Curse

Golden_Mean · May 27, 2006, 04:31 PM // 16:31

It uses no dagger mastery nor critical strikes, but focuses on the anti-running skills in deadly arts with the evasion from shadow arts. So far, it's been a so-so build in RA, and I actually got to 11 wins with no monk. Luckily, we had 2 touch rangers so that kept them running around quite a bit, helping my build work best.

A/Me

15-16 Deadly Arts
13 Shadow Arts

Crippling Dagger
Enduring Toxin
Shameful Fear
Siphon Speed
Viper's Defense
Shadow Refuge
Signet of Midnight (Elite)
Rez sig

I use full Shrouded Armor with a pvp wand +5 en. and focus. I don't meet the req so I dont get the full energy bonus, but 40 en. is better than 32.

Target a runner and cripple him/her, and just lay your hexes. Pretty basic. If you see a warr coming at you, Viper's Defense to shadow step away, then Sig of Midnight on him when he gets close again. Then cast your hexes (preferably enduring toxin last) and start kiting him/her. Make sure you know your surroundings and don't kite too far from your monk if you have one, and don't go running into any traps. A simple slow hex would mess you up pretty badly. It's not made for direct killing, just DoT death.

Like I said, its an 'iffy' build, pretty situational, and of course worked best with a monk on my side (except the 11 win streak). I was just tired of not being able to put deadly arts into use, so that's why I threw it together. Suggestions to improve it would be appreciated.

dag_nefzen · May 27, 2006, 05:18 PM // 17:18

I'd use something like Illyana's Staff, for 10/10 cast/recharge, +30 health and +15 energy unconditionally.

Like you say, you need to keep people moving otherwise the build is relatively ineffectual. This could be tricky without giving them something to move away from (i.e. dagger attacks). What about putting in some touch attacks like Iron Palm and/or Mantis Touch? You could put in Blinding Powder then and free up an elite slot for something in the assassin line if you wanted to keep a blind in there.

I might try something along the lines of:

Dancing Daggers
Entangling Asp
Mantis Touch
Enduring Toxin
Shameful Fear
Beguiling Haze [E]
Shadow Refuge
Rez Sig

Interesting idea though. I've been wanting to find a new angle on a Deadly Arts/Shadow Arts build for while.

Ooh, just realized Mantis Touch isn't a touch attack. Oh well, you get the idea.

Golden_Mean · May 27, 2006, 05:24 PM // 17:24

Interesting. Thank you for the constructive criticism. The build truly became ineffective when I had no one on my team to chase the other team down, and they had no melee fighters to chase me around.

Lambentviper · May 27, 2006, 05:40 PM // 17:40

maybe even makeing the elite Seeping Wound for an extra -3 degen once they are poisoned. Makes them run to a safe spot to heal, which enduring toxin adds another -2/-3 degen...nice idea

Golden_Mean · May 27, 2006, 05:52 PM // 17:52

Unfortunately, Seeping Wound is in the 'critical strikes' line of skills. It would have complemented the build well though.

Lambentviper · May 27, 2006, 07:01 PM // 19:01

oh, good point. Maybe my lowering your current attributes just a smidgen (yeah, cool word) you can get enough into criticals with a minor rune to get some use out of it. I'll look into more stuff