How to Play a Ranger / Rogue "Commando" Multiclass" In D&D 5e

[@thomad4]

VIDEO SERIES IDEA: Series Title -- "Make it Work" Premise -- Trying to make any multi-class work. Have two wheels that list all the Classes. Spin both, whatever they land on, try to make a character that uses that multi-class. Then grade your build. At the end of each episode spin both wheels again, the two that was landed on will be the next video. What do you'll think?

[@chuffer595]

Monk Paladin, go!

[@thomad4]

@@chuffer595 thats what I'm talkin' about!! 😂. Just weird crazy builds...maybe something there 🤷‍♂️

[@anonymouszebra1239]

How would you decide how many levels to take in each? Many good multiclass options are one level dips, so you’d probably want to make a rule saying a minimum number of levels in each class.

[@BJNemeth]

Ooooh, I really like this idea! They could focus on role play as well as mechanics, to offer potential theories as to how this specific combination came to be.

[@bye1551]

@@anonymouszebra1239 I'd say at least a third of your levels in any one class. So for a level 15 character at least 5 levels in one class

[@rantdmc]

so happy that jill was given a chance to talk about veo as part of this build and how fluent and knowledgeable she was - awesome debut as a contributor jill! we need more of jill and joe on the channel please!

[@CJ-ur3fx]

20:06 for the Jill section.

[@rantdmc]

@@CJ-ur3fx thanks for the timestamp!

[@Jessthree]

It’s called dungeon dudes, not dungeon dudettes! /s incase that wasn’t clear lol

[@Iron936]

There's nothing stopping Jill from making her own channel.

[@rantdmc]

@dc5409 absolutely not, but since she's associated with Monty and Kelly she may wish to continue contributing to theirs, and I hope she does! And Joe also

[@actionsparda9660]

It was really neat to see Jill guest-star. Was a shame we didn’t get to hear from Joe on his Warlock build.

[@chrisdenholm1164]

I agree. Even though she isn't a "Dude", she is an integral part of the team. Love Joe too. They are all great!!

[@custommizerOG]

That’s another episode

[@mcphadenmike]

I really liked Jill’s guest appearance here! I knew she was a great player, but explainer videos are a different skill set, and she’s a natural! If you ever think about expanding beyond only Kelly & Monty handling the DD videos, I hope she’s at the top of your list.

[@danzai]

dungeon dudette?

[@laschicvalisca2481]

Something that wasn't mentioned here, but was talked about in the Gloomstalker Ranger video they did was how Dread Ambush gives a bonus to initiative checks equal to the Wisdom Modifier. That means getting the Alert Feat is worth looking into. Using some of the ability scores they chose for this build, that would be a +3 from Dex and I think a +2 from Wisdom, so adding Alert's +5 means any initiative check made with a Variant Human at level 3 is at a staggering +10. Getting Rogue levels and adding Sneak Attack from an Assassin Rogue means even if you don't have surprise, you're very likely acting first and thus anyone who hasn't acted yet by the assassin rules means advantage on the first attack no matter what. Still, any kind of non-assassin Rogue with the Gloomstalker Ranger can still be deadly in the first round. If the first two attacks don't get sneak attack, cast Zepher Strike on the Dread Ambush attack and immediately take the advantage from the spell, ending it on that turn. If it hits and possibly crits (and if Elven Accuracy applies for an elf or half-elf,) that'd be double dice damage not just on the attack and Sneak Attack, but on the +1d8 damage from Dread Ambush, but also to the +1d8 force damage from Zephyr Strike. This technique might make a non-assassin build just as deadly.

[@snazzyfeathers]

Alert is always worth it if you're going assassin. Even without surprise. You hit someone with advantage on the first round and use something else (zephyr strike, steady aim, etc) for advantage on the second attack. It's really good. It's also worth mentioning (although it doesn't really fit the "commando" flavor) that Twilight cleric can give you advantage on initiative checks with a one level dip.

[@JugglingAddict]

Regarding the initiative bonus, that's 1 reason why I like the new bugbear here.

[@billstubbles2398]

I was just thinking this and wondering if anyone had already mentioned Alert as a Feat option, especially for an Assassin.

[@vincentkeith5259]

@@JugglingAddict not to mention the built in sneek attack on anyone who hasn't taken a turn. Which gives you sneek attack starting at level 1. It also makes for some very difficult decisions - Alert is a huge advantage to the Bugbear in particular as it gives you a target rich environment. You really need sharpshooter, and you desperately need the dex. I'd be very tempted to get Alert first - but from a to-hit perspective, even if you don't use the -5+10, it solves a number of disadvantage problems, and AC only goes up as you level up making it harder to use that -5+10 feature.

[@Forbeplay]

I’m surprised you didn’t mention Bugbear as a race for this build. Extra 2d6 damage per attack on the first round, plus proficiency in stealth is a nasty combo.

