Here is your Ruse guide lol

[General]

<DIV>Ok, you want a ruse guide, here it is.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Ruse is a spell that you need to be infront of a mob for. That being said, its very simple. You stand infront of mob, engage it with some other skill, quickstrike per say, then clicl Ruse. it will make you feign death. In about 3 seconds you spring up and pop the mob for high end damage. I usually do 1100-1200.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>DOWNSIDES. Well lets face it, us being infront of the mob is stupid and not our place. It also has a 45 second (may be 60) respawn time. Here is the biggest thing I am mad at it for (kind of funny) IT DOESNT SHOW ANY SCROLL DAMAGE SO SOE DOESNT ADD IT INTO THE TOP MELEE HITS!!!!!! Fix it damnit!</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>UPSIDES. To be honest, I use ruse when I draw aggro off my big backstabs. Being in the 40's your tank should keep aggro well, however, it happens from time to time, that you just [Removed for Content] the mob off, so ruse is good for those times. Its also good for solo'ing, if thats your cup of tea.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Hope this helps, I plan on making a brigand board area, connected to the Legacy board sooner or later, Ill let you know.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Generol,</DIV> <DIV>Leader of Legacy</DIV> <DIV>Neriak </DIV>

[Tragedy Unkno]

<DIV>You dont have to sit on the ground doing nothing if your quick enough.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>If you assist by targeting the tank with attack on like I do here is the best way to max your dps...</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>/assist <tank name></DIV> <DIV>(after the mob is on target) Ruse</DIV> <DIV>(after you hit the ground) /sit</DIV> <DIV>(move behind the mob again) start attacking</DIV> <DIV>target the MT again</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I have a hotkey for /assist (tank name), Ruse, Sit ... in that order on my hotbar.</DIV>

[Sparafuci]

<DIV>Ruse is of no use in groups, simple. Nice for soloing, though.</DIV>

[Rogg]

You're being silly or stupid.Caster mobs got considerably lower hp and using ruse at my level usually drops them to 10-40% depending on the dmg+level of the caster. I'm lvl25 atm.It vastly outdamages our other attacks and not using it seems like a waste of a big DPS bomb.

[Sparafuci]

<DIV>You must be fighting some really easy mobs, or soloing. Go to Varsoon, which should be ok for your level and see how much % you will take with Ruse. You are needed behind the mobs asap to do Rake and the other debuffs we got. Before you have delivered your Ruse and moved to the back of the mob, I have debuffed it and delivered Hidden Shiv, started the first HO and maybe even other attacks. I am not hit by mob and my tank does not have to compete with me for aggro. Plus the rest of my group will hit harder due to the debuffs and other scouts in my group will not have to pingpong to find the back of the mob.</DIV> <DIV>All in all I bet I do much more dps than you do, fool. (last word just an answer to your childish opening)</DIV>

[Stabz]

Ruse is very useful, use it while the tank is pulling and the mobs are on their way to you by the time they usually get to your group you've done your 700-1k damage (adept 1 fighting level 40 mobs) before the fight even starts. Also it's great for fighting very hard red mobs that you can hardly it because Ruse is a 100% chance to hit.

[Sparafuci]

<DIV>RIP group :smileywink:</DIV>

[Sinadi]

Don't know what you're doing but I use Ruse constantly in groups without getting aggro. Since the move is treated as null damage, it generates no aggro, zero, zip, nada, nil. That means I don't get hit after I use it, okay? I debuff, stack 2 DoTs on the mob and then pop in front to Ruse. I don't think the 2 regular swings I miss while moving are really worth mourning the loss of because I've just done between 800 and 1300 damage, often on a deep red mob I could hardly hit without Swindler's Gift. In multi mob 'group' pulls, the caster mobs that I Ruse drop so fast that my group still sometimes says '[Removed for Content] happened'. It worked in Varsoon's, it worked in Runnyeye, it works in Rivervale and it's working in Cazic-Thule. I can count on one hand the number of times I've gotten aggro in the past 10 levels. Ruse had nothing to do with it, a slacking tank chatting on MSN at the same time did.I never solo. I mean *never*. So saying that using Ruse in a group is a waste of time is pretty silly. But go ahead and keep doing that extra 100 or so damage since you don't miss out on two swings while moving in front to do the hard hitting move that generates no aggro at all if that floats your boat. /shrug I'll continue to 'waste time' moving in front of a mob to use Ruse whenever the timer is up. I'm sure the caster whose life I just saved by quickly finishing off that mob he was 'tanking' will be happy that I 'waste time' too.All in all, I bet I do more DPS than you do, fool. <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />Morchaint, Faydark

