Greetings, friends...
Twas a long (but immensely rewarding) path to reach the point where I felt comfortable WRITING a guide instead of jes READING dem... but here I am.... <smiles merrily> Maybe some of my hard-earned knowledge kin be passed on... I kin only hope....
Creating your Rogue...
Tis the first step and as all first steps are... a very important one... Please take note that I wish to discuss CREATING a character, not jes ROLLING one... Indeed, there is much more to your character than the numbers... Gemstone is a ROLE-playing environment... Take a moment and think.. Who is your character? What are his or her mannerisms? Quirks? Prejudices? There are many wonderful Role-players in Gemstone.... Take a moment and join them.... Act as if you ARE in a fantasy environment, interacting with powerful wizards, grunting warriors, cheerful hobbits... and to be honest ye will also find grunting wizards, cheerful warriors, and... um... <rolls eyes> powerful hobbits... :-)
The Numbers
Ten Attributes affect your character abilities, represented by numbers ranging from 20-100.
These numbers are broken down as follows...
3 numbers from 50-90
3 numbers from 40-60
3 numbers from 20-50
1 number from 20-100
The maximum total of these ten numbers is 700... Take your time when rolling... Your character will be with you for months (even years, possibly). Take the hour or two to get those good stats (statistics). I recommend three 80's from the first set (one high 70 is okay...), a 90 something for the last number and nothing lower than 35 anywhere else... Takes a while, but it WILL happen sooner or later...
Now that you finally have that great set of numbers, it's time to consider placement... First let me try to simply explain the various attributes....
Physical Stats
Strength - The bonus here is added directly to your AS (Attack Strength) and determines how much weight you kin carry before your RT (Round Time) begins to increase.
Constitution - Determines (along with Race and Strength) your starting HPs (Hit Points), how many HPs you receive with each subsequent training, and how well you resist poison and disease.
Dexterity - * This bonus is the prime determinant of your MB (Maneuvering Bonus, i.e. Attack - Strength for Voln-Fu moves (There has been an on going argument about this statement ever since I can recall. It seems that for some folks your Dex bonus adds to your MB, while for others your Reflex bonus adds to your MB. I've personally never seen where your Dex bonus helps you, but perhaps I and all of my Voln friends are the Reflex folks. Which led me to a discussion with my son Avalos about our spell 618, Mobility. I told him it adds to your Reflex bonus while he insists it adds to your Dexterity bonus. I only know what I was taught over the years and until I'm shown otherwise my opinion won't change. <smiles>- Zanteal PS... perhaps everyone is right and they both help...)). Affects Climbing and Swimming skills, dodging certain spells, dodging webs from spiders, picking pockets, etc. Also.. if Ranged and Thrown weapons are ever implemented, this will likely be the prime stat.
Reflexes - * The bonus here is added directed to your DS (Defensive Strength). May also affect the dodging mentioned in Dexterity. Reflexes and Dexterity bonuses combined also reduce RT penalties from Armor. Every +15 in combined Bonuses reduce the RT penalty by One. (In other words a bonus of +20 in RE and a +10 in DEX will reduce RT penalty by 2).
Mental Stats
Wisdom - Wisdom bonus is applied directly to your lockpicking skill. (Don't ask me why this attribute was chosen instead of Dexterity). Also added directly to your CS (Casting Skill) and your TD (Target Defense).
Logic - Determines how much experience you can store before your mind is 'fried' (Message of 'You must rest. You can't take much more of this!')
Intelligence - Determines how fast the experience you have stored is absorbed.
(Message of 'Your mind is clear as a bell.')
Charisma - No one has idea what use this stat has... May affect your trading skill.
Compound stats
Aura - Directly affects the amount of mana you gain each year. Also determines the number of Spirit Points you have. Is used to calculate BOTH Mental and Physical Training Points.
Discipline - Unsure what this attribute affects. However, like Aura, it is used to calculate BOTH Mental and Physical Training Points.
* These two (Dexterity and Reflexes) are prime stats for a rogue and receive +10 bonuses to their rolls.
Training Points, Rogue Types, and Roll Placement
Training Points are determined as follows:
PP (Physical Points) = (Aura+Discipline+Constitution+Dexterity+Strength+Reflexes) / 10
MP (Mental Points) = (Aura+Discipline+Wisdom+Intelligence+Logic+Charisma) / 10
Therefore, the maximum training points for both PP and MP is 60. Starting with around 40 points in each is an excellent start. Most rogues, however, will have more PPs than MPs, as we are more physical by nature.
There is no magic formula to placing your rolls. I can give some general guidelines, but the final decisions will be up to you. It all comes back to your character... What kind of rogue do you want to be?
Rogues excel at many things... I believe our strength lies in our diversity.. We have the cheapest costs for skills across the board. With enough Training points, Rogues kin become adequate at just about everything.
This is route I myself have taken... Jack of All Trades, Master of None is a fine description of Gullman as I have dabbled in nearly every skill available. Other rogues choose to specialize. Specialist rogues seem to fall into three categories, Picker Rogues, Warrior Rogues, and Wizard Rogues...