[@gi6son747]

I feel like my character would die really fast if I did something like this the DM would not be going with it

[@beneteus3833]

If your DM goes out of his way to kill your character, he should just not allow the character. Or you need a new DM. Houseruling sharpshooter and greatweapon master is another option (like on every attack you can add 1/2 proficiency modifier)

[@gustaafargoan]

Wouldn't work for me. I don't see a big bug bear being stealthy at all. I only allow the races that were available in AD&D.

[@Forbeplay]

@@gustaafargoan Good for you my friend. Except that Bugbears are known for being stealthy, hence the “ambush” trait in their stat block.

[@Forbeplay]

@@beneteus3833 I agree on this. You’re not using absurd homebrew, just normal features in the sourcebooks. I will say (especially if you choose Bugbear) the power of this character dwindles after the first round. Still very potent, but you’re not nuking every round post-first round.

[@chrisragner3882]

Agreeing with Jill, I like the versatility of being an Arcane Trickster. And I love the disguise Charisma variant you suggested as well

[@YoungTroy23]

The Gloomstalker is one of my favorite subclasses because they can go so well with so many different options. Right now I’m playing a Gloomstalker/Twilight Domain Cleric multiclass in a Ravenloft campaign flavored as a monster slayer and it’s amazing how much the damage combined with the versatility gives me. This build you guys made is next up.

[@snazzyfeathers]

Ayy same here. Although its a homebrewed campaign and we're playing till level 20. 11 levels into Gloomstalker and the rest into Twilight. Great synergy and great spells, and the flavor of it is fantastic as well

[@ducksinthewild]

All I can think of reading that is the gloomstalker's feature that gives darkvision if you don't already have it, but adds 30 ft more of you do, added to the 300 ft dark vision of the twilight cleric. 330 ft darkvision.

[@YoungTroy23]

@@ducksinthewild and with sharpshooter while perched on a rooftop you can snipe them about 300ft before they even know you’re there. I’m playing this character like a FPS with stealth kill mechanics lol. There’s pretty much nothing I can’t kill cause I got a weapon for every occasion due to the cleric levels. Spirit Guardians and spiritual weapon for when they get close, moonbeam for lycans, turn undead for hordes, etc etc. not to mention you can fly in dim light lol.

[@snazzyfeathers]

@@ducksinthewild 330 feet of darkvision is definitely unnecessary in most campaigns, but if you're playing with a willing group with a lot of empty space...

[@HunterTracks]

Gloomstalker/Twilight Domain multiclass definitely sounds like a DM's worst nightmare come to life, lol.

[@julius2790]

Watching Jill play Veo in your campaign got me into DnD and the Gloomstalker specifically. Great, great episode and much appreciated!

[@blitzerman8]

It's nice to see this kind of combo get some love. My favorite character is an Arcane Trickster dual wielder that is working on those 5 levels of Ranger.

[@StopperJJ]

I ran this build in one of my very first campaigns and to this day it still is the most fun I've had as a player. Umbral Sight, Dread Ambusher, and sharpshooter turns you into high powered sniper rifle. But in addition to that, spells like pass without trace and/or disguise self coupled with expertise make you insanely hard to sus out during infiltration scenarios. One of my favorite moments with this character was impersonating an NPC who wronged us previously, making an absolute fool of myself in their appearance, lying out my backside, then GTFO, and dropping disguise self. This got us what we needed information wise and let us have the vengeance we all wanted and without firing a single shot. Also, as Kelly said, sharpshooter and eleven accuracy is just delicious. My druid party member and I used to snuff out the lights whenever possible, followed by a couple well placed entangles and "fish for crits."

[@csdn4483]

I suggest you go to at least level 7, actually 8, in Gloomstalker since you'll pick up Wis save proficiency and then you can grab Resilient Con to have the big 3 saves (Con, Dex, and Wis). The benefit of going for only 7 in Gloomstalker gives you one extra dice in sneak attack, but that's giving up an easy feat/asi.

[@СтаниславБерезовский-щ5я]

Dhampir (VRGtR) is AMAZING for this build as well. Climb speed, vampiric bite, no need to sleep, eat or drink - very, very nice.

[@TBoring]

I’d like to throw some ideas in the mix: You may want to take 1 more level in Ranger to gain 5 more feet of movement and a climbing speed to get a better vantage point. Phantom Rogue might also be a good pick. You become a decent skill monkey and Wails of the Grave would be decent additional damage. Also, while it is high level, it’s 13th level feature of a flying speed and being able to literally hide in walls and floors to attack really adds a creepiness factor.

[@PleasantSkulman]

You could also take another level in Ranger if you're a Gloomstalker to get proficiency in Wisdom saves, depends if you end making a lot of saves in your campaign.

[@vanillaminaduki6055]

That is literally the character i've created some time ago. Gloomstalker with throwing weapons fighting style for flavour+future multiclass into phantom rogue. Can't wait to play her.

