Guild Wars 2

I’m learning to make the full switch from d/d condition to burst, and I must say I’ve been having a ton of fun as of late going S/D and D/P, switching up with S/P and SB whenever I get bored. Biggest adjustment I’m trying to make is to learn how to use stealth offensively (in my condition build my stealth was purely defensive, I try to stay stealthed as long as possible after I stack my bleeds so I heal while they die, regen my initiative and do it again).

I’m still in the “just wing it and see how it feels!” mode, but I do wonder what thieves with more experience do in these situations, so I’m hoping y’all can help me out again as you have before (much appreciated!)

In the S/D weapon set, I basically IS -> autoattack -> flanking strike if I see a hit coming -> SS back, reposition if needed and do it again. Rarely do I actually stealth and if I do it’s because I’m getting swarmed. Is there a way to use stealth offensively here? The 1 attack off of stealth in sword feels underwhelming, yea opponent is dazed for a sec. Meh.

D/P, obv u BS off of stealth, the question is how do I manage the revealed buff until I can stealth again? Generally I SS->BP->autoattack x5 -> HS -> BS -> BP again and autoattack -> HS -> BS. After I take out maybe 2-3 targets I’m out of initiative, so at this point now what?

I appreciate all inputs!

Silver.4798:

I’m learning to make the full switch from d/d condition to burst, and I must say I’ve been having a ton of fun as of late going S/D and D/P, switching up with S/P and SB whenever I get bored. Biggest adjustment I’m trying to make is to learn how to use stealth offensively (in my condition build my stealth was purely defensive, I try to stay stealthed as long as possible after I stack my bleeds so I heal while they die, regen my initiative and do it again).

I’m still in the “just wing it and see how it feels!” mode, but I do wonder what thieves with more experience do in these situations, so I’m hoping y’all can help me out again as you have before (much appreciated!)

In the S/D weapon set, I basically IS -> autoattack -> flanking strike if I see a hit coming -> SS back, reposition if needed and do it again. Rarely do I actually stealth and if I do it’s because I’m getting swarmed. Is there a way to use stealth offensively here? The 1 attack off of stealth in sword feels underwhelming, yea opponent is dazed for a sec. Meh.

D/P, obv u BS off of stealth, the question is how do I manage the revealed buff until I can stealth again? Generally I SS->BP->autoattack x5 -> HS -> BS -> BP again and autoattack -> HS -> BS. After I take out maybe 2-3 targets I’m out of initiative, so at this point now what?

I appreciate all inputs!

Use it to interrupt revives in 1vmany fights.

Silver.4798:

In the S/D weapon set, I basically IS -> autoattack -> flanking strike if I see a hit coming -> SS back, reposition if needed and do it again. Rarely do I actually stealth and if I do it’s because I’m getting swarmed. Is there a way to use stealth offensively here? The 1 attack off of stealth in sword feels underwhelming, yea opponent is dazed for a sec. Meh.

It’s actually 2 seconds, and if you have a Sigil of Paralyzation, it’s 3 seconds, which is an eternity.

Try this: IS in, quickly C&D while your target is rooted, TS strike from behind, then wait 3 seconds before using FS. This would be a good way to use stealth offensively.

Edit: My post regards WvW and not sPvP.

Silver.4798:

I’m learning to make the full switch from d/d condition to burst, and I must say I’ve been having a ton of fun as of late going S/D and D/P, switching up with S/P and SB whenever I get bored. Biggest adjustment I’m trying to make is to learn how to use stealth offensively (in my condition build my stealth was purely defensive, I try to stay stealthed as long as possible after I stack my bleeds so I heal while they die, regen my initiative and do it again).

I’m still in the “just wing it and see how it feels!” mode, but I do wonder what thieves with more experience do in these situations, so I’m hoping y’all can help me out again as you have before (much appreciated!)

In the S/D weapon set, I basically IS -> autoattack -> flanking strike if I see a hit coming -> SS back, reposition if needed and do it again. Rarely do I actually stealth and if I do it’s because I’m getting swarmed. Is there a way to use stealth offensively here? The 1 attack off of stealth in sword feels underwhelming, yea opponent is dazed for a sec. Meh.

D/P, obv u BS off of stealth, the question is how do I manage the revealed buff until I can stealth again? Generally I SS->BP->autoattack x5 -> HS -> BS -> BP again and autoattack -> HS -> BS. After I take out maybe 2-3 targets I’m out of initiative, so at this point now what?

I appreciate all inputs!

I met a Japanese player the other day in hotjoin just messing around, he was pretty good and used S/D, D/P. It seemed he would wear the opponent down with S/D, and then CnD off S/D for Stealth, and swap to D/P for the Backstab and stomp. D/P’s Black Powder is awesome for stomps.

Try finding the twitch streams of other players and see what they do as well. You will also learn quite a few tricks/playstyles like that, and when it comes to SB you can learn some good Infy Arrow shots you might not know right now.

I really want to try the S/D, D/P setup myself, but I’m just too attached to my Shortbow. Not just for Infy Arrow, but Choking Gas (-33% healing) and Clusterbomb are just so useful, and I dont want to be in the center of the fight all the time. :/

P.S. I’ll be happy when we get spectator mode.

Kneru.8014:

I really want to try the S/D, D/P setup myself, but I’m just too attached to my Shortbow. Not just for Infy Arrow, but Choking Gas (-33% healing) and Clusterbomb are just so useful, and I dont want to be in the center of the fight all the time. :/

P.S. I’ll be happy when we get spectator mode.

I always have my SB in my inventory for when I need it, like when I know I’ll face mobs in PvE or tower defenses/offenses in WvW. It’s not like if you use D/P and S/D that you can’t use SB when you want to.

I’m not proficient enough with the SB to take people down 1 on 1 or 3 on 3 or whatever with a SB, I’m much more comfortable and effective with controlling and rooting people with S/D, whittle them down some and then cloaking off to D/P BS for the kill. I highly recommend it!

@ JakobGW, as per the 2 second daze, I didn’t know that, thanks! But why do you recommend waiting 3 seconds before flanking striking?

Silver.4798:

@ JakobGW, as per the 2 second daze, I didn’t know that, thanks! But why do you recommend waiting 3 seconds before flanking striking?

Your target, when dazed, has nothing to do but dodge, which is 99.99% of the time what he/she will do. If you FS during the 3 seconds, not only will you likely miss your FS costing you 4 initiative, but you will also waste the evade because your target couldn’t use a skill anyways. Wait for the dodge, possibly two, and then use FS. By that time, you’ll take advantage of the evade and likely connect with the FS.