I played a rogue for the first time these last 4 days, currently level 19. So please forgive me if some of these are blatantly obvious to a veteran. I think initiate rogues would find some of this helpful, though!
A few basic notes to start with â¦
Attacks & Energy Management: Do not conserve energy unless you have a costly finisher in mind. You should always be spamming your abilities to get things to go off ASAP. Remember that you can change the sound options to turn off your characterâs voice. âNot enough energy ⦠energy ⦠I do not have enough energy â¦â
:blink:
Equipment - Hand weapons: There are many different approaches to rogue building; I decided on heavy combat. For this build, I recommend dual wielding specialization with one-handed swords (or axes). A combination of stat-improving daggers and swords will serve you well throughout the game. Having two weapon types to choose from will increase selection and help you raise dps on demand.
Ranged weapon: I recommend a light bow or gun for pulling. Stealth pulling is slow and dangerous. If youâre not going to backstab the mob, and just want to pull them out of a group, invest in training and a minor ranged weapon. Throws are OK if you want to be cheap.
Stealth: Changing the camera options so that you can pull all the way back (and see about 30 yards in any direction) makes it much easier to see where you are in relation to all monsters. Use this if youâre stealthing to avoid contact with a swarm of mobs, as opposed to sneaking in for a kill. Warning: Mining takes you out of stealth!
Backstab: The easiest opponents to backstab are non-aggressive mobs; no stealth is necessary. Just walk up behind that giraffe/kodo/whatever and give them a whack. It uses a lot of energy, however, so be careful that you donât pull another mob.
Evasion: Increases your ability to dodge. I recommend using this at any time youâre facing a high-level mob or a swarm. If need be, it combos well with Sprint. Try not to waste it because the cooldown is lengthy.
Eviscerate: The coup de grace. Build up Sinister Strikes and then cut loose with this. Will do devastating damage if you get 3-5 combo points built up. However, it can be difficult to save the energy up in a fierce fight, and Slice and Dice might be better if Eviscerate is not going to kill.
Gouge: This move is confusing at first. It stuns the opponent into inactivity, but if you attack, it is cancelled. It is basically used either to build back energy in a 1-on-1 confrontation, or to end combat and run. Often followed with Sprint.
Pick Pocket: Only works on humans and humanoids, and is worthless to begin with. This skill pays off in instances, especially when youâre not getting much loot, because it draws from a separate treasure table and it doesnât âstealâ treasure from the group. It basically gives minor bonus items, such as gems. Some quests require practice of this skill.
Sinister Strike: Good for building up combo points. I usually recommend getting 3 combo points before ending with an Eviscerate.
Slice and Dice: Finishing move that increases attack speed. If youâre facing an agile or high-level mob and you canât land many hits, I recommend frequent Slice and Dice activations over an Eviscerate. Youâll land more blows and do more overall damage.
Sprint: This is your life-saving skill â sprint away from the opponent until their image icon disappears from your screen, then a few seconds more. You can return after you heal and stealth/approach again. Some people recommend this for speeding up travel, but I do not. It has a long cooldown and you never know when youâre going to need it. Save it for emergencies, unless you are certain youâll only be in town for the next 5 minutes or so.
The rogue's paradigm: Eat what you kill. Maximize each kill's efficiency with rapid and effective combos. If you played a D2 assassin, you'll like the rogue. And be sure to get the most out of each kill with pick pocketing, skinning, and especially mining of the nearby areas - that smelted ore can be worth a fortune!
:shuriken:
A few basic notes to start with â¦
Attacks & Energy Management: Do not conserve energy unless you have a costly finisher in mind. You should always be spamming your abilities to get things to go off ASAP. Remember that you can change the sound options to turn off your characterâs voice. âNot enough energy ⦠energy ⦠I do not have enough energy â¦â
:blink:
Equipment - Hand weapons: There are many different approaches to rogue building; I decided on heavy combat. For this build, I recommend dual wielding specialization with one-handed swords (or axes). A combination of stat-improving daggers and swords will serve you well throughout the game. Having two weapon types to choose from will increase selection and help you raise dps on demand.
Ranged weapon: I recommend a light bow or gun for pulling. Stealth pulling is slow and dangerous. If youâre not going to backstab the mob, and just want to pull them out of a group, invest in training and a minor ranged weapon. Throws are OK if you want to be cheap.
Stealth: Changing the camera options so that you can pull all the way back (and see about 30 yards in any direction) makes it much easier to see where you are in relation to all monsters. Use this if youâre stealthing to avoid contact with a swarm of mobs, as opposed to sneaking in for a kill. Warning: Mining takes you out of stealth!
Backstab: The easiest opponents to backstab are non-aggressive mobs; no stealth is necessary. Just walk up behind that giraffe/kodo/whatever and give them a whack. It uses a lot of energy, however, so be careful that you donât pull another mob.
Evasion: Increases your ability to dodge. I recommend using this at any time youâre facing a high-level mob or a swarm. If need be, it combos well with Sprint. Try not to waste it because the cooldown is lengthy.
Eviscerate: The coup de grace. Build up Sinister Strikes and then cut loose with this. Will do devastating damage if you get 3-5 combo points built up. However, it can be difficult to save the energy up in a fierce fight, and Slice and Dice might be better if Eviscerate is not going to kill.
Gouge: This move is confusing at first. It stuns the opponent into inactivity, but if you attack, it is cancelled. It is basically used either to build back energy in a 1-on-1 confrontation, or to end combat and run. Often followed with Sprint.
Pick Pocket: Only works on humans and humanoids, and is worthless to begin with. This skill pays off in instances, especially when youâre not getting much loot, because it draws from a separate treasure table and it doesnât âstealâ treasure from the group. It basically gives minor bonus items, such as gems. Some quests require practice of this skill.
Sinister Strike: Good for building up combo points. I usually recommend getting 3 combo points before ending with an Eviscerate.
Slice and Dice: Finishing move that increases attack speed. If youâre facing an agile or high-level mob and you canât land many hits, I recommend frequent Slice and Dice activations over an Eviscerate. Youâll land more blows and do more overall damage.
Sprint: This is your life-saving skill â sprint away from the opponent until their image icon disappears from your screen, then a few seconds more. You can return after you heal and stealth/approach again. Some people recommend this for speeding up travel, but I do not. It has a long cooldown and you never know when youâre going to need it. Save it for emergencies, unless you are certain youâll only be in town for the next 5 minutes or so.
The rogue's paradigm: Eat what you kill. Maximize each kill's efficiency with rapid and effective combos. If you played a D2 assassin, you'll like the rogue. And be sure to get the most out of each kill with pick pocketing, skinning, and especially mining of the nearby areas - that smelted ore can be worth a fortune!
:shuriken: