Help with an Explorer

[Casandra81]

Hi Guys,

I wasn't sure where to post this but there always seems like some good replies in this forum so I fiqured I'd try here first.

I'd like to build an Exploring kinda toon .... what I want to do is to go to as many places that I can, just to explore, takes notes, watch the action, whatever ... without getting killed (or at least as little as possible)

I'm kinda figuring Stealth in going to be part of it .... what I want to be able to do is probably kinda simple .... I'd like to move around undetected, be as hard to reveal as possible, survive magic attacks, and melee attacks long enough to recall out safely (and mark runes along the way).

I'm not really interested in surviving PVP attacks ... only PVM.

Can you guys help me with some info?

What skills do I want? What Stats do I want? What kind of suit, jewelry, etc (what mods)? to make this possible.

Casandra

 

[Stupid Miner]

Ooh! you'll definitely want Stealth for that. Used to play a stealth archer, they can get anywhere.
Then you might want Ninjitsu for mirror images and Run-speed stealth.
If the mirror images aren't good enough survival, you can switch to dog form for... 20 or 40 HPR i forget which, should be in the FAQ.
Then a weapon skill and some parry... how much survival are we talking about here?
Complete survival, or a mix of offense and defense?

 

[Connor_Graham]

Add in making the armor with extra physical resist so you can have Protection cast to avoid recall interruptions.

 

[Casandra81]

100% Survival ... I only want to explore areas without having to fight off the heavies .... in the event of getting attacked all I want to do is hit a "recall home" macro key and be back home safely. (and like I said I want to be able to mark runes along the way)

So I guess my 1st question is this .... give me a list of what skills I want and how much of each?

No offensive ... unless I MUST have some to be able to survive long enough to get off a recall.

I guess I'd have at least

hiding 100
stealth 120
resist 120
magery ... not sure if I need to cast any lvl 7/8 without failure or not
wrestling?
what else?

Cas

 

[imperterritus]

You can consider Peacemaking as an addition or alternative to Stealth. Area Peace has no skill check; you either succeed with it or you don't (at GM music and peace, you'll succeed). I've ran thru champ spawns using peacemaking, so it is a pretty good exploring power. (I've also died in a champ spawn, but I was on foot at the time.) Peacemaking is also the easiest bard skill to train.

As an addition to Stealth, it would give you the time necessary to rehide should you somehow become visible.

If you are rolling a new character, start him off with 50 Peacemaking and 49 Music. There are no New Haven accelerated skill gain quests for any of the barding skills, but there are such quests for Hiding, Stealth, and Ninjitsu.

 

[Casandra81]

I was thinking about using music/peace in some way .... I wasn't sure how effective it was .... I already have 120 music/120 peace on soulstones

At one point I was thinking (not all real points)

100 Hiding (100 real)
120 Stealth (100 real)
120 Music (120 real)
120 Peace (120 real)
120 Resist (100 real)
120 Wrestling (100 real)
100 Mediatation (80 real)
or some combo like that

and I have an imbuer and was going to make my own jewelry, armour, shield, what ever works best.

but there's lot's of skills that I haven't played with and didn't know if that was the best way to go or not ... maybe parry instead of wrestling? maybe something completely different?

Cas

 

[Argnak]

I have a pvp thief that works also as a dungeon crawler, explorer and artifacts thief. Its a very defensive template, no way to attack except Mind Blast and Blade Spirits:

120 stealing
120 stealth (100 real)
120 wrestling (110 real)
120 ninjitsu
100 snooping
100 hiding
70 Magery

Make sure u have 45 DCI, 2/6 FC/FCR, and max resists. If you dont plan stealing from players, drop snooping for more magery or resists, or even lockpicking. I only die with this char in PVM if i'm drunk . Im sure smoke bombs will save ur life more often than peacemaking will, and with this template you will have the chance to get some nice artifacts from the dungeons, the "new" monster stealables and lots of fun.

Funny... im suggesting a rogue template on a warrior board, sorry

 

[imperterritus]

At one point I was thinking (not all real points)

100 Hiding (100 real)
120 Stealth (100 real)
120 Music (120 real)
120 Peace (120 real)
120 Resist (100 real)
120 Wrestling (100 real)
100 Mediatation (80 real)
or some combo like that

and I have an imbuer and was going to make my own jewelry, armour, shield, what ever works best.

but there's lot's of skills that I haven't played with and didn't know if that was the best way to go or not ... maybe parry instead of wrestling? maybe something completely different?

Wrestling gives more defense than parry. However, take another glance at your template. Nothing uses mana; hence, it wouldnt need the Meditation. If you would like Parry to supplement your defense, substitute it for Meditation.

