Need a new hunting style for my rogue

[Tenzle]

Alright, so my little picker is starting to have trouble keeping up with the boxes I bring him, and I'm just bored hunting him, I'm looking for a build that will let me solo hunt well, but is not terribly boring (OHB/Shield ambush is terribly boring).

I'd like to keep 404, and stay close to 2.5x pick and disarm if at all possible (he's open picking boxes for characters around 35 trains)


Here's my current stats:

Race: Elf Profession: Rogue (shown as: Master Craftsman)
Gender: Male Age: 0 Expr: 794728 Level: 26
Normal (Bonus) ... Enhanced (Bonus)
Strength (STR): 77 (13) ... 77 (13)
Constitution (CON): 87 (18) ... 87 (18)
Dexterity (DEX): 68 (14) ... 68 (14)
Agility (AGI): 59 (19) ... 59 (19)
Discipline (DIS): 87 (3) ... 87 (3)
Aura (AUR): 78 (19) ... 78 (19)
Logic (LOG): 81 (15) ... 81 (15)
Intuition (INT): 75 (12) ... 75 (12)
Wisdom (WIS): 88 (19) ... 88 (19)
Influence (INF): 67 (18) ... 67 (18)


So of all the rogue hunting styles, which do people tend to find effective? As I said above he's currently 2x blunt / 1x shield, and its just not all that fun to go out and hunt on him, so I'm looking for something a bit more exciting.

[Beguiler]

Okay, my human rogue started out OHE/Shield/Ambush, fixskilled her to ranged.. She's 60ish now, and can open most bowels boxes, and uses open aiming archery, which has been quite effective. Just an option.


At level 29:
Armor Use (1.7X)
Ranged Weapons (1.9X)
Combat Maneuvers (0.5X) This eventually catches up to level
Ambush (1.0X)
Physical Fitness (1.0X)
Dodging (2.0X)
Climbing (0.5X)
Swimming (0.5X)
Disarm Traps (3.0X)
Picking Locks (3.0X)
Perception (2.4X)
Arcane Symbols (0.6X)
Magic Item Use (0.3X)
Harness Power (this comes later)
Spell Research (0.1X)
Minor Elemental (0.1X) She got 404 at level 30.

[Tenzle]

I had him ranged for a little bit when he was lower in his teens, and it was a disaster, he was hidden ranged but he couldn't hit the broad side of a barn. I thought that aiming did not really get effective till closer till 60.

[Mike]

Budget constraints will stop you from having a terrible amount of "fun" effectiveness. You'll be stuck with the obvious right and wrong paths unless you have the funds for niche uberosity (dual returning hurls, sephwir bows, etc).

[WRoss]

go THW!

[Mike]

Whacking stuff in the head with a quarterstaff IS effective...

[Tenzle]

What i'd heard was that THW was just too expensive if I wanted to pick as well, how do open ambush THW rogues do, do they all just wish they were warriors?

[xt3kn1x]

My friend does twc, with hauberk, voln fu, and still keeps 2x pick/traps. He doesn't, however have 403/404 but can pick his own stuff, which is about all he cares about. I like locksmithing too much to give up 403/404, but if you care about your stuff only, would be a viable option.

[Tenzle]

Yeah, 404 and 2x+ pick/disarm are pretty much all I care about -- the problem I'm having is that I cant get enough xp off just locksmithing to keep the rogue near level to the people he's picking for, so I want to make him a bit more capable out in the world, as it just takes me forever to fry with OHB/Shield.

[waywardgs]

My friend does twc, with hauberk, voln fu, and still keeps 2x pick/traps. He doesn't, however have 403/404 but can pick his own stuff, which is about all he cares about. I like locksmithing too much to give up 403/404, but if you care about your stuff only, would be a viable option.

As it stands, 404/403 are pretty necessary for picking your own locks at 2x picking, especially when you get up around 60+.

[xt3kn1x]

Well, if you want to hunt and have high picking skills, the two easiest and most efficient ways, imo, are archery and ohX/shield ambushing. Other than that you'll be struggling for points. I've never tried open ambush THW, never much appealed to me.

