Guild Wars 2

Hey all, I’m back with a bit of an interesting build that may require some tinkering after more extensive testing.

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fYAQNAqYVlUmaNXaS0E/5ECnCnCp8e8VjlZppgmaQA-TsAg2CrIaS1krJTTymsNN+Y9xcBA

I’ve found that Improvisation and Sleight of Hand have very good synergy, but taking both negates the ability to slot in Venomshare. The daze on steal also allows you to activate your venoms, steal and use Sneak Attack to unload your venoms without worrying about your enemy dodging, blocking, or otherwise negating the effects. Bountiful Theft also works to provide the boons that venom builds so desperately need, and strips stability from enemies – leaving them wide open for your venom-daze-burst.

Listen. I really like it. I feel like it could be a very dangerous bursty build. Only downside is no stunbreakers and I personally would use rabid ammy instead of settler’s. Glad to see a venom build that’s actually running CondDamage. Nice

Digno.6945:

Listen. I really like it. I feel like it could be a very dangerous bursty build. Only downside is no stunbreakers and I personally would use rabid ammy instead of settler’s. Glad to see a venom build that’s actually running CondDamage. Nice

I was contemplating whether or not to take Settler’s or Rabid. It doesn’t make a huge difference either way.

i run this build from the beginning and its good one. be sure not to miss cnd or you die
carrion is the way to go in pvp
more power, more hp and more condition dmg

Why take Hidden thief over leeching venoms? You’re running 4 venoms.

evilapprentice.6379:

Why take Hidden thief over leeching venoms? You’re running 4 venoms.

For the burst capabilities, and it essentially gives you a free condition removal on steal.

Seems fun, but improvisation just seems too RNG. Plus the second part of it doesn’t do anything (unless they’ve finally fixed it)

Viking Jorun.5413:

evilapprentice.6379:

Why take Hidden thief over leeching venoms? You’re running 4 venoms.

For the burst capabilities, and it essentially gives you a free condition removal on steal.

Except Leeching venoms makes you much burstier (comparative to how bursty a P/D condi spec is, anyway). Hit 5, steal, and now you have the CnD damage and all the leeching, and everything you were getting from stealth.

I can’t imagine 6 init every 21 seconds (the savings from not having to CnD when you steal) is better than the potential to trigger leeching venoms 11 times (15 if you try out Skelk venom). The only real difference is you don’t get stealth if your target is blocking/dodging/immune/etc

evilapprentice.6379:

Viking Jorun.5413:

evilapprentice.6379:

Why take Hidden thief over leeching venoms? You’re running 4 venoms.

For the burst capabilities, and it essentially gives you a free condition removal on steal.

Except Leeching venoms makes you much burstier. Hit 5, steal, and now you have the CnD damage and all the leeching, and everything you were getting from stealth.

I can’t imagine 6 init every 21 seconds (the savings from not having to CnD when you steal) is better than the potential to trigger leeching venoms 11 times (15 if you try out Skelk venom). The only real difference is you don’t get stealth if your target is blocking/dodging/immune/etc

Except that this is a condition build, and direct damage isn’t what you need to go for.

Viking Jorun.5413:

evilapprentice.6379:

Viking Jorun.5413:

evilapprentice.6379:

Why take Hidden thief over leeching venoms? You’re running 4 venoms.

For the burst capabilities, and it essentially gives you a free condition removal on steal.

Except Leeching venoms makes you much burstier. Hit 5, steal, and now you have the CnD damage and all the leeching, and everything you were getting from stealth.

I can’t imagine 6 init every 21 seconds (the savings from not having to CnD when you steal) is better than the potential to trigger leeching venoms 11 times (15 if you try out Skelk venom). The only real difference is you don’t get stealth if your target is blocking/dodging/immune/etc

Except that this is a condition build, and direct damage isn’t what you need to go for.

But Hidden thief isn’t adding to your condition damage.

With Hidden thief, you save 6 init every 21 seconds, and guarantee stealth on steal in case you don’t connect with your target (I think that’s how Hidden thief works at least, haven’t used it in forever).

With leeching venoms, you generate additional damage and healing.

It’s fine if you don’t like the suggestion, but let’s not pretend Hidden thief is increasing your ability to burst. All it does is guarantee a stealth on steal, something you can usually do by pre-casting CnD. In exchange for occasionally not getting stealth on steal , you can have 11-15 leeching venom triggers. A little bit of static direct damage that isn’t mitigated by armor and is effective even at base power doesn’t sound so bad as an additional threat for a condition based spec. And then there’s the healing on top of that – you spec is designed around hitting with venom triggers, so it’s not changing your playstyle.

Additionally, the automatic stealth isn’t even that great – in any situation where you would potentially miss the CnD, you’d also miss the Daze on SoH, the mug, the init from klepto, and the boon rip from bountiful theft. I’m not familiar with how improv works – would improv trigger on a missed steal? If you miss a steal, your in pretty deep kitten already.

Is the spec so Init starved it needs an additional .3 init per second (assuming you use steal immediately every time its up)?

leeching venoms is EXTREMELY STRONG with a bar full of venoms. I can’t even imagine not taking it. the idea is literally unfathomable. especially with a build that has healing power. There’s so much synergy there it’s crazy.

also, the damage doesn’t really scale at all with power, so “condition build” means nothing

I like hidden thief better, gives the opportunity for 5 more bleed stacks. Plus the enemy is confused on your position

Asthenea.1546:

I like hidden thief better, gives the opportunity for 5 more bleed stacks. Plus the enemy is confused on your position

CnD + steal is nearly the same thing, except with an initiative cost.

They won’t be confused thanks to SoH’s daze – if you see a thief, get dazed and don’t see a thief…he’s right next to you.

Like I pointed out above, the only real difference is the cost of 6 init – the potential benefits of leeching venoms far outweight what hidden thief delivers in this spec,IMO.