In general, Strength, Dexterity, Reflexes, Wisdom and Aura are important for rogues.. These are the stats that impact our skills most directly... Charisma, Logic, and Intelligence should probably receive the lowest rolls, because they have no real bearing on our skills. Remember tho, all three of these affect MPs. Discipline has no direct effect for us, but a high score here helps both sets of points (and conversely a low score hurts both). See how tough these decisions can be? <grin> A generalist rogue will want as many Training Points as possible, so Aura and Discipline (or at least one of them) should be given higher priority.
Picker Rogues will want a higher Wisdom and Aura score. Wisdom affects picking skill directly and Aura determines mana points (Unfortunately game mechanics dictate that a picker Rogue MUST learn spells up through Lock Lore (403) to be truly effective. Either that or become good friends with a Wizard who kin keep you supplied with imbedded amulets and rings)
Warrior Rogues will want to max out Strength, Reflexes, and Dexterity, with a higher roll than usual in Constitution. Hiding and Stalking, Ambushing, and Combat Maneuvers (and possibly Brawling) all are the focus of the Warrior Rogue.
Wizard Rogues will obviously want to max out Aura, and place higher scores than usual in Wisdom, Intelligence, and Logic (Spells cost 80 MPs each, so these training points are definitely valuable)
Now that I think of it... Specialist Rogue may not be an accurate description.. . A better term would be Rogue with an Area of Concentration. Wizard Rogues are usually still excellent ambushers, while most Warrior Rogues kin easily pick their own boxies. But it is a good idea to choose early. What kind of a Rogue do YOU want to be??
Another thing about stats.. They DO grow. And Dexterity and Reflexes (being our prime stats.. grow the fastest) Sticking a medium roll in one or both of these is not as dumb as it sounds... In the long run (remember they also get that +10), it will probably pay off...
Races
Choosing a race is an interesting decision... Your choice may depend on the type of rogue you wish to develop (A dark elf's wisdom bonus may be helpful to a Picker Rogue, for example) or you may choose a race for role-playing purposes only (how about that grumpy dwarf who is scared of all things magical - it’s been done <chuckle>) Below are the race bonuses...
| RACE | ST | RE | CH | WI | AU | CO | DE | DI | LO | IN | HPF | Max HP
|
|---|
Human | +5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | +5 | +5 | 6 | 150
|
Giantman | +15 | -5 | +5 | 0 | -5 | +10 | -5 | 0 | 0 | -5 | 7 | 200
|
Half-Elf | 0 | +10 | +5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | +5 | -5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 135
|
Sylvankind | 0 | +5 | +5 | 0 | +5 | 0 | +5 | -5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 130
|
Dark Elf | 0 | +5 | -5 | +5 | +10 | -5 | +10 | -10 | 0 | +5 | 5 | 120
|
Elf | -5 | +15 | +15 | 0 | +5 | 0 | +5 | -20 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 130
|
Dwarf | +10 | -5 | -10 | 0 | -10 | +15 | 0 | +10 | +5 | 0 | 6 | 140
|
Halfling | -20 | +10 | -15 | 0 | -5 | +10 | +15 | -5 | +5 | +10 | 4 | 100
|
Another way to choose a race is look at offsetting or complementing stat placements. With an Elf's bonus of +15 in Reflexes, you might put a lower score there knowing that your race will keep your bonus fairly high or maybe you will place a high score there and really max out that stat... Decisions, Decisions... There are no really wrong answers... And speaking of decisions, let's move on to some more....
Training your Rogue...
Ah.. there's the rub... What to train in? So many choices... First off a quick breakdown of skills and their costs. The first and second numbers represent Physical Point and Mental Point cost respectively. The number before the x shows how many times you can train in that particular skill. Remember that double training in a skill doubles the cost and triple training quadruples the cost. Whenever possible, try not to double or triple train. This is especially true for skills that max out (such as Physical Training or Armor). Of course, certain skills will be important enough to you to justify the cost. Picker Rogues will want to Triple consistently in lock-picking, and all rogues should double in a weapon choice every year. Keep in mind that the benefits from training decrease over the years.
| The first ten trainings | +5 each | (+0 thru +50)
|
| Second ten | +4 each | (+50 thru +90)
|
| Third ten | +3 each | (+90 thru +120)
|
| Fourth ten | +2 each | (+120 thru +140)
|
| All further trainings | +1 each | (+140 and on...)
|
Two-weapon Combat: (5/3) 2x This skill bonus is added directly to your second weapon AS. I do not recommend training in this. To keep both weapons AS equal you will have to double-train in both this skill AND either Edged or Blunt Weapons (which determines first weapon AS). This can be very costly and denies you use of a shield (which becomes VERY important to have fairly quickly) I say this from experience. Gullman da First was a two weapon user.. He died more times during his 6th year than the current Gullman (who hides behind his shield often) has in his entire 25+ years.
Armor: (3/0) 2x This skill has only one use... Every 20 in this skill reduces RT penalties from wearing armor by one second. Training here does NOT increase your DS. More about armor later.
Shield: (3/0) 2x Training in shield DOES increase your DS when using a shield. More about this skill later also.
