Every Wednesday, Chase Christian of Encrypted Text invites you to enter the world of shadows, as we explore the secrets and mechanics of the Rogue class. This week, we discuss the rogue iconic ability: Stealth.

Have you ever tried to describe the rogue class to a friend or family member? I remember when a paladin acquaintance of mine asked what rogues were all about, what their secret sauce was. The question took me off guard, because I had been playing the rogue for so long that I saw everything through rogue-colored glasses. I struggled to find a simple explanation, because we are simply such a diverse class (once you overlook the pure DPS aspect, at least).

While we could be summed up by one word, awesome, I have always felt that describing our class is a real challenge. Once I started thinking seriously about it, trying to find a class-defining moment or example, it hit me. What could be more ubiquitous than a rogue stealth run? An assassination force of shadow, rogues in their most feared form. We approach our opponents unnoticed, we strike from the shadows with great force, and we retreat into darkness before we're ever seen.

Stealth is one of those tried-and-true mechanics, so embedded in the class that we can be confident that it's here to stay. It's not simple, however, and many of the stealth mechanics can be confusing for those who are just starting their rogues. Stealth has seen a lot of changes over the years, and the form we find it in today is far more potent than its humble origins. That doesn't mean that it is without weaknesses, but with clever play and a deep understanding of the ability, you can perform feats that will have the others crying 'nerf'!

What it does

Stealth hides you from your enemy's view, and allows to pass by opponents without being detected. The power of stealth comes from the ability to choose one's own battles. We can avoid killing unnecessary mobs, we can evade those who attempt to kill us, and we can attack at the opportune moment. Without stealth, rogues would suffer a huge blow in their efficiency and survivability. We're a fragile class, because we're designed around not being hit instead of mitigating those hits. Being invisible allows us to reduce the amount of time we're open to being assaulted.

We also have a ton of abilities that can only be used in stealth, called 'openers', and they're core to the rogue class. These abilities set the pace of any encounter: we can choose between stunning the enemy, silencing them, knocking them out, or dealing massive damage. We've also got several talents that allow us to do more damage while stealthed and while leaving stealth, and so managing our stealth status becomes important to maximizing those effects.

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