[Nishap]

<DIV>Ruse has excellent range and can be used before the mob even reaches you; this works well if a tank is taunting it on the way in or if you're having fun with a bow.</DIV><p>Message Edited by Nishapur on <span class=date_text>12-27-2004</span> <span class=time_text>09:53 AM</span>

[Atrocity]

Ok let's not forget another excellent use for ruse in groups..... scaring the crap out of your healer! I group with a couple of friends that I've been gaming with for years. One of them has been our healer for over 5 years now and is deeply committed to keeping the rest of us alive. Since I've started using ruse she has told me repeatedly that she HATES that spell. Her husband and I have a good laugh all the time after fierce battles where she is focused on the tank and somehow I get killed. <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />

[Kegofbud]

<DIV>I have had some people tell me the same thing, that they thought I really died. lol I always laugh about it. Anyway, it is very useful. In fact, sometime swhen I see a mob agro on a caster, I'll jump in front of it, gouge or cuss, then ruse it to knock it down a bit. I can usually pull agro off the caster an dgo back to the original fight havign knocke dit down a bit in health. Obviously ruse doesn't pull agro but the gouge/cuss with it usually does a good job. If it doesn't turn, it'll at least be easier for peopel to kill before it kills the caster. All in all, I'm happy to take the hits to save the caster.</DIV>

[Kr]

<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> Atrocity wrote:<BR>Ok let's not forget another excellent use for ruse in groups..... scaring the crap out of your healer! <BR><BR>I group with a couple of friends that I've been gaming with for years. One of them has been our healer for over 5 years now and is deeply committed to keeping the rest of us alive. Since I've started using ruse she has told me repeatedly that she HATES that spell. Her husband and I have a good laugh all the time after fierce battles where she is focused on the tank and somehow I get killed. <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /><BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE><BR> Oh yes. It works so well. I sometimes feel guilty stressing out the healers when I do it. But I get over that.:smileyvery-happy:

[Kegofbud]

<DIV>I think the healers get over after seeing the damage it did as well. <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></DIV>

[Sparafuci]

<DIV>Did you time how long that takes you, Sin? I mean from the start of the move till you are back and doing dmg again?</DIV>

[Dtrick]

<DIV>Sparafucile, please stop coming to these boards and posting useless information.  There is no way that you can convince any Brigand here that you are doing more than 700+ damage in the amount of time that it takes to get a ruse off.  Saying that ruse is of no use in groups is idiotic, because the groups you are in are not getting the full extent of your dps.  Just remember this board is for USEFUL information for Brigands, not nonsense.</DIV>

[Otsenre]

<DIV>LOL, my guildies all give me a hard time the first time they see me use Ruse. They're always asking me why I feign death, to avoid fighting. When I tell them that it's Ruse, a feign death with a surprise attack, did about 450 pts on a blue at lvl 25, they are more appreciative. They ask me to keep doing it too..</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Just bought the Adept 1 for it, still looking for rare to make an Adept 3</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Alercas</DIV> <DIV>Lvl 25 Human Brigand</DIV> <DIV>Shadow of Sun Tzu</DIV> <DIV>Butcherblock</DIV>

[Vabt]

<DIV>My highest hit was 813 with Ruse Adept III at level 23<img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> Ruse is useless, does crap damage, dont bother using it yeh!</DIV>

[Vexx]

