Rogue Ability Scores: Dexterity and Then Everything Else

Dexterity is the whole build: attack rolls, damage, Armour Class, initiative, Stealth and the save proficiency all read the same number. That makes the Rogue the cheapest class in point buy to equip, and it leaves an unusual 18 points to spend on everything else.

The Rogue array, point by point

Where each of the Rogue’s 27 points goes, ability by ability.
Ability	Score	Point cost
STR	8	0
DEX	15	9
CON	14	7
INT	10	2
WIS	13	5
CHA	12	4
Total spent		27

That spread reaches Armour Class 14 and 10 hit points at level 1 on a d8 hit die.

Where Dexterity stops paying for Armour Class

Light armour is the only category a Rogue is proficient with, and it adds the Dexterity modifier uncapped, so Dexterity keeps paying here long after it would have stopped on a medium-armour class. Dexterity 15 reaches AC 14 in studded leather before Uncanny Dodge is counted at all.

Armour Class by Dexterity across the armour a Rogue is proficient with. Every other score stays at the recommended array throughout.
DEX	No armour	Studded leather
8	9	11
10	10	12
12	11	13
13	11	13
14	12	14
15 ←	12	14

No armour. 10 + DEX modifier
Studded leather. 12 + DEX modifier, uncapped

Breakpoints and multiclass thresholds

Sneak Attack scales with level rather than Dexterity, so the 15 is bought for the attack roll, the Armour Class, initiative and the save proficiency, not for the damage the class is named after. These are the scores where one more point changes a result.

Dexterity 15: Attack, damage, AC, initiative, Stealth and the Dexterity save proficiency all read the same number.
Wisdom 13: Perception is the most-rolled skill in the game, and the Rogue is usually the one rolling it.
Intelligence 13: The Arcane Trickster line — below it the subclass casts at a DC the enemy simply ignores.

Scores this array leaves behind

Strength at 8: Finesse weapons, Dexterity saves and Sneak Attack mean the Rogue never rolls Strength except to shove, and Cunning Action already solves movement.

Subclasses that change the array

Arcane Trickster — STR 8 · DEX 15 · CON 14 · INT 13 · WIS 12 · CHA 10: Intelligence 13 makes Find Familiar and Booming Blade worth the slots, and it costs exactly the Wisdom point the base array spends.
Swashbuckler — STR 8 · DEX 15 · CON 14 · INT 8 · WIS 10 · CHA 15: Panache and Rakish Audacity both key off Charisma, making it the only Rogue subclass that genuinely wants a second 15.
Inquisitive — STR 8 · DEX 15 · CON 14 · INT 12 · WIS 14 · CHA 8: Insightful Fighting rolls Insight against Deception, so Wisdom 14 is a combat stat for this subclass rather than a skill tax.

Races that fit this spread

Rogue totals once each racial bonus is added to the array above.
Race	STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
Halfling (Lightfoot)	8	17	14	10	13	13
Elf (Wood)	8	17	14	10	14	12
Elf (High)	8	17	14	11	13	12

Halfling (Lightfoot). Dexterity and Charisma with Naturally Stealthy, which lets the Rogue hide behind the party's own front line.
Elf (Wood). Dexterity and Wisdom, funding the Perception the class is usually asked to carry.
Elf (High). Dexterity and Intelligence — the one racial pair that pays the Arcane Trickster entry fee outright.

The mistake this array is built to avoid

Leaving Constitution at 10 on the theory that the Rogue never gets hit. Uncanny Dodge halves damage the Rogue has already failed to avoid, and a d8 hit die at Constitution 10 is five hit points a level.

Expertise doubles the proficiency bonus and not the ability modifier, so the skills a Rogue is famous for are bought with proficiency choices while the 15 goes to the parts of the sheet nothing else can raise.

Rogue ability score questions

What is the best Rogue array in point buy?

Dexterity 15, Constitution 14, Wisdom 13, Charisma 12 spends all 27. Only Dexterity truly needs the investment, so the remaining 18 points buy hit points, Perception, and a usable social score rather than a second combat stat.

How much Intelligence does an Arcane Trickster need?

Intelligence 13 costs 5 points and makes the subclass spells worth preparing. The Arcane Trickster array takes it from the Wisdom and Charisma the base spread uses, running Intelligence 13 with Wisdom 12 and Charisma 10.

Why does a Rogue buy Constitution 14?

Uncanny Dodge halves damage that has already hit, which means the Rogue is being hit. Constitution 14 gives 10 hit points at level 1 on a d8 and +2 a level after, against 5 a level at Constitution 10.

Should a Rogue buy Wisdom or Charisma?

Wisdom 13 first. Perception is the most-rolled skill in the game and the Rogue usually carries it. Charisma 12 follows for Deception and Persuasion, unless the build is a Swashbuckler, which needs Charisma 15 outright.

Where to go next

Fighter — The other martial that can go Dexterity-first, but with armour choices the Rogue does not get.
Wizard — The Arcane Trickster borrows the Wizard list, and the Intelligence 13 question is the same one.
Every array on this page is a plain 27-point spread, so you can move the points around and see each step priced as you go.