Guild Wars 2

There is a potential bug on a trait for the thief that I discovered. (Unless it is working as intended?)

Trait line: Shadow Art

X: Patience: Regain initiative faster while in stealth

1. If you use it with say cloak and dagger/Hide in Shadow/Blinding Powder you will see a increase in initiative regeneration maybe as much as Quick Recovery trait or a little stronger. (Hard to see really)

2. If you use it with Shadow Refuge (mass stealth AOE) the initiative regeneration is strongly increased. My theory is that each time the stealth stack during the ability, it also stack the initiavie regeneration of X:Patience, making it very good. Combined with Infusion of Shadow (gain 2 initiative when using a skill that stealth you) you fill up your initiative bar in 4 second (if you don’t break out of stealth of course) and make the trait very good.

Now is it a bug or is it working as intented? Try it yourself.
My opinion: The X:Patience trait in Shadow Art is underwhelming considering you have to be passive in stealth to fully benefit from the trait but if it was as good as when combined with Shadow Refuge, thiefs would think twice before choosing their traits in Shadow Art. Could even make a backstab build in PVE very strong (stronger) as it would allow the thief to Cloak and Dagger and regain the initiative spent from C&D waiting for 1-2 sec (according you have patience and shadow infusion) and using the trait Cloaked in Shadow that blind foes when going into stealth you could stealth backstab 1-1-1-1-5-stealth-backstab-1-1-1-1-5-stealth-backstab and actually blind your foe, helping your group alot. It could be an actual ROTATION, something that this game seems to lack, or don’t want to see implemented.

On a side note: I’ve also noticed a bug (or maybe again working as intented…) with the trait line Uncatchable (leaves caltrops behind when you dodge) and venoms. When you dodge, it consider that you ’’attacked’’ making it proc the venoms (including balisisk venom). Screwed me up alot a few times in sPvP.

Looks like everybody knew about it or nobody care at all.

Just to be sure…

B u m p !

I did not know this. Must say I don’t rely on stealth a lot in pve. So did not put any points in that trait line. But thanks for letting me know.

It’s because Shadow Refuge works like a Hot/Dot spell.It ticks several times,and with every thick the trait procs with additional recovery.Works as intended imo.
As far as the Stealth-Backstab rotation that you mentioned it is not as easy as it sounds.
After each Backstab you will have revealed debuff,that will make you unable to stealth right away and thus make you vulnerable.Blind from the trait doesn’t apply every time,i don’t know why.Also it’s hard to land BS when the target already know you are around.But you could try anyway.