030509 update

http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Game_updates

Assassin

* Hidden Caltrops Hidden Caltrops: now disables all your non-Assassin skills for 10 seconds.

* Shadow Refuge Shadow Refuge: increased duration to 6 seconds.

and

*Flail: decreased duration to 1...12...15 seconds.

Personally, not enough to pull me away from StreetFighter 4, Team Fortress 2, and Left4Dead.

But I like the change to Shadow Refuge. Flail and Hidden Caltrops had it coming IMO.

Discuss!

(mod, I know there is probably another thread up on the update, but this pertains to assassins)

hidden caltrops definitely had it coming

Flail was more for BA turrets, which i totally understand.

Shadow refuge = win

sin didn't get affected that much imo...

all i gotta say is they killed Rt/A flaggers who used hidden caltrops. :<

Like how the change makes Shadow Refuge better as a heal out of combat without nerfing the conditional clause. And Moriz's neat Shovesin got buffed with the change to [Healing Signet]. Pity I've got to wait 6 weeks till I'm able to play again (college).

Time to replace mystic regen/healing breeze with shadow refuge

Love the buff on shadow refuge and aura of restoration i have to say

r.i.p. flail sins...i have no reason to play anymore.
shadow refuge is lame and boring, even if it lasted 10+ seconds i wouldn't use it.
also, they should have reverted the duration on hidden caltrops.

i can see it now...12 spec shadow arts [hidden caltrops] + [shadow refuge] nubs...
i miss the days when assassins used to be cool

Flail Yeah, no biggie. I've always considered [shadow walk] more important anyway.
Hidden Caltrops "Some Assassin skills shouldn't be abused by other classes." If only they'd thought of that before totally trashing shadow steps.
Shadow Refuge It's still meh. Nothing terribly exciting.

Now, what will have a significant impact, are the nerfs to them Tactics stances. JUICE!

I think it's uncool that they didn't split the skills tho, flail in PVE was imba how??? I understand PVP, but PVE got nerfed cos of PVP abuse.... again!

i can't think of a build in pve that needs flail at 0 spec.

^because [critical agility] is pretty much stapled to all pve-sin dagger bars.

@bobby2
[shadow walk] is only good for ab. the lack of ias can be justified in that arena because there isnt always a healer to be around to catch an 8 second "spike" (and of course the fact that mobility is very important in large shrine capping maps). but i still prefer "instagib" ias spikes.

I think the lack of aftercast is worth it in HB as well.

[flurry], perhaps? I never liked the self-snare...

yea, [shadow walk] can work in hb, mostly because they tend to be used in co-ordinated team spikes.

self-snare is fine if your chain includes either kd or cripple. both of which r quite common to see.

[flurry] is decent, but i've actually gone back to [tiger stance] now. although i would like to see a revert on [burst of aggression].

Quote: Originally Posted by snaek

. although i would like to see a revert on [burst of aggression].
Good luck with that one.

people actually use hidden caltrops and shadow refuge? lulz.

at this point, a 3 specced healing signet can beat most of the other self heals in the game. the only drawback is the casting time and -40 armor, both of which can be handled pretty easily.

alternatively, the new ether feast at 3 spec is also pretty good. both of them are runnable on an assassin, assuming the secondary fits.

Quote: Originally Posted by petrorabbit

i am loving the stance nerfs. >:]

No problem with Flail for me, it hurts Palm Strikers and Turret Rangers, people in PvE probably would be running Crit Agility or something anyway.

Caltrops just disallows an IAS for the 'Sin bar I used.

Shadow Refuge is still quite meh.

Quote: Originally Posted by snaek

r.i.p. flail sins...i have no reason to play anymore.
shadow refuge is lame and boring, even if it lasted 10+ seconds i wouldn't use it.
also, they should have reverted the duration on hidden caltrops.

i can see it now...12 spec shadow arts [hidden caltrops] + [shadow refuge] nubs...
i miss the days when assassins used to be cool [Restful breeze]>[Shadow Refuge]

[Flurry]>[Flail] all time even before the nerf

realy sad that they nerfed [hidden caltrops] i rather see [palm strike] nerfed even more

Quote: Originally Posted by lourens [flurry]>[flail] no...not even close