Three months ago I’ve created a build based on the BWE scenarios that can be found here. However, after playing the game for a while I’ve updated my build to something I think better than the build I made during beta.
PvE – DD/CS/Acro
Previously I’ve picked Trickery, however, due to the map being so large and all the supply runs, it became necessary to have access to Swiftness. By simply switching to Dash doesn’t cut it, thus it became necessary to also take Acro for the Expeditious Dodger trait. With this trait and Dash, it’s 100% swiftness uptime. Then before engaging, switching to Bound dodge gives a lot of damage boosts during combat.
I’ve also updated my Runes since ArenaNet finds that Vampiric Rune is overpowered — whatever. So, I’ve picked up Rune of the Brawler that gives 3 stacks of Might every heal. Another change is dropping Signet of Shadows and Distracting daggers for Impairing Dagger and Fist Flurry.
So here is my current PvE build: Speedy Jumper
PvP – DD/DA/SA (condition)
As for the PvP, I first theorycrafted a power based build but my main problem is the available amulets for such build sucks. The current version of Berserker has no vitality nor toughness. The Marauder amulet has too much stats allocation for Precision. What the Thief power build needs is this;
1200 Power
900 Ferocity
560 Precision
560 Vitality
Anything higher than 560 Precision is wasted stats points. So for PvP, I opted for condition based build where someone in the Thief Forum had showed me the potential of stacking Poisons. With this condition build, I can only focus on 2 stats (condition damage and vitality) instead of 4 (power, prec, ferocity, and vit) trying to build a power based. Condition based also has better survivability.
So for now this is my PvP build: Toxic Lotus
I’ve ran this build several times in unranked arena and it seems to do well.
vs. Tempest
I even have a dance with a Tempest who’s spec for anti-condition so I swapped to P/P and watched her melt. Condition removal is tied to stealth but I never have to use it most of the time due to Escapist Absolution. A lot of Tempest has this cookie-cutter build so they are as easily dealt with.
vs. Dragonhunter
Dragonhunter is a bit of a challenge but once I get into melee range, DB will both apply conditions, heal, and cleanse. So using this build allowed me to purposely trigger their traps and use the ticks from the traps to trigger evades for cleanse. DH are sitting ducks using longbow and traps but once I’ve dismantled their set-up, they drop really fast. The idea is to wait for them to cleanse the poisons and bleeds applied by my daggers, then overload them with poisons using my utility skills.
vs. Revenant
Revenant has limited access to cleanse and many of them relies on Unrelenting Assault. I’ve never seen a Rev take Ventari or Staff and because of this, they are succeptible from condition damage. What I found out during my runs is that, UA is easily dealt with. Once they used this skill, I simply dodge a couple of times and I only take two hits while healing from the evades, netting a minimal damage taken. Then I just load them up with conditions and watch them run away. A Rev with Staff is something I have a hard time fighting since they can block attacks and cleanse on dodge and staff #4 — but these are rare Rev and they don’t do much damage.
vs. Reaper
Reapers hits hard, I mean really really hard but they have one weakness; they have no cleanse while in Reaper Form. So keeping them crippled reduces their effectiveness and forces them to get out of Reaper Form. The way I fight them is to reserve my poisons when they get out of RF. Then load them up with conditions from my daggers, when they cleanse, I load them up with conditions from my utility skills. They will often try to mitigate the damage by going back to RF, but over time, they’ll run out of steam and die. Lotus Training is enough to keep them at bay — one caveat it to never get frozen.
Other than these, my condi build held up with approximately 80%-90% effective whether 1v1 or team fight. The other 10%-20% are loses against Berserk Warriors, Chronomancers, and Medi-Guardians. Thieves are a toss-up — I win some and lose some.
This build is still a work in progress so I’ll continue to adjust this over time.
