Curse

Terra Xin · May 21, 2006, 08:23 AM // 08:23

Profession: Assassin/Monk
Name: Way of The Holy Fist
Type: PvP
Category: Knockdown

Attributes:

Deadly Arts: 12 + 3 + 1
Smiting Prayers: 12

Skills:

Dark Prison (Deadly Arts)
Iron Palm (Deadly Arts)
Entangling Asp (Deadly Arts)
Signet of Judgement {Elite} (Smiting Prayers)
Stonesoul Strike (Smiting Prayers)
Bane Signet (Smiting Prayers)
Holy Strike (Smiting Prayers)

Summary: Make sure that you are using a smiting staff - either a smiting staff with two +30 Health mods, or you can switch to a energy +5 wand and +30Health off-hand. I also recommend that you use the Shrouded Armour set for the overall +12 to energy.

The greatest misconception about the Assassin is that they are made up of daggers and chain attacks. This build works aside from that and decieves the targets into thinking such an idea. Because of this, the build has no 'attack' skills and does not require the use of Daggers. Therefore, having advantages such as 'not attacking' 'no chain attacks' and skills that bypass blind, evasion and blocking are of great benefit to this build and can work well against anti-attacker builds who follow the misconception.

I chose Dark Prison as the 'Shadow Step' skill because the hex comes in after you use it. This benefits Iron Palm greatly because not only is the target hexed, but you are also in 'touch' range to be able to use the skill and use it quickly - taking the first strike will be your biggest advantage. Whenever you can, use Holy Strike and Stonesoul Strike while the target is down to do double damage. It is usually a good idea to use Iron Palm First, Holy Strike and then immediately follow up with one of your signets because they take a while to cast - so long as your lead attack is in effect, you can use Entangling Asp just in case they try to run away or when they are nealy dead. A good thing about this build is that the Deadly Arts make up for the long casting time of the two signets, if you are under pressure for example, you can use a Deadly Arts knockdown and while they are recovering, you can have one of your Smiting Signets in effect.

Notes & Concerns: No Defenses, No healing skills. The build is designed to take out 'one' target as quickly as possible, while making the target useless and vulnerable for your teammates. Try not to waste your energy unless you have the right combo's to do effective damage. Keep in mind that Entangling Asp "Must" follow Iron Palm or it will not work, and Iron Palm requires a Hex or Condition to knock them down. If your target is still alive and makes and makes a run for it, wand him and chase him until you have Dark Prison recharged.

Credit: Iassar Du Haven - the character of mine that I tested this build with.

Xaero Gouki Kriegor · May 21, 2006, 08:27 AM // 08:27

nice comeback at the returning "Faction Farming" touch ranger

Terra Xin · May 21, 2006, 11:15 AM // 11:15

OK... this build can only stall monks, leave it for the more powerful ppl to kill them.

Man this build is awesome, you guys need to try it^^

-Six- · May 21, 2006, 06:12 PM // 18:12

neat idea - gonna have to check this out

Terra Xin · May 28, 2006, 12:00 PM // 12:00

I was taking a look at dancing daggers + entangling asp in someone elses build. I was gonna put it in, but the casting time is too long for this build.

I finally met my match. One of the guildies caught on and brought balanced stance... I ran until i knew his stance ran out, and then used my "sinner" chain

He was like "WTF???"

He still won, but it was really close. I got him down to bane signet and he used balanced stance just before i casted it.... yeah... well.

Good times^^

Vincent_v_valentine · May 29, 2006, 07:55 AM // 07:55

dont u think Sheild of Judgement would work better that the signet?

Ultimate Sacrifice · May 29, 2006, 08:21 AM // 08:21

Very nice, have to gain enough balthazar faction to try this out.

Terra Xin · May 29, 2006, 11:53 AM // 11:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vincent_v_Valentine

dont u think Sheild of Judgement would work better that the signet?

Not unless you like getting hit :P. This build is knockdown + damage, not the other way around. I don't mind shield, but at least you can 'force' a kncokdown instead of waiting for one.

Vincent_v_valentine · Jun 09, 2006, 06:36 PM // 18:36

true didnt think about that ^^

tanis616 · Jun 10, 2006, 04:40 AM // 04:40

why not make a Mo/A? that way you can boost the smiting.

WildmouseX · Jun 10, 2006, 06:42 AM // 06:42

cuz when people see a monk run into the front lines they expect smiteing, when they see an assassin run in there they just think " there goes another ass trying to tank, he'll drop quick."

tanis616 · Jun 10, 2006, 03:10 PM // 15:10

but the assasian will drop quick because he doesnt have any healing so why not just boost smiting?

Terra Xin · Jun 14, 2006, 02:43 AM // 02:43

because the assassin has a better chance at not getting targeted at all

aside from that, Mo/A will probrably do more damage and kill the target more quickly, but you have more people going after you.

