Have rogues start with shoot and a ranged combat tree

[Aquillion]

I was going to suggest a new class based around stealth + traps + archery, but honestly, why add a new one? Let people combine this with rogues.

Would it break anything to have rogues start with:

1. The Shoot talent,
2. At least one ranged combat tree of some sort (and maybe a few more locked ones), and,
3. A bow or sling?

Yeah, sure, it'd be a buff, but since you still only have so many talent points to spend, I can't see it as actually breaking anything. Worst case it'd step on archer's toes a bit, but ultimately I think that archer-rogues would be a lot of fun to play.

You can sort-of do it now, but they don't start with shoot or an unlocked ranged-focused tree -- why not give them the option of playing that way right from the start? It'd open up more interesting build options.

[TheRani]

I was going to suggest a new class based around stealth + traps + archery, but honestly, why add a new one? Let people combine this with rogues.

Would it break anything to have rogues start with:

1. The Shoot talent,
2. At least one ranged combat tree of some sort (and maybe a few more locked ones), and,
3. A bow or sling?

Yeah, sure, it'd be a buff, but since you still only have so many talent points to spend, I can't see it as actually breaking anything. Worst case it'd step on archer's toes a bit, but ultimately I think that archer-rogues would be a lot of fun to play.

You can sort-of do it now, but they don't start with shoot or an unlocked ranged-focused tree -- why not give them the option of playing that way right from the start? It'd open up more interesting build options.

It'd be lovely if the poison tree was compatible with bows and slings. Alternately, give them them a tree for throwing knives.

[marvalis]

IMHO every character should have at least one ranged attack skill. This skill should be less powerful than a normal melee attack. It should not require you to change weapons.
For rogues, that means it should work while having daggers equipped: Some kind of 'throw dagger' skill with a cooldown of 6 turns or whatever.
If you could carry a secondary weapon (I'm not talking about secondary weapon sets), like a javelin for a fighter, then this could be your ranged attack weapon.

I think it would be easiest to make a throw dagger talent of some sort ^_^.

[Grey]

I would personally prefer if everyone had the shoot talent and if the trainer in Last Hope gave the option to learn one of the archery trees instead (at low mastery and for a higher price, of course). This would open up more options for everyone.

[Aquillion]

That's a bit offtopic, though. I want a specifically focused traps + archery + stealth (+ maybe poison) class. That requires more than just the same archery options available to everyone, I think.

Also, I don't think you could make a real archery talent tree available from New Hope. It's very different from combat training -- I'm saying that Rogues should have a tree with actual activated archery talents available from the start, or we should get a Rogue-ish class that does. I don't think a tree like that could ever be available just for gold (it would drastically change everyone's gameplay style and make it impossible to ever make a class designed around a lack of ranged capability -- which the game should have.)

[tiger_eye]

That's a bit offtopic, though. I want a specifically focused traps + archery + stealth (+ maybe poison) class. That requires more than just the same archery options available to everyone, I think.

This would be a fun playing style, but as a self-proclaimed rogue expert, I believe it would be too great a stretch to incorporate this into the existing rogue class. You can't have all that and dual-wielding talents, which are great even at low talent level. Furthermore, you probably shouldn't have the ranged tree talent tree locked, because it would take too long to unlock to play in this style.

So, I think there is room for a new rogue class (since several other players have asked for the same thing you're asking for). The following is perhaps a good basis for this class, so please help develop it further (alas, I haven't had the time and creative energy to make suggestions yet):

http://forums.te4.org//viewtopic.php?f=39&t=27960

One thing in particular I would love is if you could shoot traps to set them off

[marvalis]

This reminds me of playing a hunter in wow.

Trap launcher, deterrence (invulnerable to projectiles for a few seconds), disengage, silencing shot, concussion shot (slow)
Freezing trap, frost trap. I think hunter also got camouflage recently?

You could use deterrence of silencing shot to prevent projectile spell damage, you could use frost trap as a pseudo-interrupt. Deterrence + disengage against melee.

Good times.