Guild Wars 2

I’m not a good thief, I get it. But it’s only been while playing my thief, (which is the rare female charr thief) that I’ve had other thieves comment on how low my damage output is. I’ve just posted about the 10k backstab I received on my ele, so yea, I know dealing out 2k hits with my thief isn’t good.
To increase my survivability, I use shadowstep, assault trap (in pvp, you can be across the map in a pinch) and haste to try and increase my damage output. I have a 1500 stealth steal, on the shortest cooldown. It’s an opportunistic build. I’ll be the one that catches runaways. And hopefully, won’t be around to go down to a group.
This is my style, and I was quite happy with it, until I was bested by a shatter spam faceroll Mesmer. Words were said, but anyway, Anet, things like this is why we can’t play the way we want to play.

I dont get it … you comparing your auto attack with someones backstab or are you backstabbing for 2 k ?

well, I mainly do d/p for shadow shot, and s/d for larcenous strike. I like the style. Is it my fault if the skills aren’t as good as say pistolwhip? But no, I can’t say I’ve seen my backstabs do more than 3k. That stealth steal build required I couldn’t put much or any into deadly arts or critical strikes. But when someone commented on my play, I considered putting 20 out of acrobatics (to keep me moving) and into critical.

Well, a few questions first off:

1) What attack at you using to hit for 2k? Backstab, auto attack, etc.
2) What’s your trait setup? You obviously spec into trickery for the steal range, but how about the rest?
3) What’s your gear spec/amulet?

Also bear in mind that depending on whether you’re in PvP or WvW, a backstab is expected to do different amounts.

In WvW my backstab typically does 6-10k depending on the target’s armor (I run a sustain burst build like Yishis, you can google his vids for context), in PvP it’s normally around 5-6k (25/30/0/15/0 zerk). My damage is normally pretty mediocre in comparison to Yski Unseenleaf (also google his vids, they craaaazy :P ), but I like being able to eat a burst if I mess up and not instantly lose.

But yeah, if you want to deal direct damage as a thief, you pretty much need investment in critical strikes. Post your build, see if we can’t help

Stealth steal build? what are u talking about? Oh and I know you come here 30 min after asking for thief damage nerfs in ele forums
https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/elementalist/10K-backstab/first#post3521290
You claim that there is no skill needed to play thief with constant 5 k backstabs (lol) and 30 min later you qq about getting facerolled by shatter mesmer on you thief.

Karolis.4261:

Stealth steal build? what are u talking about? Oh and I know you come here 30 min after asking for thief damage nerfs in ele forums
https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/elementalist/10K-backstab/first#post3521290
You claim that there is no skill needed to play thief with constant 5 k backstabs (lol) and 30 min later you qq about getting facerolled by shatter mesmer on you thief.

Lol, I guess it’s a L2P issue then :P

Aren’t you the guy who was complaining about how thieves were so op in the elementalist forums ?

Don’t listen to people who just like seeing big numbers. I run a soldier’s amulet in PvP with 30% crit damage and 43% crit chance, and I have no issues with killing people, securing stomps, or dying constantly. Most fights never last very long, and it’s enough to get the decap off and grab the point, then head back and help win the team fight. Hitting big numbers is about as helpful as standing in Lion’s Arch. Your team doesn’t need you dying.

well i both hit big numbers not use stealth and stay alive but i dont run dagger to begin with.

I run sword/pistol – Shortbow in an acrobatic build entirely based on dodge spamming to generate maximum might and gain constant vigor 25 20 0 25 0 so i can even come to therm with good sword/dagger-greatsword rangers when it comes to dodging everything like crazy (think we dodged each other for about 5 minute in a spvp match it was funny).

healing roll, roll for initiave, condition cure signet, assasination signet, thieve guild

As in how to score big number kill people and run a thief build WITHOUT stealth in pvp and still be ultra successful.

Dagger backstabs is for scaredy cats just run it sword in the lovely ’’fancer’’ style

Viking Jorun.5413:

I have no issues with killing people, securing stomps, or dying constantly.

Might want to rephrase that :P

yski.7642:

Viking Jorun.5413:

I have no issues with killing people, securing stomps, or dying constantly.

