Everything you need to know about the new rogue for D&D 5e 2024 including rules and tactics
Wizards of the Coast are preparing to release the new 2024 Player’s Handbook which is a revision for D&D 5e (previously known as One D&D or sometimes referred to as 5.5e). Their most recent reveal is for the updated rogue class.
There are a bunch of interesting changes coming to the rogue from weapon masteries to new ways to use sneak attack with cunning strike, plus a bunch of quality of life improvements and subclass adjustments. Read on below for all the details.
If you want to see the original reveal, you can check out the video below:
Why are we getting changes to the rogue?
Rogues have always been a fairly well-balanced class with a lot of out of combat utility, solid hit and run tactics and few, but high damage attacks. The main task for the rogue was bringing it in line with the updates to other classes without sacrificing what already made this class great.
The main things the revised rogue adapts are:
- Bringing in a more tactical approach to combat
- Adapting abilities around the changes to the surprised condition
- Giving sneak attack more uses outside of just applying loads of damage
Below I’ve unpicked exactly what these changes are and how they work.
What changes have been made to the 2024 rogue?
A decent bit, though the core of the class remains mostly the same. Mainly it’s been a case of tweaking power levels and capabilities rather than making any larger changes to the class but some extra tactical prowess has been baked in here too. If an ability isn’t featured below, it’s because it remains unchanged from the 2014 rules (as with the rogue’s sneak attack feature):
Weapon mastery – lv1
One of the biggest changes is the introduction of a new set of properties available to all weapons known as weapon mastery. These properties allow certain martial classes (barbarians, fighters, paladins, rangers and rogues) to make special attacks with their weapon if they have mastery with that weapon. These abilities can be used on any and every attack made with the mastered weapon with no limits on usage.
Each weapon has a different property. Some may allow you to make an extra attack without using your bonus action for two-weapon fighting, others might give you advantage on your next attack when you make a hit while some can slow your target down for a turn. There are a bunch of different properties and you can check out our full guide to weapon mastery for a full explanation of the rules and tactics.
Rogues have 2 different weapon masteries but are more limited than the other martial classes with their masteries as they can only have weapon mastery on weapons with the light and finesse properties. They can also choose to change their weapon masteries when they take long rests.
While these abilities do help make rogues more tactical, primarily, they also help ensure they can land that all important sneak attack most turns by either granting an easily accessible 2nd attack, or providing recurring advantage on attacks.
Thieves cant – LV1
A minor change to this ability now grants rogues an extra language known.
Steady aim – lv3
Previously an optional feature from Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything, steady aim now makes it into the main class mechanics.
Essentially, it allows you to use your bonus action to gain advantage on your attack roll that turn. However, it does mean that you can’t move at all that turn. Quite simply, it’s another way for rogues to gain advantage on their limited attacks, by restricting them from doing anything else that turn.
Cunning strike – lv5
Sometimes, rogues don’t want to just dole out a whole pile of damage to an enemy. Instead, they might want to cause different kinds of problems. Cunning strike is a brand new tactical option for rogues allowing them to trade in 1d6 of the damage from their sneak attack for a different effect instead (later cunning strike options are more powerful, but also cost more of your damage dice).
These effects include things like causing the target to be poisoned, trip them up to knock them prone or allow you to move away from your enemies without incurring opportunity attacks.
This is an evolving ability that gets more options as you level up. It’s also a great way to integrate more hit and run tactics, trickery, and poison, into the rogue’s repertoire. Previously, there were precious few rogue mechanics to engage in this kind of combat.
Reliable talent – lv7
Reliable talent gets a small update making it a lower level feature (previously level 11). This means you get better at ability checks even sooner.
Improved cunning strike – lv11
You can now be even more cunning with the option to use 2 cunning strike options at once.
Devious strikes – lv14
You get even more cunning with devious strike which adds a few more options to choose from for your cunning strike (remember, at this point you can use 2 options at a time). These new strikes are more powerful, but also cost more of your sneak attack dice. They are:
- Daze (2d6): Great for limiting the effectiveness of your enemy. Your target can only make an action, move or bonus action on their next turn (if they fail a constitution saving throw).
- Knock out (6d6): Great for instantly rendering an enemy unconscious without killing them (yes, you don’t have to kill everyone you meet)! On a failed constitution saving throw, your target is unconscious for a minute (though they can retake the saving throw every turn).
- Obscure (3d6): Kick dust at their face or simply poke them in the eyes. Obscure causes your target to be blinded on a failed dexterity saving throw for a turn. It’s great for limiting the effectiveness of an enemy and making them easier to hit for your allies.
This replaces the blindsense feature that rogues used to get at level 14.
Slippery mind – lv15
Rogues are supposed to be notoriously difficult to pin down and damage. They’re also supposed to be very cunning. With slippery mind, it works to make rogues better at wisdom saving throws by giving them advantage on these, making rogues better at resisting conditions.
The 2024 rules add advantage on charisma saving throws into the mix too, ensuring rogues are extra difficult to affect with conditions. It should be noted that charisma saving throws are rare so it’s not a huge upgrade, but it still makes banishing a rogue much harder.
Epic boon – lv19
Like all classes at lv19, you get an epic boon (kind of like a super feat). This will allow you to increase an ability score (even beyond the normal maximum of 20, allowing you to potentially go up to 30 in an ability score). You’ll also get an ability alongside that feat too.
