Arcane Trickster 5e Spell

What is an arcane trickster 5e?

5e Arcane Trickster is a Rogue who gains access to spells from the Wizard spell list. They’re considered a half-caster. Just getting spell slots up to level 4 and have a maximum of 11 spell slots at 20th Level. On top of the ability to cast spells, Arcane Tricksters gain roguish skills to utilize with their spells.

5e Arcane Trickster has an insane quantity of utility. The awesome proficiencies and expertise offered by the Rogue class in addition to their spells make them able to be of use in any circumstance.

Additionally, like Eldritch Knights, Arcane Tricksters unite a linear, martial class with the options provided by spellcasters. That can cause more varied gameplay and more unique combat scenarios.

Weaknesses

Rogues are an extremely strong base class, to begin with. Their capacity to be great at each ability, deal massive damage, and avoid damage makes them a force to be reckoned with at a base level, so there aren’t a ton of downsides to the Arcane Tricksters.

But, when compared to other Roguish Archetypes, Arcane Tricksters will lag in terms of raw damage output. Additionally, the nature of the spell casting is quite restrictive, so there are better choices for a sneaky caster, such as Bards and Druids.

dnd spell

Arcane Trickster 5e dnd Spells

The arcane tricksters are limited to the Wizard’s enchantment and illusion spell lists, except at 3rd, 8th, 14th, and 20th level.

Arcane Trickster 5e max out at 4th level spells once the character reaches 19th Level. Even still, there are some great options here that can make this build loads of fun to play. As a general rule of thumb, Arcane Tricksters benefit the most by spells that help in combat by ways other than dealing direct damage.

These rogues include pickpockets and thieves, but also pranksters, mischief-makers, and a substantial number of adventurers.

Source: Player’s Handbook

Spellcasting

When you reach 3rd degree, you fortify your martial prowess with the ability to cast spells.

CANTRIPS

You learn another wizard cantrip of your choice at 10th Level.

SPELL SLOTS

The Arcane Trickster Spellcasting table shows how many spell slots you need to cast your spells of 1st degree and higher. To throw one of these spells, you have to expend a slot of the spell’s level or higher. You recover all expended spell slots once you finish a long rest.

For example, if you know the 1st-level spell Charm Person and have a 1st-level and a 2nd-level spell slot available, you can cast Charm Person using either slot.

SPELLS KNOWN OF 1ST LEVEL AND HIGHER

You know three 1st-level magician spells of your choice, two of which you must pick from the enchantment and illusion spells on the wizard spell list.

The Spells Known column of the 5e Arcane Trickster Spellcasting table shows when you learn more wizard spells of 1st degree or greater. Each of these spells has to be an enchantment or illusion spell of your choice and must be of a degree for which you have spell slots. As an example, when you reach 7th Level in this class, you can learn a new spell of 1st or 2nd Level.

Spell Slots per Spell Level

Arcane Trickster 5e Spellcasting table explained

The spells you learn at the 8th, 14th, and 20th Levels can come from any school of magic.

Whenever you gain a level in this class, you can replace one of the 5e wizards spells you know with another spell of your choice from the wizard spell list. The new spell must be of a degree for which you have spell slots. It has to be an enchantment or illusion spell, unless you’re replacing the spell you gained at 3rd, 8th, 14th, or 20th degree from any school of magic.

Intelligence is the spellcasting ability of your wizard spells since you learn your spells through dedicated research and memorization. You use your Intelligence whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. Moreover, you use your Intelligence modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a wizard spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one. Starting at 3rd Level, when you cast Mage Hand, you can make the spectral hand invisible, and you can do the following additional tasks with it:

You can stow one thing that the hand is holding in a container worn or carried by another creature. Else, you can retrieve an item in a container worn or carried by another monster. You can use thieves’ tools to pick locks and disarm traps at the range. Or you can perform these tasks without being detected by a creature if you succeed on a Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check contested by the creature’s Wisdom (Perception) check.

Furthermore, you may use the bonus action granted by your Cunning Action to control the hand.

Higher levels

Beginning at 9th Level, if you are hidden from a creature once you cast a spell on it, the creature has a drawback on any saving throw it makes against the spell this turn.

At 13th Level, you get the ability to divert targets with your Mage Hand. As a bonus activity on your turn, you can designate a creature within 5 feet of the spectral hand created by the spell. Doing this gives you an edge on attack rolls against that creature until the end of the turn.

At 17th Level, you get the ability to steal the knowledge of how to cast a spell from another spellcaster.

