Curse

arobmic · Apr 11, 2007, 04:39 PM // 16:39

Long time reader of this board, but few posts. Absolutely love my sin. I tend to be the type who sticks on one char for a long time - so I've been with my sin for 3 months now exclusively, playing almost every day. I've been almost exclusively a pve player. Been running a Sin's Promise build: BSS, TF, BLS, BoS with Shadow Step. It is devastating in pve. Believe it or not, I actually discovered the chain on my own from reading skill descriptions. Later, when coming to this forum a ton, I quickly learned that this hex build (with SP) was apparently used so frequently in PVP it drew both much praise and much scorn, from other classes and from sins themselves.

But I've been shifting my attn more and more to pvp. In my many forays into RA, and a few into TA, and from reading these boards a ton, I'm really not too sure about running a hex build in pvp. My take is that they are so easy to shutdown: any of the remove hexes, hex breaker, holy veil, etc shut this down so fast. While I agree that the spike is a good one, as a relative noob in pvp it seems like every team on the planet would be expecting me to do a hex build, with IAS or even without.

So I either have to rely on a huge hex potential from other teammates to keep hexes on, or I get to sit there while my hex or worse yet, my atttack skills recharge (granted Sip.Speed is only 5, but even then the spike is gone).

So I've been moving more and more toward ench based builds - as it seems this goes against the metagame, ppl aren't expecting it as much, and ench removal seems to be less of a problem compared to hex removal. My problem as i've experimented with about 10 different ench builds is that the damage potential (haven't run the dps numbers) seems to be less than the above 4 hex-based attack skills.

I've been playing around with Moebius/DB alot - so I know there's some power there. Also, it seems to me you can get some quicker recharge skills in the ench line. But I really have been liking AoD, as it gives me the ench, shad.step in, and shad.step out, all in one skill - so I've been leaning against Moebius.

Help me out:
1) from your experience, is the ench. based attack build less damage over time than the hex build? and is it enough to make a difference?
2) am I right in ench removal being less of a problem in pvp than hex removal?
3) am I going in the right direction with my thinking!!

Lastly, I find myself in a guild with all my friends, but most of whom don't want to pvp. Anyone interested in helping a quick study player like myself, who takes learning the game seriously, but still has a ton of fun - I'm open to ingame teaming up. In being a long-time lurker in these forums, I know many of you know what you are talking about. Thanks in advance for your help.

Samurai-JM · Apr 11, 2007, 08:04 PM // 20:04

With the assassins promise build, thats probably the best overall DPS you can get with a sin, as long as you keep up the killing. The enchantment based line is still powerful dps. It is just constant moderate damage instead of spikes as the hex line has. For the enchantment line I usually use Aura of Displacement for PvE, as it is easily one of the best assassin survival skills there is. Step in, do some damage and lay down conditions, step out. Great for factions in afflicted mobs.

ensoriki · Apr 11, 2007, 09:33 PM // 21:33

Ill simply my post

Black line, BSS got nerfed, and it only had 3 skills only 2 of which were used
Enchantment based Is strong, Just not as strong as some people would like.
Enchantment is fine in PVP after all a sin generally gets people who wandered away, so taking HoTo may be something you want to do.

And since AoD is a step in and out skill it also increases your survival. Though theres no snare in AoD

___________

Anyways Boa spike is dead so anyone up to date wont bug you on that ^.^

Samurai-JM · Apr 11, 2007, 09:47 PM // 21:47

Caltrops has been overlooked... forever. also skills like leaping mantis sting and mantis touch are nice cripplers.

Kiba of hidden leaf · Apr 12, 2007, 03:12 AM // 03:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by Samurai-JM

. For the enchantment line I usually use Aura of Displacement for PvE, as it is easily one of the best assassin survival skills there is. Step in, do some damage and lay down conditions, step out. Great for factions in afflicted mobs.

YES!!!! Somebody gets it.
Best skill cause it keeps you alive... well almost best

axe raider x · Apr 12, 2007, 03:58 AM // 03:58

SP is fun for PvE aslong as you have Deaths Retreat,Return,or Recall with u, But most of the time i use AoD

viper11025 · Apr 12, 2007, 10:12 PM // 22:12

Can I sugget the correct weapon mods?
Zealous and the Enchanting Mod for Daggers is well worth it.
They are for PvE and PvP.
I only had one problem with hex builds and enchant builds.
Conditions are way to easily removed for a Monk.
Kill the monks and dervish with Poison and health Degeneration.

Saphatorael · Apr 12, 2007, 10:28 PM // 22:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kiba of hidden leaf

YES!!!! Somebody gets it.
Best skill cause it keeps you alive... well almost best

Problem is, you cap it AFTER you (supposedly) fought your way past the hordes of afflicted, and only fight them anymore in more open areas from then on...

glaz · Apr 12, 2007, 11:34 PM // 23:34

[skill]Shadow Prison[/skill]

the one thing that makes this so good is that it is a HEX, a SNARE, and a SHADOW STEP at the same time. in one skill slot, you get in, slow your target's movement, and activate the prerequisite from the Black line.

usually, sins carry either [skill]Siphon Speed[/skill] or [skill]Expose Defenses[/skill] as a cover hex or primary hex to get rid of any of those hex removals.

Expose Defenses means youre guaranteed to hit your combo unless you get blinded. another great hex to work with.

spike-wise, (even with the nerf, imo) i would still go for the hex build. its easy and convenient, which is the reason for the mixed reactions it has gotten.

the golden line on the other hand gives out more raw damage. imo, their best suited to give pressure instead.

on the top of my head, probably:

[skill]Golden Lotus Strike[/skill][skill]Exhausting Assault[/skill][skill]Golden Phoenix Strike[/skill][skill]Death Blossom[/skill][skill]Moebius Strike[/skill]?

or maybe you can fit in and replace what you want for [skill]Twisting Fangs[/skill] or [skill]Golden Skull Strike[/skill]

in arenas imo, the hex build is still more preferred over the enchant, unless you team has a specific build for you to use enchants (or unless AoD gets buffed and you get a speed boost as well, just to justify the lack of a snare)

then again, id probably try some more combos and think of what an assassin can cook up.

I I I Inferno I I I · Apr 13, 2007, 02:25 AM // 02:25

The way I think of it is the hex line is more offensive which means you're an open target unless you kill your opponent first. (in most cases)

But if you go with enchants you probably will be much more defensive and rely not on the speed of the spikes but the percistance, if you know what i mean.

I wish there would be a skill like shadow prison but an enchantment but take off the snare and add health regen for 6 seconds or block 50% or in the crazyest form that anet never will do and IAS

Anyways if I would have to chose i would go by the black line with freigned.