Shield Manuevers recommendations

[stickyfingers]

Been gone for a while and recently returned, at least for this free month they offered. Shield Manuevers weren't around when I left, and looks like they came out a few months after my last billed month. Was just wondering what other rogues used mostly. I use a buckler and MBP w/ 2x Dodging. Ambushing and Silent Strike are my hunting methods. Gave up picking boxes like 30s trains ago.

This is what I decided to put to start:

Skill name Mnemonic Ranks
Small Shield Focus sfocus 3
Shield Swiftness swiftness 3
Deflection Training dtraining 1

Shield Mind(w/ Shield Block), looked interesting, but I don't have required shield types for it anyways. Not sure how useful or just situational that would be. Any opinions on those and/or deflect the elements would be helpful. Steady Shield and Deflect Mastery were the other two I looked at.

My other skills for anyone that was gonna ask.

Skill Name | Current Current
| Bonus Ranks
Armor Use..........................| 180 80
Shield Use.........................| 160 60
Combat Maneuvers...................| 220 120
Edged Weapons......................| 220 120
Ambush.............................| 220 120
Multi Opponent Combat..............| 50 10
Physical Fitness...................| 220 120
Dodging............................| 220 120
Harness Power......................| 15 3
Survival...........................| 5 1
Stalking and Hiding................| 230 130
Perception.........................| 230 130
Climbing...........................| 90 20
Swimming...........................| 50 10
Pickpocketing......................| 220 120


Skill name Mnemonic Ranks
Combat Focus focus 1
Shadow Mastery smastery 4
Silent Strike silentstrike 5
Specialization I wspec1 3
Combat Mobility mobility 2
Combat Toughness toughness 1
Surge of Strength surge 4
Vanish vanish 2

2 Ranks of Armored Evasion also.

From what I remember from before I was 3x in S&H and Perception, then once someone told me it wasn't necessary, I removed some to bump up armor for Haub/MBP, but left rest of skills invested and just let my training catchup til I was down to 2x. Next I plan to get 5-10 ranks of survival. I got away with 0 ranks til now, but figured to get a few ranks then I'm gonna move towards 2.5 maybe 3x dodge. I forget what I was planning with cmans, I know I was waiting on enough points to get next rank(s) of wspec1. I think I planned on getting surge 5 later down the line, and leaving smastery at 4.

[Mobius1]

Shield maneuvers are a tough one for rogues, since they are expensive and we get few points to spend (since we can't 3x).

You definitely want shield swiftness.

One that is nice, but super expensive, is Deflection Mastery. Deflect the Elements can also be nice depending on your circumstance.

You can also train a little shield bash for defensive purposes (since so many things use it on you.).

[stickyfingers]

Thanks for reply. Swiftness will be what I'll keep, not that many points to spare after that one, especially since I'm only 1x.

[Mobius1]

Yeah, the shield maneuver costs are pretty obscene!

Do you have much success using Silent Strike with regular ambushes? I use it with cutthroat/subdue, but the lack of ability to aim made it not so useful for me with ambush. In the instances I really need to get my arse back into hiding, I just use vanish.

As for hiding skill, I personally got from 0-cap with just 2x. In the instances I had to hunt something perceptive, I'd just leave the room and sneak in (And hell, I STILL have to do that even with 3x hiding, in the rift.). Typically it's sniping builds that rely on 3x hiding - but if you kill using silent strike, I guess that is essentially the same thing. But you can always just silent strike + subdue and then aim your ambush (Just not undead.).

[stickyfingers]

It depends what I'm fighting, but I typically use Silent Strike when there are multiple critters in the room, or I'm fighting something that I don't want to be out in the open for any period of time, particularly casters. Most of my stamina is used for keeping Surge up(and smastery if needed). The extra effect with subdue is nice, I only have 40ish ranks right now and unless the critter is already stunned I can't use it reliably on like level targets. I used to have cutthroat at some point before, but didn't use it much, since I tend to avoid trouble some casters. Yeah, I've been sticking with 2x S&H now, anything I have issues with, smastery helps out with.

[Mobius1]

Have you tried using a blackjack or knuckle duster?

Granted, it would also help to get your arse into the guild and finish it!

One thing I like about subdue is the huge bonus it can get from using the right weapons.

[stickyfingers]

Only ever used OHE, never tried any brawling weapons, but when I'm out doing critter reps, always using daggers for the extra bonus. Subdue is being slowly upgraded, cheapshots are two more ranks to master, and then more effort can be put into subdue and stun maneuvers.

[Nordred]

When I messed with shield use stuff on there, I found maxing out a skill wasn't always that beneficial cost wise for the last two ranks.