Each class in Dungeons & Dragons fills a different role in the adventuring party. Fighters and barbarians often act as the team's tanks and frontline attackers, wizards and sorcerers provide arcane aptitude and knowledge, and rogues offer skill and tool proficiencies in and out of combat.

Rogues can be vitally important to a party. The standard D&D rogue build allows players to sneak through enemy strongholds, pick challenging locks, and deal devastating damage with their Sneak Attack. For those players who want more, however, there are feats to make their rogue even more powerful or versatile.

Updated April 5th, 2023 by Isaac Williams: The rogue is one of D&D's best and most versatile classes. They're well-suited to most of D&D 5e's feats, but some stand out as better. This list has been updated to give even more information about the best feats for rogues in D&D 5e.

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15 Resilient (Constitution)

Player's Handbook pg. 168

DnD 5e's Rogue Scout wielding double blades and dropping through the trees

Rogues are one of D&D 5e's best classes at saving throws. They get proficiency in very common Dexterity saving throws by default. At higher levels, they gain automatic proficiency in Wisdom saving throws. Coupled with their typical high ability scores like Wisdom and Charisma, this helps rogues avoid many harmful effects.

Rogues can struggle with their Constitution saving throws, however. If they take the Resilient feat and select Constitution, they become rare characters proficient in the three most common saving throws. Constitution is invaluable for rogues, as it resists poisons and other high-damaging effects. Rogues aren't the sturdiest of classes. Many Constitution-targeting effects can prove lethal to them if they fail.

14 Eldritch Adept

Tasha's Cauldron of Everything pg. 79

A Wizard from DnD using a spell.
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The Eldritch Adept feat is perfect for rogues looking to spice up their character's skill set with some arcane enhancements. This feat only works if the character already has access to some form of spellcasting. This would only work for D&D 5e Arcane Trickster rogues or rogues who multiclass into a spellcasting class.

Eldritch Adept allows the player to learn one Eldritch Invocation from the warlock class. Players can choose Devil's Sight to gain darkvision, Eldritch Sight to cast Detect Magic while checking for traps, or many more great options. Few feats have as interesting flavor as Eldritch Adept while complementing any number of rogue toolkits as well.

13 Actor

Player's Handbook pg. 165

Stealth takes many forms in D&D, and rogues can be good at most. The traditional form involves creeping unseen. However, sneaking or infiltrating can involve impersonating somebody else. Rogues can get good at this with high Charisma and Expertise in skills like Deception and Performance.

The Actor feat can make them even better at it. It gives advantage on Deception or Performance checks to impersonate another person. The Actor feat also lets rogues mimic speech or creatures' sounds. These features, combined with a rogue's skill proficiencies and Expertise, can make for the best spy or sneak in D&D.

12 Skilled

Player's Handbook pg. 170

A rogue wielding a glowing knife and using sneak attack in DnD 5e
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The rogue is one of the most skilled classes in D&D. Rogues are proficient in thieves' tools and four skills of their choice from their very first level. The only other class that may be more skilled than a rogue is the bard, thanks to its Jack of All Trades feature. For any player looking to make their rogue invaluable to the party, the Skilled feat is an excellent way of doing so.

The Skilled feat allows the player to become proficient in any combination of three skills or tools. This lets a rogue become proficient in almost half of D&D 5e's skills. This also synergizes well with their Reliable Talent feature. With more proficiencies, the rogue gets even more skills they can't roll below a ten on.

11 Fighting Initiate

Tasha's Cauldron of Everything pg. 80

A fighter wielding a glaive in DnD

Rogues are similar to many of 5e's martial classes, but they lack Fighting Styles to represent their lesser combat focus. As combat is a significant part of most D&D games, rogues can benefit from the Fighting Initiate feat. It gives them a single Fighting Style – with many potential options.

Defense can be good for frontline rogues who take hits hit too often. Two-Weapon Fighting or Thrown Weapon Fighting can bolster damage for specific builds. Archery may be the most tempting, however. Many rogues prefer ranged weapons. A +2 to hit is a significant accuracy boost that lets them inflict Sneak Attack damage more often.

10 Skulker

Player's Handbook pg. 170

A drow rogue slinking through an alley in dnd
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Skulker is perfect for rogues who enjoy traversing inside the shadows in and out of combat. Dim light no longer imposes disadvantage on Perception checks relying on sight with the feat. Skulker also allows rogues to hide from enemies even when only lightly obscured.

If a rogue misses a ranged attack in combat, the target doesn't immediately know their location. Hiding and attacking unseen are excellent ways to trigger Sneak Attack. With Skulker, a rogue becomes much more able to flit around the battlefield and attack from hiding places.

9 Piercer

Tasha's Cauldron of Everything pg. 80

A Soulknife Rogue conjuring their weapon in DnD

Most weapons commonly used by rogues – like rapiers, shortswords, daggers, or crossbows – deal piercing damage. The Piercer feat makes those weapons more deadly and ensures that critical strikes are even more punishing to enemies.

The Piercer feat improves a player's Strength or Dexterity score by one, lets them re-roll one of the attack's damage die for higher damage, and allows the player to roll an additional die when scoring a critical hit. Rogues already benefit from critical hits and want as many as possible. With Piercer, they're rewarded even more for them.

