Guild Wars 2

Man it has been a LONG time since we’ve seen one of these. Bless his dark soul <3 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8Lh8Oogl6Y gives me a tiny bit of hope

and that’s why I run dag storm instead of bas venom now, all those engies

Wow.

I’ve been running a D/D spec for a bit in WvW, and I learned a fair bit from watching that video. I also learned that, relatively speaking, I am a terrible thief

I don’t understand why anybody would consider picking D/D over D/P, even if not planning to play “perma stealth”. With D/D you don’t have #3 skill, where D/P’s chase ability with blind is insanely useful.

Dagins.5163:

I don’t understand why anybody would consider picking D/D over D/P, even if not planning to play “perma stealth”. With D/D you don’t have #3 skill, where D/P’s chase ability with blind is insanely useful.

i just wanna say i think its hilarious everytime i run into a typical d/p thief, the fight goes the same way

i cnd steal backstab, they stealth, i cast bas venom USE MY #3 SKILL to dodge their backstab on me , then theres a D/P thief there standing still for me to cnd and backstab them again

im not saying that d/d’s #3 skill is better, but i find it very ironic that for me d/d’s 3 skill works out very nicely for me against d/p thieves

Dagins.5163:

I don’t understand why anybody would consider picking D/D over D/P, even if not planning to play “perma stealth”. With D/D you don’t have #3 skill, where D/P’s chase ability with blind is insanely useful.

IMHO, it’s because of the coolness factor. D/P #3 is not cool enough, it’s just another shadowstep skill. D/D #3 on the other hand, it has the best dual-wield skill animation ever.

On a serious note, stealth from D/P is too complicate for what its worth, not everyone can do it. I pulled it off at one time but decided that it’s too much trouble compare to CnD.

i love his videos

Man…. between yishis and mugi D/D is going to be put back on the chopping block after this patch.

Oghier.7419:

Wow.

I’ve been running a D/D spec for a bit in WvW, and I learned a fair bit from watching that video. I also learned that, relatively speaking, I am a terrible thief

Just this video? You should watch all of his DD, and maybe even DP but lets be honest that wont do much come later on, vids. I can say I wouldn’t be where I am today if it weren’t for Yishis.

Dagins.5163:

I don’t understand why anybody would consider picking D/D over D/P, even if not planning to play “perma stealth”. With D/D you don’t have #3 skill, where D/P’s chase ability with blind is insanely useful.

Because only kitten play D/P, kitten.

Shadow arts thieves don’t know how to play d/p imo….

As a new thief player I was fascinated by that video. Boy do I have a long way to go!

Question: why Descent of Shadows? It doesn’t seem like falling is something that comes up too often?

In wvw it can happen pretty often and he uses it as another way to get a backstab in.

I always like his videos though… even on engi.

Hype.8032:

In wvw it can happen pretty often and he uses it as another way to get a backstab in.

I always like his videos though… even on engi.

Dont forget to make a needed escape easier and less risky if it involves a cliff

Yeah I was wondering about the quick escape. Though it still seems fairly uncommon and we do get not very many trait slots… then again, he seems to know his game a lot better than I do.

It is just preference. You can get speed in stealth or vigor on heal to work just as well.

Qaelyn.7612:

As a new thief player I was fascinated by that video. Boy do I have a long way to go!

Question: why Descent of Shadows? It doesn’t seem like falling is something that comes up too often?

Yeah I guess when looking at the trait on paper it doesn’t seem that good but in WvW especially the borderlands (as shown by yishis in his vids) it can be extremely useful. Not only will you get across maps quicker and with less hassle but you will survive a lot of would be deaths from KB’s and narrow escapes.

If you notice in yishis build and video he managed to get a great backstab off and confuse the hell out of that necro. WIth his build the stealth from the trait alone is providing regen and 2x might. So if the enemy drops right on top of u or next to you they are at depleted health AND blinded. The odds are heavily in your favour.

In a roaming/1vX WvW build I would much prefer not only the major and minor trait but also the 100 to vit and 10% boon duration over any of the other options i.e 10 in DA.

Qaelyn.7612:

Yeah I was wondering about the quick escape. Though it still seems fairly uncommon and we do get not very many trait slots… then again, he seems to know his game a lot better than I do.

Trust me, run with this trait and see just how even the slightest falls you would normally take dmg from proc stealth for you. This will greatly increase stealth time.

