Do Rogues Ever Get 2 Attacks?
No, rogues do not get the Extra Attack feature to make multiple attacks in a single turn. However, through their unique set of skills and class features, a well-built rogue can keep pace with martial classes in terms of damage output over a sustained fight.
As a long-time D&D player and rogue enthusiast, I‘ve explored multiple rogue builds and tactics to maximize their combat effectiveness. In this guide, we‘ll analyze how rogues can amplify their single-attack damage to rival multi-attacking fighters and barbarians.
Breaking Down the Rogue‘s Damage Potential
While most martial classes like the fighter get Extra Attack at 5th level to make two attacks per turn, the rogue must rely solely on its action for a single weapon attack each round.
- At first glance, this makes the rogue seem significantly weaker in sustained combat.
- A 5th level fighter with the Great Weapon Master feet can dish out nearly 40 damage per turn with two heavy hits.
In comparison, a basic rogue attack may only deal 1d6 damage relying solely on their weapon‘s base damage die.
However, through the right choices and strategy, a skilled rogue can keep pace by maxing out their single attack with features like Sneak Attack, critical hits and supplements like magic weapons. Let‘s break it down:
Sneak Attack
- The core of a rogue‘s damage comes from their Sneak Attack class feature.
- At 5th level, this adds an extra 3d6 damage to once attack per turn that hits a target who is flanked / distracted in melee. That averages around 10 extra damage per hit.
- By level 11, the extra die increases to 6d6 for around 21 extra damage per turn.
When properly set up, a rogue can use Sneak Attack damage almost every round to give their single attack a major boost. This helps narrow the damage gap against multi-attackers.
| Class | Attack Count | Avg. Damage Per Attack | Total Damage Per Turn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level 5 Fighter | 2 attacks | 19 (Greatsword) | 38 |
| Level 5 Rogue | 1 attack + Sneak Attack | 1d6 (Shortsword) + 3d6 | 13 |
With Sneak Attack, the rogue is still behind but much closer in potential DPR (damage per round).
Critical Hits
Rogues also have a higher chance of landing a critical hit due to their Reliable Talent feature.
- At 11th level, rogues score critical hits on attack rolls of both 20 and 19 due to their proficiency bonus.
- This gives them a 15% crit rate compared to a baseline 5% rate.
- A crit doubles both their weapon dice and Sneak Attack dice.
Factoring in a higher crit rate leads to an average 4 extra damage per turn. Over time this further increases the rogue‘s damage viability.
Magic Weapons
High level rogues with potions or magic daggers add even more damage potential:
- A +3 dagger adds up to +12 damage per attack before sneak dice.
- Poisons like Essence of Ether add 2d6 poison per strike.
- The Flame Tongue dagger sets weapon attacks alight for an extra 2d6 fire damage.
When all these supplements combine with Sneak Attack on a crit, the rogue can certainly keep pace with brute fighters in terms of DPR.
Closing the Gap with Strategy
Of course, landing a juiced attack each turn takes skill and strategy. Rogue players can further boost effectiveness through:
- Careful use of Cunning Action to maneuver into prime flanking spots.
- Choosing Eldritch Knight for additional Blade cantrips like Booming Blade.
- Opting for the Assassin archetype to inflict automatic critical hits vs surprised enemies.
While not as inherently hard-hitting as barbarians, a properly built rogue played to their strengths excels at precision damage rivaling multi-attackers. So no, they never make more than one strike a round, but through utilities like Sneak Attack they effectively keep pace!
Hope you enjoyed this deep dive analysis into maximizing the rogue‘s damage potential! Let me know your thoughts or questions below!
