Curse

Kyle700 · Nov 20, 2010, 06:30 PM // 18:30

I have it mostly down, but I dunno if there's anything better I can replace certian skills with, and I have noone to ask ingame about it.

so, here's my skills:

Jagged Strike
Fox Fangs
Death Blossom
Death's Charge
Heart of Shadow
(optional) - I typically used Critical Eye
Flashing Blades - Elite
(optional) - I use Dash.

Dagger mastery is 14, Shadow Arts in 8 and Critical Strike is 11

I just wanted to know if it was a sound build or if there was something I could improve on, as I nearing closer to the end of the game and ofc it's getting progressivly harder. I have Zealus dagger mods, btw.

SmokingHotImolation · Nov 20, 2010, 09:58 PM // 21:58

I definitely like the chain, but i don't really see the point in Heart of Shadow. Also what campaigns do you have? The build could really benefit from PvE skills such as Asuran Scan, Critical agility and "Save Yourselves!". I'm also not a big fan of Flashing Blades - Way of the Assassin is a much better alternative in my opinion.

In short - keep chain, drop Flashing Blades for WoTA, drop Heart of shadow for one of said PvE skills (would recommend Asuran Scan, since your chain is so fast), drop either dash or Death's charge (or both), for one or both of said PvE skills too.

Illavos Lin · Nov 20, 2010, 10:04 PM // 22:04

I agree with the previous post I like useign Locusts Fury instead of Flashing Blades and useing as my chain

Lostus Strike -> Fox Fangs -> Death Blossom -> Phoenix strike -> Blades of Steel.

And if your useing Critical Agility WoTA is kind of a wasted elite since you'd only be getting a crit bonus. Mobieous Strike is a good one and it'll allow you to spam Deaths Blossom giving a nice aoe effect as well

instanceskiller · Nov 20, 2010, 11:10 PM // 23:10

Looking at your build now, I think I see where the concept of your build came from. It looks like you are trying to go for a hit and run build. While that is a common stereotype concept for what an assassin should do, it's a concept that doesn't really work well in guild wars pve. With good heroes/henchies or even players there really shouldn't be a need to retreat from enemies so heart of shadows is practically redundent in pve. Instead, if you find you are finding surviving a bit challenging, switch it with the skill Critical Agility. Even with a low ss rank it can still be useful.

Dash is also rather a bit useless for general pve because you would only use it to go ahead of the group, or catch up to the group. Both of which shouldn't be happening. My suggestion would be to switch it for another pve skill such as asuran scan or save yourselves! However, from the tone of your post, I'm getting the feeling you might not have too high a rank in titles for either skills. If that's the case then maybe try unseen fury since you have a good enough shadow arts attribute for it.

For your optional, I agree with your choice of critical eye. It's a must have skill for most of my general pve builds. Your dagger chain attacks are also very good. Your elite skill also isn't bad. You can try switching however if you are having trouble coping with the increase in difficulty. Since you are already using death blosson, why not try Moebius Strike? When used together, you can achieve really high damage outputs and can decimate whole mobs if they are balled together nicely. Another one you could go for I guess is Way of the Assassin. Whilst it is not bad, I just don't normally use it because I always use Critical agility and using both together is a waste since their IAS won't stack as Critical Agility gives you the max ias you can have. If you don't use Critical Agility though, Wota is an option you can consider.

Another thing is if you want a shadow step, try ebon escape. I haven't used it much but it is the fastest recharging shadow step available to a player if I remember correctly, and it heals you and an ally and it doesn't send you into a random direction.

In summary, remove; Death's Charge, Heart of Shadow and Dash, and replace them with pve skills such as; Save yourselves, Asuran scan and Critical Agility. Though not necessary, you can also switch your elite for something like Moebius Strike or Way of the assassin.

Hope that helped

Luminarus · Nov 20, 2010, 11:36 PM // 23:36

Not a fan of flashing blades except in farming builds. Try moebius, or wota. The unfortunate thing is that elites are pretty bad on assassins atm, as the most damage output can be done from the jagged/fox/db combo with a 33% ias that is attainable wihtout elite.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Illavos Lin

I agree with the previous post I like useign Locusts Fury instead of Flashing Blades and useing as my chain

Lostus Strike -> Fox Fangs -> Death Blossom -> Phoenix strike -> Blades of Steel.

