Discuss the Stealth Skill

[XuaXua]

What the heck is up with building Stealth Skill?

I've got a guy wandering around with 20000 EXP sitting there, stealth at 22 (25%) and he's just walking circles around a draconian who has a ? around him and none of the XP is diminishing (as in, applying to stealth).

You'd think that'd be the case, but no.

I just can't seem to build the skill further in this fashion. Probably need sleepers, but this really should work against distracted monsters. Does it? Is it just that I'm not seeing it? Or is there actually a problem (0.8.0-a0-5639)

[XuaXua]

Every successful step I take around a sleeper should chance build towards it.
Every successful step I take around a distracted should chance build less towards it.

x1 for each monster present.

[hxy]

That sounds about right

I don't understand how training stealth works right now. I've ever gained a level in Stealth just hiding in a corner just resting to regain my HP

[szanth]

Generally I think stealth should increase EV. As it stands, it's pretty hit-or-miss and even training it is completely a shot in the dark; it'd give more of a reason to use stealth as opposed to relying on magical advantages, get that assassin class a leg-up on stalkers and enchanters. And it'd make sense; the guy can, in battle, disguise parts of himself with his clothes or cape and make it difficult to target him.

I'm fully prepared for the eventuality that nobody will agree with me.

[dolphin]

Doesn't Dodging increase EV? (Side note: ranged physical attacks seem oddly powerful and accurate against your character, even with good EV. Is this a change? Is Rmsl/Dmsl just assumed?) I would figure that Stealth would keep you from being noticed, and Dodging would keep you from getting hit when you do get noticed. While there is a point to be made for the art of distraction and misdirection, I'm not sure how you could figure that into the game; it seems equal parts dodging and stealth, if those are our only two skill choices.

[pratamawirya]

You know what would be neat? If Stealth can make the enemies who chase the character lose him.

Right now, Stealth doesn't do anything in runaway situations; once an enemy detects you he'll always follow you, unless you manage to outrun him far enough. But I think it will be cool if we can make our chasers lose us after we get out of their sight. So basically, the game should do another stealth check after we disappear from their LOS. This would make for a very cool and powerful escape tactic for Stealth-based characters.

[Cybermg]

Stealth is already a powerful skill, to the point where nearly every character except for trolls or heavy armor users should dabble in it. The effect is very long term and subtle, but being able to pick your battles the way stealth lets you makes a huge difference.

[galehar]

Generally I think stealth should increase EV.

EV needs to be nerfed, not buffed.

You know what would be neat? If Stealth can make the enemies who chase the character lose him.

This is already the case. When the monster is chasing you and it reaches the last known position you've been, there's a one chance in stealth/3 that it will keep chasing you. This isn't very well done, because as soon as you have a decent stealth, monsters are quite unlikely to be able to chase you. I plan to fix that someday.

[vintermann]

I think it's a paradox that stealth is not very useful for hunters.

[szanth]

Generally I think stealth should increase EV.

EV needs to be nerfed, not buffed.

So nerf it. Giving stealth an EV bonus doesn't make EV itself more powerful.

[Sprinter]

What the heck is up with building Stealth Skill?

I've got a guy wandering around with 20000 EXP sitting there, stealth at 22 (25%) and he's just walking circles around a draconian who has a ? around him and none of the XP is diminishing (as in, applying to stealth).

You'd think that'd be the case, but no.

I just can't seem to build the skill further in this fashion. Probably need sleepers, but this really should work against distracted monsters. Does it? Is it just that I'm not seeing it? Or is there actually a problem (0.8.0-a0-5639)

I have noticed same effect in 0.7 when victory dancing around monsters i had more luck triggering stealth when i was stepping 1 step away from monster and then back. Try that .

[OneTrueFelid]

Stealth should not increase EV. They already removed +EV from randarts in 0.8 to prevent defensive stat inflation where people were running around with 40+ EV like it was nothing.

[LunarHarp]

You know what would be neat? If Stealth can make the enemies who chase the character lose him.

This is already the case. When the monster is chasing you and it reaches the last known position you've been, there's a one chance in stealth/3 that it will keep chasing you. This isn't very well done, because as soon as you have a decent stealth, monsters are quite unlikely to be able to chase you. I plan to fix that someday.

I can verify this. I was playing a KoAs and once my stealth skill got in the 20s or so I was able to lose those curare-immune monsters that I would rather be stabbing pretty consistently. This was without leaving line of sight. At that stealth level one can lose almost anything if you can duck around a corner. So stealth as it is is pretty awesome.