Guild Wars 2

I love the condition build for my thief (which is my main). I am level 80 and I focus on PVE. Basically I am running a very similar build but I put points into Deadly arts instead of acrobatics because Serpents Touch and Mug are a huge factor in party settings as you should really be using steal on cool down. I have all exotic carrion gear which gives me alot of condition and vitality. Power wont help you much with this build as your main damage is going to come from the bleeds and poisons. For runes I use Necromancer for the condition and vitality (only need 5 though because the fear bonus is no good for us). I then fill the rest with Runes of the Undead, again for the condition and for some extra toughness.

With this build I am able to solo several champions and open world pve is super fast paced. Signet of Malice is a must when solo but you want Hide in Shadows for group stuff to drop agro. Shadow refuge is good and I agree with the shadow step we simply have to have it unfortunately ( i mean cures condition and breaks stun). Honestly if you get good with your uncatchable ( i use them all of the time) they apply cripple and bleed so you really don’t need caltrops and can go for Blinding powder or even roll for initiative (another stun break).

I like to open like this:
run in LDB x3
steal
LDB
(if they all hit good if not roll to drop caltrops)
then you can alternate between C&D for a backstab between keeping you bleeds stacked and heart seeker based on the targets health. Keeping the bleed up with a LDB here and a caltrop there is pretty easy especially if the mob is mobile. Keeping up 15 stacks of bleed is easy with this build especially since you get an extra 20% to duration (if you put 20 into deadly arts (which also gets you dagger training).

Best thing is if you need to back off either short bow with number 5 skill or P/P with the number 1 skill will keep your bleeds up as well.

Hope this helps.

Honestly man if you have that much in Trickery, you are looking at a condition build which is what I ran to level up. I love putting points into shadow arts for the toughness and rocking carrion gear for the condition and vitality. Basically with dagger dagger / SB I jump in with three leaping death blossoms, dodge twice for caltrops, steal and another LDB and just walk away while they bleed out. I have been able to solo champions with this build as long as they are alone. But I would go for the necro runes or something of that nature to help out with your vitality. I was having a real hard time staying alive in instances until I switched to the carrion/ condition build.

In instances (unless you are with a very well geared group) you will mostly be focusing down targets one at a time. So you need good single target dps and melee is the best but some bosses are hard to melee so that’s when I like to go pistol/pistol again looking for condition damage.

Don’t be afraid to switch your skills out regularly: when I am alone I like to have signet of malice (amazing with LDB), assassin’s signet, signet of shadows (helps leveling), and spider venom or needle trap (another condition). However when I am in a dungeon shadow refuge is a MUST. Also Signet of agility so you can remove conditions and blinding powder or RFI.

But most importantly, you are a thief and your best support skill is your steal if you spec thrill of the crime and bountiful theft. You definitely want Mug since you should be stealing on cool down basically and klepto with preparadness and caltops on dodge mean you will always have >10 stacks of bleed on target.