Classes
Rogue
Sneak-and-backstab — highest sustained single-target melee DPS, plus pick-lock and pickpocket utility.
Rogue is the leather-armored stealth specialist — backstab, sneak, hide, pickpocket, and the highest sustained single-target melee DPS in the Classic-PoP era. A well-played Rogue tops the parse on every named encounter that allows a backstab angle. A poorly-played Rogue is dead. The Rogue identity is positional DPS and stealth utility. Backstab requires the Rogue be behind the target, which means the tank is holding aggro cleanly and the Rogue is actively positioning. Rogues also open locked chests, disarm traps (rare PvE use), and pickpocket NPCs for rare drops nobody else can pull.
Role and identity
A Rogue exists to maximize damage on the named mob the tank is holding. Backstab from behind, dual-wield piercing on cooldown, and Assassin's Discipline burst windows define the contribution. Outside combat, the Rogue picks locks and pockets named for unique drops — including some items only obtainable via pickpocket.
Identity is positioning and stealth. Rogues fight from angles other classes don't get, hide in plain sight to avoid trains, and Evade-dump aggro when DPS overshoots the tank's threat ceiling. The class rewards careful play — careless Rogues die fast.
Strengths
- Highest single-hit melee damage in era (Backstab)
- Sneak + Hide stack — invisible to most mob types
- Pickpocket drops not obtainable any other way
- Pick Lock for chest and door access in raid zones
- Assassin's Discipline / Kinesthetics burst cooldowns
- Evade — instant aggro dump
Weaknesses
- Backstab requires positioning behind target — turned mobs ruin DPS
- No tanking ability (low HP, leather armor)
- Damage drops sharply against unbacked targets
- Endurance management on long fights
- Faction-fragile in Underfoot / good-aligned cities for evil races
Solo, group, and raid
Solo
Moderate. Sneak-backstab opener for first-hit advantage, then dual-wield melee. Rogues lack the avoidance to tank hits indefinitely and use Evade to dump aggro when low. Outdoor solo is easier than dungeon — line-of-sight escape routes matter.
Group
DPS seat. Rogues fit any group that needs a single-target damage dealer. The backstab positional requirement means Rogues do less DPS against a tank who turns the mob (back to the group); well-positioned tanks and Rogues together produce the best parse numbers of the era.
Raid
Top-tier single-target DPS. Rogues parse highest in fights with predictable mob facing — Plane of Fire, Plane of Time. AA priority is Innate Strength, Combat Fury, and the Rogue-specific Hastened Assassinate / Hastened Backstab lines. Triple Backstab (AA) doubles burst windows on Discipline pops.
The Last Camp any-race-class combos
The Last Camp opens Rogue to canonically forbidden races. Iksar Rogue is the headline — Cabilis starting, regen, and racial AC bonus on a stealth body. The race never had Rogue canonically because Iksar were locked to Cabilis classes; on The Last Camp the build works perfectly. High Elf Rogue of Bristlebane is the redeemed-Felwithe build, the smallest faction grind any High Elf has ever been asked to run.
Ogre Rogue is the absurdity build — frontal stun immunity on a backstab body, with the highest STR cap any Rogue race has ever seen. Erudite Rogue stacks the highest INT (rare for Rogue, useful for AA progression). Troll Rogue brings regen to leather-armor sustain, the most attrition-proof Rogue in the game. Barbarian Rogue is the largest cold-resist Rogue, with Halas starting city and a faction-friendly path through Everfrost.
Spell / discipline highlights
Rogues have no spells. Disciplines structure burst windows: Kinesthetics (DPS burst), Assassin's Discipline (extreme burst, short duration), Duelist (parry burst), and the late-game Hundred Blades sustained DPS option. Skill use rotates Backstab / Eviscerate with Sneak Attack for stealth-opened pulls.
AAs to prioritize
Innate Strength, Combat Fury, and Innate Stamina first. Then Hastened Backstab, Hastened Assassinate, and Triple Backstab. Late-tier picks include Improved Backstab Damage and the Rogue-specific Sleight of Hand lines. Combat Stability and Combat Agility round out survival.
Leveling path summary
- 1-15: Freeport rogue guild, or native city. Low-level pickpocket for coin.
- 15-30: Unrest, Befallen, Najena. Dual-wield starts mattering.
- 30-45: Sol A, Sol B, Lower Guk. Backstab progression accelerates.
- 45-60: Chardok, Karnor's, Sebilis. Ragebringer questline begins.
- 60-65: PoP DPS seat. Plane of Fire and Plane of Time rogues compete for top parse.
Notable gear by tier
Early Rogues prize Stiletto of the Bloodfeast, Centi Longsword, and any leather piece with AGI / DEX. Kunark adds the Ragebringer questline, Lambent Sword, and Iksar-themed piercing weapons. Velious gives Coldain leather and the Plane of Growth scout set. PoP endgame is the Time-tier rogue set and Mask of the Stalker. Epic 1.0 Ragebringer is one of the most iconic weapons in the game — backstab-procced piercing weapon with a unique poison clicky.