Returning since before Imbuement - need help with Skill rotations

Hello. I am trying to dust off the Burglar I hadn't played in many years (I stopped playing the toon even before imbuement was a thing). I have read through some guides, re-speced, now I am trying to get my skill rotations in order. Looking for advice! I am going to be playing exclusively PVE, mostly solo for now. I am level 101. Trait tree: https://lotrottp.lotrostatus.com/l.p...=&lp2=Aw18ZQAA


These are the tips I have learned are key to putting together a decent rotation for a QK burg:

1. Always start from behind in Stealth, then Surprise Strike for normal mobs, Cunning Attack for fights you know are going to take a while.
2. If you need some really big hits to finish them off, use Feint, Aim, Coup de Grace.
3. If still alive, Stun Dust (or one of the other two stun moves), Feint, then Surprise again.
4. Use crit chain skills and Subtle Stab whenever possible.


Assuming all of that is correct, I need help figuring out a hierarchy of what to use and when, plus some misc. questions:

1. If my crit chain opens up after the first Surprise Strike from Stealth, should I use them immediately, or should I still go for some version of Feint/Surprise or Feint/Coup de Grace?
2. After the ambush, getting behind mobs is extremely important, so my thought is I need to stun them to get behind. But they will be immune for a while after the first stun. Do you kite around until you can stun again, or just hit them from the front until immunity is over? If we do hit from the front, is there a good rotation or skill set specifically for that (in other words, is Surprise Strike, Cunning Attack, etc. wasted if used from the front?)
3. When do I use Knives Out? Do Knives Out and Touch and Go contradict one another or can they be used in conjunction?
4. Should Cunning Attack be in the primary rotation or is it only used when dealing with very high-health mobs?
5. What do I do with Provoke? I used to be able to use it to mez but that functionality seems to be blue line only.
6. How often should you keep Aim up? Should I be saving it to use only with the Feint/Aim/CdG rotation or should I use it whenever it's available?


I did post this on reddit a few days ago and got some good advice but I didn't get answers to everything I was looking for. Hoping the forums might have more answers :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Belmyriel

Hello. I am trying to dust off the Burglar I hadn't played in many years (I stopped playing the toon even before imbuement was a thing). I have read through some guides, re-speced, now I am trying to get my skill rotations in order. Looking for advice! I am going to be playing exclusively PVE, mostly solo for now. I am level 101. Trait tree: https://lotrottp.lotrostatus.com/l.p...=&lp2=Aw18ZQAA


These are the tips I have learned are key to putting together a decent rotation for a QK burg:

1. Always start from behind in Stealth, then Surprise Strike for normal mobs, Cunning Attack for fights you know are going to take a while.
2. If you need some really big hits to finish them off, use Feint, Aim, Coup de Grace.
3. If still alive, Stun Dust (or one of the other two stun moves), Feint, then Surprise again.
4. Use crit chain skills and Subtle Stab whenever possible.


Assuming all of that is correct, I need help figuring out a hierarchy of what to use and when, plus some misc. questions:

1. If my crit chain opens up after the first Surprise Strike from Stealth, should I use them immediately, or should I still go for some version of Feint/Surprise or Feint/Coup de Grace?
2. After the ambush, getting behind mobs is extremely important, so my thought is I need to stun them to get behind. But they will be immune for a while after the first stun. Do you kite around until you can stun again, or just hit them from the front until immunity is over? If we do hit from the front, is there a good rotation or skill set specifically for that (in other words, is Surprise Strike, Cunning Attack, etc. wasted if used from the front?)
3. When do I use Knives Out? Do Knives Out and Touch and Go contradict one another or can they be used in conjunction?
4. Should Cunning Attack be in the primary rotation or is it only used when dealing with very high-health mobs?
5. What do I do with Provoke? I used to be able to use it to mez but that functionality seems to be blue line only.
6. How often should you keep Aim up? Should I be saving it to use only with the Feint/Aim/CdG rotation or should I use it whenever it's available?


I did post this on reddit a few days ago and got some good advice but I didn't get answers to everything I was looking for. Hoping the forums might have more answers :)

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Welcome bk!

I can make a few suggestions based on your points

Avoid Surprise strike these days as it's a long animation and not your biggest hitter anymore - correct to start in stealth, from behind although open with Aim, CDG and hit either feint attack or double edge strike whilst still in animation of CDG.

For longer fights; correct go Cunning attack (Guarantee crit from stealth) then go through rotation of Feint attack, double edge, Aim Flashing blades/cut animation addle (if hobbit burg) etc.

Trait Red with points into blue to pick up double down - this will open up your provoke Mez as well as Diversion gamble. - Have Gamble chance on tools!

Burg basics, keep reveal weakness up, maintain positional. Mastery Cap is around 221k and crit cap 72k - focus getting these stats high...

Things die fast on burg these days on landscape using the rotation I posted up top if you build your LI's around positional dmg/skills crit/bleed dmg - that being said for longer fights yes Cunning attack sd be used in your rotation with the different variants staacking (from stealth crit, crit and non crit versions)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Fingerz

Welcome bk!

I can make a few suggestions based on your points

Avoid Surprise strike these days as it's a long animation and not your biggest hitter anymore - correct to start in stealth, from behind although open with Aim, CDG and hit either feint attack or double edge strike whilst still in animation of CDG.

For longer fights; correct go Cunning attack (Guarantee crit from stealth) then go through rotation of Feint attack, double edge, Aim Flashing blades/cut animation addle (if hobbit burg) etc.

Trait Red with points into blue to pick up double down - this will open up your provoke Mez as well as Diversion gamble. - Have Gamble chance on tools!

Burg basics, keep reveal weakness up, maintain positional. Mastery Cap is around 221k and crit cap 72k - focus getting these stats high...

Things die fast on burg these days on landscape using the rotation I posted up top if you build your LI's around positional dmg/skills crit/bleed dmg - that being said for longer fights yes Cunning attack sd be used in your rotation with the different variants staacking (from stealth crit, crit and non crit versions)

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Surprise strike is still very vital for your rotation and you can break animation totally as a hobbit and get different faster animation with little trick (heh), to replace normal one. But you really need to go deep blue to get exposed throat if in red. Otherwise I tend to agree.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by siipperi

Surprise strike is still very vital for your rotation and you can break animation totally as a hobbit and get different faster animation with little trick (heh), to replace normal one. But you really need to go deep blue to get exposed throat if in red. Otherwise I tend to agree.

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I haven't had sup strike in my rotation since B4 trait trees - naturaly once you have enough trait points pick up gamblers advantage and exposed throat so you have 2 sets of crit chain skills to rotate through when ones on CD.

Siip; feel free DM me this sup strike rotation , I'm always keen to pick up any new trickz

Thanks, Fingerz! I will try out that rotation, and thanks for the tip on the stat numbers.