shaktiboi
26-03-2006, 04:51
I've found a very strong A/Mo build that uses no points in Monk attributes and only one monk skill in the toolbar (a rez, ideally Rebirth). This is basically a pure Assassin with a reusable rez. The character is *very* tough in battle, with high survivability even during the first alpha strike of a bunch of mobs.
I've been playing this character as the "caller" tank in groups with my playing her fireball/spirit-centric E/R and only four other henchmen (healer, spiritist, warrior, and archer). We have been able to handle most situations just fine with that 6-person group.
Here's the details. Usage notes follow the build
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Assassin/Monk
Level: 20
Critical Strikes: 13 (12+1)
Dagger Mastery: 13 (10+3)
Shadow Arts: 9 (8+1)
Critical Eye (Critical Strikes)
For 32 seconds, you have an additional 6% chance to land a critical hit when attacking. You gain 1 Energy whenever you score a critical hit.
Energy:5 Cast:0 Recharge:30
Way of Perfection (Shadow Arts)
For 25 seconds, whenever you successfully make a critical hit you gain 25 health.
Energy:5 Cast:1 Recharge:30
Jagged Strike (Dagger Mastery)
If Jagged Strike hits, your target suffers from Bleeding for 8 seconds.
Energy:5 Cast:0 Recharge:6
Fox Fangs (Dagger Mastery)
Must follow a lead attack. Fox Fangs cannot be "blocked" or "evaded" and strikes for +18 damage if it hits.
Energy:5 Cast:0 Recharge:10
Twisting Fangs (Dagger Mastery)
Must follow an off-hand attack. If it hits, Twisting Fangs strikes for +10 damage and struck foe suffers from Bleeding and Deep Wound for 18 seconds.
Energy:10 Cast:0 Recharge:12
Flashing Blades [Elite] (Dagger Mastery)
For 18 seconds, you have a 50% chance to block incoming attacks while attacking.
Energy:10 Cast:0 Recharge:20
Shadow Refuge (Shadow Arts)
For 4 seconds, you have a 50% chance to "evade" attacks. When Shadow Refuge ends, you are healed for 84.
Energy:5 Cast:1 Recharge:8
Rebirth (Protection Prayers)
Resurrect target party member. Target party member is returned to life with 25% Health and zero Energy, and is teleported to your current location. All of target's skills are disabled for 10..4 seconds. This Spell consumes all of your remaining Energy.
Energy:10 Cast:6 Recharge:0
I've been playing without these +1 +3 +1 augmentations, but ideally you would add a Critical Helm, Major Vigor on chest, Superor Dagger Mastery on hands, Minor Shadow Arts on feet.
Critical Strikes at the 13th rank gives you base 26% chance to crit (all your damage ignores armor mitigation), but most importantly gives you 3 energy back with each crit. (Note that I've been playing with Critical Strikes only at the 10th rank, so I've only been getting 2 energy back per crit, which is still very very nice.)
Shadow Arts should be set high enough to get you 15-20% of your health back with each use of Shadow Refuge, without cutting too much into a high Dagger Mastery.
Dagger Mastery should be high enough to get you a roughly 25% chance of a double attack with each swing. That translates into 25% more raw damage from your daggers, and 8% more chance of critical attacks when you have Critical Eye in effect. (40% total chance of criticals).
1. Start your two buffs (Critical Eye and Way of Perfection) just before starting a fight, and generally keep both running at all times during battle.
2. Use the three dagger combos whenever there's spare energy for them. But your two damage mitigation skills and your two buffs should always take priority. You can use any lead, off-hand, and dual combos that you like, but I prefer low-cost, fast-recycling combos that don't rely on preconditions.
3. At the start of a larger group fight, when you're most prone to dying from an alpha strike, trigger your two damage mitigation skills (Flashing Blades and Shadow Refuge) immediately when you start attacking. From there on, use as needed when you're taking heavy damage. It's generally best to use Flashing Blades first for instant mitigation, and you can pop off Shadow Refuge twice after that while Flashing Blades is recycling.
4. All you need your Monk secondary for is that very nice rez-with-teleport-to-you skill, Rebirth.
5. If everything goes pear-shaped during a fight and you're facing a total party wipeout, wait for your Way of Perfection to kick in and teleport you out of the thick of things, then run away. With Rebirth you can usually safely rez the entire party even if they died in the middle of a spawn location.
