The Rogue remains a beloved class in Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition, no matter its pitfalls. People enjoy skulking around, rolling fistfuls of dice for damage, and having proficiency in every skill under the sun.

Frankly, D&D 5e players enjoy the chance to yell ‘Sneak Attack!’ and I’m not about to stop them.

The D&D 5e Rogue is very good at what it does, namely breaking the system’s flat maths on skills in half. At the same time, it can underwhelm in combat (despite how satisfying it feels) and often lacks magical tricks.

The best Rogue races in D&D 5e often supplement its impressive skill list and give it some new combat tricks. At the same time, its uniquely versatile and full toolbox means some gold standard D&D 5e race features, like bonus actions, are less useful.

Updated 30th of July 2024: The best D&D 5e Rogue races haven’t changed, but I have tweaked the way I write content slightly. As a result, I’ve updated this article to be more in line with current content (and make boring technical tweaks).

Variant Human and Custom Lineage Continue to be Top-Tier

One day, Wizards of the Coast will print a class for which the Variant Human isn’t D&D 5e‘s best race choice. Until that day, here we are.

Rogues, like the D&D 5e Fighter, actually get more ability score improvements and feats than the average character. However, they need to wait until 10th level for this. In many cases, this is the end of a D&D 5e campaign.

#Variant Human and Custom Lineage are among the best races for a D&D 5e Rogue because they give a bonus feat from the off. This is also why they’re the best for almost any class.

A Variant Human (or Custom Lineage) D&D 5e Rogue build can supplement its utility and damage with the Magic Initiate feat. Alternatively, they can take Crossbow Expert (or Gunner) to shine with ranged weapons all campaign. Skill Expert is an excellent choice for any D&D 5e Rogue that wants to double down ludicrously on skills.

However you want to play your Rogue, the D&D 5e Variant Human and Custom Lineage have the perfect tool for them.

The free skill proficiency and Darkvision (from Custom Lineage) both have arguments for them. Rogues often skulk around in the dark, where they’ll want to see. However, D&D 5e Rogues also get more mileage out of skill proficiencies than anyone else. Either is a good choice.

High Elf Makes for the Best Melee Rogue

Many D&D 5e Rogue builds prefer to fight at range. They can dip in and out of cover with Cunning Action and deal Sneak Attack damage from a safe distance. However, others prefer to do away with subtlety and tackle problems head-on.

It’s hard to do better than a High Elf for a melee Rogue specifically. This can come across as odd, given the Dexterity-focused and frail mental images Elves conjure for many players.

The High Elf is one of the best D&D 5e Rogue races because of its free Wizard cantrip. If you eschew ranged options (you should) and utility spells (a more difficult choice), you can hit the jackpot with Green-Flame Blade or Booming Blade.

These infamous D&D 5e cantrips, aside from being pure power creep, stack with Sneak Attack. Even though you’re taking the Cast a Spell action, it still counts as a weapon attack for blade spells.

Booming Blade is probably the better choice for a D&D 5e melee Rogue build. You can hit an enemy, deal Booming Blade’s extra damage on top of Sneak Attack, Cunning Action disengage, and leave them with the choice of standing around uselessly or taking extra damage.

There are other perks. The Elf race gives a Rogue proficiency in Longbows as a high-damage backup weapon that some may prefer to the Light Crossbow. Keen Senses also gives free proficiency in Perception, something ideal for any D&D 5e Rogue build.

High Elf is a less obvious choice as the best D&D 5e Rogue race for Arcane Tricksters specifically, due to that subclass’s free choice of Wizard cantrips. Likewise, this benefit can be obtained from feats or multiclassing.

At the same time, High Elf excels as a race for the D&D 5e Rogue for the low opportunity cost of Booming Blade on top of its other benefits.

Autognome Gets Effective Armour and Flawless Skills

If you think the idea of a short, slightly silly-looking robot committing crimes is hilarious, you should already want to play an Autognome Rogue in D&D 5e. If you think all robots are villains and AI is a scourge, it probably appeals as well.

Aside from the roleplaying potential, the Autognome provides many abilities that make it one of the best D&D 5e Rogue races. Almost every tool in its arsenal synergises with the Rogue kit in some way.