Fall damage trait is pretty much a must have in world vs world, going without it is severely limiting.

Thanks all for the kind feedback

Yashi.8703:

Thanks all for the kind feedback

No Yashi thank you for giving us something to reflect on.

Wow, just wow. I just started my new thief alt and this video.. wow. I hope i can be at least half good as this.

My biggest frustration with this build that he runs is the gear. He says Valks gear w/Travelers Runes you are talking a almost 100gold investment. The armor is 24 gold and only available via craft so either u make or buy it. The runes are roughly 10g each x6 60 gold for those and 4g and some change for the armor x 6 so 25 gold there about 85 gold.

mikeew.8607:

My biggest frustration with this build that he runs is the gear. He says Valks gear w/Travelers Runes you are talking a almost 100gold investment. The armor is 24 gold and only available via craft so either u make or buy it. The runes are roughly 10g each x6 60 gold for those and 4g and some change for the armor x 6 so 25 gold there about 85 gold.

YEAH! people should all be using vendored white gear and small fractured gems to upgrade their armors they have found killing earth elementals in Metrica Province!

Ermm… (use your own preference, if that IS your preference – earn your monies so you can do it – only took me a week to get my runes. another for a second set on my soldier gear so I can mix/match (I mystic toileted my valkyrie armor(barring trinkets) in July)

Yeah…

Great job Yishis.

mikeew.8607:

My biggest frustration with this build that he runs is the gear. He says Valks gear w/Travelers Runes you are talking a almost 100gold investment. The armor is 24 gold and only available via craft so either u make or buy it. The runes are roughly 10g each x6 60 gold for those and 4g and some change for the armor x 6 so 25 gold there about 85 gold.

Traveler’s runes are nice, but if you just swap out Acrobatics I for Acrobatics VI.
You’ll still have your movement speed when you need it to most to deliver that backstab in the back. Then you could take any runes or orbs. For example Runes of the Hoelbrak (to counter conditions), Beryl Orbs (cheaap) or any other rune that has atleast some more damage in it.

Even for gear, take what you think is best. Some prefer Berserker’s gear for the highest burst damage, others prefer a set of Beserkers and Soldier’s mixed. These 2 sets can both be bought with badges or tokens.

Valkyrie armor is expensive (in that you can’t buy it with Karma or Badges), but Hidden Killer + Backstab + All That Crit Damage + Piles of Vitality against condition damage = quite a nice bunch of synergies.

The Traveler runes are also expensive, and they’re not perfectly suited to a build without much in the way of boons or conditions (though, again, the crit damage is nice). You could use the much cheaper Runes of Speed and still get the same primary benefit — constant speed without having to use up a utility slot for it.

mikeew.8607:

My biggest frustration with this build that he runs is the gear. He says Valks gear w/Travelers Runes you are talking a almost 100gold investment. The armor is 24 gold and only available via craft so either u make or buy it. The runes are roughly 10g each x6 60 gold for those and 4g and some change for the armor x 6 so 25 gold there about 85 gold.

You can also use a combination of soldier and zerk armor to replicate valkyrie armor. There have been a couple of threads about the gains/losses of that. You can dungeon run for that stat combo, although you still have to sink 60g into the runes.

Yishis is literally the reason I started my Thief. Any time I get discouraged about how bad I am at my thief, I watch his videos and they immediately inspire me. Keep up the good work Yishis. You truly are the ray of hope in these dark times.

Oghier.7419:

The Traveler runes are also expensive, and they’re not perfectly suited to a build without much in the way of boons or conditions (though, again, the crit damage is nice). You could use the much cheaper Runes of Speed and still get the same primary benefit — constant speed without having to use up a utility slot for it.

Oghier is exactly right, thanks. Runes of Speed are an excellent alternative and much cheaper. I chose Traveler primarily because they were all that were available at the time I re-geared my thief (Rune of Speed used to be broken until a recent patch). Traveler does provide a higher overall stat bonus if you include minor stats, crit damage, etc; the boon duration also helps keep up might stacks from Hidden Assassin. Regardless, the benefits of Traveler vs Speed are mostly negligible.

