Guild Wars 2

I’m making a caltrops bleed thief at the moment, and am currently trying to decide on what runes to put in my armor. A full set of Rune of the Afflicted or Rune of the Undead seems good (I’m a toughness build, meaning that rune of the Undead will grant something like 400 condition damage based off my stats).

I was looking at Rune of the Mad King, however. It seems to have some interesting properties for a thief. Bleed duration is nice, about the same as the bleed duration granted by Rune of the Afflicted. It also gives +10% condtion duration on top of that, and a bunch of power as well as the ability to summon ravens every time I do daggerstorm.

Has anyone managed to try out a full set of mad king runes on a thief? Or would that be a waste?

It sounds like a good idea. Why not try it out?

Because runes of the mad king are very expensive. Also, I would have to put them into exotic or rare gears to get the full effect.

Right now I’m unsure about runes of the mad king. While they give +power, and bleed duration, they do not give condition damage bonuses. I just wonder if the sacrifice in condition damage would be worth the perks.

I did it and I do not regret it. The Ravens in combination with thieves guild is a bloody mess. As far as the other traits, my damage and survivability are great.

Camulos.7869:

I did it and I do not regret it. The Ravens in combination with thieves guild is a bloody mess. As far as the other traits, my damage and survivability are great.

How much damage and how many targets do the ravens hit for?

Ok, well I got the runes, and have been playing around with it. Here’s my impressions so far.

The birds are summoned after the channeling of your skill. So if you use Daggerstorm, the birds will attack after you stop spinning. They have a wide range (possibly 1200 or so) and attack multiple targets with several pecks, each of which can crit.

I have a power/vit/condition build and I noticed my birds hitting for just over 1k damage on orians, which is about the same as my heartseeker. Overall, pretty decent. Sadly they don’t inflict any status ailments, they just deal rapid damage to multiple targets.

I actually started using Basilisk venom, because it refreshes every 45 seconds, which means I can pretty much summon aoe bird hell as an ultimate. They make for a really great supplimentary dps with caltrops and bleeds.

This works well for thieves guild too, of course. They also proc healing from Signet of Malice, which is really nice.

I’m thinking of doing this as well to be honest…
I do use my SB a lot and cluster bombs even more so (S/P+SB rocks)
So the bleed buff is nice and the condition buff is also nice with my vulnerability from the sword autoattack and the cluster bomb bleed.

It also gives me my power that I need and guaranteed ravens after I use my ultimate which is mostly dagger storm.

Thanks for the idea OP.

I use DD/SB, with a superior rune of geomancy on my short bow. After I’ve done my dagger combo to stack bleeds with death blossom, I’ll switch to my short bow and activate birds with basilisk venom, then kite/aoe.

I imagine this would also be effective for pistol/pistol too, since that setup lacks an AOE attack.

It seems that the maximum number of enemies affected by birds is like 5 or 6, I’ll have to do more testing. One of the best parts is that the damage comes in gradual hits, which makes it very effective for punishing dodge rolls.

I’m having a hard time deciding which ultimate is best for calling birds. They add a huge dps bonus to daggerstorm, but if your daggerstorm is interrupted then you get no birds. Thieves guild with birds is amazing, especially out of stealth, but it has a large cooldown. Finally, Basilisk venom gives you birds every 45 seconds, but isn’t a very useful skill on it’s own.

Tried the set, the birds only hit for 30-50 damage, so much for 1k hits

I’ll be trying out my set (I bought 6 of them) once I get my final pieces of armor, the bird damage may be based on power which may lead to the bird damage being higher (however if you’re only scoring 30-50 damage then it the power shouldn’t make that much of a difference).

Too bad…mean 7 wasted gold because I may have trusted a liar.

I like runes of the mad king. I have tested it 10x on 80 level orrians and with some critical hits I did average damage to single target about 1900-2687 damage.

If you are not into the damage the Ravens inflict, then combine half the Runes of the Mad King with half the Runes of Lyssa. You’d loose 5% bleeding duration but gain 10% overall condition duration for a total of 20%. Plus you’d balance Power with Precision which is also not bad (though you’d loose 15 point of power compared to using the whole set).

Would a venom share happen to share its venom’s with the ravens?

Runcore.5107:

I like runes of the mad king. I have tested it 10x on 80 level orrians and with some critical hits I did average damage to single target about 1900-2687 damage.

Screenshot or it didnt happen. Quit trolling or be reported as such, how would such a 6 set only do 50 damage a hit to players in wvwvw and 1-2k in PVE.

I hope that I didnt say it wrongly. This 1.900-2.687 damage is TOTAL damage dealt by birds that are summoned with mad kings runes to 80. level orrian monster on Cursed shore. Its NOT damage per hit or per second, its total damage that birds deal to monster during their whole attack (with some critical hits). Your 50 damage is per hit/per second?

I tried the set out on karma condition gear, as I didn’t want to spend a lot of cash. I tested the runes out on level 80 Risen. Build was otherwise a power/crit build with 103 crit damage.