[@kelderek4627]

I strongly recommend mixing in some Fighter for 2-4 levels. Action Surge has great synergy with Dread Ambusher because if you use it on the opening round of combat, then you get that third attack on both Attack actions for 6 total attacks. I also would give a strong recommend to the Alert feat, especially if you choose Assassin for your rogue subclass, to really double down on winning initiative to get that advantage in the opening round of combat. Most people look straight at the crits on surprise part of Assassin, but the advantage against a target that hasn't had a turn yet in combat is SUPER strong, and will guarantee that you can get a sneak attack opportunity regardless of the lighting situation in that first round. I am playing this at level 13 as a Drow Half-Elf of the Golgari Swarm in a Ravnica setting (lots of underground exploration). My character is Gloomstalker Ranger 5 / Assassin Rogue 4 / Champion Fighter 4. I took Elven Accuracy, Alert, and Sharpshooter feats and am still at only 18 DEX, but that hasn't been a problem yet. I have Archery and Defense fighting styles. I have an 11 initiative bonus and can't be surprised. If I win initiative against my target, I can use Hunter's Mark, Action Surge, and Sharpshooter and have triple advantage on each of 6 attacks for a total around 8d8 + 8d6 + 84 damage (using a longbow) - even more if I have surprise or get any critical hits (which I get on 19 or 20 thanks to Champion). In my experience this character is all about ending a fight or at least turning it into my favor in that first round. Going forward I plan to take rogue up to 8 at a minimum (character 17) if our campaign lasts that long. Even with my heavy focus on the first round of combat, my character does well in the remainder of combat rounds and has tons of great skills for out of combat scenarios too.

[@ninjavampyr]

I have a similar build with battle master fighter who uses a musket.

[@Quote_Cannon]

For a L20 one-shot, I played a Samurai 12/Gloomstalker 4/Assassin 4. She had 3 attacks per round, 4 with Dread Ambusher, and combined with Action Surge, Elvish Accuracy, Assassinate and Sharpshooter, she'd could easily hit for 400 damage on the first round. Easily one of the more fun characters I've ever played.

[@Dave004]

How about Bugbear (assuming +4STR) 5 lvl Echoknight, 2 lvl Barbarian and 3 lvl Gloomstalker. At lvl 10, first round you can do (with advantage thanks to Reckless Attack) 16d6 attack + 2d8 dread ambusher + 32 modifier + 8d6 hunters marks + 16d6 Bugbear trait. Average of 181 dmg first round

[@idontknow-mf4bp]

@Dave you can't both get the bugbear damage and the hunters mark damage since the bugbear ability can only trigger once per enemy and hunters mark requires a bonus action to switch target.

[@Dave004]

@@idontknow-mf4bp This is assuming single target dmg. If going after multiple targets you're probably better off to Rage with bonus action instead of hunters mark. Depends on scenario. Also, Bugbear doesn't trigger once per enemy, its once per attack provided the enemy hasn't taken its turn. So every attack can have Bugbear Surprise Attack per the Monster of the Multiverse description.

[@meswain1123]

My first ever character ended up as a variation of this. It was tons of fun. I went scout for rogue. It was fun having SO MUCH expertise.

[@ad9aggie]

Currently playing a Leonin Hunter/Scout, 5/5 right now. Between Hunter's Mark, Zephyr Strike, Colossus Slayer, and Sneak Attack, much damage is being done. Plus with expertise in the primary Ranger and Rogue skills, non-combat is excellent, too. Keep on keepin' on, Dudes!

[@Shroosk]

At which level did you start taking rogue level ?

[@ad9aggie]

@@Shroosk Level 6 after extra attack

[@PumaPants248]

Goblin is a killer race for this too, dark vision so gloomstalker boosts the range, fury of the small for extra damage, and you still get fey ancestry because of Monsters of the Multiverse

[@wassentme1891]

Rogues do get Cunning Action, which is a bit of overlap.

[@wassentme1891]

I am still a bit bitter that Shadarkai are so strong.

[@PumaPants248]

@@wassentme1891 ok there’s overlap on one thing goblins get but with the build you’re cunning action to dash most of the time and using steady aim the rest of the time

[@Dave004]

Bugbear gives you an extra 2d6 dmg per each attack first round, so 6d6 first round using gloomstalker, also get darkvision, stealth proficiency, powerful build, long limbed, fey ancestry, and can squeeze into areas for small creatures. pretty great race for these types of builds.

[@SuperVietnam]

I went on a 3-day D&D vacation where I role played the world's greatest archer using a Gloomstalker Assassin Battlemaster. Whenever I landed a crit it was a special type of euphoria

[@MatthewYork-nv9wq]

Assassin Rogue rogue is AMAZING to combo with Gloomstalker!!

