Guild Wars 2

Intro
Hello! So I’ve been really tired of hearing that SA is the only way you can be a good thief. I gave up that idea a LONG time ago, along with the glass cannon set up. I prefer to go more into the dazing, boon stealing, constantly dodging and porting around. While most people will swear by x/30/30/x/x as the best/only way to go I and few others have chosen to play outside these boundaries.

The Build

This build is all about dazing, dodging, and kiting your enemy while being able to keep consistent dps with high initiative regain. Timing is key when it comes to this build. You have to be consistently anticipating your enemies every move to get the max effect of your evasive ability.

10/0/0/30/30

Deadly Arts

Minor
Serpents Touch – Stealing inflicts poison

Major
Mug -Deal damage and steal life when stealing

Why?
This build has the lowest possible recharge on steal, and your stealing is buffed out like crazy. Why not do some damage and heal while doing it.

Acrobatics

Minor
Expeditious Dodger – Gain swiftness on dodge
Feline Grace – Regain some endurance on dodge
Fluid Strikes – 10% increased damage when endurance isn’t full

Major
Vigorous Recovery – Gain Vigor on heal skill

Why?
I can’t explain how much this build revolves around being able to consistently evade damage, and this definitively does it’s purpose. 6 1/2 seconds of vigor on a 15 sec heal that is a dodge in itself.

Hard to Catch – Shadow step away and gaze swiftness when disabled

Why?
While most people consider this to be a trash trait, it has saved me from certain death 70+ times. It seems to help with the glass cannon by throwing them off guard just enough to over come being jumped. This is a personal preference however, and can be switch out for what ever fits your play style.

Quick Pockets – Gain 3 initiative on weapon swap

Why?
Well its kind of a funny story. I really DO NOT like any other weapon set outside of s/d so I tried to find I way I could only use s/d. It turns out this trait was the key. This makes initiative a joke in 90% of my encounters. Constantly switching s/d to regain 3 initiative, and 50% endurance from the sigil of energy is just amazing.

Trickery

Minor
Kleptomaniac – Gain 3 initiative on steal
Preparedness – Increased 3 max initiative
Lead Attacks – + 1% damage per Initiative

Major
Thrill of the Crime – You and allies gain fury, might, and swiftness on steal

Why?
This is how I keep up perma-swiftness to get places at a decent speed. I do not run signet of shadows, as I find it to be a waist of a utility slot. Not only is a great tool for swiftness, it synergizes great with your high stealing capabilities and also allows you to bring a little to the table for group play.

Bountiful Theft – Rip 2 boon + vigor when stealing, and grant them to nearby allies

Why?
Pretty much the same concept of buffing out steal, but instead of just buffing you, and your party. You debuff your enemy and apply them to you and your friends. This trait also grants vigor which I’ve already explained above

Sleight of Hand – Stealing dazes and has -20% cool down

Why?
This to me is what I consider to be a go to trait now. Every time I try a build that doesn’t incorporate this, I just feel like something is missing. The daze on a 21 second cooldown is just awesome. Interrupting heals, stomps, rezzing, what ever. It does it’s job well.

Utilities

Heal skill
Withdraw – Roll backward while healing, and evading attacks. Cures imob, chill, and crip.

Why?
First off, you guessed it, it evades attacks! Not only that it is great for getting out of sticky situations with movement skills. It also synergizes great with the Vigorous Healing trait.

Slot one
Scorpion Wire – Throw a Scorpion Wire, and pull your foe to you.

Why?
LOL you use SW!?! Yes I do lol. It is actually very useful when you get good at reading animations. What I mean by this is seeing a thief about to drop refuge. If you can see, and anticipate it coming, you will have a small window of time to be able to pull the slippery thief right out of his refuge. Not only do I use it for ruining skills and interrupts, I use it a lot with singling targets out for either just myself or for my party for a quick finish.

