Looking for some advice/help.

[Poetry1234]

I'm returning after about four years and am finding myself lost in regards to hunting tactics, hunting areas, locksmithing, training plans, even what weapons I should be using (I found a number of them in her backpack). I'm hoping greater minds than mine will look over everything and offer any tips or suggestions to help me survive outside of town better. Because right now, mobs 20-ish levels under me are kicking my butt.

Important details:
- Currently a TWC ambusher, using OHEs and I would like to stay with that since it fits with her personality and RP, but I'm not against trying something different like archery.
- Locksmithing is important as well, I would like to pick my own boxes at least, if not higher. It looks like I was trying to keep it in the 2.25 to 2.5 range, in addition to having lores. Also if someone can point me in the direction of a locksmithing guide or maybe a script that would be really helpful. There used to be one, I think it was called .lock, where you put in a few variables with your stats and skills and it would calculate lock ranges for the different lockpick materials and a trap range. Anyone remember what I'm talking about?
- CoL Master, only because at the time it was that or Voln, I'm not clear on what the new society offers.
- I have no idea where I was going with my cmans. I know I should probably use them more then I do (which is not at all most times), but I'm clueless as to which I should be getting and how to work them into a hunting routine.
- I'd like to stay in brig, simply because that's what I have but am open to moving in a different direction.
- For guild tactics I'm a master in sweep, subdue, cheapshot and gambits.

Race: Human Profession: Rogue (not shown)
Gender: Female Age: 21 Expr: 3843598 Level: 64
Normal (Bonus) ... Enhanced (Bonus)
Strength (STR): 100 (30) ... 100 (30)
Constitution (CON): 83 (16) ... 83 (16)
Dexterity (DEX): 100 (25) ... 105 (27)
Agility (AGI): 100 (25) ... 105 (27)
Discipline (DIS): 78 (14) ... 78 (14)
Aura (AUR): 87 (18) ... 87 (18)
Logic (LOG): 75 (17) ... 75 (17)
Intuition (INT): 83 (21) ... 83 (21)
Wisdom (WIS): 81 (15) ... 81 (15)
Influence (INF): 75 (12) ... 75 (12)
Mana: 20 Silver: 0

(at level 64), your current skill bonuses and ranks (including all modifiers) are:
Skill Name | Current Current
| Bonus Ranks
Two Weapon Combat..................| 165 65
Armor Use..........................| 120 30
Combat Maneuvers...................| 198 98
Edged Weapons......................| 230 130
Ambush.............................| 230 130
Physical Fitness...................| 198 98
Dodging............................| 230 130
Arcane Symbols.....................| 93 21
Magic Item Use.....................| 86 19
Harness Power......................| 25 5
Disarming Traps....................| 260 160
Picking Locks......................| 246 146
Stalking and Hiding................| 230 130
Perception.........................| 230 130
Climbing...........................| 120 30
Swimming...........................| 105 25
Pickpocketing......................| 230 130

Spell Lists
Minor Elemental....................| 4

your Combat Maneuver training is as follows:

Skill name Mnemonic Ranks
Shadow Mastery smastery 5
Dirtkick dirtkick 3
Specialization I wspec1 4
Combat Mobility mobility 1
Surge of Strength surge 3
Cutthroat cutthroat 2

Available Combat Maneuver Training Points: 16

Also if anyone can offer suggestions on hunting strategies, macros, scripts and areas I would really appreciate it. I think that covers everything, I look forward to your help and relearning a game and class that I used to love. Thank you in advance.

-some rogue

[DaCapn]

I only played TWC rogue for a little while so I don't really have anything specific to say there. CM-wise dirtkick is awesome (as you should know) but I've always been curious about how well hamstring would work. It's a fast CM and from what I understand, it has a dual-weapon effect with TWC. It would be something to consider.

On the lich repo there's a script called lockpicks. That calculates max locks/traps with various picks.

GoS is pretty hard for a rogue to master, especially starting at higher levels. If you're going to be pretty aggressive towards mastering it then you can weigh it as an option. Otherwise screw it, you'll probably just get pissed off.