Immediately after a monster casts a spell that targets you or includes you in its area of effect, you can use your reaction to force the animal to make a saving throw with its spellcasting ability modifier. On a failed save, you negate the spell’s effect against you, and you steal the knowledge of the spell if it is at least 1st Level and of a level, you can cast (it does not have to be a wizard spell). For the next 8 hours, you know the charm and can cast it using your spell slots. The creature can’t cast that spell until 8 hours have passed.

Once you use this feature, you can’t use it until you complete a long rest.

Is Arcane Trickster 5e worthwhile?

It depends on what you are trying to do. If you’re going to take just a single wizard level, then you would do better to take Ritual Caster Wizard Feat or Magic initiate and go full Arcane Trickster 5e. If you want some additional versatility, a 1-degree dip in Wizard can work well for your build. As always, we think it would be the most beneficial to only discuss our favorite spells at each level, and which ones to avoid.

Cantrips

Acid Splash 5e: This one is bad; however, the Arcane Trickster 5e doesn’t want to take any of these.

Booming Blade 5e: This cantrip is truly nice because Rogues can Disengage as a bonus action. You may attack and run away, forcing your foe to take damage if they would like to pursue you.

Message 5e: Rogues do often sneak ahead so that they won’t have the ability to communicate to the celebration, especially if your playgroup is disciplined about avoiding metagaming.

Minor Illusion 5e: lets you get creative with your sneaky nonsense. You can hide behind the Illusion if you’re small enough.

Green Flame Blade: 5e: Hitting two enemies at once is great, but as far as blades move Booming Blade is the better option.

Mage Hand 5e: You automatically get this cantrip, but luckily it is great in most situations the Arcane Trickster can find itself.

Prestidigitation 5e: There’s just so much usefulness here for anything your character is trying to pull away.

True Strike 5e: You’ll receive free advantage on your next attack, but it does cost you an action. That makes it generally not worth it.

1st Level Spells

Charm Person 5e: Another tool for the Rogue’s arsenal of deceptive tactics.

Find Familiar: If you go for an owl familiar, this spell may be the most broken one available to Arcane Tricksters. Command the owl to fly down, provide a Help action (by distracting your enemy, for example), and then fly off without provoking an attack of opportunity with its Flyby ability. Help activities give you an advantage on the next attack, so you guessed it.

Hideous Laughter 5e: A wonderful way of incapacitating an enemy that’s causing you problems.

Mage Armor 5e: You already won’t be able to cast many spells with this Rogue build, and Mage Armor is not where you want to be. The AC bonus is negligible.

Shield 5e: The AC also won’t be of much help here, and your reaction is better used for Uncanny Dodge.

Silent Image 5e: A excellent spell that allows you to make something in your environment to hide behind or in, enabling Sneak Attacks. It does require attention, but if your concentration is broken, you are not hiding anyway.

Sleep 5e: Sleep is good at low levels, but struggles to climb with enemy HP. Once you get to above level 5, doing non-lethal melee damage is a far more reliable method to knock enemies out.

Blur 5e: Rogues are somewhat squishy. Take this spell if you find yourself getting hurt a lot.

2nd Level Spells

Darkvision 5e: If your race does not include Darkvision and your allies can’t give it to you in some way, you should take this spell. Fighting in the shadows enables your Sneak Attacks, but how are you going to do this if you can not see?

Hold Person 5e: Requires an enemy from the fray, but if you picked up Hideous Laughter, this would become redundant.

Invisibility 5e: Do we even have to tell you why a Rogue might want to be invisible?

Misty Step 5e: Each class that can get its hands on Misty Step should strongly consider picking this up. Use it for lining up your Sneak Attacks on the battlefield or to escape a sticky situation.

Mirror Image 5e: Makes you harder to hit.

1st Level:

1. Race: High Elf
2. Background: Charlatan
3. Ability Scores: STR 8, DEX 15, CON 12, INT 15, WIS 10, CHA 10
4. Skill Proficiencies: Perception, Stealth, Persuasion, Investigation
5. Equipment: Shortsword, short bow, burglar’s pack, leather armor, two daggers, and thieves’ tools
6. Expertise: Stealth, Perception
7. Sneak Attack
8. Thieves’ Cant

2nd Level:

1. Cunning Action

3rd Level:

1. Rogueish Archetype: Arcane Trickster
2. Cantrips: Booming Blade, Green Flame Blade, Minor Illusion, Prestidigitation
3. Add Spells: Find Familiar, Hideous Laughter, Sleep

4th Level:

1. ASI: +2 DEX (DEX 17)
2. Add Spells: Silent Image

5th Level:

