Shield Parry - is needed for the adept use of a shield. Shield parry works automatically, and is similar to practicing dodge. However, unlike dodge, shield parry requires the use of a shield for it to be effective (like a weapon). Equipped with a good shield and a decent amount of shield parry practiced, one can pull upwards of 120 parry. In this way, shield parry is essential in the use of 1-handed dodge weaponry which cannot supply sufficient parry on their own.

Suggested Minimum: 85%

Bash - is an all around great offensive skill. Using it involves typing in "bash" and letting the 1 round timer complete. At the end, the bash will roll and you will see if you landed or not. When successful, it knocks an opponent down for 2 combat rounds. While bashed, a player is considered sitting, and thusly his defense is likewise effected. Bash is the most important tool of an ABS character. Bash is dependant on a various number of attributes including the Dodge of the opponent. One very important part is the weapon one uses. The more heavy a weapon is, the better of a bashing weapon it is. Generally, one wants to have a weapon which ranges from 14-18 pounds, but some dodge/combo characters might consider using a 10-13 pound weapon (though not very effective against dodgers, they does well bashing ABSers). OB also effects the success of a bash, which is why a heron is known to bash better then a claymore, even though the weights are similar. BMI is also known to effect the success of a bash, but it's exact importance is unknown.

Suggested Minimum: 85%

Kick - is the counter skill to bash, mainly because it can be executed faster and interrupts an opponents bash timer. This skill is completed immediately after issuing the "kick" command, which is followed by a 1-1.5 round of lag. One must be careful when using this skill as to not spam it. When successful, the opponent will suffer a loss of a small amount of HP and Moves. Like bash, it's success is dependant on the dodge of the opponent, as well as the "weapon," in this case, your boots. Generally heavier boots will cause a loss of more moves, but the likelihood of landing one's kicks decreases and damage is also less. Lighter boots naturally land more often and cause more damage, yet do not remove nearly as many moves. Kick is a great skill option for dodgers without the ability to stab, charge, bash, or channel.

Suggested Minimum: 85%

Charge - is a skill similar to stab, but very different in it's mechanics. When landed it can deal 100-200 damage with a top-end charging weapon. One must be riding a horse with at least level 5 practiced in ride. The timer is shorter then a stab timer, but is variable based on one's flee lag, as it will extend with more flee lag. Charge is also very dependant on the terrain one uses it in. Mountainous terrain will dramatically reduce one's chances of success, however road terrain is very conducive to charging. One can only start a charge when not engaged, and can only land on a person who is not engaged. If you attacked while in the process of your charge, the timer will be interrupted if you are hit. Starting a charge is "announced" to others in the room with the message "Someone begins barreling down..." Thought charge is not very useful in exping, this can prove fruitful in PK if one is persistent and catches the other off guard.

Suggested Minimum: 85%

Rescue - is helpful in a various number of situations, ranging from saving one's horse or a berserk partner. When used rescue replaces the buffer of the rescued person with yourself. Ie. Friend is buffing a lion, I rescue friend and now I am buffing the lion. When practiced low, one needs to spam "rescue person" in order for it to work. Rescue cannot be done when directly engaged (buffing) and the target experiences about 2 rounds of lag after being rescued, so one must becareful about using this skill, especially in PK.

Suggested Minimum: 15% (1 prac)

Weaponry Skills - are much like shield parry, in that the practices themselves do not provide the bonuses. The practices enable one to effectively use a variety of weapons, depending on what you choose to practice. Some weapon classes are closely linked to others, and in that way one can gain "residue" practices in them. For example, if I were to practiced long blades to 90%, I would automatically gain 30% in medium blades, fencing, and short blades because of the similarity in weapons. This is also true with axes, clubs, and staves; spears, lances, javelins, and polearms; and lastly, chains, whips, and flails.

Long Blades - are weapons which have no special skills. 2-handed Long blades generally have good OB and very good damage, but average bash. 1-handed defense long blades generally have good OB and damage, but average defense and bash (for a dodger). Notable: Laman's, Justice, and Heron Longs are members of this class. Additionally, gilded gargantuan bastard sword does not follow the norm, and resembles much more an enormous doubled bladed axe in it's stats.

