Quick Venoms:
Like Venomous Strength, this is only good if you are using venoms or venomshare. Since venoms are overall too weak to use without using venomshare, this trait is overall situational (useless).
Dagger Training:
5% increase in damage is barely noticeable on it’s own but if a build relies on damage then using this would be a better choice to use than most of whats available on this line.
Combined Training:
Like dagger training, its barely noticable on its own especially since every dual attack a thief has deals less damage than the auto. Until there is a damage increase to dual skills, using this would be pointless. Besides, there are very few builds thieves have that utilize dual skills regularly so even if they were boosted nobody would take this trait unless there was nothing else.
Panic Strike:
IMO this could work with pistol MH or SB, however a few seconds of immobilize on a 30s CD is not that great especially when it can be cleansed easily.
Residual Venoms:
Useless unless using venoms or venomshare.
Concealed Defeat:
It would be better if it was a circle instead of a line or a line that was placed inbetween you and your opponent. However, since it pops right on top of you it does nothing because your enemy can still hit you from outside of the screen.
Pistol Mastery:
Great for p/p but does not bring pistol MH auto up to SB level. :I Pistol auto is probably the weakest auto thieves have.
Practiced Tolerance:
Great if you have nothing else to slot. However, the thief will have to gear for high precision if they were to make any use of it. Doesn’t help GCs very much since thief healing is poor as it is.
Ankle Shots:
Good of p/p if you plan on chasing. Otherwise, its lackluster for d/p and p/d.
Signet Use:
Unless you are using signet builds or you are using it in conjunction with Hastened Replenishment and Signet of Malice there is no point. Not only that, it takes 50 points to do the latter and that only works well for condition builds which thieves are not THAT great at being. But since you are going to nerf the initiative gain on it which was one of the two highlight of signet builds, I think this would get slotted less. Signets by themselves are too weak by themselves, however Signets of Power and Signet Use overrides their weaknesses and turns them into a source of initiative and might. Most of them are already on a short cooldown as it is so the 20% CD reduction doesn’t affect much. It is the initiative gain we want more of and the 20% CD only lets us gain that initiative faster.
Combo Critical Chance:
Like dagger training, except for builds that rely on damage would need more crit chance. It is also good for x/p if you plan on using dual skills to proc on-crit effects however there are still better things you can use.
Critical Haste:
2s of haste only gives me a whole auto attack worth of speed. It is better for p/x and SB than everything else, however I would only use it if nothing better was available.
Hidden Killer:
Not all thieves use stealth. Those that use it all of the time will want to slot this over Executioner because it frees up precision points for more survivability. However, this trait would be better suited in Shadow Arts because having 100% crit rate while in stealth makes precision pointless to have. That is why you’ll find more thieves slotting executioner than HK.
Slowed Pulse:
Regen is great, however bleeds are easily stacked and 3+ of bleeding will completely negate the regen.
Power Shots:
In a traitline where most of the traits are viable, something that barely increases the damage on a weapon that’s already kinda weak to begin with is not worth it. However this is fine for SB builds seeing as how its the only one for it. :I
Leeching Venoms:
Same as every other venom trait.
Patience:
Not that much of a boost. In fact, to get the full effect you have to remain in stealth till the very end otherwise there are better things to slot.
Venomous Aura:
See leeching venoms. Also should be in Deadly Arts (my opinion) because it has ALMOST ZERO SYNERGY with this traitline.
Assassin’s Retreat:
This is great if you like hit-and-runs. However I will never use it. (does anyone even use these kinds of traits anyways?)
Assassin’s Reward:
This trait’s healing capability is so insignificant that its almost on par with Hard To Catch. Even the small buff that’s planned for it isn’t enough to make me want to use it.
Hard To Catch:
Why should I slot this? Its random movements combined with the fact *that I am still CCed screws me over. You could put the CD to 0 and make it an adept trait… nobody will use it. At least, Last refuge can be managed and that one also can screw over thieves.
(still not done)
