How I survive the early game as DW Rogue on Nightmare
Aug 7, 2016 17:51:20 GMT
Toyish Batphone, capn233, and 9 more like this
Post by PapaCharlie9 on Aug 7, 2016 17:51:20 GMT
(Cross-posted)
Level 6 to 7 is when I usually start In Hushed Whispers or Champions of the Just, so you should be aiming for those quests, which means having enough Power to do them. As soon as you do, get out of the Hinterlands.
I decided to play a dual wielding rogue mainly because I like being sneaky and one shotting plebs. The main problems I'm having are that the combat just feels like using one or two inconsequential abilities the ultimately just spamming auto attack until they eventually keel over.
A very common desire of first-timers, and a very common source of disappointment.
DW Rogues are squishy for much longer than the other classes. I really didn't feel that my DW Rogue was pulling her weight until around level 11, and now that I'm level 14, the build is just starting to come together and damage output is skyrocketing. I'm still not one-shotting plebes though, on Nightmare + Even Ground, with Tier 2 weapons -- my companions usually kill them before I can even get to them. Soon, though, I'm almost there. A couple more skill points and Tier 3 weapons ought to do it.
So, patience. You'll have to adapt to the early squishy phase. One-shotting plebes is a ways off.
A few tips, which assume you have Trespasser installed:
Comments and contrary opinions welcome.
Level 6 to 7 is when I usually start In Hushed Whispers or Champions of the Just, so you should be aiming for those quests, which means having enough Power to do them. As soon as you do, get out of the Hinterlands.
I decided to play a dual wielding rogue mainly because I like being sneaky and one shotting plebs. The main problems I'm having are that the combat just feels like using one or two inconsequential abilities the ultimately just spamming auto attack until they eventually keel over.
A very common desire of first-timers, and a very common source of disappointment.
DW Rogues are squishy for much longer than the other classes. I really didn't feel that my DW Rogue was pulling her weight until around level 11, and now that I'm level 14, the build is just starting to come together and damage output is skyrocketing. I'm still not one-shotting plebes though, on Nightmare + Even Ground, with Tier 2 weapons -- my companions usually kill them before I can even get to them. Soon, though, I'm almost there. A couple more skill points and Tier 3 weapons ought to do it.
So, patience. You'll have to adapt to the early squishy phase. One-shotting plebes is a ways off.
A few tips, which assume you have Trespasser installed:
- If you are trying to solo as a low level DW Rogue on Nightmare, DON'T. Maybe once you've played a few runs you can manage it, but for a first run, have a full party.
- Have Cassandra be the tank of your party and set her to spam Horn of Valor/Fortifying Blast to give everyone in the party guard on hit. Set to Preferred in AI Tactics. I don't care if that uses all her skill points and all she can do is auto-attacks, guard on hit is essential for the initial squishy phase. You can take her off this duty once you can craft Fade-Touched gear.
- Set Cass to "Follow Cass" in AI Behaviors.
- Set your two other party members (at least one should be Solas) to Follow Cass.
- Give Cass War Cry, set to Preferred.
- Have Solas spam Barrier on everyone, set to Preferred
- In AI, make sure everyone has 0 stamina/mana reserved, no higher than 30% threshold for healing potions, and either 3 or 2 healing potions reserved -- higher reserved for tougher characters like your tank. Higher reserve means fewer potions available to them.
- Your build: Prioritize these skills: Stealth (with Lost in the Shadows upgrade), Evade, Flank Attack with Skirmisher upgrade, Twin Fangs.
- Your attack routine: Enter Stealth. Let Cass soak up aggro and sneak around to the flank of the nearest enemy. Twin Fangs and then Flank Attack to immediately return to Stealth. Wait for Stamina/cooldowns to clear then repeat. Use Evade as needed to avoid hits from big Bruisers and ranged attacks and to get into the flanking cone more quickly. Always attack from behind! You get a minimum 40% damage bonus for doing so.
- You can auto-attack as long as some other character is drawing aggro. Don't go toe-to-toe frontal assault with anyone. I like to sneak around to enemy archers and mages and Twin Fang them, which puts them on their asses (unless they are resistant), and then auto-attack until they get back up again, then enter Stealth. They never get to hit back!
- Craft for attack, flanking damage bonus, and critical chance, in that order. Don't worry about critical damage for now, you can buff that later.
- Sign up Sera to the Inquisition, do the War Table mission Inquistion Needs Bees, upgrade the hell out of that grenade, and have your highest critical chance character equip them. Toss a grenade on any boss you can't handle.
Comments and contrary opinions welcome.
