Detailed Rogue Guide

[Phil]

Hey everyone. I'm not an experienced EQ veteran like a lot of people around here are and I certainly am quite a noob when it comes to Rogue. I'm looking for some detailed information on the rogue class. I've looked through the Library extensively...I've googled it. I've read everything on allakhazam and many other sites, but I still have lots of questions. I was wondering if anyone knows of any websites out there that still have EQ guides that aren't necessarily designed around endgame AAs and such. Thanks!

Looking for skill tips, gear tips, leveling tips, an explanation of how rogue's deal with agro (not really sure how 'evade' works), etc.

[Heckler]

Rogue threads:

http://www.project1999.org/forums/showthread.php?t=5115&highlight=rogue+creation

http://www.project1999.org/forums/showthread.php?t=2257&highlight=rogue+creation

BEST OF THE BEST ITEMS THREAD:

http://project1999.org/forums/showthread.php?t=2208

CLASSIC QUESTS/GEAR/EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW:

http://www.thesilversandbox.net/p1999/main.php

[Weekapaug]

The Safehouse is your spot for the heavy stuff. When I was starting my rogue years ago I found multiple threads there for every question I had just using search. Unless something has changed there should be plenty of quides there. They used to be kind of dated, but that works considering where we are playing.

http://www.thesafehouse.org/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=3

I played a rogue main for years. If you have any questions you cant find answers for there feel free to PM me here, look for Weekapaug or Beleri in game. I'll be happy to answer any questions you have if I can.

[Pyrocat]

Poison is not worth your time or money.

Evade is just hitting the "hide" key during combat (but you have to turn autoattack off first). If it succeeds, it lowers your aggro slightly.

Don't try and solo after level 10 unless you're heavily twinked or buffed.

Weapons that have procs on them (bloodclaw, serrated bone dirks .etc) will draw a large amount of aggro when they proc, so I would avoid them at higher levels or put them in your offhand so they don't proc as often.

Buy a set of banded when you can afford it, it will give you a lot of AC and is much better than cloth/leather. You'll very very slowly replace those pieces of banded with better equipment as you grow, but banded armor is a great starting point for any rogue.

You want to have a high damage piercing weapon in your mainhand, but that's not easily obtainable at early levels. Serrated Bone Dirks are great and fairly cheap (8/27) and don't start proccing until lvl 30, so you can use them aggro-free until then.

In terms of stats, when gear hunting, you'll want to go for STR > DEX > STA > AGI. Some would argue STA over DEX, or AGI over STA or DEX .etc, but everyone agrees STR is most important.

Leveling tips... find a guild, /friend the people who you group with, don't pick pocket too much, always /ooc yourname yourlevel LFG. Turn /lfg ON. Hang out in popular leveling places and ask if groups have a spot opening soon.

Practice your skills when you're not grouped. Swim around in Oasis if you're waiting for a group. Fall off of high places to skill up your safe fall and get your hp under half so you can practice bind wound. Hide and Sneak constantly.

[Pyrocat]

Oh, and when you can afford it, find a jeweler to make you +4STR/+2INT earrings, +7STR/+7INT necklace, +7STR/+7WIS mask and +5STR/+5DEX rings.

[Phil]

thanks everyone, real helpful stuff (esp Pyrocat's little tips)

[Hasbinbad]

Poison is not worth your time or money.

Evade is just hitting the "hide" key during combat (but you have to turn autoattack off first). If it succeeds, it lowers your aggro slightly.

Don't try and solo after level 10 unless you're heavily twinked or buffed.

Weapons that have procs on them (bloodclaw, serrated bone dirks .etc) will draw a large amount of aggro when they proc, so I would avoid them at higher levels or put them in your offhand so they don't proc as often.

Buy a set of banded when you can afford it, it will give you a lot of AC and is much better than cloth/leather. You'll very very slowly replace those pieces of banded with better equipment as you grow, but banded armor is a great starting point for any rogue.

You want to have a high damage piercing weapon in your mainhand, but that's not easily obtainable at early levels. Serrated Bone Dirks are great and fairly cheap (8/27) and don't start proccing until lvl 30, so you can use them aggro-free until then.

