Stealth skills bugged; when to use Shrouded Strike?

[Araxes]

<DIV>Ok two things - </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I have a level 29 Assassin alt.  Within the last month or so certain combat-stealth skills are going dark for no reason I can tell.  This is frustrating as it severely limits the amount of damage I can do in any given battle.  Until I log out, the skill remains dark.  Recently it has been the Shadow skill.  I think before that it was Stalk.  (Whichever one is in the same line.)</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Second thing is - </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Am I missing something?  Shrouded Strike - if you use when NOT on auto-attack - it puts auto-attack ON.  Then, you have to immediately hit the melee button to cancel auto-attack - or the shroud breaks on next swing - thereby rendering the skill kind of pointless.  I can't see what purpose it serves to force the player to manually cancel auto-attack every single use.  I'd love to see SOE alter the skill so that, if you are in melee auto-attack when the skill is activated, auto-attack toggles off by itself automatically, likewise, if you use it as your opening move, it would not toggle auto-attack on (as it does now).  Am I not using the skill as intended or is this just an example of lack of forethought on the design end? </DIV><p>Message Edited by Vicontessa on <span class=date_text>06-09-2005</span> <span class=time_text>11:12 PM</span>

[ZaranilShadowfie]

<span><blockquote><hr>Vicontessa wrote:<div></div> <div>Ok two things - </div> <div> </div> <div>I have a level 29 Assassin alt.  Within the last month or so certain combat-stealth skills are going dark for no reason I can tell.  This is frustrating as it severely limits the amount of damage I can do in any given battle.  Until I log out, the skill remains dark.  Recently it has been the Shadow skill.  I think before that it was Stalk.  (Whichever one is in the same line.)</div> <div> </div> <div>Second thing is - </div> <div> </div> <div>Am I missing something?  Shrouded Strike - if you use when NOT on auto-attack - it puts auto-attack ON.  Then, you have to immediately hit the melee button to cancel auto-attack - or the shroud breaks on next swing - thereby rendering the skill kind of pointless.  I can't see what purpose it serves to force the player to manually cancel auto-attack every single use.  I'd love to see SOE alter the skill so that, if you are in melee auto-attack when the skill is activated, auto-attack toggles off by itself automatically, likewise, if you use it as your opening move, it would not toggle auto-attack on (as it does now).  Am I not using the skill as intended or is this just an example of lack of forethought on the design end? </div><p>Message Edited by Vicontessa on <span class="date_text">06-09-2005</span> <span class="time_text">11:12 PM</span></p><hr></blockquote>First thing:   The stalk line going grey is a known issue, though I don't think anyone knows what causes it.  I personally have only seen it a handful of times and not in a month at least.  I guess you just gotta make due for now. Second thing:   You just need to learn how to use your skill, the skill itself is fine.  Some assassins prefer to manually turn attack off and on by making the autoattack toggle a key in easy reach like middle mouse button.  I prefer to use macros because I think it's easier.  Make a macro that is /useability shroude strike followed by /autoattack off.   Then click this macro and your assassin will begin SS and automatically turn off combat afterward.  While SS is casting click the attack you want to follow and it will preform that next.   Changing SS to not auto attack after casting would be really frustrating and not a change i would like to see made.  If it stopped attack automatically then you would always have to follow SS with another attack, which you don't always want to do.  The way it is now is great.</span><div></div>

[Obiamen]

<DIV>1.) It's not just you.  And I'm primarily posting here on the infinitesimal chance that a dev will take notice and it will get fixed sooner rather than later.  :smileyindifferent:  Though, it may be a fix that they're holding for the upcoming combat rebalance.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>2.) Personally, I think SS is fine.  I didn't like it at first, but once I adapted to turning off auto-attack while casting, I don't have a problem with it.  Who knows?  It might get changed in the combat rebalance anyway.  *shrug*  </DIV>

[Graton]

1. it goes grey and doesn't come back because you used it to advance or complete an HO that required the mask icon. if you use stalk / shadow in this capacity it will grey out nearly everytime. in place of using them keep your buff line (hunter's instinct / bleeder's talent / merciless villainy) on a hot bar and cast it when you need the mask. i've been doing this for roughly a month and haven't had the line grey out on me yet. the downside is that if you get two ho's in a row requiring the mask, due to recast time you are kind of sunk. you could cast a stealth spell but those are really slow and so typically it's not worth it. hopefully this will be fixed soon. 2. you get so used to timing turning of auto attack that within a few lvls this will be like breathing to you. You can actually turn it off anytime during the cast so it's really not terribly hard. some folks will suggest a macro with /autoattack off but i recommend you don't do this. one, you can't see when it refreshes when it's a macro on your hotbar. two, i find in laggy situations that timing turning it off is more reliable than macros. i believe i was intended to work this way. honestly i find it fun , i like how dynamic playing an assassin is. i have to dart in / out of bow range. i strafe around mobs when i solo, i turn attack on and off... /shrug i like it. <div></div>

[Craien]

<DIV>Regarding point #2, another option is when you initiate SS, hit the tilde key (~) with your non-mouse hand, then que your stealth attack.  Its very quick.</DIV>

[Xiene]

<P>I don't know how other people use their assassins skills but as myself it's all rely on my instinct with some playing habit~</P> <P>just combine your mouse and keybard to enter series command.. that's all the tips i can give.</P> <P>For myself, I have a auto attack key on my hot bar since using ~ or ` key is too uncomfortable, so make sure you can execute your skills with comfer, remap your hotbar.  my Auto attack is 1 on the hotbar, shrouded strike is 5, 2 is impale or it's upgrade usually initiate attack with impale follow by shrouded strike.  all the stealth attacks are initiate by mouse.</P>