Agility was my first pick for AP line (Walk the Plank for the win!)

[Ghartan]

And I love it <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />Was bored a bit yesterday and did some running around the old zones to get the new discovery XP and ended up earning nearly 4 points in APs (as well as 15% regular XP at level 61). So this was added to what I had been saving up in points and decided it was time to make my choice for which AP line to go into first.I don't raid hard core but I do a couple of nights a week. I do group a lot with guildies and solo a fair bit. So a lot of the AP skills didn't really appeal to me (especially with the funky weapon requirements). But the Agility line had some nice skills that caught my eye .... especially Walk The Plank, Avast Ye and Sailwind ... and I always use a rapier anyway (roleplay thing <span>:smileytongue:</span> )Let me just say ... Walk the Plank is proving to be a hoot!It is great for soloing since our normal stun (Cheap Shot) doesn't work on any mob with a ^ rating. So once you get past the opening volley of backstabs, that's it. Now I can force the mob to turn its back to me (any mob that isn't epic) and get Pillage in. And as I add points to Walk the Line I should be able to get other shots in while the mobs back is forced turned (especially when I get the agaility skill that makes it faster to cast CAs!!! ). It may be possible for the mob to resist the effect but I haven't seen it yet.What surprised me was Walk the plank is also handy when grouping. When the tank is getting hit harder than the cleric can heal (like when we get a named or get some adds), I will jump in front with him and spin the mob away from the MT ... buying him a few seconds of not getting hit so the cleric can heal real fast.Anyway ... I wanted to post about the Agility line since everyone seems to be sorting through the path that best fits their play style.<div></div>

[Ookami-san]

<div></div><p>I just got this and am looking forward to playing around with it.  I instantly thought how useful it would be when soloing, since we can get our back and flank attacks in.</p><p> </p>

[overfloat]

<div></div>Great feedback, thanks! <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> I'm fully expecting to respec AAs later down the road when we have a better idea of how well they all work, so I'm wondering if Walk the Plank might at least be a fun sh**s and giggles ability in the meantime. <img src="/smilies/283a16da79f3aa23fe1025c96295f04f.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />

[SageGaspar]

<div><span>Sounds good. I'm actually seriously considering Walk the Plank now for an extra backstab, as it is I win or lose most fights based on how long I can keep them stunned, so it would come in handy in a pinch. The only thing I'm concerned about is that I really favor the WIS line right now, so I'm on the lookout for a 1H Rapier. Haven't seen any worthwhile ones yet.As far as spinning in a group battle, this is actually one of the things I wasn't so sure about. If a tank's in trouble I generally jam on my stuns and Swathe (if it's one mob I probably haven't used Swathe yet) and then everyone tries to burn the mob down. Walk the Plank does help the first part, but it can really screw with the timing of scouts that are already in position. I dunno, it seems like it'd be much more use in solo to me.<blockquote><hr>Ghartan wrote:It is great for soloing since our normal stun (Cheap Shot) doesn't work on any mob with a ^ rating.<div></div><hr></blockquote>And not to hijack this, but cheap shot does really work against arrowed mobs. It's a shorter duration, but plenty of time for you to hop over the mob's head and get in a backstab. When I'm soloing I constantly use Swathe, Cheap Shot and Brazen Thrust to get in extra backstabs and most importantly Lung Puncture, if it wasn't for this ability I don't think I'd be able to solo a lot of the ^ that I do.</span></div>

[Ghartan]

Good point about using stuns to help the MT also ... and I do that. But for me, murphy's law says it isn't refreshed yet (course the AGI skill will help with refreshing faster too !). Mostly was wanting to point out that it was yet another tool in our chest of utility <span>:smileywink:</span>It must be a timing thing on the Cheap Shot because I have tried ever timing/jumping combo I could think of to get a backstab in but no luck. I knew Cheap Shot still worked on arrow mobs to interrupt but have not personally gotten in a stun effect.Oh well ... may give cheap shot another try some time on ^ mobs <span>:smileyhappy:</span><div></div>

[overfloat]

<div></div><p>Cheap Shot only lasts 2 seconds on heroics. With a 0.5s recovery on CS and a 0.5 cast on any of our rear/flank attacks, that leaves you only a 1.0s margin for error. Server lag can easily kill 0.5s or more of that remainder, so it's partly a matter of timing and partly blind luck. <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> I've had exactly zero luck with it in the KoS zones so far simply due to the massive zone populations and nasty lag!</p>

[SageGaspar]

<div><span><blockquote><hr>overfloater wrote:<div></div><p>Cheap Shot only lasts 2 seconds on heroics. With a 0.5s recovery on CS and a 0.5 cast on any of our rear/flank attacks, that leaves you only a 1.0s margin for error. Server lag can easily kill 0.5s or more of that remainder, so it's partly a matter of timing and partly blind luck. <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> I've had exactly zero luck with it in the KoS zones so far simply due to the massive zone populations and nasty lag!</p><hr></blockquote>I've got it down to pretty much a science, I never fail except in extreme lag (KoS launch and a couple days after). So it's possible to get the right timing down. Just try to be flying through the air at the exact moment cheap shot lands. You should be passing through the mob as it's stunned, then start furiously clicking whichever backstab you want.My favorite trick is timing Swathe so that I'm jumping through the air as the knockdown lands and getting in a backstab that way. If you do it right, because of the jump built into swathe it looks like you're jumping even higher, sorta like a helicopter or something <img src="/smilies/69934afc394145350659cd7add244ca9.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></span></div>

[overfloat]

<div></div><blockquote><hr>SageGaspar wrote:<div><span></span> </div><div><span>My favorite trick is timing Swathe so that I'm jumping through the air as the knockdown lands and getting in a backstab that way. If you do it right, because of the jump built into swathe it looks like you're jumping even higher, sorta like a helicopter or something <img src="/smilies/69934afc394145350659cd7add244ca9.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></span><hr></div></blockquote>I love our flamboyant blue AE animations -- pairing Swathe up with backstab is <strong><em>so</em></strong> what we're all about! <img src="/smilies/283a16da79f3aa23fe1025c96295f04f.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />

[Aieckelle]

<div></div><div>On the same range of idea, Commandeer, even if it's only 1,3% of movement speed increase in combat, you really see the difference. When i got it the first time, it was like if i got a pair of ice skating while the other member in the group was in shoes. So when you fight in group or in solo, you got an extra to be able to move faster and be able to do what you want to do as combat move faster than you would have done without. I really think it's a must for us swashy as we often have to move to do some CA <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></div><div> </div><div>Kayli,</div><div>62 swashbuckler, Unrest</div>

[Ghartan]

<div><span><blockquote><hr>Aieckelle wrote:<div></div><div>On the same range of idea, Commandeer, even if it's only 1,3% of movement speed increase in combat, you really see the difference. When i got it the first time, it was like if i got a pair of ice skating while the other member in the group was in shoes. So when you fight in group or in solo, you got an extra to be able to move faster and be able to do what you want to do as combat move faster than you would have done without. I really think it's a must for us swashy as we often have to move to do some CA <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></div><div> </div><div>Kayli,</div><div>62 swashbuckler, Unrest</div><hr></blockquote>Cool <span>:smileyhappy:</span>Was hoping the effect would be noticable.</span></div>

<div></div>I went with AGI first as well, love Walk the plank so far <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /><p>Message Edited by on <span class="date_text">03-03-2006</span><span class="time_text">07:33 AM</span></p>

[Dweedleb]

<div>For people having difficulty using cheap shot on ^ mobs, just hit mez, and turn off attack.  Works quite well</div>