Guild Wars 2

This build was mainly for fun but could be really good in the right hands. Maybe….

Preface:

Didn’t really see any builds with pistols, and I like pistols, so I made a pistol build. Consider how slippery sword thieves are with infiltrator strike and what not. Well this build kinda does it also, but with venoms and spike damage. Theoretically this build (given that you pick your targets right) will allow you to delete someone in a team fight, and get out of there and be on your way. Could be a really good roamer build. It’s also easy, REALLY easy to pull off your full burst with this thief. Good for newbs, and for low risk play, since it should 90% of the time kill your target.

Pros:
High Burst
Flexible
Easy
Good engage and disengage
Enough CC for you to get your full burst off
People will have no idea what you’re doing

Cons:
Squishy
You run around useless for 6-36 seconds after you use all your venoms.
Probably not the highest spike damage.

The Build:

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fZAQRAqY4alsMpopNNxrJ8PNRMRs930FX7a3sEA-TZBEwAGeIAM3fAwRAIbZACnAAA

I go 6/6/2/0/0 or 6/4/4/0/0 since honestly defenses aren’t needed if played right.

I grab all the venom traits in the power line.

In the crit line, I grab critical haste for more potential burst and Pistol Mastery for the damage and Executioner cause damage.

I grab Shadow’s embrace for easier disengage.

OR

I drop executioner and grab leeching venoms. The leeching venoms are nice if only for the extra burst they give you, but also for the regen if needed.

This will increase burst but make it harder to finish, I’m not sure which of the two is best yet. I personally run this option.

Scholar since you shouldn’t be <90% anyway.

Sigil’s are kinda up in the air, use what you like. I use fire air for more spike.

Playstyle:

It’s all about flexibility. With P/D 3 and D/P 3 you can just jump in and out and constantly shadowstep everywhere. You want to go into teamfights and kill someone then leave asap to do other useful things. You’re not too useful after your initial burst, but even in soloq if you even touch someone, almost certainly they will be dead due to your damage and the conditions. If they’re still alive, you have the option of stealth dancing in D/P with Black Powder/heartseekers, or kiting around with P/D applying bleeds with CnD->1 if they get close. But honestly if they’re not pretty much dead you picked the wrong target or did it wrong.

Basically this thief is an easier version of the current spike thief. There’s almost no counterplay to the burst because of basilisk venom and the tons of immobilize you have (almost 7 seconds). You have a ranged application that brings you close to the target also. And you have a built in shadow step escape for after you finish your burst. If done right on a high priority target, a team running this thief will never lose a teamfight.

Deleting someone (Squishy):

Pre apply all your venoms. If you have steal up you can CnD + steal. If you don’t then start in D/P and Shadow Shot in and switch to P/D. Use your sneak attack then Shadow Strike out. This should apply all of your venoms without giving them a chance to do anything. Finish them off with Body Shots/Heartseekers/Whatever since they should be dead or mostly dead at this point with tons of conditions on them for your team to clean up for.

Deleting someone (Tanky):

If they’re on a point and you’re alone, do your usual burst combo, you won’t be able to kill them with it. Dance around in stealth and use your pistol’s stealth 1. Honestly it’s hard and you should probably find a different target instead.

In a team fight, do what you do with squishies but you need to wait for them to blow their condition removal or once they’re “low enough.”

I think u linked the wrong build. you have 1 venom.

preloading all venoms only gives one proc of leeching venom. read leeching venom closer.
Edit: pls do more research before giving out false information.

shadowpass.4236:

I think u linked the wrong build. you have 1 venom.

Thanks

Mystogan.4157:

preloading all venoms only gives one proc of leeching venom. read leeching venom closer.

This isn’t quite true, it’s one proc per hit. So even though you’re wasting stacks with 4 venoms, you will still get 6 procs of this.

stun= gg. i feel like this is a one trick pony

Id drop a venom and get a stun break

I like the diversity, it’s a great looking build! Looks like it would be super fun to use for 1v1’s!

Your main attack is also your main method of healing… You may find it easier to act like a normal power P/D in a fight, and when you’re having trouble or running low on health, drop all those venoms to heal and apply pressure Or even drop all those venoms WHILE you’re inside of the shadow refuge for even more leech.

Mystogan.4157:

stun= gg. i feel like this is a one trick pony

Id drop a venom and get a stun break

That’s why you engage with D/P 3 and get out with P/D 3. But even then it honestly doesn’t matter if you die since supposedly you finish your job once you get your stealth P/D 1 and venoms off. People don’t really react fast enough to prevent you from getting your initial burst off (esp since you’re stealthed for half of it), so the stun break would only be useful afterwards, which would pretty much only keep you alive so you can idle for 20 or so seconds.

And yea, it’s a very one trick pony. Even worse it’s a one-trick that can only be used every 30 seconds. But it’s also reliable so…

Thank you. Try again.

i feel thieves have mroe potential then just to do one burst on one opponent and then die. i understand that you want full burst and then thats it, which if thats 100% what u want then u have it, but most thieves need versatility for different situations. i can guarantee that burst will not 1 shot many builds such as ham war or some boon guards. this can be fixed by dropping one venom for a stun break. more people would be open to it. Ik alot of people including myself would not touch a build without at least 1 reliable stun break.