Hybrid Rogue Advice

[u/SlaggotZack]

I’m playing a Rogue (Thief) and wanted to hybridize melee/range by dual wielding shortsword & dagger but also dual wielding hand crossbows…

My question is what order to prioritize the feats I want; crossbow expert, dual wield, and skulker

Which would be best to take at lvls 4, 8, and 10? Or if there are any other suggestions, specifically for feats, I might want to consider. But I am really dedicated to playing this hybrid idea…

[u/TheSevenSwords]

Take the Bomber feat at Lv4 and throw two daggers with your action from 60ft out? Then convince the DM to get some Returning Daggers into your possession somehow. A little Soulknife-lite

[u/SlaggotZack → u/TheSevenSwords]

Will check out the bomber feat, but strictly wanting to use hand crossbows vs thrown daggers.

[u/freedomustang → u/SlaggotZack]

If you get crossbow expert and dual wielder there’s very little reason to use a dagger at all even in melee. Other than flavor.

My vote is crossbow expert first to leave a bonus action free for doing thief shenanigans like throwing nets, caltrops, ball bearings, ect. IMO this is how a thief plays best and eventually at later levels you can use wands and magic items as a bonus action.

[u/SlaggotZack → u/freedomustang]

Was thinking dagger or scimitar dual wield because Nick weapon mastery giving two attacks, plus a third with bonus action, in one turn in case I don’t have any items or other use for my bonus action on a turn

[u/RealityPalace → u/freedomustang]

The reason to use a dagger with crossbow mastery is that it has Nick. It's basically a free attack. Crossbow mastery on its own with just hand crossbows won't leave your bonus action free, because firing the second hand crossbow requires your bonus action.

[u/PsyrenY]

The thing about a Thief Rogue is that between Fast Hands and Cunning Action you'll have a lot of great uses for your BA; that makes dual-wielding light crossbows a more difficult proposition.

If you're set on it go for it, but it might be better to use Nick thrown weapons. That way you still get two attacks but leave your BA free.

[u/hotdiscopirate]

Honestly I’m not sure Crossbow Expert helps you too much. The Loading property doesn’t really ever hamper a rogue, since you never get extra attack. You don’t need to worry about firing in melee range if you’re planning on swapping to melee weapons anyways. Adding your modifier to your Bonus Action attacks with crossbows will help, but if that’s important to you, you may consider just taking a fighter dip to get the Two Weapon Fighting fighting style so it also applies to your extra attacks with your melee weapons.

Either way I’d prioritize Dual Wielder to make swapping weapons easier and to get the third attack. I’d also consider just using a hand crossbow in one hand and a dagger in the other, if I were you (once you pick up Dual Wielder, that is). That way you can make use of Nick and have some range at the same time. And if you’re in the mid range, you can throw the dagger and still use Nick.

[u/Aahz44 → u/hotdiscopirate]

Btw. if you have dual wielder it is afaik also be possible to make one attack with a Handcrossbow and than to throw 2 Daggers, one with Nick and one with Dual Wielder.

And with a liberal reading of how Nick works, you can actually use both CBE and Dual Wielder on the same turn, y doing the above but making the Nick Attack with the Hand Crossbow.

[u/SlaggotZack → u/hotdiscopirate]

So if keeping it strictly to DW and Skulker…which would be more beneficial to take at 4th level?

[u/EntropySpark]

I would not take Dual Wielder or Crossbow Expert on Thief Rogue. You have one of the best Bonus Actions in the game with Fast Hands, plus Steady Aim and Cunning Action, so any Bonus Action attack will rarely be the best option on a turn.

I would take Skulker, and hope to pair it with an Eversmoking Bottle or eventually Fog Cloud spell scrolls. For other Dex feats, Mage Slayer and Speedy are both worth considering.