Curse

zzled · May 19, 2006, 09:09 AM // 09:09

I swapped my Assassin over to Bows after I got tired of stabbing things.

Attributes:
Critical Strikes 14 (12+1+1)
Marksmanship 12
Shadow Arts 4 (3+1)

Skills:
Barrage {E}
Favorable Winds
Needling Shot
Charm Animal
Comfort Animal
Rez/Capture Signet
Shadow Refuge
Critical Eye

Energy management isn't an issue with Barrage - I crit about 36% of the time with Critical Eye running, and each crit gives +4 energy. Needling Shot seems to help take down single targets (although inefficient), and Shadow Refuge provides a little self-healing. I used to put Critical Defenses in as well, but wasn't getting hit enough to need it in PvE.

It's good AOE damage with Barrage against large clustered groups, but I've been finding it lacking in single-target damage. Any suggestions?

Wexnar · May 19, 2006, 10:03 AM // 10:03

Lol, why you have charm and comfort animal without any BM?

Xasew · May 19, 2006, 11:06 AM // 11:06

Best A/R with a bow:

http://www.guildwarsguru.com/forum/s...ght=bloodstorm

Reikai · May 19, 2006, 02:03 PM // 14:03

Why do assassins waste time trying to do ranger's jobs, seriously.

"Trapper Assassin LFG"
"Barrage Assassin LFG"
"Bow Interupt Assassin LFG"

any half-decent ranger primary can out-damage, out-condition, out-interupt, and and out-play you in any situation, heck, even R/A's can out-spike assassin primaries with daggers.

Xasew · May 19, 2006, 02:54 PM // 14:54

Yes, I'd like to see Ranger primaries inflict bleeding on 6 guys with 1 Barrage.

Reikai · May 19, 2006, 03:27 PM // 15:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xasew

Yes, I'd like to see Ranger primaries inflict bleeding on 6 guys with 1 Barrage.

Good luck even hitting 3 targets with barrage.

SnipiousMax · May 19, 2006, 03:35 PM // 15:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reikai

Good luck even hitting 3 targets with barrage.

Hitting two consistantly in PvP would be a feat.

^^and I think it only triggers bleeding on the target. If it doesn't, it should only trigger on the target, like the Rit weapon spells.

Cirian · May 19, 2006, 04:40 PM // 16:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xasew

Best A/R with a bow:

http://www.guildwarsguru.com/forum/s...ght=bloodstorm

QFT

It's a really good idea

zzled · May 19, 2006, 10:15 PM // 22:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wexnar

Lol, why you have charm and comfort animal without any BM?

Having trouble finding better skills to put in, and I find having a pet around kinda cute. ^^;

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xasew

Best A/R with a bow:

http://www.guildwarsguru.com/forum/s...ght=bloodstorm

Ooh. Didn't see that thread earlier.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reikai

Why do assassins waste time trying to do ranger's jobs, seriously.

"Trapper Assassin LFG"
"Barrage Assassin LFG"
"Bow Interupt Assassin LFG"

any half-decent ranger primary can out-damage, out-condition, out-interupt, and and out-play you in any situation, heck, even R/A's can out-spike assassin primaries with daggers.

This game's about trying new things, isn't it? And anyhow, since you're so pro-ranger, care to back that statement up? How do ranger primaries do all those things in a way that assassin primaries can't?

Reikai · May 20, 2006, 01:41 AM // 01:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by zzled

This game's about trying new things, isn't it? And anyhow, since you're so pro-ranger, care to back that statement up? How do ranger primaries do all those things in a way that assassin primaries can't?

Ranger trappers can bring their wilderness to 16, conditions last longer, as well as with higher damage. You get all sorts of skills that help prevent the easy interuption of traps.

Barrage rangers can bring their marksmanship up to 16, higher DPS, as well as a reliable energy cut. even with 99% critical, there is a slight chance that you won't get a single critical hit out of the barrage.

Bow interupt assassin is my favourite. Its funny, greatest thing ever when an assassin uses broad head arrow with a flatbow. Oh, and good luck with energy.

