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Best Baldur's Gate 3 Rogue build

The best subclass, equipment, skills and spells for Rogue in BG3.

Rogue custom screenshot in Baldur's Gate 3
Image credit: VG247 / Larian

A Baldur's Gate 3 Rogue build is a must for every sneaky freak out there looking to stick to the shadows and stab their way through the brand new RPG from Larian. It's a super powerful class, but making the most out of those sneak attacks is key for any good Baldur's Gate 3 Rogue.

To help you do just that, we've written up this Baldur's Gate 3 Rogue build so you can take on the world one backstab at a time. We cover equipment, skills and spells, ability score priority, and the best race too, so you should be covered in character creation and the early game.


Baldur's Gate 3 best Rogue build

The Rogue is a combat class that is best used by going in and out of stealth during combat, cashing in huge damage with sneak attacks with advantage, picking off enemies one at a time. if you're playing the class correctly, you should be able to quick wipe out enemies in a blink of an eye, hopefully without taking much damage.


Rogue best race

The best race for Rogue players in Baldur's Gate 3 is the Lightfoot Halfling.

This is thanks to their Naturally Stealthy racial passive, which gives them proficiency with Stealth checks. A no brainer for Rogues, and allows you to slot in a proficiency into another skill, making you an alltogether a better character.


Rogue best ability score spread

Your ability score priority should be Dexterity, Consitution, Wisdom, everything else.

When first creating your character, we recommend the following initial stats:

  • Strength - 8
  • Dexterity - 17
  • Constitution - 14
  • Intelligence - 13
  • Wisdom - 13
  • Charisma - 10

Ability score increases

As you level up, you'll gain ability score increases at level 4, 8, and 12.

You should invest your points into Dexterity up until 20, then Constituion.


Rogue best subclass

For our build, we recommend taking the Thief subclass.

This mostly comes down to the Fast Hands passive, which grants an extra bonus action. This doesn't sound like a huge deal at first, however it allows you to enter stealth on your turn, do a sneak attack, then re-enter stealth all at once. As you can imagine, this is nuts when it comes to damage output, with any extra bonus attacks you have going towards off-hand melee attacks or item use.

THe resistence to falling damage is also nice if you're aiming to sneak your ROgue up to high ground before combat, or to protect against the occasional shove off a high ledge.


Rogue best equipment

Rogue's are proficient in light armour, which makes sense for a class based on sneaking around. As such, slap on any light armour you find, especially pieces that improve your stealth or slight of hand capabilities. In addition, anything that improves critical hits or sneak attacks are brilliant too.

As for weapons, slap two one handed weapons on your thief. As we get an extra bonus action, being able to occasionally stab someone with an off-hand dagger is incredibly useful. Also, a powerful shortbow can't go amiss.


Rogue best skills

It may go without saying, but if you're not using the Rogue's sneak melee and ranged attacks, you're doing something wrong. This deal incredible damage, and as they require advantage to use, hit more often than not. Use them whenever able.

As for other skills and spells, anything that grants invisibility is briliant for Rogues, as are spells that remove them from melee range without triggering attacks of opportunity (see misty step). However, Thief's don't get these as part of their regular levelling process, so you'll have to find scrolls or equippment thatprovides them.

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About the Author
Connor Makar avatar

Connor Makar

Staff Writer

Connor is VG247's live service staff writer. He writes articles on some of the biggest games out there right now. He's also a passionate fighting game fan, glued onto the genre and its community. He is tragically a grappler player.

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