In terms of stats, when gear hunting, you'll want to go for STR > DEX > STA > AGI. Some would argue STA over DEX, or AGI over STA or DEX .etc, but everyone agrees STR is most important.

Leveling tips... find a guild, /friend the people who you group with, don't pick pocket too much, always /ooc yourname yourlevel LFG. Turn /lfg ON. Hang out in popular leveling places and ask if groups have a spot opening soon.

Practice your skills when you're not grouped. Swim around in Oasis if you're waiting for a group. Fall off of high places to skill up your safe fall and get your hp under half so you can practice bind wound. Hide and Sneak constantly.

Oh, and when you can afford it, find a jeweler to make you +4STR/+2INT earrings, +7STR/+7INT necklace, +7STR/+7WIS mask and +5STR/+5DEX rings.
Pretty much all of this is right on, but I would make a couple slight changes/clarifications:
STR to 188 then HP > STA > AC > AGI > DEX (188 + SHM buff [+67] = 255, HP being next most important, STA supports HP, then AC and AGI supports AC , then DEX [B]only if you would use the item for STR/HP/AC anyway - DEX is worthless unless you're a proc rogue [and you're not.. ..RIGHT??])
Polished Steel Dirk is CHEAP and 8/23 > SBD's 8/27
Diamondine Earrings > 4str/2int
Runed Lava Pendant > 7str/7int
Jagged Bands are very nice until you can afford/obtain 2 5AC/55hp rings, and eventually a Djarn's Amethyst Ring.

Also..

Learn to back off your attacks in addition to evading if you're getting too much aggro.
..on the other side of that token..
Skill pickpocket (solo or with your group's permission) for a ghetto taunt. Not always effective, but that 1/20 that it works, you'll have a happy caster calling you boss.

Run down to LGuk as soon as you get hide/sneak to grab yourself a Mask of Deception. They often rot now as the guise no longer drops. You might be able to finagle your way into getting a bag or an SBD while you're there.

Pickpocket the shit out of giants, it's your best way to make cash when there are no groups. Rathe Mountains is a great spot, and I always run through Oasis every which way and bleed the SG's if I'm passing through. SORRY CASTERS!!

Bandage, bandage, bandage.

Don't be afraid to tell the other melee's in your group to stay to the front of the mob if they start taking aggro. They don't understand your plight, and will usually comply if you ask them, unless they are thick-headed jackasses with no respect for positioning.

Spend your creation points to max STA, putting the rest into STR.

Be a Barbarian. You will thank me.

Skill your pick locks before you need it.

Make your own groups. Get a warrior, enchanter, cleric, shaman, mag/nec/wiz/mnk/rog.

Haste is your best friend.

Boobs.

[CPTMULLER]

Why a warrior as opposed to a pally or SK assuming that this is a lowbie and any warrior wouldn't have 2x yak/sash/planar gear, where as a pal/SK would have blind/disease cloud for much more consistent large amounts of threat

[Phil]

Pretty much all of this is right on, but I would make a couple slight changes/clarifications:
STR to 188 then HP > STA > AC > AGI > DEX (188 + SHM buff [+67] = 255, HP being next most important, STA supports HP, then AC and AGI supports AC , then DEX [B]only if you would use the item for STR/HP/AC anyway - DEX is worthless unless you're a proc rogue [and you're not.. ..RIGHT??])
Polished Steel Dirk is CHEAP and 8/23 > SBD's 8/27
Diamondine Earrings > 4str/2int
Runed Lava Pendant > 7str/7int
Jagged Bands are very nice until you can afford/obtain 2 5AC/55hp rings, and eventually a Djarn's Amethyst Ring.

Also..

Learn to back off your attacks in addition to evading if you're getting too much aggro.
..on the other side of that token..
Skill pickpocket (solo or with your group's permission) for a ghetto taunt. Not always effective, but that 1/20 that it works, you'll have a happy caster calling you boss.

Run down to LGuk as soon as you get hide/sneak to grab yourself a Mask of Deception. They often rot now as the guise no longer drops. You might be able to finagle your way into getting a bag or an SBD while you're there.

Pickpocket the shit out of giants, it's your best way to make cash when there are no groups. Rathe Mountains is a great spot, and I always run through Oasis every which way and bleed the SG's if I'm passing through. SORRY CASTERS!!

