Build:A/W Aggressive Promise
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This build is not favored by the
GuildWiki community.
The general consensus among users of GuildWiki is that this build is not viable. |
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This build is designed for PvE and excels at the ability to spike enemy targets one after another with rapid and deadly efficiency. It has complete energy management and is able to kill targets perpetually in cycles of just 6.0112 seconds. It operates especially well with Heroes and Henchmen as they intuitively and immediately attack your target.
[edit] Attributes and Skills
  Assassin / Warrior |
Attribute Rank |
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| Critical Strikes | 9 + 1 + 3 |
| Dagger Mastery | 12 + 1 |
| Deadly Arts | 8 + 1 |
| Shadow Arts | 5 + 1 |
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- The Optional Slot is highly recommended to be used for a backup hex in instances where Assassin's Promise fails. It should preferably have a short recharge time (no more than 15 seconds) so that you can still perform your attack chain with reasonable frequency. It can also be used as a cover hex to prevent Assassin's Promise from being removed. Suggested hexes that meet this criterion as well as provide counters to melee defenses include Siphon Speed and Expose Defenses. However, if some of your party members implement hexes as well you may find this unnecessary and choose to use a resurrection skill or signet of capture instead.
[edit] Equipment
Armor: You can choose whatever armor style suits you best.
- Insignias: Radiant Insignias (Shrouded Armor) are not required for this build and so, Sentry's and Nightstalker's Insignias are prime choices because of the need to perpetually immerse yourself in the thick of battle.
- Additional Runes: Your last piece of armor should possess the best Rune of Vigor that you can afford.
Weapon: Daggers. It is not important to the build whether they deal piercing damage or slashing damage.
- Inscription: "Too Much Information", "Dance with Death", and "Strength and Honor" inscriptions all work very well.
- Prefix Upgrade: A Zealous dagger tang isn't needed and, therefore, Sundering and Vampiric modifiers compliment it best due this build's style of constant combat and spiking.
- Suffix Upgrade: A dagger handle of Fortitude will suit you best for raising your constitution.
[edit] Usage
[edit] Unimpeded Skill Cycle (6.0112 sec to complete)
Preparation Stage (1.75 sec to complete + 0.75 sec aftercast = 2.5 sec total):
- Select a target and cast Assassin's Promise on it.
- While Assassin's Promise is still casting quickly activate Death's Charge followed by Burst of Aggression.
Attack Chain (3.5112 sec to complete):
- Rapidly execute Black Lotus Strike, Twisting Fangs, Black Spider Strike, and Blades of Steel in that order.
Analysis:
- Assassin's Promise is the essential element of this build. It allows you to deliver a powerful skill chain repeatedly and provides a bonus of 15 energy to do it.
- Death's Charge is the perfect shadow step in this situation. Its normal recharge time of 45 seconds is completely bypassed thanks to Assassin's Promise and, therefore, you can save crucial time by not having to run to a single enemy. It also provides a significant bonus of 76 health per target when you start taking damage.
- Burst of Aggression dramatically increases the speed in which you perform your melee attacks, cutting off a total of 1.8088 seconds from what the attack chain's duration would have been otherwise. The 151.5% faster animation also looks awesome and epitomizes meaning of an assassination.
- Black Lotus Strike is implemented as a midpoint energy boost to help Assassin's Promise completely compensate for the 40 energy used every cycle. It easily fits into the attack chain due to its prerequisite of a hex.
- Twisting Fangs is a powerful component of your attack, utilizing the conditions bleeding and deep wound to further the target's imminent doom.
- Black Spider Strike can function as an alternate starting point if Black Lotus Strike fails. It also inflicts poison which when stacked with the bleeding allows you to kill your target even if it escapes out of range.
- Blades of Steel does the maximum of +50 damage in this combination and provides a powerful finishing move to the spike.
[edit] Damage Output
- Average = 325.36427082792872344241974463302 (84.730278861439771729796808498182 % of the health of a level 20 target)
- Maximum = 386.21435 (100.5766536458333... % of the health of a level 20 target)
- Minimum = 260.21435 (67.7641536458333... % of the health of a level 20 target)
Analysis:
- These calculations are based upon the circumstances of your daggers having a damage +15% inscription but do not factor in customization or the effects of any weapon upgrades. The health lost through bleeding and poison by the time your last strike hits is also included in the equation.
- When calculating the health loss on a level 20 target it is relevant to those with an armor level of 60 and you must remember that they are under the condition of deep wound.
- From the above data you can see that unless all of your attacks are critical hits you will not kill your target exactly upon the conclusion of Blades of Steel, but with a health degeneration of 7 it will fall very soon after. However, even this is hardly ever necessary, as your party members will have already easily compensated for the remaining damage, often to the point where you will not even get to finish your skill chain.
[edit] Unimpeded Energy Cycle
Energy lost (-40):
- Skill use: -40
Energy gained (+45.64713333 on average with the possibilities ranging from +40.01493333 to +58.01493333):
- Black Lotus Strike and Assassin's Promise bonus: +32
- Energy regeneration of 4: +8.01493333
- Average bonus from critical strikes: +5.6322
Analysis:
- These calculations apply to a perfect cycle of 6.0112 seconds and, therefore, will not be accurate if your target dies before you activate all of your attacks or does not die immediately after your final attack. In both scenarios, you gain even more energy.
- As you can see, this build has complete energy management and even the 13 points in Critical Strikes is not needed to help, but it is still necessary for damage.
[edit] Counters
Any form of failure to fulfill Assassin's Promise will greatly reduce the effectiveness of this build. The main causes of failure include the following:
- Hex removal on target.
- Attacker being blinded.
- Attacker being blocked or evaded.
- Target kiting, and/or attacker being body blocked.
- Heavy healing and/or protective enchantments on target.
You can also counter many of these counters:
- If you carry a backup hex or some of your party members use hexes you will not be shut down for 45 seconds.
- An additional hex can also be used to cover Assassin's Promise and prevent it from being removed in the first place.
- The hex Expose Defenses prevents you from being blocked or evaded.
- The hex Siphon Speed aids you against kiting targets.
- Targeting enemy Monks first and the swiftness in which you are able to pull of spikes will greatly reduce the threat of effective healing.
[edit] Variants
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- This attack chain variant is not as powerful as the original but provides a knockdown, which can be very useful to shutdown enemies that are annoying to kill. Your two remaining attacks will also be able to land before the target can get up.
2. When engaging very hearty targets, such as those in the Domain of
Anguish, you may consider bringing another attack if your party
can cover you for a backup hex. Impale is highly recommended due to its quarter-second
cast, but if armor is a problem Signet
of Toxic Shock may be more effective.
[edit] Notes
This build is an evolved version of a previous build of mine: Build:A/any Promise of the Black Spider
[edit] See also
Build:A/any Promise of the Black Spider, Build:A/any Deadly Promise, Build:A/any Blind Promises, Build:A/N Rinse and Repeat, Build:A/Mo Protected Promise
