Gnome Rogue Build Guide

Levels 1-4

Start with a stat array of STR 12, DEX 15, CON 13, INT 14, WIS 10, CHA 8. Your primary goal in Tier 1 is ensuring your Sneak Attack lands every turn. Since your speed is only 25 feet, getting into melee can be risky. Equip two Shortswords and use two-weapon fighting; if your main hand misses, your off-hand gives you a second chance to trigger your 1d6 (scaling to 2d6 at level 3) Sneak Attack. At level 4, do not take a standard ASI. Instead, take the Squat Nimbleness feat. This bumps your Dexterity to 16, grants proficiency in Acrobatics, and most importantly, increases your walking speed to 30 feet, entirely erasing the Gnome's biggest tactical weakness.

Levels 5-10

At level 5, you gain Uncanny Dodge, allowing you to halve incoming attack damage using your reaction, and your Sneak Attack reaches 3d6. Level 7 brings Evasion, which synergizes beautifully with your Gnome traits: Evasion protects you from area-of-effect Dexterity saves like Fireball, while Gnomish Cunning protects your mind from enchantment spells. At level 8, take a straight +2 Dexterity ASI to reach 18, boosting your attack rolls, AC, and Initiative. Use your 14 Intelligence to heavily lean into Investigation expertise, making you the undisputed trap-finder of the party.

Levels 11-16

Level 11 transforms your skill checks with Reliable Talent. With Expertise in Investigation and Stealth, your minimum roll on a d20 becomes a 10, meaning you will passively spot almost any hidden door or magical rune. At level 12, max your Dexterity to 20. The crown jewel of this build arrives at level 15 with Slippery Mind, granting you proficiency in Wisdom saving throws. Stacked with Gnomish Cunning's advantage against magic, enemy spellcasters will waste high-level spell slots trying to paralyze or dominate you to no avail. At level 16, take the Piercer feat to bump your Constitution to 14 and add a reroll to your Rapier damage.

Levels 17-20

In Tier 4, your Sneak Attack scales to a massive 9d6 and eventually 10d6. At level 18, Elusive guarantees that no attack roll can ever have advantage against you as long as you aren't incapacitated. Since your mental saves are ironclad, you rarely will be. For your final ASI at level 19, take the Tough feat. With a d8 hit die and only 14 Constitution, your HP pool needs padding to survive ancient dragon breath weapons or high-level melee multiattacks. At level 20, Stroke of Luck serves as an incredible fail-safe for the one time your Reliable Talent isn't enough.

Squat Nimbleness

Take this at level 4. It provides a +1 to Dexterity (rounding out your starting 15 to a 16) and increases your movement speed by 5 feet. For a Gnome Rogue relying on Cunning Action to weave through combat, upgrading your base speed from 25 to 30 feet is mathematically superior to the Mobile feat in the early game, as it also scales your attack modifiers.

Piercer

Grab this at level 16 or whenever your Dexterity is maxed. It allows you to reroll one low damage die per turn for your Rapier or Shortbow. While rerolling a single d8 or d6 might seem minor, Piercer also adds an extra damage die on critical hits. Since Rogues love rolling handfuls of d6s, maximizing the weapon's base critical damage is a nice bonus.

Tough

A late-game necessity. Your Constitution is stuck at 13 or 14 for most of the campaign. Tough grants you 2 extra HP per level, retroactively giving you a massive buffer. When your AC fails and Uncanny Dodge isn't enough against a multi-attacking Marilith, this feat keeps you conscious.

Tier 1 (Levels 1-4)

Your starting gear is basic but effective. Dual wield standard Shortswords to maximize your chances of landing Sneak Attack. Wear Studded Leather armor for the best non-disadvantage AC. Carry a Shortbow for ranged encounters, as your Small size imposes disadvantage on Heavy Crossbows.

Tier 2 (Levels 5-10)

Seek out Boots of Striding and Springing if you haven't taken Squat Nimbleness, as they ensure your movement isn't reduced by encumbrance. Otherwise, a Cloak of Elvenkind is top priority to force disadvantage on enemy Perception checks. Upgrade to a +1 Rapier to keep your attack bonus mathematically on par with enemy AC scaling.

Tier 3 (Levels 11-16)

You want a Weapon of Warning (Shortsword or Rapier). Advantage on Initiative rolls ensures you act first to utilize Assassinate or simply get into position. Combine this with a Cloak of Displacement; attacks against you have disadvantage, and if they do hit, you halve the damage with Uncanny Dodge.

Tier 4 (Levels 17-20)

Hunt down a Manual of Quickness of Action to push your Dexterity to 22. A Blood Fury Tattoo is the ultimate legendary item for a Rogue, allowing you to deal an extra 4d6 necrotic damage and heal for that amount, massively increasing your DPR and survivability in melee.

A Gnome Rogue operates best as a Striker and skill monkey, but their reliance on Sneak Attack means they cannot function as a solo frontline combatant. You need durable allies to trigger your Sneak Attack via the 5-foot proximity rule. A Totem Warrior Barbarian or a Battle Master Fighter makes a perfect partner. The Battle Master is especially potent if they use Commander's Strike, allowing you to use your reaction to make an attack on their turn—triggering a second Sneak Attack in the same round.

Defensively, you are highly resistant to magical mental saves, but vulnerable to non-magical mental effects (like a dragon's Frightful Presence) due to your low Wisdom and Charisma. A Peace Domain Cleric or Paladin (Aura of Protection) is invaluable here. The Paladin's aura covers the gap in your non-magical saving throws, turning you into a truly untouchable scout.

Fighter 2 Dip

Taking two levels of Fighter grants you the Archery or Dueling fighting style and Action Surge. Action Surge is incredible for Rogues: you can use your Action to Attack (triggering Sneak Attack), then use Action Surge to take the Ready action. You set the trigger for the next creature's turn, allowing you to attack again and land a second Sneak Attack in the same round, massively spiking your DPR.

Artificer 2 Dip

If you want to capitalize on your 14 Intelligence, two levels of Artificer give you access to Infusions. You can create a Returning Weapon (great for throwing daggers) or Goggles of Night (if you somehow need more Darkvision). You also gain access to Booming Blade or Green-Flame Blade, which stack perfectly with Sneak Attack for massive single-target melee damage.

• Using Heavy Weapons: Gnomes are Small creatures. Wielding a Heavy Crossbow or Longbow imposes disadvantage on your attack rolls, which entirely prevents you from using Sneak Attack. Stick to Shortbows or Light Crossbows.
• Ignoring the Speed Tax: 25 feet of movement is brutal for a melee Rogue. If you don't take Squat Nimbleness, Mobile, or rely heavily on Cunning Action (Dash), you will waste turns simply trying to reach the enemy.
• Forgetting the Magic Restriction: Gnomish Cunning only applies to Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma saves against magic. A mind flayer's Mind Blast or a dragon's Frightful Presence are not spells or magic effects, so you roll those straight.
• Dumping Intelligence Completely: While you are a martial character, your Gnome heritage naturally aligns with INT. Dumping it wastes your potential as the party's premier Investigation expert for disabling complex traps.