1. Uncanny Dodge

6th Level:

1. Nothing 

7th Level:

1. Evasion
2. Add Spells: Invisibility, Blur
3. Drop Spells: Sleep

8th Level:

1. Add Spells: Misty Step
2. ASI: +2 DEX  (DEX 19)

9th Level:

1. Magical Ambush

10th Level:

1. ASI: +1 INT, +1 DEX (DEX 20, INT 16)
2. Add Spells: Hold Person
3. Add Cantrip: Chill Touch

11th Level:

1. Reliable Talent
2. Add Spells: Suggestion

12th Level:

1. ASI: +2 INT (INT 18)

13th Level:

1. Versatile Trickster
2. Add Spells: Hypnotic Pattern

14th Level:

1. Blind sense
2. Add Spells: Fly

15th Level:

1. Slippery Mind

16th Level:

1. Add Spells: Fear
2. ASI: +2 INT (INT 20)

17th Level:

1. Spell Thief

18th Level:

1. Elusive

19th Level:

1. Add Spells: Greater Invisibility

20th Level:

1. ASI: +2 CON (CON 14)
2. Add Spells: Evard’s Black Tentacles
3. Stroke of Luck

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by webnews21 (@web_news21)

(Arcane Trickster 5e)

ROLES

These are the things each character can do well. As an Arcane Trickster 5e, this is what you want to be:

Striker: This is the man that deals high amounts of damage to a single target at a time. No matter what you do, this has to be covered. As a rogue, you have the foundations for that (Sneak Attack and Cunning Action) covered. The main tools the AT brings to the table in this aspect are Booming Blade and Versatile Trickster, but some other spells can be of help. Multiclassing and feats are good here.

Skillmonkey: With 4 class skills, Expertise, dependable Talent, and spells, others will expect you to resolve exploration and interaction issues for them. This job has many subdivisions, but so long as you excel in at least one of them you are ready to go.

Note that the value of all those roles is campaign-dependant; at a classical dungeon crawl, there is not much value in being a face, for example.

Brain

• Skills you need: Nature, Religion
• Start to raises Intelligence.

Face

• Skills you need Deception/Persuasion, Insight.
• Skills you need Persuasion/Deception, Intimidation.

Statto raise: Charisma

Scout/Thief

Skills you need: Sleight of Hand

Statto raise: Wisdom

5e Arcane Trickster spell

Trapsmith

Skills you need Perception, Investigation, Thieves’ Tools.

Skills you want: Arcana

Start to increase: Intelligence

Wildman

Skills you need: Survival, Perception

Skills you want: Nature, Herbalism Kit

Start to raise: Wisdom

Whatever happens, both of these roles must be dealt with by you, or there is a high chance you will be a liability to the party.

Other optional roles for you are:

• Controller: This is the guy that debuffs, locks, and annoys the enemy general. You can kind of do this before level 9, and you then can be quite good at it. With spells such as Hold Person, Suggestion, and Hypnotic Pattern, you can wreck an encounter under the right conditions.

• Tank: this is the guy that diverts the enemy’s attention to keep other party members safe. Based on your party, you might be shoehorned into this function. You’ll need a high Constitution (greater than 14) and good AC. Still, with Cunning Action, Uncanny Dodge and Evasion in your pocket, you ought to do well despite lacking a greater Hit Dice.

STATS

• Power: This is whatever or garbage for Arcane Tricksters. The exceptions are STR-based rogues that wish to concentrate on grappling/shoving, in which case they may want this greater than DEX. I wouldn’t advise that unless you know what you’re planning to do, but more on that later.

That governs initiative (going first never hurts if you can Ready an action), DEX saves (where you shine), attack rolls (you do not want to overlook that backstab), damage rolls, and important skills/ tools. Make sure that you start with 15 here (16 would be right, but sometimes you need a race that doesn’t offer a DEX bonus).

• Constitution: Important in everyone’s life, and you are not any different. Aim to start with 14, or at the very least 12. At higher levels, your concentration spells will also rely on it.

• Intelligence: This tells you how good your knowledge abilities and spells are, both in terms of integrity (for illusions), difficulty (for enchantment), and something else for others. Note it is possible to play a low-Intelligence AT, but that diminishes both your rewarding spells as well as the value of Magical Ambush significantly.

• Wisdom: Not vital, but with important skills like Perception and Insight and an important save tied to it. You don’t want it for the red. 10 to 12 should be fine.

• Charisma: Ask yourself two questions: 1) Do I want to be the face of the party? If yes for both, aim for 14; if yes for the first; a 12 and Expertise get you there; differently, dump it.

