Guide to using Elite Skills: Assassin

This is the first guide in a 10-part series of guides. Each guide will be dedicated to a single profession and their associated Elite Skills.
The goal in this guide is to go through all the Assassin elite skills describing how they're meant to be used and differentiating this proper usage from any abuse they have received. A rule to keep in mind is that Elite skills are there to assist your build, not to rule it. If your build depends too much on an Elite Skill it will fail under pressure and prove unworthy time and time again. Secondly, if your build doesn't require you to think, you're no better than a simple macro program spamming buttons in consecutive order. Taking these things into consideration is key to making a good build.


Critical Strikes


Dark Apostasy

[Dark Apostasy] - Use this skill to remove enchantments with relative ease, especially if you have high Critical Strikes. It's generally good for dealing with enchantment heavy builds and areas. For example, the AoE monk in FA

[build prof=Mo/Any name="Air of Enchantment" protection=12 healing=10 divine=8][Air of Enchantment][Reversal of Fortune][Patient Spirit][Dwayna's Kiss][Shield of Absorption][Protective Spirit][Guardian][Dismiss Condition][/build]

Unlike other Assassin Elites, [Dark Apostasy] is not limited to daggers alone. It can be used in conjunction with any weapon (bows, axes, scythes etc.) Take this into consideration when making a build containing this skill. You could take along skills like [Way of the Master] + [Critical Eye] for a high critical strike rate, and throw in [Disrupting Accuracy] if you brought a bow to not only interrupt a skill when you critical, but also strip enchantments thanks to [Dark Apostasy].


Abuse - Using this to remove every single enchantment that pops up.
Have you ever wondered why limiters were put on certain skills? They're there to keep them from being abused. That's why each time you strip an enchantment via [Dark Apostasy] you lose energy. Granted, the loss of energy can be negated at 13+ Critical Strikes with the aid of [Critical Eye] & a Zealous weapon. However just because you CAN doesn't mean you SHOULD. So why shouldn't you? For starters, your build will revolve around this elite skill thus breaking the first rule I mentioned at the beginning of this article; Elite skills are there to assist your build, not to rule it. Just take a look at how many PvX wiki builds fail as soon as their elite is gone.
Secondly, not every enchantment is important enough to remove. Prioritize which enchantments you should remove. Lastly, you don't have to keep this enchantment up all the time. Doing this can cripple your energy and make you useless to your team, especially when you could be helping them score kills.

Locust's Fury

[Locust's Fury] - Works well with IAS (ex. [Critical Agility] [Drunken Master]), base damage buffs ([Ebon Battle Standard of Honor] [Dodge This] [Conjure lightning] etc.) and general weapon buffs (ex. [Great Dwarf Weapon] [Wailing Weapon]). Use this skill like you would a battery, to charge up your build.
Examples:
1.) In conjunction with Zealous Daggers and high Critical Strikes to build fast energy for builds that may have you drained.
2.) In conjunction with Furious Daggers to build up adrenaline faster for adrenaline heavy builds.
3.) In conjunction with Elemental Daggers (Lightning, Fiery, Icy) for more DPS when auto-attacking.

Abuse - NA

Palm Strike

[Palm Strike] - Unleash powerful Dual Attacks while snaring and damaging your foe.
There's a reason why Dual Attacks require leads and off-hands...because they're powerful. Use this skill to unleash their power without turning it into a button-mashing [frenzy]. In other words, think! Instead of using this skill to initiate 1-7 combos, use it unlock the power of key Dual Attacks at Key moments. Example:

[Unsuspecting Strike] + [Fox Fangs] + [Critical Strike] + [Palm Strike] + [Twisting Fangs]

What you've done there is decided to actually USE the skill rather than just pressing buttons. Why? Because you're required to think before you act. Not only that, but your build isn't gonna be automatically shut down just because your elite is disabled.

Also, with this skill you can get away with bringing 3 dual attacks. Not something the everyday Assassin gets to do.