Armored Casing is a flat-out improvement to the best light armour in D&D 5e. With a Rogue’s focus on Dexterity, this short android will be better protected than any other Rogue until magical armour enters the campaign.

Healing Machine requires some teamwork, as Rogues lack the Mending cantrip. With party help, however, it almost removes the need for short rests. This is ideal given that most D&D 5e Rogue builds get very few abilities back on a rest.

Built for Success provides yet another stacking bonus on top of the Rogue’s many proficiencies and Expertises. With Reliable Talent at 10th level, it can become almost impossible to fail any proficient ability check. It’s also helpful for ensuring Sneak Attacks hit, given the average D&D 5e Rogue build only gets one chance per turn to deal damage.

The tool proficiencies are more situational, but Rogues thrive on situational tools. Who’s to say that Calligrapher’s Supplies or Mason’s Tools won’t come up during a heist, infiltration, or intrigue situation.

The sheer variety of abilities that are almost direct upgrades makes Autognome a clear candidate for best Rogue race in D&D 5e.

Owlin Gets Stealthy Flight

At-will flight is a powerful tool for any D&D 5e build. This goes double for a Rogue, given its wide variety of in-combat and out-of-combat utility. A flying Rogue can soar over the battlefield and make ranged attacks with near-impunity. Alternatively, they can start every infiltration from an upstairs window.

Flight is one of the Owlin’s main benefits as a D&D 5e race. They get automatic flight equal to their movement speed. With Cunning Action Dash, this results in a particularly fast flyer who can get almost anyone they want.

However, there’s more that makes Owlin one of the best D&D 5e Rogue races. They also get Silent Feathers, giving them automatic proficiency in Stealth. Not all Rogues are burglars or criminals who move around unseen. At the same time, Stealth is a valuable Dexterity skill that most characters want.

As a result, this effectively frees up another skill proficiency for a Rogue to put anywhere.

Darkvision with almost double the range is nice for any character, especially one that might skulk around in dark places more often than usual.

Owlin lack the many sprawling abilities of other lineage options. Instead, they make themselves a key choice in many of the best D&D 5e builds for Rogues with a short and sweet list of high-power tools.

Kobolds Make Small but Mighty Rogues

Small critter races are popular for D&D 5e Rogue builds. However, some, like Goblin, provide redundant features that waste their potential.

Look no further than the Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse version of the Kobold for a perfect small D&D 5e Rogue race.

Draconic Cry is a party buff that the Rogue benefits from more than everyone else. No D&D 5e character dislikes advantage to hit enemies. For the Kobold, it’s free Sneak Attack on effectively any target, available on tap.

Most D&D 5e Rogue builds don’t get many buffing or support features. One that bolsters the Rogue’s own combat potential is a godsend.

Any Draconic Legacy option is a good choice for a Rogue. Defiance synergises with their eventual Wisdom save proficiency. Craftiness adds to the D&D 5e Rogue’s versatile toolkit.

Draconic Sorcery is the standout, however. A free Sorcerer cantrip gives access to Green-Flame Blade and Booming Blade, the single best source of at-will damage for a melee Rogue build in D&D 5e.

The Kobold would be a good choice even without this cantrip. With it, however, it becomes one of the best D&D 5e Rogue races hands-down.

Astral Elf Gives Movable Skill Proficiencies

More than anything else, Rogues live and die by their skill proficiencies in D&D 5e. They get more proficiencies and Expertise than any class except the Bard. On top of that, abilities like Reliable Talent buff their skills even further.

The Astral Elf, like any other Elf in D&D 5e, has Keen Senses for free Perception proficiency. This is one of D&D 5e‘s best skills and a must-take on most characters, so it opens up other options for the Rogue’s own proficiencies.

On top of that, the Astral Elf comes with a uniquely powerful Trance feature. Every day, an Astral Elf Rogue build can choose a new skill to become proficient in. In a handful of hours, they can go from entirely hopeless at something to unable to fail most checks.

The Rogue is one of the few D&D 5e classes that can use the Astral Elf’s free weapon proficiencies to their full extent. Many effective weapons, such as Heavy Crossbow or Whip, are not base Rogue options. Astral Elf makes that irrelevant. Failing that, a floating tool proficiency is always good.

