Im happy that there wont be stealth in WAR. But if there is (there is not), why cant it be invisibility? You couldnt go invis if you are in battle and you could not attack if you are invis.. and when you turn out of invis, some cooldown, like 5sec when you cant attack.
I personally think that Stealth adds some nice aspects to games, where it is implemented well. I normally dont play stealth characters, as I think its a little too slow and boring for my style, even though there are aspects of it, that adds tension to situations. I do think though, that Stealth adds a cool aspect, as you never know if you are alone, or if a stealthed character is closing in for an assassination attempt. This adds a lot of tension and addrenalin to many situations, and ecspecially if you are on low health, energy etc.
So, even if Stealth can be annoying, it also adds something to a game.. both to the stealthed player, and the victim player
Another thought about this thread was… I would love to have the possibility to play as a wood elven Waywatcher (stealthed ranger/warrior elf type from the tabletop game) or something similar. These guys would be the reason for me to try out a "Stealth" character.
And actually Zakk it won't be: "And I can't say this enough - EVERY class will be a combat class. Nobody will be running around, healing all day long and trying to stay out of the fray."
Originally posted by zakk_ Sounds kinda dreary to me.
Sounds non-dreary to me; dreary is playing a support class while other people play combat classes. I played a druid in WOW, which is a bit of everything, and there's no way I would have wanted to try to heal all the time in BGs; if I had a priest I can't see why I'd bother to show up in BGs unless I was in shadowform the whole time (priest in shadowform is more durable, does more damage, and can't heal). I mean, just look at your comments on this thread - you're talking about how you want to play a stealther and slip in to do the super-damage to people, not about how you want to stand around, heal, and hope no one notices you.
While I'm sure there will be those, like you, who bemoan the lack of juicy targets, I am willing to bet money that no one will post a serious thread complaining that they can't play fragile class who's gameplay is to just sit back, heal, and hope no one gets near them.
Originally posted by korric I personally think that Stealth adds some nice aspects to games, where it is implemented well. I normally dont play stealth characters, as I think its a little too slow and boring for my style, even though there are aspects of it, that adds tension to situations.
Most don't play stealthers for exactly that reason.It takes time to set up a kill and if the game is set up right (like DAOC,not WOW) there are (time) penalties for dying when attempting a kill.
Sounds non-dreary to me; dreary is playing a support class while other people play combat classes. I played a druid in WOW, which is a bit of everything, and there's no way I would have wanted to try to heal all the time in BGs; if I had a priest I can't see why I'd bother to show up in BGs unless I was in shadowform the whole time (priest in shadowform is more durable, does more damage, and can't heal). I mean, just look at your comments on this thread - you're talking about how you want to play a stealther and slip in to do the super-damage to people, not about how you want to stand around, heal, and hope no one notices you.
While I'm sure there will be those, like you, who bemoan the lack of juicy targets, I am willing to bet money that no one will post a serious thread complaining that they can't play fragile class who's gameplay is to just sit back, heal, and hope no one gets near them.
what? have you even read this thread or played WOW?
Yes of course I have, I mentioned my playing in what you quoted. Have you ever played a support class, like a WOW priest, in a PVP environment? Because there's no way I'd play a support class like a WOW priest in a game that's 80% PVP like WAR.
Originally posted by Pantastic Yes of course I have, I mentioned my playing in what you quoted. Have you ever played a support class, like a WOW priest, in a PVP environment? Because there's no way I'd play a support class like a WOW priest in a game that's 80% PVP like WAR.
Maybe you've played WOW but you haven't read the thread.
I mentioned my WOW main was a priest,soloed to rank 11 on a pvp server.I have no problem playing a non stealth class.
I do have a problem with that option not being there though.No rogues,no assassins,no druids..nothing but mindless masses zerging toward you.
I know how WOW ranks work, and there's absolutely no way you soloed to rank 11 playing as a support class; standing back and healing people you're not grouped with doesn't get any honor points. The way to solo a priest to rank 11 is to play them as a combat class, probably shadow spec though if you're crazy I've heard you can do pretty well with discipline. It only reinforces my point; vanishingly few people actually want to play a support class especially in a PVP game, as you're choosing not to play a priest but not in a supporting role demonstrates.
