Greetings Gw2 Community
If you’re reading this, you probably want to know whats what and how to use it effectively. The following will shed some light.
Dagger/Dagger – Highlights of this combination include Heartseeker, Death Blossm, and Cloak and Dagger. This build benefits the most from positioning. Preferring to be behind or on the side of your target for max effectiveness.
-Heartseeker – Low Initiative cost (3), High DPS, best used to close the gap into melee range does max damage when the target is below 50%. This move shines against light armor classes. Generally abused by spamming, this move is most effective with high power high crit builds.
-Death Blossm – High Initiative Cost (5) The DoT applies itself in stacks of three (assuming you hit) and is highly effective against Heavy armored targets. Even if your not a condition build. It doubles as a free evade if timed correctly you can mitigate a lot of dmg while still inflicting a good amount. This move benefits from high condition dmg.
-Cloak and Dagger – High Initiative Cost (6) This move deals damage and stealths you for 3 seconds. Extremely useful. Position yourself for a backstab to deal high damage. Use this to stealth to get off the execute unmolested on a downed enemy.
Dagger/Pistol – This setup excels at dealing with melee. Focused around debuffing and debilitating the target.
-Shadow Shot – (4) First blind your target and then shadow step in with a nice good chunk of dmg. Blind makes the next attack of the enemy miss. Useful for closing the gap INSTANTLY (Unlike Heartstrike) as well as giving you some tankyness with a blind.
-Head Shot- (4) Daze 1/4sec. It’s an Interupt and it prevents all skills from being used for its duration. This is effective on preventing someone from healing.. or even from ressing an ally.. OR from executing a downed ally.
-Black Powder (5) An Aoe Blind that lays down a combo field. Follow this up with a Finisher to stealth. This move allows you to play a little support role with some Group Debuffing. And getting into stealth sets you up for the Backstab.
Sword/Dagger – This setup is a defensive one that is capable of moderate dps. The Dagger offhand gives you a 50% snare and the ever important stealth. Allowing you to catch your target with ease and make sure his friends dont get the res off.
-Infiltrators Strike – (3)This lovely move allows you to, From your current position create a waypoint, then shadowstep to your target. Upon dmg you immobilize your target for one second. when you activate IS again (2) you instantly shadowstep back to your previous location and remove one condition, Extremly useful if you initiated the move from an area of terrain away from the fight. creative use of this move can be a game changer in a fight. creating confusion and giving you the opportunity to escape or reenter the fray at your discretion.
-Flanking Strike – (4) This move evades attacks and strikes your target twice. Allowing you to negotiate fights with other melee classes with ease. Its even useful for negotiating AoE Ground Effects from the caster classes.
Sword/Pistol – This setup brings pistol whip to the table, and the pistol offhand gives you the AoE Blind and the Interrupt/Skill prevent. And dont forget the Combo that allows you to stealth.
-Pistol Whip – (5) After a short cast bar you strike out in front of you, briefly stun your target and unleash a flurry of blows. When combined with the skill Haste this move is capable of outright killing soft and heavy targets alike. But dont get to dependent on one move or you’ll find just how easily this move is counterd. Spamming it doesnt mean you kill your target. It just means you’re out of initiative. This move is best coupled with High Power and Crit, and is best setup with an immobilize.
Pistol / Dagger – a Condition build exclusive, the offhand dagger allows you to kite and enter stealth. Good for the Ambush from stealth allows you to get 4 stacks of DoTs up in short order. This setup is all about keeping the target at arms length keeping them dotted, making them vulnerable for more dmg. Rather Lack luster in the burst department it does however do a fair amount of dmg with enough condition dmg. Against a single Melee target you should be able to survive. Be prepared to get rolled by most ranged classes.
Duel Pistol – Unload is the only reason to take this. With enough crit and power. Popping haste can make unload very deadly, all the while keeping you safe from melee range. Much more suited to the supportive roll. If speced into pistols fully you can expect consistant dps against single targets and for them to slowed to a crawl by all your crippling effects. Leaving them vulnerable to a weapon swap to finish them off.
(edited by Classic.4072)