Maria The Princess · May 20, 2006, 03:10 AM // 03:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wexnar

Lol, why you have charm and comfort animal without any BM?

pets are normally needed as meat shield and constant bodys supply for the minion master. if no attributes In BM, its only the damage dealt by pet that is changed, but he still got same HP.
actually to me that looks like a B/P Tombs build... but i realy dont see the point of this.

isnt critical eye an enchmtment? if it is you will get shattered VERY fast in the tombs

in a matter of fact, i dont see the point of making a PVE assassin anymore

zzled · May 20, 2006, 04:14 AM // 04:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reikai

Ranger trappers can bring their wilderness to 16, conditions last longer, as well as with higher damage. You get all sorts of skills that help prevent the easy interuption of traps.

Barrage rangers can bring their marksmanship up to 16, higher DPS, as well as a reliable energy cut. even with 99% critical, there is a slight chance that you won't get a single critical hit out of the barrage.

Bow interupt assassin is my favourite. Its funny, greatest thing ever when an assassin uses broad head arrow with a flatbow. Oh, and good luck with energy.

With Trapper & Interrupts, granted. The Assassin isn't using his special ability - crits - to bring anything new to the mix, and you're losing Expertise and up to 4 ability points in core areas. No contest there.

With Barrage, on the other hand, I'd say that Assassin primaries can add a good synergy:
1) Assassin armor has base 4 arrows of energy regen, compared to the Ranger's 3.
2) 36% crit and +4 energy per crit averages to +1.44 energy per shot. The crit energy is spiky, but in practice I can spam Barrage constantly with a regular bow. Throw in a Zealous bow and Shrouded armor (for a bigger energy pool) and there really shouldn't be any energy management issues whatsoever.
3) The extra crits add DPS (altho spiky), but I'm not sure how that compares against 16 Marksmanship. In my opinion, the biggest loss is Expertise, but Barrage is only 5 energy anyhow.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maria The Princess

isnt critical eye an enchmtment? if it is you will get shattered VERY fast in the tombs

in a matter of fact, i dont see the point of making a PVE assassin anymore

Critical Eye is a Skill with zero activation time -- I don't believe there's any way to remove it.

I think the only reason to play an Assassin primary to take advantage of the extra crits and energy from crits. With daggers, single target DPS is so-so (requires ridiculous amounts of healing or very good aggro management), and AOE damage is almost non-existent (Death Blossom, anyone?).

On a personal note, I rolled Assassin for a change of pace (used to play Warlock and Shadow Priest in WoW), but Rogues in WoW are seriously overpowered compared to Assassins in GW. But that's neither here nor there; I'm just trying to make something of a character I've spent a good chunk of time on in GW.

Maria The Princess · May 20, 2006, 04:30 AM // 04:30

i think assassin can be a great secondary proffession

for PVE primary... try A/N? while using daggers, u self heal+keep spiking
but A/R seems to make most sense, cuz CMON! 70 armor!!!

actually i had a PVE assassin. i used it and figured that if THATS what i wanna do (melee) i'm just better off with a warrior... and i was tired of LFG for hours...so i deleted it

zzled · May 20, 2006, 07:27 AM // 07:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maria The Princess

i think assassin can be a great secondary proffession

for PVE primary... try A/N? while using daggers, u self heal+keep spiking
but A/R seems to make most sense, cuz CMON! 70 armor!!!

actually i had a PVE assassin. i used it and figured that if THATS what i wanna do (melee) i'm just better off with a warrior... and i was tired of LFG for hours...so i deleted it

I started with A/N, but it took a lot of attention to play -- constantly watching own health bar, enemy's health bar and attack chain status, and rest of party's health (henched thru most of the game due to all the "Assassin LFG" hate). Plus Assassin armor is paper-thin and crit-based defenses/healing are vulnerable to damage spikes, so I had to be careful about pulls and always make sure the Warrior is taking the beating (or run around with -60% DP)...... felt like a great deal of effort without a great deal of fun. So I switched to Bows and haven't looked back, though I might give Daggers a second chance somewhere down the line.