I quoted the devs saying:" EVERY class will be a combat class. Nobody will be running around, healing all day long and trying to stay out of the fray." Then you responded that it "Sounds kinda dreary to me," and I pointed out that dreary is playing a support class in PVP. Your WOW priest experience demonstrated that, you weren't "running around, healing all day long and trying to stay out of the fray," you took the option to be a 1 on 1 killer, which is clearly combat, not support. You may not like that there won't be soft targets for you to kill, but no one likes playing a punching bag. If they put in the option to play a wimpy guy "running around, healing all day long and trying to stay out of the fray," who'd play it? You certainly didn't in WOW.
Maybe we're each thinking we're responding to something else the other said.
WAR doesn't seem like a game that should include 'stealth classes' to me. Sounds like WAR is going to focus more on the tabletop feel of Warhammer, not the WHRPG feel. Stealth? Leave that to the thiefs, assasins, spies, and the skavens. On the tabletop battlefield, stealth isn't even used(At least i haven't heard or seen any stealth characters - diggers and hiding within units abilities, but nay, no stealth!)
Originally posted by Pantastic Yes of course I have, I mentioned my playing in what you quoted. Have you ever played a support class, like a WOW priest, in a PVP environment? Because there's no way I'd play a support class like a WOW priest in a game that's 80% PVP like WAR.
Playing support takes a completely different mindset. This mindset is not only required by your healer, but it helps if your whole group can get beyond focusing on what they can accomplish as an individual and focus on what they can get done as a team. This means ignoring personal kill scores, and other meaningless fluff. If you can manage that, the challenge your group poses will improve tremendously. But getting past the solo-player-me-first mentality is really difficult for many WoW players.
I have mixed feelings about hybrid type healers. It is kinda nice that my healer in WAR might be able to kill things; but at the same time, generally speaking, if your support isn’t spending all their mana and attention on keeping the team alive your group has already won the fight. My only hope is that healing won’t be gimped or made less critical to success with these other combat/damage oriented things healers are getting.
Ps. Playing pure support with a regular group only becomes dreary when, in WoW, the opposing teams see who they are fighting and break out the fishing poles in AB, or worse… leave before the game begins.
Stealth classes need to go. They're always played by a majority of players in MMO's and they're always the most imbalanced. To name a few games; in DAoC they could take out anyone with ease as in WoW and if they didn't do well in the fight due to some freakishly bad luck with hits they could always get away. The only reason to have stealth classes in MMO's is to satisfy the roleplayers and those that always want to play the most cowardly and powerful class in the game. People who say 'they're great for alerting your realm and being helpful in scouting' just fool themselves if they had ever played one. Even if such players do exist (which they do with experience from DAoC), the MAJORITY won't pick stealth classes because of that but to grief and generally be a nuisance when others try to have a good time.
DAoC was mostly about team efforts and had a brilliant group system. Instead of adding the stealth class and thus create the everlasting imbalance and frustration they bring; focus more on the importance of creating a successful group system in WAR as well.
Originally posted by Bozo256 Playing support takes a completely different mindset. This mindset is not only required by your healer, but it helps if your whole group can get beyond focusing on what they can accomplish as an individual and focus on what they can get done as a team. This means ignoring personal kill scores, and other meaningless fluff. If you can manage that, the challenge your group poses will improve tremendously. But getting past the solo-player-me-first mentality is really difficult for many WoW players.
I've noticed a trend - when people talk about playing support classes, it's almost always thrid person. It's never "when I play a support class, I" it's always talking about someome else taking that correct mindset. It's pretty telling that being a 'support class' is pretty much universally somebody else's job, not the person talking about how you should play one. What you're saying here seems to be: 'it's your job as a 'support class' to make it possible for other people to have fun killing stuff while you watch health bars, you need to get past this solo-player-me-first mentality and instead spend your time making sure someome else has fun.'
I have the impression that you've actually played a 'support class' before, but it's telling that you don't use "I" and don't discuss being support like it's something you look forward to. I've heard several people bemoan that others won't be playing a 'support class' in WAR, but no one has said that they were looking forward to playing the 'support class' and is disappointed that they can't.
I have mixed feelings about hybrid type healers. It is kinda nice that my healer in WAR might be able to kill things; but at the same time, generally speaking, if your support isnt spending all their mana and attention on keeping the team alive your group has already won the fight.