[@jirimaly6019]

totaly depends on GM on how much u actualy suprise,,, scout is more reliable and off combat great

[@PandaKnightsFightingDragons]

In theory yes. In practice if your DM runs surprise RAW you're pretty much never going to get to utilize the combo

[@TheRacoonGhost]

Only if your DM is new/verry lenient/the rest of your party is all sneakers.

[@clitcommander1681]

Can confirm

[@Katilciker]

I have been playing in a campaign as an assassin rogue for over a year and I tbh don't even remember the time I managed to land a surprise attack more than once...

[@cvoltage]

I love this. I haven’t played in a couple of years, but I had an AL lvl 18 gloomstalker/assassin/champion that played very similarly. I even had magic initiate feat with find familiar and true strike for some of those “how to get advantage” situations. Love that others have a similar thought process.

[@williamlove6165]

Currently playing a Harengon horizon walker/swashbuckler. A great hit and run tactics build. I'm planning on ranger 16/rogue 4

[@dicksonmattxenoblade6491]

Personally for Rogue subclasses, I’d also say Soulknife is particularly notable. A few of the suggestions would be given to you with Soulknife. Now one slight issue is that you aren’t getting reliable invisibility until very high levels, though I would personally recommend taking Shadow Touched to shore that part up. You are likely going to have a feat slot freed up as you don’t really need Crossbow Expert, provided you’re willing to wait a few levels (if you’re picking Variant Human or Custom Lineage that is, otherwise you’re actually getting your BA Attack earlier). Aside from that, you effectively have Rary’s Telepathic Bond build into the class, Psy-Bolstered Knack is great for helping you with skill checks, after a while you also get a feature which is usually like the middle ground between Misty Step and Thunder Step, and your attacks land more often. Now granted, I will say that personally, I think this might be second or third to Arcane Trickster or Scout, but Soulknife, I still think it’s a solid pick for both inside and outside of combat

[@TheEnemyFromWithin69]

I just made a Gloomstalker/Assassin a couple weeks ago before watching this video. I always liked the idea of the combo but didn't realize how cool it looks when you throw Thri-kreen into the mix. Super sneaky, excellent AC, and many arms to hold 2 hand crossbows plus one heavy crossbow (or maybe a shield once the 1st round of combat is over). Obviously Crossbow Expert, but I'm kinda surprised you guys didn't mention Piercer. It seems tailor made for Gloomstalker/Assassin specifically. Any hit you score on a surprised target is a crit and now any crit you land gains an additional damage die. It's simple but the damage jumps dramatically with the multiple attacks you get from Gloomstalker. So yeah, even more damage for one of the most damaging builds in the game.

[@isaacgraff8288]

I think Longstrider is a fair mention for a spell to pick up. I boosts speed for quite a while, and it isn't concentration.

[@alfredorivera5764]

Have an Owlin Rogue(Scout)/Ranger(Swarmkeeper). It is INCREDIBLE. The damage, the skills, the mobility, the spells. It all melds and complements each other so well

[@vladimirserpov6773]

Should've called this one "Veo Sjena 101" :) So happy to see Jill adding her input as a subject matter expert

[@snazzyfeathers]

Bugbear is also an excellent choice for their surprise attack feature.

[@Dave004]

agreed, and stealth proficiency which means more to choose from with your other options

[@woutvanostaden1299]

Or try a wildhunt shifter with the athlete feat.

[@Starsaber222]

I had a concept for a Rogue/Ranger bounty hunter, which sounds pretty similar. I was just using the Ranger from PHB though. Colossus Slayer Hunter + Assassin + Sneak Attack + Hunter's Mark adds up quick.

[@o_double_t_o]

One of my favorite characters is a Variant Human turned Hexblood Gloom stalker/ Rogue. We didn’t hit the point where I could take a second subclass, but I was eye-balling Assassin or Phantom.

[@jerrybeard8995]

I think Goodberry is also a good choice depending on the rest of your party's healing ability, plus the lack of need to carry food. Also 1 level of Twlight Cleric would give that great distant vision

[@StriderZessei]

SENZU BEAN!

[@fightingfalcon777]

I think I used this same build (Gloomstalker Ranger 5/Scout Rogue 15) when I was trying to do a build for Hunter from Star Wars: The Bad Batch

[@basementmadetapes]

This is my warforged build and theme pretty much exactly. Currently I'm 8 gloom stalker and 3 Assassin rogue. Absolute machine

[@desmondbowles3389]

I love the Rogue/Ranger combo! I've been playing a PHB BeastMaster Ranger for over a year and I've recently "gone rogue" with that character. Having a beast companion is a really helpful way to trigger Sneak Attack with ease👌

[@roberthall3036]

Could add fighter to this for action surge. You get the extra attack from DA when you take the attack action, so if you have action surge or haste, it can trigger multiple times per turn, so long as they are separate actions. I think even taking Champion fighter and Elven accuracy and crit fish is amazing.

[@docnevyn5814]

mine is a Mordenkainen's Bugbear with crossbow expert. 2d6 on all 4 attacks in round one at level 5 if you beat their initiative.

