Baldur's Gate 3: Best Swashbuckler Rogue Build guide

Introduced in Patch 8, the Swashbuckler Rogue in Baldur's Gate 3 is one of the flashiest subclasses. With high mobility and extra Sneak Attack setups, this pirate-inspired swordmaster leans into fast movement, high initiative, and consistent melee pressure.

This guide outlines everything necessary to create a pure Swashbuckler, covering optimal stats, items, leveling, and multiclass options.

Note: This build guide is a work in progress and will be updated.

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Pros and cons of a pure Swashbuckler Rogue in Baldur's Gate 3

Fancy Footwork feature for Swashbuckler (Image via Larian Studios)

Pros

Here’s what makes a pure Swashbuckler Rogue an absolute menace:

• High mobility thanks to Fancy Footwork and Dash as a bonus action.
• With Sneak Attack and added mobility, Swashbucklers inflict impressive damage on enemies, especially in melee combat.
• Great single-target damage and initiative control.

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Cons

There are a few weaknesses to keep in mind:

• Lacks crowd control or AoE damage.
• It can be squishy if you don't invest in defensive gear.
• Falls off in pure damage compared to multiclass Fighters.
• The Swashbuckler’s effectiveness relies heavily on positioning, meaning mistakes can be costly.

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Best race for Swashbuckler Rogue in Baldur's Gate 3

High Elf is the best choice for a Swashbuckler Rogue due to its weapon proficiencies and access to the powerful Booming Blade cantrip from Patch 8. This allows you to deal bonus thunder damage when enemies move, perfectly complementing the Swashbuckler’s hit-and-run playstyle.

Alternatively, Githyanki offers weapon proficiencies and mobility spells like Misty Step, but lacks a bonus cantrip and Darkvision. Half-Orc is also a solid option, with Savage Attacks enhancing critical hit damage, ideal for high-risk melee combat.

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Best starting attributes for the Swashbuckler Rogue build in Baldur's Gate 3

Here’s your stat line at character creation:

• Dexterity: 17 (boost to 18 with Auntie Ethel’s boon)
• Charisma: 14
• Constitution: 16
• Wisdom: 12
• Intelligence: 10
• Strength: 8

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Attribute progression

• Level 4: Increase Dexterity to 18 using the Ability Score Improvement (ASI).
• Level 8: Take another ASI to boost Dexterity to 20.
• Level 12: At this point, you can increase your Constitution or Charisma to further support survivability or dialogue options.

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Best skills to take for Swashbuckler Rogue in Baldur's Gate 3

Swashbucklers are skill machines. You want both utility and combat power:

• Stealth
• Perception
• Acrobatics
• Deception
• Sleight of Hand
• Persuasion

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Baldur's Gate 3 pure Swashbuckler Rogue leveling guide (1-12)

Dual with the enemy (Image via Larian Studios)

Level 1

You start with Sneak Attack, which boosts your damage when you have an Advantage. If you're a Half-Elf, use Booming Blade for melee and equip a ranged weapon.

• Skill Focus: Sleight of Hand and Stealth.

Level 2

Unlock Cunning Action for mobility:

• Hide (Stealth)
• Dash (double movement)
• Disengage (avoid Opportunity Attacks).

Equip dual-wielded shortswords or daggers.

Level 3

Unlock Swashbuckler:

• Fancy Footwork (no Opportunity Attacks after a melee hit)
• Rakish Audacity (+2 to initiative and no need for Advantage to trigger Sneak Attack).

Level 4

Take Dirty Tricks for bonus action, disarm or blind effects. Choose a feat like Duel Wielder for extra weapon options or Ability Score Improvement (+2 Dexterity).

Level 5

Multiclass into Fighter to get Second Wind (self-heal) and the Two-Weapon Fighting Style (+Ability Modifier to offhand attacks).

Level 6

Unlock Action Surge for an extra action on your turn. Great for extra attacks.

Level 7

Pick Champion Fighter for Improved Critical Hit, lowering the roll needed for a critical hit.

Level 8

You need to increase your Dexterity by +2. In Act 3, use the Mirror of Loss to hit 20 Dexterity.

Level 9

Unlock Extra Attack, allowing you to attack twice per turn.

Level 10

Take the Alert Feat for +5 initiative and immunity to surprise.