Medium Blades - are weapons which have no special skills. All medium blades are 1-handed and defensive. They generally have average-good OB, average damage, and poor bash. However, they are good 1-handed defense weapons. Notable: Kirkulan's and Heron Mediums are members of this class.

Fencing Blades - are weapons which have the ability to disarm. Disarming is automatic, and only works on light 1-handed weapons. All medium blades are 1-handed. They generally have very good OB, average damage, poor bash, and average defense. Notable: Ruby rapier pierces, thusly can be used to stab and with attack, has extremely good ob, but poor damage and very poor defense.

Staves - are weapons which have no special skills. All staves are highly defensive weapons, and whether 1-handed or 2-handed, generally have average-low OB, poor damage, poor bash, and very good defense. 1-handed staves are the best defensive weapon class in the game, but also the least offensive. 2-handed have better OB and damage then 1-handed staves, but are also less effective defensively.

Spears - are weapons which have the ability to charge and be thrown. Spears are an all around good class, but on the other hand, do not excel in any one area. Whether 1-handed or 2-handed, spears are generally good ob, good damage, good defense, and average bash (for a defense weapon). 1-handed spears have more defense, but less OB over 2-handed. Notable: Shocklance is a member of this class.

Lances - are weapons which have the ability to charge. All lances are 1-handed, and generally have average-good ob, good damage, very-good bash, and very poor defense. However, Lances also are subject to extreme decay rates, which cause them to become scratched in very little time. This makes lances a strictly secondary weapon, used for charging and bashing. Notable: Diamond-tipped lance and Red lance are members of this class.

Polearms - are weapons which have no special skills. All polearms are 2-handed ABS weapons, and generally have average-good OB, very good damage, and average-good bash. These weapons are the bridge between 2-handed axes and long blades, having OB which is not quite as good as long blades, but bash which is better, and better OB then axes, but not quite as good bash.

Javelins - are weapons which have the ability to backstab, attack, and be thrown. Most javelins are 1-handed and pierce, thus they can be used to backstab and with attack. Javelins generally have very poor OB, average damage, good defense, and minimal bash. Javelins are generally a hunter's weapon, because a thief cannot afford the practices, and work well with combo because the defense they give is high enough to supplement the loss from using combo.

Clubs - are weapons which have no special skills. 2-handed clubs are ABS weapons which generally have average-poor OB, good damage, and average-good bash. The advantage to 2-handed clubs is their availability, and is a good choice as a secondary weapon for a warrior learning to PK. 1-handed clubs are a mix between defense and offensive, generally having average OB, average damage, very good bash, and very poor defense. Because they can be used with a shield, the present a dodger/comber with the option of using a very high end bashing weapon. Notable: War Maul is a member of this class.

Axes - are weapons which have no special skills. 2-handed axes are ABS weapons which generally have average-OB, very good damage, and very good bash. 2-handed axes are the best ABS class of weapons for bash, but have lower OB then weapons like long blades or polearms. 1-handed axes generally have average OB, average damage, average defense, and average-good bash (for a defense weapon). They are not good in anything, but not lacking in anything either.

Chains - are weapons which have the multi-hit ability. Multi-hit is automatic and enables one to hit all opponents you are buffing and targeting. Ie. You and a partner are on two mobs. Your partner is buffing one mob, but you are on that mob with him and buffing the other, so you hit both. There is only one 2-handed ABS chain, the binnol, which is roughly the same stats as a claymore, good OB and average bash, but the damage is much less. Two-handed chains are generally average OB, average damage, average-good bash (for a defensive weapon) and very poor defense.

Whips - are weapons which have the multi-hit ability. All whips are 1-handed and generally very-high ob, average-poor damage, poor bash, and very poor defense. A very underused class, whip's strength lay in their OB, but the damage and lack of defense make them a poor second to chains.