[Anothi]

2xing alone in picking/disarming isn't enough at later levels. It's fine for lower but when you get to higher levels you need 403/404. To be able to keep 403/404 at your lower levels...something will have to be sacrficed. Your hunting will be pretty hindered until you can pull some tp's at later levels.

[Victorj]

As mentioned above, 2x alone would only let you pick up to you level to about lvl 40-45 (shan, roa'ters, bonespear). Around this time, it gets progressively harder, and you'll need lore. This lasts until about 90, and then you'll probably get less than half your own boxes until you 2.5x+.

As for hunting style suggestions, if you're in voln, go with brawling for fu. Tons of easier undead to fu, like miners, bonespear, banshees and then wind wraiths/soul golems on Teras to get you up to 70+. That, and you can save a ton of tps cause you wouldn't have to train in CM as it doesn't effect Voln MB.

If not, I think it'll be best to stick with a sword/board ambush build, whether OHB/OHE/Brawling. Something like

1x armor till 30
1x shield
2x main weapon
1x cm
2x ambush
1x pf
2.5x pick
2.5x disarm
2x dodge
2x hide
2x preception
404
whatever for harness

should be relatively doable at 26-30. If you find the need for more AS, you can drop ambush to 1x and put the points into CM and still be viable. I like the edged route because its the cheapest tp-wise, and daggers to the eye is a pretty fast way to hunt.

Archery is also good. You only have a 13 str bonus, so I would stick with a composite bow. The easiest way for archery would be to leg it first, then eye. I would do something like

1x armor to 30
2x ranged
1x cm to 30 (for surge)
2x dodge
2x ambush
2x preception
3x pick
3x disarm
1x pf
404
whatever in harness

[Logun]

Here is my current setup, I disagree about 2x picking falling apart, I have no issues at all picking lvl 60 boxes right now with this setup without lore.

At lvl 60 I may switch to THW instead of TWC but in either case I will have 15 ranks of MoC such that I can go open group combat or hide/ambush solo combat.

This current build is a lot of fun but I am drawn to THW for some reason:

Race: Elf
Profession: Rogue
Level: 56
Society: GoS Master

Skills:
Skill Name | Current Current
| Bonus Ranks
Two Weapon Combat..................| 216 116
Armor Use..........................| 160 60
Combat Maneuvers...................| 216 116
Edged Weapons......................| 216 116
Ambush.............................| 216 116
Physical Fitness...................| 158 58
Dodging............................| 216 116
Harness Power......................| 70 15
Disarming Traps....................| 216 116
Picking Locks......................| 216 116
Stalking and Hiding................| 216 116
Perception.........................| 158 58
Climbing...........................| 120 30
Swimming...........................| 50 10
Training Points: 55 Phy 65 Mnt

Stats: Normal (Bonus) ... Enhanced (Bonus)
Strength (STR): 99 (24) ... 99 (24)
Constitution (CON): 99 (24) ... 99 (24)
Dexterity (DEX): 99 (29) ... 104 (32)
Agility (AGL): 99 (39) ... 104 (42)
Discipline (DIS): 90 (5) ... 90 (5)
Aura (AUR): 96 (28) ... 96 (28)
Logic (LOG): 87 (18) ... 87 (18)
Intuition (INT): 63 (6) ... 63 (6)
Wisdom (WIS): 78 (14) ... 78 (14)
Influence (INF): 55 (12) ... 55 (12)

[Tenzle]

Alright, after reading through this I think my plan is to just roll up a new rogue and try out a few different styles within my 30. I've got him level 5 sofar, and he's mowing through rats with some dual rapier action.


Something I'm noticing, my routime with ambush and TWC is....variable. I often will have things where i've got a 11 second round time, and then other times its only 6 seconds. What on earth might I be doing wrong to cause this sort of crazy variability in my round time?


