Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 SnigTheWorg Jul 25, 2015 20:05:08	Hey everyone. I'm building a Fighter 12 / Rogue 3 / xxx5, i'm currently Fighter 1 / Rogue 1. I wondering about cunning action. My character is a Duergar, he'll play mostly as a frontline fighter, clad in medium armor and wielding either his rapier + shield with 2d6 sneak attack damage or his maul with GWF + GWM. Both weapons will have a chance to shine in different situations. I'll mainly be using the maul, because I think with the great weapon master feat plus the fighting style and extra attack the maul will edge out the rapier + 2d6 sneak attack damage. Also, any round I get surprise as an assassin / fighter with a maul and GWM, i'm going to be pretty deadly, hitting for 4d6+4 x3 (two attacks + bonus attack on crit from GWM), then if I action surge i'll get a fourth 4d6+4! That's not including any superiority dice I throw in, or the +10 damage -5 attack (all my attacks in surprise round have advantage so I can more safely sacrifice -5 to hit for +10 damage) from GWM. Anyhow assassinating with a maul sounds fun. Perhaps not the most optimal but its effective at what it does. So anytime I need a bit of extra AC, I can strap on my shield and have at it with my rapier + sneak attack dice, and still be competing with the maul. Back on topic now. I don't really see cunning action very fitting, thematically with my character. I can't really envision a Duergar dancing around the battlefield, dashing and hiding. So I am asking you guys for ideas on a decent trade out. Something that is roughly equal value, considering how cunning action is one of the rogues most powerful class feature I think I have some good options. Right now i was thinking of trading out cunning action for a second fighting style and taking Defense? +1 AC for the ability to dash, disengage and hide as a bonus action seems fair if not a lesser option? What do you guys think? Any other ideas that might fit well with this character?
#2 Coyote81 Jul 25, 2015 22:52:44	Not to be mean, but it's already easy enough to pick and choose bonuses as is, just outright exchanging a core class ability for something else you want is going too far.   Seems to me that if you are taking the Rogue bonus of sneak attack damage, that you also need to take the cunning action that comes with it.  If you want extra damage without action costs and a 2nd fighting style, take a paladin.
#3 Cooperjera Jul 26, 2015 6:11:24	The Dash as a bonus action has a lot of value for battlefield control. It gets your fighter into melee faster. It allows your character to move across the battlefield quickly after defeating a foe to start to assist your allies. The hide bonus action may be useful during dungeon crawls with the Duergar special abilities. There's a lot of value in the feature.
#4 Tempest_Stormwind Jul 26, 2015 8:01:43	The way you'll be using Cunning Action is largely to get close to targets to attack them.   You'll notice this isn't actually very roguelike - and it's already present on every orc you face, and no one blinks at it or thinks it's out of place. Except there, it's called Aggressive.   Your Hide or Disengage options won't really see use, but the aggressive, kill-them-before-they-know-what-hit-them version of it is every bit as martial as the rest of your character.
#5 Clutchbone Jul 27, 2015 15:05:03	You can also re-fluff Disengage into something more brutal like knocking an orc out of the way, or a quick pommel strike to the chin, to go save a squishier party member. Instead of being a slippery sneak, you can be an unstoppable wrecking ball, charging into, and through, the battlefield.
#6 SnigTheWorg Jul 29, 2015 9:44:14	Clutchbone wrote:
#7 Elfcrusher Jul 29, 2015 13:39:03	Just out of curiosity, is this is Dex character or a Strength character?  Because you have to use a finesse weapon for sneak attack, and there aren't any for GWF/GWM.  So no Sneak Attack with Mauls.  And if you're going Strength, why any Rogue levels?   Seems to me that Cunning Action should be the least of your worries as far as character optimization goes.
#8 Tempest_Stormwind Jul 29, 2015 14:10:23	Elfcrusher wrote:
#9 Yunru Jul 29, 2015 14:20:09	Moonblade does both, fyi.