Need advice on PvE/group build
“Real knowledge is to know the extent of one’s ignorance”
(edited by Bloodgruve.6038)
http://www.guildhead.com/skill-calc#mckMzc9cMMxFMMMxFMp0x0fmRVsbV08khG70z7khf7070M7kuB70M7kG270M8ofZ
This is what I use, it’s a Condition+Support build. You can get +75% bleeds (making 4 second bleeds into 7 second bleeds, remember you need to complete full seconds to make a difference on bleeding damage) with the equipment and 25 points in Deadly Arts. I was using a +50% combination before, but in other thread I discovered how other user was getting 75%. The equipment section of that link has the runes and sigils for that.
With Shadow Refuge you get and excelent skill for all kinds of utility and revives and it becomes even more powerful with all those Shadow Arts traits. Thanks to the SA trait infusion of shadow, your Cloak and Dagger will effectively cost 4 initiative instead of 6 (it costs 6, but returns 2), allowing you to keep using 5 and then Sneak attack for multiple bleed stacks all the time. Being a ranged set, and one that applies conditions while stealthing, it is safer than D/D, specially for dungeons.
Spider Venom is here for 2 reasons: to heal you and allies who need it for around 2.5K (more like 2K really since the recent change that made it power dependant and lowered the heal amount), and to apply long duration poisons AND weakness (via trait) to opponents, so they keep glancing attacks.
As it’s nearly impossible to share venoms with the full group during a fight when they will be spread (the range for this trait is short, what I call the safe range to throw a flask of venom without risking it falling to the ground) Thieves Guild is great as they provide you more bodies to share the venoms to up to 5 allies, as well as being excellent meat shields and damage dealers distracting the attention from you.
I go with Venomous Strength over Might because Might also affects condition damage and in combination from the Mights I get from stealthing, I can easily keep 8-12 stacks of might on my self. You also share the Might, and I’m expecting for a nerf on Mug so I don’t want to get too used to it.
Devourer Venom is a bit more situational (it still applies some smaller heal and the same 2x very long might) but you will find it effective against certain opponents, or when luring a big group as if you share it with all the group (before engaging a fight it’s easy to share with the full group) you will get many free shots before the lured group reach you. And of course you can use it to keep that hard hitting veteran far away from you while you keep shooting.
The trait Thrill of Crime is great for what I call “fake stealing”, which means using it out of combat to get 10 second Swiftness which is always great.
The Shortbow secondary serves for more teamplay as 2, if you don’t detonate it, is the best combo finisher in the game as it’s a blast you can keep going over and over. Very good specially when you’re paired with a Guardian or an Elementalist.
About how to use the build, it’s simple, you keep sharing your poisons getting closer to the allies that will make the best use of them, use SR to plan things like activating stuff in dungeons, and in combat to resurrect (sometimes you will have to tell your teamates to press 4 while downed so they don’t reveal themselves), and in pressure situations and boss fights you use Thieves Guild.
You start the fight with 2 Body Shots (here comes the explanation as this skill by itself isn’t really good) and then press 5 and Steal while the animation completes. The reason you throw 2 BS before, is because your steal recovers 3 initiative, and using it with full intiative (CnD doesn’t waste initiative until it hits) is a waste of potential, so you use 2 Body Shots to get 10% damage (trying more is a complete waste as they will return to lower numbers too quick) and once you steal you will be around 13 or 14 out of 15 initiative, which means 10 Vulnerability for just 1 or 2 initiative wasted and a free travel+stealth for only 4 initiative (plus another 3 vuln.). After that you keep using 5 plus Sneak attack, shoot 2 bullets (or shoot one and use stolen skill, it’s the time you need to get rid of the revealed status) and use Cloak and Dagger again and repeat. Don’t use Body Shot unless you can steal again (only exception is if you’refacing a Boss EXTREMELY dangerous if you get close to him, in which case you either switch to Shortbow for combos, or keep Vulnerability going while reviving allies with the refuge). Use 4 if you want to snare opponents (it was much better before to deal some AoE damage but it was nerfed so much that you may prefer to switch to Shortbow) and only in case you can’t scape an opponent by yourself (for example you’re inmobilized in front of them) use 3 to scape, but mostly you will be spending all your initiative points on 5.
Hope it helps, I always feel like I’m very valuable for the team when doing dungeons
(edited by Lokheit.7943)
Ring of Fire
GL – “The Afternoon’s Watch” [OATH]
GL – “The Afternoon’s Watch” [OATH]