Everquest Rogue Leveling Guide
How to Get the EQ's Master of Stealh Class to Raiding Levels
Rogues are the class capable of the highest damage per second rating in Everquest. Like their real-world counterparts, Everquest rogues can sneak around, open locked doors and pick pockets. Getting caught at some of these activities can be detrimental to the character as non-player characters in cities will turn on the character, but the most a rogue will get for pickpocketing is a warning from the monster they tried to pickpocket.
Rogue Leveling in Everquest is a simple process. A rogue levels fastest by grouping. A rogue character must be behind the mob to do the most damage possible with their key damage ability: back stab. Rogues are not essential to a group, but the high damage per second rating of the class makes it highly desirable for a group, after the group finds a tank, a healer, and crowd control characters.
Doing the Most Damage Possible as a Rogue
Mmorpgs follow the same pattern for most games. Melee or combat classes are often highly dependent on their gear. A rogue who does his job well may not have the same need for armor that other classes do, but having quick, high damage daggers is a must. (Rogues are capable of using other types of weaponry when leveling in Everquest. High damage weapons alone are not enough, the ratio of damage to delay is what matters. Using the weapon with the best ratio that strikes quickly allows a rogue to maximize his damage per second. Rogues that group well use their abilities when traps need detected and doors need open, and they get aggro rarely.
Rogue Leveling While Soloing
Soloing as a rogue is difficult, but it is an impossible feat. Regeneration items are needed to reduce downtime and the rogue should practice instill doubt so that fear kiting is possible. A rogue who raises his poison crafting skill up can benefit from slow and snare poisons, although daggers that proc snares are available in game. The soloing process is simple. A rogue character must find and attack a mob, use instill doubt until it runs away from him, and then use his weapons to hit the mob from behind.
If the monster the rogue is trying to solo does not hit hard, the rogue can attack it from the front, although he loses his highest damage attack. Once the rogue leveling by using solo tactics takes the hit points oft he mob he is fighting to zero he should immediately sit down to increase his regeneration rate. During downtime the character should put on his regeneration item if he is not already wearing it and he can speed up the healing process by applying bandages.
Suggested Everquest Zones for Rogue Leveling
Rogues pretty much follow the same patterns as other classes, and the good zones may change as new expansions are added to Everquest or older zones are revamped. Sometimes the players will decide where the popular zones to go are and it makes sense to go to these zones while leveling up a rogue. When the rogue becomes welcome by guilds for raiding, the raid zones will be determined by the guild:
- 0-10: Zones near the rogue's hometown
- 11-20: Crushbone, West Karana, Runnyeye, West Commons, S. Ro, Oasis, East Commons, the Warrens, Katta, Befallen
- 21-30: Lake of Ill Omen, North Karana, South Karana, Lake Rathe, Estate of Unrest, Lavastorm Mountains
- 31-40: Dawnshroud Peaks, Solusek A, Overthere, Warsong Woods, Eastern Wastes, Great Divide
- 41-50: Dreadlands, Burning Woods, Great Divide Kodiak Caves, Kael Drakkar
- 51-60: the Grey, Karnor's Castle, Sebilis, Chardok, Velketor's Labrynth, Dragon Necropolis, the Hole
- 61-65: Planes of Nightmare, Plane of Disease, Plane of Storms, Bastion of Thunder, Plane of Innovation
- 65-70: Post Planes of Power Content
If anyone would like to refresh the author's memory on the Kunark dungeon full of undead that used to require a key, please do so as that is also a good place for a leveling rogue to go with his group.
Rogue leveling in Everquest is not difficult, but it does take patience and dedication. The player should take time out on the rouge form time to time to make sure key class skills, such as lockp icking and detect traps are kept at their highest level. Groups expect more from a rogue than just a high damage per second rating.
Resources:
