities, histories and circumstances.
Elf Rogue
Typical Roles: border scout, ancient-site delver, courier, relic recoverer, investigator or infiltrator.
World: elven communities remain particularly associated with Britain and Scandinavia, but individuals travel far beyond them.
Useful Strengths: patience, long memory, familiarity with old routes and sensitivity to changes in ancient places.
Tools & Gear: light bows, knives, rope, maps, old keys and carefully preserved records.
Character Hook: recover something stolen so long ago that the human city built above it has forgotten it ever existed.
Dwarf Rogue
Typical Roles: vault specialist, mine scout, guild agent, locksmith, counter-sapper, investigator or reclaiming agent.
World: dwarves live through dispersed holds, mines, guilds, warden networks, urban quarters, enclaves and itinerant families.
Useful Strengths: stone knowledge, craft expertise, security culture and understanding of tunnels outsiders were never meant to find.
Tools & Gear: compact axes or knives, picks, measuring tools, lock tools, lamps and cord.
Character Hook: enter a sealed family mine before a duergar cell reaches whatever was abandoned in its lowest galleries.
Halfling Rogue
Typical Roles: courier, caravan scout, river trader, negotiator, burglar, guide or information broker.
World: halfling communities may be settled or itinerant; family, movement, trade and local adaptation shape their lives.
Useful Strengths: social networks, mobility, familiarity with roads and the ability to use spaces larger folk overlook.
Tools & Gear: sling, small blade, cord, practical travel kit and ordinary trade goods.
Character Hook: a family trade route has been quietly redirected by somebody who knows far too much about everyone using it.
Gnome Rogue
Typical Roles: locksmith, workshop infiltrator, artificer-thief, saboteur, courier, gunsmith’s agent or industrial spy.
World: gnomes have fey inheritance, intense curiosity, specialised craft traditions and unusually capable workshops.
Useful Strengths: mechanisms, fine tools, patience with small components and understanding how a device was intended to work.
Tools & Gear: lock tools, fine files, measuring instruments, small crossbow or knife and alchemical supplies.
Character Hook: identify which rival stole a gunsmith’s prototype without allowing anyone else to realise the prototype exists.
Catfolk Rogue
Typical Roles: Kemetite scout, palace agent, tomb delver, courier, investigator or rooftop infiltrator.
World: the Children of Bast rule Kemet and have done so since their seizure of power in 1250 CE.
Useful Strengths: balance, climbing, low-light awareness, quick movement and curiosity.
Tools & Gear: bow, throwing spear, dagger, khopesh or mace where appropriate, rope and compact tools.
Character Hook: enter an ancient tomb before a foreign expedition removes an object the Kemetite authorities insist was never there.
Dragonborn Rogue
Typical Roles: envoy’s agent, court infiltrator, treasure recoverer, investigator or covert guardian.
World: Dragonborn appear across SpiralWorlds as a distinct fantasy people rather than as a human culture in disguise.
Useful Strengths: imposing presence combined with the unexpected advantage of being underestimated as a subtle operator.
Tools & Gear: practical blade, rope, writing kit, seals and light armor suited to the character’s homeland.
Character Hook: somebody is forging an old draconic seal to redirect tribute and provoke a border dispute.
Aarakocra Rogue
Typical Roles: aerial scout, messenger, cliff infiltrator, observer, mountain guide or rapid courier.
World: Aarakocra traditions occur in high and remote places without reducing them to a copy of any single human culture.
Useful Strengths: aerial approach, line-of-sight observation, vertical access and rapid movement between isolated positions.
Tools & Gear: light spear or javelin, knife, rope and compact packs that do not interfere with flight.
Character Hook: map a fortress from above without revealing that anyone capable of reaching its upper galleries exists.
Tiefling Rogue
Typical Roles: occult investigator, border infiltrator, spy, relic hunter, courier or urban fixer.
World: infernal ancestry can shape how others react to a Tiefling, but it does not determine religion, morality, loyalty or profession.
Useful Strengths: experience navigating suspicion, unusual heritage and communities already accustomed to secrets.
Tools & Gear: dagger, compact crossbow where available, protective charms, lock tools and travel clothing.
Character Hook: investigate a series of infernal crimes whose perpetrator is deliberately leaving evidence designed to implicate Tieflings.
Rogue Character Concepts
The Rogue supports far more identities than “thief”. These SpiralWorlds concept pages provide specialised approaches to the class and routes into the wider Rogue archive.
Their narrative concepts remain useful, but numerical bonuses and penalties should only be used with the ruleset for which they were written.
Assassin
A specialised lethal concept rather than the default Rogue identity.
Beggar
Survival, observation and being underestimated.
Barbarian
A legacy concept combining roguish skill with a harsh frontier background.
Dilettante
Breadth of experience, contacts and adaptable expertise.
Diplomat
Negotiation, social leverage and operating between rival powers.
Explorer
Travel, hazardous places and solving practical obstacles.
Gambler
Risk, wagers, reading opponents and knowing when terrible odds are still worth taking.
