Build:A/Rt PvP Nightmare Vamp

This build is in the testing phase. Please join the discussion and rate this build if you have experience with this or closely related builds. This build has been designed for the following use: PvP RA PvP HA PvP AB PvP GvG

Assassin build that abuses the synergy between Nightmare Weapon and Vampiric Assault to provide high armor-ignoring damage spike with strong self-healing capabilities.

Attributes and Skills

Assassin / Ritualist 12 + 1 + 3 Deadly Arts 12 Channeling Magic 3 Dagger Mastery Nightmare Weapon FactionsRitualist. Channeling Magic 12Nightmare WeaponWeapon SpellFor 12 seconds, target ally has a Nightmare Weapon. Target ally's next 3 attacks are reduced by 42 damage and steal up to 42 Health.5110 Wastrel's Collapse NightfallAssassin. UnlinkedWastrel's CollapseElite SkillShadow Step to target foe. If that foe is not using a skill that foe is knocked down. All your non-dagger attack skills are disabled for 10 seconds.5¼20 Falling Spider FactionsAssassin. Dagger Mastery 3Falling SpiderOff-Hand AttackMust strike a knocked-down foe. If it hits, Falling Spider strikes for +19 damage and target foe is Poisoned for 8 seconds.58 Vampiric Assault EotNAssassin. Deadly Arts 16Vampiric AssaultDual AttackMust follow an off-hand attack. If this attack hits, you steal 42 Health.58 Impale FactionsAssassin. Deadly Arts 16ImpaleSkillMust follow a dual attack. Target foe is struck for 105 earth damage and suffers from a Deep Wound for 21 seconds.5115 Signet of Toxic Shock NightfallAssassin. Deadly Arts 16Signet of Toxic ShockSignetIf target foe is suffering from Poison, that foe takes 106 damage.115 Dash FactionsAssassin. UnlinkedDashStanceFor 3 seconds, you run 50% faster.58 Optional CoreNo Profession. UnlinkedOptionalOptionalOptional.   Template code

Optionals:

• Resurrection SignetCoreNo Profession. UnlinkedResurrection SignetSignetResurrect target party member. That party member is returned to life with 100% Health and 25% Energy. This Signet only recharges when you gain a morale boost.3 for RA/HA;
• Mark of InstabilityFactionsAssassin. UnlinkedMark of InstabilityHex SpellFor 20 seconds, the next time you hit target foe with a dual attack skill that foe is knocked down.10¼20 for quarterknocking.
• Sharpen DaggersFactionsAssassin. Critical Strikes 6Sharpen DaggersEnchantment SpellFor 15 seconds, your dagger attacks cause Bleeding for 9 seconds.5120 - provides extra ~30 armor-ignoring damage for duration of the spike and covers your poison. Drop 1 point from Dagger Mastery and Channeling Magic;
• RecallFactionsAssassin. UnlinkedRecallEnchantment SpellWhile you maintain Recall, nothing happens. When Recall ends, you Shadow Step to the ally you targeted when you activated this skill and all of your skills are disabled for 10 seconds.-115110 / Death's RetreatNightfallAssassin. Shadow Arts 0Death's RetreatSpellShadow Step to target ally. If you have less Health than that ally, you gain 40 Health.5¼20 back to safety.
• Shadow of HasteFactionsAssassin. Shadow Arts 2Shadow of HasteStanceFor 14 seconds you move 15% faster than normal. When Shadow of Haste ends, you shadow step to your original location.545 back to safety. Drop 1 point from Dagger Mastery, and consider also droping 1 point from Channeling Magic for additional convenience;
• Dancing DaggersFactionsAssassin. Deadly Arts 16Dancing DaggersSpellSend out three Dancing Daggers at target foe, each striking for 37 earth damage if they hit. Dancing Daggers has half the normal range. This skill counts as a lead attack.515 / Signet of Deadly CorruptionEotNAssassin. Deadly Arts 16Signet of Deadly CorruptionSignetTarget foe takes 37 damage for each Condition on that foe (maximum 130 damage).112 additional damage.

Equipment

• Weapons
  • Set 1: Vampiric Dagggers w/ +30 Health and +5 energy inscription.
  • Set 2: Cruel Spear w/ +20 Health and +5 energy inscription; Shield w/ +30 health and -20% Cripple duration;
  • Set 3 (optional): 40/40 Channeling set for prebuffing Nightmare Weapon
  • Set 4 (optional): Any longbow
• Armor
  • 1 x Rune of Restoration
  • 1 x Rune of Superior Vigor
  • Runes of Vitae and Survivor insignia on all other slots.

