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Post by Darktrinity on Dec 10, 2012 17:19:15 GMT -5
 I used Rampager's Amulet and Rabid Jewel to add more condition damage to Devourer Venom and the Burning effect of Balthazar, as well as boosting my crit chance up to 60% and keeping Health and Armor at reasonable levels (13,645 and 2,055, respectively). Typically, I enter combat with Infiltrator's Strike and Haste, spamming Pistol Whip and applying Devourer's Venom when either my target stun-breaks, or the 1 1/4 sec immobilize of Infiltrator's has elapsed. I usually, um...forget to use Shadowstep to remove conditions, but it is useful to have, regardless. I put 25 points in the Deadly Arts trait line to increase the damage and effectiveness of Devourer's Venom. Improvisation is also good for the chance for a free Haste or Venom. The 250 extra Power is, likewise, also good. The 30 points I put in Critical Strikes is pretty self-explanatory: much higher crit chance and extra damage to targets already damaged. There is also a 10% chance for free Haste from Critical Haste and better damage during the port-in stun lock period from First Strikes. The 15 points in Trickery is mostly just for extra initiative (Kleptomaniac and Prepardness) and for a more useful Steal with Thrill of the Crime, though it does improve Condition Damage by 150 for even better Burn and Venom. I tested this build through 4 SPVP matches and almost invariably was at the top of the scoreboard in number of kills and overall score. So it seems to work  This build may also be good for WvW as well as PVP, but I haven't tested it there yet. If anyone has any questions or comments about this build, feel free to post  |
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Post by Vecuu on Dec 10, 2012 18:19:38 GMT -5
Seems like a really strong Pistol Whip build for catching people off guard.
How often do you find yourself using the dual Pistols? Would you be better served with the mobility from Shortbow?
How do you do when someone catches you offguard? Aside from Shadowstep I don't see any way to get away.
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Post by shadowmouse on Dec 10, 2012 18:37:48 GMT -5
How does condition damage affect immobilize condition?
Do you get the burn from your passive heal or when you use the skill?
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Post by Darktrinity on Dec 10, 2012 19:14:32 GMT -5
Ah, I knew I forgot to write something. I use duel pistols whenever my target moves too far out of range and my ports are on cooldown. It is usually only good against glass cannons or when tougher targets are already almost dead, but it has saved my poor little thief from death a couple of times. With shortbow, it does have more mobility, but loses interrupts like Black Powder and Head Shot, which if the Sword Pistol interrupts are on cooldown, can be handy. Although, shortbow does have Choking Gas, which with all of the boosts to condition damage and duration would do a whole lot of damage. Killing the target fast enough might eliminate the need for more interrupts So...yeah, shortbow may be better. I'll have to try it out later but thanks, Vecuu Usually if someone catches me off guard I try to distract them with Thieves Guild and use either Shadowstep or Shadow Escape, then heal whatever massive damage I took. This only really works if I have one or more teammates taking the heat off me as well, so I try to stay near one as much as possible. Shadowmouse: I don't think it does affect immobilize, since it's condition damage, but I could be wrong. Also the burning from Runes of Balthazar only occurs if I activate my healing skill. Which happens almost every 15 seconds, so it's very useful  |
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Post by shadowmouse on Dec 11, 2012 13:37:36 GMT -5
Wouldn't berserk amulet synergy better with your build? Do you use your heal offensively for the burn? Does the improvisation trait randomly reset the rupe of skills? If you had all vemoms would it reset they all the time?
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Post by Vecuu on Dec 11, 2012 13:42:14 GMT -5
The improv trait rolls 1-3 and picks the batch of utilities that match with that, even if you have no Decption skills, it can still be rolled.
