Rifleman Archive

Hi all, I'm new to the Rifleman prof and just got my first box into it beyond novice. I took the concealment skill first because conceal shot sounded like a good skill, even if it didn't just hit the mind pool (especially for when grouping and wanting to pull something and get some free hits in before my high prof buddies mow it down so I actually get decent xp and thus am able to level with them...tangent there, sorry). Anyhow...once I got it I went out and tested it. I tested it on a trade fed that was separate from his pack of buddies. I shot it two or three times and it started running towards me. The description is that if the shot suceeds they won't know where it is coming from (and insinuated that thus they won't know where to go to attack you and will stand there dumbfounded or run around in circles or what not). Well, I hit him the first two or three shots and he ran towards me still. Now, before someone says (if someone even would have) "but hey, you got that extra shot or two in before he ran towards you," I ALWAYS get 2 or 3 shots on a mob before they start running at me whether using conceal shot or not. As far as I can tell the skill doesn't do what it claims and is just a random pool hit. Albeit that is still useful to me when grouped with friends (to some extent useful), but it's pretty worthless to me when soloing (which is most of the time) and makes me regret taking that skill.

Anyhow, I was just wondering if this was a known issue or if I'm a numbskull and am not seeing something or the test was a fluke, or it only works on non-sentient mobs etc.

Well...I only used it once before turning in for the night. Guess I should have been a bit more patient and tested it further.

I don't know why Sony insists on having descriptions that don't really match (sometimes minorly so, sometimes majorly so) the skill. It doesn't say that conceal shot gives you a random CHANCE of hitting a mob without it knowing where it came from, it says basically that if it hits they won't know. In my mind that means they shouldn't know where it's coming from until you miss. If they mean for it to just give a CHANCE for them to not know then they really should word it that way.

It is a random pool hit. It used to not draw aggro until you missed twice. I have not tested since the patch went live to see if it has changed.

A couple of things:

Concealshot only prevents the target from automatically reacting to your attack if you are not detected by some other means other than the attack itself. It does not hide you, so to speak. Posture and distance are your friends in this regard. Like with anything else, the lower your posture, the harder you are to detect. Also, the further away you are the harder you are to detect. For instance, even without Mask Scent, if you are at 60m and prone, there is less chance of an aggressive creature aggroing on you than if you are at 40m and standing. So the basic rule is, be prone and at least 40m from the target, andthe farther back the better. Cover is not necessary and does not help you avoid detection (it only boosts your ranged defenses). Mask Scent will help, but it is not a requirement.

Now, there is a good chance that you can be prone at 60m and concealshot things all day. But there are some things you have to be concerned with. First, the target can, and will generally, move. If it comes towards you and closes the gap, it is increasing the chance that it will detect you, especially if it closes to within 40m of you. You may need to stop and reposition before continuing to fight.

Also, if you miss twice, the target will detect you and will aggro on you, as will its friends if it is social.

Finally, as was alluded to earlier, there is a small chance that when using any high damage special (and I believe especially when using a weapon with a high wound chance), a small bleed may randomly occur. Of course, if a bleed starts, the second the bleed timer ticks off damage, the target will aggro on you.

Therefore, be prone and as far back as you can. Pay attention to what is happening and maintain at least a 40m gap between you and the target. And watch for misses and bleeds, and be prepared to react accordingly.

Is it running towards you to attack you? >.. did the comabt window come up?... if not, then back away adn keep your distance.

I've heard of where conceal shot will accidently bleed a target for 1 point... when that bleed takes effect then they'll attack you... that I believe is a bug.