Usage

• Stay in Spear set between fights, switch to Daggers as you are about to spike
• Prebuff yourself with Nightmare WeaponFactionsRitualist. Channeling Magic 12Nightmare WeaponWeapon SpellFor 12 seconds, target ally has a Nightmare Weapon. Target ally's next 3 attacks are reduced by 42 damage and steal up to 42 Health.5110 (and Sharpen DaggersFactionsAssassin. Critical Strikes 6Sharpen DaggersEnchantment SpellFor 15 seconds, your dagger attacks cause Bleeding for 9 seconds.5120 )
• Use Wastrel's CollapseNightfallAssassin. UnlinkedWastrel's CollapseElite SkillShadow Step to target foe. If that foe is not using a skill that foe is knocked down. All your non-dagger attack skills are disabled for 10 seconds.5¼20 after enemy finishes an ability for guaranteed knockdown
• Use Falling SpiderFactionsAssassin. Dagger Mastery 3Falling SpiderOff-Hand AttackMust strike a knocked-down foe. If it hits, Falling Spider strikes for +19 damage and target foe is Poisoned for 8 seconds.58 → Vampiric AssaultEotNAssassin. Deadly Arts 16Vampiric AssaultDual AttackMust follow an off-hand attack. If this attack hits, you steal 42 Health.58 → ImpaleFactionsAssassin. Deadly Arts 16ImpaleSkillMust follow a dual attack. Target foe is struck for 105 earth damage and suffers from a Deep Wound for 21 seconds.5115 → Signet of Toxic ShockNightfallAssassin. Deadly Arts 16Signet of Toxic ShockSignetIf target foe is suffering from Poison, that foe takes 106 damage.115 on a knocked-down foe for the spike.
  • Press [Escape] + Spear set button after Vampiric Strike to switch to Shield, so that casting Impale and SoTS benefits from additional survivability and longer Deep Wound.
  • Use Signet of Toxic Shock right after Falling Spider/Vampiric Assault when fearing condition removal or lacking energy.
    • Note that using Impale last will not kill enemy immediately because Deep Wound is applied after the damage, requiring you to hit 1 more time compared to when using SoTS last.
• Use Mark of InstabilityFactionsAssassin. UnlinkedMark of InstabilityHex SpellFor 20 seconds, the next time you hit target foe with a dual attack skill that foe is knocked down.10¼20 before Wastrel's CollapseNightfallAssassin. UnlinkedWastrel's CollapseElite SkillShadow Step to target foe. If that foe is not using a skill that foe is knocked down. All your non-dagger attack skills are disabled for 10 seconds.5¼20 for quarter knocking.
  • When fearing hex removal, activate it after Falling Spider instead, at cost of delaying your knockdown and spike.
• Precast Shadow of HasteFactionsAssassin. Shadow Arts 2Shadow of HasteStanceFor 14 seconds you move 15% faster than normal. When Shadow of Haste ends, you shadow step to your original location.545 before spike, and cancel it with Dash to return to your safety location.
  • Keep in mind that Impale and SoTS are ranged attacks, so you can teleport back as early as after Vampiric Assault and still continue your spike in certain situations.
• Between spikes, use Nightmare WeaponFactionsRitualist. Channeling Magic 12Nightmare WeaponWeapon SpellFor 12 seconds, target ally has a Nightmare Weapon. Target ally's next 3 attacks are reduced by 42 damage and steal up to 42 Health.5110 + Spear autoattack for small poke damage and sustain.
• Use Nightmare WeaponFactionsRitualist. Channeling Magic 12Nightmare WeaponWeapon SpellFor 12 seconds, target ally has a Nightmare Weapon. Target ally's next 3 attacks are reduced by 42 damage and steal up to 42 Health.5110 + longbow for slow but safe lifesteal against stationary NPCs or when at high-ground advantage.
• Dash to move around and get out of sticky scenarios.

Counters

• Anti-melee early in the combo
• Well-timed condition removal
• Interupting Impale/SoTS
• Knockdown prevention

Variants

• Shadow PrisonNightfallAssassin. Deadly Arts 16Shadow PrisonElite Hex SpellShadow Step to target foe. For 7 seconds, that foe moves 66% slower.10¼25 + Black Spider StrikeNightfallAssassin. Dagger Mastery 3Black Spider StrikeOff-Hand AttackMust strike a Hexed foe. If it hits, this attack strikes for +8 damage and target foe is Poisoned for 8 seconds.1012 over Wastrel's CollapseNightfallAssassin. UnlinkedWastrel's CollapseElite SkillShadow Step to target foe. If that foe is not using a skill that foe is knocked down. All your non-dagger attack skills are disabled for 10 seconds.5¼20 + Falling SpiderFactionsAssassin. Dagger Mastery 3Falling SpiderOff-Hand AttackMust strike a knocked-down foe. If it hits, Falling Spider strikes for +19 damage and target foe is Poisoned for 8 seconds.58 when timing your knockdown is too challenging. Be aware of the much higher energy cost.
• Black Spider StrikeNightfallAssassin. Dagger Mastery 3Black Spider StrikeOff-Hand AttackMust strike a Hexed foe. If it hits, this attack strikes for +8 damage and target foe is Poisoned for 8 seconds.1012 over Falling SpiderFactionsAssassin. Dagger Mastery 3Falling SpiderOff-Hand AttackMust strike a knocked-down foe. If it hits, Falling Spider strikes for +19 damage and target foe is Poisoned for 8 seconds.58 when using Mark of InstabilityFactionsAssassin. UnlinkedMark of InstabilityHex SpellFor 20 seconds, the next time you hit target foe with a dual attack skill that foe is knocked down.10¼20 , to make the chain still work in case you fail the Wastrel's Collapse knockdown.