[@chadeasterly926]

I went Harengon gloomstalker/assassin. @ lvl 8 I had a 9 initiative (i went 16 in wisdom). I took sharpshooter @ lvl 4. I went gunner @ lvl 9 as a half feat even though the campaign didn't have guns for the +1 to dex and it removes disadvantage from close range attacks. @ lvl 9 initiative bonus was 11. I finished my character retiring him @ lvl 13 with 4 lvl of fighter to get battle Master and taking the Alert feat. Lvl 13 initiative bonus was 17 plus a d8 from Ambush superior dice if i needed it. Spread was Gloomstalker 5/Assassin4/Battle Master 4.

[@0StarGirl5000]

This is by far my favorite build in 5e! I've been playing 5e since it was first published and this is my go-to.

[@travismajor1218]

I just wrapped up a campaign playing Gloom Stalker / Arcane Trickster and found myself casting Zephyr Strike *constantly* and Hunter's Mark almost never (except to better track an enemy that was running away). Absolute blast(er) of a character.

[@BJNemeth]

This is one of my favorite videos of yours I've seen in a long time. (And I generally enjoy them all.) I love breaking down a specific, less common multi-class option in depth. This particular build really speaks to me, but I think I'd enjoy the video even if it was a class combination that I'd never play. I also liked the commentary from Jill, and it would be great to sprinkle in additional thoughts from someone who has played a specific build in future videos. Well done all around! 😀👍

[@LordBrittish]

I’ve been playing a Thief/Samurai (Rogue/Fighter) lately and he’s super fun. I do love my Rangers though… going to have to try this one!

[@DigDoug56]

Loved to hear from Jill and her take on the build from perspective of someone who played it. Please more of this.

[@christaylor7672]

Great video, I am starting a new game this afternoon and using this build using the Swiftstride Shifter as the race

[@adamlawrence7772]

I ordered Dungeon's of Drakkenheim earlier this year. I am super inspired by it and wanted to thank you for all your hard work on the setting. I was hoping to run a mini-October campaign with it, but alas, my regular group did not share my enthusiasm. One day... but I've been loving how the book synergizes with Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft, and how easily you could flavor the city as a Domain of Dread. Just wanted to say thank you for all the wonderful work you do to inspire us and make the game a more exciting realm of possibilities!

[@wrightcore3367]

I’m actually aiming to play this kind of character in a campaign I’m in, so thx for the tips & tricks.

[@WyldJezter]

This is so awesome! I'm actually running a Gloom Stalker Ranger - Scout Rogue in my current game. I went with Wood Elf so i could take elven accuracy from Xanathars for that extra attack die on advantage!

[@RBu4248]

I have been playing a Gloom Stalker/Arcane Trickster/Eldritch Knight for a while and love it. I think it will be tough to give up that versatility on the next character. One thing that people sometimes forget is that after level 3 the whole wizard spell list is available. Eventually fireball is a great distraction

[@snazzyfeathers]

Seeing point buy in these videos makes me so grateful that my DM allows for rolling character stats.

[@sampollock1946]

More of these videos DD, I love multiclassing and these style videos give me build ideas and characters to run in one shots and campaigns

[@krugsterone]

I’m working on a build similar to this but with with 2 levels of fighter for action surge to really focus on that first round burst.

[@vraak4509]

Check tabletop builds with their three gloomstalker builds, there're the best ones

[@thejammiestjam]

I really enjoyed hearing Jill's thoughts here!

[@DrAndrewJBlack]

Fabulous video as always. Having Jill guestcast was awesome!

[@jbowers56]

I've played this build to level 11 on a Westmarches server - it's really good. I ended up retraining to be mostly just a ranger with action surge as I felt I wasn't getting as much bang for buck out of my arcane trickster utility stuff and expertise. I'd play this in a heartbeat in a home game as I find that skill checks, elaborate/stupid plans and just general shenanigans tend to come up way more often in that context.

[@Halinspark]

Another feat I would recommend looking at is Eldritch Adept. Depending in your invocation of choice, you can cast Mage Armor, or Levitate, Disguise Self, False Life, etc with no spell slots or material components. If your spell of choice has no Verbal component, you can cast in stealth. Or cast with your hands full if it has no Somatics. Or you can take Eldritch Mind for advantage to concentration checks, which is great for Ranger spells, let alone if you went Arcane Trickster.

[@brandoncurtis1636]

Great to see Jill in this episode!

[@eminemrules121]

I’m playing this right now in a home brew game. I’m taking a roughly even split in ranger/rogue though, but I’m really enjoying it. We’re level 7 now, kinda kicking myself for not taking sharpshooter at 4 but the extra +2 to initiatives sounded too juicy to me, especially when roll20 tends to give me middling rolls at best. That said, I stand by this character so much, I love Rolen Liadon.

