What subclasses can a Rogue choose?

A Rogue's subclass is called a Roguish Archetype. The Archetype is chosen at 3rd level. Additional subclass features arrive at 9th, 13th, and 17th level. The current Rogue library includes all nine of these pre-2024 Roguish Archetypes.

Thief

Thief is the classic agility and dungeon-utility Rogue.

Fast Hands expands what Cunning Action can accomplish with certain object interactions and thieves' tools.

Second-Story Work improves climbing and jumping.

Later features improve stealth, magic-item use, and turn economy.

Assassin

Assassin focuses on infiltration, disguise, and ambush.

Its early features reward attacking creatures that have not yet acted and make hits against surprised creatures especially dangerous under the 2014 rules.

Later features support false identities, impersonation, and lethal ambushes.

Arcane Trickster

Arcane Trickster adds limited Wizard spellcasting.

Intelligence is the subclass's spellcasting ability.

Mage Hand Legerdemain expands the Mage Hand cantrip with specialised subtle tasks.

Later features combine magic, stealth, and Sneak Attack.

Mastermind

Mastermind focuses on social manipulation, tactics, and assisting others.

Master of Tactics expands the combat usefulness of the Help action.

Other features improve mimicry, information gathering, and deception.

Swashbuckler

Swashbuckler specialises in mobile one-on-one melee combat.

Fancy Footwork makes it easier to move away from creatures the Rogue attacked.

Rakish Audacity improves initiative and creates another way to qualify for Sneak Attack.

Charisma becomes more attractive on this Archetype than on many Rogues.

Inquisitive

Inquisitive focuses on observation, deduction, and identifying weaknesses.

Its features improve Insight, detection of deception, searching, and sustained Sneak Attack opportunities against a studied target.

It suits detectives and investigators.

Scout

Scout focuses on mobility and wilderness expertise.

Its early features provide reaction-based movement when enemies approach and Expertise-like benefits in Nature and Survival.

It combines Rogue mechanics with a wilderness specialist identity.

Phantom

Phantom connects the Rogue to death and spirits.

Its features grant temporary skill knowledge, allow some Sneak Attack damage to affect another creature, and later interact with soul trinkets.

It adds supernatural utility without becoming a normal spellcaster.

Soulknife

Soulknife adds psionic power.

It can form Psychic Blades, improve ability checks through psionic energy, communicate telepathically, and later gain supernatural mobility and attack features.

How do you choose an Archetype?

A simplified comparison is:

Thief → agility, items, infiltration Assassin → disguise and ambush Arcane Trickster → limited Wizard magic and magical utility Mastermind → social tactics and support Swashbuckler → mobile melee dueling Inquisitive → investigation and studied targets Scout → wilderness mobility Phantom → spirits and death magic Soulknife → psionics and psychic weapons

The best Archetype is the one that matches both the Rogue's intended combat style and its non-combat specialty.