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The waxwork rogue from Obojima: Tales from the Tall Grass is one of the most unusual and fiery subclass options in the fifth edition ofDungeons & Dragons. Using wax animated by strange magic, these rogues are more than just sneaky — they’re malleable, deceptive, and with many tricks up their sleeve.
With features that let them reshape wax and control fire, waxwork rogues thrive on versatility and thematic flair. Whether you’re playing a simple courier or an originally themed spy, this guide will help you build a waxwork rogue that’s effective in combat and unforgettable at the table.
Waxwork Rogue Highlights
The core of a waxwork rogue revolves aroundtheir Enchantments and Wick Points. As early as level three, you’ll be able to learnseveral Enchantmentsthat are powered by these Points, and you gain more points as you level up.
Other than the Enchantments, which we will cover below, the other features of the classinvolve light creation and improved Sneak Attacks:
Best Waxwork Rogue Enchantments
You learnthree Enchantments at level three, andtwo additional ones at levels five, ten and 15. Whenever you gain new Enchantments,you can replace old ones, and at 13th level, some of themget an upgraded version.
If you don’t know any of the upgraded Enchantments when you hit level 13, you may learn one of them for free, but it might be wiser to replace one instead for balance reasons.
All Enchantmentscost a set number of Wick Points, and your number of available Wick Pointsequals your rogue level. Just like managing the resources of a monk, these points are a constantly growing pool that getsreplenished whenever you take a long or short rest.
Level Three Enchantments
There areso many Enchantmentsto choose from for waxwork rogues, that you should always look them all up and take careful consideration ofyour build and team synergybefore committing to anything. However,with only three Wick Points available, there are some standout choices that benefit nearly all rogue builds.
Delicacy is a great support Enchantmentthat solves all food needs for your party, and lets themheal a D6 as a bonus action. Since it only costs one Point, it is a great way toinvest your leftover Wick Pointswhen you’re about to take a short rest.
Delicacy gets upgraded at level 13, healing a D12 instead of a D6.
Flooding Abundance requires some set-up, but on its own, it’s a great way tocontrol the battlefieldby creating a 15-foot-wide area of difficult terrainfor only two Wick Points. The area, however,is flammable, so you can also use it as a way to deal area damage to several enemies.
Finally,Maker’s Mark is one of the best ways to use your Wick Points offensively, particularly with weapons with the Vex property. Such weaponsgive advantage on your next hit, meaning thatyou can deal Sneak Attack damagewith the Maker’s Mark without needing allies nearby.
Level Five Enchantments
At level five, waxwork rogues becomecrowd-control masters with Detonate, which deals2D6 fire damage and 2D8 thunder damagein a 20-foot area. You could replace Flooding Abundance with this enchantment, butcombining bothgives way to a tremendous fire damage combo.
While Detonate costs three Wick Points, you’re able to spend additional Wick Points to increase the fire damage dealt.
For those looking to embrace the supportive side of this subclass,Shielding Seal becomes a great source of temporary hit points. Just like Delicacy, it is a great way touse leftover Wick Points, although you can only have one Seal active at a time.
Level Ten Enchantments
Consuming Flame becomes available at level ten,working as a special version of Counterspell. When the spell countered is of level three or lower, you canhold on to that magicand cast the spell yourself, although you have 24 hours to do sobefore the magic vanishes.This level is also a great moment to getthe Wick Whip enchantment, although it was available in earlier levels as well. By spending three Wick Points,you create a flaming whipthat deals 3D4 damage, lets you add your Dexterity modifier to the attack and damage, and you may evendeal Sneak Attacks with it.
Level 15 Enchantments
The best Enchantmentsshould already be part of your arsenal, with several of them (like Maker’s Mark and Shielding Seal)being upgraded at level 13. This opens up your options for more original Enchantments,like Iron Seal for locking doorsand items, orBocha Glue Wax for pasting two items together.
Best Species Options
Rogues will always benefitfrom being able to sneak around often, so species likehalflingsthat can hide with ease are always a boon. For a morethematic fit around fire, theinfernal legacy tieflingsare ideal, with access toadditional fire spellsandresistance to fire damage, in case you burn down a building you are currently inside of.
Best Stat Placements
Waxwork roguesfunction like regular ones, soa focus on Dexterity and Constitutionalways goes a long way. From there, you should choose between Wisdom or Charisma as a third stat to focus on, since they havethe most saving throwsamong the harmful effects of the game.
Best Starting Equipment
You don’t need to worry abouthaving enough waxto cast your Enchantments, but be sure toconsult with your Dungeon Masterif you need to buy any special items in particular,like parchments or signet ringsmentioned in various abilities.
Beyond that,the basic rogue equipment will come in handy, but a waxwork rogueworks better when up-close. Having ranged options is always nice, but keep your melee weapons at the ready when adventuring as this subclass.
Best Feats And Backgrounds
When making a character with the 2024 rules for fifth edition, you need toconsider your background carefully, since that’s where your stats come from.The Soldier backgroundgives you the Dexterity and Constitution you need, andthe Savage Attacker origin featwill greatly improve your damage. As for feats, there are many to choose from, buta melee rogue with cunning actionwill be running around quite often.The Charger featlets you dash further,deal more damage after a dash, and you can even opt topush your target ten feet away, provided that they aren’t more than one size larger than you.
Best Multiclassing Options
Multiclassing as a waxwork rogue comes at the heavy cost oflosing possible Wick Points, so you should aim for classes thatdon’t ask for too much commitment.An ideal option from the 2024 rulesis ranger, since that class gainsHunter’s Mark as early as level one, which stacks up with all your regular sources of damage.
