GW2 Thief Discussion

[solidsheep]

http://gw2skills.net/editor/en/?fYAQ...umkNtOYEyOgZHA
That's most effective build I have made it wrecks face 1v1 and in group fights it gives a lot of debuffs to the enemy.
I open to suggestions especially when it comes to runes so give me a hand.

[Hockey Monkey]

It's a pretty decent build to come up with yourself, but I have a couple recommendations. Unless they balance it out, switch roll for initiative with Ambush. I'll explain in a sec.

Next drop Acrobatics down to 10, so you can bump Shadow Arts up to 30. This is where you get Venomous Aura, the most important skill a venom thief can have. All venoms you use are shared to all allies. So that thief you just summoned from Ambush? He is now laying down insane condition damage, same for the elite skill Thieve's guild.

Also, seeing as how you are set up to use steal a lot, put Mug in for your first Deadly Arts trait, does decent damage. Otherwise you look pretty sturdy.

[solidsheep]

It's a pretty decent build to come up with yourself, but I have a couple recommendations. Unless they balance it out, switch roll for initiative with Ambush. I'll explain in a sec.

Next drop Acrobatics down to 10, so you can bump Shadow Arts up to 30. This is where you get Venomous Aura, the most important skill a venom thief can have. All venoms you use are shared to all allies. So that thief you just summoned from Ambush? He is now laying down insane condition damage, same for the elite skill Thieve's guild.

Also, seeing as how you are set up to use steal a lot, put Mug in for your first Deadly Arts trait, does decent damage. Otherwise you look pretty sturdy.

Problem with dropping roll for initiative is i lose my stun breaker which open's me to being one shot by warrior and other burst classes.
I like being able to open up on some with 7 stacks of might and i need that extra 10 points trickery it gives me more mobility,dmg and initiative regen.
Most likely when i join 5's team ill go venomous aura, but for pugs i need stuff to keep me alive I know I can't count on others.

[DrakeWurrum]

RfI is incredibly powerful, imo.

[Pyre Fierceshot]

I'd rather take Shadowstep or Infiltrator's Signet for a stun break. Shorter CD ftw and Shadowstep is extremely powerful if you can use it right.

Though if you're running with a Shortbow you don't need a stun break. Disabling Shot is OP.

This is my tPvP build: http://gw2skills.net/editor/en/?fYAQ...rPOYk+sCZEysDA

[DrakeWurrum]

I'd rather take Shadowstep or Infiltrator's Signet for a stun break. Shorter CD ftw and Shadowstep is extremely powerful if you can use it right.

Though if you're running with a Shortbow you don't need a stun break. Disabling Shot is OP.

This is my tPvP build: http://gw2skills.net/editor/en/?fYAQ...rPOYk+sCZEysDA

Infiltrator's Signet and Shadowstep do not regenerate your initiative or remove specifically movement-impairing conditions while simultaneously moving you a long distance away from enemies (assuming proper facing, which is easy to correct).

Yes, Shadowstep removes three (when you return back to the spot you were before, which may now be a dangerous spot to stand, and is counter-intuitive to the goal of running away), but they're a random three.
Infiltrator's Signet also moves you right beside your enemy, which may not always be ideal (again, can't use it to run away), while also removing your increased initiative generation. At least you can trait it to give you initiative and Might upon use, so it's a really good offensive option.

Not to say Shadowstep or the signet are bad choices, but there's trade-offs. One is not automatically superior to the other, and there's more to it than just cooldown.

[Glytch]

Infiltrator's Signet and Shadowstep do not regenerate your initiative or remove specifically movement-impairing conditions while simultaneously moving you a long distance away from enemies (assuming proper facing, which is easy to correct).

Yes, Shadowstep removes three (when you return back to the spot you were before, which may now be a dangerous spot to stand, and is counter-intuitive to the goal of running away), but they're a random three.
Infiltrator's Signet also moves you right beside your enemy, which may not always be ideal (again, can't use it to run away), while also removing your increased initiative generation. At least you can trait it to give you initiative and Might upon use, so it's a really good offensive option.