Flails - are weapons which have the multi-hit ability. All flails are 1-handed and generally poor OB, good damage, poor bash, and very poor defense. Flails are the alternative to whips, trading OB for damage, but again, the more well rounded chains seem to excel much better then either of these classes.

Suggested Minimum: 90%

Palm - although I have not used this skill myself, from information I've gathered more recently from it's use, this skill hides several different acts including: taking equipment from a corpse, taking equipment from the ground, and I believe also putting equipment in one's pack. It uses a timer, which I only can assume grows shorter with more practice. This is a skill with potential for those of you who... are not so "honest." More palm you have, the more successful the skill will be, but the amount you practice it is up to you.

Suggested Minimum: N/A

Steal - a compliment to the palm skill, steal is much more widely used. This skill enables the user to take things from the inventory of mobs, and other PCs. It is highly dependant on the weight of the item attempting to be stolen, and will not work on gold. It can be very useful for a thief who has the ability to peer into other's inventory, and not only for the shady of you "thieves" but also for more honest work, including stealing keys and vials from smobs. Like palm, it is entirely up to you how much you want to practice.

Suggested Minimum: N/A

Dodge - this skill is very similar to shield parry and just as, if not more, important for defensive characters. Unlike shield parry or weapons, dodge works without the use of any other items. Dodge is important in avoiding bashes, kicks, and to a certain extent charges as well. Dodge will always be needed for any kind of defensive character, and should be considered one of the more important of the skills practiced if one is planning on becoming a full dodging character. Even 5 points more in this field can be an extreme difference in how one fairs, against bashing especially.

Suggested Minimum: 90%

Hide - is used to conceal yourself from other players and mobs. Hide works in any room which is not marked "no-hide." No-hide rooms are often city squares and gates, and an experienced stabber should know about each of them in the zone. Hide is harder succeed in road rooms, and the more you have practiced the easier it will be to use in those rooms. Hide is necessary for one to use the skill backstab, for without properly being hid, one has almost no chance of landing a stab. A limited number of commands can be used while hidden, one of these is "where". If one is a thief, I would consider practicing this skill to 99% if possible, but 95% is also acceptable. For rangers, often that is not an option, but this skill should be a very important, if not the most important of all the skills practiced.

Suggested Minimum: 90%

Short Blades - is are weapons with the ability to backstab and attack. All short blades, except the pair of sai, are 1-handed and generally have very high ob, average damage, poor defense, and minimal bash. Their strength in melee lies in their high OB and use of attack. However, their real strength lies in the fact that they can backstab. Though the most minor of the skills involved with backstab, the amount practiced in them directly effects the success rate of backstab, so this skill should be considered moderately important amongst others. Notable: The pair of sai is a member of this class and is a two handed defense weapon.

Suggested Minimum: 90%

Sneak - is a skill indirectly involved in backstab. Sneak allows one to enter a room without being noticed. Ie. You enter the room, but those within it do not see "Person has arrived from the direction." This skill is essential in the art of stealth, but is not necessarily needed to be practiced to very high levels. Roughly the percentage practiced in it, will equate to how many times you will enter rooms without being seen. Remember, that no-hide rooms are often also no-sneak, and thus your sneak will always fail when entering and exiting from them. Because of the nature of the backstab, one must rely on stealth and surprise. If your opponent is aware of your presence, your ability to stab them will be dramatically reduced. Thusly, sneak is important in the setting up of a successful stab. It's practices itself will not effect the landing rate however.

Suggested Minimum: 85%

Backstab - is a skill much like charge, in that it has the ability to deal a significant amount of damage to a player on it's success. One must enter the room, successfully hide, and type "backstab target" to use the skill. A 1.5-2 round timer will proceed, and on completion, the stab will roll it's dice. Landing percentage is based on how much one has backstab, hide, and shortblades (or alternate piercing weapon) practiced. In addition, it takes into account one's own DEX and the notice of the target (whether it's on, and it's %). On top of all that, the success and degree of that success is based on the weapon used. A better weapon means more landing, and better damage. Some speculate that mood also has something to do with damage and landing %, but that is heavily debated and it's effects apparently small (if they exist). For the most part, rogues are deficient in melee combat, so backstab is their primary attack, and the skills surrounding it should gain more attention then melee practices.