8 Tough

Player's Handbook pg. 170

A fighter wielding a single sword in DnD.
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D&D 5e rogues prefer not to get hit at all. Their abilities favor a ranged or hit-and-run playstyle, but no D&D 5e character can avoid all damage. Rogues might fail to escape a dangerous situation, trigger traps, or get caught out while scouting. When this happens, their relatively low hit die can be a liability.

Tough provides a significant boost to a rogue's durability. An extra two hit points per level gives them similar hit points to a barbarian. With features like Uncanny Dodge and Evasion, they become surprisingly tanky. Tough isn't essential for D&D 5e rogues, but it gives them an invaluable safety buffer against damage.

7 Mobile

Player's Handbook pg. 168

The Mobile feat is perfect for rogues who like to fight in melee. Rogues usually have fewer hit points than fighters or barbarians, so avoiding damage is always a priority. Mobile increases a character's speed by 10 feet and lets them ignore difficult terrain when Dashing.

Best of all, when a player makes a melee attack against any creature, they won't provoke opportunity attacks from their target for the rest of the turn. This stops a rogue from having to use their bonus action to Disengage. With Mobile, a rogue can reliably use their Cunning Action to Dash or Hide, making them even better at hit-and-run combat.

6 Alert

Player's Handbook pg. 165

A Half-Orc Rogue hiding with a drawn blade in DnD
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Surprise is powerful in Dungeons & Dragons. In particular, it can be devastating for a rogue to be Surprised. Rogues operate at their best when they can get into a good position and start combat on their terms. If the enemy gets the drop on them, they can inflict plenty of damage that the rogue can't necessarily take.

Players with the Alert feat can't be surprised and gain +5 to their initiative rolls. Other creatures don't have advantage on attacks just because the player can't see them. A rogue with Alert will almost always get one of the highest initiatives. They'll rarely find themselves on the back foot when violence breaks out.

5 Fey Touched

Tasha's Cauldron Of Everything pg. 79

Only the D&D Arcane Trickster subclass gets spellcasting naturally as a rogue. Most other subclasses use mundane means to get ahead. However, some magic is invaluable for any D&D 5e character. Fey Touched's spellcasting synergizes with a rogue's typical party role.

A free casting of Misty Step once per day can be invaluable. Rogues can use it for hit-and-run tactics, to teleport into locked areas, or to cross ground they would struggle to sneak through. A free first-level Divination or Enchantment spell also expands their toolbox, particularly in social situations.

4 Dungeon Delver

Player's Handbook pg. 166

Two adventurers dodging traps in a dungeon in DnD.
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Rogues are natural thieves. They gain immediate proficiency in Thieves' Tools and have abilities that tend towards stealth and underhand means. Rogues often go first in a dungeon. They can spot enemies, unlock doors, and disarm traps before their party can spring them.

Players with the Dungeon Delver feat have advantage on saving throws to avoid traps, advantage on ability checks when searching for secret doors, and the ability to resist damage dealt by traps. Rogues with this feat can go first in the marching order and make the dungeon much safer for their party.

3 Shadow Touched

Tasha's Cauldron Of Everything pg. 80

A magician casting the Invisibility spell in DnD

Several feats give characters access to spells in D&D 5e. Shadow Touched is the best choice for the average rogue. It lets a character cast Invisibility for free once per day. Although this is less useful in combat, it synergizes excellently with much of a rogue's toolkit.

A first-level Necromancy spell is less practical, but Shadow Touched also gives Illusion as an option. A rogue who can cast Silent Image or something similar becomes even more effective at stealth and with many other skills. An increase to Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma is another valuable perk.

2 Sharpshooter

Player's Handbook pg. 170

A Ranger looking down from the trees in DnD.
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Rogues don't need to be within five feet of a target to deal lethal damage. As long as a rogue has advantage on their attack or an ally is within five feet of their target, a rogue gains Sneak Attack damage. The Sharpshooter feat ensures that rogues can snipe enemies from safe distances.

Sharpshooter also lets a character's ranged attacks ignore cover or disadvantage caused by long range. Furthermore, the player may take a -5 penalty to their attack roll in favor of an additional +10 damage on that attack. Coupled with Sneak Attack, a rogue with the Sharpshooter feat can deal more damage than almost any other D&D character.

1 Crossbow Expert

Player's Handbook pg. 165

D&D 5e Rogues can use many weapons, but they're best associated with crossbows. Most rogues can use a crossbow just fine, but the Crossbow Expert feat can make them a force to be reckoned with. When a rogue tries to attack an enemy within five feet with a crossbow, they have disadvantage on the attack – which prevents Sneak Attack. With Crossbow Expert, this no longer applies.

A crossbow-wielding rogue can be as lethal up close as they are at range without switching weapons. The bonus action attack with a hand crossbow can be vital. It improves a character's damage output per turn or gives a second chance at Sneak Attack if the first attack misses. The flexibility it provides in combat makes Crossbow Expert one of the best feats for rogue in D&D 5e.

A snapshot of the classic Dungeons and Dragons poster
Dungeons and Dragons

A fantasy roleplaying tabletop game designed for adventure-seekers, the original incarnation of Dungeons & Dragons was created by Gary Gygax in 1974.

Franchise
Dungeons & Dragons
Original Release Date
January 26, 1974
Publisher
Wizards of the Coast , TSR Inc.
Designer
E. Gary Gygax , Dave Arneson
Player Count
4-8 Players Recommended
Age Recommendation
12+
Length per Game
3 hours +
Expansions
Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Edition , Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition , Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition , Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition