Curse

swordfisher · Apr 06, 2006, 01:45 AM // 01:45

Critical Strikes: 12+1+1
Dagger Mastery: 12+3
Shadow Arts: 3+1

Dark Apostasy, 10e 2 30s *elite
Enchantment Spell. For 33 seconds, every time you successfully make a critical hit, you remove one Enchantment from your target. If you remove an Enchantment in this way, you lose 4 Energy or Dark Apostasy ends.
Critical Eye, 5 - 30s
Skill. For 33 seconds, you have an additional 7% chance to land a critical hit when attacking. You gain 1 Energy whenever you score a critical hit.
Sharpen Daggers, 5e 2 20s
Enchantment Spell. For 33 seconds, all of your critical hits cause Bleeding for 14 seconds.
Wild Blow, 5e - 5s
Attack Skill. Lose all Adrenaline. If it hits, this attack will be a critical hit. If Wild Blow hits, any "Stance" being used by your target ends. This attack cannot be "Blocked" or "Evaded"
Golden Phoenix Strike, 5e - 8s
Offhand Strike. If you are not enchanted, this skill fails. If it hits, Golden Phoenix Strike deals +30 damage.
Critical Strike, 5e - 12s
Dual Attack. Must follow an off-hand attack. If it hits, this attack strikes for +10 damage and results in a critical hit.
Way of the Fox, 5e 1 3s
Enchantment Spell. For 17 seconds, your next attack cannot miss.
Dash, 5e - 15s
Stance. For 3 seconds, you run 50% faster.

Wild Blow is a hell of a skill. Under this build, it A) cannot be blocked or evaded, B) cancels stances, C) is an automatic critical that produces four energy, D) costs four energy and strips one enchantment from the target and E) causes that target to bleed. Talk about bang for your buck.

What makes this Assassin stand out is the ability to leave a target defenseless. Running from Wild Blow to Golden Phoenix Strike to Critical Strike produces three guaranteed criticals and cancels any stances while stripping three enchants if Dark Apostasy hasn't already been stripped, itself. Sharpen Daggers, while not a skill to sneeze at, is most important in the role of cover enchant, giving Dark Apostasy a little longer lease on life.

Way of the Fox ensures that your next hit will break through any and all defenses, as well as being an ever-available cheap enchant to make sure Golden Phoenix strike can always work. Critical Strike is a pair of criticals, and bunch of damage to boot. Dash may be subbed out for a zero-attrib sprint, and I'd like to know what people think about that (3 seconds of 50% boost vs 8 seconds of 25% boost...I know the math says sprint is better).

Siren · Apr 06, 2006, 05:18 AM // 05:18

This is a lovely build, and an excellent use of skill synergy. Wild Blow was more or less useless with traditional Warriors. But Assassins are going to rock out with it. I've got to give you props, man. I'm impressed. Very impressed. My first thought was "Dark Apostasy? Energy, man!" But then I noticed Critical Eye, with Critical Strikes netting you another +3. And Zealous daggers would be a must for this, as well.

And you transformed Wild Blow into a defense-killer on steroids. Stance removal. Energy return. Enchant removal. And condition infliction.

Very nice.

If 8v8, then Dash becomes Res Sig. Excellent work.

Spoony's post reminded me of something. Golden Phoenix may give some trouble due to the enchants. Perhaps go with Fox Fangs instead. And you're lacking a lead attack, as well. Other than that, it still looks good. Methinks Way of the Fox could be replaced by something else, as well. Maybe find a lead attack for that slot.

Spoony · Apr 06, 2006, 05:33 AM // 05:33

i must dissapoint ya dude/ dudette, i wont give such a great comment as Siren. U must notice a weakness :

Ur character is addicted to enchants, if u find a Energy denial meshmer, hope that he wont shatter ur enchants. So with that, if u find urself shattered, and u wont have enough energy to cast enchants, ull be quite vulnerable to damage from all sides, and u wont be able to do some urself as ur combo depends on if u got an enchant on urself, or not.

Well, apart from that, the builds quite nice to use... just that u dont have any healing skills:P, u need to depend on monks. Dash doesnt do the trick for that, sorry man.

SparhawkJC · Apr 06, 2006, 06:33 PM // 18:33

I like your build, but I find your choice of way of the fox questionable. If you already have Wild Blow why do you need it? I would replace it with a healing skill or an IAS stance, since you have Dash Frenzy would be viable.

Spoony · Apr 06, 2006, 07:01 PM // 19:01

U might havent noticed, u need an enchantment to do the 2 skill combo, thats Golden Phoenix strike, which doesnt work unless u have at least 1 enchantment.

SparhawkJC · Apr 06, 2006, 07:07 PM // 19:07

I would rather use sharpen daggers to add some DOT, but that's just me. In my opinion way of the fox is a waste of a skill spot.

Spoony · Apr 06, 2006, 07:21 PM // 19:21

If u say so

.

But as for me, id give shroud of distress, which at least gives u a bit of defense, and lasts for 30 seconds(always), even with the 31% block, it seems much more useful than that.

swordfisher · Apr 06, 2006, 08:06 PM // 20:06

It's like you're reading...my build...Sparhawk- Sharpen Daggers is already in.

I chose Way of the Fox because it has a 3 second recharge. It's the enchantment I can always rely on to be there, and another long duration long recharge enchant couldn't take its place because it would just be begging for another shatter. Besides, it's very much in keeping with the theme of the build- with Way of the Fox, I can guarantee a hit through any condition or defense (and doesn't have to be used on wild blow).

Siren · Apr 06, 2006, 09:15 PM // 21:15

One question still remains, though: does Wild Blow count as a lead attack?

MSecorsky · Apr 06, 2006, 10:25 PM // 22:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spoony

U might havent noticed, u need an enchantment to do the 2 skill combo, thats Golden Phoenix strike, which doesnt work unless u have at least 1 enchantment.

Is this description wrong then?

Golden Phoenix Attack - Off-hand Attack
If it hits, this attack strikes for +1...+16 damage. If it hits a target that has no enchantments, you gain 3...9 energy.

Looks like it's the target that has to have no enchants.

swordfisher · Apr 06, 2006, 11:01 PM // 23:01

Guru currently gives the same skill description for Golden Lotus Strike and Golden Phoenix Strike- here is Golden Phoenix Strike's description on Guildwiki. Guru just repeats Golden Lotus in the place of Golden Phoenix.

No, Wild Blow does not count as a lead attack, but Golden Phoenix Strike is one of three 'special' offhand attacks that don't need to follow a lead attack, but have a condition of their own. These are Falling Spider (need to hit a KD'd foe), Black Lotus Strike (must hit a hexed foe) and Golden Phoenix Strike (must have an enchantment active). All other offhand attacks have 'must follow a lead attack' as part of their skill description (except for Repeating Strike, but that must follow an offhand).

Spoony · Apr 07, 2006, 05:49 AM // 05:49

One more special offhand attack which u not need lead for, is repeating strike, if im not mistaken.

Elaine Donnerbalken · Apr 07, 2006, 12:38 PM // 12:38

instead you need an offhand attack for repeating strike... which mst of the time needs a lead attack

But the description of way of the fox istn up to date.

Now you cant miss 1 to 5 (or more) attacks for the next 20 seconds or so. Its recharge is higher. So it isnt really useful as cover enchantment.

Miakoda · Apr 07, 2006, 12:38 PM // 12:38

Wild Blow does not count as a lead, I tested during the Preview.

Siren · Apr 08, 2006, 05:03 AM // 05:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by swordfisher

No, Wild Blow does not count as a lead attack, but Golden Phoenix Strike is one of three 'special' offhand attacks that don't need to follow a lead attack, but have a condition of their own. Golden Phoenix Strike (must have an enchantment active). All other offhand attacks have 'must follow a lead attack' as part of their skill description (except for Repeating Strike, but that must follow an offhand).

In that case, Game Warden Robert Muldoon has something to say.

Mr. Muldoon isn't being sarcastic, either. If this skill combination works like you expect it to, it's an exceedingly clever combination.

LaserLight · Apr 08, 2006, 08:44 PM // 20:44

Excellent work, another example of why Critical Hits, the attribute, rocks hard. And a great example of why Wild Blow is in the wrong blasted profession :-P

This sucker is a very powerful defense buster, but I have to wonder if he's a bit too over-specialized for typical GvG. The exception being beating hell on Boonprot types - Enchant-reliant healers will learn to fear Apostasy. Still, if your opponent isn't using enchant healers, you're kinda shooting your purpose in the foot. It's an excellent build and flawlessly suited to its purpose, but I figure that purpose may be a little too tight for wild success.

swordfisher · Apr 09, 2006, 05:32 PM // 17:32

Well, practically all Prot comes in the form on enchantments, and being able to simply power through makes prot that much less effective. Having this Assassin work in tandem with, say, an Axe Warrior is like giving that Warrior a personal Rigor Mortis with autoattack damage.

swordfisher · Apr 13, 2006, 03:48 AM // 03:48

Quote:

But the description of way of the fox istn up to date.

Now you cant miss 1 to 5 (or more) attacks for the next 20 seconds or so. Its recharge is higher. So it isnt really useful as cover enchantment.

Yeah, I just looked it up on GWOnline, and its recharge is !45! seconds. Most infuriating. I'd like to give Critical Defenses a spot, but even though this build probably suits that spell better than any other (huge number of natural critical hits, and always wild blow for the forced crit), I still think it sucks. Stripping the enchant kills it with no remorse, and blinding the assassin does almost as well as a removal. However, if I want a spare cover enchant with decent attribs, it'll probably be my only choice. Most likely I'll just account for a cover enchant as part of the overall team build and leave this as an open slot for the Assassin. I'm tentatively putting up Distracting Blow as the replacement for Way of the Fox- gogo no attrib warrior skills!

And before I go: damn you Anet for ruining Way of the Fox!

Blackhand · Apr 18, 2006, 06:02 AM // 06:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by swordfisher

Critical Strikes: 12+1+1
Dagger Mastery: 12+3
Shadow Arts: 3+1

Dark Apostasy, 10e 2 30s *elite
Enchantment Spell. For 33 seconds, every time you successfully make a critical hit, you remove one Enchantment from your target. If you remove an Enchantment in this way, you lose 4 Energy or Dark Apostasy ends.
Critical Eye, 5 - 30s
Skill. For 33 seconds, you have an additional 7% chance to land a critical hit when attacking. You gain 1 Energy whenever you score a critical hit.
Sharpen Daggers, 5e 2 20s
Enchantment Spell. For 33 seconds, all of your critical hits cause Bleeding for 14 seconds.
Wild Blow, 5e - 5s
Attack Skill. Lose all Adrenaline. If it hits, this attack will be a critical hit. If Wild Blow hits, any "Stance" being used by your target ends. This attack cannot be "Blocked" or "Evaded"
Golden Phoenix Strike, 5e - 8s
Offhand Strike. If you are not enchanted, this skill fails. If it hits, Golden Phoenix Strike deals +30 damage.
Critical Strike, 5e - 12s
Dual Attack. Must follow an off-hand attack. If it hits, this attack strikes for +10 damage and results in a critical hit.
Way of the Fox, 5e 1 3s
Enchantment Spell. For 17 seconds, your next attack cannot miss.
Dash, 5e - 15s
Stance. For 3 seconds, you run 50% faster.

Am I the only one who have noticed that an essential skill is missing here? I have not played assassin during the Preview, nor do I know of any bugs unfixed...but don't you need a Lead attack to unlock Off-hand attacks??

HTML Code:

http://gw.gamewikis.org/wiki/Lead_Attack

Way of the Fox can be easily replaced with Golden Lotus Strike when the enchantment indicator of the target is gone for further energy boost.
OR
If you want to play it safe , you can opt for Disrupting Stab for disruption/skill lock as the target is likely to buff himself when under pressure. Mantis Sting is another alternative if you want to prevent kiting...which IMHO is one of the weakness for dagger mastery skills. Imagine going off with a Lead attack and target kites..you will be left with 2 secs to chase him down with your Off hand and another 2 secs for Dual to complete a routine else the chain effects will be wasted.

Just my 2 cents...

NatalieD · Apr 18, 2006, 07:59 AM // 07:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blackhand

Am I the only one who have noticed that an essential skill is missing here?

You really ought to read threads before replying to them with questions like that. Just sayin'.