Combat Maneuvers: (4/5) 2x Every two trainings in this skill increases your AS by 1 point. Unlike other skills this skill does NOT decrease over time. Every two trainings (regardless of the bonus) increases AS by 1 point. This does not sound like much, but by the time you make Lord or Lady (20th level), you will only be increasing your AS by 2 points each year anyway... Another point is a huge 50% increase. This skill also helps with ambushing, dodging certain spells and webs, and becomes very important on Teras Island. I am not old enough to see the benefit of Training in CM, but every elder Rogue I have spoken with claims that CM is EXTREMELY important in the later years. Now I myself didn’t even start training in CM until my 19th year... and I’m sure I will regret it.. It is a very expensive skill, tho, especially if ye want to double train in it (Warrior Rogue), so think carefully... What are your priorities?
Edged Weapons: (3/1) 2x This skill’s bonus is added directly to your AS. Pick either Edged or Blunt weapons, and double-train in it EVERY year. You can never have enough Attack Strength.
Blunt Weapons: (3/1) 2x This skill’s bonus is added directly to your AS. Pick either Edged or Blunt weapons, and double-train in it EVERY year. You can never have enough Attack Strength.
Two-handed Weapons: (8/2) 2x This skill is ridiculously expensive and has all the same drawbacks of using two weapons... no shield! Some warriors have managed to survive many years using two-handed weapons, but they also trained in one-handed (so they could pull out that shield when it became necessary). Training in both would just cost too much for us rogues. We hit hard enough with our ambushing skill. No real need to bash with brute strength.
Ranged Weapons: (5/1) 2x Bows, etc. <sigh> Love to have this... not implemented yet.
Thrown Weapons: (4/1) 2x Daggers, Spears, etc. Also not implemented yet.
Pole-Arm: (11/2) 2x Strange one and two-handed weapons. Just too expensive.
Climbing: (2/1) 2x This skill is necessary to access certain areas in Gemstone. Slowly, whenever you have extra points, build this up to +90 or so (20 trainings - over 30-40 years)
Swimming: (2/0) 2x This skill is necessary to access certain areas in Gemstone. Slowly, whenever you have extra points, build this up to +90 or so (20 trainings - over 30-40 years)
Multi-opponent Combat: (10/3) 2z To be honest, I’ve never trained in this skill. At some point in the future a new ES (Engagement System) will be implemented and this skill will become important.
Disarming Traps: (1/1) 3x This skill is used both for detecting traps (along with Perception) and disarming them. More about this skill later.
Picking Locks: (1/1) 3x This skill is used to pick locks on boxes, trunks, doors, gates, etc. More about this skill later.
Hiding & Stalking: (1/1) 3x This skill allows one to melt into the shadows. Ambushing from hiding is much more effective. It is also possible to stalk other players without their knowledge (a test of your hiding skill against their perception skill). This skill can also be used as a defensive measure. Critters can’t cast a spell at you if they can’t see you..<wink>
Perception: (0/1) 3x This skill allows one to find hidden objects and characters. Perception also serves as some protection against the picking-pockets skill.
Spell Research: (0/80) 1x Training in Spell Research gives you access to a magical spell. Rogues can train in two realms of magic, Minor Elemental Circle and Minor Spiritual Circle. More about this later.
Scroll Research: (0/6) 1x Allows one to read spells found on scrolls and with enough training, to cast them
Magic Item Use: (0/7) 1x This poorly named skill allows one to use only wands, rods, staves, etc. (anything that needs to be waved to be activated). To effectively use the wands commonly found in Gemstone, you must also have some training in Spell Aiming (see below), a very expensive skill. Imbedded Spells (cast by friendly Spell-Casters) can be placed into amulets or rings which can be activated by rubbing them (no training required). Not much point in training in this skill for a rogue.
Mana-Sharing: (0/25) 1x This skill allows you to transfer mana from yourself to another. Both parties’ skill in mana-sharing affect the amount transferred.
Spell-Aiming: (4/22) 1x This skill is useful only in the use of offensive wands. Bonus is added directly to Spell-Casting AS only. Completely worthless (at the cost) for us rogues.
Ambush: (1/2) 2x This skill is our greatest asset in combat. Basically allows you to aim your swings (right leg, head, neck, etc.) and when used from hiding, increases the critical damage done to the target. Much more about this later.
Physical Training: (3/0) 2x Training in this skill increases your total number of Hit Points. If continued after maximum hit points are reached, this skill will allow you to heal more quickly.
First Aid: (1/3) 2x Allows you to bandage bleeding wounds, reducing or stopping the hit point loss. As your skill increases you will be able to tend more bleeding with less RT (Round Time). This skill also determines how well you can skin creatures. Except for skinning, in the long run this skill is not worth the cost. Gullman spent a lot of training points on this skill, and I never use it. I make it a point to always carry large quantities of pothnir grass, aloes stem, and ephlox moss with me (these three heal all bleeders - All you ever need). As soon as you can afford these herbs, your first aid skill for tending wounds becomes largely unused. I personally recommend against training here. However, there are some creatures out there with skins worth 1k-2k each, so, as always, my advice may not suit you.
Trading: (0/3) 2x This skill will decrease the cost of items sold by merchants (both in town and traveling). I know no one who has spent significant training points here, so I am unsure if the benefits outweigh the costs (but I doubt it).
Picking Pockets: (1/0) 2x This skill allows you steal money from other characters and some computer characters (but not the monsters, unfortunately). Training in this skill also protects you from others trying to pick YOUR pocket. More about this later.
Brawling: (3/2) 2x Brawling adds directly to your AS with your bare hands (well, bare right hand, anyway). Since AS changes to DS with stance changes, Brawling skill protects you when you field pick. More about that later. Also Brawling is the skill that affects how well you perform Voln-Fu (a martial art used by followers of Voln).