[@mikemaas3785]

This is the character that I'm playing right now, and I have already done 95% of what you said. (4lv ranger 1lv rouge) 2 things I have done differently. It doesn't matter what class I play, If you have the ability to cast cure wounds you take that spell. Might not use it very often but when you need it you better have it. Also I haven't taken any feats yet. I took the ability score improvement to pump my Dex as high as I can get it.

[@not-a-theist8251]

Omg that's exactly what I'd like to do with my character atm. So excited to watch this video

[@LokangoFreewar15]

18:23 this is when Piercer feat becomes at it's deadliest specially with a heavy Xbow and elven accuracy...

[@tcgbattlingmaster925]

I play a character in my game that’s Ranger (Gloomstalker) 5, Rogue (Soulknife) 4 and Fighter 2 atm and it is probably my favorite character ever. Zephyr Strike is an underrated spell.

[@trojanwiz3888]

One my favs was similar; Fighter/Rogue, starts as fighter for big heavy crossbow, grabs magic initiate feat for raven companion, then starts Rogue'ing :D

[@Comicsluvr]

It was great to see Jill talking about her character rather than hearing her views second-hand. This build can be flavored as anything from the veteran military ambusher to the Ninja scout/Assassin.

[@ryancparker]

Two levels of fighter is pretty much a requirement for gloomstalker ranger because of the synergy between dread ambusher and action surge. I play a Harengon for mobility and took skill expert instead of sharpshooter at 4th level for the extra dexterity and expertise. Goodberry is excellent for converting your unused spell slots into healing the next day.

[@Cloud_Seeker]

Okay. But the problem is that the build is not about making a fighter/ranger. It is about making a very skilled survivalist and special forces type of character. The reason the Gloom Stalker Ranger and Rogue Scout is picked is because of the skills and utility it gets. Sure. Action Surge is great and all, but you lose a lot just picking Fighter. I had actually made this type of character over a year before this video was released. With TCE I have a character that has 11 skills, 5 Skill Experties. Elven Accuracy and Skulker at level 8. Good luck trying to catch something that moves and attacks at 60ft and if you end your turn next to it, it moves an additional 15ft.

[@jamesknowles9236]

I like the Phantom rogue subclass for this build. One extra skill or tool proficiency (which can change from day to day depending on your campaign needs); Deal partial sneak attack damage to a 2nd target within 30', which is kinda like getting SA twice per round; and the versatility of the soul tokens at 9th level is pretty sweet.

[@Art_BC]

Years ago I had a Rouge/ Ranger character in a 3.5 D&D campaign, in a party of four I was the Swiss army knife of the party.

[@Gonexxxxxx11111]

This is great, I've been sitting on this build since Tasha's came out. And yes, go Arcane Trickster.

[@jackala2783]

Thank you, Jill, for the intriguing thoughts on Arcane Trickster. I would never have considered it but I am now (Mage Hand Legerdemain is _awesome_ ). Is there a link to any other KZbin videos you may have on D&D character development? What do you all think of going with Swashbuckler to gain a bonus to Initiative as well as help the Commando deal effectively with melee for those times when a situation takes away the Commando's ranged attacks (like in a dungeon-like environment)?

[@beneteus3833]

If you go assassin, I would also at least take 2 levels of fighter for action surge. Maybe even 3 for battle Master manouvers.

[@sloesty]

Fun fact, if you want to play an aarakokra or an owlin, you can have your wings be broken, burnt or stripped, leaving you without flight. Then, when you reach greater restoration, somebody in the pzrty or outside can fix you, giving you your flight back. This will result in better ballance for the dm and a fantastic character moment

[@-the_keen-]

Currently playing as a shadar-kai gloom stalker, being able to essentially misty step innately is very nice 👌 Looking forward to when I multiclass

[@jacobdavian651]

I'm surprised they didn't touch on the Skulker feat - It's a real gem for making you truly at home in shadows. People often forget that darkvision/umbral sight only make darkness into dim light, so you still get disadvantage on perception checks if it's properly dark... unless you're a practiced skulker :D The feat also makes it a lot easier to work around the rest of your party, as you can stay just outside their torchlight and still capitalise on dim light using cunning action to hide while only lightly obscured. I accidentally ended up with this build making a dwarven tunnel fighter - protector of the outlying delves kind of thing. Gloomstalker 8/Scout 7 at last count. Great fun :)

[@Evelyn-rb1zj]

Yeah the thing is most DMs forget about or ignore the perception disadvantage so it could either be really good or pretty much useless

[@ikaemos]

I seem to recall how taken aback Monty was by Veo's damage output in the early sessions of Drakkenheim C1. It took him a few encounters to start adjusting for her. To his credit, he never did it in a way which invalidated Jill's build - he just stopped putting important glass cannons in the open and expecting them to survive the first round. E.g., when the Queen's Men tried to assassinate them (y'know, the fake body filled with explosives), they knew just enough about Veo to counter her. Most of the fight, she didn't even have a target that wasn't invisible.