[JustDan]

A) Get VANISH cman. Right now. Literally. Stop reading this and go get Vanish. Did you do that? Good. Moving on.

B) Can I ask what you're trying to hunt? Your build looks pretty viable to me. Can you post a log or two, possibly, of the issues that you're having? It should be pretty straightforward... hide, stalk, ambush a leg (if you have to) or a head. CM dirtkick anything that's ferreting you out too quickly, use CM Vanish if you don't get a stun (insta-hide, even in RT). Pwn.

C) 2-2.25x for pick and disarm (especially with lore) will get you 85% or so of your boxes, no problem. At least for now. In another 20 levels or so you'll want to up that a touch.

D) You didn't really go get Vanish, did you? Did you think I was kidding? Seriously... NOW. Do it.

E) Sunfist (the new society) is hard to master as a mid-level TWC rogue. Some of the Grimswarm have a ridiculously excellent chance to ferret you out of hiding, and they swarm like literally nothing you have ever seen before. Don't consider that until you're once again VERY comfortable in your skin.

F) At your level I'd recommend Harbingers and Troll Kings. Below Average to Decent treasure, close to the Landing for spells, healing, and raising, fairly rogue friendly (except for all the extra limbs that have a tendency to get annoying), etc etc etc. Basically, just go wherever the Adventurer's Guild tells you to and you'll be where you should be.

[Lord Orbstar]

I see no issue with your training plan at all. I think you just have to knock the rust off is all.

I would recommend moving into metal breastplate, however. That will really help your life expectancy. 90 ranks of armor use is vanilla-nice. You can free up some points here
Arcane Symbols.....................| 93 21
Magic Item Use.....................| 86 19
Harness Power......................| 25 5
Pickpocketing......................| 230 130

You can also knock a few ranks off TWC without noticing an issue and drop your locksmithing skills to 2x to free up points. You will have to play with it and see where the points are at.

[Poetry1234]

Thank you all for your responses. Yes, I picked up Vanish when I next logged in, thank you for pointing it out, it's great. I just have to be careful not to go crazy using it, and run out of stamina for when I really need it. And that lockpicks script from Lich was exactly what I was looking for.

After a couple more days of messing around I think I'm going to have to agree with you Orbstar, it might have just been rust. It's taken me a bit to get back in the swing of things with stance dancing and tactics. I'm also starting to use macros more (a good thing to come out of the time I spent playing WoW?) and find that is helping. I know this isn't the place to ask, but is a website or something to look up and browse Lich scripts with descriptions of them? Typing ;repo list in game is a little overwhelming. I'd like to learn more about some of the hunting and looting ones.

I do have a few more questions:

1. In regards to Arcane Symbols/MIU, when is enough enough? Is there a basic number of ranks to aim for or is it all personal preference?

2. Why metal breastplate? I assume 90 ranks is what needed for it. Like I know 30 for brig, but I'll be damned if I can remember why exactly.

3. Speaking of armor, I get that we can adjust it now for certain bonuses. Is Stealth or Evasion better? Is this reason enough to continue training in it past the ranks needed for wearing X armor?

4. I'm still not sure on weapon pairings, I'd rather not have 5 or 6 different combinations depending on what area I'm in. How viable are daggers against most mobs?

5. Cmans again, I'm wondering about Surge of Strength and Cutthroat in particular. I assume when I got them I had some reason but now I'm not sure why. Are they worth keeping or should I take the points and put them into something else, like maxing vanish or dirtkick?

6. I knew I would think of more. Spells, stop with 404 or get more when there's points?

I think that covers it for now, I'm sure I'll have more at some point. Just want to say thanks again for the help.

-some rogue

[Gibreficul]

-some rogue


1. In regards to Arcane Symbols/MIU, when is enough enough? Is there a basic number of ranks to aim for or is it all personal preference?

There's never enough. Spellburst mechanics alone dictate that. About 30 ranks is good for using anything normally found, but the more you have, the longer the durations. If you're just trying to get by at bare minimums, 8-15 ranks in AS for scarabs, a and that's all ya really need. You seem to look like you're right about where you should be.


