View source for A beginner's guide to playing a rogue

[[Rogue]]s are one of the most versatile [[profession]]s in Gemstone IV. The hallmark of the rogue is speed and precision, dealing physical damage while staying securely hidden in the shadows. Rogues are the main [[locksmith]]s in [[Elanthia]] and have access to the [[rogue guild]].

==Character Creation==

===[[Race]]===
The races that work best with the rogue profession, in order, will be [[Elf]], [[Halfling]], [[Forest gnome|Forest]] and [[Burghal gnome|Burghal]] Gnomes, [[Half-elf]], [[Human]], and [[Aelotoi]]. These races have bonuses in [[Dexterity]], [[Agility]], and [[Strength]], key rogue [[statistics]]. 

It may still be difficult to choose a race, 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. 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]].

===[[Statistics]]===
For beginning players, the following starting stats are suggested:
*[[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 point]]s, the last four stats focus on mental training points, and the middle two stats contribute to both types. This setup will give you the highest amount of training points for your [[skill]]s and give you the most power ([[Attack strength|AS]] and [[DS]]) to start your adventure strong.

As discussed in the [[New Players' Guide]], your stats are fundamental to the game's mechanics and will grow with you throughout your career. Stats are capped at 100 so players must balance early power with potential power. In your first thirty days you have five free opportunities to change your stats, so experiment with relative strengths. If you do not 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 for those who want add a little magic.
*Influence +20 and Constitution +10 for those focusing on [[combat maneuvers]] or [[melee]].
*Constitution +10, Logic +10, Intuition +10 for those focusing on [[trading]] or [[ranged]].

==[[Skill]]s==

Different skills have different training priorities. '''Core''' skills should be trained in every level, either once (1x) or twice (2x). '''Threshold''' skills are those which provide bonuses at specific thresholds and can be strategically trained in. '''Secondary''' skills provide useful abilities that each player can prioritize as they see fit. As physical fighters rogues will also rely on '''combat maneuvers'''. The following training plan is the most vanilla version, as rogues are very versatile fighters with a wide range of weapons and tactics available to them.

===Core===

One Defensive Skill (2x):

*[[Dodging]] - Able to dodge physical or [[bolt]] damage completely, particularly by the quickest of races. Able to provide [[defense strength]] while freeing both hands for [[Two-Handed Weapons]], [[Two Weapon Combat]], or [[Ranged Weapons]].
*[[Shield Use]] - Can completely [[block]] physical damage and later [[bolt]] damage. Great for the less agile of races. Can be used with [[One Handed Weapons]]. Shields can also be used offensively via a [[combat maneuver]] called [[Shield Bash]]. 

One Offense Skill (2x):

*[[Blunt Weapons]] - Good against slow and/or [[Undead]] creatures, usable with [[Two Weapon Combat]] or [[Shield Use]].
*[[Edged Weapons]] - Good against fast and/or living [[Creature]]s, usable with [[Two Weapon Combat]] or [[Shield Use]]. 
*[[Ranged Weapons]] - Lower [[Raw damage]]. Fast attacks. Higher chance for [[Critical weighting]] hits. 
*[[Two-Handed Weapons]] - Higher [[Raw damage]]. Slow attacks. Higher chance for [[Damage weighting]] hits. 

General Skills:

*[[Ambush]] and [[Stalking and Hiding]] (2x) - launch surprise attacks from hiding
*[[Combat Maneuvers]] (1x) - provides access to additional combat abilities that cost [[stamina]]
*[[Physical Fitness]] (1x) - for more health and to help keep damage at a minimum.
*[[Perception]] (2x) - Helps with defense and with attacking from a hidden location.
*[[Picking Locks]] and [[Disarming Traps]] (2x) - open treasure chests that you and other adventurers find

===Threshold===
*[[Armor Use]] - To wear heavier armor and help keep damage to a minimum. Six ranks for double leather and twenty seven ranks for brigandine armor are key early thresholds for heavier armor, while 20 ranks provide access to [[Armor Specialization]]s.
*[[Climbing]] and [[Swimming]] - to navigate Elanthia. Some hunting grounds cannot be accessed without these skills, but these areas are generally not for the beginning adventurer.

