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Dagger only pvm/rp assassin

Uvtha

Stratics Legend
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
Before I begin, I know, it's horrible. Just got the UO itch, and thought it would be fun to make an EJ dude to go on the quest for the perfect dagger, and see how far I could take a strict daggers only dude. Keep in mind this will be on siege, so... probably just have my dagger blessed.

The template plan right now is:

120 Fencing (duh)
100 Tactics
100 Anatomy
100 Poisoning
100 Hide
80 Stealth
??

The main question is what's a good final skill? My original plan was for it to be alchemy, but well I don't think I'd be able to take down pretty much anything relying on potions and HLL on a dagger, so that's out, as cool as it would be. Thematically 120 Ninjitsu seems like the best choice but I'm not sure how functional relying on just mirror images for defense actually is, I'm sure someone can clue me in there. Chivalry would be the obvious choice, helping me do more damage and heal myself but it's just not on message. Lastly is simple boring healing.

Outside the box thought: Go for the 120 Ninja, drop anatomy in favor of Alchemy, and toss bombs to make up the extra damage plus the utility and more importantly pizzaz. :p This seems like the coolest option, and maybe not the worst?

Going to rely on fencing mastery to help stay alive and my go to bonus to damage, try to keep things poisoned to limit casting at me. Poison master when I'm in a group (if I ever am) and if I can find a 100 poison dagger worth anything.

Thoughts on how to get the most out of a dagger I'm not thinking about? I wanna stay on theme, but get as functional as possible while doing so.
 

Uvtha

Stratics Legend
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
Ya you're going to need a way to heal.
Yeah, that's the main issue. That's why I say I don't know how viable mirror images are as a primary line of defense. I've read some stuff where they sound promising, but I've never used them. If I went Alchy/Ninja I could keep the damage off with the images, while sapping targets stamina, and using g heal potions, if I get in trouble, shadow strike and shift into dog form to regain hps. Also ideally find a dagger with as high as possible HLL to help out a bit.

If I went necro I don't know how much good it would do cause I'll never be landing big hits for VE. Could be real goofy and go spirit speak and use cursed weapons with Joat. Again, I don't know if that would really do the trick with low damage.

Healing would be fine, if boring, I'm sure.
 

Max Blackoak

Babbling Loonie
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
UNLEASHED
120 fencing, ninjitsu, 100 tactics, alchemy, poisoning, hiding, 80 stealth is a very powerful PvP template if you have the low ping required for it.

From what you said I understand you are looking to do PvM mainly, is that correct? What are you looking to hunt with this? Mirror images are indeed great to mitigate any incoming damage, unless you are fighting something that does area damage. Cat/dog form combined with mirror images will go a long way, however the ninja forms will prevent you from using special moves or casting spells of any kind, which limits your damage output drastically.

I know from my own experience with a similar template (no alchemy) that you can farm medium difficulty monsters like Tybal's Shadow or the mini champs in the abyss with this. Anything more highend will usually do too much burst damage and without resist spells you will have trouble against caster types that mana drain you.

daggers do such little damage that VE and life leech on the weapon won't do much for you.

You could switch alchemy for parry to further reduce incoming hits, then your mirror images would be there for incoming spell damage and the odd hit that lands despite your melee defense. The shield will prevent you from using potions though.

It really depends on what you are looking to hunt with this. In general I would say you should use a different weapon but that seems out of the question...
 

Uvtha

Stratics Legend
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
120 fencing, ninjitsu, 100 tactics, alchemy, poisoning, hiding, 80 stealth is a very powerful PvP template if you have the low ping required for it.

From what you said I understand you are looking to do PvM mainly, is that correct? What are you looking to hunt with this? Mirror images are indeed great to mitigate any incoming damage, unless you are fighting something that does area damage. Cat/dog form combined with mirror images will go a long way, however the ninja forms will prevent you from using special moves or casting spells of any kind, which limits your damage output drastically.

I know from my own experience with a similar template (no alchemy) that you can farm medium difficulty monsters like Tybal's Shadow or the mini champs in the abyss with this. Anything more highend will usually do too much burst damage and without resist spells you will have trouble against caster types that mana drain you.

daggers do such little damage that VE and life leech on the weapon won't do much for you.

You could switch alchemy for parry to further reduce incoming hits, then your mirror images would be there for incoming spell damage and the odd hit that lands despite your melee defense. The shield will prevent you from using potions though.

It really depends on what you are looking to hunt with this. In general I would say you should use a different weapon but that seems out of the question...
Yeah, it's just for fun. I have plenty of functional characters, I just wanted to do something weird and see how well I could do with it. :p Not really looking to hunt anything special just mid range stuff, as strong as I'm able. Mini champ level sounds just fine to me. Thanks for the advice!
 

