Curse

Ruhern · Mar 12, 2006, 06:39 AM // 06:39

Most of the time I read about builds online. Here's one I put together myself.

Hamstring (swordsmanship) - 10 energy, 15 recharge - If this attack hits, your target is Crippled for 3...13 seconds, slowing movement.
Pure Strike (swordsmanship) - 5 energy, 8 recharge - If Pure Strike hits, you strike for +1...24 damage. If you are not using a Stance, Pure Strike cannot be "blocked" or "evaded."
Thrill of Victory (tactics) - 5 energy, 8 recharge - If this blow hits, and you have more health than target foe, you strike for +10...34 damage.
Power Attack (strength) - 5 energy, 4 recharge - If this attack hits, you strike for +10...26 damage.
Flourish (strength) - 5 energy, 1 cast, 10 recharge - All of your attack skills become recharged. You gain 1...6 Energy for each skill recharged by Flourish.
Final Thrust (swordsmanship) - 10 adrenaline - Lose all adrenaline. If Final Thrust hits, you deal 1...32 more damage. This damage is doubled if your target was below 50% Health.
Healing Signet (tactics) - You gain 40...130 Health. You have -40 armor while using this skill.
Rez Signet

I forgot the exact attribute point distribution, but you need at least 10 in strength so Flourish will give you 5 energy per recharge, at least 12 in swordsmanship so you can do max damage, and at least 9 in tactics so you can use a max armor shield.

Armor:
Helm - Duelist's for +1 to swordsmanship
Body, Arms, Legs - Gladiator's for extra energy (+6 total)
Feet - Knight's for absorption

Runes:
Swordsmanship (+1, +2, or +3 depending on your preference)
Strength +1
Tactics +1
Absorption (minor, major, superior, whatever you can get)
Vigor (same as absorption)

Strategy:
You will have 26 energy. Idea is to use Hamstring, Pure Strike, Thrill of Victory, Power Attack (25 energy total). Naturally you will regen some, you hit once more just a regular attack to buy time and then use Flourish ASAP before Power Attack recharges (because of the way Flourish works... you only gain energy for skills not yet recharged). You'll get back 20 energy. Hit once or twice more with a regular attack (this is to delay the recharge of Flourish and gain adrenaline), then use Pure Strike, Thrill of Victory, Power Attack, and at this point I think Final thrust will be charged and hopefully the enemy is below 50% health. Use Final Thrust, followed immediately by Flourish. If target is close to dead, use Thrill of Victory, then Pure Strike, then Power Attack. If target is not close to dead, you'll have to use Hamstring again to slow them down.

It's like a half-spike of damage, followed by another half-spike, followed by Final Thrust. Because it's not the quickest it gives a chance for the foe to respond and gives a monk time to respond with a heal. If this happens, you'll have to watch your energy and watch what skills you use so Flourish works. I like this build because it forces you to watch your energy/recharge times so it makes it a little challenging. Plus you can consistently dish out pretty decent damage (granted you aren't being drained of your energy by a mesmer).

Another idea is to replace Power Attack with Seeking Blade (5 energy, 4 recharge, +1...16 damage, if evaded target begins bleeding and takes 1...16 damage, cannot be blocked) so that way you have two attacks (Pure Strike and Seeking Blade) that cannot be blocked or evaded (helpful versus stances), but less damage than Power Attack.

Anyway, what do you think? Constructive criticism is welcome.

Inureface · Mar 12, 2006, 06:56 AM // 06:56

Keep power attack, and this is probably the first build I've seen that made good use of flourish, GJ

frojack · Mar 12, 2006, 08:38 AM // 08:38

I like this build, and have used something similar in pvp. Though I'd say, remove Power Attack and replace it with Seeking Blade. With Flourish you have an excuse to kit out your skill bar with attacks that cannot be blocked or evaded.

[EDIT]

Just a quick note. How effective this build is... is well, very dependant on the situation from what I remember anyway

. You might wanna' replace Thrill of Victory for disrupting blow, or maybe even Bullstrike/Griffon's sweep. Depending on what you think you'll want.
When I use crippled on peeps', they generally still try and run for it for a split second, before they realise it's useless. Knock em' down with Bulls' regardless. Plus with Stonefists, it can be pretty cool.

frojack · Mar 12, 2006, 08:52 AM // 08:52

I need to get better at reading. You already mentioned the Seeking Blade thing. Ignore me

.