Disarming Traps / Picking Locks
The command to detect a trap on a box is ‘disarm my <container>’. Learn right now to always use the word ‘my’. As in ‘get MY box from MY backpack’, ‘open MY box’, ‘look in MY box’ This piece of advice will save you countless trouble. The chance of successfully finding a trap is determined as follows:
Disarm skill + perception skill + wisdom bonus + trap lore (404) + trap difficulty + d100.
If the resulting number is over 100, the trap is detected.
Example: After a fierce fight with a hobgoblin, you are rewarded with a sturdy oak box. Unknown to you, this particular box has a -30 spring trap. But being a cautious (and therefore long-lived) rogue, you decide to check it for traps. You are a fourth year rogue with a disarming skill of 50, perception of 45, and a wisdom bonus of +7. Sitting alone on the boulder in Hobland, no magical help is available.
50 + 45 + 7 - 30 = 72 Any roll over 28 will allow the trap to be detected.
Chance of detection 71%
Your first check of the box reveals nothing, but being the wise rogue that you are, you resolve to check the box at least three times. The second time you carefully inspect the box, you see it! A deadly trap!
To disarm a found trap requires the same command as detecting it, ‘disarm my <container>’. The chance of disarming a trap is as follows:
Disarm skill + wisdom bonus + trap lore (404) + trap difficulty + d100.
If the resulting number is over 100, the trap is disarmed.
You attempt to concentrate on the box in your hand, ignoring the clanging of steel and the yelps of pain coming from below...
50 + 7 - 30 = 27 Any roll over 73 will disarm the trap.
Chance of disarming 26%
As you can see, perception helps only in detecting a trap. Disarming is much more difficult.
After four time-consuming attempts, you manage to pop the springs into the box, where they no longer pose any danger to you. You feel a sense of accomplishment, though you are rather thankful no one was watching your previous attempts. Now.. on to the lock!
The command to pick a lock is ’pick MY <container> with MY lockpick’ The chance of successfully unlocking a chest, gate, door, etc. is as follows:
(Picking skill + wisdom bonus + Lock Lore (403)) * lockpick modifier + d100.
If the resulting number is over 100, the lock is picked.
Just last week, you spent some of your savings on a brand-new mein lockpick (modifier of 1.9). You pull it out of your belt pouch and gingerly begin to pick the lock on your box. You have tripled-trained in lock-picking your entire life and feel confident that with your skill at +70, this lock should pose no problem. And you are probably right... since this particular box has an easy lock of -60
(70 + 7) * 1.9 - 60 = 146 - 60 = 86 Any roll over 14 will pick the lock.
Chance of picking 85%
You settle in then Click! The box opens! You look inside and find..... a dirty yellow skirt and 28 silver coins. <sigh> Ah, well... back to the hunt.
Always check your boxes three or more times. Missing a trap and killing yourself (or worse, others) is a humiliation that you should try with all your might to avoid. Do NOT pick around others until your skills are at least around +70 each. I know it’s frustrating to be told this but you assume responsibility when you pick around others. Flagrant abuse of that responsibility WILL come back to haunt you. Feel free to experiment alone. You might be able to open a kobold box at age two and you SHOULD be proud of yourself, but do not let your accomplishment go to your head. Always recognize your limits. You will slowly get a feel for what you can handle and what you can’t. I am always impressed by the rogue who hands back a box that he or she knows is above his or her skills.
East Tower, Hearthstone Steps and Foyer, Ice-Mule Well, etc.
Picking in crowds... A hectic yet rewarding experience. Every picker has his own style; and with a little experience, you will find your own. Most of us kneel or sit in known picking locations, not because of any picking bonuses (a widespread myth), but to advertise ourselves as picking rogues. I usually sit down, proclaim ‘Open picker...’ and wait for the first offer. As you learn your limits, it is wise to advertise them as well. You will often hear statements like “Open picker - hobs and below’. When you receive a box, ask the person where it is from and how many more he or she has. It is usually good practice to pick all the boxes each person has before moving on to another customer.
Moving on, by the way, is the trickiest part. East Tower can almost rival TSC in confusion and chaos. At times, three pickers will be trying to service twenty or so adventurers, who have all fought hard for their treasure and who have all been waiting long to have their boxes opened. There are different ways to choose the next customer. Some just take the next box offered to them, which I personally feel adds to the chaos, but it is the easiest way to move on. People in established picking spots usually have an imprecise idea of who’s next. The most common method is to let the customers keep track of the line, and to also let them keep line-breakers honest. I personally try to keep my own line in my head. Anyone who asks me, out loud or in a whisper, gets placed in my line. I try to acknowledge any requests and then restate my line out loud.
‘Indeed, Kit.. I’ll get ye right after Sem, Gwal, and Kes.’ Again, find your own style, these are only three of many possible examples.
Field Picking
Ah, the adrenaline rush of putting away your weapon and shield in the middle of Potter’s Field, examining that scratched silver trunk carefully, hoping that no blood-thirsty zombie wanders in.... ;-)
Field-picking is a dangerous past-time, and one that you should undertake with care. Know what your DS is when bare-handed (remember that Brawling skill, and your strength bonus, are all part of your DS when in stance defensive) and compare that to the local critters AS. Use common sense here. Tis always best to have a few guards around, and make sure they understand the importance of their duty! (Nothing like having all your guards chase after a fleeing titan while you’re rooted to the spot with a 40 second RT!)