Boy, that sounds like a fun game! Let me go into a battlefield, play whack-a-mole with health bars, and hope no one pays any attention to me while other people run around actually killing things and can actually survive if attacked! And, of course, if I ever spend any mana or attention defending myself, I'm playing the game wrong and someome will be sure to tell me! Also, by "my healer" here, do you mean "the character that Bozo256 will be playing that is a healer" or do you mean "the other person playing a healer who I believe belongs to me"?
I have unmixed feelings about healers that are a pure support class: they suck royally. I won't play one, and would never expect anyone else to either. I can't think of a more boring, frustrating class to play, especially in a game that's going to be mostly PVP.
Don't even try to attack my credentials, buddy. I've been playing healers in MMOs for years and years, and before that I did it in MUDs. You have a very jaded view about what it means to play support, maybe you should play a different type of class; or find a group of folks who you can rely on to save your neck just as you save theirs.
In case you missed it, my point is simple: as long as healers have mana management issues, there often isn’t room to cast anything but heals when fighting with a group. Damage spells are great for running around solo, but when grouped it is a different story. Even with damage spells available, the mana they take is typically better spent on ensuring you can heal your buddies.
I'm not sure how I attacked your credentials, since the only mention of your previous video game experience is me saying that I have the impression you've actually played a support class before, then pointed that when you describe the gameplay you don't use "I" at all and even here on the second post don't say anything about how you're disappointed at not being able to PLAY a supporting class in the game.
My view of support classes is exactly as jaded as Mythic's, who think that a support class involves "running around, healing all day long and trying to stay out of the fray." It sounds about as jaded as yours, "if your support isnt spending all their mana and attention on keeping the team alive your group has already [lost]* the fight." Do you consider that enjoyable gameplay? It certainly doesn't sound like it from your post, where you talk only about how useful someone playing a support class is and not about whether it's fun or not.
* the original quote actually said won, but it was clearly a typo or misedit
Personaly, if stealth is in a game, I want it to be camo like in Shooters(Espeically Metal Gear Solid). This whole 'press a button, turn invisable' thing is crap. Unless you have a spell on you, I think you should be crawling through the underbrush in specialy colored armor to make your uber kill.
I think healing should be the same way, it's pez-like as of now. Press a button and your wounds go away! I'd like to after-combat healing where one player has to stitch up the woods and use varias chemicals. Since when does any type of medic stand on the field throwing medicine at their allies?
Only read the OP, so this may have already been stated.
If they stick true to the warhammer table top armies styles (as they said they are) then I don't expect to see stealth at release. If they put skaven (rat people) in an expansion there will definately be stealth like abilities. That army is all about ambush, sneak attack, tunneling underground and emerging behind enemy lines.
I don't think so; the skaven don't have any abilities like DAOC or Warhammer stealth, where they can go 'invisible' in the middle of a field and sneak around without the other army seeing them; they fight visibly on the battlefield. Any stealth will be, well, things like ambushes, suprise attacks, tunneling under enemy lines - nothing that works like 'press a button, no one can see you'. I think it will be lik you make an ambush by hiding behind stuff, you tunnel by, well, digging, you sneak attack by using cover to approach someome so they don't see you, etc.
no stealth classes, greatest thing ever and i had a 50 SB + 50 INF in daoc, 60 rogue in WoW reason i say this is because ive played a stealther in every MMO and from my experiences also personal view -stealth encourages solo and selfish gamestyles, this game should be about group pvp, teamwork and individual skill.
Originally posted by Pantastic I'm not sure how I attacked your credentials, since the only mention of your previous video game experience is me saying that I have the impression you've actually played a support class before, then pointed that when you describe the gameplay you don't use "I" at all and even here on the second post don't say anything about how you're disappointed at not being able to PLAY a supporting class in the game. My view of support classes is exactly as jaded as Mythic's, who think that a support class involves "running around, healing all day long and trying to stay out of the fray." It sounds about as jaded as yours, "if your support isn’t spending all their mana and attention on keeping the team alive your group has already [lost]* the fight." Do you consider that enjoyable gameplay? It certainly doesn't sound like it from your post, where you talk only about how useful someone playing a support class is and not about whether it's fun or not. * the original quote actually said won, but it was clearly a typo or misedit
Actually it wasn't a typo, your just not reading it in the proper context. "if your support isn’t spending all their mana and attention on keeping the team alive your group has already [won]* the fight." Do you consider that enjoyable gameplay?
