Guild Wars 2

I’m of the opinion that the thief traits, minor and major, are all over the place and not cohesive. Prime example is the trickery traits.

This line give condition damage/steal buffs and recharge rate, and the minor/major traits generally give steal buffs and initiative regen. But then there are two very powerful burst type traits in this line, for example, Flanking strike (5% increased damage when hitting target anywhere but the front) and Lead attacks (1% increased damage per initiative).

DoT builds need to invest in this tree, but so do builds that need initiative regen. You can invest 15 in trickery for a burst build to take flanking strike and the preparedness minor trait (+3 initiative), but now you have 150 condition damage which is worthless in a burst build. Lead attacks seem great but that will require going 25 into trickery and 250 worthless condition damage…

Contrast, minor traits in deadly arts… the “burst” traitline. Stealing applies poison for 10s? Poison applies weakness? How is this helping burst?!

In any case rather than complaining about how these traits are in the wrong locations, I’m wondering if anyone can cook up a strong burst build that invests heavily in trickery, and somehow makes the condi damage work.

Ideas anyone?

I can’t be bothered finding the link, but Arganthium has a solid S/D + SB 10/0/0/30/30 build that works pretty kitten well, despite people’s misconceptions about the necessity of 30 in CS and a Zerker amulet. It is a power build that only focusses on the utility gained from Trickery instead of the condi damage.

Trickery is my favorite thief traitline because there are just so many interesting traits available. The improvements to steal are very useful, as is Riccochet and uncatchable for condition builds.

Critical strikes on the other hand feels kind of boring other than the grandmaster traits on power builds.

Traits being all over the place seems to be par for the course, actually, regardless of class.

I don’t really believe it’s optimal, but I really like Trickery. It’s just fun. I run 10/0/10/20/30 S/D + SB.

My Shadow Comet of Doom.

Steal does damage, heals (Mug), poisons (Serpent’s Touch), grants aoe vigor, boon steals (Bountiful Theft) and dazes, all on a 21.5 second cooldown (Sleight of Hand). Ample dodging (vigor + Feline Grace compound very well) + caltrops (Uncatchable) . Power is the primary damage stat, since Mug can’t crit. That 300 condition damage doesn’t go to complete waste with poison and bleeds usually finding a mark.

I opted for 10 in SA because it’s a buffet of useful traits. I consider the wide variety of utility worth more than the 100 power and weaker traits I could get out of DA (I seriously hate venoms). YMMV.

The basic build framework is fairly weapon neutral, and I used to run it as a P/D condition build, where the condition damage saw much stronger use. It might be stronger in that configuration, with full on Carrion gear, but I just got sick of condition builds.

@ Incurafy, I just looked up the Arganthium build (it’s in the guides to thief guides pin up thread), I think this is the one you meant:
http://intothemists.com/guides/293-sd_heavy_boonsteal_harassment_thief_by_arga

It’s a PvP build though, I was speaking more in terms of PvE, which is an entirely different ballgame.

Silver.4798:

the “burst” traitline. Stealing applies poison for 10s? Poison applies weakness? How is this helping burst?!

I believe that poison is linked to the “+condi duration” of the trait line, and to the fact that poison impede healing. The trait line seems less a burst line (critical strikes cover that aspect better) that a “direct damage” line, and (on the paper at least) poison makes sense here.
Plus, since condition damage and duration are both minor stats, they will always be splitted and accompany another stats not directly linked to condition. It is true for every profession.