Shadowcaster Rogue Build – Solasta 2

Here is an overview of what your Rogue can do at the start of the game in Solasta II:

• Weapon Proficiencies – Simple Weapons, Longswords, Shortswords, Rapiers, Hand Crossbows
• Armour Proficiencies – Light Armour
• Saving Throw Proficiencies – Dexterity & Intelligence
• Rogue Skills – Choose 4 from Acrobatics, Athletics, Deception, Insight, Intimidation, Investigation, Perception, Performance, Persuasion, Sleight of Hand, Stealth
• Expertise – Select 2 of your Proficient Skills and double their Proficiency Bonus.
• Rogue Tools – You have Proficiency with Thieves’ Tools
• Sneak Attack – Make an attack and deal an extra 1d6 damage (increased by another 1d6 every 2 levels) with a finesse or ranged weapon, once per turn. Requires either Advantage against the target or an ally to be next to the target.
• Thieves’ Cant – You know Thieves’ Cant and one other language of your choice.

• Resourceful (Heroic Inspiration) – Once per Long Rest, you can reroll a failed roll.
• Extra Skill Proficiency – Humans can freely choose one additional Skill to assign.
• Versatile – Choose an Origin Feat:
  • Skilled – Gives you three additional unrestricted Skill choices.

• Allows you to further improve Intelligence, Charisma and Dexterity scores.
• Proficiency with the Perception and Deception Skills.
• You can use the Crafting Workshop to craft equipment.
• You get the Vigilant Origin Feat:
  • Grants Expertise with Perception, doubling your Proficiency Bonus.
  • Being Surprised no longer imposes Disadvantage on your Initiative Rolls.

Strength – 10

Strength is not important for the Shadowcaster, because we make all our weapon attacks with Dexterity instead. 10 points is sufficient to avoid any penalties to Strength Saving Throws.

Dexterity – 16

Dexterity is used to increase your Armour Class and also helps with a variety of Saving Throws. It determines the damage and accuracy of the Shadowcaster’s weapon attack rolls.

Put 15 basic points into Dexterity and then use 1 of your Spy Background’s bonus points to reach 16.

Constitution – 14

14 is a good baseline amount of Constitution that ensures you have enough HP to survive the toughest fights. It also helps with some Saving Throws.

Intelligence – 16

Intelligence will be used to determine the accuracy and success chance of your spells when you unlock the Shadowcaster subclass at level 3. It is also used for several Skills that you’ll have Proficiency in.

Put 14 basic points into Intelligence, and use 2 Spy bonus points to reach 16.

Wisdom – 10

Wisdom is unimportant. We left it at 10 to avoid Saving Throw penalties.

Charisma – 8

Charisma is not important for our build. Just ensure someone else in your party has good Charisma, so they can handle the Charisma Skill rolls in dialogue.

 Important: The Even Number Rule:

• Every second point in an ability score over 10 adds +1 to that ability modifier, which is what actually improves your dice rolls.
• This means that increasing a score from 10 to 11 makes no difference, but increasing it to 12 will add a +1 buff to any rolls made with that ability.
• Therefore, we will usually avoid leaving any abilities on an odd number.
  • Sometimes you can make an exception for one ability score if you’re planning to take a Feat that will bump it up to an even number at Level 4.

Skills: Rogue Class

• Stealth – Makes you harder to detect when sneaking.
• Sleight of Hand – Improves your ability to pick locks and disarm traps.
• Investigation – Look around for clues and make deductions.
• Acrobatics – Helps you to stay on your feet in certain challenging situations, like when walking on ice.

Skill Expertise: Rogue Class

Doubles your Proficiency Bonus for the chosen Skills.

• Stealth
• Sleight of Hand
• You can change these if you want.

Languages

You can pick whatever you want here. Just try to have as many of them covered by your party as possible.

Weapon Mastery Proficiencies: Rogue Class

You can gain Mastery with two weapon types. Attacking with these weapon types will trigger special passive features.

• Rapier – If you hit a creature with a Rapier, you gain Advantage on your next Attack Roll against that creature before the end of the next turn.
• Light Crossbow – Reduce the Movement Speed of enemies you hit with a Light Crossbow.

Skill: Human Ancestry

• Religion – You can recall extra details about deities, rites and holy symbols.

Skills: Skilled Feat

You can choose another three Skills thanks to your Skilled Feat (if you are a Human). Human allows you to be Proficient with a huge number of Skills, which is what makes it such a useful ancestry in Solasta 2’s early access.

• Arcana – Recall lore about spells and magic items, which can help your party in various situations.
• History – Recall extra information about various historical events, lost civilisations, wars, etc.
• Nature – Recall lore about terrain, plants, animals, the weather and natural cycles.

If you followed the guide precisely so far, you’ll now have Proficiency with all Dexterity and Intelligence Skills in Solasta 2!

Cunning Actions

• You can Dash, Disengage, or Hide with a Bonus Action.

 Steady Aim

• Use a Bonus Action to give yourself Advantage on your next attack roll on the current turn.
• You can only use this feature if you haven’t moved during the turn.
• Using Steady Aim reduces your Movement Speed for this turn to zero.

Shadowcaster Spellcasting

• You can learn 2 Cantrips and 3 Spells from the Wizard spell list.
• You cast the spells using your Intelligence Modifier.
• Whenever you level up, you have the option to replace one of your prepared spells or cantrips.
• You unlock more slots for prepared spells as you level up.

Shadow Casting

• When you deal damage with a spell or cantrip requiring an Attack Roll, you can use your Sneak Attack as if you were attacking with a finesse or ranged weapon.
• All other rules for Sneak Attacks still apply.

 Annoying Bees

• Impose Disadvantage on the target’s Concentration Saving Throws
• Use this before attacking a troublesome spellcaster for a very high chance to stop their ongoing spell.

 Poison Spray

• Deals 1d12 Poison Damage on hit.

 Shield

• Adds 5 to your Armour Class when you are about to be hit.
• Also protects you against Magic Missile.

 Expeditious Retreat

• You can use Dash as a Bonus Action while the spell is active.
• Don’t be fooled by the spell’s name. This is great for chasing down fast enemies.

 Ray of Sickness

• Deals 2d8 Poison Damage to the target.
• On hit, Poison them until the end of your next turn, significantly debuffing their attack accuracy.

Feat: Ability Improvement

• Improve your Dexterity by 2 points, up to 18.

Uncanny Dodge

• When an attacker you can see hits you with an attack, you can use your Reaction to halve the damage.

Improved Expertise

• Select another 2 Proficient Skills and double their Proficiency Bonus.

Evasion

• When subjected to a Dexterity Saving Throw to halve the damage of an AoE, you will instead take no damage if you succeed the throw, and half damage if you fail.

Feat 

• Select a Feat or improve an Ability.

Into the Shadows

• As a bonus action, teleport to a cell you can see.
• Recharges after a short rest.
• You can also learn two additional Cantrips.

Feat

• Select a Feat or improve an Ability.

Reliable Talent

• Whenever you make an ability check that lets you add your Proficiency Bonus, you can treat rolls of 9 or lower as a 10.

Feat

• Select a Feat or improve an Ability.