+stealth IO anyone? add stealth and hide in the mix and you got stealth capped goodness 
Solo I am far from 'weak' and teamed with /therm makes me a strong threat
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He's suggesting that the arms race to defeat Hide isn't one-sided...there are options available to stalkers besides just hoping hide won't be seen through. And besides Stealth, the Power pool ability. If you can hit the stealth cap, then you've done as well as you possibly could to stay hidden.
Btw what is the accuracy buff cap? Is there one?
-jared
Um, everything ?
Back in I8 and before, everyone and their brother could see any stalker, with yellows or stacked CMs/clarity/tactics.
Sure, you could get great stealth with hide+invis, but even then you could be seen at 30 feet, and you couldn't attack.
Now, you can't be seen at more than 10 feet, and that's if your opponent is at the perception's cap, and you can attack !
People don't realise it yet, but stalkers just got a massive buff.
Everytime I see someone talking about "rad/psy", "rad/son" or "ice/cold" in a topic about duels, I chuckle ; in I8, sure ; in I9, GL fighting that stalker who can stay hidden the whole match and overload on rages to 2-shot you with BS+ET. 
It also make stalkers WAY better damage dealers in fast-paced team pvp.
stalkes are overpowered cos there was this one time i got killed by one
IN MEMORIUM OF GAYBABY
CRUELY TAKEN FROM THIS WORLD WHILE SO YOUNG
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Um, everything ?
Back in I8 and before, everyone and their brother could see any stalker, with yellows or stacked CMs/clarity/tactics.
Sure, you could get great stealth with hide+invis, but even then you could be seen at 30 feet, and you couldn't attack.
Now, you can't be seen at more than 10 feet, and that's if your opponent is at the perception's cap, and you can attack !
People don't realise it yet, but stalkers just got a massive buff.
Everytime I see someone talking about "rad/psy", "rad/son" or "ice/cold" in a topic about duels, I chuckle ; in I8, sure ; in I9, GL fighting that stalker who can stay hidden the whole fight and overload on rages to 2-shot you with BS+ET.
It also make stalkers WAY better damage dealers in fast-paced team pvp.
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Remaining hidden takes you only so far. Since my stalker was at the cap before inventions already
(hide+invisibility) I took it pretty much granted. Although my post was too snappy for being in a sour mood again, sorry about that. However dont forget you have to break hide to attack.
Edit: here we go again, im getting irritated by something unrelated..
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and overload on rages to 2-shot you with BS+ET.
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woop woop notice a recurring theme here?
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Everytime I see someone talking about "rad/psy", "rad/son" or "ice/cold" in a topic about duels, I chuckle ; in I8, sure ; in I9, GL fighting that stalker who can stay hidden the whole match and overload on rages to 2-shot you with BS+ET.
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If you remain hidden for the whole match the match will end in 0-0 draw. Thats all the advantage stalkers have in duels.
Way to ignore the numbers I posted. 
Hide+invis isn't cap, you can be seen at 30 feet with that combo.
Hide+stealth+IO stealth is the true cap, you'll be seen only at 10 feet. This is way better.
There's also no need to switch from invis to stealth.
If you can't see the huge advantage that is never, ever, being detected if you don't want to... well, I can't explain it better. It's the whole point of the AT, IMHO.
Stands on top of Atlas and sees stalker approaching..
Stalker hits build up and strikes.
Knockout blow -> Dull pain -> Intimidate -> Go, hunt, kil stalkers
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Hide+stealth+IO stealth is the true cap, you'll be seen only at 10 feet. This is way better.
There's also no need to switch from invis to stealth.
If you can't see the huge advantage that is never, ever, being detected if you don't want to... well, I can't explain it better. It's the whole point of the AT, IMHO.
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Im not arguing that the IO isnt a buff to stalkers. However, my blaster hunts stalkers without any +perception whatsoever.
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If you remain hidden for the whole match the match will end in 0-0 draw. Thats all the advantage stalkers have in duels.
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I think you're doing it on purpose now but I'll answer seriously anyway.
Stay in hide+stealth + IO stealth. Your opponent can't see you. Pop 10 rages and kuj-in retsu, 2-shot your squishy opponent with BS+ET in 2s (this is ~1500 dmg, even with a heal between he'll die, you can add an epic blast if he manages to run away tho 
). Repeat as needed.
You can only win or draw (and it's unlikely to draw unless you really suck at getting in melee), there's no way to lose.
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[/color]<blockquote><font class="small">En réponse à:[/color]<hr />
Hide+stealth+IO stealth is the true cap, you'll be seen only at 10 feet. This is way better.
There's also no need to switch from invis to stealth.
If you can't see the huge advantage that is never, ever, being detected if you don't want to... well, I can't explain it better. It's the whole point of the AT, IMHO.
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Im not arguing that the IO isnt a buff to stalkers. However, my blaster hunts stalkers without any +perception whatsoever.
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And I'm not arguing that it's easy or hard to hunt your average pvp zone stalker without perception. I'm talking about top builds, with top players, in the arena, and more specifically the supposed rad/squishie domination in duels.
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If you remain hidden for the whole match the match will end in 0-0 draw. Thats all the advantage stalkers have in duels.
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I think you're doing it on purpose now but I'll answer seriously anyway.
Stay in hide+stealth + IO stealth. Your opponent can't see you. Pop 10 rages and kuj-in retsu, 2-shot your squishy opponent with BS+ET in 2s (this is ~1500 dmg, even with a heal between he'll die, you can add an epic blast if he manages to run away tho ). Repeat as needed.
You can only win or draw (and it's unlikely to draw unless you really suck at getting in melee), there's no way to lose.