2. Why metal breastplate? I assume 90 ranks is what needed for it. Like I know 30 for brig, but I'll be damned if I can remember why exactly.

MBP is 80 ranks. Why? Because it gives you plate DF across the board, and is still considered chain crit divisors over everything but the torso, which has that plate crit divisors. Also, CvA of -18 is really nice, as a rogue is usually scraping for spell defense.


3. Speaking of armor, I get that we can adjust it now for certain bonuses. Is Stealth or Evasion better? Is this reason enough to continue training in it past the ranks needed for wearing X armor?

Stealth is better for sniper builds, evasion is better for melee builds. Both share the similarity that lower armor classes get a better bonus. Stealth will give 0 bonus for plate coverage, which is what MBP is considered. Go with evasion if you plan to wear any form of plate. I wouldn't put much concern until way later down the road in maxing armor for those 4th and 5th ranks in your armor specialization.


4. I'm still not sure on weapon pairings, I'd rather not have 5 or 6 different combinations depending on what area I'm in. How viable are daggers against most mobs?

Daggers are great until you start to hit stuff with scale head coverate (brig) and up. After that, if you're not ambushing, you'll want something with a little more oomph. I'm not well versed in TWC, but when it comes to ambushing with OHE, there's only 3 weapons for me. A handaxe, a short sword, and a dagger.


5. Cmans again, I'm wondering about Surge of Strength and Cutthroat in particular. I assume when I got them I had some reason but now I'm not sure why. Are they worth keeping or should I take the points and put them into something else, like maxing vanish or dirtkick?

Surge is awesome. Unless you have a huge stash of STR enhansives, that's +16 STR (at rank 5) 75% of the time, if you never refresh during the cooldown. Cutthroat is more RP purposes, I haven't found any instances in normal hunting where it's a hands down game changer, although coupled with silentstrike, its usefulness is certainly increased. (I may have cutthroat taints in the ducts if the silentstrike part was implemented back when I was there.) I love dirtkick... and vanish is mostly useful for snipers... as the cost to execute it is fairly high.



6. I knew I would think of more. Spells, stop with 404 or get more when there's points?

You're already spread pretty thin. I wouldn't go nuts over spells until you bring up your core skills more, namely THW, CM and Dodge. If you're looking for the "self worn" status of the spell in burst areas... well, just train more MIU/HP/AS ranks... it's way more efficient, TP for TP.

[DaCapn]

After a couple more days of messing around I think I'm going to have to agree with you Orbstar, it might have just been rust. It's taken me a bit to get back in the swing of things with stance dancing and tactics. I'm also starting to use macros more (a good thing to come out of the time I spent playing WoW?) and find that is helping. I know this isn't the place to ask, but is a website or something to look up and browse Lich scripts with descriptions of them? Typing ;repo list in game is a little overwhelming. I'd like to learn more about some of the hunting and looting ones.

There's a script called repogui. That's probably the most convenient way to browse the scripts.

[Kymbe]

There's a script called repogui. That's probably the most convenient way to browse the scripts.

I'm not finding this, lich keeps telling me it doesn't exist...

[Gibreficul]

I'm not finding this, lich keeps telling me it doesn't exist...

Just use the normal ;repository script. Repogui is great in theory, but any version I've seen is an incomplete list relative to what ;repository has available.

;repository

will show you all the options of how to use it.

Sometimes GUI isn't the answer. (Sometimes it is!)

[Donquix]

A handaxe, a short sword, and a dagger.

I was actually just wondering about this the other day. When do you think dagger eye shots really start to hold their own against just using the heavier weapons?

[DaCapn]

Just use the normal ;repository script. Repogui is great in theory, but any version I've seen is an incomplete list relative to what ;repository has available.

;repository

will show you all the options of how to use it.

Sometimes GUI isn't the answer. (Sometimes it is!)

Pretty sure repogui will show a complete list unless you have the 'tagged' filter selected, which is the default. Almost no scripts are tagged.

And it looks like repogui is off the repo. However, there was a thread about repogui in the lich category. It had a website where I think you could download it. Maybe not.