I saw per hit damage of 80, with it critting for 160 or so, with a total damage adding up to ~2300 or so roughly. (I did occasionally see totals of 3900 or so, making me think it’s affected by executioner) It affected at least 4 targets.

Total damage seemed lower per target, the moer targets there were.

Ok, someone was saying 1k per hit earlier, so I figured you were basing off of that. I still want to see screenshots of this 1900-3900 damage. They were hitting for 50ish in my condition gear+build and 80ish in full burst gear+build. They hit about 13 times total sometimes less, for over 30 tests so far..

I can upload here screens of damages from 2249-2446 (one time i did 2687 as i said but no screen now) but 3900 is too high and i doubt that somebody reach this number. I build my gear for damage, precision and condition damage and i have executioner trait (25/30/0/0/15) and cannot reach 3900 but im thief – maybe some warrior or character with pure damage or condition damage build.

I did the testing with full power, crit damage and crit, with sigil of bloodlust and the 100 power/70 prec food. Attack was ~3700 or so. Average damage was 2900 or so if the hits were mostly crits. 3900 is not impossible but I suspect pretty rare. I wonder if each bird has a chance of hitting another target after hitting one already.

I’ll try to do a little more testing later today, and try to get a screenie.

Ok if full damage, precision and critical damage then maybe. I wanted to have my stats balanced so i sacrificed some of this for vitality and toughness.

I’ve tested out my full set, with 3313 attack I’m averaging around 6k total damage from the ravens, if they crit I’ll reach 10k.

lunaticat.4216:

If you are not into the damage the Ravens inflict, then combine half the Runes of the Mad King with half the Runes of Lyssa. You’d loose 5% bleeding duration but gain 10% overall condition duration for a total of 20%. Plus you’d balance Power with Precision which is also not bad (though you’d loose 15 point of power compared to using the whole set).

With Thief bleeds, most of them lasting 4 seconds, you need to reach the 25% mark. 15% bleed duration plus 10% overal condition damage, means a full extra tick for all bleeds. Most times I use the 15% from Afflicted and 10% from the sigil of agony, if you don’t reach that mark, your bleeds will stay the same.

BabelFish.7234:

I’ve tested out my full set, with 3313 attack I’m averaging around 6k total damage from the ravens, if they crit I’ll reach 10k.

screenshots…….

BabelFish.7234:

I’ve tested out my full set, with 3313 attack I’m averaging around 6k total damage from the ravens, if they crit I’ll reach 10k.

Can you tell me how much critical and condition damage you have? I have +- same damage but cannot reach so high numbers.

Teerwik.1650:

BabelFish.7234:

I’ve tested out my full set, with 3313 attack I’m averaging around 6k total damage from the ravens, if they crit I’ll reach 10k.

screenshots…….

I’d have to fraps that, the birds have like 3 different chains of damage they deal.

On chain 1 I see anywhere from 2-4k of damage
On chain 2 I see anywhere from 2-4k of damage and on the swooping attack I see 1-2k of damage.

Runcore.5107:

BabelFish.7234:

I’ve tested out my full set, with 3313 attack I’m averaging around 6k total damage from the ravens, if they crit I’ll reach 10k.

Can you tell me how much critical and condition damage you have? I have +- same damage but cannot reach so high numbers.

I have 200 condition damage traited (I’m not a cond thief, I’m a PW thief and I only went that deep to get trickster)

My crit damage % is 154.

Also, on a side note: the ravens activate Signet Of Malice, I went through Arah today on SM and multiple times I had them birdies heal me fully while dishing out respectable damage.

Steal+ Ravens + Dagger Storm makes you feel like Fiddlesticks from League of Legends. Jump into the middle of everything and cause mass panic.

I don’t knowif it’s a glitch of something but I’ve never actually seen the ravens when I use DS before, during or after the ability channels. Maybe they’re all just dying too fast…

BabelFish.7234:

I don’t knowif it’s a glitch of something but I’ve never actually seen the ravens when I use DS before, during or after the ability channels. Maybe they’re all just dying too fast…

They don’t die; they’re exactly like the hawks called by Rangers when they use that horn skill, but tweaked to look like ravens instead.

Grimwolf.7163:

BabelFish.7234:

I don’t knowif it’s a glitch of something but I’ve never actually seen the ravens when I use DS before, during or after the ability channels. Maybe they’re all just dying too fast…

They don’t die; they’re exactly like the hawks called by Rangers when they use that horn skill, but tweaked to look like ravens instead.

I think you need to reread what I typed.

BabelFish.7234:

Teerwik.1650:

BabelFish.7234:

I’ve tested out my full set, with 3313 attack I’m averaging around 6k total damage from the ravens, if they crit I’ll reach 10k.

screenshots…….

I’d have to fraps that, the birds have like 3 different chains of damage they deal.

On chain 1 I see anywhere from 2-4k of damage
On chain 2 I see anywhere from 2-4k of damage and on the swooping attack I see 1-2k of damage.

