Guild Wars 2

here is my build at the moment http://www.guildhead.com/skill-calc#MckzMc0MMFRvMMFRvM0xx0aMaqVaqV

im looking to tune it

im fairly set on critical strikes and the first 10 points in shadow arts. up to suggestions elsewhere.

ive thought about atking 10 out of shadow arts for mug (+ poison on minor trait). thought about going farther in tricks for bountiful theft + more initiative.

in a spvp set what do you think would be most effective?

in a tpvp setting what do you think?

ive had good success with this build in spvp thus far, just looking to squeeze more out of it and thought id try and get some community perspective

The entire build has no synargy and is just bad, what is your primary weapon set?

i think 15 critical strikes is nearly essential, but 20 and 30 has great stuff for different styles. at the moment. there are some specific choices in the lower trees that can balance not having 15 critical but they very specific and lead to kind of low choice in the builds overall. the reason is you need to have solid initiative regain and stats to back it up. so some builds have signets of power and signet use. i think any dagger offhand set is very strong with shadow arts so you can get big heal / regen from the two traits, aslo

Blazer Hellsing.9184:

The entire build has no synargy and is just bad, what is your primary weapon set?

first, sorry, was gone all day.

second, i use D/P+shortbow with this build, i have a weapon sigil that also can grant some quickness.

third, the fact that you think a entire build needs absolute synergy to work well in practice leads me to question your sanity sir! im not for all these cookie cutter builds that do one thing and one thing only.

take a closer look at the build. its obviously backstab focused, but i dont take assassins signet because again, im not trying to be a one trick pony. rather i opt for more ini regen and movement speed, i also find there on use effects useful.

i do gain power from using a signet, the two quickness effects i take cuz it results in a very large dps incrase for no real penalty other then it being random. and executioner is self explanatory, its a high damage build that has enough survivability to stay in the fight.

shadow arts is easy to understand, ini regen talents, and hp regen while stealthed (soft counter to conditions).

the ten points in tricks is simply cuz i wanted thrill of hte crime, its a good little boost if used at beginning of fight, but at same time the minor trait in tricks is counter intuitive leading you to want to save that steal for after you initiated the fight.

now i could take 10 points out of shadow arts, on the argument that i dont really need shadows rejuvination (ive found it helpful, but maybe some playtime without it will help me see it clearer or not) and put it in deadly tree, resulting in steal giving me “free” damage and a 10 second healing debuff, which also helps considering the amount of burst i often layout in those ten seconds.

if i just alternated points from tricks to deadly id lose thrill of the crime, thus losing fury, and would then take critical strikes furious retaliation over signets of power.

or if i took it and went 20 in tricks i could get bountiful theft and 3 more ini.

i could take 20 points out of shadow arts but i really dont like that cuz i lose the minor trait meld with shadows.

so idealy i have about 20 points to play with (the last 10 in shadow arts and the 10 in trickery). im just looking for opinions on where to best put those 20 points.

you can argue this build sucks at tpvp, as i havent tested it very much there, but in spvp this build can turn the face of a close quarters node fight. you say it has no synergy, that is not true, its simply not putting all its eggs in one basket like so many thief builds are at the moment. why would i want a backstab build that focuses all its energy into ONE kill every like 45 seconds or so? that can kill a key target but in group pvp its not as much of a help.

how i play it is i tend to pick a target (i dont run in first unless the fight is smaller scale) and lay into him/her until i need to switch to group support. ive found with opportunist+infusion of shadow+patience+infiltrators signet i have enough ini regen to support black powder>HS>backstab while still being able to shadowshot/headshot/HS when needed. and often i can utilize autoattack alone to melt players, especially when quickness kicks in (obviously not on defensive warriors or gaurdians but…you gotta pick your fights smart).

between black powder and shadow refuge i can support the team in the most important aspect of pvp, downed state. it also excels at 1v1, and honestly i am hesitant to take points out of shadow arts because shadows rejuvination feels like it makes a big impact on my survivability.

so please, im not gonna get upset, but tell me how its bad and has no synergy, but ill say this, synergy=/= effective all the time, it just means you typically excel at one avenue. i find my damage atm MORE then enough to pressure anyone into having to deal with me as a immediate threat, and i dont get blown over by the slightest touch either.

obtuse.8291:

i think 15 critical strikes is nearly essential, but 20 and 30 has great stuff for different styles. at the moment. there are some specific choices in the lower trees that can balance not having 15 critical but they very specific and lead to kind of low choice in the builds overall. the reason is you need to have solid initiative regain and stats to back it up. so some builds have signets of power and signet use. i think any dagger offhand set is very strong with shadow arts so you can get big heal / regen from the two traits, aslo

my dagger is mainhand actually, pistol offhand, while bp>hs is more expensive, i find BP group support coupled with the combos reliability to be more effective overall.