Always disarm and pick with the box on the ground. This leaves both your hands free while disarming, and when picking ALWAYS remember to swap the lockpick from your right hand to your left. You need the right hand free to ward off those titan mattocks (Tho I’ve never been fast enough to block those pesky lightning bolts they throw... <grin>) Which brings up another point. Tis probably not a bad idea to avoid picking around critters with certain special attacks. Like titans with their lightning bolts, grey orcs with their clouds, and the golems, titans, and giants with their annoying stomping.... Rather difficult to defend yourself when lying flat on your back still stuck in RT.
Training:
If you plan to be an adequate picker, I highly recommend doubling in both disarming and perception until both skills are above 100 (11th year or so). This is also the point at which I feel a rogue can discontinue checking every box three or more times for traps (Unless of course someone hands you a box from creatures much stronger than you - Use common sense!) The highest trap anywhere in the lands is currently -160, so once you attain a combined bonus of 261, you should never miss a trap. Serious pickers may want to triple in disarming for the first few years, but this skill DOES max out, so try not to waste too many training points here. Remember, there is no shame in not being able to disarm a trap. But missing it? Tis no way to build a reputation... or gain friends...
As for picking, a box was found on Teras Island recently with a -920 lock <shudder> My understanding is that boxes over there average around -700. If you plan to be a truly serious picker, you MUST triple train every year for your entire life. Now for the rest of us, who aspire to only be adequate to good pickers, options are abundant. Double-training with plans to learn Lock-Lore will be the most efficient use of your training points, and will allow you to pick most, if not all, of the boxes off your own kills. However, if you aspire to do a little picking for others, triple-training every other year would probably be a good idea. For those who want to pick as quickly as possible (as I did), I recommend the following. Triple train your first 6-8 years, then cut back to double as you begin to save up for spells. That good start will keep you picking above your level right up until you learn Lock Lore.
Picks and Spells:
I only know the modifiers for two lockpicks for certain.
Mein lockpick 1.9
Alum lockpick 2.5
Meins are available for 2k at the locksmith. No reason to ever use anything less. Alum lockpicks are located in the backroom at the locksmith. List price is 27k, though if you offer 8k-10k first you can usually get the price down to 20k or so. Backroom access is obtained by buying a LOT of items from the shop. I recommend buying crude lockpicks and offering to pay 5 silvers over the list price each time. Expensive to replace, I wouldn’t use alum picks until you obtain a picking skill of at least +100.
Lock Lore (403) gives the following bonuses
+10 and +1 per level when self-cast
+5 and +1/2 per level of caster when cast on you
Using an imbedded item confers the same benefits as a self-cast spell and it is interesting to note that the spell’s effects ARE multiplied by the lockpick modifier. I obtained Lock Lore in my 18th year, unaware of this fact. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that instead of a bonus of +28 to my picking skill, I could now pick +70(!) above my current level. This spell is very powerful and grows stronger each year without any further training costs. At Legend (50th level) this spell confers +150 to your picking skill. Not an insignificant amount, eh? <smiles merrily>
Trap Lore (404) gives the same bonuses as Lock Lore
+10 and + 1 per level when self-cast
+5 and +1/2 per level of caster when cast on you
Ambushing:
Combat in Gemstone uses a ranking system for amount of damage done and the level of the crit inflicted.
Crit Rank | Damage | Crit Rank | Damage
|
|---|
0 | 1-5 | 5 | 26-30
|
1 | 6-10 | 6 | 31-35
|
2 | 11-15 | 7 | 36-40
|
3 | 16-20 | 8 | 41-45
|
4 | 21-25 | 9 | 46-50
|
Of course we’ve all done 101 points of damage to a rat at some point. The Crit Ranks add additional damage along with causing the bruises, the bleeding and/or lost limbs, and as you move up the scale, the instant death due to the loss of your head. <grin> Skill in ambushing is used to target an area of the body and also to increase the crit rank caused by your swing. It is possible to ambush from both hiding and out in the open. However, when not hidden your ambushing skill only affects your aim.
The command is ambush <Critter> <body part> such as ambush orc right leg, ambush troll head, ambush titan right eye, etc. When done in the open, the chance of hitting the target area is as follows:
1/4 * CM skill + 1/4 * ambush skill + d100
If the roll is over 100, the target area is struck with the normal swing.
When done from hiding, the chance of hitting the target area is,
1/2 * Ambush skill + d100
If the roll is over 100, the target area is struck and the other half of your ambush skill affects the level of the crit rank. I’m not exactly sure how this works. It doesn’t take long for you to notice legs and heads coming off with one skillful swing though... One can also ambush from hiding without indicating a target area, in which case the target area is determined randomly and the entire ambush skill is applied to raise the crit rank
It should also be noted that some body parts are harder to hit than others (eyes for example), and there is a modifier that reflects this. Also no matter how high your ambush skill, you will always miss completely 5% of the time, and the target area 20% of the time. Some have asked if ambush is a maxable skill. At a skill of 150, you will have maxed out your chances of hitting an aimed spot, but the mechanics of increasing crit damage are not as well understood. In any case, I intend to train past 150...