To make things juicer, when you gain levels beyond lv20, you’ll get an epic boon each time making you even gnarlier (there are 12, presumably 1 geared towards each of the 12 classes, though any class can take any epic boon)!
The recommended epic boon for a level 19 rogue is boon of the night spirit which gives you resistance to all damage other than psychic and radiant when you’re in darkness or dim light. You can also turn invisible as a bonus action.
Stroke of luck – lv20
Stroke of luck gets beefed up for rogues, allowing the ability to work on saving throws. It will also transform your chosen failed d20 roll into a critical success, meaning you can use it on attack rolls to deal extra damage (especially powerful if you’re landing a sneak attack)!
Rogue 2024 subclasses
Like for the 2014 rogue, you get to choose a subclass at level 3 known as a roguish archetype. You get 4 options in the 2024 PHB (The previous PHB has 3 so a big upgrade for rogues) and all 3 of the options from the 2014 book are available in updated form here (arcane tricksters, assassins and thieves). We also get access to an updated version of the soul knife from Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything.
Below I’ve outlined everything that’s changing in the new subclasses:
Arcane trickster
The main change for the arcane trickster is around their spell choices. Like the eldritch knight, arcane tricksters are no longer limited by the school of magic of their spells anymore. Instead, they can choose any spell found in the wizard’s spell list making them much more versatile.
On top of that, they can change their cantrips whenever they level up allowing you to change your playstyle as you progress.
Finally, when you use your cunning strike to trip an opponent, you can use your mage hand to trip another target within 5ft of your mage hand. A great way of dishing out a bit more crowd control on your enemies.
Treantmonk also states in his commentary on the reveal (embedded below) that mage hand is getting buffed up even more, as is the spell thief feature. He can’t reveal how those improvements will look just yet, but know there will still be some surprises to feast on when the book releases.
Assassin
The big change for assassins is in how their assassinate feature works. Because surprised has been toned down in the new rules, assassins no longer need to surprise a target to assassinate them. Instead, they can assassinate an enemy that hasn’t had a turn yet. This on its own is a little too unreliable so they’ve also given assassins advantage on initiative rolls as they are one of the most alert subclasses in the game. This means they should usually be able to get the drop on someone in the first round of combat.
Beyond this, assassins are also master poisoners and can eventually ignore resistance to poison as well as dealing more damage when using the poison cunning strike. They are also receiving an actual poison and disguise kit (this was accidentally neglected in the 2014 PHB).
Assassins also get an improved steady aim as they can still use this roguish feature and move in the same turn.
Soul knife
The soul knife already worked really well, but it does get a few tweaks. In line with the new weapon mastery rules, your psychic blades now get the weapon mastery property of vex (giving you advantage on your next attack). They are also able to be used for opportunity attacks (just like any other melee weapon) and they now have a long thrown range of 120ft (previously they just had a range of 60ft).
With vex, this means that you can easily gain advantage, throw a psychic blade and do so up to 120ft without disadvantage (though at the sacrifice of your sneak attack).
Thief
Thieves have become dabblers in all sorts of things, able to use the powerful things they might steal. With this comes the ability to attune an extra magic item (4 rather than the usual 3), the ability to use magic scrolls and the opportunity to use a magic item without expending a slot. They can also use their fast hands to use a magic item with their bonus action (ready to hoard some wands?) giving them a potentially big buff and a lot of usage out of their bonus action (if you can acquire enough magic items).
Thieves also get a cunning strike option not available to other rogues called stealth attack, allowing you to remain hidden when you make an attack. Thieves can also jump using their dexterity modifier (instead of their strength modifier). Useful for jumping around buildings. They also get a climb speed which they essentially already had, but it simplifies and streamlines the option.
Tactics
Below are a few interesting, new ways you can approach playing as a rogue with the 2024 update:
Helping out a friend: Layer up all sorts of abilities on your attacks to really cause problems for a foe! For example, you could combine vex with obscure to give your allies advantage hitting one opponent while giving yourself advantage to attack your next opponent to cause all the same kinds of problems for someone else on your next turn.
Poison master: Alternatively, you could try poisoning your target, making them less effective, use withdraw to move away, give yourself advantage on your next attack with vex and still have time to drink that potion of healing with your bonus action (which is allowed in the revised rules), then rinse and repeat on another target, dancing from foe to foe de-buffing enemies for your party to finish off. And there are loads of other ways to combine cunning strikes and weapon mastery properties.
So much advantage: The 2024 rogue has a load of ways to gain advantage (which is extremely important for a class so reliant on their sneak attack) making it nearly impossible to not manage to land a sneak attack. Sure you can still hide or flank, but now you can use the vex weapon mastery property, steady aim or even obscure to ensure sneak attack is available.
So there you have it, all the changes to the 2024 rogue. As with most other martials, rogues are essentially similar mechanically, but with a load of extra tactical options available at your fingertips.
Rogues are one of my favourite classes and it does feel like they’ve kept the essence of the class while giving them some handy new tactical options that keep them up to speed with the other revised classes.
What do you think of the changes to the rogue? Let us know in the comments below.
Spotlight on the D&D 2024 revision
All the latest updates on what’s changing with the 2024 rules revision.
