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To suit all sorts of play styles, there are plenty of classes to enjoy inBaldur’s Gate 3. you may approach enemies head-on with a big axe, or you can take them down from a distance with spells. Another option you can take in encounters is to sneak up on foes, and the rogue class is perfect for this approach.
Rogues enjoy increased damage, whether at range or up close, when they’re hidden or in an advantageous position. Depending on your subclass, you’re able to sneakily take out targets with ease. One subclass is the arcane trickster, and they specialize both stealth and casting spells.
Arcane Trickster Rogue Overview
Thearcane trickster subclassis the best choice for those who want a sneaky unit that candisable or damage enemies with spells from the shadows.
The best way to use this type of rogue is to equip it with spells that cancause enemies to lose their turns due to a condition, or to beat a disadvantage.
Rogues enjoyincreased damage output when they launchsneak attacks, which require that they be atan advantage against their target. An arcane trickster rogue cancast spells on foes that will give them disadvantage, enabling the rogue to use their sneak attack.
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Totallevel 1 spell slots:2
4
Totallevel 1 spell slots:3
7
Totallevel 1 spell slots:4
Total level 2 spell slots:2
Level 2 spells from theenchantment and illusion wizard schoolsare unlocked.
8
Level 2wizard spellsare unlocked.
9
Gain Magical Ambush: While hidden, targets will have adisadvantage on saving throws against your spells.
Gain 1enchantment or illusion wizard spell.
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Total level 2 spell slots:3
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Recommended Arcane Trickster Rogue Character Creation
Best Race For An Arcane Trickster Rogue
When picking a race for an arcane trickster rogue, you’ll want one that allowsbetter stealth, darkvision, or mobility. To meet these conditions, thewood elf, drow, or deep gnomewould make excellent choices.
Wood Elf
Mask of the wildgives wood elvesproficiency in stealth.
Fleet of footis a great feature because it gives anadditional 1.5m to the wood elves' movement speed.
Darkvisionwill remove any disadvantage for being in the dark,up to 12m.
Drow
Proficiency in hand crossbowsis useful when making a drow a rogue.
Superior darkvisionallows drows to disregard any disavantage in the dark,up to 24m.
Stone camouflagegives deep gnomes anadvantage on stealth checks.
Best Background For An Arcane Trickster Rogue
Theurchinfits the arcane trickster rogue best because of thesleight of hand and stealth proficiencythis background enjoys. These are bothDexterity skills, which a rogue is proficient in.
Despite certain skills that different backgrounds are proficient in, you should choosethe background that align with the kind of decisions you’ll be makingthroughout your journey, so that you cangain inspiration points, which allow you toroll again if you fail.
Best Ability Score Distribution For An Arcane Trickster Rogue
The key abilities you’ll want to take note of for your arcane trickster rogue build areDexterity and Intelligence.
Dexterity willincrease your armour class and initiative. This is also important for improving yourattack rolls using ranged and finesse weapons. Of course, what makes this ability important for rogues is that itimproves your stealth and sleight of hand skills.
Intelligence is vital for arcane trickster rogues, because this ability willincrease the chances that your spells will land on your targets.
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Subclass: arcane trickster rogue
Spells:
Expanded spell:Thunderwave- a powerful spell that canpush multiple creatures and objects away from you, allowing you to get to a more advantageous position.
Spell:Colour Spray- this canblind creatures near you, giving you an advantage on attack rolls.
Feat:ability improvement (+2 intelligence)- increase your intelligence to improve your spellcasting ability.
5
Spell:Hold Person- this is great forkeeping one humanoid paralysed for 10 turns, and attacks within 3m of it will always be critical.
Expanded spell:Mirror Image- this is a useful spell thatincreases your armour class by 3 for every duplicate you have. You start with 3 duplicates, and thislasts for 10 turns.
Feat:ability improvement (+2 Dexterity)- this will make your arcane trickster rogue more balanced, thanks toimproved armour class, initiative, ranged and finesse weapon damage, and stealth.
Cantrip:Bone Chill- this is a good spell because it deals necrotic damage, and itprevents targets from healing. It’ll also imposedisadvantage on attack rolls for undead targets.
Spell:Crown of Madness- this is a great spell that causes a humanoid toattack the creature closest to them instead of you.
Feat:war caster- this is an important feat that willimprove your concentration on spells.
12
Feat:ability improvement
When choosing between Dexterity and Intelligence,consider the rest of your party composition. If you already have amain damage dealer and a supporting damage dealer, you might want to pick Intelligence over Dexterity.
Best Arcane Trickster Rogue Gear
When picking equipment for your arcane trickster rogue, you’ll want gear thatimproves their stealthiness, or their spell effectiveness.
You should also pick weapons thatscale off their Dexterity, and weapons that favourhiding in the shadows.
Headgear:Shadow Of Menzoberranzan
Gain Shrouded in Shadow: grants invisibility for 2 turns.
Act 1: This can be received as a reward for completing the Defeat the Duergar Intruders quest.
12 Armour Class + Dexterity modifier
Stealth +1
Act 1: This can be looted from a chest in the Lolth’s Cultist’s cache near The Festering Cove.