Tactics
These depend on the creature you plan to hunt of course. Some creatures are uncrittable (as I have found out to my sorrow - durn spectral monks), some are crit-resistant (cave and war trolls), and some jest fall apart with the slightest tap (salutes zombies). There are also critters that kin sniff you out of hiding with no difficulty (titans, frost giants, golems) and those that never have any idea that a deadly rogue is hidden within the shadows nearby (again.. salutes zombies). It is also important to consider who you are hunting with. If alone, anything goes. With a group, tis best to aim for the legs. This will help everyone else hit the critter (as it falls to the ground squirming) and make you a lot of friends. A leg-ambushing, box-picking rogue is a welcome addition to any party. One who kills every critter instantly with a head shot before anyone else kin even swing, is not invited along nearly as much.
The easiest scenario involves fighting a critter who has trouble hitting or spotting you at all (usually only the case when you are all spelled up from friends or massies). In this case, no strategy is involved at all. Just hide and start swinging. If you are good enough, go for the head or the neck (I’m not sure where this point is reached, probably around ambush skill of 80. Experiment a little). Otherwise swing for those legs (pick one and keep hacking at it) until the critter falls over. Then crack your knuckles, howl like a madman, and take out that head with your next shot.
Fighting a critter that cannot see you, crits well, but could wallop the bejeezus out of you if caught in the open (those infamous zombies with that 191 AS <shudder>) calls for a slightly different strategy. Timing is crucial. You walk into a room with a zombie (in full defensive - never walk around in zombies in anything less), you hide, and go stance offensive. Then you wait. The zombie will search around for you, and as soon as that happens, you ambush zombie left leg or if feeling confident, ambush zombie head. With a good head shot, the fight may be over, Otherwise as soon as you are out of RT, go defensive and hide again. You should go defensive first, because it IS possible (no matter how good you are) that you will fumble your hiding attempt, and be stuck out in the open in RT again, stance offensive, with a very angry zombie (Even when lying on the ground, zombies swing with a 141 AS). Of course, things can also get complicated when another zombie walks in. By the time you get to zombies, tho, you should have a good idea of your capabilities (Try this strategy first with hill trolls). With enough spell protection, and by fighting in stance advanced, you can enjoy the sight of a 10 or so zombies lying around you in a wide circle, all legless. <cackle>
Cave Trolls are representative of the critters that have problems spotting you, but are rather crit resistant. The same strategy outlined above should be followed here. Wait till they sniff for you, but then go for the legs.. Head shots are too unreliable against these critters. Get that leg to buckle, better yet, chop it clear off! It will take a few shots to get the leg off for good. If you are alone, after you get the leg to start bleeding, stay hidden for a second or two. The troll will sit down and begin to tend his leg, At this point, swing at it again, and the poor troll will be flat on his back for good. Then head shot to your heart’s delight...
Next in difficulty are those creatures that may crit fairly easily, but sniff you out with apparent ease (maybe you should shower before leaving town...). Crystal golems are a good example of this type. When fighting one alone, timing again becomes critical (no pun intended). Stay in the open (in defensive), wait for the swing, hide, switch to offensive or advanced, and ambush that leg. Trying to ambush with two or more of these critters in the room can be very difficult. One always seems to sniff you out just as you get ready to ambush his buddy.
Finally come the uncrittable creatures (monks, troll kings, etc.). Only advice I kin give. Avoid them. <grin>
Training:
Many recommend double-training consistently in this skill your entire life, and to a certain extent I agree. Expertise in this skill allows you to hunt above your level, and in later years, tis the one skill that allows us to hunt at all. Double-training every single year is probably not absolutely necessary, but double whenever you can. At the very least, double every other year.
Remember also that hiding without being detected is necessary to ambush. I recommend doubling in this skill every year if you can or at least until +120 or so is reached. With increased proficiency in this skill, your RT from hiding will drop to a consistent 3 seconds. This is necessary for effective timed attacks. Someday I hope to hide from frost giants and titans, but even with my skill at 150 or so, they still can sniff me out. <sigh>
Picking Pockets
Ah, the skill that has given all rogues a bad name. But rest assured, the scorn (and as I have heard, outright attacks) do disappear as you age. The players who abuse the system do NOT last. Thieves are not well-liked for obvious reasons. When empaths refuse to heal you, and clerics decline to rezz you, and when no one wants to hunt with you... well, it makes for a hard lonely life.
