Beginner's guide to playing a rogue

You've just decided you want to be a rogue. This is guide is straightforward and designed to help new and experienced players start with strong stats and how to round out the skills you want as you train.

Race

The races that work best with the rogue class, in order, will be Elf, Halfling, Gnome, Half-elf, Human, and Aelotoi. Why are these the best for rogues? The other classes are slower or more mystical than useful. Why in this order? Dexterity, Agility, and Strength are most important with the first few levels or a rogues adventure.

It may still be difficult to choose, and you may find yourself asking, "OK, but which one is best for me?" Try to imagine what you want your rogue to be able to do. I focus on 2 main ideas, Melee or Ranged and Combat Maneuver or Trading.

If you want to focus more on:

• Melee, choose one of the taller classes such as Human or Half-elf. Equal dexterity with strength
• Ranged, choose one of the fastest classes such as Elf or Halfling. Higher dexterity than strength.
• Combat Maneuver, Choose one that has more strength such as Human for Melee or Elf for Ranged.
• Trading, Choose one that has more dexterity such as Half-elf for Melee or Halfling for Ranged.

Now you should imagine how you can adapt to your chosen race and become more comfortable with what to say out loud to a roomful of experienced players. Now is a good time to read both pages of Official Elanthian History

For more helpful lore visit Tomes of Elanthia.

OK, now you've decided your race and how you are going to adapt your character to the world, what's important next? Stats!

Stats

I'm going to show you my preferred stats, why its important to know about this, and ways to get the most from it. This guide starts characters with these as your stats:

• Strength:100, Constitution:60, Dexterity:100, Agility:100, Discipline:90
• Aura:70, Logic:50, Intuition:50, Wisdom:20, Influence:20

The first four stats focus on Physical Training points. The last four stats focus on Mental Training points. This setup will give you the highest amount of Training points for your skills and give you the most power to start your adventure strong. Some might wonder "How?", it's simple: Every 10 points in prime requisites, for a rogue would be Dexterity and Agility, will give you +1 to either physical OR mental Training points. Every 40 points in Aura and Discipline gives you +1 to physical AND mental Training points. Lastly, every 20 points in all other stats gives you +1 to physical OR mental Training points. The most Training points you can start with is 93, split between physical and mental in someway.

Later, when you've reached your 5th level in training, I suggest to go to the local Innkeeper and CHECK IN to adjust your stats to something you prefer. If you don't know what to adjust, then remove 10 points from Strength, Agility, and Dexterity, and put them in one of the following stat sets:

• Wisdom +30. This is preferred for those who want add a little magic.
• Influence +20 and Constitution +10. This is preferred for those focusing on combat maneuvers or melee.
• Constitution +10, Logic +10, Intuition +10. This is preferred for those focusing on trading or ranged.

This is a great trick because it will allow your character to gain Strength, Dexterity, and Agility until it is maxed out at 100 again.

I do suggest to do it once again at level 10 to stay at your strongest and get a little extra from what you're already the best at.

So you've chosen your race and allocated your stats to have the max attack strength, max defense strength, and max training points. What's next? Skills!

Skills

Same as before, I'm going to show you my preferred starting skills, and why you should follow this first before adjusting them to what you want.

• Max out each of these skills at the beginning of each level until level 5:
• Armor Use - To wear heavier armor and help keep damage to a minimum.
• Physical Fitness - for more health and help keep damage at a minimum.
• Dodging - To avoid damage all together.
• Perception - Helps with defense and with attacking from a hidden location.
• Two Weapon Combat - For those dual wielding.

Now max out ONE of the following:

• Edged Weapons - Good against fast and/or living Creatures.
• Blunt Weapons - Good against slow and/or Undead creatures.
• Two-Handed Weapons - Higher Raw damage, slower attacks, more Damage weighting hits.
• Ranged Weapons - Lower Raw damage, faster attacks, more Critical weighting hits.

Allocate any left over points into either Combat Maneuvers or Trading.

Once you've reached your 5th level in training, put 12 points in Ambush and 18 points in Stalking and Hiding. Take from Combat Maneuvers or Trading if needed. For levels 6-9 add the following ranks into each skill you are using:

• Armor Use x2
• Shield Use x2
• Edged Weapons x2
• Blunt Weapons x2
• Two-Handed Weapons x2
• Ranged Weapons x2
• Two Weapon Combat x2
• Ambush x2
• Physical Fitness x2
• Dodging x3
• Stalking and Hiding x3
• Perception x3

Put any extra Training points into Combat Maneuvers or Trading, if any remain.

Now that you've reached your 10th level, add ranks to each skill PER LEVEL such as:

• Trading - First Aid x2 per level, Survival x2 per level, Trading x2 per level.
• Combat Maneuver - Combat Maneuvers x2, Multi-Opponent Combat x1
• Picking Locks - Picking Locks x3 or x2, Disarming Traps x3 or x2, and Arcane Symbols x1.
• Spell Defense, Spiritual - Harness Power x1, Minor Spiritual Spell Research x1. - Extra defense against undead or spiritual targets.
• Spell Defense, Elemental - Harness Power x1, Minor Elemental Spell Research x1. - Extra defense against living or physical targets

Take from Combat Maneuvers or Trading if needed. Each level thereafter, increase all of your skills accordingly. Refrain from changing skills once your 30 day migration period ends, or you will experience a slow and more realistic skill transfer.

Level 10 Ranged Elf Rogue +Picking Locks Overview

Base Stats:

• Strength:80, Constitution:80, Dexterity:80, Agility:80, Discipline:90
• Aura:70, Logic:70, Intuition:70, Wisdom:20, Influence:20

Skills:

• Armor Use +20
• Ranged Weapons +20
• Ambush +20
• Physical Fitness +20
• Dodging +30
• Stalking and Hiding +30
• Perception +30
• Picking Locks +30 or +20
• Disarming Traps +30 or +20
• Arcane Symbols +10
• Trading +Any extra points.

Level 10 Melee Human Rogue +Spell Defense, Elemental Overview

Base Stats:

• Strength:80, Constitution:60, Dexterity:80, Agility:80, Discipline:90
• Aura:70, Logic:50, Intuition:50, Wisdom:80, Influence:20

Skills:

• Armor Use +20
• Ranged Weapons +20
• Ambush +20
• Physical Fitness +20
• Dodging +30
• Stalking and Hiding +30
• Perception +30
• Harness Power +10
• Minor Elemental +10

See Also

• New Players' Guide (a comprehensive beginner's guide for new players of any profession)
• Rogue Guild
• Player Guide Contest

Other Resources

• Midgar's Rogue Guild Erudition

References

• Rogue profession on Play.net
• Rogue guild on Play.net
• GemStone IV New Player Guide on Play.net