Guild Wars 2

Hello Everyone!

So I’ve been playing thief for a little bit now (lvl 48), and after looking at some builds and thinking of what I like, I’ve come up with a couple builds that I’d like some feedback on. They’re both similar, but a few key differences. I may not know what I’m doing, so please let me know… all constructive criticism welcome.

Here are some of the main points:
1) The build is for pug PvE and solo open-world play (if it has WvW/sPvP viablility, please say so)
2) The build is hybrid power/condi, with leaning towards condi
3) I tried to max condi damage, while also throwing in as much power as possible to support DPS
4) The main application of condi is bleed
5) The synergies are through: dodge, bleed, might, init regen
6) The idea is to stack bleeds and might as much as possible and keep the pressure up that way with dodge, caltrops, death blossom, SB #2 (and #4 for posion/combo).
7) To be as self reliant as possible

So the difference between the two builds is in the trickery line, specifically {bountiful theft & slight of hand} vs {trickster and hastened replenishment}. The steal skills were suggested to me, but i honestly don’t know how good steal is. I hardly ever use it and it doesn’t quite seem to fit the build I’m going for, but maybe steal is much better than I think and I should use it more:
Variation 1
Variation 2

So, what do you guys think? Am I way off? Is this good but needs some tweaking? Variation 1 vs 2?

Thanks all!!!!

sirrealist.1360:

Hello Everyone!

So I’ve been playing thief for a little bit now (lvl 48), and after looking at some builds and thinking of what I like, I’ve come up with a couple builds that I’d like some feedback on. They’re both similar, but a few key differences. I may not know what I’m doing, so please let me know… all constructive criticism welcome.

Here are some of the main points:
1) The build is for pug PvE and solo open-world play (if it has WvW/sPvP viablility, please say so)
2) The build is hybrid power/condi, with leaning towards condi
3) I tried to max condi damage, while also throwing in as much power as possible to support DPS
4) The main application of condi is bleed
5) The synergies are through: dodge, bleed, might, init regen
6) The idea is to stack bleeds and might as much as possible and keep the pressure up that way with dodge, caltrops, death blossom, SB #2 (and #4 for posion/combo).
7) To be as self reliant as possible

So the difference between the two builds is in the trickery line, specifically {bountiful theft & slight of hand} vs {trickster and hastened replenishment}. The steal skills were suggested to me, but i honestly don’t know how good steal is. I hardly ever use it and it doesn’t quite seem to fit the build I’m going for, but maybe steal is much better than I think and I should use it more:
Variation 1
Variation 2

So, what do you guys think? Am I way off? Is this good but needs some tweaking? Variation 1 vs 2?

Thanks all!!!!

Uh, well, Variation 2 is better. Although both are not viable in WvW/PvP and aren’t optimal for PvE. I have tried D/D condi and it works, don’t get me wrong, it works just fine for PvE, just isn’t as good as direct dmg builds. However, if you go with variation 2 – I suggest dropping the undead runes(not enough toughness to be effective) and dropping the rabid accs(for carrion or dire), you don’t need precision.

Thanks for the quick reply! I’ll respond in-line:

Pavel.8531:

Uh, well, Variation 2 is better.

Why is that? Can you expound on that?

Pavel.8531:

Although both are not viable in WvW/PvP

Why is that? Can you expound on that?

Pavel.8531:

I have tried D/D condi and it works, don’t get me wrong, it works just fine for PvE, just isn’t as good as direct dmg builds.

Yeah, I get that, unfortunately. My take on it is that I like the highly reactionary, dodge-heavy style of play that DoT requires.

Pavel.8531:

However, if you go with variation 2 – I suggest dropping the undead runes(not enough toughness to be effective) and dropping the rabid accs(for carrion or dire), you don’t need precision.

What runes do you suggest? It seemed like they provided the most condi damage buff. As for the accs, the build editor doesn’t have ascended carrion or dire to pick, so rabid was all that was left. I assume there isn’t ascended carrion/dire accs? Better to get carrion exotic?

sirrealist.1360:

Thanks for the quick reply! I’ll respond in-line:

Pavel.8531:

Uh, well, Variation 2 is better.