Inspector
Observation, investigation and reconstructing what happened.
Outlaw
Fugitives, bandits and rebels who survive beyond ordinary authority through allies, reputation and local knowledge.
Pathfinder
Maps, hidden routes, dangerous terrain and underground trade paths.
Pirate
Shipboard mobility, intimidation and opportunistic combat.
Scout
Reconnaissance, movement and surviving ahead of the group.
Smuggler
Moving people and goods through routes that authorities cannot or will not permit.
Spy
Secrets, observation, infiltration and dangerous information.
Thug
Street pressure, intimidation and close-quarters opportunism.
Treasure Hunter
Ruins, traps, hidden chambers and calculated risk.
Rogue Rules FAQ
Does a Rogue need Advantage to use Sneak Attack?
Not always. In 5.5e, Advantage is one route. A Rogue can also qualify when at least one ally is within 5 feet of the target, that ally is not Incapacitated, and the Rogue does not have Disadvantage. PF1e and 3.5e instead use denied Dexterity bonus and flanking.
Can a Rogue Sneak Attack more than once in a round?
In 5.5e, Sneak Attack is limited to once per turn, not once per round. A qualifying attack on another creature’s turn can therefore potentially use it again. PF1e and 3.5e use different limits.
Can Rogues Sneak Attack undead?
The answer changes by edition. Modern and PF1e Rogues do not have a blanket core prohibition against Sneak Attacking every undead creature. The base 3.5e Rogue normally cannot Sneak Attack creatures without vulnerable anatomy, including undead.
What level does Reliable Talent arrive?
Reliable Talent arrives at Rogue level 7 in SRD 5.2.1.
Which Rogue subclasses are current in 5.5e?
The revised Player’s Handbook versions are Arcane Trickster, Assassin, Soulknife and Thief. Other earlier subclasses can remain compatible where the campaign permits them, but an older version should not replace a newly revised version of the same subclass.
What happened to the Phantom?
Phantom first appeared in Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything and received a newer revised version in the 2026 book Ravenloft: The Horrors Within.
What is the difference between the PF1e Core Rogue and Unchained Rogue?
The Unchained Rogue adds Finesse Training, Debilitating Injury, Rogue’s Edge and Danger Sense, among other revisions. It is a separate revised class progression rather than a bundle of free upgrades for the Core Rogue.
Does a Rogue have to be a thief or assassin?
No. Scouts, investigators, diplomats, spies, couriers, explorers, smugglers and treasure hunters can all use the Rogue chassis.
Rules, Historical Sources & Licensing
Rules Sources
- System Reference Document 5.2.1 — open 5.5e Rogue and Thief material.
- D&D Player’s Handbook — revised Rogue, Arcane Trickster, Assassin and Soulknife material.
- Ravenloft: The Horrors Within — revised 2026 Phantom Rogue.
- Pathfinder Roleplaying Game — Rogue .
- Pathfinder Unchained — Unchained Rogue .
- D&D 3.5 System Reference Document — Rogue .
World & Historical References
- SpiralWorlds Player Resources — campaign present and established peoples.
- SpiralWorlds Timeline and Age of Severed Crowns material — 1454 world state and Caribbean development.
- SpiralWorlds Catfolk — Children of Bast and Kemetite catfolk material.
- Muromachi-period historical references for Japan.
- Historical research on Venetian intelligence and the Council of Ten.
- Research on fifteenth-century Ming coastal shipping and private trade.
- Historical work on Gujarat and Indian Ocean commerce.
- Historical work on the Yoruba-Edo frontier and Owo trade routes.
- Research on Sama-Bajau settlement and maritime dispersion.
- Historical research on Comanche origins among Northern Shoshone peoples and later horse acquisition.
- UNESCO World Heritage Centre — Qhapaq Ñan, Andean Road System.
SRD 5.2.1 attribution: This work includes material from System Reference Document 5.2.1 by Wizards of the Coast LLC. SRD 5.2.1 is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License .
Subclass summaries: starter summaries for non-SRD fifth-edition subclasses are short reader-facing descriptions and do not reproduce the complete proprietary subclass rules. Consult the named source for the complete game text.
Open Game License v1.0a + applicable Section 15 notices
Open Game Content designation: the Pathfinder 1e and D&D 3.5e game-mechanics material in this entry is designated Open Game Content. The SRD 5.2.1 material is used separately under CC BY 4.0. Original SpiralWorlds setting material, historical commentary, presentation, page design and artwork are not designated Open Game Content.
OPEN GAME LICENSE Version 1.0a
The following text is the property of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. and is Copyright 2000 Wizards of the Coast, Inc (“Wizards”). All Rights Reserved.
