Curse

Tbone K · Jul 08, 2006, 01:52 AM // 01:52

i was thinking about an E/A build using assassin's shadow step, then some ele AoE skills. any1 have an idea of a good build for this???

cambylobacter · Jul 08, 2006, 06:36 AM // 06:36

Closest I can think of that I use:

16 Air Magic
4 Energy Storage
12 Dagger Mastery

1: Conjure Lightning
2: Ride The Lightning
3: Lead: Golden Lotus Strike
4: Off-Hand: Fox Fangs
5: Dual: Horns of the Ox
6: Lead: Leaping Mantis Sting
7: Rez Sig
8: Windbourne Speed

Wander about holding a Wand and +1 Air Magic 20% offhand, casually wanding people. When ready to enter the fray at a vulnerable target, cast Conjure Lightning, and switch to daggers. You need Shocking Tang, and I like to couple with the 20% enchantment mod and 15% when enchanted bonus.

Use Ride the Lightning to step to the target with a damage bonus. The exhaustion is irrelevant in this build.
The attacks are basically, [damage+energy management]->[damage+keeping the chain going]->[damage+knockdown] ->[damage+cripple], but frankly you could interchange them with any others at your preference.
Windbourne Speed is a solid speedboost, and Ride the Lightning can often be used on a finishing move on anyone running away.

It's also fun running a build in which you can't heal yourself!

The success of the build is the subterfuge that surrounds playing an Assassin when people won't expect it. The E/A is a good disguise for what template this really is.

cambylobacter · Jul 08, 2006, 06:45 AM // 06:45

I've just noticed now you mentioned AoE skills. I think you'd need some sort of knockdown for that to be effective.

Maybe tele in, use then Earthquake, Aftershock, Crystal Wave, Teianai's Crystals?

16 Earth/12 Energy/3 Shadow Arts

1. Step move
2. Rez Sig
3. Earth Attunement
4. Earthquake
5. Aftershock
6. Crystal Wave
7. Teinai's Crystals
8. Shockwave

Looking at it, I think the issues are getting off the Earthquake unnoticed (Glyph of Sacrifice?) and Cool-down times.

Tbone K · Jul 08, 2006, 12:53 PM // 12:53

yea that was what i was thinking but wanted to know if any1 else had a better build

Tbone K · Jul 08, 2006, 12:54 PM // 12:54

the second one

AndrewAtHome · Jul 08, 2006, 02:19 PM // 14:19

You can't have a good E/A without Aura Of Displacement.

Furako · Jul 08, 2006, 02:42 PM // 14:42

just use heart of shadow and viper's defense to get out from melee combat and give some healt back and/or poison some foes....i don't like Aura of displacement too much...an elementalist should run away from melee combat...not get in...

AndrewAtHome · Jul 08, 2006, 03:49 PM // 15:49

You're thinking about it the wrong way. AoD can be used for **getting out of combat** - if you're in trouble or have run out of energy just double-click the little AoD enchant icon and you'll be warped back to safety at no cost. It is by far the best shadow step, but the only downside is it's elite which means you will need to think carefully about energy management since as Ether Prodigy or Ele Attunement would be unavailable.

GHP · Jul 09, 2006, 08:44 AM // 08:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by cambylobacter

I've just noticed now you mentioned AoE skills. I think you'd need some sort of knockdown for that to be effective.

Maybe tele in, use then Earthquake, Aftershock, Crystal Wave, Teianai's Crystals?

16 Earth/12 Energy/3 Shadow Arts

1. Step move
2. Rez Sig
3. Earth Attunement
4. Earthquake
5. Aftershock
6. Crystal Wave
7. Teinai's Crystals
8. Shockwave

Looking at it, I think the issues are getting off the Earthquake unnoticed (Glyph of Sacrifice?) and Cool-down times.

I'm currently using an E/A along these lines, except (and this is only PvE) with Tenai's Wind instead of Earthquake (monsters love to attack whatever is near), Armor of Earth instead of attunement, and Return instead of Tenai's Crystals.

Pop in, let a few damaging AoEs loose, pop out. Run around and bomb the groups after skills recharge. I wonder if attunement is worth losing the 62 extra armor or the use of return (which, if you use it on a W or A, puts you right next to whatever's being attacked and helps as a crippler).

Also testing zealous daggers on switch with not as many points in EStorage for possible energy regen.

Hidden Prayers · Jul 09, 2006, 01:31 PM // 13:31

Not to mention AoD takes out the use of shockwave, which is a major source of damage.

I'd take return over a skill like death's charge or AoD, just so I could use shockwave. That way once you cycle through all your skills you can just warp back to an ally.

However, both of these builds are going to be fairly taxing on energy, and Earth Attunement at the least is a must.