[@Zac_Frost]

I'd love to see all sorts of multi-class builds from y'all. "Soard," "Sorlock," and a Rogue/Fighter build would be pretty sweet.

[@syrupchugger421]

Great guide. I'm already picturing a grizzled old halfling going commando on trolls and ogres. Thanks for the video

[@all_thescience]

I've really been enjoying playing with the concept of a Swarmkeeper 5/Phantom X build, with the flavor focused on them being a nexus of sorts for ghosts. I really like the utility options from Swarmkeeper (pushing targets, mage hand, web) along with the ability to spread Sneak Attack damage from Phantom. Not sure what second level spell to pick up between Spike Growth and Pass Without Trace, as being able to push enemies back into the spikes sounds really sweet. Definitely not even half as nova as Gloomstalker/Assassin, but still seems like it could be a blast for both combat and roleplay.

[@tango7974]

I've been playing this build (close enough) for a little over 2 years in a campaign, coincidentally just before I stumbled on your channel. I leveled my ranger to 6 getting Roving (yes, we were allowed a post Tasha release edit) which really gave him mobility. Wood Elf Mask of the Wild + Cunning Action Hide has even beaten Truesight. His damage isn't top in the party now but it's useful for killing smaller enemies very quickly allowing the others to concentrate on and out-action-economy bigger foes. He has obnoxiously long range with a longbow and we've set up light spot plus extreme range ambushes. A repeat enemy that used quite a few resources to counter the Commando's usual tactics, didn't really have anything left to deal with the other tricks the rest of the party had and with Zephyr Strike (no opportunity attacks) + Move + Dash + CA Dash, just left them in the dust. We're at level 10 now, and I took Arcane Trickster and utility has skyrocketed. Steady aim also shores up advantage. Still thinking where to take it after.

[@dungeonscribe6894]

Jill! That's a great build breakdown, big fan of it.

[@embercartoons133]

for a dnd campaign one of my friends are running I was thinking of trying to build a character like a palico from monster hunter (dm was planing the first quest is hunting down a monster terrorizing a town) so I thought it would be a funny build, so glad this video is here and I can't wait to start the first session.

[@crownlexicon5225]

You mentioned invisibility for fey touched (in addition to misty step. That would be shadow touched. ST gives invisibility + a 1st level spell, and FT gives misty step + a 1st level

[@grizzlednerd4521]

I think the Arcane Trickster subclass (which is my favourite rogue subclass generally) is particularly useful in a smaller party where there may not be a lot of other utility. If you're in a party with a decent toolbox already, then a different subclass might be more enjoyable.

[@letstec]

In one of our campaings I actually started out as a Gloomstalker Ranger and after level 5 dipped into Rogue and realised myself how strong this combination is. What I also recommend is the relativly newly added Harengon race since you get 3 really good features. You get proficieny in perception, which is always nice, a bonus action to jump out of range of enemies in you meelee range without provoking oppurtunity attacks and something that wasn't really mentioned in this video a bonus to initiative. This means you're initiative will be 10 + DEX + PROF + WIS + the alert feat if you took it. A level 8 Harengon Gloomstalker Ranger Assassin Rogue with your ability scores will have a +13 to initiative, which usually guarentees you being the first person to act. Combined with a surprise round of combat, you'll attack 3 times with advantage who might all crit and then immediately begin to act again and attack 2 additional times. All of this combined will probably lead to you being exiled from the table and all local DnD games but it will be worth it.

[@Slobrojoe]

This was the plan for my ranger in Lost Mines of Phandelver (second time playing with a new group). It's a shame I never got the point where I could multi class though. I looked through the Ranger subclasses, and immediately fell in love with the gloom stalker with no external research, and plan on going in the Assassin Rogue, I have enough utility already and we have a wizard, so I don't need Arcane Trickster, and the scout feels a little weaker alongside the gloom stalker unless you are going for a super skill monkey build. All my opinion of course :)

[@NorthernFirefighter]

doing a Tiefling Ranger, Gloom Stalker, build in a campaign and have had a hard time choosing between Multiclassing between Rogue and Fighter. This is such a cool build and can't wait to try it out, but maybe more my way. As my character is more someone that is up and close fighting a lot, I'm going to multiclass him into Fighter, so he can take some more punishment and maybe do some other things too

[@lauramcmillan9592]

I love this build a lot. Directly inspired by Jill, I’m currently playing a Swarmkeeper Ranger 5/Rogue 1 who makes heavy use of Zephyr Strike. He’s also a Firbolg, which in my DM’s world is a Large creature, so he’s basically Beekeeper Bigfoot-a gentle giant who can melt away from sight but is deadly when he needs to be. My favorite Zephyr Strike moment so far was when our wizard, a gnome, was stuck on a bridge between two trolls. I cast as Zephyr Strike, let off a couple shots at the trolls, ran onto the bridge, picked up the wizard, and just kept running. Not a scratch on either of us.

