Stalkers, the most hated and controversial of all Archetypes, have a unique gameplay that is not for anybody.
They can deal tremendous amount of damage in short time and be useful scouts for a team, but as I said stalking isnt a popular AT, their hitnrun style may not be appreciated nor understood from all, thats why you see a lot of Stalkers being played like poor Scrappers or condemned to solo all their career.
The key for a successful Stalker is the ability to hide, and thanks to this, deal criticals and Assassin Strikes, so its central to a Stalker to adopt the right strategy and powers to quickly hide and strike back.
Now that the Stalker mechanics are clear we can take a look at Stalkers powers, but before this remember that stalking is a lot about style: so choose your power with your heart and then with your brain.
[/color] Stalkers Primary
[/color] Claws: The fastest of the primaries, unfortunately does all Lethal damage, that is generally highly resisted, and lacks interesting side effects. [/color] Dark Melee: DM is an intriguing power set, it offers good Negative Energy damage combined with some useful control power that makes this set lethal and flexible in PVP as in PVE. [/color] Energy Melee: Lots of damage, stuns and pink pom poms. EM is probably the most lethal set because of its high Energy damage output and the disorient chance on almost all powers, however this set lacks in area attacks and has the longest recharge time of all sets. [/color] Martial Arts: Ouch, MA is an all single target Smash damage set, it simply lacks something useful. Sorry. [/color] Ninja Blade: NB is a balanced Lethal damage set, pretty similar to Claws but more damaging and a bit slower. [/color] Spines: This is an interesting set, Lethal damage with a hint of Toxic. Spines has the major number of area attacks of all Stalkers primaries that makes it quite different and enjoyable to play.
[/color] Stalkers Secondaries
[/color] Dark Armor: This set offers good Resistances (but remember that this doesnt work good with the hitnrun stuff I explained before), its mez defenses covers fear but not Knockback and has some control features such a Fear and Disorient PBAoE. [/color] Energy Aura: Good Defenses, the best mez protection, endurance management tools and a god mode, do I need to say more? Ninjitsu: A set for tactical players, offers good defenses, a god mode and some cheap control powers, the only remarkable flaw is the lack of Knockback protection partially compensated by the Fear protection. Regeneration: IMHO: NO. This is not suitable for a stalker, if you want to play an evil Scrapper simply play a Brute. Super Reflexes: Highest defense of all the game, superb mez protection, a god mode and a recharge booster, this is probably the best secondary set.
Power Pools Overview
Concealment: This is highly suggested if you plan to do PVP, Stealth stacks with Hide and makes you really invisible for most of your enemies (note that Scrappers with Tactics and Focused Accuracy, Tanker with Tactics and Glacial Armor or Focused Accuracy and Blasters with Tactics and Targeting Drone will see you anyway). Fighting: You can skip this, the only use I find is to stack Tough resistances with Dark Armors one. Fitness: Extra movement and Stamina helps a lot with your numerous toggles. Flight: The slowest and most maneuverable travel power, a must only if you plan PVP. Leadership: Boost your damage and accuracy, this is not a must but highly suggested. Leaping: Jump is a good travel power and Acrobatics can be useful to overcome Ninjitsus and Dark Armor's Knockback vulnerability. Medicine: Skip this, a well played Stalker rarely need healing. Presence: Complete nonsense for a Stalker. Speed: Hasten can be useful for Build Up and Placate recharge. Super Speed itself dont work too good in Rogue Islands. Teleportation: Recall Friend is a must for scouts and Teleport is the fastest travel power, if you can stand it. Teleport Foe can have some applications in combo with Ninjitsus Caltrops in a PVP group.
Patron Pools Overview
Little premise, most Stalkers play solo, pets dont work good with this so mind that you will mostly use your pet in group or in emergency situations.
Mace Mastery: A nice energy/smashing damage sniper attack and the most complete single hold, cheap multiple pets can be useful to distracts foes from you. Leviathan Mastery: Water Spout stands out as a good escape/control tool, other powers are quite poor. Soul Mastery: Quite similar to Mu mastery, nice damage output but the hold has just a hold effect. Mu Mastery: Full energy damage attacks and end hold power are a must for players who focus on damage.
[b]Note: The contents of this guide are born from my personal game experience, it is inevitably influenced by my own game style and taste, so, consider this before all and enjoy your killing machine ^^.
