Guild Wars 2

I know things change with balance patches, and I also know that a Thief who 1v1’s in PvP is being inefficient with its time. However, I’m curious to know what the general sense is of the current game in the following regard…

What professions/builds are a Core Power-Thief supposed to be able to stand a decent shot at beating/stalemating in a 1v1? And what professions/builds are considered unkillable in a 1v1?

I have my own opinions based on my experiences, but I’m curious to know what the community thinks.

IMO, if most other professions build themselves with a decent amount of defense, they will not only be able to soak the dmg a thief puts out, but still have enough dmg to burst a thief down especially if they use conditions.

I may be overreacting, but it still seems like every person ive fought that isnt a thief will just takes slivers of dmg , and then turn around and burst me, I mean these days I don’t even feel safe when im in stealth XD

That’s almost entirely build-dependent and you’ll get wildly-swinging answers based on skill levels of the thief and its opposition. Pre-HoT, I ran a healing power P/P build that was almost literally impossible to kill in a 1v1. The powercreep from HoT nullifies this entire concept, though.

Are these players of equal skill, and to that extent, what are we talking about relative to the majority of other players? Pro-league players? Diamond? Amber? Is this straight duels or 1v1 within the scope of a normal sPvP game? There’s a huge spectrum of what can be considered effective or ineffective based on a ton of different factors.

DeceiverX.8361:

Are these players of equal skill, and to that extent, what are we talking about relative to the majority of other players? Pro-league players? Diamond? Amber? Is this straight duels or 1v1 within the scope of a normal sPvP game? There’s a huge spectrum of what can be considered effective or ineffective based on a ton of different factors.

Within the scope of a normal sPvP.
I guess I’m looking for more of a general sense of profession capability instead of skill, so assume both players are of equal skill at a high level.

It doesn’t have to be too specific. Something like the old…

Guardian counters Thief
Thief counters Mesmer
Etc.

Personally, I currently play D/P-SB Marauder DA/CS/T.

I know Daredevil may allow counters to professions and builds that the core thief cannot. But I’m curious to know if a core power Thief can counter anything with the recent balance patch.

Warriors seem to be much more difficult to deal with. And I even have trouble in 2v1’s against some Elementalists. They simply will not die! :-P

Kadsik.9281:

IMO, if most other professions build themselves with a decent amount of defense, they will not only be able to soak the dmg a thief puts out, but still have enough dmg to burst a thief down especially if they use conditions.

That sounds about right to me :-P

In my experience it’s really only worth it to 1v1 other thieves. My exceptions are when I know for a fact that they are a glass cannon build or way under my skill level. Of course I break this rule every now and then to troll people off point or keep a point with evade spam, but you shouldn’t have to do that if you have a good team.

Everything counters DA/CS/Tr in sPvP. It has no strength because CS is objectively weak in sPvP since amulet stats are too low to let CS get the damage scaling it needs to be worthwhile in the slightest bit. It also lacks meaningful condition cleansing, or will lose BT from Tr trading Trickser for a cleanse, and thus will be extremely weak to everything boon-based (almost all of sPvP since boons are objectively stronger than they should be in the format due to the lower stats).

In any fight in the scope of a normal, high-skill sPvP game, the thief will underperform against all classes built for the format’s current meta. It can beat (mathematically) some flavor builds or dueling builds, but nothing currently being used in standard high-level play. Defenses, passives, and CC is overbuffed on the elite specs to much that especially core thief is a strict liability unless it isn’t fighting and only decaps/caps uncontested points, to which a DrD does it better, since it’s more mobile and more durable.

Funnily enough, I was expecting as much. Thank you.

In your estimation, what would you say the most effective/viable core Thief build(s) would be in sPvP, and what roles would they play?

Tough call if you’re referring to fight potential. Core thief really has no place in sPvP, as it really doesn’t have the capacity to go toe-to-toe with any of the elite specs, as the core specs which it can fight counter core thief via their elites (looking at you, DH).

I’d probably say the previous DA/SA/Tr D/P meta build is still the most functional core thief build, but again this is designed to cap uncontested points via shortbow’s mobility and maybe gank to create an outnumbered situation if there is nothing to rotate to. As far as sPvP goes, you need HoT/Elites to be a functional combatant, and really shouldn’t be playing thief or DrD at all if you want to hold points and fight at the highest echelons of play.

I do pretty well on my alt accounts that don’t have HoT with Deadly Arts, Tricks and the 3rd being preference. (above user went shadow arts for survivability but without daredevil survival is already not great), so I tend to go Crit or Acro instead. Your traits should be mug (interrupt on steal), thrill of the crime (just amazing buffs on steal and rip enemy boons) And either daze on steal or confusion on steal. I usually go daze and use confusion if a condi varient like tricks/acro.

Running D/P main thing is use 3 to get your initial damage and with elite venom, then steal to daze their heal especially ones that block like guardian. You can blind them with #5, and or hs into it for stealth → backstab. Though careful this season some have gimmicky builds like warrior that ignores the blind, and dragonhunter will just lay traps anyways so be super careful about this.

Most people will say go shortbow offhand and they would be right for most teams, to decap far and quickly get back to your team to +1 weakened enemies.

However if you’re looking for something easy and effecting P/P is seriously underrated this season. Currently abusing it and getting laughed at by pugs but then destroying them all. Unload does great burst and might and #2 has a nice immobolize snare. Just be super careful if versing eles or scrappers as they reflect projectiles easily and u will kill yourself asap with unload spam. However it destroys necros not in shroud, and even eles who are distracted since they have low health pools. Also great against revs and thieves and warriors trying to escape.

With this build you actually counter other power builds great. Any enemy that buffs themselves like power warrior, ranger or rev just buffs u with steal, just realize power warrior and ranger aren’t really played this season.

Utility wise I highly reccomend shadowstep b/c of the current condi meta and also for positioning and retreating, especially if you decide to not use shortbow but its still great even if u do use it. The blind signet, the signet that gives prec and cures conditions, shadow refuge, blinding powder, are all decent core non HoT skills to consider. Heck I’ve destroyed DH with smokescreen and p/p unload b4 b/c they got lazy and just relied on traps and bow. As just kind of a general go to I would use blinding powder for the emergency stealth/blind and can stealth and move out of cleave, the movement speed signet, and shadowstep and change as needed.

Definitely with a disadvantage without daredevil and its dash, bound, or lotus but if you play good you can still be a decent pvper especially lower leagues or unranked.