You can play a klepto in Gemstone, but it makes for very difficult role-playing. The command to pick someone’s pocket is steal <name>. If you want to be a professional thief without being ostracized, you assume certain responsibilities. You must not abuse game mechanics. Macro-picking the same character over and over is NOT allowed. I highly recommend keeping your hand out of clerics and empaths pockets. Pick only once from each character then move on to a new mark. If you get caught, do not run away or worse yet, log off. Role-play the situation, tell them your mother needs an operation, apologize profusely, return the money (and more). Tis probably good to have a story already planned. Good luck to ye and keep your hands away from MY pocket <wink>
There are other reasons to train in pick-pocketing. First off, it keeps others out of YOUR pocket, and second, there are times when being able to pick makes for some real fun! I once played an interesting little game with Phyro, a sorc friend of mine. I attempted to empty his pocket of all it’s silvers before his could stun me with one of those nasty sorc spells. I kept slipping into the shadows to foil his attempts <cackle> till he finally e-waved me out of hiding <grumble... I need that spell> Also, picking is always a fine way to take your revenge on a rude young ‘un (or old ‘un - Being titled is no guarantee of real nobility)
Armor & Shield
Armor:
As I stated before, Armor Training has but one use, to reduce the RT penalty caused by the heavier armors. I recommend only wearing armor that covers your entire body (head, torso, arms, legs). These armors are:
Armor | Elemental
Hindrance | Spiritual
Hindrance | RT
Adder | Action
|
|---|
Penalty
Double leather | 4% | 0% | 2 | -8%
|
Brigadine Armor | 10% | 8% | 6 | -13%
|
Chain Hauberk | 20% | 15% | 9 | -18%
|
Full Plate | 25% | 25% | 12 | -35%
|
Hindrances are the chance that casting a spell from these circles will fail. I wouldn’t worry about the hindrances much. Most of our spells are cast back in town, where spell failure is not a matter of life and death. If you’re casting Lock Lore and it fails <shrug> you cast it again. Spells are cheap for us.
The RT Adder is the most serious effect of wearing armor. The base RT for combat is 5 seconds. Wearing brig armor without any training will give you a 11 second RT. A lot of protection, but you’re slower than dirt. Every +20 in training reduces RT by one second. Also every +15 bonus in Dexterity and Reflexes COMBINED reduces RT by one second. You cannot train away the Action Penalty (which affects climbing, swimming, standing, etc.)
Single train in armor ( I know you’re going to double some... I did) until you can wear the armor of your choice without penalty. Remember that bonuses decrease over time. Takes 4 trainings (+20) for the first second, 8 (+40) for 2 seconds, etc. Takes a LONG time for Hauberk or Plate...
4 trainings (+20) 1 second
8 trainings (+40) 2 seconds
13 trainings (+62) 3 seconds
18 trainings (+82) 4 seconds
24 trainings (+101) 5 seconds
30 trainings (+120) 6 seconds
etc.
Shield:
Your shield training will increase your DS gained from your shield. At the very least, single train in this skill every year. The training does you the most good in stance defensive, but also helps your DS in offensive also. (You can never have too much DS) The formula seems a little complex, but it’s not as difficult as it looks.
DS from shield = Shield bonus + [(shield skill) / 100 * (shield bonus* stance)]
Shield bonus is 20 (base DS a normal shield has) + enchantment (i.e. an ora (+10) shield has a +30 bonus)
Stance modifiers:
Defensive = 1.0
Guarded = 0.85
Neutral = 0.70
Forward = 0.55
Advanced = 0.40
Offensive = 0.25
For example: a vultite shield has a +40 bonus. If you have no shield training at level 10, you will receive a +40 bonus to your DS in both stance offensive and stance defensive. With single training each year (not counting year zero) your skill will be at +50.
In offensive, DS from shield = +40 + 0.5 * (40*0.25) = +45
In defensive, DS from shield = +40 + 0.5 * (40*1.0) = +60
When your skill reaches 100, you’ll have +50 in offensive, and +80 (!) in defensive. It does make a difference.
Spells
Rogues can learn spells from two lists, the Minor Elemental Circle and the Minor Spiritual Circle. We are not natural spell-casters (80 MPs per spell is NOT cheap), but with much study, we CAN become capable little wizzies. Spell Research is the biggest decision a rogue can make. Like all other skills, there are many paths you can take. Some rogues forsake magic utterly, and to be honest, not having to save training points for spells allows non-magical rogues to be VERY good at everything else. However, the bias of Gemstone, at this time, is such that non-magical characters have a fairly difficult time in their later years. However, if you have several wizard and sorcerer friends (and you will), it is possible to prosper.
Many rogues learn the first four spells of the Minor Elemental Circle. The last two (Lock Lore - 403,Trap Lore - 404) are VERY useful for us. Serious pickers must have 403 at least (or constantly have friends imbed amulets and rings) to stay competitive. Quite a few rogues stop at this point, content with these four spells, and begin to max out their other skills. More of us though, continue on, albeit slowly. The second goal of magic-using rogues (403 is the first) is Elemental Wave (410). This spell knocks down and stuns all opponents in the room not joined to your group. A very handy spell for ambushers, eh? And many elder rogues claim that 410 is almost necessary to hunt at the Legend level. Ten spells equals 800 MPs, however. <shiver> Even saving 20 MPs a year (from the very beginning!), you will be 40 before you gain that tenth spell. Most of us will be happy to have it by our 50th year.
And then there are a few Rogues out there who relish the magical arts, who think nothing of saving
27 MPs - 40 MPs a year (a spell every two to three years). With our low costs, it is quite possible for a rogue to be a strong fighter, fair to decent picker, AND be using E-wave by his or her 30th year. Tis a tough road though. Either you will have to forsake one area completely ( I know one young rogue who has decided to never train in picking), or you will always pale slightly in comparison to your peers (Of course, if you can E-wave 6 opponents at a time, who needs that extra ambushing skill?)
