Some issues with my stalker

Hi to all...
I have created a stalker character, I'm currenly level 8, but I am having serious trouble in using it. I most likely play it the wrong way, because I keep on dying... I'm not a newbie to COX (I've been playing for more than a year), however this archetype I cannot seem to be able to play proficiently with. I am therefore wondering if the experts here can give me some advise...

My toon is a ninja blade/ninjitsu one, I currently have Sting of the Wasp, Flashing Steel, Assassin's Blade, Ninja Reflexes, Combat Jump and obviously Hide.

Fact is, with my toggles on I finish endurance quicker than hell; at the same time as soon as I get too close to more than one enemy I tend to get walked upon. I mean, of course Stalkers are not supposed to be tough on the side of hit points, but how can I manage to finish off enemies, if I have to get close to hit 'em and, at the same time, as soon as I'm close I get beaten to a pulp?

Staying hidden, I can hit (and kill most likely) one enemy... But then all the others will notice me and kick my [censored]- should I run until I'm hidden again then come back every time, killing one enemy at a time? If that's what I'm supposed to do, well... It sounds very boring

I have a level 29 scrapper and though it's true that scrappers too need to run around a lot, I feel they are nowhere as weak (on the side of hit points I mean) as the Stalkers are...

I think my point is clear and I've bored you enough.
Any advise you might give, it will be appreciated

Thanks in advance!

Hit n run I'm afraid or master the cone on Flashing Steel to damage everyone and use Sting to finish em off.

Once you get Placate it will be alot easier (and Build Up).

I would say u have 1 to many attacks atm instead of flashing steel get your second toggle and instead of combat jumping get build up and use the hit and run style

petty much this set up u want
---------------------------------------------
Exported from Ver: 1.7.6.0 of the CoH_CoV Character Builder
---------------------------------------------
Name:
Level: 50
Archetype: Stalker
Primary: Ninja Blade
Secondary: Ninjitsu
---------------------------------------------
01) --> Sting of the Wasp==> Empty(1)
01) --> Hide==> Empty(1)
02) --> Ninja Reflexes==> Empty(2)
04) --> Danger Sense==> Empty(4)
06) --> Assassin's Blade==> Empty(6)
08) --> Build Up==> Empty(8)
10) --> Combat Jumping==> Empty(10)
12) --> Swift==> Empty(12)
14) --> Super Jump==> Empty(14)
16) --> Kuji-In Rin==> Empty(16)
18) --> Health==> Empty(18)
20) --> Stamina==> Empty(20)
22) --> Kuji-In Sha==> Empty(22)
24) --> Divine Avalanche==> Empty(24)
26) --> Soaring Dragon==> Empty(26)
28) --> Placate==> Empty(28)
30) --> Stealth==> Empty(30)
---------------------------------------------
01) --> Sprint==> Empty(1)
01) --> Brawl==> Empty(1)
02) --> Rest==> Empty(2)
01) --> Assassination==> Empty(1)
---------------------------------------------

better to leave your attacks till later me thinks

Thanks for the advise guys!

Godfall, thanks a lot for the build, I'll give it a try

Taking placate at lvl 28 is a thing i wouldnt do at all costs, placate allows you to vanish from combat and allows you to perform another AS. I would go for a useful build till lvl 24 and then respec to another one. Believe, dont let placate to so high lvl, with placate you can take bosses easily, BU+AS+Damagins Skills+Placate recharge and do so.

I would choose:
Sting of the Wasp==> Empty(1)
01) --> Hide==> Empty(1)
02) --> Ninja Reflexes==> Empty(2)
04) --> Danger Sense==> Empty(4) OR pick the Cone Attack from Ninja Blade
06) --> Assassin's Blade==> Empty(6)
08) --> Build Up==> Empty(8)
10) --> Combat Jumping==> Empty(10)
12) --> Placate
14) --> Super Jump==> Empty(14)

This will allow you to kill enemies much more quicker, at lvl 4 instead of Danger Sense i would choose the Cone Attack, NB do Lethal Damage which is common resisted, so it will need to strike more, once you get DA things will change since it will grant u def bonuses making you harder to hit.

