Post by Vecuu on Jan 8, 2013 12:40:58 GMT -5
I have been using this build for a while now and have been extremely happy with the results. The build isn't for everyone, but it works like a charm for me.
www.guildhead.com/skill-calc#mckzzc0zMMnvFoMRvwm9MxGGmVqosck8khG7kiO7khf7070M7kIN70z7kG270z7kuB70z7owZ70m
One of the first things you'll note is the runes I use.
-2 Centaur
-2 Krait
-2 Afflicted
which yield 45% Bleed Duration. When added with my Sigil of Agony, my bleeds last 55% longer. In full Exotic Carrion gear (with zero stacks of Corruption), my Condition damage sits at a comfortable 1,212. The highest condition damage I have been able to achieve with the same traits has been in the ballpark of 1350 (using Runes of the Undead). This is roughly an 11% decrease in direct condition damage, but a 55% increase in duration.
There is naturally going to be a discrepancy between the choice of Condition Damage and Condition Duration. The argument usually exists in the form of, "If they're going to cleanse your conditions, you want them to do as much as damage as possible before they cleanse." Frankly, if you're fighting a class who can constantly cleanse conditions (I'm looking at you Bunker Dagger/Dagger Ele), having each tic of bleed hit for 10 more isn't going to kill your target.
I prefer the Bleed Duration for a number of reasons. Firstly, it is more damage overall by a substantial amount if left unchecked (which it often is). Secondly, it keeps my targets in combat for a much longer period of time, should I ever need to stealth around a bit. This is pretty important to my playsytle, which is mostly:
-stack a bunch of bleeds on my target
-stealth to remove conditions, regain health, move faster, and to naturally drop some Caltrops for more damage
-stalk my target until it is determined to be a good time to go in for the kill
-rinse repeat
In combat, I liberally use Uncatchable trait to dodge away from my target, dropping Caltrops on them, which usually equates to another 1-2 stacks of bleed (can go up to 4, but that only ever happens to static mobs, AFK players, or players manning siege equipment). Death Blossom yields 3 stacks of bleeds, and is another evasion frame. This lets me use both my regular dodge and Death Blossom both offensively to apply bleeds, and defensively to be immune to damage. I alternate between the two, extending the period in which I take no damage.
A pretty typically combat for me is to open with like so:
-Death Blossom
-dodge
-Death Blossom
-dodge
-Death Blossom
-dodge
-steal *mostly for the imitative regain to let me land a...
-Cloak and Dagger
-Caltrops/Dodgetrops while stealthed
From here I make snap decisions based on experience with the build as to whether it's worth pressing the attack with auto-attacks and more Death Blossoms, or if I'm better off repeating Cloak and Dagger, remaining invisible while letting my long-lasting bleeds drain my opponent's health.
The great thing about this fighting style is that it works both in a one-on-one scenarior, and also inside of a zerg. I can apply very large amounts of AoE bleed stacks inside of a zerg while jumping/dodging around, taking little damage of consequence.
Guardians don't usually have enough condition removal to survive the amount of bleeds that I dish out, and the bunker Ele's who can constantly cleanse my bleeds don't deal enough damage to me to be a threat, allowing me to eventually wear them down with auto attacks.
Auto-attacks are important. The build uses Carrion Armor, so my raw Attack stat isn't gimped like it would be with other Condition Armor. It supplements the Bleed damage and applies a Poison that reduces healing efficiency by 33%. Very useful.
Don't forget that Caltrops (the utility version) applies 10seconds of Cripple even if they only prick a single toe on the edge of it for half a second. It's a great damage tool and a source of a lot of bleed damage, but the utility needs to be remembered.
In SPvP I typically swap out Signet of Shadows for Roll for Initiative.
My take on a condition Thief is sort of odd in that I want to be in stealth for large portions of the fight. Shadow Rejuvenation is a heal for me, and my bleeds constantly drag down my foe, which turns stealth into a a two-for-one life point swing: I heal while they die.
Just some numbers for you: a single Death Blossom from me let to run it's course will deal roughtly 6,000 damage in bleeds. Since I typically do three back to back to start a fight, we're talking 18k damage from my initial bleed combo, discounting any Dodge-trops and Caltrops I drop later.
