Friday, February 27, 2009

[Guide] Sneaking

;Here is a break down of stealth system used by Assassins

I. The gem
;
The very first thing you should notice (for some reason people miss it at first, myself guilty of it too) is the little gem just below your minimap. Simply put: white means bad, black means good. The brighter the gem gets the easer you will be noticed, and vice versa - black makes you less likely to be noticed by mobs/players. The gem changes it's states accordingly to the ammount of light in your area: if you will try to be sneaky at noon in the Poitain you will fail, but if you are doing some ninja stuff in the sewers - they will not see you coming.

Note: the gem is rather hard to see and lets be honest: sneaking isn’t REALLY a big part of this game so rather than constantly checking your gem - go for common sense (like: DO NOT sneak near torches, campfires etc.) mixed with speed (just go, don’t try to “play it smart” by creeping up on a single mob for 2 minutes).

II. Bonuses that come from stealth attack (rogues do IT from behind)

Normal stealth attack:
1/ you will do fast hit with decent damage,
2/ you will instantly gain 2 shards (when in unholy stance)
3/ you have a chance to perform instant kill in a form of special fatality – this works on low level players/mobs and players already low on HP

Stealth attack from the behind:
1/ your stealth attack with get 10% dmg boost for landing on unshielded side (back is always unshielded),
2/ you will instantly gain 2 shards (when in unholy stance)
3/ you have higher a chance to perform instant kill in a form of special fatality – this works on low level players/mobs and players already low on HP (the bigger the damage the more likely it is that fatality will proc)
4/ you will apply stagger snare on players – this snare cannot be dispelled or removed in any way

As you can see attacking from behind is clearly superior to just going in and landing stealth attack on someone.

Note: applying stagger to your opponent as a fight opener with added benefit of surprise from stealth attack is often more than enough to make them defenseless. If you follow the attack with Grimm corruption the snares will stack and the target will practically be rooted.

III. Stealth attack follow ups

Since corruption/hybrid trees benefit the most from the stealth attack (shard gain) here are few follow ups for PVP:

After you stealth attacked someone:
1/ Corrupting strikes into death’s gaze – unload the buffed SS into slow moving, snared target,
2/ Death’s gaze into From the darkness into Snap kick – this one is called “chain cc” and will kill most targets without chance for them to fight back. Fear your target, run back, attack with FTD and after landing a stun on him – knockback with snap kick.

Note: most opponents will try to apply their cc on you moment after you sneak attack them, be ready with general tree anti CC or use Avatar right after you landed your hit.

Note: as lotus assassin you can prevent chain CC with quick tab targeting the attacker and using curse of lotus for fear.

III. Stealth poping

To get someone out of stealth is called “poping”.

Here is what will pop you out of stealth:
1/ falling damage
2/ aoe damage
3/ dot damage (if you went into stealth with a dot)
4/ aoe fears
5/ aoe traps
6/ aoe knockbacks
7/ using a skill or a combo

Note: Bosses and Mini Bosses will always pop you out of steath regardless of any conditions. FC confirmed that bosses have 360 radar jammed up their asses.

Here are few ideas on how to pop someone as assassin:
1/ necrotic leech – aoe damage spell. Needs shard.
2/ death whirlwind – aoe damage combo. Doesn’t require shards to pop.
3/ curse of lotus – aoe fear. Requires target to be used (so you can pop someone if they are near the feared target)
4/ use search – good luck with that one..

How to notice that someone is sneaking nearby:
1/ going into stealth makes characteristic sound (*swoooosh*) so there is a chance you could hear that,
2/ as of 1.4 assassins are buged and you can see their dagger’s “reflection” as they are sneaking

IV. Skills usable in stealth

As a general rule if you use anything in stealth it will pop you out of it.

Here are few exceptions:
1/ stance switching – you can switch stances in stealth from corruption to lotus and vice versa
2/ you can be healed in stealth – if you poped pot before you went into stealth
3/ you can draw out weapons – as a rule you should always have them out
4/ ambush feat is usable only in the

V. Improving stealth

I would advise against it. If you *REALLY* want to improve your stealth here is what you can do:

1/ Swift Shadows 3/3 – gives bonus to sneaking movent speed
2/ Skulk – same as above, but in a form of a skill
3/ Ambush – FTD’s poor cousin, charge usable only from stealth that gives no stun.
4/ Concealment – boost your team’s stealthing and waste 2 points.
5/ Itemization – some items give boost to the sneaking

Note: assassin forum members report that there is virtually no difference between 100 sneaking + items boosts and 900 sneaking. Keep that in mind.