Bandage, bandage, bandage.

Don't be afraid to tell the other melee's in your group to stay to the front of the mob if they start taking aggro. They don't understand your plight, and will usually comply if you ask them, unless they are thick-headed jackasses with no respect for positioning.

Spend your creation points to max STA, putting the rest into STR.

Be a Barbarian. You will thank me.

Skill your pick locks before you need it.

Make your own groups. Get a warrior, enchanter, cleric, shaman, mag/nec/wiz/mnk/rog.

Haste is your best friend.

Boobs.

Awesome stuff. Had no idea that pickpocket generated hate. Some of this stuff I'm already past...I rolled Dwarf mostly for nostalgia's sake on faydwer (<3 crushbone and unrest). Also I split my points more evenly between str and sta (think I fell like 10 short of maxing sta). Oh well.

What's a good way to skill pick lock? I'm level 14 now and I haven't really touched it.

I assume that to get the MoD I just hang out and request to loot it from a group that's camping down there? Is it a fairly popular spawn? Seems far out of my way at this point seeing as I'm still bound in gfay.

Also, is there anything worth using trains on? It seems like most of my necessary skills are rather easy to train so I haven't spent too many of my training points. Should I save them for something luxurious like a tradeskill or language? Should I be lazy with skills like pick lock/bind wound? Is there perhaps skills down the line worth saving them for?

Just discovered today (at level 14) that backstab gives an extra attack from the front. There's so much more to this class than meets the eye (very clever, developers).

[Weekapaug]

Skill pickpocket (solo or with your group's permission) for a ghetto taunt. Not always effective, but that 1/20 that it works, you'll have a happy caster calling you boss.

If memory serves, you can also work Beg and Disarm into the same key, but I think two of the 3 may be on the same refresh....My live account isn't active so I can't check, but try it out. Not sure if they all stack or not, but at least you have a shot at getting a check on one of them in a pinch, if nothing else.

[PearlJammzz]

If memory serves, you can also work Beg and Disarm into the same key, but I think two of the 3 may be on the same refresh....My live account isn't active so I can't check, but try it out. Not sure if they all stack or not, but at least you have a shot at getting a check on one of them in a pinch, if nothing else.

I have this, and no skillup in beg. It works, however, if the mob isn't engaged. Appears that beg isn't skilling up/working on aggro'd mobs.

[guineapig]

You have to

/attack (turning it off)
/ beg command
/attack

In order to do this while fighting.

[Pyrocat]

Awesome stuff. Had no idea that pickpocket generated hate. Some of this stuff I'm already past...I rolled Dwarf mostly for nostalgia's sake on faydwer (<3 crushbone and unrest). Also I split my points more evenly between str and sta (think I fell like 10 short of maxing sta). Oh well.

What's a good way to skill pick lock? I'm level 14 now and I haven't really touched it.

I assume that to get the MoD I just hang out and request to loot it from a group that's camping down there? Is it a fairly popular spawn? Seems far out of my way at this point seeing as I'm still bound in gfay.

Also, is there anything worth using trains on? It seems like most of my necessary skills are rather easy to train so I haven't spent too many of my training points. Should I save them for something luxurious like a tradeskill or language? Should I be lazy with skills like pick lock/bind wound? Is there perhaps skills down the line worth saving them for?

Just discovered today (at level 14) that backstab gives an extra attack from the front. There's so much more to this class than meets the eye (very clever, developers).

Save your skill points! If you ever (way way down the line, when you've got a ton of extra cash to spend) want to skill up poison, you'll want to use them all on Apply Poison. Every combat skill, and even pick pocket and pick lock will go up fast on their own. Bind Wound is the only one I would consider spending them on early on, but it's always good to have a reserve of points to spend.

You can skill up your pick lock skill to max on any door you can open with pick lock. The door with the lowest skill requirement is in Befallen. If you're just entering the zone and looking at the main room with 4 doors, it's in the door in the back and on the left. Just hide/sneak up to it and spam "U" or spam click the door. Make sure you bought lock picks from your local rogue/bard guild and have them on your cursor. You should only need a skill of 11 in Pick Lock to open the door in Befallen, so first make sure it's that high and then go hog wild. Remember your Pick Lock skill is capped at a similar level to your combat skills, so you won't be able to max it out until level 39.

