Curse

arredondo · Mar 22, 2006, 11:48 AM // 11:48

Worthless elite, eh?

=============================

+++ THE KEYSTONE ASSASSIN +++

Deadly Arts - 14
Dagger mastery - 11
Shadow Arts - 8
Inspiration - 8
Illusion - 4
Critical Strikes - 3
(no points left)

Phantom Pain: 10 secs of -2 degen, Deep Wound for 9 secs
Black Mantis Thrust: Lead attack, 16 damage, cripples for 13 secs.
Repeating Strike: Off-hand hits for 16 damage repeatedly until I stop or miss
Blinding Powder: Must come after off-hand, blinds target for 10 secs.
Mantra of Signets: To instantly recharge SoS
Signet of Shadows: 33 shadow damage, add 57 shadow damage on the Blind
Keystone Signet (Elite): 10 secs of non signet recharge, but recharges SoS instantly
Rez

=============================

This little number is all out offense. Not perfect, but it shows KS isn't completely worthless. Cast everything in the order listed:

- Get in close and lay down 10 secs. of -2 degen with PP. Immediately start your combo, and he should be crippled from the Hex and BMT.

- While he's crippled, see how many Repeating Strikes you can get in.

- Pop him with Blinding Powder at least 4-5 seconds before the Cripple ends.

- Go into Mantra of Signet stance.

- Next you punish him while Blind with the powerful, armor ignoring Signet of Shadows.

- You have another copy of SoS instantly... hit him again!

- Immediatetly use Keystone Signet to recharge SoS a third time.

- PP's Deep Wound gutting him for 20% damage should be settling in by now.

- After KS is finished, use SOS yet another time to send a final power shot to your foe.

- Back away from the corpse; it's time to recharge your skills and hunt another victim.

+-+-+-+-+

Now for a closer look at what's going on with the stats vs 60AL (assuming four RS will hit):

Phantom Pain = 10 sec x2 degen= 40, Deep Wound= 100 (on a 500 HP) foe... 140 total
Black Mantis Thrust = 16 skill damage and 16 base avg= 32 total
Repeating Strikes = 16 skill dmg x4= 64, and 16 base avg. x4= 64= 128 total
Blinding Powder = 0
Signet of Shadows = 3x90= 270 total

TOTAL DAMAGE: 570 HP

Time Elapsed: about 10 seconds
Energy Used: 55E - 13E regen= 42E net loss from full energy
Satisfaction in sending another victim to his grave: priceless

arredondo · Mar 22, 2006, 12:10 PM // 12:10

...and here's a Keystone build I've won with in TA off and on with decent teammates:

=================================
Me/Mo

Inspiration 16 (yes, you can actually use that dusty Animal Mask)
Domination 13
Illusion 4

Keystone Signet (4 second non-Sig recharge)
Mantra of Signets
Signet of Humility (17 second recharge per elite)
Signet of Weariness (-9E AoE)
Black Out (6 second enemy skills recharge)
Distortion (-3E per whiff)
* optional * Purge Signet or Hex Breaker
Rez
=================================

This is my spell-less wonder. You have absolutely no spells here, so caster interrupts are near impossible (Gale, Shock, but not spell interrupts). Melee interrupts are somewhat rare because of Distortion as you use your Signets. You also have no fear of Backfire, Guilt, Soul Leech, etc. since you have no spells that can be snagged. Energy issues are 100% non-existent.

You spend 15E for MoS once a minute, 10E for Blackout once every 12-20 seconds or so, and of course Distortion if you need it (if you kite and Distort, you won't run out of mana). The build is unique in that common caster concerns aren't a concern. And if you're the target of an energy drain Mesmer? Bwahahaha... let him take away all the mana he wants. He's wasting his energy on you by casting since don't really need it too much at all (15E minimum for MoS and you're fine).

In RA, I've been using Hex Breaker as a way of boldly rushing in to absorb the Necro and Mesmer Hex casts as I remove a key elite before they can harm my team. Whether they cast it on my double HB or I take it myself, I always go after them first because of how debilitating their initial elites can be. The exception are MeWa's, as I take that IW immediately, and keep it away from them most of the fight.

After the SoH cast, I then target the Monk for the AoE -9E cast of SoW. At this point, I often find it best to input MoS then Keystone Sig to use Sig of Weariness again, and then either take a second elite, or use Black Out on a target so I can re-snag a targeted elite before it returns once again (like IW).