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a.) Like I have been trying to point out, the advantage of EM stalkers over other stalker primaries in PVP is obscene.
b.) Like usually happens with good players pvping with melee characters involved, the match will end up in a draw. After all at no point was I trying to say that stalkers are weak. The "draw or win" argument doesnt really say anything since basically every stalker can force a draw in a duel by remaining permahidden.
c.) For instance, I doubt you'd be able to kill my blaster through (power boosted if necessary) PFF. My blaster on the other hand, should you attempt to attack, will 3-shot you through retsu and whatever.
d.) the above is pointless egoboosting from both of us, lets leave it at this. 
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(and it's unlikely to draw unless you really suck at getting in melee)
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Try your stalker against, for instance, bubbler with force bubble and dispersion bubble (Which prevents you from stunning him).
Or a traps Mastermind with selfheal, or...
Erm... I don't play top builds, hence I don't play EM/nin, and haven't any stalker ATM. Not really trying to say "my toon is better than your toon", here.
PFF? Seriously... FoN, man (the vilain accolade, not the blaster epic). You can't 3-shot anyone when you're already dead in 2 hits.
In I8, you could see stalkers with popping yellows, hence a stalker couldn't "force a draw" against a good player. Now, not only they can force a draw, but they have a flawless way to kill anyone with squishy HP.
Blasters have actually higher HP, yet as aid self has a long animation and you can't attack AND use respites at the same time, you'll probably die unless you hibernate at the first hit.
Anyway. This got derailed for wayyy too long, I just had fun reading the topic with the OP wondering if stalkers were nerfed in I9, when in fact they got such a huge buff. Not trying to prove my point that bad, I think the FoTMs who should pop out of nowhere in the next few months when more people catch up will speak better than I could ever do.
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Try your stalker against, for instance, bubbler with force bubble and dispersion bubble (Which prevents you from stunning him).
Or a traps Mastermind with selfheal, or...
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Might want to remember I was talking about rad/psy, rad/sonic, ice/cold to start with.
Might want to remember I never talked about stun either.
Ok, stop taunting me to this thread !
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Anyway. This got derailed for wayyy too long, I just had fun reading the topic with the OP wondering if stalkers were nerfed in I9, when in fact they got such a huge buff. Not trying to prove my point that bad, I think the FoTMs who should pop out of nowhere in the next few months when more people catch up will speak better than I could ever do.
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Why did you give examples that only concerned one type of stalker then? Anyway, I agree that stalkers got a slight buff. (Buff only if you can get your hands on that IO that is)
Well back on the original post side,
I'd just like to say that alot of stalkers I see leave zones after realising they can be detected. This mind set is slowly going and imo you will see alot of good stalker players not worried at all if they can be seen or not, the full reliance on Assasin strike that some stalkers have i think is a bad way to play.
If you only rely on being hidden and Assasin Striking anything that can force you away, see through hide, or interupt you will ruin any PvP chances you have.
Now using your stalker as a simple hit and run burst damage attacker is an alternative, even if your seen you should fire off one crit ont he target of your choice before your taunted or attacked. Alternatively don't forget that stalkers secondries can be beefed up and made to take a hell of alot of punishment.
your build may need to loose the odd attack or even some pool powers but this route is always avalible.
My final thought.. Stalkers underpowered.. Hell no. I have played my MA/SR in all kinds of zones and even when against a Blaster/Emp combo I scored alot more kills then they managed it's all timing and LOS. When I'm seen it makes the whole PvP alot more fun.
Triple Eagles Claw Crit FTW
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stalkes are overpowered cos there was this one time i got killed by one
[/ QUOTE ]stalkers are not over powered and your just bragging alot
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My final thought.. Stalkers underpowered.. Hell no. I have played my MA/SR in all kinds of zones and even when against a Blaster/Emp combo I scored alot more kills then they managed it's all timing and LOS. When I'm seen it makes the whole PvP alot more fun.
Triple Eagles Claw Crit FTW
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Must be a very bad empath and blaster then...
PvP is unfair on me!
Every now and then, sometimes, occasionally, I get killed. I know it's a shock to hear but this clearly means PvP is unbalanced!
True you have to break hide but atleast you can begin to attack at the stealth cap with +stealth IOs. You cant do that with invis
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My final thought.. Stalkers underpowered.. Hell no. I have played my MA/SR in all kinds of zones and even when against a Blaster/Emp combo I scored alot more kills then they managed it's all timing and LOS. When I'm seen it makes the whole PvP alot more fun.
Triple Eagles Claw Crit FTW
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Must be a very bad empath and blaster then...
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Thanks for the vote of confidance Psy 
It was two pairs of this combo in SC that i played around with once with my duo stlaker buddy. At the end of it they wern't getting the kills as we could burst through the emp's healing.
Also using placiate at the right time and blocking shots by corners is what we did which ended up us earning alot of kills.. Waiting for a blaster to run at u then hit BU & Aim then u placiate before he gets to melee can annoy them a fair bit
Blaster/Emp combos r good but not invicible imo
it's the whole thing with getting used to fighting with being seen it takes a while to get right on stlakers but can be very very effective
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Claws/ does have some redeeming features that EM/ has for damage.
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They are however largely inconsequential in pvp (the range in focus is the only pvp-viable 'redeeming feature', but it is not enough to balance it with EM).
ps. Im not saying that im unhappy with my lvl 36 claws/nin stalker. Im just saying that EM has stupid and unjustifiable lead when damage is concerned.
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Aye, they do with that.
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PvP is unfair on me!
Every now and then, sometimes, occasionally, I get killed. I know it's a shock to hear but this clearly means PvP is unbalanced!
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That's because your speedos offend
I think they should give stalkers better protection from ranged attacks