Current stats

Race: Half-Elf Profession: Rogue (not shown)
Gender: Male Age: 0 Expr: 28912 Level: 5
Normal (Bonus) ... Enhanced (Bonus)
Strength (STR): 91 (20) ... 91 (20)
Constitution (CON): 61 (5) ... 61 (5)
Dexterity (DEX): 72 (16) ... 72 (16)
Agility (AGI): 72 (21) ... 72 (21)
Discipline (DIS): 91 (15) ... 91 (15)
Aura (AUR): 71 (10) ... 71 (10)
Logic (LOG): 91 (20) ... 91 (20)
Intuition (INT): 45 (-2) ... 45 (-2)
Wisdom (WIS): 60 (5) ... 60 (5)
Influence (INF): 25 (-7) ... 25 (-7)


Two Weapon Combat..................| 66 14
Combat Maneuvers...................| 66 14
Edged Weapons......................| 66 14
Ambush.............................| 66 14
Physical Fitness...................| 66 14
Dodging............................| 50 10
Stalking and Hiding................| 66 14

Any idea what might be messing with my RT so much?

PS using two longswords / a longsword and rapier / or two rapiers, dosent matter I keep getting funky RT

[LMingrone]

TWC is fun, but I've only brought a rogue past 50 with it, so I can't speak about how it works at higher levels. RT will even out eventually, you're only level 5. I went with the same build you have, and snuck in MOC when possible.

[Middian]

Your rate will come down once you get better at your skill. I wouldn't even ambush until after 10...maybe 15, I can’t remember when I started. Stuff drops so fast at those lvls, you are just adding more time to the kill then necessary.

[Mumblz]

3x pick/disarm, 2 percept, 2x ambush, 2x ranged, up to 404, points left over for cman shadowmastery, vanish, and heavy armor

[Rhovan]

Something I'm noticing, my routime with ambush and TWC is....variable. I often will have things where i've got a 11 second round time, and then other times its only 6 seconds. What on earth might I be doing wrong to cause this sort of crazy variability in my round time?

I used to get that when I first started too. Just boost your TWC skills and it will disappear. It's similar to hiding. You should be able to hide in 3 seconds, but when you are young, you can botch it for 10 seconds.

[Loagan]

My rogue is lvl 90 and I only need 1x in perception and 402 and I see everything (everything). I followed along a path that Gib used until cap (I think), 3x pick, 2x disarm, 1x perception. 4 spells needed. I can disarm almost all traps from OTF boxes, and I can tackle any lock from OTF.

Cutting back on your perception will free up a lot of extra tp's for your guy that you could use to put into picking.

[Gibreficul]

I'll second that. Up to cap, I was 1x perception. The tweak is that I was always more disarming than picking. If you've got wedges in the guild, you can open any box so long as you can get through the trap. (Well, except scales boxes if you can't pick the lock.) Now, I'll say at cap, I didn't hesitate to get perception up to 2x ASAP. Coupled with 402, bandit traps get me on very rare occasion, and I can search any sniping critters out of hiding.

[Tenzle]

Rogue is 11 now -- Loving the hell out of him, TWC is great and its tearing stuff up. New qestion that I've come up with is what sort of weapons to use, I was thinking of going Handaxe/Handaxe, and getting a few agidex enchancives. Today I just pulled a Greater Elemental Steam Flaring dagger, and was wondering if it was worth it to try and use the greater elemental weapon, or if I should stick with 2 heavier weapons.

[Gibreficul]

The armor of the target you're attacking should determine your weapon. There's no reason to use a handaxe against robed critters. Until you get high enough in trainings, using a dagger against full plate isn't the smartest decision either. Mix and match, see what works well for each specific critter/armor type, and exploit what you learn.

[goremouth]

I'm planning on swapping to ranged at a later date but as of now I'm THW and I train

1x armor, 1x PT, 2x THW,1x CM, 2x Dodge, 2x Ambush, 2.5-2x perception, 2x stalking / hiding, 3x pick, 3x disarm. I have yet to hide, and just claid-plow or open ambush...maybe without using the stalking / hiding and even reducing some of the ambush you could pick up your spells and still maintain the 3x in picking and disarm, and even lower percept to straight 2x and it be viable. Just throwing it out if you haven't tried it yet.