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Post by Darktrinity on Dec 11, 2012 14:59:20 GMT -5
Wouldn't berserk amulet synergy better with your build? Do you use your heal offensively for the burn? I just tested the Berserker amulet with Rabid Jewel against one of the combat dummies in the Hall of Memories, and it does seem better: my highest damage went up from 4316 to 6671. Still have to try it in sPVP, of course. I don't normally intend to use my heal offensively, but since I usually heal when I'm being attacked, I end up using the burn anyways. Although, that may be a good idea...I could switch out Signet of Malice for Hide in Shadows and then, after the burn, hit with Tactical Strike for daze or interrupt. I'd lose some of the healing over time, though. Plus, Hide has a 30 sec cooldown.  |
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Post by Vecuu on Dec 11, 2012 16:22:44 GMT -5
Withdraw isn't bad and has a 15sec cooldown (I think). And you can really annoy some people with the Sword #2 and Withdraw. No stealth, just bouncing around and being hard to pin down. |
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Post by shadowmouse on Dec 11, 2012 16:26:25 GMT -5
I was asking about the heal because of the rabid amulet. Since your build not really a condition build, is condition damage worth it? I would switch the jewel to berserker or toughness jewel.
I guess condition damage could be worth it, if you are using pistol/ pistol a lot for the bleeds.
Thanks V, that's what I thought would happen with improv trait.
Withdraw is fun plus it removes immobilize.
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Post by Darktrinity on Dec 11, 2012 16:51:31 GMT -5
Actually, I've started using shortbow instead of duel pistols. Shortbow better utilizes that extra condition damage from Rabid.
Unfortunately, I tried using Withdraw and...well, I don't know if it's a bug or not but the burn from Runes of Balthazar only triggers after I roll. So, I'd have to roll directly into my enemies to get the burn. It is a good idea, though. Maybe I'll use it in a build with D/D or P/D alt weapon set ;D
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Post by Vecuu on Dec 11, 2012 18:23:41 GMT -5
Yeah, that would be annoying, I assumed the burn would happen at your starting location of Withdraw.
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Post by Darktrinity on Dec 18, 2012 0:05:04 GMT -5
And a little interesting bit of info I discovered: This build is perfectly acceptable with D/D, S/D, or Sb, as well as the base S/P I used here. Any change to the weapon sets slightly alters the build's role, though it still has very nice damage. For example: D/D takes away the stuns and most inturrupts, but adds greater AoE and mobility potential. This makes it very good for dungeons which typically have a large number of adds. Some slight alteration would be good for the Right Ability Bar with different weapons, however. Maybe Spider Venom or Skale Venom for more Condition Damage with D/D and Sb. I'll keep adding more information as I get used to the build. For now, more testing awaits! ;D Edit: And sleep. Sleep is good.  |
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Post by Vecuu on Dec 18, 2012 17:52:13 GMT -5
I can see it working really well with D/D and Carrion Armor, since you get a bonus Burn which can be hard to apply as a Thief (impossible without the runes?).
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Post by shadowmouse on Dec 18, 2012 18:23:20 GMT -5
On my lowbie thief, I love dropping caltrops, LDB, then SB poison and auto attack on group of mobs.
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Post by Darktrinity on Dec 20, 2012 12:45:28 GMT -5
So, I was playing around with builds and came up with this as a high damage dungeon build.  Cloak and Dagger, Spider's Venom, Backstab, Haste, then Assassin's Signet and Auto. Repeat as needed with Reaper of Grenth and Heartseeker mid-fight. The site shows Thieves Guild, but I couldn't get Reaper to come up Caltrops could be good for crippling a group of mobs that would be killing me. Maybe I could switch it in before a attacking a large mass? Switch to Sb during long fights or bosses with AoE. Could do a Kamikaze with Sb, switching to D/D mid-fight and healing for burn and because I'd probably need a heal at that point  The traits are almost the same as my S/P build, except that I replaced Executioner for Hidden Killer since stealth is being used a lot. Gear wise, Carrion would be good for condition and it's vitality would give more health. Less dying is always good! And the Runes of Balthazar are still here ;D I tried this build in sPvP and, simply put: It sucks. Big time. At least when compared to my S/P build. It may have much better damage, but the lack of stuns is very, very bad, particularly when fighting Guardians and Warriors. It may become better with practice or prior experience with stealth builds, but I really think S/P is better in sPvP. On my lowbie thief, I love dropping caltrops, LDB, then SB poison and auto attack on group of mobs. SB poison? Do you mean Spider's or Skale Venom? |
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