Dark Elf SK viable for TLPs?

Hi all,

Very excited for the new Mangler server as am coming back from a long time out.

Am considering maining an SK this time around but the only race that really appeals in classic is dark elf. I really don't enjoy the big guys - trolls and ogres, Iksar won't be available, human SK doesn't appeal and gnome, well, just no.

Will I really be hurting myself by not going ogre or troll? All that strength and stamina is a lot to give up from a tanking point of view of course but I remember reading at some point on these forums that an SK should actually be prioritising mana and Int for spell dps and can actually be quite a force for dps in raids?

If this is the case (which does appeal) I guess the dark elf would be good enough for tanking group content and I won't be main tanking raids anyway.

Will the lack of focus effects hinder the dps build greatly or will it still be viable?
Any advice for this kind of playstyle from you experienced sks would be greatly appreciated.
I look forward to seeing you all in a couple of weeks!

Dark elf is the best race for SK you'll be more than fine

Yes go Ogre for the stun immunity, its godly benefit especially early on in server and the stamina add will be nice too. Farm a lguk DE illusion mask and you get best of both worlds.

Problem solved

The only real issue I found with with DE SK is having enough strength early on to carry your armor (a full set of banded will encumber you). Plan on buying some of the store bags if you'll be farming fine steel for smithing or plat. The extra int/mana helps early on, when you don't have mana-efficient options for agro, but that's not a make-or-break thing.

SK dps is purely in the "nice to have" category - it's far more important to stay alive and maintain aggro. Unless you're planning to duo/box, where you might find the somewhat higher dps of an sk outweighs the early ability of pallies to pull with the lull/pacify line of spells. YMMV.

One minor annoyance is one of the worst "origin" locations in the game.

Will you be hurting yourself initially? Yes

Will it matter ultimately? Not in the slightest.

@ Runes - Ahh but I would know I was an ogre! I thought about the mask and I still couldn't get past the hidden brute lurking within lol. Also, as I said, I was thinking of the greater int/mana of the dark elf as a possible boon over the large races for a certain playstyle.
Thank you to all who replied, looks like it wouldn't be the worst choice!

You’ll never be a “dps” Sk. Most roll ogre because all the mana in the world doesnt mean much if you keep getting interrupted whem casting. Ogre immunity shines most when you have 8 mobs beating on you and you need to fd them off.

That being said, roll an Inky. Goat plate armor graphics in classic, and I enjoy Neriak. You wont be holding yourself back by picking the wrong race.

I'm 99% sure that the bash still interrupts ogre casts, it just doesn't cause an actual stun.

There's no real upside to being a dark elf, other than having a great Origin point for classic, since Guise of the Deceiver is all/all unlimited clicks of dark elf illusion. Go Ogre, then in Kunark if you are sick of being huge you can reroll to Iksar.

Having a large mana pool for unholy burns matters if you want to actually dps on raids.

Why on earth roll DE when you can play ogre and just get the mask?

wasted buff slot

Several have suggested the dark elf mask, and I get it guys. I know it sounds silly but I wouldn't want to be an ogre even with the mask, I dislike that kind of race that much. Have a character called Grumblesnot or whatever and running around as a dark elf in beautiful, cultured armour just doesn't work for me.
My image of an SK is a kind of fallen knight, not a massive, grotty, just out of the swamp, dumb meathead.
Don't get me wrong, the mask obviously makes sense and is a good suggestion. It just doesn't fit my image of the class. I was hoping therefore that the increased intelligence of the dark elf would counter the benefits of the large races. It would appear for most that it doesn't lol. That's ok though

Dark Elf is fine for SK, but honestly, Ogre is just superior. Frontal stun immunity, especially for a tank, is a thing and it is super important especially for a caster. Honestly if I get a SK in my group and its not an ogre I generally look for another SK because I don't trust this player to make sound decisions in their play.

Honestly, if your class can be Ogre you should be Ogre in almost all situations - especially Sks and Shaman.

Disclaimer: this obviously changes in later expansions with Stun immunity AA's - then race really doesnt matter at all.

There is nothing wrong with a dark elf sk. Our static on Coirnav had one. We went to 50 before the xp bonus was done. He tanked for us just fine. I had him in banded before level 12ish, game changer for a fresh start. he put his points into str so he could carry banded ac is more important early on.

Just like people who don't go Ogre for Shaman, you will regret it as the frontal melee stun immunity is huge especially as it will be more than a year before you can get AAs to reduce your front melee stun immunity. Every time you get stunned as a DE you will be hearing my voice.." I told ya so"..;>

You can also go Ogre, enjoy the benefits and once you hit 60 a few expansions down the line and have the gear, you can race change if having the DE mask is unfulfilling.

DE is ok but Ogre is better anyone telling you looks blah blah blah is probably leveling up a monk for the server

DE mask wont be available on Selo, will it?

yes and No. It will be available but the drop version will only be rogue/bard usable as Selos starts after its been nerfed. It is available if you get lucky in casino but that involves some serious gaming with equipment you need to farm to increase your odds of it dropping I think and also a serious cash investment. I do not know the expansion that the casino unlocks tho, probably others here know better and can answer that.

This is incorrect. Mask will drop for about 4 months regardless of expansions available at launch.

Are you aware of any data on the interrupt difference between Ogre's and Non-Ogres?

I have played SK's with various different races and I never found the difference to be that noticeable. However the ogre getting his fat *** stuck in every damn door was a huge PITA.