<DIV>While in good groups, I usually hold back on the ruse.  My groups know this lowers my DPS a certain amount, but they like it better that way because it allows them better visual communication during a fight.  If I ever break from the flank of a mob to engage anything head-on, they know I am attempting to gain aggro with a gouge.  On single mobs, I run circles anyways so this is normal.  On group pulls or in the case of adds, my change in position alerts the tank of stray aggro, so they can get it back on themselves.  Since I can see everything going on behind the MT, I am usually one of the first melee to notice aggro adds and other situations.  An aware MT is great, and it's just better when I can help.  I never assume the MT is omniscient, so staying at the flank where I'm generally supposed to be means everything is AOK behind them.</DIV> <DIV>What does this have to do with ruse?  Ruse is a huge visual and auditory signal for everyone in my group.  By staying at the flank of the mobs, I can instantly tell everyone I just got aggro...  by hitting the ruse.  It is the first ability I hit when I get adds on me as well, since not everyone needs to be looking in my direction to hear my feigned death scream.  Sure, I don't use it as often as possible, but I don't needlessly make healers panic and the group needs less communication in the chat box during a fight.  You will have enough opportunities to use it on the final mob in a pull if everything is going well anyways...  be a little more discerning with your use of Ruse and your group may benefit.</DIV>

[Sinadi]

To answer your question Sparafucile, no I haven't timed it. I need both hands to move/play my character so I can't hit a stopwatch. However, to humor you, last night I did a one-mississippi, two-mississippi count in my head to get an idea of exactly how much uber-leet damage I was missing out with my regular swings. After the blue bar for Ruse completed, I didn't get all the way through two-mississippi before I was back fighting. So that's approximately 1.5 seconds after the move processed. I know it's not enough time for the game to actually completely render the animation of my character falling down, much less the bit after ground impact where you 'die'. My character is always bend over sideways for a few seconds afterwards as the game engine catches up. You don't honestly think that I lie there and let the game go through the 'death' animation and lie there, do you? Hit your sit key right after the blue bar finishes and you stand up immediately. In 1.5 seconds, I have no other way to do 800+ damage. Do you?So, since this thread was actually supposed to be a guide to Ruse:--you don't need to have aggro to use it and have it do damage--hitting your 'sit' key immediately after doing the move will stand your character back up without going through the entire animation of falling down and dying, allowing you to get back in business a heck of a lot faster--Ruse generates no aggro towards the Brigand who used it--Killing the last mob in a grouped encounter with Ruse will cause the loss of the bonus exp for that mob--Killing a mob required for a quest (or the last mob in a grouped encounter required for a quest) will often, if not always, bug the encounter so that you do not receive credit for it. Obviously I haven't tested that much so I can't say for 100% sure. <img src="/smilies/69934afc394145350659cd7add244ca9.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />--Ruse will only miss if the facing of the mob changes after the move has gone off but before the game has 'popped' the mob and processed the damage--If you're looking for your Ruse damage somewhere, either watch over the mob's head or make a window with 'others hits' on. It's called Surprise Blow in the logs but the damage is not attributed to anyone. Thus, it'll never get you on the server's melee damage leader boards, but it also doesn't give you aggroVexxan, it sounds like your system is working well for you. My experience differs though-it ain't a good group if I have any reason to be going out of my way to grab aggro. The group I play regularly with has no problems using chat box communication (and I'm not trying to be snide with that comment, I know it doesn't work for some people, esp in a pick up group). The times the tank has been slacking and let aggro get away on a multi mob pull, I've just preferred to outright kill a stray with Ruse. If any others remain, the tank normally has aggro back. I suppose the gist of my point is that you shouldn't be avoiding Ruse just because you think it takes too long to do. It doesn't. If it does, you're not doing it right. <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />

[Daran]

<blockquote><hr>Tragedy Unknown wrote:<div>You dont have to sit on the ground doing nothing if your quick enough.</div><div></div><div>If you assist by targeting the tank with attack on like I do here is the best way to max your dps...</div><div></div><div>/assist </div><div>(after the mob is on target) Ruse</div><div>(after you hit the ground) /sit</div><div>(move behind the mob again) start attacking</div><div>target the MT again</div><div></div><div>I have a hotkey for /assist (tank name), Ruse, Sit ... in that order on my hotbar.</div><hr></blockquote>If you look in the options for controls, you can actually set up a permanant keyboard key to always /assist, doesnt waste a hotkey and its permanant. Same can be done with /sit.In my set up your tactic would bespace-bar = /assistnumbpad 5 = rusex = /sitq = /attackOnly one of those keystrokes is a hotkey.mind you of course I've customized the heck out of my keyboard.Two questions, since I'm at work and can't test the ability, do we get agro when we use this ability? and Do we need to get hit to trigger it off?~DaranNew to Ruse.