- Definitions: (a)”Contributors” means the copyright and/or trademark owners who have contributed Open Game Content; (b)”Derivative Material” means copyrighted material including derivative works and translations (including into other computer languages), potation, modification, correction, addition, extension, upgrade, improvement, compilation, abridgment or other form in which an existing work may be recast, transformed or adapted; (c)”Distribute” means to reproduce, license, rent, lease, sell, broadcast, publicly display, transmit or otherwise distribute; (d)”Open Game Content” means the game mechanic and includes the methods, procedures, processes and routines to the extent such content does not embody the Product Identity and is an enhancement over the prior art and any additional content clearly identified as Open Game Content by the Contributor, and means any work covered by this License, including translations and derivative works under copyright law, but specifically excludes Product Identity. (e)”Product Identity” means product and product line names, logos and identifying marks including trade dress; artifacts; creatures characters; stories, storylines, plots, thematic elements, dialogue, incidents, language, artwork, symbols, designs, depictions, likenesses, formats, poses, concepts, themes and graphic, photographic and other visual or audio representations; names and descriptions of characters, spells, enchantments, personalities, teams, personas, likenesses and special abilities; places, locations, environments, creatures, equipment, magical or supernatural abilities or effects, logos, symbols, or graphic designs; and any other trademark or registered trademark clearly identified as Product identity by the owner of the Product Identity, and which specifically excludes the Open Game Content; (f)”Trademark” means the logos, names, mark, sign, motto, designs that are used by a Contributor to identify itself or its products or the associated products contributed to the Open Game License (g)”Use”, “Used” or “Using” means to use, Distribute, copy, edit, format, modify, translate and otherwise create Derivative Material of Open Game Content. (h)”You” or “Your” means the licensee in terms of this agreement.
- The License: This License applies to any Open Game Content that contains a notice indicating that the Open Game Content may only be Used under and in terms of this License. You must affix such a notice to any Open Game Content that you Use. No terms may be added to or subtracted from this License except as described by the License itself. No other terms or conditions may be applied to any Open Game Content distributed using this License.
- Offer and Acceptance: By Using the Open Game Content You indicate Your acceptance of the terms of this License.
- Grant and Consideration: In consideration for agreeing to use this License, the Contributors grant You a perpetual, worldwide, royalty-free, non-exclusive license with the exact terms of this License to Use, the Open Game Content.
- Representation of Authority to Contribute: If You are contributing original material as Open Game Content, You represent that Your Contributions are Your original creation and/or You have sufficient rights to grant the rights conveyed by this License.
- Notice of License Copyright: You must update the COPYRIGHT NOTICE portion of this License to include the exact text of the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any Open Game Content You are copying, modifying or distributing, and You must add the title, the copyright date, and the copyright holder’s name to the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any original Open Game Content you Distribute.
- Use of Product Identity: You agree not to Use any Product Identity, including as an indication as to compatibility, except as expressly licensed in another, independent Agreement with the owner of each element of that Product Identity. You agree not to indicate compatibility or co-adaptability with any Trademark or Registered Trademark in conjunction with a work containing Open Game Content except as expressly licensed in another, independent Agreement with the owner of such Trademark or Registered Trademark. The use of any Product Identity in Open Game Content does not constitute a challenge to the ownership of that Product Identity. The owner of any Product Identity used in Open Game Content shall retain all rights, title and interest in and to that Product Identity.
- Identification: If you distribute Open Game Content You must clearly indicate which portions of the work that you are distributing are Open Game Content.
- Updating the License: Wizards or its designated Agents may publish updated versions of this License. You may use any authorized version of this License to copy, modify and distribute any Open Game Content originally distributed under any version of this License.
- Copy of this License: You MUST include a copy of this License with every copy of the Open Game Content You Distribute.
- Use of Contributor Credits: You may not market or advertise the Open Game Content using the name of any Contributor unless You have written permission from the Contributor to do so.
- Inability to Comply: If it is impossible for You to comply with any of the terms of this License with respect to some or all of the Open Game Content due to statute, judicial order, or governmental regulation then You may not Use any Open Game Material so affected.
- Termination: This License will terminate automatically if You fail to comply with all terms herein and fail to cure such breach within 30 days of becoming aware of the breach. All sublicenses shall survive the termination of this License.
- Reformation: If any provision of this License is held to be unenforceable, such provision shall be reformed only to the extent necessary to make it enforceable.
-
COPYRIGHT NOTICE
Open Game License v 1.0a Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
System Reference Document Copyright 2000-2003, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, Rich Baker, Andy Collins, David Noonan, Rich Redman, Bruce R. Cordell, John D. Rateliff, Thomas Reid, James Wyatt, based on original material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson.
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Reference Document. © 2011, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Author: Paizo Publishing, LLC.
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook. © 2009, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Author: Jason Bulmahn, based on material by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, and Skip Williams.
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Pathfinder Unchained. © 2015, Paizo Inc.; Authors: Dennis Baker, Jesse Benner, Ross Byers, Logan Bonner, Jason Bulmahn, Robert Emerson, Tim Hitchcock, Jason Nelson, Tom Phillips, Stephen Radney-MacFarland, Thomas M. Reid, Robert Schwalb, Mark Seifter, and Russ Taylor.
Rogue — Precision, Skill & Infiltration. Copyright 2026, SpiralWorlds.
Return to Player Resources, explore the Conditions index, or follow one of the Rogue Character Concepts above into the wider class archive.