Guild Wars 2

Hi guys!

So between all this HoT topics, I was thinking about a build, and would like some feedback on it. It’s mainly for WvW solo/small group roaming.

As the title says, I’ve called it “The Flanker”, and there’s a reason for it.

It focuses kitten good positioning on the battlefield, whereas you have to always make sure you hit the enemy from the side/the back (which thieves already should do, right?).

I’ve taken DeceiverX’ build, and added some more sustain through initiative gain on stealth, and condi removal on stealth, as his build is really a hit and run build (it works wonders at what it’s intended to do).

I’ve chosen Dagger Pistol as my weapons, but it can easily be used by D/D thieves as well, just choose Cloaked in Shadow instead of Infusion of Shadow.

I’ve focused mainly on damage modifiers while on the move/hitting the foe from side/back.

First we have the rune of my choice: “Superior Rune of the Thief”.
This gives +175 precision, (some condition damage boost that isn’t that important IMO, but it’s there) and to the main reason I chose it, was the +10% damage modifier when hitting a foe from behind or side.

I’ve chosen Superior sigil of Force for a stable 5% damage modifier.

I have the trait flanking strikes which gives you 5% extra damage when hitting behind or side.

I have seaweed salad, which gives you a 10% damage modifier when you move while you attack (let’s face it, thieves don’t stand still).

Your first attacks will also hit for 10% extra while your initiative is over 6 (that’s critical strikes GM minor trait, First Strikes).

Assassin’s Signet gives you 15% more damage on your next 5 attacks.

When you get your target down to 50%, executioner will kick in, and you will do a massive 20% extra damage on top of all the other modifiers I’ve chosen.

Okay, so let’s sum this up (granted you manage to hit your foes from the back):

Rune: 10%
Sigil of Force: 5%
Flanking Strikes: 5%
Seaweed Salad: 10%
Assassin’s signet: 15%
Executioner: 20%
First Strikes: 10%

That’s 75% increase in damage (when your foe is under 50%, initiative over 6, and with Assassin’s Signet).

If we look more realistically at it, without all those “if’s”:

Rune: 10%
Force: 5%
Flanking Strikes: 5%
Seaweed Salad: 10%

That’s a stable 30% increase in damage all the time.

I’m not that good in math, so maybe there’s a fault in my calculations (?)

And the base stats isnt that bad either.

Here’s the build:

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fZAQNAoaVlsMp0pNOx7J8PNxOhsdgCD480FPXGF-TlSBwAPOBAmVCG5QAcV5xN1fwqEDl+go7Po5IAA4BAEAABgduzjuzjuzSBMwwI-w

What ya think? Could it be used?
I’m going to test this later tonight, just had to vent my idea :-)

0/6/5/0/3
strenght rune 5% when you have might (power base stat = higher stab)
SA gm minor will give you might and if the fight takes a bit longer than 1 CnD and backstab, you can get pretty nice stacks of might 10-15
force 5% (or night for 10%) and impact 10% (kicks in if you use basi)
have bloodlust on your secondary
and I’d switch side strike for might on signet use
rest same

Seems cool! I like basing builds around runes.

On another topic, I can’t wait for all the new builds we get to try with the new trait system!

You’ve really gone all in with the damage modifiers, which makes me wonder why you you aren’t 06305 for the “if” scenario of +15% !! Seems like a fine trade to lose 2 ini on stealth.

It would be interesting to see how this compares in backstab damage vs some other runeset with full DPS stats.

Jayden Ennok.3687:

0/6/5/0/3
strenght rune 5% when you have might (power base stat = higher stab)
SA gm minor will give you might and if the fight takes a bit longer than 1 CnD and backstab, you can get pretty nice stacks of might 10-15
force 5% (or night for 10%) and impact 10% (kicks in if you use basi)
have bloodlust on your secondary
and I’d switch side strike for might on signet use
rest same

I have some strength runes laying around, gonna try that out as well. Guess the 5% damage lost vs Rune of the Thief is gained in the increase of power and might.

Woaden.9425:

Seems cool! I like basing builds around runes.

On another topic, I can’t wait for all the new builds we get to try with the new trait system!

You’ve really gone all in with the damage modifiers, which makes me wonder why you you aren’t 06305 for the “if” scenario of +15% !! Seems like a fine trade to lose 2 ini on stealth.

It would be interesting to see how this compares in backstab damage vs some other runeset with full DPS stats.

I can’t wait either, gonna be so fun to experiment :-)

Yeah, 06305 will work as well, just gotta be more careful not spamming skills ;-)

I’ll buy some berserker armor and try it out. Runes are cheap anyways :-)

mompen.7952:

Runes are cheap anyways :-)

So true, I have three zerker sets all transmuted and fancy – one holds my str runes, one holds my pack runes, and one holds whatever crazy cheap rune I’m experimenting with this week!

Some might argue strength runes, or even scholar for similar boosts, but with the price — it has a great cost:effectiveness ratio!

To go on a wild tangent, the new flanking strikes looks interesting as well – especially when tricks clear condis – though I wonder how that stunbreak would be useful (considering you have to be able to move, to use it – outside of mug steal i guess).

mompen.7952:

Jayden Ennok.3687:

0/6/5/0/3
strenght rune 5% when you have might (power base stat = higher stab)
SA gm minor will give you might and if the fight takes a bit longer than 1 CnD and backstab, you can get pretty nice stacks of might 10-15
force 5% (or night for 10%) and impact 10% (kicks in if you use basi)
have bloodlust on your secondary
and I’d switch side strike for might on signet use
rest same

I have some strength runes laying around, gonna try that out as well. Guess the 5% damage lost vs Rune of the Thief is gained in the increase of power and might.

5% also applies on every attack as long as you have some might on, which is almost always with 5pts in SA. Yeah, the added power from the rune + might more than make up for the lower dmg modifier. So much actually that the traditional 6/6/x/x/x yolo build (not signet build) has higher dmg only at the start of the fight over x/6/6/x/x with strength runes.

I used to play 0/6/2/0/6 for almost a year (lately I go full SA more and more often :/ ) but that 15% dmg on gm minor makes that build hit surprisingly hard, not as much as if you stack might with SA but you get all the tasty traits in trix that make up for it. Super squishy tho.

@Jayden: I tried with strenght runes last night, roaming alone, with 0/6/5/0/3, while I did get some nice backstabs (13k on a mesmer) I felt so slow compared to almost the same setup with pack runes (that swiftness and fury proc is addictive I guess).

Gonna try it more later on, as the damage seems to be slighty better.

@Woaden: The new flanking strikes and that our heals is now catagorized is very nice (improv anyone?). Super thrilled!