Baldur's Gate 3 features a huge number of classic Dungeons and Dragons classes pulled right from the Fifth Edition of the tabletop RPG. Because it draws such heavy inspiration from D&D, some of the best builds in BG3 happen to also be the best builds players are already familiar with, including the Thief Rogue.
The Thief Rogue build is based on the Thief subclass that grants an additional Bonus Action in combat, which is ridiculously useful for getting into and out of stealth. Considering how completely busted Stealth is in Baldur's Gate 3, even with the chances from Early Access, Thief Rogues are sure to dominate damage-wise.
Updated August 4, 2023 by Erik Petrovich: With the full release of Baldur's Gate 3 a lot of things have changed from the Early Access version. Thanks to the new subclasses and expanded maximum level, players' ideas about the best Rogue build in BG3 have changed, and will very likely continue to evolve as fans get deeper into the game. This guide has been updated to be accurate to the full release version of Baldur's Gate 3, but it doesn't recommend build choices past Level 5. Check back regularly for more advice on how to make the best Rogue build as the Baldur's Gate 3 community continues to learn more about how the class plays at higher levels.
As a guide-in-progress, this build will be continually updated with more information about choices in the mid to late game as players make their way through the expansive Baldur's Gate 3.
Thief Rogue Build Overview
"Thieves use their skills in stealth and larceny to acquire whatever they wish, whether from a third story window or the depths of long-forgotten ruins."
The Thief Rogue is a specialist of subterfuge, a master of stealth, and what it lacks in complexity it makes up for in raw damage output. Thief Rogues have an easier time gaining Stealth and can more deftly move around the battlefield compared to the Arcane Trickster subclass.
Thief Rogues, therefore, are able to set up Sneak Attacks more often, and the boost Rogues get to Sneak Attack damage at Level 5 makes it all the more powerful. The most broken way to play a Thief Rogue is to keep them separate from the rest of the party before combat, then sneak to a vantage point, and fire off a Sneak Attack for free before entering the fray. Oftentimes, this one-shots weak to medium-strength enemies. Because of the extra Bonus Action, Thief Rogues can virtually always remain Stealthed, or Dash/Disengage to get away with their Cunning Action.
Best Rogue Build Character Creation
Best Rogue Race: Wood Half-Elf
The Wood Half-Elf is the best race for the Thief subclass, and the best race for Rogues overall, because of the Fleet of Foot and Mask of the Wild passives. The Fleet of Foot racial increases movement distance to 10.5m, 1.5m more than the default movement speed, and the Mask of the Wild passive grants proficiency in Stealth, an incredibly useful boon to the playstyle.
Best Rogue Subclass: Thief
The Thief Rogue subclass offers one simple, but powerful, benefit over the Arcane Trickster: an extra bonus action. With this extra Bonus Action, the Thief Rogue is able to move further away from enemies, disengage from Opportunity Attacks, attempt a second Hide action if a first fails, and much more. Thief Rogues also gain resistance to Fall damage, which comes in handy more often than one might think.
The Assassin subclass has yet to prove its potential, as it wasn't available in the Early Access. Though it does seem to be a powerhouse for stealth combat, the Thief has a lot of other utility, plus the bonus action really is stronger than it seems.
Arcane Tricksters gain access to a repertoire of useful spells and cantrips, but when focusing entirely on Stealth, the Thief Rogue's extra Bonus Action becomes incredibly powerful.
Best Rogue Proficiencies and Background: Urchin or Charlatan
If one chooses a Wood Half-Elf for their Thief Rogue BG3 build, the Urchin's proficiency in Stealth is wasted as the subrace already grants that. Instead, choose the Charlatan background, which grants bonuses to Deception and Sleight of Hand, or the Guild Artisan background, which grants proficiency to Insight and Persuasion.
A Choice at Level 4: Dual Wielder Feat Or Ability Scores
At Level 4, Thief Rogues face their first major choice: do you take a Feat, or do you take an increase to two Ability Scores? Ultimately, it depends on the style of combat a Thief Rogue will engage in.
An extra bonus action means a Thief Rogue can still move or Hide (or deal up to two Offhand attacks each turn) while dual-wielding, so in general, a Thief Rogue will fare better at melee combat than ranged. As such, the Feat called Duel Wielder can be really useful, as it increases AC when wielding weapons in both hands and lets players use the Two-Weapon fighting style even if their weapons aren't Light.
But players who want to focus entirely on Ranged combat as a Thief Rogue should instead choose to improve their Ability Scores at Level 4, with a focus on DEX to hit more often and deal more damage.
Baldur's Gate 3 is available for PC and will release for PlayStation 5 on September 6, 2023. A version for Xbox Series X/S is currently in development.