TWC ambush/picker

[rpg1313]

I'm looking to make my rogue about half picker/half ambusher... if there is such a thing. Really, I'm looking to pick my own boxes... possibly pick others on occassion, but generally not pick above my level. I'm trying to decide what I need to give up of my ambushing build to do so.

As is, I'm planning the following:

1x Armor
2x OHE
2x TWC
1x CM
2x Ambush
1x PF
2x Dodge
2x Disarm
2x Picking
2x Hiding
2x Perception
1x First Aid
1x Survival

6 trains of climbing by 20
6 of swim by 30

Is that sufficient to pick my own boxes? I was considering dropping CM to try and possibly pick up a few ranks of minor elemental... should I shy away from that?

Anyone have an updated guide on picking with all the changes? I haven't played a picker in many years.

[AnticorRifling]

Yes that's enough picking ranks for a long time 2x will do you fine.

No don't drop CM for anything.

Drop FA if you want to save points for MnE.

Haven't seen a good rogue guide in awhile. Hell I haven't even tried to look for one since Bastard and Elf's page went away that site cracked me up.

[rpg1313]

Any picking tips you want to impart then?

I'm pre-scarab, really... so anything added at that point or after is pretty much new to me. I didn't find anything overly useful on the official forums... but I'm capable of reading if anyone wants to give me a hint of where to look.

Thanks!

[Kitsun]

Remember to buy a picking toolkit from the neighborhood locksmith. Need them to bypass some traps.

Pay attention to messaging.

There are certain traps imbedded with little gems that need you to hold a lockpick to poke out.

Scales traps need to be picked then disarmed. Don't open it after you pick it! It will blow up and take people out.

If you're not sure you can disarm a trap, consider taking it outside of town. Fines suck and stack up.

[rpg1313]

Wow... thanks for the FA tip... dropped that in Tsoran's excel sheet and was able to fit in 4 ranks of ME by level 26.

I think I read somewhere about arcane symbols being needed to disarm some traps.... am I going to regret not having that and other secondary skills like miu?

Right now I'm looking at:
1x Armor
2x OHE
2x TWC
1x CM
2x Ambush
1x PF
2x Dodge
2x Disarm
2x Picking
2x Hiding
2x Perception
1x Survival

ME at 10, 14, 20, and 26.

6 trains of climbing by 20
6 of swim by 30

Thanks for the help guys

[rpg1313]

Ahh yes... and is there a lockpicking script that's current with all the traps and whatnot? Did the GSIV changes make script picking less popular? Haven't seen any picking scripts posted round here lately.

Damn... I'm demanding tonight!

[fallenSaint]

Originally posted by rpg1313
Wow... thanks for the FA tip... dropped that in Tsoran's excel sheet and was able to fit in 4 ranks of ME by level 26.

I think I read somewhere about arcane symbols being needed to disarm some traps.... am I going to regret not having that and other secondary skills like miu?

Thanks for the help guys

AS aid's in the disarming of glyph traps and I think Scarabs? Anyhow if you have 404 I wouldn't bother Ive never had issues with them.

And as far as the script picking Im slowly and very lazy style working on a script of my own I just slowly have to remember to copy and paste down the variables for the traps before I can finish it.

[Apotheosis]

in my experience, lockpicking, ambushing and TWC spread the points out too much to be effective..

i would suggest going pure combat/picking or ambush/picking..

the amount of redux gained by 2x pt is really really nice. and wearing torso chain makes you a tank from 30 - 40's

[Kitsun]

Archery and Picking work well together too.

[FinisWolf]

Not that it really matters, but here is a future glance at what your rogue could KIND-OF be...