[Dtrick]

<DIV>Thanks for that information Daran, you just saved me room for 2 more hotkeys.  To answer your questions, no we do not have to have agro to get this ability to go off and no we do not need to get hit for it to trigger.  I usually stand shoulder to shoulder with the tank when he comes back from a pull, as soon as I see him fighting the mob I pop off ruse then hit sit/stand and jump behind the mob and start stabbing away.</DIV>

[KaosSco]

<DIV>I found Ruse to be mostly situational , as a previous poster pointed out , used when you draw agro , yes we are not supposed to draw agro , but lets face it , we do from time to time and that is the perfect oppertunity to use Ruse.</DIV>

[Kegofbud]

<DIV>I have mostly used it situationally when the mob agroes me or there is an add I want to weaken quickly. I didn't know the Sit/Stand thing so I'll be tryingt hat tonight and setting up a couple keys for it. Excellent tip!</DIV>

[Zerim]

<DIV>Ruse in my experience is <STRONG>not </STRONG>situational.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>If the tank is pulling in a controlled fashion, at the start of the fight I normally go "Knockaround"  > "Disarming Thrust"  > "Risky Advance" > "Ruse"</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>At level 30 it does substanitally more damage than I could do starting from behind during the same time frame - and I also use sit/stand after it goes off to get back behind the target quickly so I lose very few combat swings.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Your mileage may vary.</DIV>

[Schor]

<DIV>If you're not using ruse every fight then you aren't doing yourself or your group a favor.  As has already been said, ruse does not pull aggro, has very long range (can be used while pulling), and takes no additional time away aside from the cast time (if you hit your sit key as soon as it goes off, yes it will still do damage).  If you're using it mid fight it shouldn't take more than a half second total movement time to run in front of the mob and back again.  You really should be using this skill on the pull if its feasible - then you lose absolutely 0 time whatsoever.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>In my opinion, the best part about ruse is that its cheap.  It's by far my most efficient skill atm damage/power wise, with hidden shiv in a distant second, and nothing else even coming close.  When I get in those OH SHI- situations where im out of power and there's quite a bit of health left on the mob, I save my juice for hidden shiv and ruse.</DIV>

[Sparafuci]

<DIV> <DIV>Dtrick, you are doing fine on the nonsense yourself.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I very much doubt you can do that in 1.5 secs, Sin, and I doubt you do 700+ dmg each hit, maybe as peak dmg.</DIV> <DIV>I still only see an excuse for doing Ruse, when every other move has greyed out and there is no HO going, or for emergencies.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Nice one, Vexxan, saving Ruse for when its needed makes sense.</DIV></DIV>

[Dtrick]

<DIV>Please post proof of said nonsense that I have posted sparafucile.  I can highlight at least four posts from you where you are posting useless and incorrect information.  You are the minority here sparafucile, please keep your bs comments to yourself and leave the board for USEFULL information.</DIV>

[Gyilok]

<DIV>Ruse should put you into a 3sec feign death , but there are ways of to get up faster, so you dont miss out more swinging than that, because when you are moving to the front or back to the flank you still swing or can use your flanking hits</DIV> <DIV>as for the debuffs: from my experience the ruse damage is pretty random and independent of th debuffs th mob already got, currently my adept 1 ruse does between 550-800 dmg at lvl 30 to all kinds of red lvl 34-39 mobs in runnyeye at the beginning (no debuffs on mob) or in the middle of fights (every possible debuff on), there is no way somebody can convince me that it is useless <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></DIV>

[Sparafuci]

<DIV>"Please post proof of said nonsense that I have posted sparafucile.  I can highlight at least four posts from you where you are posting useless and incorrect information.  You are the minority here sparafucile, please keep your bs comments to yourself and leave the board for USEFULL information."</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>There you go, Dtrick.</DIV>

[Dtrick]

<DIV>When 99% of the board will agree with me, I do not believe that is nonsense.</DIV>

[Sinadi]

My Ruse skill is adept 3. You're right, I don't do 700 damage every time-700 is actually pretty low. It's not at all unusual to see regular hits of over 1000 damage. However, I chose to say 700 because it was a reasonable guesstimate and took more into account the unusual low hits you sometimes get.It's pretty obvious that nothing at all that is said would convince you that you're incorrect, and that's okay. It just means one less person looking for that all-elusive Ruse master 1 should it ever drop and become available for sale.