Abuse - Using this skill for mindless 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 combos. Why is that bad? Because it takes individual skill, throws it out the window, pisses on it and then sets it ablaze. Anyone can click 1-7 in consecutive order. The only time they have to use their brain to interact would be when blocks like [bonetti's defense] anti-kd's like [Balanced Stance] or skills like [Blinding Surge] are active.
Ok, so this skill was obviously made to be abused. KD-spam builds like the Knocklock Palm Strike have terrorized the Guild wars PvP coummunity for a good while bringing a halt to any interactive progress. But that doesn't mean the abuse has to continue.

Seeping Wound

[Seeping Wound] - Have you ever seen how in a movie a person slowly dies from an untreated open wound? That's sort of the idea with this skill, except that their death won't be slow. Use this skill to finish off foes that are near death. Another benefit is that you, as a martial profession, will be able to bypass blocking and other anti-melee techniques with this skill. You can also snare kiting foes (preferably one with a condition to trigger the bonus damage). Due to it's high energy cost (15e) you can't just use this skill aimlessly, so be careful as to when and how you use it in a battle. It's designed to compliment a build, so treat it as such.

Abuse - NA. While this skill was abused in the past, it is no longer done as much due to the changes made in it's energy cost and recharge time.

Shattering Assault

[Shattering Assault] - A handy unblockable Dual attack that does pretty good damage, all while stripping a foe of 1 enchantment per hit; so 2 enchantments if both hits are successful. Consider using this skill in conjunction with an unblockable chain like [Assassin's Remedy] + [Golden Fox Strike] + [Wild Strike] and you'll have yourself one unblockable Assassin with decent damage. Consider bringing damage buffs like [Conjure Lightning] as well to make your unblockable sin a force to be reckoned with. Keep in mind, however, that [Shattering Assault] is a costly skill, 10e to be exact. So unless your build can handle that, i'd recommend bringing along some e-management like [Critical Eye] or another dual attack to fall back on like [Death Blossom] or [Critical Strike].

Abuse - NA

Way of the Assassin

[Way of the Assassin] - A solid Elite skill for any Assassin. With high Critical strikes you can feel safe bringing along high energy dagger attacks like [Unsuspecting Strike] & [Twisting Fangs] without worrying about whether or not you'll be able to score enough critical hits to make up for the lost energy. With the IAS, adding damage buffs like [Conjure Lightning] will make your auto-attacking more effective. Maintain this stance as much as possible in battle, that's obviously how it's meant to be used.

Abuse - NA


Dagger Mastery


Flashing Blades

[Flashing Blades] - Great skill for making the assassin more tankable. Throw in some defense like [Critical Agility] or [I am Unstoppable] to make up for the assassins low armor. Good Synergy with Nightstalker's Insignias.

Abuse - NA

Fox's Promise

[Fox's Promise] - Great for making strong blockable attacks unblockable. Bring along [Assassin's Remedy] for good upkeep.

Abuse - NA

Golden Skull Strike

[Golden Skull Strike] - Like [Palm Strike] use this to unleash powerful Dual Attacks. Bring along Silencing Daggers to enhance the daze effect.

Abuse - NA

Moebius Strike

[Moebius Strike] - Obvious

Abuse - NA

Temple Strike

[Temple Strike] - Think of this as your trunk card, it's something you save for those very special occasions that determine who wins.

Abuse - NA


Shadow Arts

Beguiling Haze

[Beguiling Haze] - A shadow-step with instant unblockable daze at the cost of 15e; one of the Assassin's more costly skills. Very handy as a trunk card for those game-changing situations. Use before a chain on casters as a basic shut-down & destroy tactic. Helpful against those nasty caster Bosses in Hard Mode.

Abuse - NA

Hidden Caltrops

[Hidden Caltrops] - Acts as a hex snare, has cirppling effect, meets conditions of certain assassin skills (i.e. assassin skills that have "Black" in their name [Black Mantis Thrust] & meets cripple condition of skills like [Jungle Strike] & [Trampling Ox]). Use this to prevent foes from fleeing.
[build prof][/build]