Beginner Guide: Rogue
The Shadow Hand
This guide was created in part based on Quivo’s beginner video for Rogues.
Why play a Rogue?
There are many reasons to play a Rogue, chief among them is probably a desire to see big numbers. As a Rogue, you are a pure damage dealer. No matter the group you join, you will always be there for a single purpose: To kill as much and as fast as possible. No supporting your healers or off-tanking, no conjuring delicious bread or buffing your group. Just stab-stab-stab all day long. And you do it well. Rogues are the premier choice for melee damage.
A key part of playing a Rogue as positioning. You will not be able to get the most out of your attacks if you are not actively trying to get backstabs on your enemy. This requires you to regularly check your surroundings, making sure that you can perform your backstabs without pulling extra enemies. This can make for very dynamic engagements, where you are not just sitting still all the time.
However, all of this is not to say that Rogues are without utility. Stealth is an incredibly powerful tool. You can use it to scout ahead in dungeons, keeping your group aware of what is ahead and ensuring they do not get overwhelmed by accidentally turning a corner too hastily. It allows you to position yourself ahead of fights and jumping from the shadows as soon as the tank has established aggro, immediately beginning your backstabs.
Lockpicking allows Rogues to open doors and chests that would normally be inaccessible to groups.
Should things go awry, stealth allows Rogues to easily grab the corpses of their party members and drag them to spots where they can more easily be picked up.
And of course what Rogue would be complete without Pickpocketing? An incredibly immersive skill that lets you try your luck at stealing an NPC’s coin and sometimes even items.
The combination of Stealth, Lockpicking and Pickpocketing allows for incredibly immersive exploration gameplay, allow you to traverse many parts of the world that would be too dangerous to most classes.
There are of course downsides to being a Rogue. Being a highly specialized damage dealer can be both your strength and your weakness, as it is your only major contribution to a group.
Rogues are not the strongest when solo. Stealth allows them pick and choose their fights but should you choose wrong, you will be left at the mercy of your enemy if you cannot kill them before they kill you.
Rogues are also very gear dependant. You do not have support skills to compensate for having old, un-upgraded gear.
Stealth can also be a kind of double-edged sword. It allows for great freedom of movement and can give you a sense of security if you are stuck somewhere, however that sense of security can lead to overconfidence.
In closing, pick Rogue if you are not bothered about not constantly coming to group mates’ rescue, just want to do damage that engages you through situational awareness, and like the thought of playing as a thief when you’re not engaged in group content.
The full official deep dive on Rogues can be found [here].
Starter Quest: Night Harbor
Before we begin: You can always reference what NPCs have told you by accessing your journal (default key: J) and you can always ask follow up questions to them by simply targeting them and writing in Say chat, as if they were players. For instance: “Where can I find [key word]?”
A full list of beginner tips can be found [here].
Open your inventory and memorize any spells you might’ve started with, then read the Torn Note.
Directions to: Sinastin Aspenleaf
Enter the city through the West Gate, following the cobblestone path and turning down the first right. Continue through the large gate with a red gem at the top. Once you’ve passed through the gate, turn right down the alley, turning right once you reach the end. You should see a sign for the “City Illuminator’s Guild,” go towards it and turn right. Inside this area you will find Irfan Raz, Albrecht and Sinastin Aspenleaf, as well as your class trainer. Irfan, Albrecht and Sinastin will play major parts in the completion of your Rogue quest-line.
Hand Sinastin the note you started with in your inventory and he will in turn give you another note and tell you to speak with Albrecht.
Sinastin’s note contains six names:
- Customs Inspector Bakari
- Mafeed the Butcher
- Dilshad Abolfazl
- Nerida Thinblade
- “Captain” Eilionoir
- Guard Andreu
Hand Sinastin’s List of Names to Albrecht, who will then give you handful of sealed notes intended for people around the city of Night’s Habour.
There is no specific order in which you have to make the deliveries, so you are free to take this as an opportunity to explore the city and look for these people yourself, if you so desire. Otherwise, please follow along below.
Mafeed the Butcher
Directions to: Mafeed the Butcher (from Sinastin Aspenleaf)
Exit the City Illuminator’s Guild the same way you entered, retracing your steps through the alley until you reach the cobblestone road again. Turn right on the road and follow it for a short distance, keeping an eye out for a rack of fish drying on your right hand side. Mafeed is inside this building.
Give him the note intended for him and put the item he hands you into the Small Courier Bag.
