User:Readem/Build:A/Mo Bonding Assassin

The Bondage Assassin uses Protective Bond as its primary defense against harm and maintains this enchantment through a combination of the Assassin primary attribute, Critical Strikes, as well as the enchantment Balthazar's Spirit. As a result, this build, if used correctly, is capable of out-tanking many Warriors while also protecting allies and reducing the healing required of monks.

Attributes and Skills
[build prof=assas/monk critic=11+1+2 dagger=8+1+2 shadow=6+1 protec=10][life sheath][shadow refuge][golden lotus strike][critical eye][protective spirit][protective bond][life bond][balthazars spirit][/build]

Possible Variant
[build prof=assas/monk critic=12+1+3 dagger=8+2 protec=10][seeping wound][black spider strike][critical strike][critical eye][sharpen daggers][protective bond][life bond][balthazars spirit][/build]

Equipment

 * Shrouded Armor for additional Energy
 * Zealous Daggers (Ceremonial Daggers are ideal)
 * Any other max damage Daggers

Usage
When entering an area:
 * Switch to your 2nd set of Daggers.
 * First cast Balthazar's Spirit on yourself and Life Bond on 2 of your allies that would normally take the most damage - Warriors or Monks are usually best.
 * Let your energy regenerate and then cast Protective Bond on yourself.

Life Bond will redirect half of all attack damage received by allies to yourself, as well as reducing the damage redirected to you by 21. Thus, if the attack dealt less than 42 damage, your allies will take half the actual damage and you will receive no damage at all, while still gaining 1 Energy from Balthazar's Spirit.

When you are about to enter a battle:
 * Switch to Vampiric Daggers.
 * Use Critical Eye whenever possible to get more energy from critical hits.
 * Use Golden Lotus Strike for a fast, instant energy boost. This should be used as often as possible.
 * Use Shadow Refuge for self-healing and Life Sheath for extra protection against direct attacks when needed.
 * Use Life Sheath on allies who are close to death, but only if you have enough energy to do so comfortably.
 * If your enchantments are removed, cast Protective Spirit on yourself so you may reapply those enchantments safely.

After the battle:
 * Switch to your 2nd set of Daggers again in order to avoid needless Health degeneration.
 * In PvE, it might be a good idea to attack nearby ambient animals with Golden Lotus Strike for energy.

In addition to damage you receive from attacks, you will also be receiving damage that was redirected by Life Bond. However, this damage should not be fatal, as damage output from enemy monsters may not be sufficient to exceed Life Bond's damage prevention.

Counters

 * Large amounts of heath degeneration
 * Energy denial
 * Nature's Renewal

Variants

 * Use Life Bond on 3 allies and then stick to using Protective Spirit for protection (be aware, this means you can take twice as much damage from each attack, though it does mean you only have to worry about getting enough energy to renew Protective Spirit every 17 seconds rather than keeping an energy reserve for Protective Bond).
 * Replace Life Bond with Essence Bond and cast this on yourself and one other ally, or alternatively only on yourself and then use Zealous Daggers. The downside to this is you are not absorbing 1/2 the attack damage from allies.