Using KS one last time means I've gotten 3x SoW and 3 elites in a very, very short period of time. Spamming these signets for little energy while having protection from HB or Distortion as needed makes this a very self-sufficient build. While waiting for the recharge, Black Out is usually ready for me to have someone wait with me.

I bring Purge Signet sometimes to TA because of the extra team support you can provide with it. People complain that Guild Wars makes it tough to remove stacked Hexes, but that's what this skill is for... it removes all Conditions, all Hexes for no energy cost. It takes three seconds to use, but it's bearable since you can Distort interrupts (stay on the back line when possible).

It has a penalty of -10E per Condition/Hex removed, but that's why it's perfect for this build as opposed to normal Monks... you have plenty of unused energy for it to drain, and it'll come back later on before you know it. Along with the other sigs, recharge times are barely an issue since you get three full uses every time MoS and KS are up.

I was able to earn a full skill point from the EXP I got using this over the last few days... I got as high as 13 wins with a random TA group, so I know it contributes well to a group. It doesn't lock down as hard as some other Mesmer builds I use, but it has some nice abilities to make it worth messing around with.

An alternate use of mine for it is to plug in Diversion for Black Out. It gives you a nice 50 second recharge if you get a skill caught in it, but since the cast time was upped to 3s, I am more reluctant to use it because of caster interrupts (I have no FC points). Also, spamming this is very possible with all your extra energy, but anti-spell casts like Backfire come into play a little bit, and e-denial will effect your use of the Diversion itself. I usually Divert cast more often than I BO, so I do go through the energy a bit more. Just something to keep in mind.

BTW, I plug in Leech Sig rarely because I think BlackOut or Diversion are more useful, even moreso than 3 quick uses of LS to stop anything I want. Another cool bonus of using sigs is that if you are using Sig of Humility and notice an enemy just finished casting his elite, you can interrupt your sig and use it instead on someone else for no penalty (they're 0E to use, remember?).

All in all, it's fun to use, gives you plenty of options to multi-task as you assess the risk of every enemy on the field while switching targets. Some Mesmer builds require focus on one enemy; I like this one because I can change my strat instantly to better help where i can be of better use... Black Out on a crazed KD Warrior harassing my teammate, playing keep-away with a prot Monk's Mantra of Recall for close to a minute (3x SoH + 2 Black Out = 57 seconds of no elite), whittling down a band of Ranger's energy to unsuable numbers, kiting a pursuer in circles with Distortion+Black Out as I cast my other sigs on his buddies when possible... it's a lot of fun.

=================================

By the way, here is the way to best use KS and MoS... you can use any number of sigs up to three times each this way:

Keystone Signet
Mantra of Signets
Any Signet #1 (i.e. Leech Signet)
Any signet #2 (i.e. Signet of Weariness)
Any Signet #3 (i.e. Signet of Humility)

- Interrupt with Leech Signet (1) +13E
- Use Signet of Weariness (1) -8E AoE
- Use Mantra of Humility (1) One enemy elite gone
- Get into Mantra of Signets Stance (15E)
- Use Keystone Signet, which is instantly recharged (1)

- Interrupt with Leech Signet again (2) +13E
- Use Signet of Weariness again (2) -8E AoE
- Use Mantra of Humility (2) Two enemy elites gone
- Use Keystone Signet (2)

- Interrupt with Leech Signet again (3) +13E
- Use Signet of Weariness again (3) -8E AoE
- Use Mantra of Humility (3) Three enemy elites gone

In this example, that's three interrupts, three AoE energy burns, and three elites taken out for only 15E energy use. You have burned -24E AoE and potentially gained +39E (interrupting spells). Obviously this works well for one or two signets as well (see the two builds above) if you want to open up slots for other uses.

JR · Mar 22, 2006, 01:11 PM // 13:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by arredondo

Worthless elite, eh?

Yep, pretty much.

LightningHell · Mar 22, 2006, 01:35 PM // 13:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by JR-

Yep, pretty much.

Seconded.

Auntie I · Mar 22, 2006, 01:37 PM // 13:37

Try it, you might be surprised!

LightningHell · Mar 22, 2006, 01:42 PM // 13:42

I've tried to try it.

arredondo · Mar 22, 2006, 05:33 PM // 17:33

Heh, ignore them Auntie... some people would jump off a cliff before backing off even slightly from what they've said in the past. Seeping Wound, now there's a worthless elite. Moving on....