Dilshad Abolfazl
Directions to: Dilshad Abolfazl (from Mafeed the Butcher)
Exit the butcher’s shop and turn left towards the large gate. Do not pass through the gate, instead turn right onto the sand towards the bazaar area and then turn left at the fork towards the arch. Go through the arch onto the cobblestone road, continuing along until you pass the bank with the white roof and arriving at a crossroads. Turn right at the crossroads and keep your eye open for a sign in the shape of a hide on the left hand wall which says “Tannery.” Dilshad will be in the small one story house on the left inside the tannery compound.
Hand him his note and put the item he gives you into the Smaller Courier Bag.
“Captain” Eilionoir
Directions to: "Captain" Eilionoir (from Dilshad Abolfazl)
Exit the tannery compound and turn left, following the cobblestone road until you arrive at a fork in the road. Turn left towards the Necropolis, sticking to the road and continuing straight on towards Sageside. Pass through the keyhole arch and turn left, heading up the stairs almost to the top, turning right just before the stairs end and heading inside the “The Changing of the Guard.” Eilionoir is inside.
Hand her her note and put the item she gives you into the Small Courier Bag.
Nerida Thinblade
Directions to: Nerida Thinblade (from "Captain" Eilionoir)
Exit the tavern and turn right, finishing your climb up the stairs and through the large gate with a floating pink crystal above it, crossing the large square in the direction of the large pink and purple spire. When you pass near a small domed well that has a pale blue-white glow in the middle of the square, turn left through the North Gate and outside. Turn left, heading diagonally through the ruins, taking care not to aggro any skeletons or crypt scarabs, until you reach the cliffside. Follow in a short distance until it turns left, then you should see a cave entrance. Head inside and down the ramp, turning right at the bottom and in to “The Spirit Tap” tavern where Nerida is waiting.
Hand her her note and put the item she gives you into the Small Courier Bag.
Customs Inspector Bakari
Directions to: Customs Inspector Bakari (from Nerida Thinblade)
Exit the cave the same way you entered, cross the ruins once more and head back inside Night Harbor through the North Gate. When you return to the domed well, turn right and continue retracing your steps through the large gate with the floating pink crystal and down the stairs. Turn right through the keyhole arch and head straight, following the cobblestone road once more until it turns left and you reach a fork. Take the left path at the fork and continuing straight, through the crossroads, under the bridge and through the arch. After passing through the arch, you will be at another fork, turn left here up a small ramp and continue along until you hit another fork in the road. Turn right here and continue along until you see the large statue guarding the entrance to the harbour. Turn left, heading down along the harborfront until you see two carts in front of an arch. Turn left there and go through the arch, across the pale blue floor. Take the first turn on the right, part ways up a small ramp turn right again onto another pale blue floor and through a small arch and onto the balcony where Bakari is.
Hand him his note and put the item he gives you into the Small Courier Bag.
Guard Andreu
Directions to: Guard Andreu (from Customs Inspector Bakari)
Head back the way you came, out to the harborfront and back towards the large statue. Turn right at the fork, retracing your steps until you arrive at the crossroads, just after running the small ramp. Turn right at the crossroads, passing through an arch and under the same bridge as before. Right after passing under the bridge, go up the stairs on the left hand side, turn left at the top and head straight across, jumping over the low wall. When you land, you will be at the bazaar area that you were in shortly after leaving Mafeed’s butcher shop. Continue forwards until you reach that same fork in the road, turn right towards the same arch as before. Once you’ve passed the arch, turn left back towards the West Gate. Once outside the town, take the path left along the cobblestone road until you reach the closed gate of the garrison. Left-click the gate to open it and head inside, turning left in the courtyard and passing through a square gate. Once through the gate, Andreu is on the right, overlooking the ships.
Hand him his letter and put the item he gives you into the Small Courier Bag. Once you have all six items in the bag, press combine and head back to Albrecht.
Directions to: Albrecht (from Guard Andreu)
Continue onwards from Andreu, down the sandy ramp and turn left. You will see a large square gate, pass through it and you will be back at the large gate with the red gem. Pass through the gate and turn right down the alley, turning right once you reach the end. You should see a sign for the “City Illuminator’s Guild,” go towards it and turn right.
Head inside the guild and up the stairs, turn right at the top and immediately left into the house where Albrecht is.
Hand him the Small Courier Bag and he will give you a receipt. Hand the receipt to Sinastin in the next room.
