So you want to play a Rogue

What is a Rogue?

The subtle, sneaky, make it happen kinda of character is often a Rogue. Someone who specializes in doing big damage by supprise from behind. Often masters of poisons and gases, able to foil traps and pick locks, or set traps steal locks.

You won't be great at magic, your armor is so so, your are better at craft skills like Alchemy, and beyond that its all about the right skills.

Pick your normal weapon mix (sword or claws are common) since you will need to be able to fight face to face at least some. Then decide on your specialized attack for and build that up first.

You can be a backstabber if you are agile and able to move rapidly around in a fight so you can get behind the enemy and see both their shoulder blades and back at once when you swing. For that you want to build up levels of Back Attack and Backstab which let you do double the damage of the comparable fighter skills BUT only from behind. Once you build up enough backstabs you can buy Assassinate which does 100 damage from behind and will take down any normal creature without a special defense (although you should expect the big villians and their lieutenants and big Monsters like Kaurathi Trolls will take that and keep on coming.) You can also use those Assassinate's as Dodge'S which let you avoid any weapon or normal packet attack (without the auto win keyword Arcane.)

You can also develop skill in Waylay which can take down a normal opponent if you can pull it off.

Find the right weapon and practice hitting with it just a fighter should, but also focus on footwork and the ability to physically dodge around to get behind your opponents, Ideally in combat you will have a partner who is a fighter, heavy armor, who can engage your foe while you slip around behind and kill it. But that means you may be exposed to the enemy's backfield too, and will be far from your teams healers. So move in and out fast. Perhaps carry some Healing Potions or Elixirs for a quick top up while cut off or playing in their back field.

Or you could be a Gas Rogue, taking levels of Alchemy and throw gas globes which take out any breathing foe. Not useful against the undead or elementals, few of which need to breath, but able to take out any breathing character which is not resistant to poison, and even them most characters who are have a limited number of Resist Poison skills. Herb Lore and Alchemy are what you buy and spend your down time making orange packets and practicing throwing them. With you levels of Alchemy you can also make Healing Elixirs to help out when yo are not around your parties Healers or to sell to other rogues who don't have a lot of Alchemy. (Once you have enough take out gases to lata full event.)

Or you can be a trap and lock rogue, taking skills from the Trade and Craft tab. You take the Pick Locks and Set/Disarm Trap skills and you should practice with the various sorts of lock representations you might encounter:

• A physical lock -- you can buy practice lock picking kits to study this, but be careful about carrying the tools -- local and state laws apply.
• A dexterity puzzle -- electric tests list the old game Operation or the ring around the wire puzzles are often used.
• Simple brainteasers form tetris to Tangrams -- again practice with a lot of type of puzzles -- in this area some mix of having the skills in game and having skills out of game are needed.

Many rogues also master close-in weapons such as dagger and thrown dagger or longer ranged attacks such as Bows or Crossbows. If you are less armored than a fighter it makes sense to kill your enemies from a distance unless you are behind them and can take them down before they act. Archery, Throwing Dagger and racial masteries like Dagger Mastery are useful here.

Over time you will probablt master many of these paths as well as standard face to face combat, but the exact mix is up to you. You shoudl also consider intersting Lore and Craftmans skills that support your plan such as the popular Craftsman: Tracker that a numebr of plot teams use to give hints, added clues to find someone, or even outright access to modules no one else can get.

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