It's a build that I enjoy greatly.
www.guildhead.com/skill-calc#mckzzc0zMMnvFoMRvwm9MxGGmVqosck8khG7kiO7khf7070M7kIN70z7kG270z7kuB70z7owZ70m
One of the first things you'll note is the runes I use.
-2 Centaur
-2 Krait
-2 Afflicted
which yield 45% Bleed Duration. When added with my Sigil of Agony, my bleeds last 55% longer. In full Exotic Carrion gear (with zero stacks of Corruption), my Condition damage sits at a comfortable 1,212. The highest condition damage I have been able to achieve with the same traits has been in the ballpark of 1350 (using Runes of the Undead). This is roughly an 11% decrease in direct condition damage, but a 55% increase in duration.
There is naturally going to be a discrepancy between the choice of Condition Damage and Condition Duration. The argument usually exists in the form of, "If they're going to cleanse your conditions, you want them to do as much as damage as possible before they cleanse." Frankly, if you're fighting a class who can constantly cleanse conditions (I'm looking at you Bunker Dagger/Dagger Ele), having each tic of bleed hit for 10 more isn't going to kill your target.
I prefer the Bleed Duration for a number of reasons. Firstly, it is more damage overall by a substantial amount if left unchecked (which it often is). Secondly, it keeps my targets in combat for a much longer period of time, should I ever need to stealth around a bit. This is pretty important to my playsytle, which is mostly:
-stack a bunch of bleeds on my target
-stealth to remove conditions, regain health, move faster, and to naturally drop some Caltrops for more damage
-stalk my target until it is determined to be a good time to go in for the kill
-rinse repeat
In combat, I liberally use Uncatchable trait to dodge away from my target, dropping Caltrops on them, which usually equates to another 1-2 stacks of bleed (can go up to 4, but that only ever happens to static mobs, AFK players, or players manning siege equipment). Death Blossom yields 3 stacks of bleeds, and is another evasion frame. This lets me use both my regular dodge and Death Blossom both offensively to apply bleeds, and defensively to be immune to damage. I alternate between the two, extending the period in which I take no damage.
A pretty typically combat for me is to open with like so:
-Death Blossom
-dodge
-Death Blossom
-dodge
-Death Blossom
-dodge
-steal *mostly for the imitative regain to let me land a...
-Cloak and Dagger
-Caltrops/Dodgetrops while stealthed
From here I make snap decisions based on experience with the build as to whether it's worth pressing the attack with auto-attacks and more Death Blossoms, or if I'm better off repeating Cloak and Dagger, remaining invisible while letting my long-lasting bleeds drain my opponent's health.
The great thing about this fighting style is that it works both in a one-on-one scenarior, and also inside of a zerg. I can apply very large amounts of AoE bleed stacks inside of a zerg while jumping/dodging around, taking little damage of consequence.
Guardians don't usually have enough condition removal to survive the amount of bleeds that I dish out, and the bunker Ele's who can constantly cleanse my bleeds don't deal enough damage to me to be a threat, allowing me to eventually wear them down with auto attacks.
Auto-attacks are important. The build uses Carrion Armor, so my raw Attack stat isn't gimped like it would be with other Condition Armor. It supplements the Bleed damage and applies a Poison that reduces healing efficiency by 33%. Very useful.
Don't forget that Caltrops (the utility version) applies 10seconds of Cripple even if they only prick a single toe on the edge of it for half a second. It's a great damage tool and a source of a lot of bleed damage, but the utility needs to be remembered.
In SPvP I typically swap out Signet of Shadows for Roll for Initiative.
My take on a condition Thief is sort of odd in that I want to be in stealth for large portions of the fight. Shadow Rejuvenation is a heal for me, and my bleeds constantly drag down my foe, which turns stealth into a a two-for-one life point swing: I heal while they die.
Just some numbers for you: a single Death Blossom from me let to run it's course will deal roughtly 6,000 damage in bleeds. Since I typically do three back to back to start a fight, we're talking 18k damage from my initial bleed combo, discounting any Dodge-trops and Caltrops I drop later.
It's a build that I enjoy greatly.
