Rogue

Areas of Focus:

Mastery: Striking

Supplemental: Defense, Miscellaneous

Rogue emphasize offensive strikes with ranged and melee weapons. Many cause Afflictions that qualify for the rogue’s Sneak Attack. Others strengthen the rogue’s Sneak Attack or grant tactical positioning abilities.

Lore

Rogues are vicious killers, feared for the brutality of their attacks. They can be found as often in dark back alleys as the heart of battlefield skirmishes. Though unpredictable and undisciplined, rogues are commonly used as shock troops or as part of a surprise assault, their withering attacks breaking enemy ranks and morale. Rogues tend to congregate in larger numbers in cities where they can be steadily employed as mercenaries or hired muscle.

Overview

Contrary to what their name might imply, rogues come from many walks of life. They are cutpurses, thugs, and courtesans, but also aristocrats, diplomats, and personal guards. Often separated by station in life, they are united by their reliance on wits, speed, and subterfuge to achieve their goals. Whether they pack a pair of daggers, a fine rapier, a slim bow, a stubby pistol, or a brutish club, rogues haul a carnival of pain with them wherever they go. If their natural tendencies weren’t dangerous enough, their affinity for skullduggery allows some talented rogues to tap into their souls to perform amazing stunts: fading from view in plain sight, briefly cloaking their allies in a veil of shadow, imbuing their weapons with a soul-eating venom, or even becoming so insubstantial that blades barely hurt them.

While rogues are known for their stealthy nature both in and out of battle, many of them are quite talented with machines and contraptions of all sorts. High-born rogues are often very knowledgeable about the esoteric, while many low-born rogues are well-equipped to survive in the wild.

Starting Stats

Endurance

36 + 12/level (Low)

Health

4 x Endurance (Low)

Accuracy

30 + 3/level (Very High)

Deflection

15 (Low)

Skill Bonus

Stealth +1 Mechanics +2

Starting Abilities

Sneak Attack – Bonus damage to ranged and melee attacks when the target has one or many afflictions.

Tactics

Assassin Build

Advantages: Extremely High Damage Output, Fast Attacks, Escape Options

Disadvantages: Low Health/Endurance, Low Deflection, Moderate Micro

Strategy

The Assassin Rogue build is capable of some of the highest single-target damage values. Opening with a Backstab (if possible) and then following with Blinding Strike and Crippling Strike in every encounter is key. If you need to get away, use Shadowing Beyond. Alternatively, you can use Shadowing Beyond to land another easy Backstab on your opponent. This build doesn’t have a lot of survivability, so running into position after your tank has the attention of the enemy is necessary for staying alive.

Equipment

Maces, Stilettos, Battle Axes, and Spears serve as great weapons. Though any one-handed weapon that is enchanted is a great option.

Light or Medium armor is recommended for damage output. Though heavier armors still work well with the build and the added protection helps reduce the need for micro management.

Races

Hearth Orlan

Death Godlike

• Wood Elf

Culture

Deadfire Archipelago or The White that Wends

• Living Lands

Attributes

Might 18

Constitution 8

Dexterity 18

Perception 14

Intellect 14

• Resolve 5

Abilities

Blinding Strike

Reckless Assault

Deep Wounds

Dirty Fighting

Crippling Strike

• Deathblows

Talents

Backstab

Shadowing Beyond

Two Weapon Style

Vicious Fighting

Vulnerable Attack

• Bloody Slaughter

Alternate Build

A much safer, albeit less damaging alternative is to play the Rogue nearly identical to the Sniper Ranger. Instead of opening with Wounding Shots, use Crippling Strikes and Blinding Strikes. This allows you to easily sneak attack from a safe distance and not have to worry as much about your positioning. Focus on targets that your allies are already flanking for maximum damage output.

Special Abilities

Rogues gain a starting skill bonus to Mechanics and Stealth and are the only class to get a bonus to both of those skills. Rogues have the highest single-target damage and they have abilities that can dramatically increase their damage for a short duration. The rogue can use most of his abilities with ranged weapons, but he needs to be relatively close to the target to use them.

Dirty Fighting

Available at Level 3 (Passive)

Effects: Self: +10% of Hits converted to Crits

The rogue employs a variety of underhanded tactics, turning some of their Hits into Critical Hits.

Escape

Available at Level 3 (1 per encounter)

Range: 4m

Effects: User: Immune to Engagement

Allows the rogue to break Engagement and expertly avoid the next attack, diving out of range to a specific location.