+1 armour class
+1 saving throws
Act 2: This can be purchased from Quartermaster Talli at Last Light Inn.
Gloves:Daredevil Gloves
Doom Lobber: +1 to spell attack rolls.
Daredevil Proximity: toggleable ability where ranged spell attacks become melee spell attacks when next to a target.
Act 1: This can be purchased from A’jak’nir Jeera at Crèche Y’llek.
Footwear:Disintegrating Night Walkers
Night Walker: Can’t be enwebbed, entangled, ensnared, and can’t slip on grease or ice.
Gain spell: Misty Step
Act 1: This can be looted from Nere’s body in the Grymforge.
Amulet:Spellcrux Amulet
Spell Slot Restoration: replenish a spell slot of any level as a bonus action once per long rest.
Act 2: This can be looted from The Warden in the Moonrise Towers Prison.
Ring 1:Caustic Band
Malefic Excretion: weapon attacks deal +2 acid damage.
Act 1: This can be purchased from Derryth Bonecloak in the Myconid Colony.
Ring 2:Crusher’s Ring
Movement speed +3m.
Act 1: This can be obtained from Crusher in the Goblin Camp by looting his body, or by using sleight of hand when kissing his feet.
Melee Weapon 1:Knife of the Undermountain King
1d6 + 2 (3~8) + Strength or Dexterity modifier (Piercing damage)
Organ Rearranger: Reduce the number you need to roll a critical hit while attacking by 1.
Shadow Blade: using this weapon grants an advantage on attack rolls against lightly or heavily obscured targets.
Melee Weapon 2:Sword of Life Stealing
Life Stealing Critical: On a critical hit, the target takes an extra 10 necrotic damage as long as it isn’t a construct or an undead. You also gain 10 temporary hit points.
Act 2: This can be purchased from Dammon in Last Light Inn.
Ranged Weapon:Bow of Awareness
1d6 + 1 (2~7) + Strength or Dexterity modifier (Piercing damage)
Seldom Caught Unaware: You gain a +1 bonus to Initiative Rolls.
Act 1: This can be purchased from Roah Moonglow in the Shattered Sanctum.
Recommended Ranged Weapon Upgrade:Least Expected
Darkveil Precision: While obscured in shadow, gain a +1d4 bonus to ranged weapon attacks.
Act 2: This can be looted from a chest in the Gauntlet of Shar.
Location
Headgear:Hood of the Weave
Arcane Enchantment: +2 bonus to spell save DC and spell attack rolls.
Act 3: This can be purchased from Mystic Carrion in Philgrave’s Mansion.
14 armour class + Dexterity Modifier
Ambusher: +2 bonus to initiative rolls.
Gain advantage on stealth checks.
Gain Shield spell - grants immunity toMagic Missileand armour class +5.
Act 3: This can be looted from Vault n°9 in The Counting House of the Lower City in Baldur’s Gate.
Cloak: Shade-Slayer Cloak
Stealthy Critical: While Hiding, the number you need to roll a Critical Hit while attacking is reduced by 1. This effect can stack.
Act 3: This can be purchased from Sticky Dondo in the Guildhall.
Seldom Caught Unaware: +1 bonus to initiative rolls.
Skullduggery Attack: Sneak attack deals +1d4 force damage.
Act 3: This can be purchased from Exxvikyap in Rivington General.
Amulet:Surgeon’s Subjugation Amulet
Paralysing Critical: paralyzes humanoid target for 2 turns after landing a critical hit.
Act 2: This can be looted from Malus Thorm’s body in the House of Healing.
Optional Ring Upgrade: Burnished Ring
Gain spell Paralyzing Ray - paralyzes target for 2 turns.
Act 3: This can be looted from the Spectator guarding Hope’s Prison in the House of Hope.
Main Melee Weapon:Rhapsody
1d4 + 3 (4~12) + Strength or Dexterity modifier (Piercing damage)
Scarlet Remittance: Gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls, damage, and spell save DC, for every foe you slay, up to a maximum of +3.
Sweet Bloodletting: possibly inflict bleeding when hitting a creature with this weapon while hiding or invisible.
Act 3: This can be looted from Cazador’s body in Cazador’s Dungeon.
Off-Hand Melee Weapon:Crimson Mischief
Prey Upon the Weak: +1d4 piercing damage against targets with 50% of their hit points or fewer.
Redvein Savagery: When you make an attack with advantage, the target takes an additional 7 piercing damage.
Off-hand: when you make an attack with your off-hand weapon, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the attack.
Act 3: This can looted from Orin’s body in the Temple of Bhaal.
Ranged Weapon:The Dead Shot
1d8 + 2 (3~10) + Dexterity modifier (Piercing damage)
Improved Critical: The number you need to roll a critical hit while attacking is reduced by 1.
Keen Attack: double your proficiency bonus when rolling ranged attacks with this weapon, unless you have disadvantage against the target.
Act 3: This can be purchased from Fytz the Firecracker at the Stormshore Armoury in Baldur’s Gate Lower City.