Lord GOD(GOD)

Certifiable
Stratics Veteran
I would go:
120 Fencing
90 Tactics
65 Anatomy
65 Healing
80 Poisoning
100 Hiding
80 Stealth
120 Ninjitsu

With 15 Healing and 15 Anatomy on skill items to bring those to 80.

Mirror Images don't divert spells. At 120 Ninjitsu you would have a 90% chance that incoming wrestling/weapon attacks will be diverted. Against monsters this means they loose aggro and stand there while you hit them. If you have delayed damage ticks go off between you then that causes faster re-aggroing. I've played this with 4/6 casting and high base damage Fencing weapons (Lance) and it works very well you can kill most things.

With a Dagger it's not really any different but will take longer due to the low base damage. The plus side is a very low Stamina/SSI requirement to swing a dagger at the cap means you have a big Mana Pool to do stuff with.
 

nightstalker22

Lore Master
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
UNLEASHED
I would go:
120 Fencing
90 Tactics
65 Anatomy
65 Healing
80 Poisoning
100 Hiding
80 Stealth
120 Ninjitsu

With 15 Healing and 15 Anatomy on skill items to bring those to 80.

Mirror Images don't divert spells. At 120 Ninjitsu you would have a 90% chance that incoming wrestling/weapon attacks will be diverted. Against monsters this means they loose aggro and stand there while you hit them. If you have delayed damage ticks go off between you then that causes faster re-aggroing. I've played this with 4/6 casting and high base damage Fencing weapons (Lance) and it works very well you can kill most things.

With a Dagger it's not really any different but will take longer due to the low base damage. The plus side is a very low Stamina/SSI requirement to swing a dagger at the cap means you have a big Mana Pool to do stuff with.
That's a terrible idea. Tactics only requires 60 points now for both specials, so those 30 points should be used on getting poison to at LEAST 90, so you could use mastery.
Healing is such a slow skill ( 6 - 8 seconds ), that it is reckless to not spend the proper points in it. Why wait 6 - 8 seconds for either a low heal amount or a failed cure? Make sure it is going to be beneficial every time or find a different method.

The only benefit here is being able to heal while in stealth ( but so does cat form ), but chiv costs way less points to invest and still doesn't require lrc.
 

Uvtha

Stratics Legend
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
With a Dagger it's not really any different but will take longer due to the low base damage. The plus side is a very low Stamina/SSI requirement to swing a dagger at the cap means you have a big Mana Pool to do stuff with.
Cool, well that's good to know anyway. I should end up with similar skills along the way to training, so I can at least give it a try.
 

Max Blackoak

Babbling Loonie
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
UNLEASHED
Mirror Images don't divert spells.
are you 100% sure about that? I also believed they didn't because wherever you read it says they don't but I was killing some left over fire demonsin the abyss the other day and I noticed that my mirror image got killed by a flame strike. I'll have to run some tests I guess.
 
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Max Blackoak

Babbling Loonie
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
UNLEASHED
I just tested it with two characters. one having 5 mirror images out, the other one casting mindblast (had eval stoned off) on him targeting the player, not the image.
It gave the message "You managed to divert the attack onto one of your nearby mirror images" and the ninja didn't take damage.

At 120 ninjitsu 4 of the 5 mindblasts were diverted.
 

Lord GOD(GOD)

Certifiable
Stratics Veteran
Which is the better choice Poisoning Mastery at 90 or Ninjitsu Mastery at 120? Where you get Tiger evade and bleed.

Healing speed is 4s at 140 Dex and on this template is a much better choice. 4/6 Chiv/Ninja is great on a non-stealth version of this but he's playing on Siege, I don't imagine it's easy to keep 4/6 casting there with no insurance, cost if replacing that to a few bandages. The additional benefit is actually being able to heal while frozen webbed or parrad.

Chiv in this situation is counter productive to a Stealther. The cost argument doesn't come into it Tithing is a few gp so are bandages. Which you'll probably never need to buy anyway as Stealthers can easily loot and get away.

You should think of this as a Stealther first and when it comes to killing things in PvM as an auto-defend type character.

Didn't know Images diverted spells, not sure it always has, but either way that's great to know. Thanks.

Also, having Poisoning on there will auto cure you a fair amount, clearing way for your bandages.
 

nightstalker22

Lore Master
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
UNLEASHED
Not to derail, but is this true? And, when did this change?
Yes, it is true. Not sure when the change was made, but it is active.

I like to use 60 Tactics and 60 Bushido or 60 Necromancy to make 120.

Just remember, you'll do less damage with less tactics.
It takes 50 tactics just to bring you up to the displayed damage on the weapon, so 60 tactics is only a 10% DI, whereas 120 tactics is 70% DI.
 
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