Guild Wars 2

Can anyone point me in the right direction?

I wanna just evade and be as big of a pita as I can for some fun and refreshing 3 spam mind numbing gameplay.

equip d/d and amulet with 1.2k condi

bind your dodge key to your mouse left click

I suppose something like that could do what you are looking for.
Before the endurance sigil change, weapon swap to get back endurance was quite nice, you can probably change the runes but, it’s the best to max weapon swap output.

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vZAQRAoY4In0MBVOh9OBGmilWCbuEuCfhdLmnQVQLAcAWAA-TZRHABeXGAgjAgO7PIwJBIgHAAA

DD is the weapon set, rotation – #3 #3#3#3 dodge #3#3#3.

I’ve been running a condi D/D build for quite some time, and I personally think it’s one of our strongest builds for PvP (I’d even go as far to say it’s our best build). With the right set up, it’s a very well rounded build—with solid condition and direct damage, amazing sustain, and (just enough) mobility. After much tweaking, this is my current set up for this build:

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vZAQNAoYVn8lCFmitNBemCkmilWCb+EuCfhaBgDwCo7K8EqCA-TpRAABA8AAIrMgHHCg+PCACu/gBnAAA

This build complements the Thief’s roaming play style really well. Instead of decapping a point then having to merely run away because you can’t 1v1 hardly any class, you’re able to stand your ground and solo almost any class, and even can 1v2, or 1v3 people at times (or survive for long enough so that your team can come to help or make progress elsewhere on the map). Because of its high sustain, you can also solo enemy lords and NPCs easily. On its surface, this build seems like a mindless #3 spam, but in reality that are a lot of key parts to this build that separate the “trolls” from those who actually know how to play the build.

While I don’t think this build has any glaring weaknesses, some things to watch out for are being stun locked, kited, and overly spamming skills. As for stuns, in previous iterations of the build I frequently ran into being stun locked then burst down before I could evade or do anything. With the new build, you have lots of health to withstand a good amount of damage should you find yourself unable to take advantage of your evades. But the real key is to avoid getting stun locked in the place, that’s why I run a 12 second stun break (Bandit’s Defense), Instant Reflexes, and Hard to Catch.

As for being kited, this is where you have to keep in mind you have more moves than just #3. When pushing, I engage almost every fight with Steal, and go ahead with a #3 and a dodge to cripple them and avoid their initial burst. With #4 you can apply cripple should they get out of your range. You also have Impairing Daggers and Needle Trap for immobilizing, not to mention lots of damage as well. With all of these things combined, you will seldom be out of reach of your target.

When it comes to skill use, this is what requires more focus than what most people realize (even more than I realize). On the outside, every looks at condi D/D and just sees troll people spamming #3 until someone dies. But if you space out your moves appropriately and dodge/evade intelligently then you can beat almost any class in a 1v1 (note: this requires lots of knowledge of other classes and their play styles). Don’t just run in there and spam #3 and dodge until you’re out of resources, because then you’ll run out of evades and lose both your sustain and damage. In my previous builds, I was running Trickery instead of Acrobatics, and I would often run out of endurance and initiative. But with Upper Hand and the additional vigor (and a proper rotation), you’ll find yourself with plenty of resources during a fight.

One important thing to keep in mind is to rotate in auto attacks—they do solid damage, apply lots of poison (and weakness) and refund endurance. Another important part of this build is the trap! Needle Trap does tons of damage and allows you to start each fight strongly. I suggest using Impairing Daggers when they get trapped so they can’t dodge from it. I’ll also occasionally use Heartseeker if they’re under 10% and are out of range for my other moves. Oh, and don’t forget Cloak and Dagger for stealth stomps!

So when played correctly, this build is far more complex than simply spamming dodge and #3. In my opinion, the main reason people think this build is troll is because it has much more room for error than other Thief builds due to its high vitality and sustain (with evades, regen, low CD heal, life steal from runes, etc.). If you’re looking for a fun and viable alternative play style for Thief then I highly recommend trying this build out!

as of the buffs the the aa chain and daredevil, condis thief dmg comes mainly from aa+dodge now. to burst offensive u use doomsignet+impdaggers+steal+aa but death blossom got a defensive skill (as evey dodge with DB means over 1k heal, cleanse and vigor). so anet did a really good job on that one cause its a lot of fun and very useful. @Casual mentions despised facts and he is right but i woulndt go with that excact build as u need more cleanse, heal and shadowstep

Furajir.3815:

Can anyone point me in the right direction?

Sure. Turn 180 degrees and go play power.

You’re welcome!!!

Deathrubber.3861:

@Casual mentions despised facts and he is right but i woulndt go with that excact build as u need more cleanse, heal and shadowstep

Just curious, where are you getting more cleanse and healing? I have no problem with conditions thanks to Escapist’s Absolution (not to mention the fact that you’re also mitigating the application of conditions due to evades as well). As for healing, my build is running the biggest heal we have: Channeled Vigor (if it were PvE, then you might get more consistent healing from Signet of Malice). As for a shadowstep, I think you could certainly swap out Bandit’s Defense for one and it would probably be fine. But it seems that a 12 second CD stun break with a hard knockdown is far better than a 30/50 sec CD stun break with negligible mobility benefits.

I am surprised you guys forego Trickery completely. I’d pick Trickery over Daredevil even for a condition build.

Slim.3024:

I am surprised you guys forego Trickery completely. I’d pick Trickery over Daredevil even for a condition build.

trickery is extremely overrated and surely its nowhere close to daredevil in its strength

Casual.9260:

Just curious, where are you getting more cleanse and healing? I have no problem with conditions thanks to Escapist’s Absolution (not to mention the fact that you’re also mitigating the application of conditions due to evades as well).

