Guild Wars 2

So I don’t have a problem with thief condition removal on the ground – shadow steps, traits, heals, etc make it where conditions are not a big deal. Underwater, though, I get roflstomped by any tanky condition build as their vitality/toughness beats out my already sub-par underwater attack long enough for their condition stacks to kill me. Underwater, my ONLY condition removal option is HiS – and on a 30s cooldown that is absolutely not a reliable condition removal tool. No access to shadow steps, no access to stealths (beyond that HiS), etc… it sucks.

So what do you guys do? Use Purity/Generosity sigils? Runes of Lyssa? Flee underwater combat the second you see conditions stacking? Or is there some effective method I’m missing?

I honestly just avoid underwater combat as much as possible, far to many of the thief utilities don’t work there, or resign myself to just spear #3 constantly and hoping for the best.

Condi removal is an issue for thieves underwater. Better to not suffer condis at all I think. You didn’t specify whether this post is related to WvW, sPvP, or PvE, but here’s my sPvP build for an S/D thief.

http://intothemists.com/calc/?build=VdF3V-FCVwk0-J5JOFd07EwOFc07-JP;5T-OE;102A;128-4;0IcW4-JF0KJG4KJG45BQ

For underwater combat, all you really need is to spam Shadow Assault (Spear #5). Combined with my trait set up, Withdraw and Roll for Initiative, you’ll have access to A LOT of dodges and evasion from skills, as well as initiative regen to use spear #5 again and again, as long as you’re hitting someone. I do run Lyssa Runes, which clears condis with Basilisk Venom, AND BV will hold an enemy in place while you spear #5 them. Devourer Venom has the same application, and you can close gaps with Steal and Infiltrator’s Signet.

I haven’t fully tested it, but I’m fairly certain you can get somewhere in the neighborhood of 20 seconds of constant evasion using your skills and dodges wisely. Only issue is that Withdraw and Roll for Initiative will move you off point if you’re playing the water map in sPvP, but they’re fantastic for disengaging.

But short of using a spec similar to mine, using Lyssa Runes, Purity Sigils, and Hide in Shadows are our best methods for underwater condi cleansing.

It’s because you can’t really stealth underwater which means you can’t abuse shadow’s embrace. On top of that you lose shadow return condition removal be it on sword and shadow step which doesn’t help either.

Basically yes, thief condition removal underwater sucks, your only choice are a 20 acro trait, signet of agility (you need it underwater) and HiS.

That being said there’s no way to avoid underwater combat as a thief since withdraw + roll for ini + spear 3/5 and speargun 5 (use this when fleeing, can switch to spear and use 3 to block some ranged hits aswell if they miraculously catched up with you) = impossible to die.

On a side question—are there any underwater elite skills for a thief? I get a little tired of that empty last slot for the skill loadout when I’m underwater (one change I’d make to the game, BTW—provide a means to edit your underwater skill set other than actually going underwater to do it…)

basilisk venom only underwater elite

Puru.4217:

It’s because you can’t really stealth underwater which means you can’t abuse shadow’s embrace. On top of that you lose shadow return condition removal be it on sword and shadow step which doesn’t help either.

Basically yes, thief condition removal underwater sucks, your only choice are a 20 acro trait, signet of agility (you need it underwater) and HiS.

That being said there’s no way to avoid underwater combat as a thief since withdraw + roll for ini + spear 3/5 and speargun 5 (use this when fleeing, can switch to spear and use 3 to block some ranged hits aswell if they miraculously catched up with you) = impossible to die.

This all translates to “I run away and it’s impossible for them to stop me from running”.

As for the location, it doesn’t really matter – though PvE doesn’t count for any strategy as it takes no strategy to mow through PvE. You can just #3 stomp PvE… so this would be WvW or PvP.

Johnny’s suggestion of venoms to root and #5 spam seems to be the most realistic way to have a hope of underwater battle. I really really do not want to have to rely on Lyssa runes for condition removal, especially considering that in sPvP it only matters on one map. But the suggestion moves of RoI and Withdraw would defeat the whole point of doing underwater in sPvP, as the only reason I’d touch underwater is to capture. Also not sure I want to roll so heavy into initiative gain as I don’t need it above water. Lacking those points, I may not be able to hold like that.

Short answer seems to be there seems to be no secret way I was missing, though I’ll be using venoms more. =d