The way of the Assassin

[build prof=A/E name="Way of the Assassin" critical=11 dagger=12 Air=6][unsuspecting strike][golden fang strike][death blossom][wild strike][twisting fangs][Way of the assassin][Conjure lightning][Resurrection Signet][/build]

template code - OwZjgYd84OPMi/Bz/hwizdDBAA


Equipment code - Pk5xFP7FzkakkpW/rIl7ID7Ul7IDLho5IXVfl5IFljlyI9E

Build uses listed by area: Random arenas, (maybe HA, needs to be tested elsewhere)

Build uses & how this build is used properly:

This build uses two chains which can be used in two combinations.

[Unsuspecting strike] -> [golden fang strike] -> [death blossom], and its reverse [Unsuspecting strike] -> [wild strike] -> [twisting fangs] Now double applying twisting fangs might seem unwarranted, but it's not true if death blossom is still recharging, twisting fangs does a total of 40+ damage, and reapplies deep wound if removed, or not on target already.

This build uses two deep wounds for a few reasons; the reason is that each individual chain does a good amount of damage, and both have deep wound meaning in RA you can potentially get two targets with one chain down to about 30-40% hp, without any recharge. Since there recharge is fast, this is all fairly repeatable with little downtime.

Downsides to this build include 545 hp 33 energy (on 15^50 set), no speed buff, and without defense of any kind.

Some tips

- With this build it is expensive energy wise, but you can spread deep wound quite a bit even if death blossom and twisting fangs are recharging
- Try and conserve wild strike for extremely important MO/W skills like disciplined or bonettis stance.
- If you find your self low on energy, as the demands for energy are extremely high, just auto attack, as double strikes, plus 13 critical strikes earns a potential 6 energy per two potential hits
-if your having problems killing a monk, this build can quickly pile up damage on two different targets (with at least deep wound) and then switch back, providing extra pressure
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Equipment template - Pk5xFP7FzkakkpW/rIl7ID7Ul7IDLho5IXVfl5IFljlyI9E
Build template - OwZjgYd84OPMi/Bz/hwizdDBAA

[Unsuspecting strike] is a Critical Strikes skill. The difference in just a few points means a lot. I tested it at 16 Critical Strikes in a Critical Strikes build like this - [build prof=A/E name="Critical Strikes version" crit=12 dagger=12][unsuspecting strike][golden fang strike][critical strike][critical eye][assassins remedy][way of the assassin][conjure lightning][resurrection signet][/build] and it does a 155 critical hit most of the time. With your current build, it does a 141 critical hit sometimes, but much less often. Something else I did that worked well was to swap [assassins remedy] for [sharpen daggers]. You can do [unsuspecting strike] followed by an auto attack or 2, then switch target and do a full combo. 155 + bleed + a couple of conjure auto attacks (with a chance of double striking) does a lot of damage by itself.

[Golden Fang strike] does require an enchantment to get a deep wound, and you only have one enchantment. By bringing [twisting fangs] alongside [golden fang strike], youre shooting yourself in the foot. Why not bring another enchantment instead of [twisting fangs]? [assassins remedy] or [sharpen daggers] worked well when I tried them out, one being defensive, one being offensive. If you bring 2 enchantments, and one of them has a decent recharge, you don't need to worry about enchantment strips. The 4 second recharge is more than fast enough. Imagine using [wounding strike] with [augury of death], it's the same thing. Deep wound is good, but you only need one deep wound skill.

[Death Blossom] was nerfed to 6 seconds to match [Critical Strike]. Compare them both at 16 attribute, and you will find that death blossom does a little more damage sometimes, but it averages out around the same. Death Blossom isn't the looping spam skill it used to be. It's a combo skill now.

[Twisting Fangs] is something you added because you have nothing to do while you wait for death blossom to recharge. But you also have energy problems. I see what you're trying to do. You're trying to have a build that spams fast attack combos without stopping. But with a Conjure, you have just that. Auto attacks with a Conjure are the extra damage you do while regaining your energy through critical hits. It's designed to work that way, so that you have to pick your targets and timing wisely, instead of spamming. You do your combo, and regain energy through auto attacks while it recharges. [twisting fangs] and [golden fang strike] are a big no no. Use one or the other, not both. By bringing twisting fangs, you're weakening your build by taking up your last skill slot that can be used for a second enchantment or a utility skill. The only way you have enough room to do 2 seperate combos, is to remove [conjure lightning] and use combos that don't rely on enchantments or hexes. In Alliance Battles though, you can lose [resurrection signet], which opens up a lot of options. Perhaps your current build would fit best in Alliance Battles, modified and without [resurrection signet].

Try these out and compare...

