What Stat Do Rogues Cast With?

While most rogues in Dungeons & Dragons do not inherently cast spells, if a rogue subclass grants spellcasting abilities, Intelligence is typically the stat used for casting.

Rogues are renowned for their agility, cunning, and expertise in skills rather than magical prowess. Their core abilities generally revolve around striking swiftly, evading danger, and manipulating situations.

Rogue Core Abilities (Dexterity & Intelligence)

For a rogue, Dexterity and Intelligence are fundamental ability scores. Dexterity governs a rogue's finesse, agility, stealth, and many of their weapon attacks, while Intelligence represents their cunning, deductive reasoning, and knowledge. These stats are also crucial for a rogue's defensive capabilities.

In the case of a Rogue, that is Dexterity and Intelligence. Assuming you have a 14 in Dexterity and 14 in Intelligence, a level-1 rogue would have a +4 bonus in those two saves, making them adept at avoiding many magical and physical threats. These are key for a rogue's saving throws, which determine their ability to resist certain effects.

Spellcasting Rogues

While the standard rogue focuses on non-magical skills, specific archetypes and multiclassing options can grant a rogue the ability to cast spells.

Arcane Trickster Rogues

The most common rogue subclass that gains spellcasting is the Arcane Trickster. These rogues weave illusion and enchantment spells into their repertoire, leveraging their cunning to perform magical mischief.

• Spellcasting Ability Score: Arcane Tricksters use Intelligence as their spellcasting ability.
• Spell Save DC Calculation: This is calculated as 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier.
• Spell Attack Modifier Calculation: This is calculated as your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier.

For example, an Arcane Trickster rogue with an Intelligence score of 16 (+3 modifier) and a proficiency bonus of +2 would have a spell save DC of 8 + 2 + 3 = 13, and a spell attack modifier of +2 + 3 = +5.

Multiclassing Rogues

A rogue can also gain spellcasting abilities by multiclassing into a spellcasting class. In such scenarios, the spellcasting ability score used will depend on the other class taken:

• Charisma: For classes like Sorcerer, Warlock, or Bard.
• Wisdom: For classes like Cleric, Druid, or Ranger.
• Intelligence: For classes like Wizard.
• Strength or Charisma: For Paladins, depending on their spellcasting focus.

Distinguishing Between Casting Stats and Saving Throws

It's important to differentiate between a character's core ability scores influencing their saving throws and the specific ability score used for casting spells. As highlighted, Dexterity and Intelligence are paramount for a rogue's general effectiveness and their saving throws. However, only when a rogue gains actual spellcasting capability, such as through the Arcane Trickster subclass, does a specific ability score (Intelligence in this case) become their designated spellcasting stat.