Might want to rephrase that :P

Well, that came out wrong, didn’kitten XD

Viking Jorun.5413:

[…]Hitting big numbers is about as helpful as standing in Lion’s Arch. Your team doesn’t need you dying.

Common combo in a teamfight of precast pistol whip + steal/infiltrator signet is an instant 5-8k damage against a non-bunker. It is also a cleave, and PW can be cast a few times in a row. If you jump to a target who triggered a shadow trap (10 might + fury) and you are lucky with crits, you can hit even +9k PW… 2 times in a row.

You don’t die, you make people die, and they die in a fraction of second. Go full power/crit build or go home. Anything else other classes can do better than a thief. It is a fair trade.

Dagins.5163:

Viking Jorun.5413:

[…]Hitting big numbers is about as helpful as standing in Lion’s Arch. Your team doesn’t need you dying.

Common combo in a teamfight of precast pistol whip + steal/infiltrator signet is an instant 5-8k damage against a non-bunker. It is also a cleave, and PW can be cast a few times in a row. If you jump to a target who triggered a shadow trap (10 might + fury) and you are lucky with crits, you can hit even +9k PW… 2 times in a row.

You don’t die, you make people die, and they die in a fraction of second. Go full power/crit build or go home. Anything else other classes can do better than a thief. It is a fair trade.

Don’t mistake me: I still hit those 5-8k pistol whips, and maintain cleave. You don’t need to hit the highest numbers, because there comes a point when that’s better spent on survivability. I was once in Team Legacy playing tPvP up there with Team Paradigm, I think I know PvP. You’re essentially free points every time you walk out of spawn if you go pure glass.

There are different sets of rules for hotjoin, solo que and organized team arenas with voice com. In the first two, in which 99% players are (including OP and myself), you should go as glassy as possible. Explanation is simple – matches are more or less chaotic, and you have element of surprise. Surprise + burst = victory.

Dagins.5163:

There are different sets of rules for hotjoin, solo que and organized team arenas with voice com. In the first two, in which 99% players are (including OP and myself), you should go as glassy as possible. Explanation is simple – matches are more or less chaotic, and you have element of surprise. Surprise + burst = victory.

Who talks about serious gameplay in regards to SoloQ or HotJoin? The whole point of anything any serious player says is in relation to TeamPvP.

If only thief venom was as good as some of your words, ouch.
—-
If you read nothing else, let it be this:
As a thief, do you judge other thieves if they don’t have the damage output?
What gear should I get if I want to survive that mesmer shatter and still be able to see a player’s health drop when I attack?
——
I clearly state I posted in the ele forum about the 10k backstab on my ele, and here I’m saying I had my face melted by a shatter mesmer on my thief. I’m here to say any such OHKO isn’t fun to receive. I’m not here to say I want my thief doing massive damage. To my original point though, the only people to comment on my play style have been thieves on my thief. Is this a thief culture to judge others on their damage output?
I guess I’m more a roleplayer than a pvper. And yes, I’ve only done HotJoin because I fear elitism in TPvP, and if I am as bad as I think I am, you’re welcome.
At creation, I thought I’d play a carrion venom thief, but that was really bad damage back then. It felt stupid watching my charr whittle a stag in world so slowly. And no stunbreaker on venom was really unattractive.
So I went berserker, and that was good, I could actually see chunks of the health bar disappear now. But I don’t see anything I like in Critical Strikes, so my output can never be these 5-10k hits.
So my build is 0-0-20-20-30. This gives me hidden thief and the 25% health stealth. Dodge might and cripple cleanse. 1500 steal on 20s cooldown and thrill of the crime. Zerker amulet.
The fury gets my crit chance up. I can swift and stealth with steal without a target. Haste for more damage output. Shadowstep and trap to get me out of trouble. I think this will be good for backcapping and scouting. And I’m not a terrible teammate. I can usually score top player in something in this style.
Can anyone suggest a different type of gear for me in PVP/PVE?

Yes, Matt. Most thieves think that if you aren’t doing 20k backstab combos, you’re doin it wrong. And god forbid you use sword for anything but spamming pistol whip in a “zerker or nothing” build.