This would be enough in its own right. However, the Astral Elf doubles down as one of the best D&D 5e Rogue races with its Starlight Step.

Rogues can already move 30ft as a bonus action with Dash. However, a teleport comes in handy when there is impassable terrain, a height difference, or a gap between them and their target. It’s also an invaluable utility and escape tool.

Deep Gnome Gets a Magical Stealth Package

Again, I want to emphasise: not all D&D 5e Rogue builds are about stealth and sneaking. Some prefer to go a more social route with their skill proficiencies. Still others go for anything that takes their fancy. There are many ways to play a Rogue that aren’t about hiding and crime.

At the same time, many play Rogues for their Stealth. The Deep Gnome is one of the best Rogue races in D&D 5e for the thoroughly magical way it augments this.

Deep Gnomes in D&D 5e get Disguise Self and Nondetection as free spells. This helps them sneak past a great many obstacles and avoid most mundane or magical means of tailing a character.

On top of that, Svirfneblin Camouflage gives free advantage on Stealth checks proficiency bonus times per day. This comes with absolutely no caveats. It’s just becoming better at one of a D&D 5e Rogue’s core skills in a flexible and downside-free way.

This is on top of enhanced Darkvision and Gnomish Magic Resistance. Advantage on Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma saves against spells pairs nicely with Evasion and Slippery Mind.

The Deep Gnome is one of the best Rogue races in D&D 5e for creating a character who is almost impossible to find, and then almost impossible to pin down once they’re rumbled.

Half-Elf is Peerless for Skill Proficiencies

There’s a pattern to the best Rogue races in D&D 5e, in that Elves make up a disproportionate amount of them. The Half-Elf continues that trend.

Apart from anything else, its unique ability score spread is always welcome. It can give +2 to Dexterity while having two +1s for any other ability score. Depending on what sort of D&D 5e Rogue you want to play, these could go in Constitution, Charisma, Wisdom, or even Intelligence.

However, the main reason Half-Elf is such a good D&D 5e Rogue race is Skill Versatility.

This is a no-strings-attached choice of any two skill proficiencies from all of D&D 5e. Coupled with a Rogue’s many proficiencies and Expertises, this makes them almost unmatched for their skills among any other build in the game.

You can make your Rogue an unmatched expert in anything you want with the Half-Elf’s free proficiencies, or take reliable choices like Perception and Stealth.

There are alternatives for the Half-Elf, such as increased movement speed or a free Wizard cantrip. As good as these can be, I would still recommend going for two free skills if you’re going Half-Elf.

Getting to apply Reliable Talent to even more skill proficiencies in D&D 5e is a flat-out delight.

Fairy Gets Flight and an Easy Way to Score Sneak Attacks

The Fairy is another of D&D 5e‘s flying races that are attractive for almost any character, Rogues included.

Like the Owlin, the only requirement of this flight is that the character not wear heavy armour. Seeing as Rogues have high Dexterity and are only proficient in light armour, this is not a concern in the slightest.

Flight remains the best way to avoid melee damage, pursue enemies, or bypass many common obstacles in D&D 5e.

However, the Fairy doubles down with some vital magic for a D&D 5e Rogue. This is most noticeable with Faerie Fire. Although it does cost an action, this spell gives advantage on attacks against any targets that fail the Dexterity saving throw.

For a Rogue, this equals a long-ranged sneak attack on almost any enemy they want, particularly low-Dexterity ones. It’s also a significant boost for the party, something the average D&D 5e Rogue build can’t often provide.

Druidcraft and Enlarge/Reduce have less overt uses. However, if Rogues can’t find a way to weave creating flowers or shrinking themselves to Tiny size in their derring-do, what has the world come to?

These have been nine of the very best races for a D&D 5e Rogue build that can fit whatever sort of character you want to make. Please do leave a like, share this article with your friends, and check out some more Artificial Twenty content like the suggestions below. Thank you.

For more lineage build guides, check out this article on the best Warlock races in D&D 5e, or this guide about the best D&D 5e Artificer races.

Alternatively, for more harmonious builds, try this article on ‘The Ten Best Support Subclasses in D&D 5e‘.