VI. Tips

1/ Stick to walls when sneaking, it helps
2/ when attacking from stealth use up-center attack to get bonus from attacking from behind
3/ to ensure stagger on your target follow the stealth attack with up-center white hit

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

New Producer Letter to the community...and assassin stuff

Silirrion twitted that he is preparing producers letter, interview answers and release articles for the next update. It seems like 1.5 for test live is right around the corner which fills me up with glee as we will learn about much NEEDED and AWAITED itemization and gem changes :D

In other "news" I am preparing big update for the blog with large assassin guide for all of you clueless cutters out there. Stay tuned, my readers - all 4 of you ;p

Monday, February 23, 2009

Border kingdom = fun

I am having a blast with new border kingdom cimmerian end. The pvp resources droping in pvp is briliant (so far I was the looter and haven't been looted ;p).Ofcourse the ZERG is inevitable, but the dynamic of the border kingdom makes it fun, even if you are the victim of the zerg. Here is why: if you mine the pvp resource nod it will light up on the map as red icon, so if there are groups in the area they will rush to that spot to kill the miner and hopefuly - to get this lootie. If you mine quickly and have someone stealth scouting the area you can get out of the spot just before the big zerg rolls in. Yesterday we have escaped the 30 man SCUM that literally poured into area like a big flood.
Here is a little movie that I made - it would have been better if the main forces did not interupt our hostile takeover, but never the less it was big surprise for us to see our guildies chagrge in from other direction.

Sunday, February 22, 2009

Slaughterhouse bosses drop blues

.....aaaaaaaand here is the proof. This BOE ring I got from poor snappy the crockodile boss and other time ghost boss droped BOP chest. On testlive server I got nice chest for assassin (better than midnight droped in epic kesh). If you having problems with getting into Epic Kesh groups - Slaughterhouse is a place to get your tier 0.5 missing pices equivalents.

Saturday, February 21, 2009

Conan the Thunder (The sowers of the thunder review)


So I am done with this one: great book. The book is made of 3 stories with Conan in the far east(mostly Turan). All 3 stories, since the book have been edited to fit Conan's world, are non-canon, but like I wrote previously - Conan is still Conan. I have to mention that in one story Conan teams up with RED SONIA. Good read.
Right now I am trying to hunt down the very last REH book that I haven't read: "Treasure of Tranicos". It might take a while :/

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Pictish e-peen


Time to weave my e-peen a little: seems like my feedback from 1.4 slaughterhouse review have been taken into consideration.


Lets go down the check list:

1/ more blood, dust and gore - CHECKED!
2/ Picts fighting with clubs instead of sword+shields - CHECK! (very pleased about that change, fits the lore better)
3/ More ghosts please - CHECKED!
4/ Ghost boss doing some ghost attack - CHECKED! (it is SUPER freaky! I will not spoil it thou)

The slaughter house is very polished instance and it is all thanks to...all the people that gave it a shot on test server and wrote feedback in Official Slaughterhouse Cellar feedback and issues thread! I have given my 2 cents in that thread, but honestly it was community that helped the FC to take it to the next level. So thank you to the community and than you to the developers for listening to the feedback.

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Patch + twitts from Game Director - can it get any better?


FC took it to the next level with keeping the patch date and patching tommorow.

Another thing which is even better: Game Director Silirrion now has his own Twitter account which he intends to use to...twitt stuff to us. Check the story here.

I will follow that twitter and get you THE GOOD STUFF here on the blog. Stay tuned, we have some exciting stuff coming down the pipe

Monday, February 16, 2009

Katars reported and confirmed


Assassin's daggers called KATARS are being held by the character the wrong way - instead holding it by the handle, the character grips the whole thing just like a regular dagger which looks quite akward. Sarchon, QA tester confirmed this issue and fowarded the feedback. This have been an issue since day one, so getting good looking katars would be great.

Friday, February 13, 2009

Funcom is charging foward as fortold..


Seems like Funcom is really pulling their shit togeter. First new jobs being offered which has been noticed by podcast community down at Virginworlds, then the class advocate system which is somethings very innovative (I haven't even heard about any company doing something like this), and now the test live server is being patched second time this week. I must say it's been a while since I have complained about FC policy. Things are looking up.

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Oh joy! Tarantia Commons...


THE Silirrion, game director for Age of Conan wrote:

Tarantia Commons is currently planned to be in the same update cycle as the items and statistics update. (i.e. 1.05) It will certainly be on the public test servers during that cycle. Whether it launches in exactly the same update as the stats update will depend on testing. It may come at the same time, or it may come a little after (i.e. as a 1.05.x update just like we did with Ymir's Pass).


see the source.

I am looking foward to Tarantia commons and it has really captured my imagination.
I was afraid that FC pushed it further down the line, but no - it might hit the live servers in resonable ammount of time :D

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Pvp XP for minigames in the works


In reply to my "minigames are horrible for pvp XP - the compiled whine thread" Didek, age of conan developer confirmed that:

"Some PvP exp reward for the minigames is in the works but won't make it for patch 1.04".


see the source.

I *really* enjoy minigames so I got my hopes up for any change for the better.

Expect that to hit live servers around june :D

Monday, February 9, 2009

[Guide] Assassin farms Main System for gold

I did a little video for my dear dear readers (all two of them..).
You can get 32 up to 50 silvers per 11-13 minutes in that place.
Assassin can farm every boss in there (at least every shown in the video).



Check the disscusion thread here.