[Vexx]

<DIV><FONT face=Verdana>I only have two things to add.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Verdana>Firstly, I save Ruse for situational purposes because I don't find I have the time to bother with it if I'm flanking my target where I should be.  Sneak attack, Distracting, Backstab, etc. all day long.  In the small gaps I stun, assist HO or debuff a new target.  That keeps me more than busy and I dont have to dance all over the place unless something has gone wrong.  I don't slight anyone who does use Ruse constantly, but I like having that big hit ready when I truly need it (gaining aggro.. and yes as was mentioned it does happen).</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Verdana>Secondly, don't cry when they 'nerf' Ruse and force the feign animation to it's full extent, at which point you will likely use it situationally as us in the minority do.</FONT></DIV>

[Zerim]

<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> Sinadial wrote:<BR>My Ruse skill is adept 3. You're right, I don't do 700 damage every time-700 is actually pretty low. It's not at all unusual to see regular hits of over 1000 damage. However, I chose to say 700 because it was a reasonable guesstimate and took more into account the unusual low hits you sometimes get.<BR><BR>It's pretty obvious that nothing at all that is said would convince you that you're incorrect, and that's okay. <FONT color=#0000ff>It just means one less person looking for that all-elusive Ruse master 1 should it ever drop and become available for sale.<BR></FONT> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE><BR> <DIV>Oh you mean the one I got at level 23? </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>:smileywink:</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Master I Ruse changes everything...which consequently makes it MUST USE every time it is available (not including the killing blow).</DIV><p>Message Edited by Zerimar on <span class=date_text>12-31-2004</span> <span class=time_text>11:01 AM</span>

[Sinadi]

Crik I had to say that because Sparafucile plays on my server and as far as I know, we haven't been lucky enough to have a Ruse master drop. I'm probably dreaming but I still hope I will find one some day down the road.I've decided that Ruse is, in fact, situational. If you find yourself in a situation where the Ruse timer is up and you're fighting a mob, that's a good situation in which to use it! :p

[Zerim]

<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> Sinadial wrote:<BR>Crik I had to say that because Sparafucile plays on my server and as far as I know, we haven't been lucky enough to have a Ruse master drop. I'm probably dreaming but I still hope I will find one some day down the road.<BR><BR>I've decided that Ruse is, in fact, situational. If you find yourself in a situation where the Ruse timer is up and you're fighting a mob, that's a good situation in which to use it! :p<BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE><BR> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Yeah, I have been told that I have the only one that has dropped on Guk and to add insult to injury for higher level brigands, I friend of mine got it for me off the fence in East Freeport for peanuts.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>...but I ain't complainin <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV>

[MaestroX]

<DIV>I am with the poster who uses ruse for when my rear damage has been perfect and I actually spin the mob around with aggro.  I immediately hit ruse and use the extra second to hit a buff.   I rarely hit the ground before the mob hits me and with self preservation I loose aggro immediately.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Also. soloing ruse is my second attack after I open with something stealthy, on a yellow solo mob I get to use it twice!</DIV>

[Dubrek]

<DIV>nah I never hold back on my ruse. Every single fight I can squeeze it in. I'm currently 25 and only app3, but I've finally found a rare to make myself adept 3 and I can't wait to see "ruse adept 3" pop onto my hotbar. Highest current hit was 603 on a yellow ^^ mob. I never hold back useing it, it's like saying don't use your flanking abilities. What's the point?</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I let the tank pull, do my stealthed attack, debuff mob with knockaround, then immediately ruse, then move to the back to my positional attacks. If we pull a group of monsters, I stay in back till we get down to the final monster, then pop around for ruse. I hate trying to tank even in a pinch with my abilities, when I ruse people think I died (even though I've done ruse for hours on end, and they're used to it). Often when I ruse I see the healer either run away, or just start nukeing the tank while I'm getting beat on. :smileyindifferent:</DIV>

[Aral]