Suggested Minimum: 90%

Attack - enables a player to gain an additional attack each round. This makes rogues more even in a head to head fight, but unless you are very well equipped, you should not depend on your ability to melee. Attack is much more useful in finishing off a target you have just successfully stabbed. Coupled with the high OB of a dagger, a rogue can become decently effective at doing so. More practices in this skill will increase your chances of gaining an extra attack, but 99% does not mean 99% of the time you will attack. Attack is highly dependant on your DEX, but other then that, not much else seems to effect it. Attack is a secondary skill, and not all stabbers need it. In fact, most rangers who use backstab do not have this skill practiced. A thief will generally only need 85%, but some will go as low as 60% at times. It is up to you depending on your style of play, but I will suggest the minimum for it to work effectively most of the time.

Suggested Minimum: 85%

Pick - is a good skill for opening certain smobs, and a couple other doors (coalshed). Depending on what you need it for, pick can be practiced to a various amount. Some thing require a large amount of pick, but others only a small amount. For it to work on most things one will only need to practice it to 40-45%. Although doors like, Roland require a much higher amount (70%). You will have to learn what doors you want opened, whether they are pickable, and how much you need for them in order to gauge exactly what you need. Some players get pick merely to open city gates, which is very effective for anyone planning on raiding a city. If you wish to open city gates, I would advise getting 55-65%, because an excess of failing can mean your death. However, for more general needs, one only needs a small amount, which is what I will suggest.

Suggested Minimum: 44%

Projectiles - are an assortment of weapons, including not only "projectiles" but short blades. These weapon's main, and only real attribute is their ability to be thrown. For the most part, OB, Defense, and bash are negligible. Their damage is average in most cases, but that is merely for the benefit of their throw damage. Projectiles have a various assortment of mechanics which include timers, and lag. One will need to experiment with them oneself in order to learn them. They can be effective in finishing off players, dealing out 30-50 damage depending on the weapon, but generally only work on ABSers. Worthy of noting is the fact that throw also interrupts bash. However, you will need to have several in your pack if you wish to use throw as a melee weapon. When successful, the projectile will be deposited in the inventory of the target, any missed will fall to the ground in the room for which they were thrown. A thief might consider practicing them in order to quickly finish off a target for which they have just stabbed.

Suggested Minimum: 85%

Search - is used to find hidden items and doors. Although any item can be found even without search, practicing this will speed up the timer. However, some doors cannot be opened without at least a little search. Some doors require as much as 99% to open, but those are few and far between. Most of the time I only practiced 50% search, and on my thieves I only get 1 practice in it. Many doors will open with just 1 prac, as long as you know the name. If you know the name, search works automatically, and you merely "open door." Though, search can be used to find the doors by typing in "search direction." You will need more search to find a door then to open a door most of the time, so if you are still learning, consider practicing a good amount of this in order to find secret rooms and paths.

Suggested Minimum: 15% (1 prac)

Ride - enables one to use horses, if you are a human. The more practice in ride the more one can accomplish while riding. Unlike most skills, ride is broken into 7 levels of ability. Level 1 allows you to ride horses, but you will have an extremely hard time leading them. Level 2 is a little bit better then level one, but for the most part, it isn't good enough to be useable. Both level 1 and 2 cannot attack or use any other combat skills from horseback. Level 3 allows you to attack, and leading is easier, however most skills are not available, and leading often fails during the process (ie. Ack, you lost your horse!). Level 4 improves your leading ability to a point where you will not lose your horse unless he is haggard. Level 5, allows you to track from horseback and intercept attacks on your mount while riding him. Level 6 lets you bash, charge, and kick while riding. And lastly, level 7 improves you ability to ride slightly. When riding, one loses a certain amount of DB, but one also gains OB. Depending on the level of ride, you will generally suffer a loss of 5-8 DB, and gain roughly 10 OB. Because of their small BMI, humans are very dependant on horses for Bashing, so keep that in mind.