Matt H.6142:

If only thief venom was as good as some of your words, ouch.
—-
If you read nothing else, let it be this:
As a thief, do you judge other thieves if they don’t have the damage output?
What gear should I get if I want to survive that mesmer shatter and still be able to see a player’s health drop when I attack?
——
I clearly state I posted in the ele forum about the 10k backstab on my ele, and here I’m saying I had my face melted by a shatter mesmer on my thief. I’m here to say any such OHKO isn’t fun to receive. I’m not here to say I want my thief doing massive damage. To my original point though, the only people to comment on my play style have been thieves on my thief. Is this a thief culture to judge others on their damage output?
I guess I’m more a roleplayer than a pvper. And yes, I’ve only done HotJoin because I fear elitism in TPvP, and if I am as bad as I think I am, you’re welcome.
At creation, I thought I’d play a carrion venom thief, but that was really bad damage back then. It felt stupid watching my charr whittle a stag in world so slowly. And no stunbreaker on venom was really unattractive.
So I went berserker, and that was good, I could actually see chunks of the health bar disappear now. But I don’t see anything I like in Critical Strikes, so my output can never be these 5-10k hits.
So my build is 0-0-20-20-30. This gives me hidden thief and the 25% health stealth. Dodge might and cripple cleanse. 1500 steal on 20s cooldown and thrill of the crime. Zerker amulet.
The fury gets my crit chance up. I can swift and stealth with steal without a target. Haste for more damage output. Shadowstep and trap to get me out of trouble. I think this will be good for backcapping and scouting. And I’m not a terrible teammate. I can usually score top player in something in this style.
Can anyone suggest a different type of gear for me in PVP/PVE?

for main hand dagger the main thing in critical strikes is usually at the 30 point mark. hidden killer giving backstab a 100% crit chance is major, and allows you to build in more survivability, while the 20% damage against players with less than half health can help you finish off the wounded and is a great asset for sword based builds. most every thief power build goes heavily into it, and that is a large part of your low damage. the other thing I noticed is the 20 points in both acrobatics and shadow arts. for backstab based builds shadow arts is usualy better survivability than acrobatics, and if you are willing to go 30 into it for health regen in stealth you can become very survivable while still putting out good damage. if you aren’t dead set on dagger main hand sword is a really fun weapon to play with. I use s/p for wvw roaming and the control and mobility is incredibly fun.

oh and as far as gear, in wvw/pve mixing valkyrie into zerker to give yourself some buffer helps a lot, in pvp 30 points in SA and the zerker amulet is usually enough for me when going d/d.

Matt H.6142:

well, I mainly do d/p for shadow shot, and s/d for larcenous strike. I like the style. Is it my fault if the skills aren’t as good as say pistolwhip? But no, I can’t say I’ve seen my backstabs do more than 3k. That stealth steal build required I couldn’t put much or any into deadly arts or critical strikes. But when someone commented on my play, I considered putting 20 out of acrobatics (to keep me moving) and into critical.

what armor?

Yeah, she’s right telling you what to do and you need to lis….. eh no wait, it’s not :O Actually it’s not his/her godkitten bussiness for how much damage you hit

Ever heard the sentence: It’s just a game?
Play as you want As long as you have fun, the others can go home and cry for themselves.

1. Not all thieves do massive damage.
2. If you spec a certain way, there will be certain class/build setups that you will stomp on, and others that you will get stomped on by.
3. If you spec another way, you may find you can stomp on those you previously struggled with and vice versa.
4. I am a banana.

If your so concerned about your survivability you might consider running acrobatics 25 instead of stealth. Acrobatics provide vitality insane dodging and a good +10% damage when your endurance is not full so its a fair trade as long as you also run it with deathly art and critical strike

I personnal find running 25 20 0 20 0 proc me great survivability along with fairly good damage and while the build doesnt rely on stealth it still is way more viable then it when it comes to fighting a target head to head. Today they cry about permastealth tomorow they will cry about how i evade better then a ranger and yet deal twice the damage.

Nonetheless either you run pure zerk either you run a venomshare condition damage build. The only defrence is how you will run it