<DIV>It is cracking me up to see brigs here seriously suggest that our highest damage, zero-aggro, most efficient combat damage is "situational."  If you can't be "bothered" to be moving around the mob this is the wrong class.  Every brig should be looking to contribute as much as possible to his or her group.  Sperocity )sp?) seems to have this thick wall in the head thinking that if he ruses, he must do it immediately at start of fight, or not at all.  How about you fire off all the kd's, an HO, and get shiv and shank in, then pop a ruse?  Even without the exploit (nice, but it's certainly not intended) of sitting to shorten your down time of 3seconds, if you time your skills right the damage lost in those seconds is nil.  </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Also, see several people here speaking of using ruse when you draw aggro.  It's not a feign death.  It is our highest damage attack, our class-defining damage ability.  The animation is a FD, but you lose no aggro from rusing, other than the fact that you stopped attacking for a few seconds which might tip the hate total back to the tank.  </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>You should be using ruse in nearly every fight.  If you aren't, work on your timing and order of attacks so that you can include your highest damage, most efficient attack.  Not doing so is akin to assassins skipping out on their big hits because it requires them to stealth.  </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV>

[Zerim]

<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> Aralys wrote:<BR> <DIV>It is cracking me up to see brigs here seriously suggest that our highest damage, zero-aggro, most efficient combat damage is "situational."  If you can't be "bothered" to be moving around the mob this is the wrong class.  Every brig should be looking to contribute as much as possible to his or her group.  Sperocity )sp?) seems to have this thick wall in the head thinking that if he ruses, he must do it immediately at start of fight, or not at all.  How about you fire off all the kd's, an HO, and get shiv and shank in, then pop a ruse?  Even without the exploit (nice, but it's certainly not intended) of sitting to shorten your down time of 3seconds, if you time your skills right the damage lost in those seconds is nil.  </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Also, see several people here speaking of using ruse when you draw aggro.  It's not a feign death.  It is our highest damage attack, our class-defining damage ability.  The animation is a FD, but you lose no aggro from rusing, other than the fact that you stopped attacking for a few seconds which might tip the hate total back to the tank.  </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>You should be using ruse in nearly every fight.  If you aren't, work on your timing and order of attacks so that you can include your highest damage, most efficient attack.  Not doing so is akin to assassins skipping out on their big hits because it requires them to stealth.  </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV><BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE><BR> /agree

[Nishap]

<DIV>Recap:</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>-Ruse has good range, and no aggro</DIV> <DIV>-Ruse can take you out of the fight for up to 5 seconds (yes, i have timed it from feign to beginning autoattack again)</DIV> <DIV>-You can doubletap your sit/stand key to mitigate the downtime</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Based on this information, it looks like Ruse is best used facing the pull as the mob comes in, followed by a double tap of your sit/stand key so you're easily on your feet by the time the mob reaches you.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Any questions?</DIV><p>Message Edited by Nishapur on <span class=date_text>01-04-2005</span> <span class=time_text>10:31 AM</span>

[Socrates7]

<DIV>There seems to be a lot of discrepancy in how you actually use Ruse. I just got it at level 21 and regardless of how much damage it does and what not it obviously seems worth it to use in a group situation. But exactly "how" do you use it, do you have to have aggro or just be in front of a mob. Whats this using /sit business about? i'm really confused and this post seems to be the definative debate on Ruse.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV>

[Cordanim]

I've started using Ruse now all the time...now that I know what it really does.As for taking you out of the fight for 5 seconds...nope...let it activate and then hit your sit button - go around back again and you're back in the action.I just LOVE how much damage it does <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />One thing I noticed last night - we were doing wasps and grove badgers in Enchanted Lands (the ^^ ones) and right now at 26 they con red (our tank is 29 so we do 'em np) and so what I did at first is Ruse right at the beginning of the fight and then if it popped in time I'd do it at the end to finish off the mob...if Ruse was the killing blow, though, we wouldn't get the "you earned extra experience for this encounter"...seems if Ruse is the killing blow you miss that xp so I wouldn't finish off the mob with Ruse.Anyone else confirm this?BTW I did 840 on a ^^ red bear last night - I LOVE THIS SKILL <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />

[Zerim]

<DIV>You just need to be standing in front of the mob, having aggro does not matter.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>The sitting/standing thing is a bug. You are supposed to stay in a feigned death position until the mob takes damage, but if you tap your key that toggles sit/stand you will immediately jump up from the Ruse combat art.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>The debate here is whether the power is situational. Lower level brigands say its situational, higher level brigands believe it is a class-defining power that should be used every time it is available. What we all agree on is that it should NOT be used for the killing blow on an encounter as you may preclude yourself from receiving quest credit or rewards (boxes).</DIV>

[Cordanim]

yeah but if you wait for the dmg to be done then you can hit sit and get back to it <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />I realize they'll probably fix that in an upcoming patch...was just an FYI to one of the posters.

