R
Roalith
Guest
After spending around ~6 weeks playing a 24 Infiltrator in Thidranki, I like to think I've gained a little experience of the RvR capabilities of the class. Just thought I'd share them.
Speccing
I have tried various specs in Thidranki, thanks to the respec bug. Character was a Briton, 30 base points went 15 strength 10 con. I chose slash as the damage type, as my main targets were shadowblades and hunters.
My first spec was:
21 +2 CS
20 +5 Stealth
15 Envenom
15 Slash
4 Dual Wield
I would say this is the best general purpose spec. Respectable melee, poison, stealth, means you can take out most targets you go after, providing you get the drop on them. The high(ish)
stealth generally means you do, too.
This next:
21 +2 CS
24 +5 Stealth
2 Envenom
19 Slash
1 Dual Wield
Was gimped, quite simply. Looks good on paper, and beautiful stealth means you never ever get uncovered. The high slash means a nice low damage variance on your PA, too. However, the painfully low envenom means you stand no chance of getting 'hit and run' kills. Bleed effect from PA just doesn't cut the mustard for those type of kills, and because Infiltrators can only use 1h weapons, the PA isn't even in the same league as critblades.
My final spec after fiddling around with respecs a few times (cough) was:
21 +2 CS
19 +5 Stealth
23 +2 Envenom
7 Slash
1 Dual Wield
On paper, this looks like a somewhat gimpy spec. However, the level 25 DoT poison does ~40 damage per tick... not a lot stands up to a PA for 180ish followed by 240 damage over time.
I ended up staying with this as my final spec, and I can safely say I had the most fun with it. Your melee isn't too good, and damage variance can be a little wild to say the least. However, the nice high CS gives you respectable garotte damage, and as PA, Garotte, or Backstab are pretty much the only styles you use in Thidranki, you can get away with it.
Classes
Midgard
First off the bat, you have slash resistant armour on 5 of the 8 Midgard classes, and vulnerable armour on only 3 of them. This means you have to pick your targets carefully. Solo Hunters are a safe bet 1 v 1 - they rarely ever uncover you, wear slash vulnerable armour, and are often to be found lurking on the road on their own between MB and MPK (provided Albion has the CK). I have taken a Nightshade down before, immediately followed by a hunter who happened to be standing nearby and watching. Shadowblades are also slash vulnerable, and as an
infiltrator it is your job to try and control their population a little.
99% of the time, you get the drop on a shadowblade and you win - especially with a hit-and-run template like the above. However, a critblade gets the drop on you, and you'll last all of 2 seconds. Your only hope is that they didn't put snare poison on the 2hander and leg it as fast as you can.
Likewise, Shadowzerkers are ewul. Even if you get the drop on them they will often out-melee you. DoT them, snare them, and peg it. Beserkers are the last slash vulnerable class. Avoid. Warriors can be taken down quite readily, as can Shaman, Runemasters, and Spiritmasters.
Healers are a pain, but with persistance they can be taken down provided they don't have their group around them.
The class you really have to watch out for are skalds. Relatively
high HP, respectable melee, chain (slash resistant) armour, an insta DD snare and speed which means you have no hope whatsoever of getting away. If you come across a target accompanied by a skald, bide your time until the skald gets antsy and runs off.
Hibernia
Nightshades and rangers are your bitches. Very often have painfully low stealth, you can spot them a mile away and line yourself up so they walk into your PA. With my final spec template above, it's easily possible to PA either of them with the DOT poison, then forget about them and watch the 1 RP roll in. Elf or Lurikeen Enchanters, Eldritches, and other pure-casters:
Laff. One shot PAs, very very rarely will you struggle to kill these from stealth, if they're solo.
Bards are a little more difficult if grouped, however a PA and a couple of garottes sends them packing when solo. Avoid Spear heros. Blademasters can hurt a fair bit too, most fights are 50/50.
The best general tactics are PA with DOT poison, swap to your third weapon, and garotte a couple of times to make sure you get your debuff and snare poisons off, then sprint back to the
nearest 'safe' zone like there's no tomorrow, and pray you don't get rooted. If picking targets in or near a crowd of enemies, go for one of the weaker ones. Healers are also a good, if tough, target, to prevent them rezzing their realm mates. Approach tougher melee-based targets with a backstab for the stun, and use fast weapons.
Lastly, watch out for the phenomenom known as "The Shadowzerg". This takes the form of one very low stealth specced Hunter/Shadowblade or (rarely) Ranger/Nightshade, accompanied by 4 or more higher stealth assasins. They wait for you to PA their bait target, then hand your arse to you.