Also, thanks to the community for organically promoting the videos – it’s greatly appreciated. Recently, the video appeared on Reddit. I took some time to post a comment there explaining some of my motives and goals with these videos. If anyone is interested in checking it out:

http://www.reddit.com/r/Guildwars2/comments/1q5n82/another_yishis_video_dd_thief_wvw_outnumbered/cda3uoc

I’ve been running S/D since betas, but with all the changes coming I thought I might try D/D as a breath of fresh air. This was a very educational video.

I wish I had that kind of natural perception and ability to recover from mistakes. I always hurrdurr it in fights, especially if I’m outnumbered.

Anyone know if he runs full zerk?

sierras.6297:

Anyone know if he runs full zerk?

No valkyrie with travel runes and ruby/zerk stats everything else

shadow arts … traitline for all Pveler in wvw
try some tpvp without stealth

Arkantos.7460:

shadow arts … traitline for all Pveler in wvw
try some tpvp without stealth

This guy is running runes of jealousy. Seem to work for him.

On topic if u guys haven’t seen yishis other videos they are also good. I think it’s 5 or 6 where he takes on two thieves from the same guild (most likely voip and very experienced fighting alongside each other) and both using the same build as him. Needless to say he “completed the kills”. Once I saw that I knew he was really good.

Dunno about anyone else but 7/10 I won’t engage guilded groups and for sure 10/10 I would run from dual thieves guilded.

Also alot of the time yishis simply knows his opponents classes better than they do (see the daggerstorm downs)

I couldn’t tell you how many bad people continue to pew pew me through DStorm. It’s 99% rangers, but I get the odd warrior and engi to do it too.

I MEAN THE WHOLE kitten CHANNEL (if they don’t down first).

Selver.1307:

I couldn’t tell you how many bad people continue to pew pew me through DStorm. It’s 99% rangers, but I get the odd warrior and engi to do it too.

I MEAN THE WHOLE kitten CHANNEL (if they don’t down first).

true…some are dumb….

but i must say as experienced and good as i am at thief…. sometimes wheni target somebody with pistolmain hand… auto attack just starts going off!! i have no idea why. sometimes no … sometimes yes.

Selver.1307:

I couldn’t tell you how many bad people continue to pew pew me through DStorm. It’s 99% rangers, but I get the odd warrior and engi to do it too.

I MEAN THE WHOLE kitten CHANNEL (if they don’t down first).

Gotta love autoattackers =)

Selver.1307:

I couldn’t tell you how many bad people continue to pew pew me through DStorm. It’s 99% rangers, but I get the odd warrior and engi to do it too.

I MEAN THE WHOLE kitten CHANNEL (if they don’t down first).

You would also think that their dodge button is disabled until you meet that 1 ranger out of 100 who you can’t even touch with all the weapon evades + dodges.

Maugetarr.6823:

Selver.1307:

I couldn’t tell you how many bad people continue to pew pew me through DStorm. It’s 99% rangers, but I get the odd warrior and engi to do it too.

I MEAN THE WHOLE kitten CHANNEL (if they don’t down first).

You would also think that their dodge button is disabled until you meet that 1 ranger out of 100 who you can’t even touch with all the weapon evades + dodges.

Ye I’ve fought a couple of them on eb and I actually admire them, they are screwed if you end up with help and switch to shortbow but gotta give it to em.

Auto attack disabled learning the ranger sword is quite a curv. Good evades if you can time it right which alot of those guys can do. Kudos to em.

Yishis, you are awesome. Another great video.

A few people were complaining about the valk armor in this build as a turn off.

Here’s a build with nearly the same effective power and hitpoints as Yishi’s. Exact same traits, same valk ascended dagger for purposes of comparison. Note it’s without all the infusions and performs nearly the same:

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fYEQNAoYVlUmiP3eS6E+5Ex2jd2Tiy9woJtpdFiKA-jEDB4fAYLKa4LgkFDRjKAM5RZN7JgpPQlhFRjVXDT5SIV7KyCBMaLA-w

I did this in 2 minutes. I’m sure the min maxers could do a bit better, but the key point is that if you are building for crit damage you should always take it on food since you can get a 7 points/1cd tradeoff. I used the cheap food but the best one is always Sweet and Spicy Butternut squash soup for +100power+10cd. A good compromise food would be the Bowl of Curry Butternut Squash Soup for +100prec+10cd

Also, since this has no infusions it’s probably like a million times cheaper.

Enemy’s din’t seem to be that smart if you ask me. But still was nice vidio.