===Secondary===
*[[Arcane Symbols]] and [[Magic Item Use]] - access spells via scrolls or items.
*[[First Aid]] - tend wounds and skin creatures.
*[[Harness Power]] - provides [[mana]] (particularly useful for some [[society]] abilities).
*[[Pickpocketing]] - steal from your fellow adventurers. Not recommended for the beginning player since they will not have enough skill to be successful against established adventurers. 
*[[Spell Research]] - although costly and thus unattainable early in your career, rogues do have access to two [[spell]] circles.
*[[Survival]] - better fight nature's obstacles
*[[Trading]] - earn more money selling your loot

===Combat Maneuvers===
As [[square]]s rogues have easy access to a variety of [[combat maneuvers]] (accessed via [[CMAN]]), which provide a variety of combat benefits that cost [[stamina]]. Combat maneuvers are a great way to customize your training to suit your character. For example, stealth-oriented rogues would train in skills like [[Dust Shroud]], [[Shadow Mastery]], [[Silent Strike]], and [[Vanish]]. Each rank in the combat maneuvers skill provides one CMAN point, and each maneuver costs a certain amount of points per rank in the maneuver. The Dust Shroud maneuver, as an example, has five ranks with the first rank costing two CMAN points and the last rank costing six. Additional ranks improve proficiency in the maneuver and may unlock new benefits. Some maneuvers have prerequisites (e.g., Vanish requires four ranks in Shadow Mastery) and not all maneuvers are available to all professions. Rogues are one of two professions (the other being [[warrior]]s) that have access to some maneuvers via the rogue guild, which rogues can join at level 15. [[Sweep]] for example is trainable in the guild, meaning rogues do not have to spend CMAN points to use this maneuver (but must spend time training in the guild instead).

==Example Builds==

===Level 0-20 Ranged Elf Rogue + Picking Locks Overview===

;At Level 0
Base [[Stats]]
*[[Strength]]:100, [[Constitution]]:60, [[Dexterity]]:100, [[Agility]]:100, [[Discipline]]:90
*[[Aura]]:70, [[Logic]]:50, [[Intuition]]:50, [[Wisdom]]:20, [[Influence]]:20

[[Skill]]s
*[[Armor Use]] +4
*[[Ranged]] Weapons +4
*[[Physical Fitness]] +4
*[[Dodging]] +6
*[[Perception]] +6
*[[Trading]] +Any extra points

;At Level 10
Base [[Stats]]
*[[Strength]]:90, [[Constitution]]:70, [[Dexterity]]:90, [[Agility]]:90, [[Discipline]]:90
*[[Aura]]:60, [[Logic]]:60, [[Intuition]]:60, [[Wisdom]]:20, [[Influence]]:20

[[Skill]]s
*[[Armor Use]] +22
*[[Ranged]] Weapons +22
*[[Ambush]] +22
*[[Physical Fitness]] +22
*[[Dodging]] +33
*[[Stalking and Hiding]] +33
*[[Perception]] +33
*[[Trading]] +Any extra points.

;At Level 15
[[Skill]]s
*[[Armor Use]] +30
*[[Ranged]] Weapons +30
*[[Ambush]] +30
*[[Physical Fitness]] +30
*[[Dodging]] +45
*[[Stalking and Hiding]] +45
*[[Perception]] +45
*[[Picking Locks]] +45 or +30
*[[Disarming Traps]] +45 or +30
*[[Arcane Symbols]] +15
*[[Trading]] or [[Pickpocketing]] +Any extra points.

;At Level 20
Base [[Stats]]
*[[Strength]]:80, [[Constitution]]:80, [[Dexterity]]:80, [[Agility]]:80, [[Discipline]]:90
*[[Aura]]:70, [[Logic]]:70, [[Intuition]]:70, [[Wisdom]]:20, [[Influence]]:20

===Level 0-20 Melee Human Rogue +Spell Defense, Elemental Overview===
;At Level 0
Base [[Stats]]:
*[[Strength]]:100, [[Constitution]]:60, [[Dexterity]]:100, [[Agility]]:100, [[Discipline]]:90
*[[Aura]]:70, [[Logic]]:50, [[Intuition]]:50, [[Wisdom]]:20, [[Influence]]:20

[[Skill]]s:
*[[Armor Use]] +4
*[[Ranged]] Weapons +4
*[[Physical Fitness]] +4
*[[Dodging]] +6
*[[Perception]] +6
*[[Combat Maneuvers]] +Any extra points

;At Level 10
Base [[Stats]]:
*[[Strength]]:90, [[Constitution]]:60, [[Dexterity]]:90, [[Agility]]:90, [[Discipline]]:90
*[[Aura]]:70, [[Logic]]:50, [[Intuition]]:50, [[Wisdom]]:50, [[Influence]]:20