Slot two
Roll for Initiative – Evade backward and gain 6 initiative, Break stun, and remove imob, chill, and crip

Why?
Again with the evade, and – movement skill removal. However instead of healing this is a stun breaking, initiative bursting, life saver. This great for kiting, getting some extra space, or simply just to get enough initiative to finish off your target.

Slot three
Shadow Step – Shadow step to target area – again to return to where skill was activated. Break stun, and cure 3 conditions on return.

Why?
Stun break, Mobility, condition cure, and a great way to throw an opponent off balance. I also use this a lot to finish stops safely.

Elite
Basilisk Venom – Your next attack turns enemy to stone.

Why?
This skill is known for is short cool down and synergies with lyssa runes, which I am currently using.

Gear

Weapons
Zerk Sword – sigil of energy
Zerk Dagger – sigil of fire

I only run s/d, and have shown a picture above of how to set it up, so you can weapon swap with just one sword, and one dagger.

Armor
Valk – Helm, Gloves, and Pants
Zerk – Chest, Shoulder, and Boots

All armor has Lyssa runes

Why?
Lyssa runes synergies great with BV, and withdraw. With draw now also applies a random boon for 10 sec, and BV applies all boons, and removes all conditions.

Accessories
Ammy – p/p/v/crit
Rings – p/p/t or p/t/crit
Accessories – p/v/crit
Back Piece- p/p/t or p/t/crit

Thanks for taking the time to check out the build, and any feed back is welcome. If you guys want me to put up some game play footage, I can try and get some around, and posted here soon. Well thanks in advance for the views/comments.

Videos
1 v 3 Ranger, Engi, up leveled Guardian
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTxoOuhTH6s

1v1 duel vs. Engi
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJVZYo465TM

Twitch
http://www.twitch.tv/br_rapture

Reserved for future posts

Enjoyed the video! You probably should have edited out the ad at the end though, but I like your taste in music. Lol for a second, when I looked at the picture above, I though you were telling us to use just one weapon at a time. That’s smart for the energy though. I noticed in the video that you never used sw#2, not even when chasing. Why is that?

I just realized the add was in there, sorry about that XD

Now as far as using sw#2… I do use it when I feel they’re trying to escape, or are just making up to much distance, but most of the time I’ll run to them so I am not wasting iniative. Most classes running is completely fine, its GS warriors ect that I tend to use the initiative to keep close.

Not only that, there has been to many times I try to rush it with sw#2, and just end up in a cc chain unable to return without wasting a stun break. I prefer to play more reactive, than active. I personally find it easier to read heals ect. running to them, and as soon as the animation starts, Scorpion Wire or Steal followed by CnD for the clutch interrupt :P

Interesting build. Don’t you find yourself lacking in the damaging-condition-removal department, though? I am surprised that you aren’t running Pain Response, especially since you went 10 DA for Mug instead of 10 SA for Embrace.

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vYAQRAsY8Yl0Mp2p9Ox0J8PNR49gsj1saFoZ3DuS1qC-zUCBYfDimsI00HBKzURN3UYsKqIasabYaXCpqYRmUARsMC-w

so the build looks something like this right?

@Interceptor I don’t use Shadow Embrace either , looks like with 30 in Acro he should have enough vitality to sustain enough conditions and swap out for Pain Response if needed.

Brando.1374:

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vYAQRAsY8Yl0Mp2p9Ox0J8PNR49gsj1saFoZ3DuS1qC-zUCBYfDimsI00HBKzURN3UYsKqIasabYaXCpqYRmUARsMC-w

so the build looks something like this right?

Yepp, that looks right to me (:

As far as Pain Response goes, It is all based on personal preference really.. I chose Hard to Catch simply to avoid those pesky burst builds. However this build does have enough Vit to cushion most conditions. Another thing you have to remember is that the return on sw#2 removes a condition, and the return on shadow step removes 3.

If you personally feel you have problems with condi, by all means switch out Hard to Catch. I to find myself debating back and fourth on which I feel more comfortable with.