Suggested Minimum: 45% (level 3)

Track - can be used to find tracks left behind by players as they move across the terrain. One uses it by typing "track" or "track {type}." The more you practice this skill, the more lines of track you will get when using it. At a certain point (85%), you will have the ability to read tracks by the Name of a person or the kind of horse. For Rangers, more track also means more lines of Autotrack, but this is also dependant on your level of ride. 1 line with level 5 ride, 2 with level 6, and 3-4 with high levels of both track and ride. Track is an optional skill, but is a very effective one to use in PK, especially for rangers. When you are ready to begin learning PK, then I would consider getting this to a sufficient level. If you are a thief or a channie, often you cannot afford the practices, but 50-60% in track can mean a lot even for them. I would use one's practices in maxing out melee skills, and getting search and pick when first starting and exping, and then repracticing later on for track.

Suggested Minimum: 85%

Notice - is essential in the detection of hidden forms in one's room. This includes a few mobs, but mostly other PCs. There are many untrustworthy people around, and some of them are willing to stab you as a result. Notice practiced to at least 85% will enable you to see these people while they are hidden in your room ("You sense a hidden lifeform in the area"). It will decrease their chances of landing a backstab on you when it is turned on (type "notice), but you should not depend on that fact, and attempt to route them out by either "k target" or leaving the room and going to a no-hide. This is a must for not just someone who is PKing, but also for those just exping as a human. If you are a trolloc or seanchan, you might consider not getting this until later levels as it is much more safe on those sides in respect to murderers. One only really needs 85%, but you may consider getting higher % of notice in order to be able to more easily see hidden players on where, and the names of these players hidden in your room.

Suggested Minimum: 85%

Swim - is a very optional skill, and predominately used by southern PKers who like to use water to their advantage in escaping or splitting up groups. Because one can use a canoe on water even without swim, it is not needed for much of anything else, however in tight PK situations where canoes might be taken, hidden, or limited, swim can come in handy. The more one has practiced, the longer one can stay on water without a canoe. If you decide to use this skill, you should have it to at about 65%, which will give you a nice amount of time, but also not waste your practices.

Suggested Minimum: 65%

Ranger Sneak - is the compliment to sneak, hiding the message of your exiting the room. However, this is not true with humans anymore. Luckily it comes in handy as a track hider, making your tracks appear older, in turn, removing them from an autotrack display, and making them disappear quicker. High levels of this will on occasion remove your tracks completely in certain rooms. This is a skill to consider as a PKing trolloc more then anything else, but a thief with a bunch of extra practices might want to use it.

Suggested Minimum: 85%

Wisdom Lore - is the knowledge of herbs and potions. One prac will not do very much good, but you do have the ability to bring others back from incapacitation or mortal wounds by "treat target." At level 3 and above, one has the option of mixing herbs together to make potions. However, level 3 is very volatile, and can often fail and destroy your herbs. If you want to use this skill for mixing potions, I would advise getting it to level 5, because at that point your success rate is low enough to not be so bothersome. Higher levels bring down failure rate, but unless you are a mixing only character, you might not want to spend so many practices on it. As far as the receipts of these potions, those are for you to figure out yourself.

Suggested Minimum: 65% (level 5)

Survival - although trollocs have the option of dismembering corpses for their food, humans cannot. Thus, if you want to butcher any animals for food, you will need at least 1 practice of survival. The more you get of survival, the more meat you can acquire from an animal's corpse, and animals which were previously unbutcherable become butcherable (ie. rats). In addition to meat, survival also effects how often you are hungry. A person with a low level of survival will become hungry and thirsty much more often then one with a higher level of survival. At the very highest levels, humans can benefit from this skill when it comes to move expendages. Terrain becomes easier to cross, but that requires very high amounts of this skill.