I'm playing around with Bane Signet. I tried it with Kirin's Wrath and Return (I liked Return)

just rude · Jun 14, 2006, 08:28 AM // 08:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by Terra Xin

The greatest misconception about the Assassin is that they are made up of daggers and chain attacks.

I don't know where anyone got that idea. Its not like the assassin has skills that require other skills to work, nor, as far as I can tell, does any one skill have to be put in any specific order or "chain" to work.

And there sure as hell isn't an attribute called DAGGER MASTERY.

Do u have any insite as to how these misconceptions got started?

Terra Xin · Jun 14, 2006, 03:25 PM // 15:25

I'm assuming that you are the decendant of either George bush, or Mrs Melancholy. Otherwise, Ill take your post as your own version of accuracy, and no, there's nothing wrong with my grammar^^!!

And yes, I do like subway!!

Insight... yes. the misconception began when Vizu decided to wield daggers instead of pom-poms :P.

What if... · Jun 15, 2006, 10:12 AM // 10:12

I've been playing a modifacation of this recently using Siphon Speed in place of Dark Prison (because it's spammable) and Cripling Dagger in place of Bane Signet (because signets take time to use, and by the time I've gotten to bane signet they've started to run. Crippling them totally screws them over). All I can say is I'm in love. You get more knockdown than a hammer war, apply decent pressure while doing so, and even the most inept teammates can clean of what's left of your target at the end of the skill chain. It also alleiviates many of former mesmer and necromancer woes because the only hexes that mess with it's skill chain are SS, Illusion snare spells, and diversion, the latter of which is easily interupted by an emergency KD from up close or at range. All in all, very nice.

Kreedos · Sep 05, 2006, 08:10 PM // 20:10

So, I can't wait to try this build out. I already have a level 11 A/M and have been using the skills that I have up to this point and I'm really liking it. I'm thinking its going to be awhile before I can cap signet of judgement so I was thinking about using this combo for the meantime.

Dark Prison>Iron Palm>Holy Strike>Entangling Asp>Stonesoul Strike>Bane Signet>Return

Run off recharge skills and jump in on another person to attack.

Of course since I haven't tested this out it would all be in theory, Would I run into energy problems? Assuming I was using a +10 energy staff or something of that nature. Oh and of course I used return to sub in for signet of judgement.

Asrial · Sep 05, 2006, 10:41 PM // 22:41

When I see an assassin charge in, my first thought.. as a ranger.. is to blind them and move on to someone else.

When I see a monk charge in, my first thought.. as a ranger.. is that I'm glad I don't have to run into range to interupt them

Nice hidden build.

Evilsod · Sep 06, 2006, 03:07 AM // 03:07

Funny... my first thoughts when i see an assassin is to wait until they run upto someone and distract there lead attack, they always use it the moment they get into range. That or stand near the monk just incase they're using Horns of the Ox.

You still have to come point blank range to do any sort of damage Cripshotter/Crip Mes will eat you up for that. The mesmer may waste some anti-melee skills on you, but the ranger would hardly be upset that he had to distract your Signet of Judgement instead of a lead attack. But since your wielding a staff not a set of daggers i'll end up watch to see what you do instead... either way you wont get a signet off.

It also loses half of its damage against those idiots who bring Dolyak Signet into AB/TA/RA. I can't really see this build pressuring a boon prot much, its a 1 trick pony, if your target decides to move when you start casting Signet of Jugement or stop attacking when you use Bane Signet... you do practically nothing, there would be many more useful methods of utilizing 16 Deadly Arts. Surely Impale w/ Twisting Fangs and Holy Strike is a good one?

Bloodied Blade · Sep 07, 2006, 12:57 AM // 00:57

Hey guys, I'm back!

Terra- honestly, I would stick with regular assassin chains (I like smites and commented on designing a build for combo smiting) because those do a TON of damage in pvp. The thing that I don't like though is that the build doesn't create pressure damage, which is the BEST (imo) purpose that you can use an assassin for in pvp.

If I can find the old thread or if someone like Evilsod would be able to dig it up, I should be able to provide some more difinitive information for you to work with.

EDIT: I couldn't seem to find the thread (and the build was actually very good), but I'll take a shot at reconstructing some of the build-

Mark of Instability
Iron Palm
Falling Spider
Stonesoul Strike
Twisting Fangs
Holy Strike
Signet of Judgement {e} or any offhand attack (in case you for some reason need to combo without MoI b/c it got removed or your target is immune to KD or any number of annoying things)
Res Sig

You could even go to the extent of using SoJ on a meleer in order to bypass the first 3 parts of your chain and proceed directly to Fangs + Holy Strike + Twisting Fangs. An important thing to note, Falling Spider + Holy Strike/Stonesoul Strike can be used in a single KD, but it will only work either Falling -> Stonesoul or Stonesoul -> falling. One of the two chains works, one doesn't.

Good luck.

-Blade