[@timclose7661]

I played this build and loved it there is really nice synergy in the arcane tricksters ability to pick up wizzard cantrips , I picked up Message for essentially a 2 way radio which was so helpful when my character was scouting ahead I had a way to relay info back to the party and Control Flames to put out fires and torches to create my own darkness wherever my character went for that sweet gloomstalker invisibility

[@gaminreasons8941]

I've thought alot about this kind of build. It's so simple, you just take your first 5 levels in ranger, and then you take the rest of your levels in Rogue. No wierd, unintuitive level splits or having to be super strategic about when you take levels in one class or another.

[@ianfischerschilling9779]

In long term, isn’t it worth to pick the 1st level at rogue? So you end up getting one extra proficiency in total considering the multiclasses and algo proficiency in INT instead of STR

[@Toast_Deletes]

So in Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen you get a feat at level 1 regardless of race choose. So for race I think wood elf is the best choice for DL because you get 2 ranger features of the bat, the optional 5 feet of movement at level 6 and the Hide in Plain Sight at level 10. For the background I'm kinda at a loss because the Squire of Solamia, the criminal/urchin with the skilled feat is also really good. What do y'all think about the background choices for a character like this?

[@Amadmaniac1]

I've always thought that the Gloomstalker Assassin build would be a great damage dealer, and I think the alert feat would double down on that dread ambusher assassinate combo because you get +5 to your initiative, or even mobile if you want to be moving around.

[@gaminreasons8941]

I'm surprised you guys didn't give Silence a mention, that's a spell I always take if I can.

[@MICHAEL-tz9ni]

Gloomstalker/Assassin for the alpha damage, and the win. Alternatively for feats consider "magical Adept, or Ritual Caster" to gain "find Familiar". The familiar can't attack in combat, but it can assist you by distracting your target, giving you advantage against an opponent throughout the combat

[@deaconfrozt1]

Hi Kelly and Monty. Love your channel. I am currently playing a level 5 gloom stalker with 1 level in rogue now. There is no cleric in the party. Would you dip 1 level in cleric to be able to add bless and some minor healing?

[@stferret]

If you do, life is an amazing divinity tree for the greatberries... 40hp healing on a 1st lvl spell (that you can pre-cast until your spell slots are gone before each long rest)... Really cuts down on the downtime between fights, and saves a ton of GP usually wasted on healing potions, allowing for purchase of better party equipment!

[@garethdumper937]

The gloom stalker/assassin combo is also amazing on a bugbear. Surprise attack+ sneak attack + gloom stalker extra damage + favoured foe + sharp shooter = ridiculous

[@Kylora2112]

Piercer is a good half-feat to bump your DEX up from 17 to 18, especially if you go Gloomsassin since you're going to crit a LOT and that extra damage die for *each crit* (and you can reroll a damage die each turn to minimize 1s), and especially if you prefer consistency (yeah, Sharpshooter is optimal on average, and you definitely should take it by the time you hit ROG4, though I wouldn't use it on an opening turn nova, since you want all 3 crits to land because that's a lot more than the 10 extra damage will get you if you miss a shot).

[@sandmanlives3]

I like a lot about this combo, but I think a lot of different subclasses combinations would work.

[@JBTheRooster]

As a newbie player this year, this build was actually my first character I ever built and I have fallen in love with it so much. I just wanted to be a bird man stealth archer so I picked Aarakocra ranger and eventually picked up a level of rogue just for sneak attack and skill expertise. I didn't realize when I first started building it just how incredibly powerful Ru would become. I did more research and quickly realized that after 5th level ranger, I was gonna go full rogue the rest of the way. It just makes so much sense, honestly. Such a great build and I'm glad to find this video to confirm it for me and help me ensure I build it optimally!

[@PresidentMystry]

So glad I found this video. I was thinking about multiclassing my ranger into rogue but wasn’t sure if it would even be fun to play. I’m currently 4 levels into gloomstalker ranger and was planning on multiclassing into rogue after my extra attack Edit: my race is Shadar-kai so I get that misty step ability for getting out of enemy range. I think I might go arcane trickster because I think I’m good where I am in terms of damage

[@boogaethje]

Perfect timing. Starting a sidebar campaign with lvl 10 characters as an assassin squad on a mission that will affect the next chapter in the main campaign. Opted to make a halfling ranger 7 (swarm keeper) / rogue 3 to do some scouting , range damage and some control work. Haven't gotten to dig into this character yet but am excited to give it a go.

[@menarg1549]

if you don't want to go sharpshooter with this build you could take 2 levels of fighter to also get the thrown weapon fighting style and using darts (that are ranged weapons for sharpshooter)

[@lewiskazzamo230]

I have been planning to play this multiclass but I was planning on doing an 8/12 ranger/rogue split with gloomstalker/scout.