You are aware that Locusts fury gives you no bonus when using attack skills? All leads and offhands are guaranteed 1 hit only. All dual attacks are guaranteed 2 hits.

Ive started thinking of running fox's promise because it seems to be the only elite that has a purpose without decreasing your dps.

Kyle700 · Nov 21, 2010, 12:14 AM // 00:14

I only have Factions and the GotY edition (prophecies)

I want all the skills that you reccomended, cept, like I said, only those 2.

I use Heart of Shadow for the instant heal and to get out of situations where I'm getting surronded.

Thanks a lot though, I normally don't have to use Heart of Shadow, and I don't often run away from things. I'll have to play more of factions to pick up Mobeius Strike, one of the elites I really wanted.

Hmmm, Flashing Blades has always been fairly decent against specific enemys, I think it's more of a situational spell. It can really pump out AoE damage if you are in a mob of fighters. The thing is, most of the good elites are on Nightfall or eotn... and I can't buy those, and can never (money issues) so yeah...

all in all thanks

Haggis of Doom · Nov 21, 2010, 12:19 AM // 00:19

+1 WotA: from personal experience, more energy = win. Asuran Scan spam isn't quite maintainable with only Critical Eye and zealous daggers.

It's even nicer when your CA gets stripped.

In any case, sin elites are all pretty meh in this build. Take your pick

EDIT

Smart me for not refreshing before posting in a page I opened an hour earlier -.-

In this case, may I suggest looking at some warrior elites as fun alternatives:

- Skull crack
- 'Coward!'
- Shove

DokkyDok · Nov 21, 2010, 12:57 AM // 00:57

Jagged Strike
Fox Fangs
Death Blossom
Asuran Scan
"Save Yourselves!"
Way of the Assassin
Critical Agility
Optional

Kyle700 · Nov 21, 2010, 01:18 AM // 01:18

gah, stupid skills not being in factions >

Illavos Lin · Nov 21, 2010, 03:04 AM // 03:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by Luminarus

You are aware that Locusts fury gives you no bonus when using attack skills? All leads and offhands are guaranteed 1 hit only. All dual attacks are guaranteed 2 hits.

I actually didn't know that :P I generally use my Mobieous Build but ill go back and change that mabey throw on Sins promise of something XD

Also I don't think the WotA's IAS stacked with Crit Agility Does it? and if not doesn't it kinda waste the elite skill as far as effectiveness goes I mean the crit bonus isnt that big...\\

I Run.
Jagged Strike (or Locuts Strike if you can't e manage)
Fox strike
Death Blossom
Mobeious Strike
Crit Agility
Asura Scan
Charm Animal (for extra hands free dmg)
Sunspear sig. (or if you have crap healers Shadow Refuge/Shroud of Distress)

15 D. Mastery, 12 Beast Mastery, 9 Crit. Strikes

If your bringing SR of SoD bring Beast mastery to 10 put att points left over into shadow arts, and throw on a minor shadow arts rune.

Not a crazy build and im sure there are others that beat it as far as dmg goes but I did all the campaigns NM/HM with it so it works

Kyle700 · Nov 21, 2010, 05:23 AM // 05:23

So, for the lulz, I'm trying a bunch of different builds with random secondary classes. I've tried Spiteful Spirit (eek did not work well) Assassin, and now I'm trying Critical Strike Barrage. I keep on seeing Sharpen daggers in skillbuilds for it, does it actually apply bleeding, because it says it only affects DAGGER skills, so I'm confused.

Are there any other skills that would help barrage in the assassin line?

FoxBat · Nov 21, 2010, 06:12 AM // 06:12

A long time ago sharpen daggers worked with any weapon, now it doesn't. That was really the only thing crit barrage ever had going for it. Still stick splinter on your SoS hero and things will die OK.

Kyle700 · Nov 21, 2010, 06:54 AM // 06:54

Aw, a shame. I have to find other funky combos that might work now. =(

P_A_A · Nov 21, 2010, 10:06 AM // 10:06

With the Jagged Strike, Fox Fangs and Death Blossom combo, you're pretty much done with the build.

You now have 5 optional slots to chip in whatever skill you want. Not having EotN is quite bad, since Asuran Scan is nearly a must in it, and PvE skills help a lot.

So, knowing this you have 2 things to consider. First one is a minimun energy management, just in case, so you can keep spamming your combo. Id go for Critical Eye.