Sunday, February 8, 2009

Conan: The thunder


I am reading an ULTRA rare Conan book. I it so rare that I couldn't even find it on wiki. In 1933 mr. Howard published "The Sowers of the Thunder" a book about Turkish empire and a loney hero that marks his place in history. In 1990 Richard Cameron edited that book so it fits the Hyborian world (Turkey being made into Turan for example) and the main hero - Conan himself(which wasn't hard because Howard's hero a very similiar). Apart from some minor issues (like Conan being the fallen King, but not of the Aquilonia) it is a Conan book by Robert Edward Howard. Mr.Cameron did very very good job of transfering the Turkish empire into Hyborian setting and the main character is as Conan as you can get.

note: the picture features the original REH pice, I couldn't find anything on Cameron's edited version.

Friday, February 6, 2009

Patch in 2 weeks


The FC did quick update on the updates and it turns out the patch is due in 2 weeks.

So basicly it will take FC 3 months to patch and it most likely be without DX10.
I hope there are TONS of undocumented fixes like necros GOD line-o-sight bug.

My evul twin brother


Turns out I have an evul counterpart across the pond on US servers. Check out his avatar: how could he not be evil? I bet he has moustaches too...

So I guess you could say THIS BARELY QUALIFIES AS NEWS.

Patch this freaking game already FC, are you trying to starve us out?

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Age of Conan open world pvp

Yesterday we have had great, staged up open world pvp "in defense of King Conan" - Sanguis Attexo vs Nova Krepusko.

I had a chance to finaly test the assassin in bigger scale battles and here are few of my tips:

1. Stay back at the begining - your role should be picking off cluless people who rushed thru your lines to get caster/healers. Be there so the healing is undisturbed

2. Life leech - if you get a shard use it on life leech for MASSIVE stamina,HP and mana regeneration. The more sources to leech from the bigger are the returns and big battles are begging for your DOT.

3. Join the fight after the line has been broken - you have no place in battle until the rangers have traded their blows becouse the minute you show up you will be focus fired by them.

4. CC is death - if you show up use all of your anti CC and anti damage at once because your life span will be so short that there will be no chances for HP regeneration. If you watch the movie you will see I got demo rooted the second I showed up (avatar saved me).



Thanks to both guilds for a great battle and RP event.


Monday, February 2, 2009

Conan the rebel: this is ASS!


I have tried to be open minded when it comes to non-REH Conans, hell I even planed on buying and reading whole 71 books. I have already read "Conan and the spider god" and "Conan and the shaman's curse" and still had faith in the whole "Conan pastiches". Mr. Howard have captured my imagination with Conan to the point that I couldn't force myself to stop reading and close the book (I even got late to work few times because of that). I did not ask for much from other authors, and damn, I did not recieve much. Conan: the Rebel is more ass than Conan and the spider god which was hard to top. Mr. Anderson - did you even read ONE Conan book by REH? Reading this book is a torment and the failure is spilled on every page. There is only one thing
Mr. Anderson did right: if Conan was gay and not Conan this would be great book about that character I have just described. I don't want to go deep in details, because this book doesn't deserves it so just to name a few:

1. Conan is a gentle, caring lover, that is one step from writing love poetry - like what? It is same guy who fucked two gals (one being queen) on his way to save his wife for crying out loud..Also he abandoned all of his women with single exception of Zenobia, just becouse she was hot and it was about time to start working on a legitimate son. Even if some sick mind for some sick reason would like to portrait Conan as such Belit was worst pick ever to be his love object- she was greedy, bloody bitch-queen of the black pirates, driven by gold and lust. Moreso it was WORST time of Conan's life to portrait him as gentle person - he was KNOWN and FEARED by whole black coast as AMRA which means "LION". Amra was most bloody, brutal, savage, merciless pirate of ALL TIME.

2. Belit - Mr. Anderson basicly WROTE Belit's backstory which sucked. The whole idea behind Belit was that she and her crew was crusin' around the sea to pillage and murder for profit (aka piracy). Belit was NOT lost soul that was searching for her brother nor person driven by want to revange on Stygians- all she did was screw with Conan and sink ships.

3. Conan said: "I beg you, tell me why I am here?" when being held prisoner - I have stop reading after that phrase. Why read a book that guts your favorite character, striping him from all that makes him Conan. I couldn't count how many times Conan was prisoner, but he always took his punishment with silient dignity because in the end he WTFPWNED everyone (check: king of Turan). The "beg" word is not in Cimmerian's dictionary Mr. Anderson.

4. Conan prayied to his god - CROM - Conan prayed only twice in his life: before he went on a journey to save his wife and after he saved her. REH was very specific on this: it was first time Conan have offered animal sacrafice to the Crom as part of a prayer. Perhaps if Mr. Anderson wasn't spewing shit-book for crap money he would take his time to research a little into Conan and learn that Cimmerians do not pray because CROM does not listen.

There is no point in reading books just to shit on the later so right now I will look on e-bay for some original Conan (I own REH books in my native language, but the translation was very solid) and probably re-read the series in a brand new couch I have just bought (not that you care about that ;p)

PVE 80lvl assassin gameplay

Ever wondered what it is like to play assassin? Thinking about rolling one, but you are not sure about end game?

Sample this random villa movie for some fast paced action.