Scout Advice

[Diddledum]

Im about to spec an autotrained scout and will be pairing up with someone to fight.

Not interested in a pure sniper scout (even though we are rr0) we want to melee a bit too although will be picking targets carefully and will be going after the weak ones.

So thinking about 45 longbow, 42 shield

How much in stealth?

Not sure whether slash or thrust.

Is slash better if u use malice? pls advise

Also anyone got a temp with gsv,msg,wh,som,golm in or would that be gimped ?

Thanks!

 

[Thorwyn]

Read www.critshot.com for oodles and oodles of uncontrolled Scout spec and template threads.

Personally, I`m 45 lb, 42 shield, 29 slash rest stealth, using Malice. I respecced from 50 lb 18 slash at RR5 because I wanted to increase my melee damage output (which was basically non-existant with 50 lb). There are so many specs floating around that it´s impossible to give an optimal spec. It´s all subjective. I`m not even sure if 42 shield is mandatory these days, when every man and his dog has got purge. There are so many other things affecting your spec respectively the effectivity of your spec... RAs, solo/duo/group, playstyle etc.

 

[Baldrian]

atm I use 45lb 42sh 29thr 36 stealth. at a later point with higher RR you can respec stealth to get even more weapon.(this is with autotrain) using goldenspear.

 

[Diddledum]

and what do the "leet" ppl use slash or thrust?? or makes little difference pls?

 

[Siesta]

I use 45lb 44thrust 35st(Ithink?) rest sheild... works quite well i do a fair bit of dmg even tho i'm only rr3 i find it better to attack the asassin rather than slam+run. But some people well say this spec is gimp because of low sheild.

Some people prefer slash because there are better artifacts but thrust is great v. asassins. Although slash has a bigger dmg output, thrust is just as good.

 

[Baldrian]

well thats really upto what you want.

Slash is purely str, where thrust is str/dex
So many prefer thrust because as a scout you are already high in Dex.

Some prefer slash for ability to use malice and get amy slash at 29 spec.

I dont really think there is a right or wrong, but what you prefer. if you ever get into straight melee with a bowspec against any other sb/ns you will loose regardless. If I am not mistaken slash also have bonus against leather. BUT stealthers have str debuff poisons, hits you harder if you are slash.

all in all I went thrust because I was slash on mincer and wanted something different. your bow is still your main weapon, so I say pick what you like.

PS: yeah I know I said stuff even though I am not one of the "leet"

 

[Dukat]

I'm RR6, my spec is 45 longbow 39 thrust 34 stealth and 30 shield, a "hybrid sniper" spec, my playstyle is fairly melee oriented so I might go back to slam soon.

Blockrates faily good, damage is adequate and I can still snipe with that spec.

lacks slam though, this kinda hurts at time.

One thing I'd recommend is that if you want to go melee, get all of the artifacts, get winged helm, som and battler(for the charge), others are handy as well but I'd reckon you'll want atleast these ones just to beable to compete.

at low rr you'll struggle with a melee playstyle, but if you stick with it, you'll get there eventually

 

[Baldrian]

I use 45lb 44thrust 35st(Ithink?) rest sheild... works quite well i do a fair bit of dmg even tho i'm only rr3 i find it better to attack the asassin rather than slam+run. But some people well say this spec is gimp because of low sheild.

Some people prefer slash because there are better artifacts but thrust is great v. asassins. Although slash has a bigger dmg output, thrust is just as good.

its not slam and run its slam 2 arrows.

 

[Glottis]

Slam is nice, but slightly more limited now due to fast purge (most enemies have purge2).
As already said before, thrust is based on str/dex, giving the scout a higher weaponskill, resulting in less evades after an SB/NS debuffs you (debuff hurt when using slash).
I would still go slam though, it simply rocks, and often you can slam a SB/NS and then run once they purge (they will gank you silly afterwards ). But for the next 15 mins their purge is down, and they are killeable after slam+crit.
I think even scouts with 50 thrust/slash will not come close to outmeleeing an assasin (dual wield owns shield way too much).
So go 45lb, 42 shield, 29thrust, 36stealth (mos3-4 is great btw).
Once you are rr9 drop stealth to 30 and raise thrust to 35 or so
Regards, Glottis

 

[Thorwyn]

(mos3-4 is great btw).

I disagree here. Either go MoS 3 or MoS 5. MoS 4 is nomans land, not enough to crit stealthers (which is what you want when going that high in MoS) or stay at MoS 3, which is enough to avoid PA and spend the points somwehere else.

 

[Boobz]

I got to RR5L6 using 50 Shield, 45 Bow, 35 stealth and 8 slash. When i came back after NF i realised that the new Purge had pretty much nerfed that spec. Brutalize was pretty worthless.

Now im 45 LB, 42 Shield, 29 slash and 34 stealth. Seems to be working out ok.

I would never drop Slam tbh, its way too useful, and i would never go below 45 LB (RF2 for teh LEECHINGS ).

 

[Glottis]

I disagree here. Either go MoS 3 or MoS 5. MoS 4 is nomans land, not enough to crit stealthers (which is what you want when going that high in MoS) or stay at MoS 3, which is enough to avoid PA and spend the points somwehere else.

Might be true, but I used to enjoy hunting down enemies (till relics where stolen in l33t Mid/Hib tactics last sunday).
Now I enjoy running from them
Will see about MoS5, makes sense what you say.
Regards, Glottis

 

[Dafft]

Im 32 st, 50 slash 42 shield 23 bow have no problems dropping most ppl. Kinda fun meleeing someone but thats not the way for most ppl.


tbh I would say: spec the way you feel is right.

I mean I love the following: 34 st, 29 slash, 45 bow, 42 shield or 30 st, 39 thrust, 42 shield 40 bow.
might not be for all