D&D Player Test 6 Rogue Breakdown: Features, Changes, and Balance Concerns
- Dec 12, 2025
- 4 min read
Rolling initiative in Dungeons & Dragons can feel a bit like stepping into The Lord of the Rings, queuing up a stealth build in Skyrim, or watching a master thief plan the perfect heist in Ocean’s Eleven. With Player Test 6, Wizards of the Coast has given Rogues a fresh toolkit that reshapes how these iconic scoundrels operate at the table. In this post, I take a focused look at the Rogue’s main features in Player Test 6, highlighting where meaningful changes occur and how they affect play.
Some time ago, Dungeons & Dragons introduced a new entry in its ongoing series of playtest materials called Player Test 6. This release includes a wide range of mechanical updates. In this blog post, I focus specifically on the Rogue main features, offering a detailed examination of each relevant level. My analysis compares old and new versions of features while sharing my personal perspective on the most notable changes. For clarity and relevance, I concentrate only on the levels where significant feature adjustments have occurred.
Level 1 Feature:
Play Test 6 Features
Sneak Attack: Add Sneak Attack dice to damage. (CHANGE) Sneak Attack no longer needs to be on your turn.
Weapon Mastery: Gain mastery property for 2 weapons.
Review
The revised Sneak Attack allows it to be applied alongside reactions and alternative attack methods, such as holding an action to strike. This change to Sneak Attack is something I find extremely appealing. Weapon Mastery, meanwhile, gives players more opportunities to diversify their characters. Ideally, future updates will include a broader selection of weapons to further support this variety.
Level 3 Feature
Play Test 6 Features
Steady Aim: As a bonus action, gain advantage on your next attack roll. You must not have moved before using Steady Aim, and your speed becomes 0.
Review
Steady Aim is a feature originally introduced in Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything. Previously offered as an optional rule, it now appears as a core rogue feature. I enjoy Steady Aim because it provides a reliable way to gain advantage, whether using a bow or fighting enemies up close. As a rogue, I have used Steady Aim frequently in my own campaigns and consistently found it valuable.
Level 5 Feature
Play Test 6 Features
Cunning Strike: Instead of dealing full Sneak Attack damage, you may choose one option by sacrificing a number of Sneak Attack dice: Disarm, Poison, Trip, Withdraw.
Review
Cunning Strike is an outstanding addition that opens up many new tactical possibilities for rogues. It allows them to approach combat in more creative ways rather than focusing solely on damage. This feature also creates room for interesting subclass design, and in my view, the designers have done an excellent job here.The Disarm option is the weakest of the group, since monsters can often retrieve their weapons without spending an action. That said, thief rogues can pair Disarm with Fast Hands to grab the weapon and escape quickly. Overall, I am very excited about Cunning Strike.
Level 7 Feature
Play Test 6 Features
Reliable Talent: Any skill check roll of 9 or lower counts as a 10 if you are proficient in the skill.
Review
Reliable Talent has been moved from level 11 to level 7, which is a dramatic and surprising shift. This feature is extremely powerful, and granting it at such a low level feels overly generous. I preferred its original placement at level 11, as it rewarded deeper investment in the rogue class and limited easy access through multiclassing. While I still love the feature itself, I believe it would be better balanced if it appeared at level 9 or 10 instead.
Level 11 Feature
DND 5e Features
Reliable Talent (Deleted): Any skill check roll of 9 or less becomes a 10 if you are proficient.
Play Test 6 Features
Improved Cunning Strike: You may now choose 2 Cunning Strike options instead of 1.
Review
At level 11, Reliable Talent is replaced by Improved Cunning Strike. This upgrade allows rogues to combine two effects from Disarm, Poison, Trip, and Withdraw. I can see this working well in practice, though it is worth noting that many monsters at this level—especially undead—are immune to poison, reducing the usefulness of that option.Combining Trip and Withdraw feels more reliable and likely to see regular use. For thief rogues in particular, the ability to disarm an enemy, steal their weapon, and then withdraw has strong potential for memorable and amusing moments.
Level 14 Feature
DND 5e Features
Blindsense (Deleted): You can see invisible creatures within 10 feet of you.
Play Test 6 Features
Devious Strike: Gain additional Cunning Strike options: Daze, Knockout, Obscure.
Review
Blindsense has been replaced by Devious Strike, a change that many players welcome. Blindsense’s 10-foot range made it unreliable, as enemies could simply move away and regain invisibility. Its main benefit was enabling opportunity attacks, which still only dealt basic weapon damage.Devious Strike, by contrast, is extremely powerful. The Knockout option can render a creature unconscious until it takes damage, granting advantage to allies within 5 feet and turning damage into automatic critical hits. In combination with other classes, such as a wizard, this can become overwhelmingly strong. As a result, most players seem to favor Knockout over the Daze and Obscure options.
Level 15 Feature
DND 5e Features
Slippery Mind: Proficiency in Wisdom saving throws.
Play Test 6 Features
Slippery Mind: Proficiency in Wisdom and Charisma saving throws.
Review
The updated Slippery Mind grants rogues proficiency in both Wisdom and Charisma saving throws. This provides meaningful protection against charm effects and similar threats. The change enhances the rogue’s survivability and overall effectiveness in both combat and narrative situations.
Overall Opinion of Playtest 6 Rogue
The new rogue features introduce a welcome level of variety, moving the class beyond simple Sneak Attack damage. Cunning Strike is the standout addition, allowing rogues to influence the battlefield with control and utility that benefits both themselves and their allies.
However, the relocation of Reliable Talent to level 7 raises balance concerns. With high Dexterity and Expertise, skills like Stealth, Persuasion, or Deception can become nearly impossible to fail. For dungeon masters, this can trivialize challenges and remove meaningful consequences from play. Increasing DCs to compensate risks sidelining other party members who lack similar specialization. Finding the right balance will be essential to preserve challenge and enjoyment for the entire group.
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