RACES

• Aarakocra (EE): Well, +2DEX and at-will flight sell this easily… but it’s DM dependent.

• Aasimar (DMG): CHA and WIS? Meh. The rest is not enough to warrant choosing it.

• Aasimar (Volo’s): +2CHA blows, but the rest (dark vision, two resistances, some minor recovery per long rest, and a cantrip) is ok. Only look at these if you have some use for CHA.

 Protector: Wisdom is not cool, but extra damage equal to your Level and flight are adequate.

Scourge: Pretty much the same as above, but with CON without a flight.

Fallen: STR and a fear effect.

Dragonborn: Nope. “But what if…” Nope.

Dwarves: +2 CON, darkvision, and toxin resistance is good, but not much else is.

Others

• Mountain: This is most likely the best race for an STR Rogue since it gives you medium armor without having to spend a feat on it. Otherwise, pass.

• Duergar: Unless you are in an Underdark campaign, sun sensitivity will mess you. A shame, because the spell-like abilities are nice.

Elves: A DEX race with charm resistance, dark vision, and a bonus ability. Up to now, awesome.

Arcane Trickster 5e

• High Elf: Your key stats are coated with +1 to INT, and a bonus cantrip is hard to turn down. Solid. Also longbows.

• Wood Elf: +1 WIS, which is not great, but hiding within natural phenomena and moving faster is great.

• Drow: +1 CHA and sunlight sensitivity… damn. The bonus spells are nice, though.

• Eladrin (DMG): Pretty similar to the High Elf, except for Misty Step 1/day, which is timelessly nice and provides another option of 2nd-level spell at level 8.

• Firbolg (Volo’s): +2WIS and +1STR, meh. Cool. Short rest invisibility? Decent. A fantastic race except for the starting stats.

Genasi (EE): +2 to CON? Good start. Let us look at the rest:

• Air: +1 DEX and Levitate this a perfect fit for archers, who usually want to avoid melee.

Earth

• Earth: +1 to STR and avoiding difficult rocky terrain… sad. But Pass Without Trace is an enormous spell for a Rogue, so I can not color this red.

• Fire: +1 to INT, immunity to the ubiquitous fire, dark vision, and some bonus evocation based on CON (which is not bad for you). Very nice overall.

• Water: WIS and immunity to acid. I had rather not.

Gnomes: +2INT, dark vision, and benefit on three magical saves?

• Forest: More DEX is great. Talking to animals can be great or useless. But not a bad option.

• Rock: More CON is good for all builds. Take History, of course.

• Deep: +CON, a stealth bonus in rugged terrain, and enhanced dark vision. Could go either way.

WEAPON STYLES (Arcane Trickster 5e)

Based upon your party and objective within the field of battle, you will pick one weapon over another. These are the ups and downs of every style. These aren’t either/or; if you are in melee and can not handle it, for example, moving to the range is a fantastic idea.

MELEE (Arcane Trickster 5e)

• Rapier — d8 finesse, the conventional single-weapon setup. Can’t go wrong with it. Even if you’re STR-based, you still should use a finesse weapon to deliver Sneak Attack, and this is it.

Notice that Booming Blade won’t work with two weapons, though. You’ll only need to dual-wield once you’re confronting high AC enemies and you’ll need some assurance in case your first attack misses. As a guideline, if you know there is less than 40% chance of hitting your opponent, you’re likely better off with no Booming Blade and using two strikes instead.

• Shortsword + Dagger — Same as above, except you’ve got a thrown weapon if needed.

• Whip — If you have the proficiency, it’s d4 damage, but with reach. That produces a Booming Blade setup much more valuable against no-reach enemies s. Still, you will need Spell Sniper to utilize the cantrip beyond 5 feet.

RANGE (Arcane Trickster 5e)

• Shortbow — the typical range weapon, but worse harm than a light crossbow.

• Longbow — For elves and people who multi-classed Fighter/Ranger; d8 harm and the best weapon range from the game.

• Light crossbow — A bit more damage than the short bow. If you’re taking Crossbow Expert, this is the standard choice for its good variety.

• Hand crossbow — The only reason to use this over a light one is if you do not need to drop your melee weapon while still firing from it. Notice that you still require a free hand to reload it.

• Heavy crossbow — If you’re not small and you obtained proficiency with martial weapons, this is as good as crossbows get damage and range-wise. 

Other Spell casting reference table ( Not Arcane Trickster 5e )

Arcane Trickster Rogue 5e guide