Guild Wars 2

I’ve played thief since launch. I enjoy mucking about with underused traits, especially when builds starts feeling stale. Below is a fun to play, if not wholly successful thief support build!

http://intothemists.com/calc/?build=-cF3V;1Vwk0-I5FOFd0;9;49-T-T2;302C;106Bw

Basically you deny stomps and revive allies through Merciful Ambush+Shadow Protector+Resilience of Shadows (stealth ally when you revive them while applying regen and reducing 50% attack damage while in stealth – 3secs) or you can use SR or Blinding Powder…

You strip boons like usual S/D thieves (bountiful theft+Larc Strike).

You have more staying power through soldiers armor and can therefore negate damage nicely through boonstrip+weakness, which you apply through your sword autos. You also have the regen boon whenever you stealth.

If you need to bail you still have the usual slipperiness.

It’s best played as team support, as good players on mobile classes can be hard to finish 1v1, though the sword cripple is useful here. It’s not bad for holding points as well, especially when you swap blinding powder for caltrops – (which could also be fun in a cele build with daggers). ‘The trops’ provide a fair whack of on-point pressure even with low condi damage. Might on stealth helps a bit here also. Best not to linger in stealth though as you don’t gain much from it unless you’re trying to res an ally. I use Lyssa runes for clearing loads of condis, but you could also swap in Shadow’s Embrace to replace Master of Deception if condis became a problem.

Again, it’s nothing to take seriously, but there’s synergy there and it’s fun to play if you need a change.

Anyone else managed to make some use of some underused traits?

Sarrow.2785:

Anyone else managed to make some use of some underused traits?

While not an SPvP thing, I do toy with is: If you run WvW SA builds, you can switch to Resilience of Shadows with a zerg and pressure on back liners and other high-pressure builds. This sort of pressure takes away pressure from your frontline even when you aren’t distracting it away. Higher impact in the shorter fights is the idea.

I have seen the occasional tactics warriors in SPvP and the res speed is pretty surprising.

I’ll criticise it, honestly.
I mean, the idea is neat and probably has some value, but in sPVP stealth reviving is essentially the same as losing you a point…
And you’re not really good outside of anything else.
Why not stick to the Venom Share if you want something that feels “support-ish”? Venoms on your allies as well as speed/fury/might(Venom Might, swiftness/fury/might on steal) is perhaps the best support I’ve ever felt from a thief.
http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fZAQNAV6anMJSRT20EWNB/TmImg4e5/oHedGtbwCCAA-TpxFwAEeAAOuAAqPIAAOCANLDAf/BA
Here’s a link to get a feel of what I’m talking about.
EDIT: I wrote that without realising that venoms will now have 5 seconds less cooldowns.
EVEN BETTER!

OMGimAnoobLOLOL.4730:

While not an SPvP thing, I do toy with is: If you run WvW SA builds, you can switch to Resilience of Shadows with a zerg.

I have seen the occasional tactics warriors in SPvP and the res speed is pretty surprising.

Good to see someone finding some use for RoS! Venomous Aura and Shadow’s Rejuvenation are also nicely interchangeable on a venom thief when a group gets split up in WvW.

I can imagine the warrior’s res with -50% cleave damage on top of the res speed. Gimicky, sure but these traits kinda are…

Evalia.7103:

I’ll criticise it, honestly.

And you bring up a very good point, which is partly why the thief is so pigeon holed in spvp. (Anet, take note)

The build is just a piece of fun however; an attempt to utilise ‘new’ traits. The goal wasn’t to make a support build as such – it’s just how it panned out. If anyone was around right back when Lowell and The Super Squad were playing, they will know that while most venoms are largely ignored currently, venomshare builds aren’t exactly new.