[build prof=A/E name="Critical Strikes version" crit=12 dagger=11 air=6][unsuspecting strike][golden fang strike][critical strike][critical eye][sharpen daggers][way of the assassin][conjure lightning][resurrection signet][/build]
Skills - OwZjgYd7IPPMi/+zzJA0fx5uBA
Equipment - Pk5xFP7FzkakkpW/rIl5ID7Ul5IDLho5IVVfl5IHljlyI9E

[build prof=A/E name="Dagger Mastery version" dagger=12 crit=11 air=6][unsuspecting strike][golden fang strike][death blossom][critical strike][sharpen daggers][way of the assassin][conjure lightning][resurrection signet][/build]
Skills - OwZjgYd84OPMi/Bb/55izdDBAA
Equipment - Pk5xFP7FzkakkpW/rIl5ID7Ul5IDLho5IXVfl5IFljlyI9E

[build prof][/build]

I've ran this [Unsuspecting strike][golden fang strike][death blossom][wild strike][twisting fangs][way of the assassin][conjure lightning][resurrection signet] build in RA for a couple of days now, I'm well aware of the distance between 13 critical strikes and 16, even as is it only runs at 545 hp, and it barely handles any amount of time without a competent monk at that. Another issue in RA is that all monks and some other classes also carry stances that heavily impede you, like bonettis or protectors and some other minor 4 second stances, but those can be waited out. Please note taking [bonettis] off of a monk in RA will al ot of the time mean the difference between having your teammate camp on him and feed him mass energy per hit and not having that happen and cripping a monk. I really like the idea [unsuspecting strike][golden fang strike][death blossom][critical strike][sharpen daggers][conjure lightning][way of the assassin][resurrection signet]. As for an energy problem there isn't one even at my current stats, there might be a light shortage of a half a second or a second after the third chain or so, but like you said its easy to auto attack and deal a great amount of damage, and gain energy. In RA, matches are extremely short, especcially lately. I dont have an energy problem most of the time, now there are times when I do like if I have pre qued a skill and something makes it mess up. Now I want to talk situational stuff with this build, which is where it counts a lot. using [wild strike] and [golden fang strike] means rangers who spam interrupts are alot less likely to destroy my bar, the same way with using two duals leaving only unsuspecting open. and note that if an offhand or dual skill is interrupted the chain has not ended, only for that skill for X amount of time. meaning if an offhand or dual gets [distracting shot] your not screwed 100% of the time. Ra has been my specialty for a long time for various reasons, by its very nature it has a lot of situational stuff, this covers a a lot of demographics in that area to varying degrees. If i want to spread deep wound, i can do it without delay, and even with just a minor delay if I use [golden fang strike] and spread, but its not just spreading deep wound, it spreads that and heavy damage to multiple targets, maybe all under 50% each without being healed, if you do that and then go hop on an RA monk and deny his stances, and then if he removes his own deep wound it gets reapplied, he is fucked. In HA it might be easily better in long term. For taking away a bit of energy pressure off of your self, you throw away a utility skill, and twisting fangs for not not a lot else, and in RA you need the most utility you can pack into your build, while keeping damage at its absolute maximum, while making sure your energy cradles on the limit of being too limited for your current build.

And to the final bit, Are you actually admitting something like my build should be used in ab? we have had many conversations over things like sins not being up to par in ab, I'd like to know the answer to that question.

If someone blocks your attacks, the worst thing you can do is wait it out. Change target immediately, spike out their offence first, not a Monk.
I still think [golden fang strike] and [twisting fangs] is a big no no. Use one or the other. [twisting fangs] is better for a spike, hence its longer recharge time and lower damage bonus than other Dual Attacks. [golden fang strike] has no damage bonus, hence why it has a faster recharge. If you want to spread deep wound, 4 seconds is more than enough. Think about how powerful [wounding strike] is for spreading deep wound, [golden fang strike] is only one second longer recharge. [twisting fangs] is enough for deep wound too, so long as you have another dual and combo outside of that. You can also combine [twisting fangs] with [epidemic] to spread deep wound and all other conditions. I really think that [golden fang strike] + [twisting fangs] is deep wound overkill and weakens your build. You already have [resurrection signet][way of the assassin][conjure lightning] taking up skill slots, another deep wound skill really limits your options further.

If you used a Critical Strikes version, you could use [critical strike] to make sure you can keep [critical defenses] up. Something like...
[build prof=A/E][unsuspecting strike][wild strike][critical strike][twisting fangs][critical defenses][conjure lightning][way of the assassin][resurrection signet][/build]
Skills - OwZjgYd7IPPM/3+DhNAjzdDBAA
I think [way of the assassin] isn't such a good Elite, and it's only popular because it's easy to use for spamming 1/2 activation time attack combos like...
[build prof=A][jagged strike][fox fangs][exhausting assault][leaping mantis sting][jungle strike][critical strike][way of the assassin][resurrection signet][/build]
Skills - OwZjgYd7IPOMG2z7/1/2fxZBAA

About AB, I said it would best fit in AB, MODIFIED and WITHOUT [resurrection signet]. Not in its current form. Modified would mean AOE to cap with. Options as an A/E with Air Magic could be [jungle strike][golden phoenix strike][death blossom][whirlwind][teinais wind].

Please don't think I'm saying your build is bad. I'm just pointing out its weaknesses and options. It's a good build! Just trying to see if it can be turned into a WOW build.