Ruhern · Mar 12, 2006, 09:13 AM // 09:13

Cool, thanks for the feedback. I'll have to play with Bull's Strike and Griffon's Sweep. And you're right, it is dependent on the situation, though to an extent, what build isn't? Thrill of Victory is conditional though, which makes it useless some times. And some times this build feels like a "Do or Die" build - either it works great or it doesn't work. But then of course I usually play RA and "Do or Die" is how RA always feels...

I was also thinking of replacing Thrill of Victory with Savage Slash and Power Attack with Seeking Blade and hunting casters... after all, casters are a warrior's bane.

Me NoFat · Mar 12, 2006, 09:22 AM // 09:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ruhern

Hamstring (swordsmanship) - 10 energy, 15 recharge - If this attack hits, your target is Crippled for 3...13 seconds, slowing movement.
Pure Strike (swordsmanship) - 5 energy, 8 recharge - If Pure Strike hits, you strike for +1...24 damage. If you are not using a Stance, Pure Strike cannot be "blocked" or "evaded."
Thrill of Victory (tactics) - 5 energy, 8 recharge - If this blow hits, and you have more health than target foe, you strike for +10...34 damage.
Power Attack (strength) - 5 energy, 4 recharge - If this attack hits, you strike for +10...26 damage.
Flourish (strength) - 5 energy, 1 cast, 10 recharge - All of your attack skills become recharged. You gain 1...6 Energy for each skill recharged by Flourish.
Final Thrust (swordsmanship) - 10 adrenaline - Lose all adrenaline. If Final Thrust hits, you deal 1...32 more damage. This damage is doubled if your target was below 50% Health.
Healing Signet (tactics) - You gain 40...130 Health. You have -40 armor while using this skill.
Rez Signet

While this can be used in PvE I believe that you are using this in PvP by the way you wrote the description.

I recommend you find room for at least one interrupt if that is the case.

Savage Slash
Disrupting Blow

IMO that would make this build more useful. Savage Slash would be the preferred int. but I might just use both with a build like yours.

frojack · Mar 12, 2006, 11:23 AM // 11:23

The problem with Savage slash is it's so slow. In conjuction with Flurry or the dreaded Frenzy, it's just about fast enough to stop stuff. On it's own however, most mesmer hurt is gonna get by you fast. It really needs the 1/2 second buff, so it's more like Disrupting. That would make it more worthy I think.

Disrupting is cool though. Like a poor mans CoF

.

SnipiousMax · Mar 12, 2006, 09:17 PM // 21:17

Bull's Strike would work well here since it's been buffed, but I'd only use it in PvP.

Ruhern · Mar 13, 2006, 05:00 AM // 05:00

Hmmm... good points. I'll have to play around with it. Maybe I could switch it around a bit, like Seeking Blade instead of Thrill of Victory, and Savage Slash instead of Power Attack... would be able to hit through block and evade and also interrupt. But that would tone down the damage a lot. Guess I'll just have to try it out and see how it works.

mighty xxl · Mar 13, 2006, 07:52 AM // 07:52

Well, since u experiment try WILD BLOW also - u lose adrenaline but also target loses a stance. Good for those pesky rangers in RA

Savio · Mar 13, 2006, 03:35 PM // 15:35

You need a speed buff (Sprint/Rush) and an attack speed buff (Frenzy).

@Me NoFat and frojack: You mean Distracting Blow, not Disrupting Chop(Disrupting Blow does not exist).

striderkaaru · Mar 13, 2006, 06:23 PM // 18:23

use a zealous mod on your sword.

frojack · Mar 13, 2006, 09:42 PM // 21:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by Savio

You need a speed buff (Sprint/Rush) and an attack speed buff (Frenzy).

@Me NoFat and frojack: You mean Distracting Blow, not Disrupting Chop(Disrupting Blow does not exist).

Ah yes of course

.
Anyway, why do you 'need' a speed buff? It's cool sure but why do you 'need' it?

sh4ft3d · Mar 14, 2006, 03:18 PM // 15:18

Damage. Also, I like this but I think you need condition removal

Inureface · Mar 14, 2006, 11:54 PM // 23:54

If you try to make your build "do-it-all", you're going to end up like almost every ranger running around in random arena-poison arrow, power shot, charm animal x_x. Its not as obvious with a warrior but on a ranger or mesmer you'll look like a retard. I think you should just keep your build DPS, but a speedboost/snare would never hurt because of the insta kite instinct in everyone.

EDIT: Nvm I didn't see hamstring