Speccing
I have tried various specs in Thidranki, thanks to the respec bug. Character was a Briton, 30 base points went 15 strength 10 con. I chose slash as the damage type, as my main targets were shadowblades and hunters.
My first spec was:
21 +2 CS
20 +5 Stealth
15 Envenom
15 Slash
4 Dual Wield
I would say this is the best general purpose spec. Respectable melee, poison, stealth, means you can take out most targets you go after, providing you get the drop on them. The high(ish)
stealth generally means you do, too.
This next:
21 +2 CS
24 +5 Stealth
2 Envenom
19 Slash
1 Dual Wield
Was gimped, quite simply. Looks good on paper, and beautiful stealth means you never ever get uncovered. The high slash means a nice low damage variance on your PA, too. However, the painfully low envenom means you stand no chance of getting 'hit and run' kills. Bleed effect from PA just doesn't cut the mustard for those type of kills, and because Infiltrators can only use 1h weapons, the PA isn't even in the same league as critblades.
My final spec after fiddling around with respecs a few times (cough) was:
21 +2 CS
19 +5 Stealth
23 +2 Envenom
7 Slash
1 Dual Wield
On paper, this looks like a somewhat gimpy spec. However, the level 25 DoT poison does ~40 damage per tick... not a lot stands up to a PA for 180ish followed by 240 damage over time.
I ended up staying with this as my final spec, and I can safely say I had the most fun with it. Your melee isn't too good, and damage variance can be a little wild to say the least. However, the nice high CS gives you respectable garotte damage, and as PA, Garotte, or Backstab are pretty much the only styles you use in Thidranki, you can get away with it.
Classes
Midgard
First off the bat, you have slash resistant armour on 5 of the 8 Midgard classes, and vulnerable armour on only 3 of them. This means you have to pick your targets carefully. Solo Hunters are a safe bet 1 v 1 - they rarely ever uncover you, wear slash vulnerable armour, and are often to be found lurking on the road on their own between MB and MPK (provided Albion has the CK). I have taken a Nightshade down before, immediately followed by a hunter who happened to be standing nearby and watching. Shadowblades are also slash vulnerable, and as an
infiltrator it is your job to try and control their population a little.
99% of the time, you get the drop on a shadowblade and you win - especially with a hit-and-run template like the above. However, a critblade gets the drop on you, and you'll last all of 2 seconds. Your only hope is that they didn't put snare poison on the 2hander and leg it as fast as you can.
Likewise, Shadowzerkers are ewul. Even if you get the drop on them they will often out-melee you. DoT them, snare them, and peg it. Beserkers are the last slash vulnerable class. Avoid. Warriors can be taken down quite readily, as can Shaman, Runemasters, and Spiritmasters.
Healers are a pain, but with persistance they can be taken down provided they don't have their group around them.
The class you really have to watch out for are skalds. Relatively
high HP, respectable melee, chain (slash resistant) armour, an insta DD snare and speed which means you have no hope whatsoever of getting away. If you come across a target accompanied by a skald, bide your time until the skald gets antsy and runs off.
Hibernia
Nightshades and rangers are your bitches. Very often have painfully low stealth, you can spot them a mile away and line yourself up so they walk into your PA. With my final spec template above, it's easily possible to PA either of them with the DOT poison, then forget about them and watch the 1 RP roll in. Elf or Lurikeen Enchanters, Eldritches, and other pure-casters:
Laff. One shot PAs, very very rarely will you struggle to kill these from stealth, if they're solo.
Bards are a little more difficult if grouped, however a PA and a couple of garottes sends them packing when solo. Avoid Spear heros. Blademasters can hurt a fair bit too, most fights are 50/50.
The best general tactics are PA with DOT poison, swap to your third weapon, and garotte a couple of times to make sure you get your debuff and snare poisons off, then sprint back to the
nearest 'safe' zone like there's no tomorrow, and pray you don't get rooted. If picking targets in or near a crowd of enemies, go for one of the weaker ones. Healers are also a good, if tough, target, to prevent them rezzing their realm mates. Approach tougher melee-based targets with a backstab for the stun, and use fast weapons.
Lastly, watch out for the phenomenom known as "The Shadowzerg". This takes the form of one very low stealth specced Hunter/Shadowblade or (rarely) Ranger/Nightshade, accompanied by 4 or more higher stealth assasins. They wait for you to PA their bait target, then hand your arse to you.
