Guild Wars 2

I constantly see this complaint against thieves “they just spam one attack”

there are multiple reasons for this. but one major one

each rogue weapon set only has one damage move aside from autoattack!

D/D=heart seeker+backstab (tho backstab cannot really be spammed, and heart seeker does very poor damage until target is below 50% hp) if power geared, death blossom if condition specced, other attacks, dancing dagger…cripple, cloak and dagger for backstab setups

D/P=heart seeker+backstab, other attacks, shadow shot for gap closing, head shot for spell interrupts, black powder for blind/combo

P/P=unload, other attacks, body shot for vuln for party, head shot, black powder

S/D=flanking (tho its rarely used for the damage, more of a autoattack/daze spec) infultrator strike for mobility, dancing dagger, CnD

S/P=pistol whip, other attacks, you get the idea

P/D=has no real burst, but it has decent bleed stacking with its stealth attack, other attacks, you get the idea

you think its “cheap” or “gimmicky” for us to use one attack repeatedly, but thats what the thief is intended to do. its just that things like 8v8 spvp and wvwvw encourages zerging so instead of using all your skills like in smaller scale pvp/tourneys, you see thieves traiting for dumping there damage skill then running away.

for example, my fav weapon set is D/P. i get in melee range, lay down black powder as it A) negates enemy attacks for its duration other then aoe andsets me up to combo into stealth using HS, which while costing 2 more initiative then just using CnD, is gauranteed to get me stealth regardless of HS hitting anybody. then i try to get in for a backstab. I use headshots for obvious animations but mainly to interrupt executes, and blackpowder is great for executing someone else. it offers decent support without me sacraficing too much initiative to do damage. it excels in protecting executes, executing, and 1v1….tho it has no aoe whatsoever and is somewhat ini intensive regardless of you using your skills for utility or damage.

so tell me oh wise ones, for most if not all weapon sets of a thief, what damage move rotation are we supposed to do? my black powder and headshot do almost no damage. my shadow shot does about as much damage as my third autoattack. my HS does very low damage unti targets reach 50% hp (where its about as hard hitting as CnD).

quite simply, if i want to kill anyone i have to abuse autoattack+backstab, and my only other attack is HS when target gets low enough.

its a similar situation for the other weapon sets.

I agree with you completely. Especially now, since the HS nerf, it feels like HS is just an autoattack that costs initiative. It’s basically only useful as a utility skill to catch up to fleeing enemies.

emtwo.4058:

I agree with you completely. Especially now, since the HS nerf, it feels like HS is just an autoattack that costs initiative. It’s basically only useful as a utility skill to catch up to fleeing enemies.

truthfully i dont have a big issue with the HS nerf as it is, it hits for ok when below 50% and still hits hard below 25%, above 50% i just use it to get into stealth and maybe close a small gap.

This is true. I have a thief, but my main is a Ranger, and it’s the same thing with people complaining about the shortbow #1. The truth is, Rangers use it so much because it’s the only damaging skill on the weapon.

I think that, for all intentions to make the game more skill based by limiting abilities to situational ones, they’ve actually created combat which is somewhat boring and repetitive. I’ve found this true most of all on my thief, where it really is mainly about spamming that one damaging ability. At least on the ranger there is some level of moving around and positioning to try to keep it interesting.

On the flip side, there are classes like Engineers and Elementalists with an insane amount of options and which just feel more interesting to play.

Wolfe.3097:

i just use it to get into stealth and maybe close a small gap.

This is exactly my point. They nerfed one of the only damaging abilities we have into a utility ability. So yes, it still has utility, but CnD will get you into stealth for less initiative and you still have no reliable way of doing burst or extended damage aside from autoattack or a pure condition build.

@skolops, i agree to a point, tho i never abused HS, i found backstab builds to be a nice risk vs reward playstyle with lots of positioning and juking. i think the combat may be more simplistic but im ok with that, means i can focus my attention better on other aspects of the game.

honestly i think elementalists need some help, they may hate thieves (or many seem to) but honestly they are slightly UP i feel, at least in some ways.

emtwo.4058:

Wolfe.3097:

i just use it to get into stealth and maybe close a small gap.

This is exactly my point. They nerfed one of the only damaging abilities we have into a utility ability. So yes, it still has utility, but CnD will get you into stealth for less initiative and you still have no reliable way of doing burst or extended damage aside from autoattack or a pure condition build.

i think you need to rethink your idea on specs. my D/P build melts people, backstab is a viable use, and D/P gives me more survivabiilty and 1v1 potential then D/D.

in fact i often just autoattack some people to death as my autoattack is powerful enough to do so (tho warriors and guardians dont fall as easily of course).

i love CnD, and i got pretty good at landing it, but i found BP just offered me more in the long run even if tis a bit more ini intensive when you land CnD (6vs4) but when you miss CnD you waist 6 ini, dont get stealth, meanwhile i never can miss with BP>HS.

but this isnt really a post to discuss the pros and cons between builds as much as i enjoy debating them, its to help educate people why thieves play the way they do!