The other thing is to realise you have a free elite slot. And no secondary profession. So you can pretty much go with whatever you want: from Charge to Expel Hexes, passing trough skills like Coward, Skull Crack, Virulence, and any thing you can imagine.

This leaves you with 5/8 skills. Use the other 3 as you prefer, but don't go for healing, since that's what monks should do, not you. A shadowstep can be good, an IMS, whatever.

ogre_jd · Nov 21, 2010, 04:15 PM // 16:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by Luminarus

You are aware that Locusts fury gives you no bonus when using attack skills? All leads and offhands are guaranteed 1 hit only. All dual attacks are guaranteed 2 hits.

On the other hand, it's quite nice for filler when you're using longer-recharge attack chains. Not with skills like Fox Fangs & Death Blossom, however.

Haggis of Doom · Nov 21, 2010, 06:39 PM // 18:39

On LF: I found it nice in a JJ/FF/DB build when I encounter blocking foes who'll mess up the chain, before I capped Fox's Promise of course. Auto-attacking with it + melee buffs is decent DPS.

It's a Factions elite so it should work nicely for the OP

Kyle700 · Nov 21, 2010, 06:49 PM // 18:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by P_A_A

With the Jagged Strike, Fox Fangs and Death Blossom combo, you're pretty much done with the build.

You now have 5 optional slots to chip in whatever skill you want. Not having EotN is quite bad, since Asuran Scan is nearly a must in it, and PvE skills help a lot.

So, knowing this you have 2 things to consider. First one is a minimun energy management, just in case, so you can keep spamming your combo. Id go for Critical Eye.

The other thing is to realise you have a free elite slot. And no secondary profession. So you can pretty much go with whatever you want: from Charge to Expel Hexes, passing trough skills like Coward, Skull Crack, Virulence, and any thing you can imagine.

This leaves you with 5/8 skills. Use the other 3 as you prefer, but don't go for healing, since that's what monks should do, not you. A shadowstep can be good, an IMS, whatever.

Unfortunatly, all the good skills are on Eye of the North. I'll prolly pick it up for Xmas, maybe. Thanks for the help.

SmokingHotImolation · Nov 21, 2010, 11:19 PM // 23:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by Illavos Lin

Also I don't think the WotA's IAS stacked with Crit Agility Does it? and if not doesn't it kinda waste the elite skill as far as effectiveness goes I mean the crit bonus isnt that big...\\

31% at 13 crit strikes is definitely noticable. The IAS is meh i agree, but then again, with the chain of 1/2 sec. activation dagger attacks IAS is not doing to matter that much. Crit Agility is mostly for the 22+ armor. Sin elites are generally meh..

Kyle700 · Nov 23, 2010, 06:56 AM // 06:56

So just by messing around, I've found another (pretty gimmicky) but still fun, build for A/W

Jagged Strike
Fox Fangs
Death Blossom
Dark Prison/Death's Charge
Desperation Blow
Critical Eye / Twisting Fangs
Victory is mine! (Warrior Elite)
Return

13 in Dagger Mastery
13 in Critical Strikes
8 in Tactics
3 in Deadly Arts

Basically, how it works if you slap on as many conditions as possible if you need to gtfo, and then use Victory is mine and get a load of hp back and energy. You can also use it just during combat from Twisting Fangs And Jagged strike for a quick +5 energy. Unfortunantly, the only other thing I can think of to replace Desperate strike (due to the rather annoying effect on knocking you down if you use it) is Black Mantis sting (or the off hand attack that causes poison if your foe is hexed) because Dark Prison is a hex. It's fairly fun anyway.

the 13% from Critical Strikes is very useful for me, not only because of the incrased Critical Chance (which is VERY noticable) but because it lets me (if I crit) get back 5 energy, which makes my spells cost nothing if I crit! It's the ultimate energy management build, I haven't run out of energy in AGES. Even more so with the build I just posted, HAHA

syphonus · Nov 25, 2010, 02:28 AM // 02:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by SmokingHotImolation

31% at 13 crit strikes is definitely noticable. The IAS is meh i agree, but then again, with the chain of 1/2 sec. activation dagger attacks IAS is not doing to matter that much. Crit Agility is mostly for the 22+ armor. Sin elites are generally meh..

This. Also enchant stripping is fairly common, especially in EotN.