Why is that? Can you expound on that?

Because you aren’t going to be using your heal for initiative gain, so SoH+Bountiful are superiour.

Pavel.8531:

Although both are not viable in WvW/PvP

Why is that? Can you expound on that?
Your build has 0 condi removal. Also, personal experience withs a full apothecary D/D build (experienced players wrecked me).

Pavel.8531:

I have tried D/D condi and it works, don’t get me wrong, it works just fine for PvE, just isn’t as good as direct dmg builds.

Yeah, I get that, unfortunately. My take on it is that I like the highly reactionary, dodge-heavy style of play that DoT requires.

D/D condi playstyle is 3-dodge-3-dodge….

Pavel.8531:

However, if you go with variation 2 – I suggest dropping the undead runes(not enough toughness to be effective) and dropping the rabid accs(for carrion or dire), you don’t need precision.

What runes do you suggest? It seemed like they provided the most condi damage buff. As for the accs, the build editor doesn’t have ascended carrion or dire to pick, so rabid was all that was left. I assume there isn’t ascended carrion/dire accs? Better to get carrion exotic?

I suggest your whole build is exotic at 1st. And yes, there is no ascended carrion/pure dire. As for runes – while raw stats are showing like that, you should look at durations too. I’d suggest… looking as it’s a heavy might gain build… Strength, Hoelbrak or Aristocracy?

So something more like this?

You probably won’t need power since you’re going to be D/D condi so just use Dire instead of Carrion Imo.

You are probably going to use almost only DB, I would use rune of the adventurer. keep dodging (uncatchable = more caltrops).

Also definitely boutiful theft instead of trickster for vigor (again more dodges = more caltrops)

As for the gm trait i don’t know, if you use withdraw you ckittene effectively hastened replenishment (with SoM doesn’t have much sense) on a 15s cd which is cool. But also sleight of hand means 6-7s shorter cd on steal which is great. If you manage to use it as soon as it comes up maybe that’s better as you get dmg + heal + vigor + 2init more often

(I personally don’t think any DD condi build is that great in wvw, especially with SoM as it is not that reliable, for my experience the people running DD condi that gave me trouble i can count on a mutilated hand, but maybe that’s just because i haven’t met any good ones)

Is there a fairly widely accepted “best condi build” for pug PvE and solo open world?

sirrealist.1360:

So something more like this?

Yeah, what’s what I had in mind – try it and then work it from there – what do you think would suit you better and all, changing traits, utils, gear… Only when you are 100% sure this is the build you like, then start with the ascended stuff.

Well, best accepted pug PvE build for D/D is full Dire gear. You ckittene your build and traits nothing decisible “best” there maybe 4(mug, potent poison, the “5” and dagger training bonus work only for direct dmg)/0/0/4/6… you just gather the mobs in a group(since they don’t deal a lot of dmg while you are hearding them) and spam 3 and dodgetrops several times + caltrops if there are veterans… then kite them a bit and they drop like flies. A bit more work vs ranged though.

alchemyst.2165:

You probably won’t need power since you’re going to be D/D condi so just use Dire instead of Carrion Imo.

uhm imho he’s going to be evading 90% of the time he shouldn’t have much trouble with survaival and some power raises dmg, DB also hits 3 times in a very short amount of time with some power you’ll notice the difference

Runes of the scavenger seem to be pretty strong with this build, on account of adding 7% of vit to condi dam.

anyone else to offer suggestions?

This is the build that was suggested to me for condi/power hybrid. Variation 2 is my attempt to improve it. Is the original suggested build better?

Weapon Set#1 D/empty and Weapon Set#2 empty/D with Sigil of Battle on one and Sigil of Energy on the other Dagger.

Uses Rune of Adventure.

Doing all these every time they are cooldowned:
-DB
-Swap weapon
-Steal
-Healing Skill
-Dodge

I think this is pretty much the “Unicorn” build.

Updated build

I think this might be the best one so far… it’ll probably be able to have might stacks on it’s own most of the time, and that really increases the damage output. Thoughts? Tweaks? Overhauls?