On a side note, just to give anyone weary on the low stealth idea, you CAN change Scorpion Wire, and Roll for Initiative out for refuge, and/or BP. I just prefer to stay away from them because the whole “Stealth OP NERF!!!” cry babies.

Interceptor.2653:

Interesting build. Don’t you find yourself lacking in the damaging-condition-removal department, though? I am surprised that you aren’t running Pain Response, especially since you went 10 DA for Mug instead of 10 SA for Embrace.

I don’t have enough stealth to actually benefit from Embrace like most other builds. Instead I chose Mug for the damage, and heal which seems to work well enough with the 21 sec cd on steal.

The lack of damage on the other hand, can take some time for people to get used to.. It took me a little while also, but once you get your endless dodges, and dazes down its really not as bad as it seems on paper. One good interrupt on a heal is normally how my fights end I’d say 70% of the time.

Thank you all for the feedback. It’s good to see some people interested in the low stealth option, and hopefully we can get some more diversity out there (:

I’ve been running pretty much the same build for a couple of weeks now, it’s a lot of fun. It takes people by surprise when you don’t follow the same attack pattern almost every thief in WvW does, and the mobility you get is just insane. I think I like my shortbow too much to do the whole dual S/D thing though, with assassin’s reward and some peach pies you can kite for hours xD

The damage did worry me for a while, but I found that with this build you can bait out most opponent’s dodges and stunbreaks then daze them into oblivion. I liked hydromancy sigils for the added control, when the sigil patch comes out you might like them with the energy sigils too I have less crit damage and more toughness than you though, so that might be why I find bunker builds hard to kill sometimes. I might rejigger some things…

I like the fall damage trait in acro too, with the number of teleports you get with sword you can really annoy people if you jump off a wall, wait until people follow you then just port back onto it ^^ But yeah, I’m glad to see this build being run by others, it’s been a breath of fresh air for me after months of 0/30/30/10/0

Aerious.1965:

Videos
1 v 3 Ranger, Engi, up leveled Guardian
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTxoOuhTH6s

A few tips for you based on this vid.

0:24: You used Dancing Dagger and Scorpion Wire to catch the ranger. You could have used sword #2 instead. Costs less initiative and gives you a chance for a condition removal.

0:32 Same thing again.

0:48 Shadow step doesn’t evade ranger downed #2. Weapon swap would have given you just enough ini to Cloak and Dagger off the ranger to try a stealth stomp. Not that it would have succeeded because of the guardian ressing.

1:18 Ranger interrupting your stomp nearly cost you the fight when her friends came; you were at 750 hp before healing. CnD or popping your Basilisk venom for stability would have let you stomp her easily.

1:30 You go in without any kind of disengage. Sword #2 would have given a way to fall back in case things go bad.

2:34 The stomp thing again. Using CnD would have let you stomp engi. There’s always risk of more enemies showing up, so finishing downed quickly is the safest option.

Also, consider not pre-casting Basilisk venom, especially with Lyssa runes. The boons and condition removal is very important. With kitten cool down you may really miss them during the cooldown. I actually consider Lyssa rune to my elite and stun just a small added bonus.

Other than above mentioned errors, nice fighting. I’m always glad to see more s/d and no SA in wvw.

Zeuskl.4257:

Aerious.1965:

Videos
1 v 3 Ranger, Engi, up leveled Guardian
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTxoOuhTH6s

A few tips for you based on this vid.

0:24: You used Dancing Dagger and Scorpion Wire to catch the ranger. You could have used sword #2 instead. Costs less initiative and gives you a chance for a condition removal.

0:32 Same thing again.

0:48 Shadow step doesn’t evade ranger downed #2. Weapon swap would have given you just enough ini to Cloak and Dagger off the ranger to try a stealth stomp. Not that it would have succeeded because of the guardian ressing.

1:18 Ranger interrupting your stomp nearly cost you the fight when her friends came; you were at 750 hp before healing. CnD or popping your Basilisk venom for stability would have let you stomp her easily.