Reckless Assault

Available at Level 3 (Modal)

Speed: Instant

Effects: User: -8 Deflection, +8 Melee Accuracy, x1.2 Melee Damage

Causes the rogue to dive into battle without a second thought, lowering his or her Deflection but increasing Accuracy and weapon damage.

Sneak Attack

Granted at Level 1 (Passive)

Effects: Self: x1.5 All Damage

Uses the rogue’s ability to approach unseen, adding additional bonus damage to their attacks when the target is Blinded, Flanked, Hobbled, Paralyzed, Petrified, Prone, Stuck, Stunned, or Weakened, as well as when any target is struck within two seconds of combat starting.

Crippling Strike

Available at Level 1 (2 per encounter)

Interrupt: 40 (Average)

Effects: Target: Hobbled for 10 sec vs. Fortitude User: Full Attack + x1.25 All Damage

The rogue attacks his or her enemy’s ability to move around effectively, inflicting extra damage to and Hobbling any enemy successfully hit.

Coordinated Positioning

Available at Level 7 (2 per encounter)

In one quick move, the rogue instantly switches positions with one nearby target, cancelling Engagement if in effect. Automatic when targeting an ally, otherwise must Hit vs. an enemy’s Reflex.

Fearsome Strike

Available at Level 9 (1 per rest)

Interrupt: 40 (Average)

Effects: Foe Target: Hobbled for 10 sec, Weakened for 10 sec vs. Fortitude

User: Full Attack + x1.25 All Damage

The rogue attempts to greatly hinder an opponent by targeting areas crucially important to their ability to fight, inflicting extra damage as well as Weakening and Hobbling the target.

Finishing Blow

Available at Level 5 (2 per rest)

Effects: User: Full Attack, +5 Accuracy, Finishing Blow

The rogue looks to finish off an injured opponent with a precise, deadly strike made with an Accuracy bonus that increases in power the less Endurance the target has.

Deathblows

Available at Level 11 (Passive)

Effects: Self: x2 Melee Damage, x2 Ranged Damage

Allows the rogue to size up a target’s battlefield position, making Sneak Attack more effective when the target is afflicted by two or more conditions that allow a Sneak Attack.

Deep Wounds

Available at Level 5 (Passive)

Effects: Target: 10 Raw Damage over 10 sec

Expertise in the art of pain leads all Slash, Pierce, and Crush damage caused by the rogue to also do Raw Damage over time.

Withering Strike

Available at Level 9 (1 per encounter)

Interrupt: 40 (Average)

Effects: Foe Target: Weakened for 10 sec vs. Fortitude

User: Full Attack + x1.25 All Damage

The rogue aims for a vital area, inflicting extra damage and Weakening the target.

Adept Evasion

Available at Level 7 (Passive)

Effects: Self: +50% of incoming Grazes converted to Misses (Reflex only)

The rogue becomes especially skillful at dodging attacks, converting many Reflex Grazes to Misses.

Riposte

Available at Level 5 (Passive)

The rogue looks for openings to counterattack in combat. Incoming melee attacks that target Deflection and Miss have a chance of allowing an instant Full Attack Riposte. Only active with melee weapons equipped.

Blinding Strike

Available at Level 1 (1 per encounter)

Interrupt: 40 (Average)

Effects: Target: Blinded for 10 sec vs. Reflex

User: Full Attack + x1.25 All Damage

A dirty attack that makes the opponent unable to see. Inflicts extra damage and Blinds the target.

Talents

Backstab

Grants Backstab (Passive)

Effects: Self: x2 All Damage

Dramatically increases damage done from Invisibility at close range.

Deflecting Assault

Modifies Reckless Assault (+5 Deflection)

Reckless Assault (Modal)

Speed: Instant

Effects: User: -8 Deflection, +8 Melee Accuracy, x1.2 Melee Damage

Increases the rogue’s ability to concentrate, reducing the Deflection penalty when using Reckless Assault.

Shadowing Beyond

Grants Shadowing Beyond (2 per rest)

Speed: Instant

Effects: User: Invisible, Immune to Engagement, Untargetable, Break Engagements for 10 sec

Allows the character to temporarily turn invisible. Enemies cannot detect invisible characters and attacks made from invisibility automatically count as a Sneak Attack. Attacking, casting a spell, using a special ability, or using an item will end the invisible state.

Vicious Fighting

Modifies Dirty Fighting (+10% of Hits converted to Crits)

Dirty Fighting (Passive)

Effects: Self: +10% of Hits converted to Crits

Improves the rogue’s skill with devious maneuvers, increasing the percentage of the rogue’s hits that are converted to Critical Hits when using Dirty Fighting.