Level 11

Get Remarkable Athlete, improving your physical checks and jump distance.

Level 12

Take Savage Attacker for rerolling damage dice and choosing the highest result.

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Best multiclassing options for Swashbuckler Rogue in Baldur's Gate 3

The best multiclass options for a Swashbuckler are melee-focused: Battlemaster Fighter, Champion Fighter, or Gloomstalker Ranger. A 5-level dip into any of these grants Extra Attack, which greatly boosts damage output. Also, avoid spellcasters and don’t go beyond 5 levels, as Rogue level 7 gives Evasion, a key defensive tool.

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Best items that synergize for Swashbuckler Rogue in Baldur's Gate 3

Act 1 (Beginner): Best gear

Slot	Item Name	Effect
Head	Shadow of Menzoberranzan	Invisibility Spell
Cape	Deathstalker Mantle (optional)	Invisibility on Kill
Chest	Drow Studded Leather Armour	12 AC
Gloves	Gloves of the Growling Underdog	Advantage on Melee Attacks
Boots	Disintegrating Night Walkers	Free Misty Step
Necklace	Broodmother’s Revenge	Deal 1d6 damage when healed
Ring	Crusher’s Ring	Increased Movement Speed
Ring	Caustic Band	Adds Poison Damage
Weapon 1 (Main Hand)	Phalar Aluve	Unlocks a Special Attack
Off-Hand	Knife of the Undermountain King	Lowers target’s Critical Threshold
Weapon 2 (Ranged)	Titanstring Bow	Adds Strength to Damage

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Act 3 (Advanced): Best gear

Slot	Item Name	Effect
Head	Helme of Grit	Gain a Bonus Action
Cape	Cloak of Protection	+1 AC
Chest	Bhaalist Armour	Double Piercing Damage
Gloves	Legacy of the Masters	+2 to Attack Rolls
Boots	Helldusk Boots	Enhanced Mobility
Necklace	Amulet of Bhaal	Inflicts Bleeding
Ring	Killer’s Sweetheart	Grants Auto Critical
Ring	Risky Ring	Advantage on Attacks
Weapon 1 (Main Hand)	Crimson Mischief	Adds Necrotic Damage
Off-Hand	Bloodthirst	Lowers Critical Hit Threshold
Weapon 2 (Ranged)	Darkfire Shortbow	Grants Haste

Item break-points

• Act 1: Get the Disintegrating Night Walkers and Phalar Aluve as early as possible.
• Act 2: Grab the Gloves of the Growling Underdog for melee advantage.
• Act 3: Transition to Bhaalist and Helldusk set. Grab Killer’s Sweetheart from House of Hope.

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Swashbuckler Rogue compared to other Rogue subclasses

Subclass	Primary Focus	Verdict
Thief	Bonus actions and utility	Excellent for dual-wielding and maximising bonus action usage, with an emphasis on quick movements and item utility.
Assassin	Ambush and critical hits	Best when performing surprise attacks or in the first round of combat, maximizing damage with critical hits.
Arcane Trickster	Magic utility and crowd control	Provides spells for utility and control, though it sacrifices some of the Rogue's burst potential in favor of magical versatility.
Swashbuckler	Melee finesse and one-on-one duels	Good at 1v1 combat with high mobility and charm abilities, focusing on agility and initiative to dominate in duels.

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Is the Baldur's Gate 3 Swashbuckler Rogue viable for solo play?

Swashbucklers can blind their enemy (Image via Larian Studios)

Yes, the Swashbuckler is viable for solo play, especially if you enjoy melee combat and consistent sneak attack damage. Rakish Audacity ensures you land sneak attacks within 1.5 meters, and Dirty Trick adds extra utility.

However, for optimal performance, you'll likely need to multiclass since the Swashbuckler struggles at range and lacks the durability for tougher fights. It works well in close combat but benefits from multiclassing for sustained solo play.

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Which companions should you run with a Swashbuckler Rogue in Baldur's Gate 3?

Here’s a good party for a pure Swashbuckler run:

• Gale (Evocation Wizard) – AoE and support
• Lae’zel (Battle Master Fighter) – Frontline tank
• Shadowheart (Light Cleric) – Healing, support, and control

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That concludes our guide into creating your ideal Swashbuckler Rogue build in Baldur's Guide 3.