Training:
Researching any spells at all requires sacrifices. MAJOR sacrifices. You have to be willing to give something up to gain spells, so plan ahead. I try to say this with a straight face, as Gullman has changed his overall training goals more than just a few times over the years, but it does help to know what you want in the long run. I recommend ignoring spells for the first 6-10 years. You can get some of the maxable skills out of the way, like Physical Training and Armor, drop back in Disarming and Perception training (which frees up training points), and establish a good base in your core skills like picking, hiding, ambushing. Then I would try to gain spells slowly. One every four years is fairly easily accomplished. Speed that up or down, of course, as suits your ultimate goal.
Spell Lists
Minor Elemental
401 - Guard I (+5 DS)
402 - Presence (allows you to detect hidden and invisible people - but NOT make them visible)
403 - Lock Lore
404 - Trap Lore
405 - Elemental Detection (tells you what spells are in effect on a person or a object)
406 - Guard II (+10 DS)
407 - Unlock (Word of Opening)
408 - Disarm (Word of Disarming)
409 - Elemental Blast (attack spell)
410 - Elemental Wave (E-Wave)
411 - Elemental Blade (E-Blade)
412 - Weapon Deflection (Target has -25 to AS)
413 - Elemental Saturation (Target has -25 TD)
414 - Guard III (+25 DS)
415 - Elemental Strike (more powerful attack spell)
416 - Piercing Gaze (allows caster to look into, behind,under all containers)
417 - Elemental Dispel (dispel spells)
418 - Mana Focus (make a temporary node)
419 - Mass Guards (+25 DS for whole group)
420 - Magic Item Creation (Imbed items)
425 - True Strike (+ level to AS - may be changed)
430 - True Guard (+ level to DS - may be changed)
Minor Spiritual
101 - Spirit Protection (+10 to Spell Defense (TD))
102 - Spirit Barrier (+50 to DS, but -50 to AS)*
103 - Spirit Defense (+10 to DS)
104 - Disease Resist
105 - Poison Resist
106 - Spirit Fog (+30 DS to everyone in room, including critters)
107 - Spirit Protection II (+25 to TD)
108 - Stun Relief
109 - Dispel Invisibility
110 - Unbalance (Like E-wave, knocks dem all down)
111 - Fire Spirit (sends up flare, or can be cast at <critter>)
112 - Water Walking
113 - Undisease
114 - Unpoison
115 - Spirit Burst (Stuns critters)
116 - Locate Person
117 - Spirit Strike (+75 to AS for one strike - like blue crystals)
118 - Web
119 - Herb Production
120 - Lesser Shroud (+25 to DS - like the small statues)
125 - Call Lightning (Calls up a storm that hits the critters)
130 - Spirit Guide (Teleports everyone back to the Landing)
150 - Wall of Force (+100 to DS)
*Brawling Volners are wise to learn the first two spells in the Spiritual Circle. Airwall (102) conveys a +50 DS bonus while only penalizing Brawlers -10 MB.
Mana-Sharing
This is a skill I discovered late, but for us rogues with sizable mana (High Aura stat), mana-sharing is a great compromise to have in place of spells. To share mana you use the command send <amount> <name> Multiplying each person’s sharing skill gives the percentage transferred from the amount sent. If my skill is 40 and I send 50 mana to a person with a 90 skill, 18 mana will be transferred.
(0.90)*(0.40)*50= (0.36)*50 = 18 mana.
After obtaining my first four spells, I began to play around with sharing. It’s not a cheap skill (0/25), but after so many years of saving for spells, it seemed very inexpensive by comparison. Not many rogues seem to train in this skill. Many spell-users were very surprised when I first began to share my mana. And the results! I like to ambush share (the rogue in me). I used to hunt quite a bit in vereris. As I would pass the various clerics and sorcerers who hunted there I would send off a bit of needed, and much appreciated, mana. The next pass around, they would almost invariably hit me with a DS spell of some sort. My mana-sharing is fairly decent now and I have lots of unneeded mana. I constantly hit emapths in town, wizards in the wilds, and clerics after a rezz. Tis a great way to meet people and make friends. And who better to have as friends than empaths, clerics, and wizzies? <grin>
People in Gemstone are pretty willing to cast spells on others anyway, but if you can supply the mana, you can usually get any spell you want. I could have had two more spells by now with the training points I’ve spent on sharing, but what would I have? I could cast 406 (+10 DS) on myself, but with sharing I can get 406, 503 (another +10) and 103(another +10) anytime I want. Even got a wizzie shield (+50 DS) once <cackle - Now there’s a nice spell!> And saving for sharing instead of spells allows you to more fully train in your other skills. In case you haven’t guessed, I highly recommend training in mana-sharing at some point. I didn’t start until my 19th year myself, but it has proven to be well worth it. Another reason to put a high score at the start in your Aura.
Wrapping it up
Whew, I guess that’s about all I can stand to write, and I’m sure it’s more than you wanted to read. Checking the Software Library I noticed the excellent Rogue Guide written by Lord Korshea. I highly recommend reading this guide. In several areas (specifically armor, combat, and ambushing), Korshea has included details I either didn’t know or forgot to add. Together, both guides should answer many of the questions you ever had about becoming a rogue. Please feel free to e-scroll me if you any further questions or comments and give me a good poke if I walk by you in the Lands. <wink>
Good hunting to ye, friends. <Smiles merrily>
Lord Gullman Skyehaven
February 26, 1997
- from Zanteal's personal library.
Documents and manuscripts gathered since 1996.