Runcore.5107:

BabelFish.7234:

I’ve tested out my full set, with 3313 attack I’m averaging around 6k total damage from the ravens, if they crit I’ll reach 10k.

Can you tell me how much critical and condition damage you have? I have +- same damage but cannot reach so high numbers.

I have 200 condition damage traited (I’m not a cond thief, I’m a PW thief and I only went that deep to get trickster)

My crit damage % is 154.

Also, on a side note: the ravens activate Signet Of Malice, I went through Arah today on SM and multiple times I had them birdies heal me fully while dishing out respectable damage.

I have 3253 damage, 387 condition damage, 51% critical change and 150% basic + 30% traited + 19% from items of critical damage (total 199%) + all traits for higher damage like executioner etc and still cannot reach your 6k-10k total damage by ravens. I dont know how it work that you reach 4x higher damage. Very strange.

Runcore.5107:

BabelFish.7234:

Teerwik.1650:

BabelFish.7234:

I’ve tested out my full set, with 3313 attack I’m averaging around 6k total damage from the ravens, if they crit I’ll reach 10k.

screenshots…….

I’d have to fraps that, the birds have like 3 different chains of damage they deal.

On chain 1 I see anywhere from 2-4k of damage
On chain 2 I see anywhere from 2-4k of damage and on the swooping attack I see 1-2k of damage.

Runcore.5107:

BabelFish.7234:

I’ve tested out my full set, with 3313 attack I’m averaging around 6k total damage from the ravens, if they crit I’ll reach 10k.

Can you tell me how much critical and condition damage you have? I have +- same damage but cannot reach so high numbers.

I have 200 condition damage traited (I’m not a cond thief, I’m a PW thief and I only went that deep to get trickster)

My crit damage % is 154.

Also, on a side note: the ravens activate Signet Of Malice, I went through Arah today on SM and multiple times I had them birdies heal me fully while dishing out respectable damage.

I have 3253 damage, 387 condition damage, 51% critical change and 150% basic + 30% traited + 19% from items of critical damage (total 199%) + all traits for higher damage like executioner etc and still cannot reach your 6k-10k total damage by ravens. I dont know how is it possible that you reach 4x higher damage. Very strange.

I screwed up my crit dmg it’s actually 190% and I use executioner too. On average I see it deal 5-6k of dmg on a Orr mob. Next time it crits I’ll screen shot the combat log.

Then i dont know whats wrong with me that i deal half damage with same average stats. Just for sure – your 190% critical damage include 150% basic + 40% from traits and items?

Runcore.5107:

Then i dont know whats wrong with me that i deal half damage with same average stats. Just for sure – your 190% critical damage include 150% basic + 40% from traits and items?

That actually doesn’t include traits, just items and base. Its probably in the low 200s…(I’m 30 deep in critical strikes for executioner).

Edit: just did the math I’m sitting at 228% crit dmg.
I also have a sigil of force.

I mean hell, post nerf my PW has done 11k dmg on a crit. I’m kinda built as a tanky dps machine from hell.

Then we are very close with statistics and I still half damage only Mad King cheated me Ravens are only hawks and I deal only half damage that other. What can do so high differences between your and my “raven” attack??

Even with 29% more critical damage it cannot do so big difference.

Runcore.5107:

Then we are very close with statistics and I still half damage only Mad King cheated me Ravens are only hawks and I deal only half damage that other. What can do so high differences between your and my “raven” attack??

Not sure, what are your stats?
Luck also has a factor but you should at the minimum see a 5k crow swarm if we’re comparable in stats (I saw 10k once, much like I saw my PW crit for 11k once).

I have sent you my stats. Yes luck is factor but my 2,5k max and your 10k max is not luck but miracle.

Well I have only seen it happen once but like I said in pm’s you should see a 5-6k crit anyhow.

I’m starting to wish I had posted they suck. As some of you can see, I wasn’t kidding.

So, Ravens worth it or not with that kind of build?

I’ve been running MK runes on my condition thief practically since the halloween event. Why?

It’s not the damage.

The logic is very simple:

Are you using signet of malice as your heal?
Yes: Use MK runes.
No: Don’t bother.

I’m built around Signet of Malice. I use MK runes not for their damage (which is icing on the cake) but because every single tick of damage, on every target, from every bird, counts as an attack. This means that using any elite will heal you about 1/4 of your total HP for every nearby target (give or take you amount of healing power and vitality) These attacks can’t be dispelled or completely dodged, and turn daggerstorm in to practical godmode against anything less than eight people, or basilisk venom in to a very good 45s cooldown heal against single targets (that also baits a stunbreak or gives you an easy setup for CnD>Sneak attack, Death blossom spam, or just plain running away.

Without Signet of Malice… meh. It’s kinda Okay damage and a cool effect but not a better option than undead or 2x krait/afflicted/centaur in my experience. It’s more useful for D/D condition builds than P/D because the birds, as an attack, will break your stealth.