There's a list of what doors are locked and the pick lock skill required to pick them on page 2 of this thread:
http://www.project1999.org/forums/showthread.php?t=5006&page=2

[Pyrocat]

Pretty much all of this is right on, but I would make a couple slight changes/clarifications:
STR to 188 then HP > STA > AC > AGI > DEX (188 + SHM buff [+67] = 255, HP being next most important, STA supports HP, then AC and AGI supports AC , then DEX [B]only if you would use the item for STR/HP/AC anyway - DEX is worthless unless you're a proc rogue [and you're not.. ..RIGHT??])
Polished Steel Dirk is CHEAP and 8/23 > SBD's 8/27
Diamondine Earrings > 4str/2int
Runed Lava Pendant > 7str/7int
Jagged Bands are very nice until you can afford/obtain 2 5AC/55hp rings, and eventually a Djarn's Amethyst Ring.

I was told that the Polished Steel Dirk no longer drops. I saw it auctioning for 2kpp last night, so I don't think it's quite so cheap anymore. Diamondine Earrings are definitely better than 4str/2int but in most cases the Jewelry option is cheaper and much easier to obtain.

I would argue that DEX is useful for skilling up combat skills, and offhand procs aren't always a bad thing, but yeah HP is more important.

[CPTMULLER]

I was told that the Polished Steel Dirk no longer drops. I saw it auctioning for 2kpp last night, so I don't think it's quite so cheap anymore. Diamondine Earrings are definitely better than 4str/2int but in most cases the Jewelry option is cheaper and much easier to obtain.

I would argue that DEX is useful for skilling up combat skills, and offhand procs aren't always a bad thing, but yeah HP is more important.

I bought one for 250 2 days ago :confused:

[Pyrocat]

/shrug

Can anyone confirm/deny that they still drop?

[Weekapaug]

I have this, and no skillup in beg. It works, however, if the mob isn't engaged. Appears that beg isn't skilling up/working on aggro'd mobs.

I've noticed the same thing on my warrior, but I've mostly been killing skeletons and non-humaniods (I assume beg works on the same rules as PP for that?) so dunno. I put a point of training into beg just to be safe, but will need to watch it for a bit to say for sure.

No skillups either, though.

[km2783]

Evade is not Classic. :p

It was introduced after Plane of Sky. I can has patch notes :D

http://everquest.allakhazam.com/history/patches.html

[Hasbinbad]

I was told that the Polished Steel Dirk no longer drops.
I had not heard that.

In that case, I would try for a Glowing Iron Pike / Electrum Bladed Wakizashi combo or a Burning Rapier in your offhand (even though it procs, its not a horribly aggro generating proc like SBD). Try and find a Gloomwater Harpoon in your price range.. Once you hit 46, any number of nice guilds will let you sit in for Fear so you can snag an Eyerazzia.

Ratio in your mainhand is definitely not king, go for a higher damage # even if the ratio is not as good.

[Swashbuckler]

Was deciding on a main and went with a Barb Rogue after seeing this thread. 3 yellows from that precious backstab. I think SBD starts procing at lvl 27 and not 30 unfortunately :(.

Any particular recommendation for leveling backstab when I get it? Should I just put 1 point into it and use it as much as I can or dump a bunch of points into it?

[Hasbinbad]

Just use it.

[Phil]

New question for all you top rogues: How do I best level Intimidation and Disarm Traps?

[Xumosa]

bind to backstab! or a movement key!

[Phil]

bind to backstab! or a movement key!

Hey I know that sense traps work this way, but I don't think I can skill up disarm trap/intimidate like this

[Combo]

Hey there, brand spanking new-to-the-server Rogue here*. I didn't want to be a prick and make a new thread when something like this already exists, so I figured I'd post here.

I need advice on gear for a nude, straight off the raft Barbarian Rogue. I've already escaped Everfrost and am now bound in NQ. I've been trying to keep my weapon skills about equal as I've leveled since I remember going from 0-300 at 40 being a massive bitch.

