Good day,
I wrote this to help some new hopefuls who consider the career of a scout. Deadly attacks seemingly from nowhere, instant disappearances into void, splitting small sticks with your arrows from many yards - these will one day be your ordinary feats. However, the journey to these things is a long and dangerous one. Although the scout's career is possible for the very beginners, these people might be better off with becoming a warrior instead.
Also, if you are completely new to MUME, I suggest you read Gorm's ranger page before continuing with this text.
Like in many ways of life, there are temptations around. Being swift and stealthy often brings along thoughts like "No one sees me. I can swiftly kill this hobbit and be much richer in no time" or "the merchant here is rich, I can steal some gold without him even noticing". Do not fool yourself. Dark paths of the Enemy are often tempting but finally lead you to destruction. Keep your dagger sharp and your bow ready - but likewise keep your mind and soul tuned in the wisdom of the West. This is a difference between a true scout and all the dark thieves roaming Arda. This is the way of the scout.
A true scout can be an effective enforcer of laws. In Bree, I heard a story of an Elven ranger who listened to a devilish plan of two renegades to lure young people to desolate places in order to rob and kill them. As they departed with another unsuspecting victim, he silently followed them to their lair, and as they attempted another dirty work, quickly and effectively dispatched both of the criminals - to the astonishment and joy of the potential victim saved at the last moment.
A friend of mine met another similar madman in Fornost, surprising him as he was attacking a hobbit. Enraged of disturbance, the rascal attacked my friend - only to meet a quick death on his dagger. It was actually an unpleasant moment as Fornost guards mistook my friend for the criminal and jailed him. Fortunately, his prayer to the Powers was answered, he was released as well as his citizenship and rights restored.
There are scouts who practice warrior arts, there are others who are good at magic, and there are also real specialists, or pure scouts. This writing focuses on the latter ones - although even these individuals may benefit from small amounts of cross-training.
Speaking of races, the little folks of Shire are unsurpassed in their sneaking abilities. They are fragile however, have difficulties with moving in snow, and are really easily killed by Trolls. Due to this, perhaps the members of the Eldar kin - the Elves - are a better overall choice. Men, although imperfect in many ways, can become effective scouts too.
The primary personal trait of a scout is no doubt dexterity, with perception trailing it closely. Train thoroughly in both. Third priority should probably be constitution - you need to endure a lot and not tire easily. You should not neglect strength either, as you have to be able to use bows (which can be not so light) and carry some equipment around. Willpower is good to have but not so mandatory - it may protect you somewhat from the devastating effect of enemy spells, on the other hand you are better off with keeping yourself just out of those. Finally, intelligence and wisdom are good to have but as you must focus on your training, those are the last priority. Remember, you cannot master everything...
Note: as it was already mentioned, more extensive cross-training may need some adjustment in the aforesaid (more int/wis for magic, higher str for warrior arts).
Therefore, the priorities could be: maximum dexterity, high perception, mid-high constitution. Strength should generally be at least 12-13 units to allow use of most bows, it can also boost your ambush abilities in the future. Scouts with ample strength can also afford to wear more protective clothing, while average scouts have to travel light (see next chapter).
A very important feature in a successful scout is his/her ability to avoid overload. Being overloaded with equipment will ruin many of your abilities! Only slight uncomfort is acceptable, heavy loads are not. This means that most scouts are only able to wear plain clothes or leather armour, only the strongest can sometimes be seen partially in metal. Therefore you must learn how to
The starting guidelines by Gorm are quite valid for scouts as well - it is better to start with simple but necessary things like swimming and bandage (note - due to sneaky movement on foot as a preference, many scouts do not learn to ride). However, starting with very basic training in sneaking, dodging and missile weapons can be useful too. In this case, the exact order of practicing is up to you, but you should definitely learn bandage and preferrably also swim (maybe also basic climbing) right in the beginning.
The first levels of training should teach you at least good shooting, sneaking and dodging skills (preferrably also use of piercing weaponry), adequate bandaging, swimming, climbing and wilderness (this one should be eventually mastered, but not at the very beginning) skills. From early on, learning basic lockpicking can help you a lot too. Finally, basic training in attack methods is also useful in leaving some battles if the enemy is going to prevail.
A scout should generally be cautious with learning warrior arts. It can result in some kind of clumsiness which will decrease your scout skills. However, it is advisable to learn some basic parrying and endurance skills as you progress.
There is also a special course taught to rangers which allows them to become fully aware of the surroundings. Successful completion of this programme can teach scouts to see in the dark. This is not enough to see details and get around well, but enough to see the opponent and fight him/her effectively even without a light source.
If a scout has very little wisdom, it is advised to pass clerical arts. In case of greater wisdom, ability to cure light wounds may be handy. Try not to overtrain though - as you will forget some of your main skills due to this.
As most beginning scouts are Elves living in the Grey Havens, they can advance through their first levels in Harlond. On about L10-12, the training there will be completed and the aspiring scout needs to travel to the Dúnadan city of Fornost. There is a scout guild in the city, but also another in the forsaken old part of Fornost. The place has bad reputation as many of those who have practiced there have turned towards dark ways. However, in times of need, they can teach some necessary skills. Ask Olly in Fornost tavern for more information.
Those Elves coming from Lothlorien can learn quite good scout skills at their home from Celebrindal herself, who bests the top scouts of the Dunedain in many arts. However, she does not teach some things which she disapproves.
And finally, when you have trained enough, you should travel to much more dangerous places. First, you have to train under the best marksmen of Rivendell to complete your training in bow. Then you have to venture towards the evil city of Tharbad.