As in if I am not having to spend my mana healing and managing my Mana/heals, than my group has already won the fight, hence I don't have to worry about healing them they are dominating. Depending on how weak the healing/support aspect of the hybrids are I WILL MISS PLAYING THEM. I enjoy killing things as well, but there is also a great deal of satisfaction in the feeling that I can be the pivotal reason my group wins/loses a confrontation. And in DAoC (not sure if you have played it or not) a healers timing with a mez can absolutely cripple an opposing groups attack and be the deciding factor in your groups success, a shamans Heals, buffs, Heal over times, disease and poisons also make them a usefull part of a group. Like wise a good healer/shaman (Midgard I am) can make a balanced group dominant and if you take that healer/shaman (me) away they become average. I have seen it, I have done it. Just like you would not expect anyone to want to play a support/healer class, I don't expect people with your train of thought to understand or appreciate the satisfaction that can be gained when you play them well and with a full understanding of what they are capable of.
Originally posted by zakk_ I do have a problem with that option not being there though.No rogues,no assassins,no druids..nothing but mindless masses zerging toward you.
Almost 3.5 million chars,15% rogues,and I'll guarantee 1/2 those are not mains.
It was the same in DAOC,there is NOT an overwhelming number of ppl who choose stealth when it's available.Most ppl choose a tank,nuker/ranged or healer.
Comments
I personally think that Stealth adds some nice aspects to games, where it is implemented well. I normally dont play stealth characters, as I think its a little too slow and boring for my style, even though there are aspects of it, that adds tension to situations.
I do think though, that Stealth adds a cool aspect, as you never know if you are alone, or if a stealthed character is closing in for an assassination attempt. This adds a lot of tension and addrenalin to many situations, and ecspecially if you are on low health, energy etc.
So, even if Stealth can be annoying, it also adds something to a game.. both to the stealthed player, and the victim player
Another thought about this thread was… I would love to have the possibility to play as a wood elven Waywatcher (stealthed ranger/warrior elf type from the tabletop game) or something similar. These guys would be the reason for me to try out a "Stealth" character.
Thanks for your time
-Korric-
c'mon man stealth is for wussies man ...
stealth is for wannabe's who wanna pretend like they are the shiznit. but really get by cuz they never draw aggro and NEVER have to put up a fight!!!
STEALTH IS FOR THE GIRLS!!!! THE GIRLS WHO MAKE TOONS ALWAYS PICK STEALTH!!!!!!
Sounds non-dreary to me; dreary is playing a support class while other people play combat classes. I played a druid in WOW, which is a bit of everything, and there's no way I would have wanted to try to heal all the time in BGs; if I had a priest I can't see why I'd bother to show up in BGs unless I was in shadowform the whole time (priest in shadowform is more durable, does more damage, and can't heal). I mean, just look at your comments on this thread - you're talking about how you want to play a stealther and slip in to do the super-damage to people, not about how you want to stand around, heal, and hope no one notices you.
While I'm sure there will be those, like you, who bemoan the lack of juicy targets, I am willing to bet money that no one will post a serious thread complaining that they can't play fragile class who's gameplay is to just sit back, heal, and hope no one gets near them.
Sounds non-dreary to me; dreary is playing a support class while other people play combat classes. I played a druid in WOW, which is a bit of everything, and there's no way I would have wanted to try to heal all the time in BGs; if I had a priest I can't see why I'd bother to show up in BGs unless I was in shadowform the whole time (priest in shadowform is more durable, does more damage, and can't heal). I mean, just look at your comments on this thread - you're talking about how you want to play a stealther and slip in to do the super-damage to people, not about how you want to stand around, heal, and hope no one notices you.
While I'm sure there will be those, like you, who bemoan the lack of juicy targets, I am willing to bet money that no one will post a serious thread complaining that they can't play fragile class who's gameplay is to just sit back, heal, and hope no one gets near them.
what? have you even read this thread or played WOW?
Yes of course I have, I mentioned my playing in what you quoted. Have you ever played a support class, like a WOW priest, in a PVP environment? Because there's no way I'd play a support class like a WOW priest in a game that's 80% PVP like WAR.
I mentioned my WOW main was a priest,soloed to rank 11 on a pvp server.I have no problem playing a non stealth class.
I do have a problem with that option not being there though.No rogues,no assassins,no druids..nothing but mindless masses zerging toward you.