[ QUOTE ]
I would choose:
Sting of the Wasp==> Empty(1)
01) --> Hide==> Empty(1)
02) --> Ninja Reflexes==> Empty(2)
04) --> Danger Sense==> Empty(4) OR pick the Cone Attack from Ninja Blade
06) --> Assassin's Blade==> Empty(6)
08) --> Build Up==> Empty(8)
10) --> Combat Jumping==> Empty(10)
12) --> Placate
14) --> Super Jump==> Empty(14)

This will allow you to kill enemies much more quicker, at lvl 4 instead of Danger Sense i would choose the Cone Attack, NB do Lethal Damage which is common resisted, so it will need to strike more, once you get DA things will change since it will grant u def bonuses making you harder to hit.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks for the tip! Actually, I did something similar to what you propose and I respec'd like this:

01) --> Sting of the Wasp==>
01) --> Hide==>
02) --> Ninja Reflexes==>
04) --> Danger Sense==>
06) --> Assassin's Blade==>
08) --> Flashing Steel (Cone Attack)

from here on, I think I will go more or less for something like this:

10) --> Combat Jumping==> Empty(10)
12) --> Placate
14) --> Super Jump==> Empty(14)
16) --> Build Up

and so forth (haven't though about anything beyond level 16 yet , but then again this is my fifth or so characte, therefore it's not gonna be in that range anytime soon )

hmmm thats all good but if your solo'in most of the time u rarely need placate due to killing whoever to quick plus i am suggestion a pvp/pve build style cost u really dont need stealth if your only pve.
imo placate is a nessary in pvp I wouldn't consider as much in pve. I have lvl a em stalker from 1 to 28 without placate then took the power to conserve choice and sloting.
Most ppl forget how tight stalker builds are dont try and use one as a srapper btw.

[ QUOTE ]
Thanks for the tip! Actually, I did something similar to what you propose and I respec'd like this:

01) --> Sting of the Wasp==>
01) --> Hide==>
02) --> Ninja Reflexes==>
04) --> Danger Sense==>
06) --> Assassin's Blade==>
08) --> Flashing Steel (Cone Attack)

from here on, I think I will go more or less for something like this:

10) --> Combat Jumping==> Empty(10)
12) --> Placate
14) --> Super Jump==> Empty(14)
16) --> Build Up

[/ QUOTE ]

This is the problem that your goin to run into and both of of you's have forgot what about stamina getting placate at lvl will for you to leave stamina till lvl 24 + which is imo cripling yourself.
Dont forget you have to get at lvl 16 kuji-rin (mez protection) at lvl 20 or 22 your kuji-sha (self-heal)
and in among that you have to get devine avalanche (very good defence + power)
Getting placate at lvl 12 pushes all these powers back and in my mind I would rather have them than placate.

BTW I already tried and test the build I suggested and works fantasticly in pve.

I'll have to think about it a bit more... You both made good points!
Any other opinions?

2 things I can recoment is get your build up earlier and start your fitness tree will be more helpful in the long run.

It´s been a while since I played a /ninjutsu stalker, but I found it quite easy to delay Kuji-In Rin and/or Kuji-In Sha to the 20ies since there is not that much need for mez protection and even less need for a self-heal before that point... at least if you have Placate.
As you don´t have too many normal attacks in the earlier levels because of AS taking away one power choice some fights around lvl 20 can turn messy if you can´t use your AS as often as possible... which is one of the main reasons for Placate´s existence. And for strong enemies who just don´t quite want to die from your AS Placate is just too useful: Build up -> AS -> Placate -> Critting with strong attack -> R.I.P.

Placate is also a useful power for taking an opponent out of the fight while you are fighting another. Especially useful when soloing I find.

I petty much got from lvl 1 to 22 with only energy punch and AS but in saying that I also had the perk of sands of mu.
I would conside my build good but in saying that I am em so I am kinda raw power so 2 shotting most things is a cert. I have also bassed my toon on getting my secondary, fitness and travel power sorted before I contunited on my primary due lookin at the long term of my toon and slotting alocation.
I didnt get placate till lvl 28 but as I have said before due to em I found it more of a luxcury than needed.

These are just my thoughs on the matter.

Fair enough. It's interesting to read that you had a lot of success without Placate and encouraging to see that even with the tight builds that Stalkers are cursed with there's still room for playstyle-led power choices.

So far I have avoided the fitness pool on all but one of my stlalkers. I found that unless I was in a protracted pvp battle I had few endurance issues.

Personaly AS is one of the powers I would consider holding off on getting its nice but often there are powers that are quicker anc can cause a lot of damage too (dark melee is a good one for that).

There is still a lot of room for individual builds on stalkers, its only if you go for common pvp builds that you tend to run out of room :P

You can also skip getting a travel power until at least the 30s if you get all the temp travel powers from Mayhems and other missions.

[ QUOTE ]
So far I have avoided the fitness pool on all but one of my stlalkers. I found that unless I was in a protracted pvp battle I had few endurance issues.

Personaly AS is one of the powers I would consider holding off on getting its nice but often there are powers that are quicker anc can cause a lot of damage too (dark melee is a good one for that).

There is still a lot of room for individual builds on stalkers, its only if you go for common pvp builds that you tend to run out of room :P

[/ QUOTE ]

Dark melee is one of the most stamina hungry sets, to try and level without AS or stamina is going to be painful.

Not taking AS immediately does seem kinda odd to me as it is what stops stalkers just being fairly weedy scrappers but I guess it's original