Curse

puremind · Aug 26, 2006, 07:04 PM // 19:04

I am posting my assassin running build because I realized through talking to various Guild Wars players that they do not deem assassin to be good runners, let alone Assassin/Mesmers.

This is an Assassin/Mesmer running build and I am showing an Assassin/Warrior version.

Attributes:
Shadow Arts: 12+1+3(Sup Rune)
Illusion: 12
Rest in any desired attribute (depending on your skill number 8)

Equipment:
Shrouded Armour for energy bonus but this is not really needed (only needed in the A/W variation or if you get DPed out, but you shouldn't!)
Totem Axe or Rajahzan Sword or equivalent for Energy and 20% longer Enchants
Unnerfed Rockmolder
If you use the Mesmer/Warrior variation of this build, you may use a shield with Tactics requisite for damage reduction.

Skills:
1- Illussion of Weakness (back-up healing)
2- Archane Echo
3- Shadow Form (for damage avoidance)
4- Dash (for losing aggro)
5- Dark Escape (for damage reduction)
6- Illusion of Haste (for fast recharge, low cost uncrippling/losing resistant aggro)
7- Shadow Refuge (main healing)
8- Any other defensive skill such as Viper's Defense, Caltrops or Shipon Speed

This is basically a permanent Shadow Form running build. You hardly need breaks and if you do (only 20% chance of longer enchants), Shadow Refuge and Illusion of Weakness keeps you alive while you Archane Echo and Shadow Form.

Illusion of Weakness heals above 202 Health when your health gets below 25% of its maximum through damage (this is not triggered by the end of Shadow Form, so you may still die out of degen, but it will be triggered by the next direct damage, so don't flee if degened, but take damage instead, or use shadow refuge).

Advantages:
1- You can run virtually anything with this build, much more easily and faster than with a Warior/Monk (in particular Citadel and Cantha runs, which combine ele AND mesmer AND cripple slow downs, as holy veil can't remove 3 successive slow down easily and purge has a long recharge time).
2- You can run even with 60% DP as you typically take no damage at all (occasianal DP will occur at the beginning until you learn to time your echoed Shadow Form well).
3-This build works effectively against knock-downs although not all (environmental effects such as Worm knock-down is not aimed at you directly and hence is not stopped by Shadow Form). But appart from the worm knock downs, other knock-downs have slow rechages and you can get away easily.
4- You can uncrippled yourself if trapped with Illusion of Haste (crippled shot or similar won't affect you, but traps will)
5- It just feels great to run with an assassin, they really look swift and unstoppable. It makes a lot of fun.
6- This earns you very good money, as people will pay a lot for the Citadel run (as it is reputed to be the toughest run). Considering your assassin will run it in 3 minutes (unlike Droks), Droks isn't worth running anymore.
7- This requires less skill and concentration than running with your warrior (removing slow-downs can be a real pain), it is stress-free runnning.

The only weaknesses of this build are:
1- You need to recast Shadow Form before it ends, and if you are too greedy, you will run too far and lose your echoed Shadow Form. But 21 seconds (or 25 seconds with +20%enchants) of Shadow Form is still a lot and especially combining it with dash and dark escape you cover a lot of distance and during the 5 seconds you are waiting for you have shadow refuge on.
2- Droks runs: you should switch to an Assassin/Warrior build with points in tactics for balanced stance and shield bonuses. You won't be able to echo Shadow Form, so you will have to rest more often (not because of damage, but because you want to avoid hexes hexes/conditions, as you will have no good condition/hex removal). You don't have charge, so you need to walk through the worm bit. You can make it, but it is not worth the trouble considering you already run well with your warrior.
3- It is vulnerable to untargeted enchantment removal such as Chilblains, expunge enchantments (those can be avoided by staying clear of mobs), Well of the Profane (through unlikely not in a running situation), and Signet of Disenchantment (probably the most dangerous, as it is a ranged removal). Those will leave you with 50 health and illusion of weakness as a backup.

Credit: My Assassin Watashi Kamui
Farming the Rajahzan sword gave me the idea of using Warrior weapons on my assassin in a running build. I developed it 4 months ago and seem to be the only one running Citadel with it. I get insulted by Monks and Warriors who consider me unable to run. "Assassin/Mesmers aren't exactly reputed for running" or even the occasional "shut up you can't run".

Dark Luke · Aug 26, 2006, 09:08 PM // 21:08

Hey! I use a running build that's basically identical to your build! Although she's a Me/A instead... But her 20 second Shadow Form is good enough for me though...

I've set up a build article at Guildwiki: http://gw.gamewikis.org/wiki/Me/A_Shadow_Runner - please add something to it if you can!

Videos (Me/A) coming soon!

BTW: Unnerfed Rockmolders no longer exists, but even the nerfed ones are still definitely worth using - my Me/A runner uses it!

Skuld · Aug 27, 2006, 12:00 AM // 00:00

Echo shadow form and all combos are old news man.

Desires · Aug 27, 2006, 12:45 AM // 00:45

Not exactly new info just not commonly used. I Sometimes run Death Charge in my last slot to break through choke points.