Gear-wise, what's next?

[JustDan]

I've got some coins to play with, and am trying to weigh my next move.

I'm currently in a set of 7x max light augmented chain with a nice enhancive helm. I've considered moving down to brig or double leathers... what's the consensus there? I'm a ranged sniper, 3x hiding and CM Vanish, so I spend as little time as possible out in the open. Would lighter armor help me, or am I best served being in the heaviest I can wear?

I'm firing a nice fusion bow, but have been tempted to spring for sephwir. Is it worth it, mechanically? I'm at 81 trains, almost 82, and the only time I have issues is against critters in heavy armor, or fucking earth elementals, who don't have any soft bits to shoot at. Would sighting help against the heavy armored critters (Jarls and the like)? Is there another type of bow that's accepted as the next step up (something significantly BELOW an e-bow)? I know there are wand bows out there, but are there other bows that are just flaring, with plain arrows (not the flaring arrowhead versions, which I have already)?

Just trying to figure out where my focus should be, gear-wise, moving forward.

[BriarFox]

You'd be ok in brig, but I think the chain is better for taking both AS and CS hits when you're in the open. There's really no mid-range bows out there. Sighting will not help you hit harder; it helps you hit your target. GoS's Sigil of Major Bane will, but only against hated foes (earth elementals do count, I think).

My vote -- get some padded chain, get some TD boosters (mage rechargeables, imbeds, whatever), and keep on doing what you're doing. You could work on things to help you hide better, as well -- Unpresence, Darkness, Spirit Fog, etc.

[kookiegod]

Hmmm,

Spring for PPs, get your armor padded, be your best bet to improve your defenses when you do get hit.

Stamina enhancers and TD buffs be nice.

As far as bows, can enchant it up, and put nice buffs in that too. At your level, and assuming you are at least 2x in perception, nah, you'll get nothing out of a sephwir, and wand bows are a lot of work when you can just eblade a bazillion arrows.

~Paul

[pabstblueribbon]

10x DB, lolbrielus.

[BriarFox]

10x DB, lolbrielus.

10x DB is doable -- if you've got $1500/200m or more to spend. Good stuff.

[JustDan]

Appreciate the advice... I'm going to attempt to upgrade my orbs in my bow, and as soon as I get a good backup bow to use in the interim, I'll enchant the stupid thing up to 5x. No point in going beyond that, right? I'm a master fletcher.

I'll also just keep an eye out for padded chain. For now what I've got works pretty well. Once I progress out of the bowels I'll be much better off. Elementals with their flaring punches and Jarls with their insta-fist crush move are the bane of my existence (normally 2 or 3 times a night).

After this, I'm thinking either Nelemar or the Rift... and would prefer Nelemar if I can manage it. I hate OTF with a passion, and would much rather avoid it at all costs if I can. We'll see how it goes.

Thanks again.

[waywardgs]

Fuck fletching. Bring your bow to 6x. Fletching is a waste of time.

Also, if you're dying from stonefist a lot, pad your armor.

[BriarFox]

If you're not casting, by the way, I'd definitely do MBP.

[JustDan]

Fuck fletching. Bring your bow to 6x. Fletching is a waste of time.

Also, if you're dying from stonefist a lot, pad your armor.

Fuck fletching = purchase crap arrows from fletcher in bundles of 100 and eblade them? Does the fletcher sell pre-made 0x arrows?

Padding armor is definitely on the list. Now to find someone willing to part with some PPs for cheap...

[WRoss]

Fuck fletching. Bring your bow to 6x. Fletching is a waste of time.

Also, if you're dying from stonefist a lot, pad your armor.

Padding is half the battle. Training PF is the other half.

[JustDan]

If you're not casting, by the way, I'd definitely do MBP.

I ewave on occasion. Don't use it nearly as often as I thought I would, though. Once I hit 250k BPs I'm thinking I'll downgrade spells in favor of CMans and picking. I've got 130 ranks of armor, though... I COULD throw on MBP now and just not cast (or live with the hindrance).

[BriarFox]

I ewave on occasion. Don't use it nearly as often as I thought I would, though. Once I hit 250k BPs I'm thinking I'll downgrade spells in favor of CMans and picking. I've got 130 ranks of armor, though... I COULD throw on MBP now and just not cast (or live with the hindrance).