I know how WOW ranks work, and there's absolutely no way you soloed to rank 11 playing as a support class; standing back and healing people you're not grouped with doesn't get any honor points. The way to solo a priest to rank 11 is to play them as a combat class, probably shadow spec though if you're crazy I've heard you can do pretty well with discipline. It only reinforces my point; vanishingly few people actually want to play a support class especially in a PVP game, as you're choosing not to play a priest but not in a supporting role demonstrates.
I played my priest as a shadow specced 1v1 killer.Your apparent point reinforces my point,solo pvp is fun.
I quoted the devs saying:" EVERY class will be a combat class. Nobody will be running around, healing all day long and trying to stay out of the fray." Then you responded that it "Sounds kinda dreary to me," and I pointed out that dreary is playing a support class in PVP. Your WOW priest experience demonstrated that, you weren't "running around, healing all day long and trying to stay out of the fray," you took the option to be a 1 on 1 killer, which is clearly combat, not support. You may not like that there won't be soft targets for you to kill, but no one likes playing a punching bag. If they put in the option to play a wimpy guy "running around, healing all day long and trying to stay out of the fray," who'd play it? You certainly didn't in WOW.
Maybe we're each thinking we're responding to something else the other said.
Sounds like WAR is going to focus more on the tabletop feel of Warhammer, not the WHRPG feel.
Stealth? Leave that to the thiefs, assasins, spies, and the skavens. On the tabletop battlefield, stealth isn't even used(At least i haven't heard or seen any stealth characters - diggers and hiding within units abilities, but nay, no stealth!)
Playing support takes a completely different mindset. This mindset is not only required by your healer, but it helps if your whole group can get beyond focusing on what they can accomplish as an individual and focus on what they can get done as a team. This means ignoring personal kill scores, and other meaningless fluff. If you can manage that, the challenge your group poses will improve tremendously. But getting past the solo-player-me-first mentality is really difficult for many WoW players.
I have mixed feelings about hybrid type healers. It is kinda nice that my healer in WAR might be able to kill things; but at the same time, generally speaking, if your support isn’t spending all their mana and attention on keeping the team alive your group has already won the fight. My only hope is that healing won’t be gimped or made less critical to success with these other combat/damage oriented things healers are getting.
Ps. Playing pure support with a regular group only becomes dreary when, in WoW, the opposing teams see who they are fighting and break out the fishing poles in AB, or worse… leave before the game begins.Stealth classes need to go. They're always played by a majority of players in MMO's and they're always the most imbalanced. To name a few games; in DAoC they could take out anyone with ease as in WoW and if they didn't do well in the fight due to some freakishly bad luck with hits they could always get away.
The only reason to have stealth classes in MMO's is to satisfy the roleplayers and those that always want to play the most cowardly and powerful class in the game. People who say 'they're great for alerting your realm and being helpful in scouting' just fool themselves if they had ever played one. Even if such players do exist (which they do with experience from DAoC), the MAJORITY won't pick stealth classes because of that but to grief and generally be a nuisance when others try to have a good time.
DAoC was mostly about team efforts and had a brilliant group system. Instead of adding the stealth class and thus create the everlasting imbalance and frustration they bring; focus more on the importance of creating a successful group system in WAR as well.
http://kompaniet.mine.nu :+: #kompaniet @ QuakeNet
I've noticed a trend - when people talk about playing support classes, it's almost always thrid person. It's never "when I play a support class, I" it's always talking about someome else taking that correct mindset. It's pretty telling that being a 'support class' is pretty much universally somebody else's job, not the person talking about how you should play one. What you're saying here seems to be: 'it's your job as a 'support class' to make it possible for other people to have fun killing stuff while you watch health bars, you need to get past this solo-player-me-first mentality and instead spend your time making sure someome else has fun.'
I have the impression that you've actually played a 'support class' before, but it's telling that you don't use "I" and don't discuss being support like it's something you look forward to. I've heard several people bemoan that others won't be playing a 'support class' in WAR, but no one has said that they were looking forward to playing the 'support class' and is disappointed that they can't.
Boy, that sounds like a fun game! Let me go into a battlefield, play whack-a-mole with health bars, and hope no one pays any attention to me while other people run around actually killing things and can actually survive if attacked! And, of course, if I ever spend any mana or attention defending myself, I'm playing the game wrong and someome will be sure to tell me! Also, by "my healer" here, do you mean "the character that Bozo256 will be playing that is a healer" or do you mean "the other person playing a healer who I believe belongs to me"?