[Dtrick]

<DIV>You DO NOT have to wait for the damage to be done to hit the sit/stand key.  I have had the ruse damage pop on the mob while I was on my way back to the rear of the mob.  I hit sit/stand immediately after the FD animation goes off, after about 2 secs my character is back up and on the way to the mobs back (with or without the ruse damage going off yet).</DIV>

[b3taha]

You don't even need three hotkeys anymore with this new patch. You now have three line hotkeys. So you can put in line 1, /assist tank.Line 2, whatever the command is for ruse. Then line three /sit. Simple and easy.

[Aral]

<DIV>This might just be coincidence but the numbers on ruse seem to be higher on caster/healer mobs, rather than melee mobs who have (I suppose) more mitigation of various types.  </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Because of this, ruse is an excellent tool for popping caster or healer mobs quickly and taking them out of the fight.  At 33/34 I can nearly kill or kill the charmer/warlock eyes down in runnyeye on incoming with ruse (adept 1, still no jasper sigh).  Of course assassin can do same thing even better, so having both in a group means quick fights on caster mobs. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV>

[Socrates7]

<DIV>Hey, I figured out how to use Ruse, in groups and everything! Thanks for the help, it rocks! I can't fathom not using it... I can't begin to see a valid argument against it. But why the greyed out damage, a friend of mine doesn't even believe I'm doing it. Is it so there is no aggro? Can't they just set that sort of stuff? Well anyways, I know I'm going to be wasting the 2 (exageration) seconds it takes to use it, with 300 damage easy at 20 how can you not?</DIV>

[Justin Sa]

<DIV>I got a question for the level 50s...</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Is Ruse something I'm going to use for the rest of my leveling or does it get replaced?</DIV>

[Sinadi]

I'm almost level 47 and still haven't replaced Ruse. In looking at the combat arts I have yet to receive, I don't think I'll be replacing Ruse. My next best art damagewise is Hidden Shiv (simply because it's Master 1-Craven Delight replaces it and the initial hit/dot damage still suck without an adept upgrade). Shiv at adept 1 does nice dot ticks but not as much initial hit.

[Naldiian]

<DIV>I do have one question though that does not seem to be getting discussion here - with mobs using barrage at the start of a fight many times, using Ruse early in the fight (at pull especially) means you are likely to take 500+ damage (really low amount at level 30 there, 700s happen) a lot, so doesn't this irritate your healers? I ran into this alot using early Ruse shots in my mid 20s and as barrage damage got massive I just quit doing it so much. I want to do the extra damage I could be, but do not like forcing healers to heal me every fight like that. I do use it some after I know barrage was used to get in that extra damage though. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I have to admit though, I have plenty of attacks that hit for well over 100 or 150 and they recycle in 10-20-30 seconds, and I can continuously be firing off a special attack. I bet I can do 300+ dmg at almost any time that I could do Ruse for 700 or 800, which is still a significant shortfall, but it reduces the loss of DPS being discussed - I would expect it would actually be an even smaller margin many times. I would still rather be using Ruse though as more is better any way you look at it!</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>So what are you guys doing in reference to the damage taken using Ruse during fights?</DIV> <DIV> </DIV>

[Justin Sa]

<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> Sinadial wrote:<BR>I'm almost level 47 and still haven't replaced Ruse. In looking at the combat arts I have yet to receive, I don't think I'll be replacing Ruse. My next best art damagewise is Hidden Shiv (simply because it's Master 1-Craven Delight replaces it and the initial hit/dot damage still suck without an adept upgrade). Shiv at adept 1 does nice dot ticks but not as much initial hit.<BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE><BR> <DIV>Alright good, cuz the reason I ask is that I don't want to shell out for the Indigo Ink for the Adept III (Adept IV now?) only to have it replaced in a few levels.</DIV>