EA is fine on fighting dps or bunkers but its not enough for condi necro, thiefs and mesmer as they constantly apply mutiple conditions and when it comes to highlevel fight enemies will counter the trait accordingly. so i got the recently buffed pain response instead of instant reflexes (cause ur able to evade everything) and shadowstep instead of needletrap. shadowstep is not replaceble.

As for healing, my build is running the biggest heal we have: Channeled Vigor (if it were PvE, then you might get more consistent healing from Signet of Malice).

Yep channeled vigor is perfect and we can finally part agility signet from our hearts :P but what im referring too is the also recently rebuffed assassins reward (got back the power from like 2~years ago) in combination with the new sage amulet as this means 1k+ heal on every death blossom evade. (mind that the sage amulet stats on gw2skills are wrong)

As for a shadowstep, I think you could certainly swap out Bandit’s Defense for one and it would probably be fine. But it seems that a 12 second CD stun break with a hard knockdown is far better than a 30/50 sec CD stun break with negligible mobility benefits.

Haha im starting to think Bandits Defense is another unreplaceble skill espacially if u not running power havoc mastery and got brawlers tenacity. Nah but shadowstep in combination with sb 5 is what makes the match mate. its useful in so many ways but that would need its own thread.

Slim.3024:

I am surprised you guys forego Trickery completely. I’d pick Trickery over Daredevil even for a condition build.

Trickery certainly has its own advanatges in a condi build dependent on game style.

Unctachable adds yet more bleeds. The hit rate of the dropped caltrops is higher than the norm due to fighting on top the enemy.

Pressure strike can be traited in conjunction with BV and distracting daggers for added torment pressure. The hey is what other utility to drop.

One can take trickster instead for more condition cleanse and trait up withdraw/RFI and caltrops the utility. RFI is great in a condi d/d build as it more DBs.

QP or BA are both effective dependent on off hand. As example going two sets of d/d with geomancy or some other apply condition on swap with traited QP gives yet more INI the fuel that keeps on giving.

That said losing DD you drop endurance ,impaling loutus , heal on evade and condition cleanse on evade all of are big in a Dblossom build. If one was going condition in a p/d build DD is not as rewarding as there tends to be less in the way of evades.

Deathrubber.3861:

EA is fine on fighting dps or bunkers but its not enough for condi necro, thiefs and mesmer as they constantly apply mutiple conditions and when it comes to highlevel fight enemies will counter the trait accordingly. so i got the recently buffed pain response instead of instant reflexes (cause ur able to evade everything) and shadowstep instead of needletrap. shadowstep is not replaceble.

Yep channeled vigor is perfect and we can finally part agility signet from our hearts :P but what im referring too is the also recently rebuffed assassins reward (got back the power from like 2~years ago) in combination with the new sage amulet as this means 1k+ heal on every death blossom evade. (mind that the sage amulet stats on gw2skills are wrong)

Haha im starting to think Bandits Defense is another unreplaceble skill espacially if u not running power havoc mastery and got brawlers tenacity. Nah but shadowstep in combination with sb 5 is what makes the match mate. its useful in so many ways but that would need its own thread.

Pain Response is definitely another good option, I’m going to try running it. As for Shadowstep, how are you using it? The condi removal from that isn’t all that great, and the shadowstep is a bit of an over kill since you’re already running SB.

As for the healing from Assassin’s Reward, with Sage Amulet it’s only ~600 heal, not 1k. But you’re losing out on 4k Vitality from Carrion and losing out on condi damage. Not to mention that the regen from Upper Hand has comparable healing in addition to the initiative gain. So while Assassins’ Reward isn’t bad, it doesn’t seem to match up to Upper Hand.

Lexander.4579:

Slim.3024:

I am surprised you guys forego Trickery completely. I’d pick Trickery over Daredevil even for a condition build.

trickery is extremely overrated and surely its nowhere close to daredevil in its strength

^ This ^

Without Daredevil, a condi D/D Thief would be terrible. Trickery is nice, but I’ve come to learn it doesn’t match up to the various types of sustain from Acrobatics.

Casual.9260:

Pain Response is definitely another good option, I’m going to try running it. As for Shadowstep, how are you using it? The condi removal from that isn’t all that great, and the shadowstep is a bit of an over kill since you’re already running SB.

even with pain response u need shadowsteps cleanse but thats just a piece of the cake.
its mainly used for repositioning, if infight or not, delusion or disengage. u can decap far in 7 seconds from mid there and back on legacy. its even used for bursts if steal is on cd. not to mention safestomps, double stunbrk and the whole world of kiting.

Casual.9260:

As for the healing from Assassin’s Reward, with Sage Amulet it’s only ~600 heal, not 1k. But you’re losing out on 4k Vitality from Carrion and losing out on condi damage. Not to mention that the regen from Upper Hand has comparable healing in addition to the initiative gain. So while Assassins’ Reward isn’t bad, it doesn’t seem to match up to Upper Hand.

Ive been running upper hand first after the patch. because the iniregen delighted my eyes, just like yours. but then i realised how much dmg only AA+dodge is dealing and u really dont need the ini on evade. with assassins reward im never missing initiative as im using death blossom mainly defensive. Referring the heal: 501hp by driven fortitude + 597hp by assassins reward means 1.1k heal on every death blossom evade. as well as condicleanse and vigor. cause of pain response theres also 200hp/s by regeneration. 4k health from carrion is nothing compared to this. (and u still got 17k+)
Considering the damage, even with all this sustain u could do more pressure by getting the 98% poison duration and more attribute condi dmg then with carrion and scavenging runes.