Rogue Rogues were versatile masters of stealth , combat , and various skillful tricks . Where other adventurers had the power to defeat their enemies , rogues used their wits and their natural resourcefulness to exploit their foes ' vulnerabilities as well as to lead their allies safely through dangerous environments , disarming traps and opening lock along the way . Several well - known rogues of Toril include Ravenscar of Baldur ' s Gate , Regis of the Companions of the Hall , and Mirt of Waterdeep . Culture . Common to most cities in Faerûn , rogues were an incredibly diverse group , included burglars , assassins , and con artists as well as more lawfully employed persons , like locksmiths , investigators , exterminators , or treasure hunters . To a large extent , the criminal sort of rogue was considered more typical and both thieves ' and assassins ' guild s were found widely throughout the world , some of which were incredibly powerful , such as the Shadow Thieves . Regardless of their specific occupation , rogues shared a common affinity for cunning and daring feats of skill , as well as for getting into things others would rather be left unfound or unopened . Rogues of all sorts were resourceful and adaptable , having what could be called a “ sixth sense ” for avoiding peril , which helped them get out of the dangerous situations they often found themselves in . Rogues chose their daring lifestyle for a variety of reasons . Some were driven by profit . Others hoped for fame as well as ( or instead of ) fortune . A few were simply daredevils seeking the thrill of a real challenge . Because of these traits rogues , although found on both sides of the law and equally as likely to serve good as evil , were often wary of lawful - aligned paladin s . Many rogues , regardless of motives or morals , worshiped gods such as Beshaba , Cyric , Mask , Oghma , Shar , Sune , Tymora , or Waukeen . Most rogues were primarily self - taught or learned their skills from a teacher , often a more experienced rogue . These more experienced rogues recruited apprentices as assistants in various jobs and schemes , allowing their students to develop their skills . Partings between mentor and student were rarely clean , however , and as a general rule rogues felt little camaraderie with other rogues unless they were part of the same guild . In fact , most rogues tended to view one another with even greater suspicion than they did non - rogues and most partnerships were short - lived . Humans were among the best rogues , in large part due to their natural adaptability , which fit the modus operandi of most rogues to the letter . Elves and halfling s due to their physical agility , were also well - suited to the life of a rogue . Among the best rogues were those from the tiefling race , whose cunning and aura of confidence served them well on such a path . Half - elves also made good rogues , though to a lesser extent , as did dwarves of all kinds and rock gnome s or deep gnome s , many of whom were renowned for their expert skill with disarming traps or picking locks . Half - orc rogues were not entirely uncommon either , though such individuals tended to use veiled threats and brute strength alongside or instead of more subtle methods . Rogues could also be found among the more “ savage ” humanoids , particularly goblinoid s . Regardless of race , rogues were most common in Amn , Calimshan , the Cold Land s , the Dragon Coast , Evermeet , the Great Dale , the Lake of Steam , Narfell , the North , the Shaar , Tashalar , and the Western Heartlands . Abilities . Rogues were deadly but somewhat vulnerable front line combatants , preferring to strike from the shadows and dart back into them , either excelling at ranged or light melee attacks . All in all , in combat the rogue remained more interested in supporting teammates through the harassment of enemies — and slipping around to sneak attack — than in standing up to an opponent directly , as reflected in their choice of armor , which was typically leather or lighter . Some rogues played against this stereotype however and engaged in more brutal attacks , though still lacking the sheer combat endurance possessed by fighter s , paladin s , or swordmage s . Rogues of all kinds were particularly skilled when wielding dagger s or shuriken or when they had the opportunity to strike first . The greatest value of rogues lay in the fact that they were the handymen . Without pure battle or magical power , a rogue could contribute in ways as varied as disarming traps , scouting enemies , and persuading possible allies , using their wealth of skills . And while rogues were more physically fragile than most other adventurers , many possessed an ability to avoid danger that could seem uncannily supernatural at times . Similarly , the mind of a rogue could be described as “ slippery ” and many rogues were infuriatingly difficult to charm or enchant . Rogue traditions . Though all rogues retained training in stealth and the art of getting where they weren ' t supposed to be , many also had a varying degree of other skills . These skills were often dependent on the precise training of the rogue in question and most adhered , though not necessarily wholly , to one of the following martial traditions . Aerialist rogue . Aerialist rogues were , compared with other rogues , bold and swift thrill seekers , who deliberately put themselves on the edge of peril in order to test their skills or prove their worth . Like trickster rogues , aerialist rogues preferred to avoid damage , often through witty and distracting reprisals of their foes , rather than deal it . However , like brawny rogues aerialists were more than willing to face danger , if only to move swiftly out of its path as a taunt to their foes . In order to do this , aerialist rogues trained themselves to unusual extremes of physical ability , becoming acrobats whose stunts were often awe - inspiring feats of dexterous ability . Brawny rogue . While rogues had a reputation for guile and subtlety , fewer rogues subscribe to this philosophy than common perception suggested . While brawny rogues , like most of their kind , liked to get the sneak on their enemies , they preferred to do things with as much force as they can . Unlike other rogues , who might be concerned about avoiding death , brawny rogues were more concerned with meting it out to those whom they felt had it coming . Though these rogues could still act with subtlety or stealth , they weren ' t necessarily agile , charming , or witty . Cutthroat rogue . Cutthroat rogues were an unusual variety of warriors . Both charming and deadly , subtle and frightening , cutthroats used their natural charisma in a way far different from most other rogues . A brief and spiteful glance from a properly trained cutthroat could make his or her foe shudder and cutthroat rogues held to the philosophy that the best method of ensuring one got their way was through intimidation . But cutthroats also typically believed that the best method for instilling fear was a subtle one , looking down on the more overtly brutal methods of others . Cutthroats struck with swift and deadly force if necessary but generally preferred to cow their foes than kill them . In general , cutthroat rogues preferred the use of club s or mace s over the light blade s favored by other rogues . The damage a cutthroat dealt was more often long - lasting than immediately lethal , with cutthroats twisting pain and fear into a dual set of weapons that could leave a mark within as well as without . This emphasis on slow and painful attacks came at the cost of deadliness and cutthroats were also generally less personable than other rogues . But for many cutthroats , the trade - off was more than fair . Trickster rogue . Trickster rogues preferred to use their charm and wit in concert with their agility rather than relying on brute strength . Subtlety was the mark of a trickster rogue , who found an affinity for exploit s that allowed them to trick or misdirect their enemies . All trickster rogues carried this out to some extent in their attacks but a few carried this philosophy on to their defenses as well , and many rogues were adept at using their charm , wit , and ability to skew the perceptions of their foe in order to shift themselves out of harm ' s way . As a result , trickster rogues tended to be less powerful than rogues of other traditions , but gained additional control over the battlefield and how and when they chose to strike . Behind the scenes . In the AD & D second edition , “ rogue ” was a more general term encompassing both the “ thief ” and bard classes . The thief was the equivalent class to what is here described as the rogue . This usage can still be seen in such contexts as the " Baldur ' s Gate " series of computer games . With third edition the usage was revised to mean , more specifically , the thief variety of rogue , focusing more on maintaining a variety of skills and affinity for stealth than bards , who became a separate , more arcane - flavored class . In the more recent fourth edition the class was revised again to encompass less subtle aspects , expanding to take on qualities of the third edition swashbuckler class .