Any happy Brigand on test?

[Pheeb]

<div></div><div></div>Do you find it easier to solo as a brigand after the new combat changes? Does the debufs stack in raid when there is more than one brigand? (I mean has this been addressed?) Thanks for any feedback... <div></div><p>Message Edited by Pheebau on <span class=date_text>08-17-2005</span> <span class=time_text>06:55 PM</span>

[WuphonsReach]

Not sure if debuffs are stacking... the DoF brigands probably have a better feel for that. (I'm generally the only brigand on our weekly raids so I don't have any issues with debuff stacking.) However, debuff poisons that are identical will not stack on the same mob, so debuff abilities may fall under the same restriction....Solo... is a lot easier then it was before. Partly because fighter-based mobs are a bit weak (my opinion) compared to caster mobs. Partly because I have slightly above average gear (PGT, imbued feysteel kris, crafted common armor, full set of T4 jewelery, crafted common rings, 2 rare T2/T3 hex dolls, crafted poisons, debuff poison, 4 Adept3s, and most App4/Adept1 skills). No fabled/legendary gear other then my 2 weapons (no haste belts).I've gone from 39 to 41 under the new combat system. I was having a moderately difficult time with the various lamia temptresses on the western beach of EL. They suddenly got a lot easier after the initial patch. (Easier, as in possibly too weak to be much of a threat. They used to be a guaranteed death if I aggro'd more then one... now I can take 2 at a time with only moderate danger.)...The big changes for a solo brigand:- You don't have to depend on Ruse / Trickery / Deception anymore (it's now more of a situational spell). This was already true for me in my mid-30s under the old system, so it wasn't much of a shock. I mostly use Ruse when I have a DoT on me (the next tick of the DoT will trigger Ruse), which seems to work well.- Cheap Shot allows you 6 seconds to get around back of your target and unleash 1 to 4 of your flank/rear attacks. There's a chance to break on each bit of damage, but it's not as fragile as it used to be. I can often get off 2 or 3 of my flank attacks. Cheap Shot also serves as a low-level slow since the mob won't be hitting you for a few seconds.- Combining the above 2 things... if a frontal only fight isn't going well, Cheap Shot + flank attacks replace the use of Ruse to get out of a tight spot. So we still have our ace-in-the-hole, it's just not packaged into a single spell.- As alluded to earlier, stuns (Sap?) don't automatically break on every bit of damage. Which makes them more useful for lowering the amount of damage that a mob can do, rather then being a different style of interrupt.- Our buffs have changed. We get some very nice STR/STA bonuses in our buffs, depending on whether we've gone offense (Risky Advance line) / defense (Knave line).One fun thing is to sneak up on a non-aggro dreg in the Feerrott, use Cheap Shot, unleash all 4 flank/rear attacks, then Sap to stun it again, then use a few more attacks. Which usually results in a dead dreg before it even turns around. Amusing, but uses up a good amount of power, so not really a viable tactic if you want to maintain an even flow of mobs....For a raid/group brigand (note that I don't raid much, only about every other week on contested mobs):- Beg for Mercy is a very nice addition to our spell line. I used it just last night to pull aggro off of the illusionist (knocked them down 2 spots on the hate list), which put it right back onto the main tank. Moderately risky for the brigand (you take half the incoming damage), and you have to be quick on your feet (get within melee range of the player you're trying to rescue), but it works extremely well and has a short recast timer (1 minute).

[Pheeb]

<div></div><div></div>Many thanks for the great feedback Snabbik!<a target="_blank" href="../view_profile?user.id=48104"><span></span></a>Much appreciated...glad to see you're pretty happy with the class as it stands on test... I take it that you don't miss FD too much?<div></div><p>Message Edited by Pheebau on <span class=date_text>08-18-2005</span> <span class=time_text>04:40 PM</span>

[WuphonsReach]

I don't miss it (I hated it as an ancillary effect on our Craven Walk).Others will miss it.I wouldn't mind getting an actual spell line for FD if we're supposed to have it, just don't like it attached to my FD line. Like the ability, detested the implementation.

[Evyn]

I'm so happy that FD effect is going to be gone off of Lurk etc.  Hate it =p  Use my self sneaks so rarely at the moment because of it.  <div></div>