Get two good sets -- MBP and hauberk, or MBP and the aug chain you've got -- and just switch out as needed. No armor or weapon will ever be perfect for everything you'll hunt.

[Androidpk]

Tonis set.

[Gibreficul]

Get two good sets -- MBP and hauberk, or MBP and the aug chain you've got -- and just switch out as needed. No armor or weapon will ever be perfect for everything you'll hunt.

I've got a ton of sub-groups of armor stashed away for Gibreficul. DISCLAIMER: Not an archer, not a sniper. I moved around testing all sorts of combinations, including accessorizing torso only. My biggest concern in going backwards in armor was losing TD in the form of CvA. My opinion is that MBP is the superior armor for rogues. It's actually possible to train to cast in it, (202 ranks, +8 armor enhansives, 16%.) I've recently moved from MBP to full plate. The difference when ya actually get stuck in the open is amazing. The only spell I typically cast while hunting is e-wave, so to suppliment that, I just imbed 410 into amulets. It takes a little work, but most of the alchemy shops sell 20 or 30 mana amulets for right around 1k. (20 mana amulets are about 600 coins in Illistim, other towns have 30 mana amulets for about 1000-1200 coins a pop.) If overall survival is your main goal, the heavier the armor, the better off you're going to be. I won't sell my hauberk, I won't sell my MBP, I won't sell my torso chain, or my brig, or my doubles. In the right situation, I may want to swap for any one of those. For now, I'm milling around almost untouchable in full plate.

If I was an archer-sniper, I'd do testing in the hunting grounds I'm currently in. I'd check the perceptiveness of the critters, and see what you can get away with wearing. If you're managing fine in brig, or chain, there's no sense in changing. If you see a major problem, either getting slammed by spells, or popping out of hiding and getting pulverized... well, consider an armor swap. Just keep one major thing in mind... Hiding is not a be-all end-all defense. AE spells happen, and having that extra CvA from a heavier armor group may be the difference between failing a warding spell, or warding it off, and in turn, the difference between walking home and requiring a rescue team.

[whiteflash]

Just trying to figure out where my focus should be, gear-wise, moving forward.

I will toss my vote out there for padding on armor will be the most bang for your buck. I have seen various ebows in action and the best part is not dealing with picking up ammo. At 81 trains you should be firing a long bow in 3-4s at eyeballs. An extra 5-10 AS from using anything above 4x bow/ebladed arrows is insignificant besides being fun to have a higher AS (see reasons in link below). Might make a difference if you were swinging a claid...

The difference between longbow and composite really only show up vs chain and really vs platehttp://forum.gsplayers.com/showthread.php?t=50124. The best advice I could give to make things easier is to pick things that don't wear heavier armors.

I would think that an open archer could just sweep/eye things with good success. Hide when more than 1 show up, though I havn't played a high level rogue since GSIII. My current open bard seems to have zero issue blasting eyes at level 40.

[Kitsun]

If you're having trouble with plate wearers, the answer isn't finesse, it is brute force. Haste imbeds or some expensive equivalent can soak up any arbitrary large amount of excess funds.

[Fortybox]

Do rogues basically get forced into casting spells later on? I'm trying to figure out whether or not to keep my doubles or go for that full plate.

[m444w]

Padding is half the battle. Training PF is the other half.

That depends on how much padding you have.

[DoctorUnne]

Do rogues basically get forced into casting spells later on? I'm trying to figure out whether or not to keep my doubles or go for that full plate.

No. I have no spells, no intention of getting spells, and hunt just fine.

[Gibreficul]

Do rogues basically get forced into casting spells later on? I'm trying to figure out whether or not to keep my doubles or go for that full plate.

Yes and no. That's a pretty wide open question. Later on could mean level 50, or cap, or 20 mil exp. In no way is a rogue required to learn spells to be successful. There is, however, a point where there's nothing else that will increase your AS/DS/TD other than learning spells, at which point it can be argued that you're forced to learn spells. I didn't go past disarm lore until somewhere around 13 mil exp. I'm at 15.5 mil exp, and working on that 26th spell rank, anxiously awaiting that +15 ETD from 430.

As for keeping a set of doubles.... unless you're a sniper build, don't bother. Rogues can get enough armor ranks to cast reliably in hauberk, and MBP if you max and enhance a little. Go for plate!