I've been playing this character as the "caller" tank in groups with my playing her fireball/spirit-centric E/R and only four other henchmen (healer, spiritist, warrior, and archer). We have been able to handle most situations just fine with that 6-person group.
Here's the details. Usage notes follow the build
-------
Assassin/Monk
Level: 20
Critical Strikes: 13 (12+1)
Dagger Mastery: 13 (10+3)
Shadow Arts: 9 (8+1)
Critical Eye (Critical Strikes)
For 32 seconds, you have an additional 6% chance to land a critical hit when attacking. You gain 1 Energy whenever you score a critical hit.
Energy:5 Cast:0 Recharge:30
Way of Perfection (Shadow Arts)
For 25 seconds, whenever you successfully make a critical hit you gain 25 health.
Energy:5 Cast:1 Recharge:30
Jagged Strike (Dagger Mastery)
If Jagged Strike hits, your target suffers from Bleeding for 8 seconds.
Energy:5 Cast:0 Recharge:6
Fox Fangs (Dagger Mastery)
Must follow a lead attack. Fox Fangs cannot be "blocked" or "evaded" and strikes for +18 damage if it hits.
Energy:5 Cast:0 Recharge:10
Twisting Fangs (Dagger Mastery)
Must follow an off-hand attack. If it hits, Twisting Fangs strikes for +10 damage and struck foe suffers from Bleeding and Deep Wound for 18 seconds.
Energy:10 Cast:0 Recharge:12
Flashing Blades [Elite] (Dagger Mastery)
For 18 seconds, you have a 50% chance to block incoming attacks while attacking.
Energy:10 Cast:0 Recharge:20
Shadow Refuge (Shadow Arts)
For 4 seconds, you have a 50% chance to "evade" attacks. When Shadow Refuge ends, you are healed for 84.
Energy:5 Cast:1 Recharge:8
Rebirth (Protection Prayers)
Resurrect target party member. Target party member is returned to life with 25% Health and zero Energy, and is teleported to your current location. All of target's skills are disabled for 10..4 seconds. This Spell consumes all of your remaining Energy.
Energy:10 Cast:6 Recharge:0
I've been playing without these +1 +3 +1 augmentations, but ideally you would add a Critical Helm, Major Vigor on chest, Superor Dagger Mastery on hands, Minor Shadow Arts on feet.
Critical Strikes at the 13th rank gives you base 26% chance to crit (all your damage ignores armor mitigation), but most importantly gives you 3 energy back with each crit. (Note that I've been playing with Critical Strikes only at the 10th rank, so I've only been getting 2 energy back per crit, which is still very very nice.)
Shadow Arts should be set high enough to get you 15-20% of your health back with each use of Shadow Refuge, without cutting too much into a high Dagger Mastery.
Dagger Mastery should be high enough to get you a roughly 25% chance of a double attack with each swing. That translates into 25% more raw damage from your daggers, and 8% more chance of critical attacks when you have Critical Eye in effect. (40% total chance of criticals).
1. Start your two buffs (Critical Eye and Way of Perfection) just before starting a fight, and generally keep both running at all times during battle.
2. Use the three dagger combos whenever there's spare energy for them. But your two damage mitigation skills and your two buffs should always take priority. You can use any lead, off-hand, and dual combos that you like, but I prefer low-cost, fast-recycling combos that don't rely on preconditions.
3. At the start of a larger group fight, when you're most prone to dying from an alpha strike, trigger your two damage mitigation skills (Flashing Blades and Shadow Refuge) immediately when you start attacking. From there on, use as needed when you're taking heavy damage. It's generally best to use Flashing Blades first for instant mitigation, and you can pop off Shadow Refuge twice after that while Flashing Blades is recycling.
4. All you need your Monk secondary for is that very nice rez-with-teleport-to-you skill, Rebirth.
5. If everything goes pear-shaped during a fight and you're facing a total party wipeout, wait for your Way of Perfection to kick in and teleport you out of the thick of things, then run away. With Rebirth you can usually safely rez the entire party even if they died in the middle of a spawn location.