 

[Casandra81]

Whelp .... here's the start

I have no idea how this will work out but waht the heck ... time will tell ... it's only "insurance money" to loose ....

This is what I have right now ...

Music 120
Peace 120
Hiding 100
Magic Resist 100 ... Scrolled to 120
Ninjitsu 100 ... Scrolled to 115
Stealth 100 ... Scrolled to 120
Magery 80 ... Scrolled to 120

My plan is to imbue to get Resist to 120, Stealth to 120, and Magery to at least 92 (100% level 6) and Ninjitsu to whatever (I have no idea)

I'm gonna try and get DCI to 65 ....

Got a question about "protection", "reactive armor" and "magic reflection" (if they still work and work like uoguide says they do) It looks like if I cast all 3 I end up with -25 physical, -35 resist, -2 fc, and +5 all other resists. BUT I also CANNOT be interupted to recall out .... If I get physical to 95 and magic resist to 120 (which ends up at 95) does it make sense to do this mainly to pick up the 5 in each of the other resists? If 95 magic resist enough?

Remember all I want to do is stealth all around and if I get in trouble recall out .... with peace and music it may be enough to buy me time to recall out without the other stuff ... or maybe peace won't be good in the higher level areas? What do you guys think?

Cas

 

[Lord GOD(GOD)]

My advice would be to drop most of that.

If you want to Stealth around you need 100 Hiding, 80 Stealth, 110 Ninjitsu (110 Ninjitsu gives you 100% success at Llama Form - the lowest skill mounted speed form)

If you want to recall out you can use 65 Chivalry for 100% success at Sacred Journey. Chivalry also lets you re-hide between casting Sacred Journey and appearing at the location you're travelling to. With 4/6 casting there is little to no chance of you being interrupted if it even can be (I never have). Alternatively Magery if you need to Mark. I'm not sure why you'd need to Mark the middle of a huge gank of monsters unless you were gating people to their death, but either way it isn't really an issue, you can pre cast it, run in, Smoke Bomb or better yet just run back out.

But aside from that, you're a Stealther, so why would you chose to recall out in the middle of a huge gank of whatever, why not just move.

Resist and Peacing and balancing out Protections penalties are a huge waste of time imo.

You also have Smoke Bombs.

I suggest 4/6 Casting for getting in and out of forms quickly. You can have both Chivalry and Magery on your template which will reduce the Chivalry to 2/6, but still be 4/6 with Ninjitsu spells. Also useful for Shadow Jumping. Chivalry also gives you ways to Heal/Cure/Remove Curses & Dispel Summons.

Using a Mage Weapon will give you some melee defense so you don't get interrupted by every mongbat that swings at you.

 

[Casandra81]

After reading your post it is clear how little I know about the mechanics of this game


Let me go through what you said so I can understand what you're telling me

If you want to Stealth around you need 100 Hiding, 80 Stealth, 110 Ninjitsu.

So with 100 hiding, 80 stealth, and 110 Ninjutsu it's pretty much like 100 Hiding and 120 Stealth?

If you want to recall out you can use 65 Chivalry for 100% success at Sacred Journey .... With 4/6 casting there is little to no chance of you being interrupted.

So either you get it off so fast that it's a done deal or the pounding doesn't interupt you.

I'm not sure why you'd need to Mark the middle of a huge gank of monsters unless you were gating people to their death, but either way it isn't really an issue, you can pre cast it, run in, Smoke Bomb or better yet just run back out.

Not during a gank ... I want to be able to travel around and mark runes for some of my other characters to use later.

But aside from that, you're a Stealther, so why would you chose to recall out in the middle of a huge gank of whatever, why not just move.

I was guessing that I would get revealed allot and have to recall.

You also have Smoke Bombs.

I've got to read up on smoke bombs ... never used them

You can have both Chivalry and Magery on your template which will reduce the Chivalry to 2/6, but still be 4/6 with Ninjitsu spells.

So does that means having both Chivalry and Magery I only need 2/6 to achive faster casting or does it means that if I have 4/6 it will cast Chivalry faster than it would at 4/6 .... or something like that

Also useful for Shadow Jumping. Chivalry also gives you ways to Heal/Cure/Remove Curses & Dispel Summons.

More reading to do ....

Thanks for the info LG ... and taking the time to write it

 

[Lord GOD(GOD)]

After reading your post it is clear how little I know about the mechanics of this game

Sorry, I hope it didn't come across as condescending, I just wanted to get the main points across as to why I think it was huge overkill on the defense.