I have unmixed feelings about healers that are a pure support class: they suck royally. I won't play one, and would never expect anyone else to either. I can't think of a more boring, frustrating class to play, especially in a game that's going to be mostly PVP.
Don't even try to attack my credentials, buddy. I've been playing healers in MMOs for years and years, and before that I did it in MUDs. You have a very jaded view about what it means to play support, maybe you should play a different type of class; or find a group of folks who you can rely on to save your neck just as you save theirs.
In case you missed it, my point is simple: as long as healers have mana management issues, there often isn’t room to cast anything but heals when fighting with a group. Damage spells are great for running around solo, but when grouped it is a different story. Even with damage spells available, the mana they take is typically better spent on ensuring you can heal your buddies.
Sorry about the thread hijack.
I'm not sure how I attacked your credentials, since the only mention of your previous video game experience is me saying that I have the impression you've actually played a support class before, then pointed that when you describe the gameplay you don't use "I" at all and even here on the second post don't say anything about how you're disappointed at not being able to PLAY a supporting class in the game.
My view of support classes is exactly as jaded as Mythic's, who think that a support class involves "running around, healing all day long and trying to stay out of the fray." It sounds about as jaded as yours, "if your support isnt spending all their mana and attention on keeping the team alive your group has already [lost]* the fight." Do you consider that enjoyable gameplay? It certainly doesn't sound like it from your post, where you talk only about how useful someone playing a support class is and not about whether it's fun or not.
* the original quote actually said won, but it was clearly a typo or misedit
Personaly, if stealth is in a game, I want it to be camo like in Shooters(Espeically Metal Gear Solid). This whole 'press a button, turn invisable' thing is crap. Unless you have a spell on you, I think you should be crawling through the underbrush in specialy colored armor to make your uber kill.
I think healing should be the same way, it's pez-like as of now. Press a button and your wounds go away! I'd like to after-combat healing where one player has to stitch up the woods and use varias chemicals. Since when does any type of medic stand on the field throwing medicine at their allies?
Only read the OP, so this may have already been stated.
If they stick true to the warhammer table top armies styles (as they said they are) then I don't expect to see stealth at release. If they put skaven (rat people) in an expansion there will definately be stealth like abilities. That army is all about ambush, sneak attack, tunneling underground and emerging behind enemy lines.
I don't think so; the skaven don't have any abilities like DAOC or Warhammer stealth, where they can go 'invisible' in the middle of a field and sneak around without the other army seeing them; they fight visibly on the battlefield. Any stealth will be, well, things like ambushes, suprise attacks, tunneling under enemy lines - nothing that works like 'press a button, no one can see you'. I think it will be lik you make an ambush by hiding behind stuff, you tunnel by, well, digging, you sneak attack by using cover to approach someome so they don't see you, etc.
lfm ubrs no rogues
Stealth doesn't make sense and is pointless (sorry my little nightelf rogue kiddies, but that's the truth).
keeping the team alive your group has already [won]* the fight." Do
you consider that enjoyable gameplay?
As in if I am not having to spend my mana healing and managing my Mana/heals, than my group has already won the fight, hence I don't have to worry about healing them they are dominating. Depending on how weak the healing/support aspect of the hybrids are I WILL MISS PLAYING THEM. I enjoy killing things as well, but there is also a great deal of satisfaction in the feeling that I can be the pivotal reason my group wins/loses a confrontation. And in DAoC (not sure if you have played it or not) a healers timing with a mez can absolutely cripple an opposing groups attack and be the deciding factor in your groups success, a shamans Heals, buffs, Heal over times, disease and poisons also make them a usefull part of a group. Like wise a good healer/shaman (Midgard I am) can make a balanced group dominant and if you take that healer/shaman (me) away they become average. I have seen it, I have done it. Just like you would not expect anyone to want to play a support/healer class, I don't expect people with your train of thought to understand or appreciate the satisfaction that can be gained when you play them well and with a full understanding of what they are capable of.
http://www.warcraftrealms.com/census.php?PHPSESSID=06bcd2f13cd2f439885a334a931bfe52
Almost 3.5 million chars,15% rogues,and I'll guarantee 1/2 those are not mains.
It was the same in DAOC,there is NOT an overwhelming number of ppl who choose stealth when it's available.Most ppl choose a tank,nuker/ranged or healer.