Starter Quest: Ail’vorith
Before we begin: You can always reference what NPCs have told you by accessing your journal (default key: J) and you can always ask follow up questions to them by simply targeting them and writing in Say chat, as if they were players. For instance: “Where can I find [key word]?”
A full list of beginner tips can be found [here].
Open your inventory and memorize any spells you might’ve started with, then read the Imbued Parchment.
Location of: Head Toilmaster
Toilmaster Verrith can be found right behind you.
Hand him the note and he will ask you to find a working pickaxe.
Location of: Slave Pickaxe
They can be found in the crate just behind him. Write “/take pickaxe” to acquire one.
Hand the pickaxe to Verrith and he will tell you to go mine a stock of 20 rocks in the old quarry across the pond.
Directions to: Old Quarry
Turn left from Verrith and swim across the water towards the fire in the distance. Equip your pickaxe and mine 20 Fragile Quarry Rocks from the veins in the small cave.
Return to Verrith and hand him the rocks and the pickaxe. He will then ask you to bring the Pack of Stone to Supplier Jul within the foreign quarter. The weight of the pack will slow you down.
Directions to: Supplier Jul (from Head Toilmaster Verrith)
Head up the ramp next to Verrith and head across the bridge, into the foreign quarter. Once you enter, turn left and enter the first building on your left to find Supplier Jul.
Hand him the Pack of Stone and he will ask you to forge the sharpening stones that Verrith wants.
Interaction with: Supplier Jul
“I will do it.”
Directions to: Smithing House (from Supplier Jul)
Learn the recipe he gave you, use the command “/take stones” twice to take ten rocks, just so that you have spares, and head towards the smithing house. Exit Jul’s shop and turn right. Continue forwards through the gate and turn left before crossing the bridge. Follow along the edge and head down the small ramp, continue along and enter the last house on the left and take the first right to find the smithing house.
Right-click the grinding stone and make five Fragile Sharpening Stones. Place all five sharpening stones within the Sharpening Stone Satchel and press combine, then return to Jul and hand him the Full Sharpening Stone Satchel.
After talking to Jul, return to Verrith and hand him the Sharpening Stone Delivery Satchel.
Interaction with: Toilmaster Verrith
“Yes, I did.” / “No, I did not.”
“I am prepared.”
Verrith will then ask you to acquire six items:
- 2x bone chips
- 2x myconid caps
- 2x deep beetle legs
Locations of: Skeletons, Myconids & Beetles
Skeletons, myconids and deep beetles can all be found nearby to where Verrith is, as well as across the bridge past the beginner enemies. Small beetles can also drop the legs required,
Place all six items within the Leather Hunting Satchel that Verrith gave you and press combine. Return to Verrith and hand him the Filled Leather Hunting Satchel. He will give you a Satchel of Questionable Spoils and ask you to bring it to Vashuk, the cook at the inn, in the foreign quarter.
Direction to: Foreign Quarter Inn's Kitchen (from Head Toilmaster Verrith)
Cross the bridge and enter the foreign quarter, then turn right and enter the house after the fountain on the right. Cross the dining hall and enter the hallway slightly to the right. Head down the stairs until you enter the downstairs dining area, then turn right and enter the kitchen.
Hand Cook Vashuk the Sacthel of Questionable Spoils then return to Verrith.
Interaction with: Toilmaster Verrith
“Yes, I wish to rejoin the Houses.”
Verrith will send you to see Provost Xan’shorn within the Obsidian Academy to deliver his recommendation.
Directions to: Provost Xan'shorn (from Head Toilmaster Verrith)
Enter the foreign quarter and Provost Xan’shorn will be right next to the academy entrance to slightly to the left, as he wanders a bit.
Hand Xan’shorn the Toilmaster’s Recommendation and he will ask you to speak to the representatives of the seven houses within Ail’vorith.
- Vael’xirith
House Vael'xirith accepted classes & directions
Recruits Archers and Rangers.
Laren Drin’dar can be found in the training quarter building opposite Supplier Jul’s shop, against the wall opposite the entrance. Hail him and tell him “I am skilled with the bow” and then “I will prove myself.”
- Varros
House Varros accepted classes & directions
Recruits Elementalist and Necromancers.
Vaslir Naiyth can be found in the back right corner of the academy’s entrance hall. Hail her and say “I can find a patch.”
- Xal’tharn
House Xal'tharn accepted classes & directions
Recruits Inquisitors and Monks.
Klavel Sul can be found in the training quarter building opposite Supplier Jul’s shop, on the left once inside. Hail him and tell him you would serve “The Queen” and that “I wish to become a Cenobite.” Then ask him “Do you have a task for me?”