Not to say Shadowstep or the signet are bad choices, but there's trade-offs. One is not automatically superior to the other, and there's more to it than just cooldown.

shadowstep will also remove burn poison bleed and confusion. since the current metagame is "stack condition damage" that makes it far more valuable

[Jimusmc]

pistol main hand dagger offhand is the way to go for me.

[Pyre Fierceshot]

Infiltrator's Signet and Shadowstep do not regenerate your initiative or remove specifically movement-impairing conditions while simultaneously moving you a long distance away from enemies (assuming proper facing, which is easy to correct).

Yes, Shadowstep removes three (when you return back to the spot you were before, which may now be a dangerous spot to stand, and is counter-intuitive to the goal of running away), but they're a random three.
Infiltrator's Signet also moves you right beside your enemy, which may not always be ideal (again, can't use it to run away), while also removing your increased initiative generation. At least you can trait it to give you initiative and Might upon use, so it's a really good offensive option.

Not to say Shadowstep or the signet are bad choices, but there's trade-offs. One is not automatically superior to the other, and there's more to it than just cooldown.

Like I said if you're running with a Shortbow you don't really need those extra evades. So I'd rather take one of those two but I don't run with a stun break at all on my Thief due to the rest of my team having decent stability buffs and the fact Disabling Shot is probably one of the most ridiculous abilities at the moment - Perma Cripple and evade everything. You can also use Disabling Shot while immobilized etc so you shouldn't be getting hit by a melee or ground spells, hell even ranged should have trouble hitting you.

Note: I'm not saying you're wrong but I don't see why you need the evade from RfI when running a Shortbow.

[solidsheep]

Anyone having a hard time taking down pet based classes... night mare to get my bleed stacks up(prob just the counter to my spec).

[PonyCannon]

Yes, though only because pet classes tend to face tank my ranged attacks. Nothing like wasting a pistol stealth attack on a minion/pet.

[solidsheep]

Did they remove the trait that gave pistols piercing? or this site is out of date?
Nvm i was thinking of engi's pistol trait

[DrakeWurrum]

Supposedly, Pistol Whip is going to have Evasion for the second part of it now. And they buffed the stun part... but only to half a second. =\

[Pyre Fierceshot]

Supposedly, Pistol Whip is going to have Evasion for the second part of it now. And they buffed the stun part... but only to half a second. =\

Very few stuns last longer than 1sec, 2seconds it the max I've seen. Hell even our crappy Elite is only a 1 second stun.

But stuns in GW2 are alot more situational than in games like WoW. A well timed stun is more effective in GW2.

[Glytch]

And they buffed the stun part... but only to half a second. =\

and thats... bad?

---------- Post added 2012-08-13 at 04:54 PM ----------

Very few stuns last longer than 1sec, 2seconds it the max I've seen. Hell even our crappy Elite is only a 1 second stun.

But stuns in GW2 are alot more situational than in games like WoW. A well timed stun is more effective in GW2.

basilisk isnt a stun, its a special effect that mimics a stun but doesnt seem to be affected by stability

technically the effect is "petrification"

[Larynx]

Petrification and fear are the only hard ccs that stability isn't immune to.

[PonyCannon]

Was Basilisk Venom working in the last 2 stress tests? I remember using it for the first time and just not noticing anything happen VS my opponents.

[solidsheep]

Was Basilisk Venom working in the last 2 stress tests? I remember using it for the first time and just not noticing anything happen VS my opponents.

Ya it works well i loved using it just the cast time is stupid for an elite skill.

[Pyre Fierceshot]

basilisk isnt a stun, its a special effect that mimics a stun but doesnt seem to be affected by stability

technically the effect is "petrification"

Well, even so it's still naff for an elite in my opinion. Thieves Guild is the only good Elite we have it seems.

[solidsheep]

Well, even so it's still naff for an elite in my opinion. Thieves Guild is the only good Elite we have it seems.

Traits make it super powerful, but if your not going poison build its pointless.