Quick Overview on Stalker
By Baltabarin
Stalkers, the most hated and controversial of all Archetypes, have a unique gameplay that is not for anybody.
They can deal tremendous amount of damage in short time and be useful scouts for a team, but as I said stalking isnt a popular AT, their hitnrun style may not be appreciated nor understood from all, thats why you see a lot of Stalkers being played like poor Scrappers or condemned to solo all their career.
The key for a successful Stalker is the ability to hide, and thanks to this, deal criticals and Assassin Strikes, so its central to a Stalker to adopt the right strategy and powers to quickly hide and strike back.
Now that the Stalker mechanics are clear we can take a look at Stalkers powers, but before this remember that stalking is a lot about style: so choose your power with your heart and then with your brain.
[/color] Stalkers Primary
[/color] Claws: The fastest of the primaries, unfortunately does all Lethal damage, that is generally highly resisted, and lacks interesting side effects.
[/color] Dark Melee: DM is an intriguing power set, it offers good Negative Energy damage combined with some useful control power that makes this set lethal and flexible in PVP as in PVE.
[/color] Energy Melee: Lots of damage, stuns and pink pom poms. EM is probably the most lethal set because of its high Energy damage output and the disorient chance on almost all powers, however this set lacks in area attacks and has the longest recharge time of all sets.
[/color] Martial Arts: Ouch, MA is an all single target Smash damage set, it simply lacks something useful. Sorry.
[/color] Ninja Blade: NB is a balanced Lethal damage set, pretty similar to Claws but more damaging and a bit slower.
[/color] Spines: This is an interesting set, Lethal damage with a hint of Toxic. Spines has the major number of area attacks of all Stalkers primaries that makes it quite different and enjoyable to play.
[/color] Stalkers Secondaries
[/color] Dark Armor: This set offers good Resistances (but remember that this doesnt work good with the hitnrun stuff I explained before), its mez defenses covers fear but not Knockback and has some control features such a Fear and Disorient PBAoE.
[/color] Energy Aura: Good Defenses, the best mez protection, endurance management tools and a god mode, do I need to say more?
Ninjitsu: A set for tactical players, offers good defenses, a god mode and some cheap control powers, the only remarkable flaw is the lack of Knockback protection partially compensated by the Fear protection.
Regeneration: IMHO: NO. This is not suitable for a stalker, if you want to play an evil Scrapper simply play a Brute.
Super Reflexes: Highest defense of all the game, superb mez protection, a god mode and a recharge booster, this is probably the best secondary set.
Power Pools Overview
Concealment: This is highly suggested if you plan to do PVP, Stealth stacks with Hide and makes you really invisible for most of your enemies (note that Scrappers with Tactics and Focused Accuracy, Tanker with Tactics and Glacial Armor or Focused Accuracy and Blasters with Tactics and Targeting Drone will see you anyway).
Fighting: You can skip this, the only use I find is to stack Tough resistances with Dark Armors one.
Fitness: Extra movement and Stamina helps a lot with your numerous toggles.
Flight: The slowest and most maneuverable travel power, a must only if you plan PVP.
Leadership: Boost your damage and accuracy, this is not a must but highly suggested.
Leaping: Jump is a good travel power and Acrobatics can be useful to overcome Ninjitsus and Dark Armor's Knockback vulnerability.
Medicine: Skip this, a well played Stalker rarely need healing.
Presence: Complete nonsense for a Stalker.
Speed: Hasten can be useful for Build Up and Placate recharge. Super Speed itself dont work too good in Rogue Islands.
Teleportation: Recall Friend is a must for scouts and Teleport is the fastest travel power, if you can stand it. Teleport Foe can have some applications in combo with Ninjitsus Caltrops in a PVP group.
Patron Pools Overview
Little premise, most Stalkers play solo, pets dont work good with this so mind that you will mostly use your pet in group or in emergency situations.
Mace Mastery: A nice energy/smashing damage sniper attack and the most complete single hold, cheap multiple pets can be useful to distracts foes from you.
Leviathan Mastery: Water Spout stands out as a good escape/control tool, other powers are quite poor.
Soul Mastery: Quite similar to Mu mastery, nice damage output but the hold has just a hold effect.
Mu Mastery: Full energy damage attacks and end hold power are a must for players who focus on damage.
[b]Note: The contents of this guide are born from my personal game experience, it is inevitably influenced by my own game style and taste, so, consider this before all and enjoy your killing machine ^^.
Questions? Feel free to contact @Baltabarin