I've done all the common sense stuff so far -- 25 STA 5 STR, gnoll fangs -> moonstones -> blackburrow stout, leeched off some groups, spammed sense heading, etc. I'm still curious about a couple Rogue mechanics however, plus I'd like advice on what gear to start grabbing, keeping in mind I can only use what I loot as I have 0 copper or support from a friend.

1.) Sneak. Does this make me "invisible" to monsters as long as I'm behind them?

2.) Hide + Sneak. Am I totally invisible when this is going on? Can I walk right past a mob assuming both skill checks succeed like Improved Invis, or is there a radius of detection that gets lower as my skill goes up? Does it have a duration, or can it randomly expire/fail?

3.) Gear. Aside from Greater Snake Fang I have no clue what to grab early on in terms of a weapon. Armor I'm totally clueless outside of getting banded at some point and jewelcrafted junk when I can afford it.

I'm in the Qeynos region right now but I'm trying to get to gfay to meet up with my brother who is playing a Druid. Probably a stupid duo combo, but oh well. I'll reroll a cloth kiter if this gets miserable.

Those are current pressing issues. I'm level 5, still able to solo dark blues, and am creeping my way toward the fabled Backstab and Dual Wield. Any advice is appreciated.



*Some background:

I played EQ starting with Kunark, took a break, starting playing again at PoP thru GoD, took a break, played some on the Progression server, took a break, then played again recently on the 51/50 server before quitting again.

I always played INT casters or Hybrids and wanted a change of pace (and to avoid the 40% xp penalty). I've never tried a Rogue so this is quite a new experience.

[Gris]

I've been trying to keep my weapon skills about equal as I've leveled since I remember going from 0-300 at 40 being a massive bitch.
This. Definitely this. Keep up with both slashing and blunt every level even if it means using a sub-par weapon in your offhand for a little while.

[Reiker]

1.) Sneak. Does this make me "invisible" to monsters as long as I'm behind them?
Essentially, although it's more like it adjusts your faction for NPCs you're behind. You can buy/sell from vendors and do quests if you sneak behind an npc you normally have bad faction with.

2.) Hide + Sneak. Am I totally invisible when this is going on? Can I walk right past a mob assuming both skill checks succeed like Improved Invis, or is there a radius of detection that gets lower as my skill goes up? Does it have a duration, or can it randomly expire/fail?
As long as both succeed and you're moving invisibly, you're good to go unless you run into a mob that can see through hide. Some mobs can see through invis and not hide, while others can see through hide and not invis (although this is rarer). Obviously some mobs can see through both. Generally sneak/hide is better than invis as less mobs are able to see through it.

3.) Gear. Aside from Greater Snake Fang I have no clue what to grab early on in terms of a weapon. Armor I'm totally clueless outside of getting banded at some point and jewelcrafted junk when I can afford it.

Well, there's a lot to say here. Giant Snake Fangs are really good for new rogues, I think your first opportunity to grab one is from the giant snakes on the ledge and pit in blackburrow. Past that, you'll most likely want to start saving up money for a cheap dagger such as a SBD. You need a magic weapon as soon as possible, and you can try to snag a Pugius (http://lucy.allakhazam.com/item.html?id=7307) from Unrest or a Jambiya (http://lucy.allakhazam.com/item.html?id=7403) from Oasis if you can't find anything in your price range in East Commons. The most important thing to spend your money on is weapons, most of the best have already been mentioned here, and a haste item. The only haste item you're going to have a chance at without raiding is an FBSS and for this you'll need to get leveled up to camp it or save up 10k+pp. Your weapons and your haste item are bar none the most important elements to your character, other gear is just extra. You can try to buy Ravenscale, although this stuff was pretty expensive on live since people generally stop hunting in Cazic as mu ch after Rubicite is taken out, and very rare drops. Just try to scrape by buying str/sta gear from EC or winning drops in groups, and put your primary focus on good weapons and eventually an FBSS until you're able to start doing Plane of Hate for a set of Woven Shadow.

[Kambris]

This thread is like my own little pocket jeebus. Like really, so much good info here. I've been struggling to find a solid "classic EQ rogue guide" for a while to no avail, but this is pretty much all I need. Thank you all for your magnificent contributions! :p



/sneakhide

/stealth bump

/escape