Tharbad has actually three guilds - one hidden in the southern part of the city, the second was opened by a newcomer in the attic of the Thirsty Ranger's Inn. Perhaps the most important one, however, is located deep in the sewers below the city. The best bet could be to travel with an experienced brother in trade for the first time.
The time in Tharbad will be your ultimate test. Besides dangers in every step, you will also be tempted by other evils. Many have come up to the final stage, but failed - some of them can even be seen in the streets and sewers of Tharbad, robbing and killing everyone they can. But if you remain true to yourself, you will be a scout of the West.
For a beginning scout, a good ability to sneak is of great importance. The art is hard to master, but even the skills of Harlond scout trainer is good enough to help beginners quite a lot. The second necessary component for new scouts is command of missile weapons - also here, the Harlond trainer can help you a long way. For third important ingredient in good advancement is dodging - more than often you will have to rely on surprise attacks, and you will not want to be on the way of the first wild swings of the enemy. Thus, an ability to sneak up to an enemy, release an arrow or two, and be gone before the surprise fades is of utmost importance.
Those with higher level of training can add another very effective attack method - silent attack from behind, also known as backstabbing (see below for more). It can be fully studied only in Tharbad sewers, which is a dangerous place. However, sneaking up to an enemy, stabbing him and vanishing again has proved highly useful. Moreover, real professionals can stab an enemy, vanish for a moment, then return swiftly and attack with another stab - the effect will be most likely deadly.
Those with good training in hiding may also opt for ambush-type attacks - hiding on the possible path of an enemy and stabbing him as he passes. Do not rely on hiding abilities when you face many enemies who are aware of your presence - they are often able to find you in a very short time. You only may succeed in a thick forest.
Scouts rarely stay in battle for a longer time to fight in a more conventional way. If one chooses to do so, it is advisable to be either very nimble (able to dodge hits) or wear more protective equipment. Also some special training in attacking may help - this will allow you to hit more frequently, provided you wield a suitable light weapon. While most of Western scouts prefer to fight with bows (using daggers only as surprise stabbing tools), there exists a deadly hand-to-hand preferring minority.
As already said, most scouts are adept with bows. While even untrained people can handle a bow (some mages and clerics seem to have some kind of natural ability), a trained archer is a much more deadly foe. The better trained you are, the more accurate you will be and your arrows will make more damage. The best archers to learn from are in Elven settlements of Rivendell and Lothlorien, but also Dúnedain possess decent skills.
As an archer you have some things to care for. First of all, you will need a good bow. At first it would be probably wiser to go with larger ones which hit harder although the shooting is slower. Then you need some arrows - again, Elven arrows made of ash are very good, although they are quite rare in the West (you can obtain them in Elven settlements - but for some reason, they are not brought to the Western towns). For the beginning, the large arrows of the Dúnedain are good too, although they are heavier and therefore your quiver will contain a bit less. You also need to consider that many arrows tend to break - unless some special incantation has used on them.
In addition to your shooting skills, you need to remember to recover all your arrows after each battle. It is easy to forget and later have an empty quiver in times of need... Also, a good tactic for young adventurers is to sheak near to your prey, shoot and immediately withdraw before it can retaliate. Many successful scouts have started their hunting this way.
Although the wise scoutmaster of Lothlorien, Celebrindal, frowns on studying this deadly art, even she understands that sometimes it takes hard choices to disturb the evil plans of dark side. The art of silent killing, also known as backstabbing, is taught by a shadowy master in the sewers of unfriendly Tharbad. You must have reached L16 to fully learn his secrets.
In essence, effective application of this art takes sneaky movements and often also good hiding skills. If you manage to stay unnoticed by your enemy, your silent attack will have quite a devastating effect. Starting from L16, you will be able to kill wolves and boars with one successful stab, the amount of damage increasing as you become more proficient.
The stab has some points to consider though. It takes time to aim the attack, and if you will be noticed before it lands, you will be quite vulnerable for a short time (technically, stab is always performed in aggressive mode which cuts defense to add attack strength, returning to previous mode soon afterwards). Therefore failed stabs may become quite painful. Different targets also have different awareness - it is quite easy to stab a wolf, while stabbing a great dark spider is very hard; sometimes it is more useful to utilise other kinds of fighting tactics against these enemies.
Finally, the effectiveness of a stab depends on the weapon being used - you may be a master scout, but if you only have a dented dagger, you will only tickle your enemies instead of stabbing them dead. Try to get your hands on a fang - although of orkish descent, this weapon can be used against its evil makers and even enchanted by a Western, good-aligned mage which enhances its effectiveness.
If you have studied the art in Tharbad sewers, do not err to feeling invincible. Try to practice your skills first on easier targets - you will learn the timing and necessary movements. Then move on harder targets - if you feel confident enough, pick a tracking enemy like a rabid grey wolf (or later, werewolves). Practice stab attack, consequent fleeing and both shaking it off your track as well as confusing it enough to land decisive final attack. If you have a good weapon which kills it instantly, you may use a weaker blade for training.
A word of warning - while the stab attack is powerful enough, it is usually insufficient to dispatch a metal-clad Orc in its full health. If you try to go to war, try to find a weaker target like a Black Numenorean renegade, or one who has already been seriously damaged in previous fights.
To be written soon...
TO BE CONTINUED...
Good luck!
Lathron of Lothlorien, the Little Brother of the North Wind
Last Changed: March 10, 2004