-- Level 0 --

Strength (STR): 75
Constitution (CON): 80
Dexterity (DEX): 80
Agility (AGI): 80
Discipline (DIS): 60
Aura (AUR): 85
Logic (LOG): 70
Intuition (INT): 20
Wisdom (WIS): 90
Influence (INF): 20

-- Skillz --

Armor Use..........................| 165 65
Shield Use.........................| 230 130
Combat Maneuvers...................| 165 65
Edged Weapons......................| 230 130
Ambush.............................| 165 65
Physical Fitness...................| 105 25
Dodging............................| 165 65
Arcane Symbols.....................| 105 25
Magic Item Use.....................| 105 25
Harness Power......................| 105 25
Elemental Mana Control.............| 90 20
Spirit Mana Control................| 90 20
Survival...........................| 105 25
Disarming Traps....................| 228 128
Picking Locks......................| 228 128
Stalking and Hiding................| 228 128
Perception.........................| 228 128
Climbing...........................| 105 25
Swimming...........................| 105 25

Spell Lists
Minor Elemental....................| 10

I will be getting my last 5 ranks of each control, then catching my PT up so I am at least singled. Once I am singled, I will move quickly to get my rogue to full hauberk, then drop back to PT. I am dancing as I have alot of magic, but damn, I have to say it makes my life easier now, and it will continue to do so in the upper level areas that have spellburst.

Finis

[rpg1313]

I envision my rogue as more of an assassin sort... so I think the shield and heavy armor rogue ideas won't work well for me. I'd prefer to use the shadows as my defense... surely that can't be THAT ineffective later on. Or is it?

I could def. see myself as a sniper rogue though.... I've tried a sniper ranger before, and liked it quite a bit. Would you recommend bow/crossbow... or a healthy mix of both?

[Glavenfyre]

AS helps a lot with disarming scarabs. It also increases their value. If you have spare tps I would definately invest them in AS. If you think about it, 20 ranks of AS to cast any spell you need (and can find) will benefit you a lot. I only have 10 ranks and that seems to be planty for the scarabs.

The thing with scarabs nowadays is, there is no guaranteed successfull disarm so a 151+ wis/disarming won't cut it. With the AS you will get the *scritch scritch* message (can't remember the exact messaging) much more often. Essentially this means you will know that the scarab is disarmed... The other messages are much more... cryptic

It's good that you will have 404 at 26 because at about then you are going to need it to pick your own boxes (Well, depending on what you hunt).

[Edaarin]

Don't do archery.

Don't do archery.

Don't do archery.

Go ahead and drop Survival and FA to 0x. They're just tertiary skills that while nice to have, don't help you even with cash until well into character development. By the time it's worth it, you'll have another reallocation.

2x pick/disarm with 404 will let you pick your own shit for a long time, with a few notable exceptions.

Also, don't do archery.

[AnticorRifling]

My lvl 90 rogue does archery now...

[rpg1313]

thanks guys... I think I've got a plan that'll work for my first 30 or 40 levels. I should have a fixskill by then to change it for later life.

[Edaarin]

Originally posted by AnticorRifling
My lvl 90 rogue does archery now...


Nrngalrhnghaakhgkjhs.

I sincerely hope you're joking.

[rpg1313]

Hey Edaarin... just curious, but what do you have against archery?

[rpg1313]

Alright... one last question:

If I'm designing my rogue for 1-35 or so with a planned fixskill after that, is there any reason to keep going in armor use past being able to use double?

I'm 1x, and it'll be level 30 before I can use brig anyhow... so I'm thinking it'd be a waste. Any other benefits besides using the higher armor that I'm missing?

[hectomaner]

training in armor to get into heavier armor as a square is never a waste

[AnticorRifling]

Originally posted by Edaarin

Originally posted by AnticorRifling
My lvl 90 rogue does archery now...


Nrngalrhnghaakhgkjhs.

I sincerely hope you're joking.

About being lvl 90 or about the archery?

[Glavenfyre]

Train for double then boost your other skills. A couple trains before 29 stop boosting your skills, then at 29 get all of your armor. Rinse and repeat for the next sort of armor you want to wear. If you do it right you will be able to use your extra skills for those few mid-armor change levels. Just be sure to make ample planning so that at 29 you will be back on track.

[Edaarin]

About the archery.

As for my disdain for it, basically really stems from it being a very inefficient way of hunting. Really, can kill faster ambushing, and most other weapon types offer you more versatility. It's nice to be able to switch up between dagger, sabre, and axe in the same hunting area against different things.

That and too many things are puncture resistant.