It was brought to my attention that I didn't bring in an off-hand attack to allow Repeating Strike to work. That threw off the integrity of the build that I made a number of adjustments in the stats and with the skills. It still does very nice damage, so here's the 2nd version:

=============================

+++ THE KEYSTONE ASSASSIN +++

Deadly Arts - 15
Dagger Mastery - 13
Shadow Arts - 6
Inspiration - 4
Critical Strikes - 2
(zero point left)

Mantis Sting: Lead attack, 18 damage, cripples for 13 secs. on fleeing foe
Wild Strike: Off-hand hits for 18 damage, target loses all stances
Blinding Powder: Must come after off-hand, blinds target for 8 secs.
Twisting Fangs: 10 damage, opponent Bleeds and incurs a Deep Wound for 18 secs.
Mantra of Signets: To instantly recharge SoS, lasts 12 secs.
Signet of Shadows: 35shadow damage, add 60 shadow damage on the Blind
Keystone Signet (Elite): 14 secs of non signet recharge, but recharges SoS instantly
Rez

=============================

- Chase down a runner and cripple him with Mantis Sting.

- Wild Strike takes away any stances preventing your attacks.

- Throw Blinding Powder at him to Blind your victim.

- Go into Mantra of Signet stance.

- Next you punish him while Blind with the powerful, armor ignoring Signet of Shadows.

- You have another copy of SoS instantly... hit him again!

- He's still crippled (and blind)... attack with Mantis Sting again as it comes up

- Wild Blow again quickly removes stances, allowing the next strike to connect

- This time follow with Twisted Fangs for a big spike from the attack along with Deep Wound and Bleeding

- Immediatetly use Keystone Signet to recharge SoS for a third time.

- After KS is finished, use SOS yet another time to send a final power shot to your crippled, blind, and bleeding foe.

- Back away from the corpse; it's time to recharge your skills and hunt another victim.

+-+-+-+-+

KS will recharge all skills for 14 seconds, but without SoS or TF (which would have to recharge anyway), you have no real offense so it doesn't affect your next plan of attack. Again, a closer look at what's going on with the stats vs 60AL :

Mantis Sting = 18+16= 34 x2 uses= 68 total... (8 sec. recharge)
Wild Strike = 18+16= 34 x2 uses = 68 total... (4 sec. recharge)
Twisting Fangs = 10+16+100 (Deep Wound damage on 500 HP foe)+ 3secs. Bleeding = 135 total... (12 sec. recharge)
Blinding Powder = 0... (20 sec. recharge)
Signet of Shadows = 3x90= 270 total... (normally 30 sec. recharge)

TOTAL DAMAGE: 541 HP

Time Elapsed: about 10 seconds
Energy Used: 55E - 13E regen= 42E net loss from full energy
Satisfaction in sending another victim to his grave: still priceless!

LightningHell · Mar 23, 2006, 07:04 AM // 07:04

Oh, sorry, I didn't see you using a Dagger.

It might be all right, then. Just wait till the A/Me comes out. I just hate Keystone Mesmers, though.

Lt.Crumpet · Mar 24, 2006, 02:19 AM // 02:19

i really like the idea of the first, good work man

Effigy · Mar 24, 2006, 05:49 AM // 05:49

Clever use of an underdog elite. My only real criticism is that you almost totally drain yourself after each kill, without taking enemy healing into account, but you could still harrass the enemy with normal dagger attacks while you recharge I suppose.

I like the fact that Factions is openning up so many new possibilities like this. Should shake things up a bit, I'd wager.

arredondo · Mar 25, 2006, 01:15 AM // 01:15

Glad some of you like it. I've been playing my build here and it's pretty fun. If you have good Monk or Rit support, you can really get some nice kills, and that's before I've been able to buy any runes for extra damage.

The recharge of the skills isn't as bad as you think.... you can get 50% damage from a combo of Leaping Mantis Strike, Wild Blow and Twisted Fang once TF is ready. The other two recharge really fast (plus you need to regen energy anyway). I got a lot of assist kills with these three skills alone. Look for someone running around and Cripple them. This makes it easy to knockout their stances, which often let's you get in that strong final hit.

The nice thing about spamming three SoS uses, besides the 300 damage it does, is that for an Assassin it's a powerful attack with radar range targeting. Once you've Blinded them, they can run, but you don't have to chase them down to make it hurt.

If you're in RA then you may want to drop down MoS to include some defense or healing, but it's a fun little build as it is. With random groups I almost hit 20 wins twice last night.