Build:A/E Falling Shocker

From GuildWiki

test

This build has been archived and is not updated by the GuildWiki community.

This build is only maintained for historical reference and may contain incorrect or outdated information.

Reason: Introduction of Shadow Prison and Black Spider Strike caused this build to fall out of use.

1 Attributes and Skills
2 Equipment
3 Usage
4 Counters
5 Variants
6 Templates

The Falling Shocker shadow steps to his target, deals a massive amount of spike damage, and then steps back to safety in a short span of time, leaving little room for defense or counter attacks. This build is often used for ganking purposes in Guild versus Guild matches.

[edit] Attributes and Skills

Assassin / Elementalist	Attribute Rank
Dagger Mastery	11 + 2 + 1
Shadow Arts	8 + 1
Critical Strikes	11 + 2
Air Magic	3

[edit] Equipment

A pair of Zealous daggers of Fortitude with +15% damage while enchanted (such as Darkroot's Daggers) are ideal. Carry an extra set of daggers with a +5 energy mod for situations where you are starved of energy.
Shrouded Armor

[edit] Usage

Use your chain against soft, weakened targets or to assist spikes. Shock interrupts skills, so you might want to use that to your advantage as well.
Use Aura of Displacement to reach your target if it is far away or if you would like to create an escape route.
Immediately use Shock. Beware that the exhaustion of Shock takes 30 seconds to clear, so you should not use it too often.
Follow the knockdown of Shock with Falling Spider.
Finish off with Twisting Fangs.
Use Disrupting Stab to interrupt key skills such as Troll Unguent and Healing Signet used by the NPC archers and knights.
Use Dark Escape for kiting foes or to escape if nessesary. Remember that you can use Aura of Displacement again to chase someone down even if your previous Aura has not expired; your new Aura simply resets the return point.
Cancel Aura of Displacement at any time to escape back to safety. Don't be afraid to teleport out at any time; this is a fairly fragile build meant for killing the target quickly, and has little self defense. The main combo is very effective against NPC archers, and you can simply teleport out after Disrupting Stab (poison and bleeding will finish off the NPC). Remember where your last casting of AoD was from, however, or you might end up in places you don't want to be (ie. too far away from enemies or allies).
Against NPC Archers, remember to allow one natural attack before activating Disrupting Stab, as sometimes, however rare, you might not deal enough damage to kill it. Use of Vampiric daggers would also help decrease the margin of failure.
Use Shadow Refuge as a self heal when you are safe from attacks.

[edit] Counters

Disrupt the skill sequence by using interrupts, blocking stances or enchantments, blindness, failure hexes, etc. The earlier you disrupt the chain, the more effective the counter is.
Enchantment-removal. Removing Aura of Displacement ususally brings a quick end to all plans.
Anti-knockdown skills such as Balanced Stance or Ward of Stability.
Nightfall Paragon skill called "Can't Touch This!" which causes all touch skills to fail, including Shock therefore not giving the knockdown needed to start the combo.

[edit] Variants

You can exchange a few ranks in Dagger Mastery for Shadow Arts. Keep in mind that lowering Dagger Mastery reduces the likelihood of killing enemy NPCs in one round. If you are using a PvE assassin, consider bringing extra armor piece with different runes for different situations.
Caltrops can be used instead of disrupting stab for a snare. Against NPC archers it may be advisable to normally attack the archer until he starts using Troll Unguent, then use shock to interrupt it.
Resurrection Signet can be switched for other skills in Competitive Missions and Alliance Battles. Caltrops and Dash are good choices.
Golden Phoenix Strike and Horns of the Ox can be used instead of Shock for a knockdown that does not cause exhaustion. This combo is, of course, slower than Shock and therefore less useful as spike damage; however, it may be a better combination in the Random Arenas or Alliance Battles where teams are less organized. Horns of the Ox would be more likely to trigger in these arenas, and the opposing team is less likely to mount a solid defense. It is also possible to replace Disrupting Stab and Resurrection Signet with this pair of skills, giving two different sources of knockdown.
Consider replacing Resurrection Signet with Way of the Fox to counter stances like Whirling Defense, Ward Against Melee and Displacement.
Resurrection Signet and Disrupting Stab may be replaced with Caltrops and Signet of Malice to have a solid counter against blindness and other conditions.