Guild Wars 2

I kinda want to use Haste on my thief but I don’t really know how to get the most out of it.

I’m thinking Sword’s 1 since it’s really hard hitting and is pure damage. Anything costing initiative seem to be out of the question since you won’t actually be able to spam it more (maybe a tad faster but not much) because you’ll run out of init.

Suggestions?

Go in prepared and make sure you have enough init to use w/ Haste, or get off one init ability and the rest as your “free” ability?

Seems like a no brainer to me.

Sword/pistol skill 3 + haste. Massive amounts of Damage. I was able to kill two players and kill steal chieftain in two pistol whips. I got in with skill two(Infiltrator’s strike) at the perfect time. =D Lucky! I was also still hasted for very fast finishing moves.

there are like 3 abilities that really synergize well with Haste and you can build around them for burst damage.

1. Sword auto-attack chain. it has high damage and can hit multiple targets in front of you, but the slow swing speed is the usual limiting factor. speeding this up is great.

2. Pistol Whip. Haste will both halve the charge up time and double the animation speed so this skill becomes super effective when hasted. you can dump a whole initiative pool into Pistol Whips while hasted for super damage.

3. Unload. the ranged option. like Pistol Whip, this is a channeled direct damage ability so its damage basically gets straight up doubled by Haste. this is another initiative dump for mega damage scenario.

when using Pistol Whip or Unload you basically need to have Preparedness (15 point trait from Trickery line) for the 13 starting initiative.

That’s good! I’m planning on investing in the Trickery line anyway.

Thanks for the input guys!

There’s a GREAT build that has haste, at least 20 into trickery to get trickster. The version I have tried and tweaked has 20-30 in critical strikes as well to get the two signet traits and executioner. I like signet of shadows to give me speed, and the precision/endurance refill one.

The other thing that build uses is signet of malice, since you get 100-140 heal depending on your +heal stat, PER STRIKE as in per enemy and each hit landed.

Now to make the most of that you really end up being fragile when you slot high precision and critical damage instead of vitality and healing, but because you’re both evading and getting those heals on every landed blow, you’re sort of doing a mitigation and avoidance dance and when playing well with all the tricks for positioning and movement that we have as thieves, you will be very effective and putting down bursts of pain that cannot be denied (well except for that rare Permanent Retaliation guardian you may come across who basically does nothing and you die in 2 seconds). I am often seeing 7k or 8k damage with each pistol whip when scoring critical. You can put down 2 and a half with haste if you press it as you’re laying down the first blow, and you can also get lucky and get a sigil of rage quickness or use the quickness that comes with the mesmer steal all boons. That’s burst. If you can wield it craftily then you can create immense havoc and avoid being ripped to shreds too many times before you’ve already made your mark on the enemies unlucky enough to meet your sword.

I believe there is a guide on one of the fan forums for this called Oshef’s roaming burst build where I originally saw the idea.

9/12 is now Necro Thief Topics Day!

GOGOGO!