Guild Wars 2

So all too often I find that if I try and go for a BP>HS>Steal>BS combo, my enemies usually see it coming when they see the initial damage hit, then just dodge backwards, completely negating my ability to backstab. Usually results in me not being in range at all. Stealth times out, then I’m caught with my pants down.

What are some good tips that other Thieves have for dealing with this scenario? I’ve been having a really hard time getting stabs off lately unless my basi venom is up.

Thanks~

Get a belt and spam shadow shot AA for pressure, backstab is overated.

Veteran Oakheart.4035:

Get a belt and spam shadow shot AA for pressure, backstab is overated.

Haha, when I read “get a belt,” I was like, “wait….What do they mean?” Then remembered that my pants are down! xD

Hmm, ok. So if I fail at the stab, just start in with SS and AA pressure? Do most thieves not try for stabs much anymore?

I always try and wait for their dodge while in stealth, THEN start my stealstab right after it’s done. Waiting a second or two really makes a huge difference.

Just play around with timing.

If you BP→HS towards someone, they’ll generally see the backstab coming. Here’s some tips:

• BP and HS in the opposite direction so that it looks like you’re running away.
• Wait a half second before porting and backstabbing to bait out any dodges
• Use Shadow Shot instead. Steal is a big cooldown and the stun you get from using it is usually better utilized in a different part of the fight.

Personally, I’d say that a BP/HS/Steal/BS combo is something you only really want to use when you’re joining a fight where the enemy doesn’t see you coming.

BP→HS no steal to bait out the dodge.
Standing HS to bait out the dodge.
BP standing auto to bait out the dodge.

Usually I find people who react to BP→HS→Steal react to one of the above as well. Or that one of the above can be used for mindgames.

And of course just waiting in stealth as others have mentioned.

You should give bound+steal combo with Basi venom into backstab (or frontstab – doesnt matter). A lot more damage if you’re successful. Take Agi Signet or Channeled Vigor so you can use dodges inplace of HS.

But in general, if you find yourself in a situation where your combo fails then just shadow shot and spam 1. The idea is to get them to go defensive and use that time to restealth and try again. Remember to Shadow Shot → Backstab before the shot reaches the enemy.

Just never, ever stand still not knowing what to do. Always be either in their face, laying down DPS or be restealthing or preparing to combo-burst.

You could just not bother with the backstab since per unit of initiative it’s better just to use Shadow Shot since its damage coeff is so high.

It will make you a spamming scrub, though.

As others noted hit Shadow Shot and spam the AA. That combo is better than Backstab and HS which IMO is a bit sad.

meepeY.2867:

You should give bound+steal combo with Basi venom into backstab (or frontstab – doesnt matter). A lot more damage if you’re successful. Take Agi Signet or Channeled Vigor so you can use dodges inplace of HS.

But in general, if you find yourself in a situation where your combo fails then just shadow shot and spam 1. The idea is to get them to go defensive and use that time to restealth and try again. Remember to Shadow Shot -> Backstab before the shot reaches the enemy.

Just never, ever stand still not knowing what to do. Always be either in their face, laying down DPS or be restealthing or preparing to combo-burst.

How do you shadow shot into a back stab without it revealing you?

Straegen.2938:

As others noted hit Shadow Shot and spam the AA. That combo is better than Backstab and HS which IMO is a bit sad.

Yeah, that really makes me sad. =\ It just seems so faceroll and cheesy. I don’t like that Thief seems to have become a one button spamming prof with the shadow shot and AA being a higher DPS value.

And I just won’t use bound. I’ve tried it and I hate the lack of mobility. Just doesn’t seem worth not having the condi clear/mobility/damage reduc from UC.

Anomaly.7612:

meepeY.2867:

You should give bound+steal combo with Basi venom into backstab (or frontstab – doesnt matter). A lot more damage if you’re successful. Take Agi Signet or Channeled Vigor so you can use dodges inplace of HS.

But in general, if you find yourself in a situation where your combo fails then just shadow shot and spam 1. The idea is to get them to go defensive and use that time to restealth and try again. Remember to Shadow Shot -> Backstab before the shot reaches the enemy.

Just never, ever stand still not knowing what to do. Always be either in their face, laying down DPS or be restealthing or preparing to combo-burst.

How do you shadow shot into a back stab without it revealing you?

Cast the animation for backstab during the projectile of Shadow Shot. The projectile will land mid-stab animation and since all attacks in the game are hitboxed, the stab will land.

Unless you run bound, you get higher damage just spamming Shadow Shot, though; two Shadow Shots costs the same amount of initiative as BP + HS, and offers substantially more damage on top of blinds and the double teleport.

Anomaly.7612:

Straegen.2938:

As others noted hit Shadow Shot and spam the AA. That combo is better than Backstab and HS which IMO is a bit sad.

Yeah, that really makes me sad. =\ It just seems so faceroll and cheesy. I don’t like that Thief seems to have become a one button spamming prof with the shadow shot and AA being a higher DPS value.

And I just won’t use bound. I’ve tried it and I hate the lack of mobility. Just doesn’t seem worth not having the condi clear/mobility/damage reduc from UC.

Such is the state of the game in general now. Most combat has been trivialized through power creeped damage/durability and passive effects, or very spammy, unskillful and rewarding abilities.