So with 100 hiding, 80 stealth, and 110 Ninjutsu it's pretty much like 100 Hiding and 120 Stealth?

Yes, in Medable gear you will never fail a Stealth check with those skill levels, if a monster is going to reveal you its going to reveal you regardless of wether you're 80 or 120 Stealth. Having Stealth higher than 80 (& it works in 10's) increases the number of steps you can take before the next Stealth check is taken, but as you can't fail over 80 theres no point taking it higher. Some people do for another reason, it affects Death Strike damage.

So either you get it off so fast that it's a done deal or the pounding doesn't interupt you.

Yes. 4/6 is practically instant. You're not going to get instantly targeted by everything on screen.

Not during a gank ... I want to be able to travel around and mark runes for some of my other characters to use later.

Yeah, but still why would they rune in too close to danger, when you could mark say half a screen away.

I was guessing that I would get revealed allot and have to recall.

Being revealed doesn't stop you Hiding, you can often Hide before you are targeted, for when you can't there are Smoke Bombs. Or simply run off screen, Hide and Stealth back.

I've got to read up on smoke bombs ... never used them

They allow you to Hide when something is flagged on you.

So does that means having both Chivalry and Magery I only need 2/6 to achive faster casting or does it means that if I have 4/6 it will cast Chivalry faster than it would at 4/6 .... or something like that

Chivalry without Magery casts at 4/6
Magery casts at 2/6
Ninjitsu casts at 4/6
If you have Magery higher than 70, AND Chivalry, then Chivalry will only cast at 2/6.

All I meant was its worth equipping 4/6 anyway (regardless of what you do with Chiv or Magery) because its used with Ninjitsu for changing in and out of Animal Form and performing Shadow Jumps.

Shadow Jumps are like teleporting while Hidden, and you can do them in Animal Form, and you can do them while using auto-walk. Passive reveal only occurs when you move (via Stealth) within I *think* 4 tiles of something, but with Shadow Jump you can teleport through an area without worrying about it. Though monsters with aura damage and some floor/room traps can reveal you anyway.

 

[[JD]]

Yes, in Medable gear you will never fail a Stealth check with those skill levels, if a monster is going to reveal you its going to reveal you regardless of wether you're 80 or 120 Stealth. Having Stealth higher than 80 (& it works in 10's) increases the number of steps you can take before the next Stealth check is taken, but as you can't fail over 80 theres no point taking it higher. Some people do for another reason, it affects Death Strike damage.

How about the effects of Elf passive detect and someone actively using the detect hidden skill (JOAT or skilled up?). How do those affect stealth at various levels?

 

[Casandra81]

Sorry, I hope it didn't come across as condescending, I just wanted to get the main points across as to why I think it was huge overkill on the defense.

You didn't ... my feelings don't get hurt that easy ... I appreciate the straight shooting skinny ...

So I erased the drawing board and I'm starting with this

100 Hiding
100 Stealth (20 points more but that's what I have)
100 Ninjitsu ... I'll add 10 on my jewelry
80 Chivalry (15 points more but again, what I have)
92 Magery ... 100% success for level 6 (primarily mark)
----------------------------------------------------
472 Total ... 248 to play with

I'll be casting so I guess either some MED or Mana Regen?

What else? I'm open to making it a fun toon to play .... got some stuff on Soulstones already ... might have something that I can throw on to make it interesting?

Cas

 

[Connor_Graham]

Toss Herding in there, and may as well add Stealing as well, since you already have the rest of a thief template.

 

[Lord GOD(GOD)]

How about the effects of Elf passive detect and someone actively using the detect hidden skill (JOAT or skilled up?). How do those affect stealth at various levels?

I can't seem to find much information on that, though Stealthing closer than 4 tiles to any player in Fel gives a good chance that you will be revealed.

Apparently Wraith Form, Stealing & Dex can reduce the likelyhood of being revealed by players in Fel.

I read a few posts by people who said they took Stealth from 80 to 120, then back to 80 again as they noticed little difference.

I've had a character with Detect Hidden before and never failed an active reveal.

 

[Lord GOD(GOD)]

What else? I'm open to making it a fun toon to play .... got some stuff on Soulstones already ... might have something that I can throw on to make it interesting?
Cas

Well you can also get 20 Stealth from Rat/Rabbit Form.

I'd go at least 110 Magery. Edit: You should go 110 Magery & 0 Chiv because you want to Mark, I personally would go 0 Magery and 65 Chivalry and build the rest of it around utilising the various forms as a Dexxer. Though you could also do that with a Mage Weapon.

 

[Lord GOD(GOD)]

You should read this:
http://vboards.stratics.com/showthread.php?t=44479