So, this is my first time playing D&D ever. My friend invited me to join him in the Playtest for D&D Next. I desided to make a Rogue, I have always played Rogues for as long as I can remeber, therefore I will be posting my thoughts and stay true to the Playtest and give feedback. And hopefully help make Rogues better, with my two cents and my perspective on them and my understanding of the rules from the Playtest pakage and with help from the community.
So getting right into it it and after a few rereads I cannot help but feel like there are a few too many redundancies. I am making a Wood Elf (I wanted a Drow 
) Rogue with Background Thug, Rogue Sheme Thief, Specialty Lurker thus giving me..
Traits: Wood;Elf-
Low-Light Vision
Elf Weapon Training
Keen Senses
Trance
Wood Elf Grace
Thug-
Bad Reputation
Theif via Rogue Scheme-
Thief Signs
On top of giving me Class Features for Thief via Rogue Scheme.
Level 1: Thief Sneaking
Level 2: Night Vision
Level 5: Hit and Run
Skills-
Stealth
Open Locks
Find and Remove Traps
Intimidate
Streetwise
Spot (got this in place of the 2nd Stealth since cannot have 2 of the same)
Yes, I know I could have made him more unique. But I based all my choices on the vision of my character and who he is and what he would utilize.
Now if you know the Playtest then you already know what I am refering to about the redandancies. I can see where the D&D Next design team are coming from for a few of their ideas like the Elves racial Traits and having them separate from the others since Humans don't have a passive like Wood Elf Grace they get Thief Sneaking. But Lightfoot Halflings get Natrually Stealthy which is exactly the same as Woodelf Grace AND Thief Sneaking or how Dwarves get Low Light Vision which is (again) excatlly what Evles get along with Night Vision.
Now I can't help but feel like Rogues are getting the short end of the stick here based on just the Character Creation process alone. I know I am speaking out of turn here with not having ever played, let alone battled in D&D to see it all the way through. But again seems kind of silly and to be quite frank...stupid. It is so distracting to me, it takes away from playing.
Like, where is the Backstab? or Pickpocket? Aside from the title, knowing that most of the other races have those rogue like options becuse of thier race (don't get me wrong it makes sense for them to have em), takes away from me being a rogue when pretty much anyone can do what I can if not better.
Another thing. Keen Senses and Spot are the samething along with "Find" and Remove Traps. Another thing that just seems like the short end of the stick, Why is it that my Keen Senses or Spot alone allow me to "Find" Traps? Why not just make it Traps ie. Making, Using and Removing Traps? At the moment I cannot think of a better opinion on Keen Senses and Spot. I'll touch that subject in the future when I have a better mind set on them.
In closing since I am running out of ideas atm. Rogues or Skills in general need more options for customsation or just have Rogues do what Rogues do, better. Adding little perks to seperate them from the Racials and redundancies to make the player feel like he is a Rogue and not have some Wizard Sneak along side with him taking away from the Rogue.
Thank you.
-Alex G.