DeceiverX.8361:

Anomaly.7612:

meepeY.2867:

You should give bound+steal combo with Basi venom into backstab (or frontstab – doesnt matter). A lot more damage if you’re successful. Take Agi Signet or Channeled Vigor so you can use dodges inplace of HS.

But in general, if you find yourself in a situation where your combo fails then just shadow shot and spam 1. The idea is to get them to go defensive and use that time to restealth and try again. Remember to Shadow Shot -> Backstab before the shot reaches the enemy.

Just never, ever stand still not knowing what to do. Always be either in their face, laying down DPS or be restealthing or preparing to combo-burst.

How do you shadow shot into a back stab without it revealing you?

Cast the animation for backstab during the projectile of Shadow Shot. The projectile will land mid-stab animation and since all attacks in the game are hitboxed, the stab will land.

Unless you run bound, you get higher damage just spamming Shadow Shot, though; two Shadow Shots costs the same amount of initiative as BP + HS, and offers substantially more damage on top of blinds and the double teleport.

Anomaly.7612:

Straegen.2938:

As others noted hit Shadow Shot and spam the AA. That combo is better than Backstab and HS which IMO is a bit sad.

Yeah, that really makes me sad. =\ It just seems so faceroll and cheesy. I don’t like that Thief seems to have become a one button spamming prof with the shadow shot and AA being a higher DPS value.

And I just won’t use bound. I’ve tried it and I hate the lack of mobility. Just doesn’t seem worth not having the condi clear/mobility/damage reduc from UC.

Such is the state of the game in general now. Most combat has been trivialized through power creeped damage/durability and passive effects, or very spammy, unskillful and rewarding abilities.

EDIT: (sorry if this is a little off-topic).

I used to play WoW until GW2 came out. Played Thief in the beta and was hooked ever since. Now I’m curious what PvP is like over there again. I’ll always come back to GW2, but this new super easy mode combat is just not engaging at all.

Is there a different profession that has a more engaging style? I’ve tried Necro (pretty alright, the new reaper shroud is fun) boon corrupting is a fun mini game. DH: Really boring. Just lay traps and laugh. Rev: Sit in glint and UA/AA to victory while eating a sandwich.

Is DD Ele even viable? I dueled one today who was using a Sage ammy and he was pretty great, but again, it was a duel. I used to play Ele alongside my Thief when Cele was a thing.

I can’t speak for elementalist because it’s far from my best profession and the removal of the celestial amulet has thrown a lot of the “best” builds completely out of whack. I thought D/D cele ele was incredibly boring since it was just rotation-based. Engaging, maybe to some, but not my cup of tea (also it was really OP). I really like quick decision-making.

Reaper’s fun but condi reaper is OP. Power GS is enjoyable and pretty balanced overall if you play DPS.

Most of the combat unfortunately has backpedaled pretty substantially. I don’t recommend trying WoW or a WoW-clone, again, though. The combat feels horribly clunky compared to what GW2 offers. I tried recently to play a WoW-clone and was offline in less than a half hour.

DeceiverX.8361:

I can’t speak for elementalist because it’s far from my best profession and the removal of the celestial amulet has thrown a lot of the “best” builds completely out of whack. I thought D/D cele ele was incredibly boring since it was just rotation-based. Engaging, maybe to some, but not my cup of tea (also it was really OP). I really like quick decision-making.

Reaper’s fun but condi reaper is OP. Power GS is enjoyable and pretty balanced overall if you play DPS.

Most of the combat unfortunately has backpedaled pretty substantially. I don’t recommend trying WoW or a WoW-clone, again, though. The combat feels horribly clunky compared to what GW2 offers. I tried recently to play a WoW-clone and was offline in less than a half hour.

Yeah, it’s a shame. I used to play a Rogue in WoW because they were so engaging. They kiiiiiiiiind of still are when I played last, but not as much as BC era. /sigh

Where have all the good games gone?

if you do the BP→steal+HS combo you have already done some damage. consider that a win. if the opponent is dodging away and gets distance you can shadowshot+stowWeapon or straight shadowshot→Backstab them.
Shortbow is allways there for B option. immob→clusterbomb is really underrated.

bp→steal+hs(or bound) isn’t allways the best. camping some secs in stealth leads to more reliable bursts if that’s your goal.

My favorite combo if someone is high health is to use bassy first, then black powder. While bp is casting I steal to the target. This is unusual and not expected. They are stunned and blinded. From there I get a few AA hits in. You can get one full chain and then 2/3 of the next chain in, then after this I heartseeker because your black powder is going bye bye. At this point the target is blinded/using defensives/panicking. I am in stealth. From this point I have choices. I can backstab If I wait for their dodges to be over and done with. I can interrupt a heal with headshot. I can dodge out and reset in stealth comfortably. I can switch to shortbow for immob then cluster. Its all about your situation. Just don’t be predictable. That simple combo is what people get stuck doing and it gets them killed. I never use it unless the target is for sure going to be dead after. If it is a distance issue you can use this combo but first use shadow-step offensively toward your enemy, then bp, heartseeker-steal combo. This leaves you an out. If it’s not going well or you feel like pressure is incoming just shadowstep back. if it is going well then continue SAFE pressure. Change up your rotation every time and get quick at it. GLHF

Veteran Oakheart.4035:

Get a belt and spam shadow shot AA for pressure, backstab is overated.

lol best answer

backstab is definitely a lackluster atm and not worth the effort