[[Skill]]s:
*[[Armor Use]] +22
*[[Shield Use]] +22
*[[Edged Weapons]] +22
*[[Ambush]] +22
*[[Physical Fitness]] +22
*[[Stalking and Hiding]] +33
*[[Perception]] +33
*[[Combat Maneuvers]] +Any extra points

;At Level 15
[[Skill]]s:
*[[Armor Use]] +30
*[[Ranged]] Weapons +30
*[[Ambush]] +30
*[[Physical Fitness]] +30
*[[Dodging]] +45
*[[Stalking and Hiding]] +45
*[[Perception]] +45
*[[Harness Power]] +5
*[[Minor Elemental]] +10
*[[Combat Maneuver]] +Any extra points.

;At Level 20
Base [[Stats]]:
*[[Strength]]:80, [[Constitution]]:60, [[Dexterity]]:80, [[Agility]]:80, [[Discipline]]:90
*[[Aura]]:70, [[Logic]]:50, [[Intuition]]:50, [[Wisdom]]:80, [[Influence]]:20

==Tactics==

Just as important as stats and training are a rogue's tactics. Having the best build ever won't get you very far if you just stand in the open whacking at critters in stance offensive. Starting out, simple stance dancing will be enough, but as you gain levels, you'll want to refine your tactics as you encounter new foes. 

Whether you chose a melee or ranged build, it's important to remember that rogues are designed to kill quickly, taking advantage of the shadows to inflict critical wounds to vulnerable parts of an enemy that either disable or kill them outright. The shadows as well as good timing also serve to keep a rogue save from the attacks of their foes. Below are general tips to help develop your tactics as well as ones more specific to ranged and melee builds. 

===General===

*Timing is important. Try to always stay in [[stance]] defensive and/or in the shadows until a critter performs some sort of action, then immediately switch to offensive and attack. This will allow you to get back into a defensive stance or the shadows before the critter can attack.

*Know when to retreat. If there are too many critters in the room to keep them all incapacitated and it becomes difficult to time your attacks to avoid theirs, there's no shame in stepping a room or two away and picking them off in more favorable circumstances.

*Learn what body parts are most vulnerable to the weapon you're using and focus on them. For most critters this will be the eyes, head, and/or neck.  

===Melee===

*Some critters will be too tall to go straight for the eyes or head. Attacking their legs or using a maneuver such as [[Shield Bash]] or [[Hamstring]] can bring those body parts into range.

*Don't automatically go for the weapon that hits the hardest. Once you have the skill to reliably [[AIM (verb)|aim]] for the eyes weapons such as [[dagger]]s or [[rapier]]s are faster, easier to aim, and can easily crit kill, esp when used on lightly armored critters.

*Ambush from hiding to push down the critter's stance and inflict bigger crits.

===Ranged===

*Stick to the shadows as soon as you can reliably avoid detection or falling out of the shadows when firing (somewhere between levels 15-25, depending on your training and what you're hunting). Critters can't attack what they can't find and AIMing your shots from hiding will lower their DS via a stance pushdown.

*Use the biggest bow that you can fire with an RT of 5 seconds or less so you can get back into the shadows when you fall out of hiding. Long bows are ideal, but if your [[STR]] isn't high enough to get your DS down to at least 5 seconds going with a short or composite bow will be a better choice.

*CMAN [[Vanish|VANISH]] is your friend. Getting stuck in the open in stance offensive while in RT is the surest way to die as a sniper, this skill will allow you to get back into the shadows while still in RT

*Crowd control is key. Keep all your encounters one on one when possible and use skills such as [[Divert|DIVERT]] to get rid of whatever wanders in. Up to three critters can be manageable if you can keep at least two of them stunned, prone, or otherwise incapacitated. More then that and the best move is likely to step into another room.

*Aim for the eyes. As soon as you can reliably hit the eyes with AIMed shots (around level 25ish), go for it. Puncture crits to the eyes are the most reliable way to ensure a one-shot kill and, with a high enough endroll, it's a guaranteed death crit.

==See Also==
*[[New Players' Guide]] (a comprehensive beginner's guide for new players of any profession)
*[[Rogue Guild]]
*[[Player Guide Contest]]
*[[Starchitin's rogue sniper guide]]

[[Category:Guides]]
[[Category:Rogue]]
[[Category:Professional Guides]]
[[Category:New Player| ]]