- Hal’kareth
House Hal'kareth accepted classes & directions
Recruits Spellblades and Wizards.
Myal Vehear can be found on the second floor of the academy. Take the ramp up from the entrance hall and turn either left or right up another ramp, then turn around. Hail her and say “I would like to assist.”
- Ith’vayen
House Ith'vayen accepted classes & directions
Recruits Enchanters and Rogues.
Amarah Ith’vayen can be found just inside the academy and to the left. Hail her and ask her “What task?” Then say “I am ready to go.”
- Drezzorith
House Drezzorith accepted classes & directions
Recruits Clerics and Paladins.
Zalethra Drezzorith can be found on the second floor of the academy. Take the ramp up from the entrance hall and turn either left or right up another ramp, then turn around. Hail her and ask “What problem?”
- Velgarrith
House Velgarrith accepted classes & directions
Recruits Fighters and Shadow Knights.
Xilonen Velgarrith can be found on the second floor the training quarter building opposite Supplier Jul’s shop. Head inside and enter the door on the left, then head up the ramp and enter the first room on the left. Hail him and tell him “I wish to prove myself.” and when he asks if you are ready, tell him “I am ready.”
The Obsidian Academy area contains all seven representatives and can be found directly opposite the entrance to the foreign quarter. Find the house representative that recruits your class and continue the quest-line.
Starter Quest: Faelindral
Before we begin: You can always reference what NPCs have told you by accessing your journal (default key: J) and you can always ask follow up questions to them by simply targeting them and writing in Say chat, as if they were players. For instance: “Where can I find [key word]?”
A full list of beginner tips can be found [here].
Open your inventory and memorize any spells you might’ve started with, then read the Anonymous Letter.
Directions to: Elyndiir Nightshade
From where you spawned in, you will see a ramp, possibly leading up to a round hut. This is the “noob lift.” It is an elevator that will take you into the city proper. Walk inside and left-click the small bell hanging from a branch near the door. This is the “noob lift.” It is an elevator that will take you into the city proper. Walk inside and left-click the small bell hanging from a branch near the door.
At the top of the lift, continue forwards past the bank and up the curved ramp. Turn left at the top and circle around the elderspire tree and take the ramp up to Lambent Lantern. Enter the door under the stairs and turn left into the adjoining room. Elyndiir Nightshade will be on the right.
Hand him the Anonymous Letter and he will give you a Note for Myrielle Softglade.
Interaction with: Elyndiir Nightshade
“Yes, I am.”
Directions to: Myrielle Softglade (from Elyndiir Nightshade)
Exit Elyndiir’s room and turn right, heading down the ramp towards the Bards’ stage. Circle around the stage to the left and head up the ramp behind it to reach Traders Terrace. Cross the terrace towards the building with the red roof and head inside the building on the right. Myrielle will be standing against a window slightly to the right.
Hand the note to Myrielle Softglade.
Interaction with: Myrielle Softglade
“I can help you out.”
“What kind of samples?”
Myrielle will then give you a Sample Jar and ask you to collect six items:
- 2x bat meat
- 2x wasp venom sac
- 2x wolf meat
Location of: Bats, Wasps & Wolves
All of these can be found down on the forest floor. Retrace your steps back to the “noob lift” and turn right as you exit at ground level. Follow the path until you reach the first fork, then turn right. Bats, wasps and wolves can be found in this area, but they can also be found elsewhere near where you first spawned in. Explore the area to find more!
Once you have the six items, place one in each slot of the Sample Jar that Myrielle gave you, then press combine to create the Gruesome Sample Jar. Return to Myrielle and hand her the sample jar.
Interaction with: Myrielle Softglade
“Yes, who is your contact?”
Directions to: Sylwine Brightspirit (from Myrielle Softglade)
Bring the Gruesome Sample Jar to Sylwine Brightspirit. She can be found at the Well of Order. Make your way back down the ramp towards the Bards’ stage and turn right at the bottom and cross the bridge. The Well of Order will be immediately to your right and Sylwine will be inside.
Hand her the Gruesome Sample Jar and she will hand it back, telling you to give it a whiff.
Interaction with: Sylwine Brightspirit
“/open jar”
Sylwine will give you a Gruesome Sample Receipt to return to Myrielle, who in turn will give you a Note for Elyndiir. Make your way back to the Lambent Lantern and hand Elyndiir the note.
Interaction with: Elyndiir Nightshade
“Of course I’m interested!”
