SaruNi

Your first *two* strikes out of stealth/invisibility count as backstabs now, provided you only use autoattack, don't click to attack a second time, and don't switch weapons between the first and second strike (just tested this in-game with two guns, you can't get the first backstab with one gun and then Quick Switch weapons to get a second fast backstab, unfortunately). So two-handed swords are probably better if you want to get in two strikes, unless there's a good way to minimize reloading speed or you can kill with one firearm shot. Looks like arquebus now also has much better damage than pistols. Cape of the Master Mystic (WM1) grants invisibility when hit by a critical hit, which means 4 backstabs. So maybe a rogue variant of the Thundercat (want to get hit by crit) is possible? That way getting targeted by lots of enemies when you come out of stealth isn't a problem, it's a solution. Nightshroud also gives an extra use of Shadowing Beyond per rest, but you don't need to attack with it once that's unlocked (just have it equipped and switch to it once/rest). So maybe two-handed with Tidefall (great damage, plus healing to make up for being hit), Sanguine Plate (so you have Frenzy for your second set of backstabs), Tempered Helm (lower your deflection after kill), either Steadfast (if you're losing too much heath) or Echoing Misery. Maybe retaliation items with Deep Wounds. Don't know if Riposte can be reconciled with wanting to get hit by a crit. As I mentioned in the stealth/invisibility thread there are buffs/debuffs that could raise deflection significantly (like paladin's +deflection to a single ally ability)... and that could be great with greatsword. So theoretically perhaps "proc when hit by crit", retaliate, and "then raise deflection high enough for riposte to be worthwhile" could work, at least on lower difficulties. (Of course, an attack either misses, grazes, hits, or crits, so you've got everything covered there.)

In addition to Nightshroud's Shadowing Beyond, priests have Withdraw which bestows Invisibility. Caster radius effects like Consecrated Ground or Returning Storm and priest Seals (like traps, but better) continue working during that time and Withdraw can be a level 1 spell mastery. Priest of Shadow also has some Forgotten Realms and Malazan nostalgia going for it.... especially in a small party, withdraw can be used to momentarily end combat and reset per-encounter abilities (or in a large party have some people with +movement speed just run away). The shield Black Sanctuary grants withdraw 2x / rest, so it technically gives invisibility. Edit: Surprisingly, Chanters keep chanting while invisible from Withdraw. Probably also while invisible from the Cape of the Master Mystic. So while Stealth itself isn't that useful for a chanter (except maybe if they're using scrolls or want a free opening shot from a firearm), Invisibility could be.

Of course, backstab works with firearms too (within 2 meters) for more one-hit damage than two-handers (unless there's some enchanted exception?), and attacking from stealth/invisibility allows you to bypass / not get interrupted during firearms' longish animation (also the greater distance makes being interrupted by an AoE attack a little less likely). With quick switch and multiple weapon slots can get in one backstab per stealth/invisibility without being slowed by the cooldown, and add in DoT from Deep Wounds and Envenomed Strike. That's how I was playing Devil of Caroc but it seems a bit obvious (too bad her breastplate (not to mention her stats) can't be changed without modding, because from an RP perspective she'd be good for a proc on crit walking bomb / riposte build if that works at all). Edit: Looking at the riposte rogue builds, they rely on high deflection which makes it more difficult to use proc on crit items, though maybe the robe that casts mirror image when crit could be used to get both proc on crit and riposte (if you backstab from the Cape's invisibility right away). Same goes for other items or abilities that raise/lower deflection significantly... for example the Paladin ability that greatly increases an ally's deflection when activated.

What about non-rogue builds? Not necessarily optimized for PotD, but interesting.... Shadow Wizard... spells which benefit from being close to target(s), DoTs, not having to worry about targets moving out of AoE of spells, or some higher-level spells that have long casting times and benefit from buffs (since you don't emerge from stealth until the spell is finished being cast, and buffs don't take you out of stealth)? Druid cat attacking from stealth, or lightning or sunbeam out of stealth... since +movement speed is bugged in my game stealth is looking more appealing for positioning, in addition to the RP appeal. The storm spells have a "slow" casting time, though unfortunately they can't be used until combat is initiated (same goes for the druid and wizard summons, though they don't seem that great or particularly fun at first glance...).... Chanters can't chant in stealth... but Priest of Shadow? Priests can also get Shadowing Beyond from Nightshroud, right? And buffs don't cause characters to emerge from stealth, though they do cause emergence from invisibility, correct? Or unconventional rogue builds? Cape of the Master Mystic is proc on crit, so maybe a rogue variation of the Thundercat... a living bomb type, maybe with Sanguine Plate and riposte? Wonder if it's possible to get both stealth and mechanics high enough on a rogue for traps to be worthwhile, especially Tanglefoot and Gaze of the Adragan (it's nice that traps can be placed without coming out of stealth). So one of the major problems with initiating combat with an attack from stealth---everyone targets the character, unless your tank has already showed up---becomes an asset instead, with crazy proc on hit effects and bonuses to riposte.

Looks fantastic. One concern though: while endurance is restored, doesn't health get depleted, especially if you're not wearing heavy armor? Do you have to rest more frequently as a result, especially if you have low con? Or is there some health-restoring part of this build that I overlooked?

I really like stealth characters, but so far stealth in combat seems a bit underpowered in PoE compared to other games. Are there interesting and/or particularly effective uses for stealth / invisibility or builds which use it particularly well? (Aside from using stealth to bypass encounters completely.) Are there any abilities or strategies that work particularly well with invisibility via Cape of the Master Mystic? Are there any other invisibility items?

I used the +3 movement speed survival speed bonus with Hiravias while he was wearing boots of speed. He died a few times. Now neither the boots of speed nor the survival bonus to movement are working. Tried re-equipping, trying boots of speed on other characters, reloading, loading older saves from when boots of speed were working, restarting computer. Don't want to have to reinstall and start over (only to have it happen again).