When I saw the new split between the steal button and the “use item” button, practically the first thing that came to my mind was that the same way that Necros got all their “Death Shroud” references changed to “Shroud” in advance of their specialization implementing a different shroud, that this Thief change is the first step on implementing the profession specialization by freeing the F1 button after use.
My personal theory is that the specialization will be “guerrilla” related, focused on “in and out” combat and that Steal after use will become Shadow Return for a few seconds, like other shadowstepping skills already do.
This would allow the Thief to use steal more safely with ranged weapons and to have more ways to scape from difficult situations with melee sets.
It also goes well with a theory I had long time ago (like, around the time the game was released) about how a Rifle could work on a Thief (considering the initiative mechanic and how most sets have skills you use more when building for burst and others when building for conditions), adapted to the current conditions system it would be like:
- 1200 range autoattack, decent damage, nothing impressive, applies 1 Vulnerability. This allows to keep some ranged pressure while synergizing with condition and burst builds.
- Shotgun style spread shot applying bleeding, silimar to Ranger’s axe splitblade, a 6 seconds recharge skill (which roughly translates to 3 initiative when comparing thieves skills cost with the recharge time of similar skills) that applies bleed with each projectile, meaning you only stack 5 of them if you’re in melee range and facing directly forward.
- A 1200 range skill similar to Ranger’s rapid fire, making you shoot multiple times (but not being as mobile as Unload) and instead of applying Vulnerability with each hit, you gain a buff with each hit (like might or very short duration fury, almost just enough to keep it up while shooting the string of projectiles).
- A “soft” launch melee skill divided in 2 parts, the first part moves your target away without applying a hard disable (it’s more a move control skill than a disable to avoid OP cries :P) and then the skill becomes a crippling shot for a few seconds to synergize with him being away. Making it a melee skill that launches means that you can’t spam it to play with someone’s position all the time because you have to get to them again and making it a 2 parts skills means that you can’t try shadowsteps either to reach them because you have to either wait or waste a ton of initiative in the process. This way the Thief gets a movement control skill that can’t be abused by initiative.
- Some kind of flare creating a smoke field that clearly marks a position and turns into a “shadow return” skill for some seconds. You don’t get a shadowstep into the fight but you “save” a spot to return for a few seconds (at the cost of initiative when deploying and when returning). Depending on balance, make it stealth you too (but this would require the total initiative to be around 8-9 points when combining both skills. like 3 then 6).
- A sniper style stealth skill dealing more damage at higher range, synergizing with this shadow return skill to suddenly put yourself in a different position to snipe your target from stealth.
If the Thief gets something like this he gets a set that can be good with both, burst (multishot and snipping skills) and conditions (get in close combat, spam the bleeding shotgun, get out of there) while also having some utility in the form of a launch and a shadowreturn.
If the specialization ends up being something like I said, a shadowreturn button to allow an “in and out” combat style, a rifle working like this, having stuff at close range and at long range would synergize really well with it.
Say you have a rifle like this and P/D, you use the Steal+Cloak combo to stealth yourself and use the Pistol stealth skill for bleeds, then switch to your rifle for more close range bleeds as you got into close range to use Cloak and Dagger anyway, then use your shadow return and either apply some pressure with the vulnerability shots or set the flare for a new “in and out” assault that when returning could stealth you for some extra bleeds when switching to pistol.
Or you are using a main hand dagger and a rifle, you set the flare, run a bit and then steal and land a backstab, you then use the Steal shadow return plus the rifle shadow return to put yourself really far from your weakened target and in position to land a snipping shot.
I don’t know what the Thief will become with the expansion and anything I say won’t change it at this point, but I know I would love to see something like this allowing for a very dynamic hit and run style that you could use with any given build and wouldn’t outclass Shortbow in terms of mobility and AoE damage so you keep your options open.
(edited by Lokheit.7943)