1:30 You go in without any kind of disengage. Sword #2 would have given a way to fall back in case things go bad.

2:34 The stomp thing again. Using CnD would have let you stomp engi. There’s always risk of more enemies showing up, so finishing downed quickly is the safest option.

Also, consider not pre-casting Basilisk venom, especially with Lyssa runes. The boons and condition removal is very important. With kitten cool down you may really miss them during the cooldown. I actually consider Lyssa rune to my elite and stun just a small added bonus.

Other than above mentioned errors, nice fighting. I’m always glad to see more s/d and no SA in wvw.

Thank you very much for your input! I consider myself to be a decent player, but everyone has things they need to improve. It’s hard for me to watch my videos and come out with valuable info like you just gave me.

The Shadow step for the ranger doesn’t always guarantee a stomp, but it is possible to port out of range, or even just avoid being targeted if you had previously broken the target.

I admit I did pop BV way to early on the ranger, but I honestly didn’t anticipate them to make such an awkward movement away lol.

sw#2 has been brought up quite a bit in this forum, and while I believe I do not use it as often as I should, I also believe a lot of people waist the initiative just as often. It becomes to easy to spam sw#2, and sw#3 for gap closing when running is still just as viable while saving the 3 Initiative.

Lastly Scorpion Wire… For me Scorpion Wire is more than just a pull/interrupt. I use it to reopen with CnD when either 1 they’re out of range of steal + CnD or 2 steal is on recharge. This build what it lacks in Dps can be made viable by stun chaining, much like a hammer warrior. I may hit 1k-3k crits, but when you can lock someone down with Steal > CnD > Sneak Attack > full auto rotation or Scorpion Wire > CnD > Sneak Attack > full auto rotation and get close to the same dps as a backstab thief just not as quickly.

Zeuskl.4257:

Aerious.1965:

Videos
1 v 3 Ranger, Engi, up leveled Guardian
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTxoOuhTH6s

A few tips for you based on this vid.

0:24: You used Dancing Dagger and Scorpion Wire to catch the ranger. You could have used sword #2 instead. Costs less initiative and gives you a chance for a condition removal.

0:32 Same thing again.

0:48 Shadow step doesn’t evade ranger downed #2. Weapon swap would have given you just enough ini to Cloak and Dagger off the ranger to try a stealth stomp. Not that it would have succeeded because of the guardian ressing.

1:18 Ranger interrupting your stomp nearly cost you the fight when her friends came; you were at 750 hp before healing. CnD or popping your Basilisk venom for stability would have let you stomp her easily.

1:30 You go in without any kind of disengage. Sword #2 would have given a way to fall back in case things go bad.

2:34 The stomp thing again. Using CnD would have let you stomp engi. There’s always risk of more enemies showing up, so finishing downed quickly is the safest option.

Also, consider not pre-casting Basilisk venom, especially with Lyssa runes. The boons and condition removal is very important. With kitten cool down you may really miss them during the cooldown. I actually consider Lyssa rune to my elite and stun just a small added bonus.

Other than above mentioned errors, nice fighting. I’m always glad to see more s/d and no SA in wvw.

Yeh you dont take advantage of all the easy stomps thieves have.
Try to save your dodges also it lets you play way more aggressively when you need to kill.

S/d is by far my fave set and my thief is a norn so respect.

If an engi is sitting on just 1 kit not swapping to anything else just burst them down it should be really easy (unless they are Hgh stacking watch out for that).

Just going to point out that the sigil setup you have is incredibly inefficient and very gimmicky.

You’re probably better off with Energy and Force/Accuracy on both sets, OR Fire and Force/Accuracy, not both Energy and Fire, until the “feature patch” when they rework sigils.

Allows for more control and you won’t need to have to keep track of some weird internal CDs for sigils.

You don’t want to switch weapons hoping to get endurance only to get none because your sigils of Fire proc’d triggering the CD.