Ten Ton Hammer - Taking MMO Gamers to the Next Level!

I admit that I have a soft spot for rogues and that I tend to play them in every MMO that I come across. I love being able to do a lot of damage but also have the capability to be very sneaky and ambush/assassinate enemies. The sad fact is that in most MMOs, the true potential of rogues is left unfulfilled. They may do a lot of DPS, but so can other classes. They can be stealthy, but what’s the purpose if you have to clear all the mobs anyway? Are there obstacles that can only be overcome by a crafty rogue’s ability? The answer is normally no. However, in Dungeons and Dragons Online, a rogue is much more than melee DPS. They are a vital part of a well-oiled group. DDO rogues don’t have the shame of rogues in other MMOs, endlessly hoping that they get a group invite. “Sorry, we already have a few Death Knights, so DPS is handled.” In DDO, rogues aren’t the fat kids picked last during gym class; they’re useful, fun to play, and in demand. To that end, let’s look at five reasons why DDO rogues are awesome to play and why they’re so integral to a group.

DDO Rogues: Traps are a Bitch

Traps are an integral part of DDO. Unlike other MMOs, where a group might come across an easily-avoided trap once in a blue moon, traps abound in DDO. Be they blades, spike, flame, sonic, or acid, traps can wreak havoc on a party. While you can take some preventative measures such as resistance spells or potions, the only sure-fire way to deal with traps is to have your handy DDO rogue disarm them. The control box for the trap is located on the other side of the spike trap? No problem! A competent rogue can evade the spikes (make his reflex save) and get to the control box and disarm it. Now your squishy wizards can travel down the corridor in safety. Most adventures in DDO have traps, and some can be fiendishly placed. A rogue can neutralize these dangerous traps and, normally, by doing so the party gets an experience boost at the adventure’s end.

DDO Rogues: They Unlock Things

While opening locks is useless in other MMOs, having the ability to do so makes DDO rogues extremely valuable to a group. As you go through adventure after adventure in Eberron, you will come across doors and chests that are locked. Some dungeons have an extra rest shrine that can only be accessed by unlocking a door. Extra chests or optional quest objectives might be behind a locked door, and many chests themselves are locked. All this extra loot is just waiting for the itchy fingers of the DDO rogue to come along and free them from their prison. There’s nothing more irritating than seeing a chest behind the barred door just waiting for you to open and loot it, but the door is locked and you have no rogue to pick it. The chest just sits there mocking you with its out-of-reach riches. A rogue not only lines his pockets with gold, but other party members as well.

DDO Rogues: Sneaking is Awesome

The ability to move around a dungeon undetected is a useful skill. In DDO, you get xp for finishing the adventure, not for killing everything in your path. (Yes, you do get bonus xp depending upon the number of enemies killed, but the bulk of the xp gained from a quest is for completion of the quest.) A DDO rogue doesn’t need to fight their way through a dungeon, wading through knee-deep pools of blood. They can sneak their way to the final objective. Being stealthy also allows for rogues to take point, doing a recon and seeing what enemies are about and also attempting to detect traps. If a rogue takes the Rogue Assassin enhancement, they get the cool Assassinate ability where they can attack from stealth and potentially kill a foe with one shot. Lastly, there are a number of times where optional objectives in a quest require the use of stealth.