New part time level 46 assassin could use some help!

[deanjferguss]

Hi all One of my guildies is going back to term so i am running his account occasionally while he is back in school I will only be using the toon in guild groups / raids if we have not enough DPS on Wonder if you could give me any easy pointers on buffs / going into stealth mode for attacks / any quick tips would be good My main is a 49 templar so its a bit of a difference although i played a troubador to lvl 27 I dont expect or want to be an uber assassin but dont wanna let the toon go to waste etc Any help / suggestions would be much appreciated Obviously the only way to learn is to play but any simple advice would go a long way Thanks in advance <div></div>

[Klip]

<DIV>1. Always have a poison buff on. Damage poisons stack with one debuff poison, so a combo of damage+pioson debuff will be a nice one. Or maybe damage+slash debuff. If you have the money, bubble blood(is that the name of it? legendary damage poison that has 4 procs per charge) also stacks with normal poison, so on big nameds etc, its an extra 1k damage or so. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>2. Use your bow arts. They give a bit of a damage boost and have about X2 chance to proc poison or any proc you may have compared to auto attack. Just for a rough guidline, just outside the target circle on the ground of your target is about where you can start using your bow arts, and just inside that target circle is where your autoattack hits(this may vary, but just a rough guideline)<BR><BR>3. On many raid targets, the monsters you fight will have resistances to certain weapons. Try to know before hand what they are immune to, and switch your weapons out.<BR><BR>4. Manastone, PGT, or any other power regen is your friend. Scouts use up power pretty quickly, you do not have to have these equiped always, but when it gets tough on power, you should switch them in. But I spose you knew this even as a guardian...<BR><BR>5. Lazyness shows, only way you'll keep up with other classes dps wise, is to be attentive. As a fighter you may have had to keep an eye out for the rare occation(maybe not depending on group) that someone gets agro, but as a scout, you have to always be alert to a certain extent so you can do your full damage. Not saying it takes major concentration or anything, but there are many skills on different timers that give good dps. Murderers focus, honed reflexes, bloodthirster, condemning blade are good examples. <BR><BR>These are just a few, I bet others will add more. Hope you make assassins proud :smileywink:</DIV>

[deanjferguss]

Thanks (great post) some further questions 1. Poison buff - is that something i cast on myself? So i need to buy some poisons as well then? sorry to be dumb o<img src="/smilies/9d71f0541cff0a302a0309c5079e8dee.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> 2. Cool on ranged 3. Nice to know 4. Got PGT and manastone O<img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> 5. Great I have also created 3 macros basically that cast exposed attack, turn off auto attack and then use (1) condemning blade (2) bloodthirster (3) elaas perforating slice - does that sound good? is exposed attack the only combat art that i have that puts me into stealth on completion Hope to make assassins proud too O<img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> <div></div>

[Klip]

1. Poison is something you cast on yourself. But you have to use an activatable vial of poison for it to come up. These poisons can be bought at normal vendors in town, or can be bought from alchemists who make them. The alchemist poisons tend to cost more, but usually have better damage, more procs, more charges. Also the debuff poisons can only be made by alchemists, as far as I know. <BR><BR>As far as other combat arts that place you in stealth is a skill called Surveil. It is a agro reducer, but it also places you in stealth if you have autoattack turned off.

[Mordacion]

Surveil will also put you into combat, as well as reduce your hate level a bit. I'm also 46 currently so I'll toss out a typical combat situation: (note I do not personally use my bow skills) Begin in stealth from Espionage, attack with Murderous Blade then immediately cast Assassin's Mark and Cripple if its refreshed Trigger an HO, hit Torment followed by Seeping Wound, Infected Wound then Lingering Blow Cast Exposed Attack followed by Bloodthirster then Surveil followed by Condemning Blade if its up or Elaas Perforating Slice (the lvl 40 training upgrade of slice throat with the wrong name) Then alternate from Exposed followed by Murderous Blade, HOs followed by Torment and the small skills and Surveil followed by Bloodthirster when it refreshes. Spam Assassin's mark any time it refreshes versus epic mobs. I also keeping Numbing Strike handy for a once a fight hit and have Quick Strike around for a low-power HO finisher. Whenever they're both up near the beginning of a fight also be sure to use Honed Reflexes and Murderous Focus for a very noticeable increase in your auto attack damage. When I take aggro I use either Cheap Shot or Moor, back up out of melee range and cast Creeping Impetus to buff my defenses and then Surveil if its up. More often than not this give the tank ample change to grab aggro back. Just be careful to know if there are any mobs behind the current encounter before backing up. <div></div>

[Selen the Despoil]

<DIV>Use your ranged attacks.  Any assassin that doesnt is only doing substandard damage.  Even with cheap carbonite arrows and a decent bow, you can do upwards of 600 damage with Killer Instinct.  With correct positioning, you dont have to back all the way out of melee range to use your ranged attacks.</DIV>

[Ahlspiess]

<DIV>Always use your stealth attacks! If he doesn't have a macro to untoggle Surveil and Exposed Attack after being cast make one!</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Example:</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>/useability surveil</DIV> <DIV>/toggleautoattack</DIV> <DIV>/useability bloodthirster</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Use Spitting Viper if you have enough room to move back in a fight. The other 2 ranged attacks are 3 second cast and take too long for a good damage ratio.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>For best DPS use a t5 player made poison and a poison debuff. I'm not convinced having mor ethen one poison will cause it to proc. more so i stick with those two.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Know your enemies in raids! Most are immune to either Slashing or Piercing or Both! Switch to whatever is appropriate or stand around and look pretty. I would recommend buying t5 player made crushing arrows just encase!</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>You are in control of the HO's take time to look them over to see what does what and change them when appropriate. Don't be stingy with HO's either!</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Example of a typical fight:</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><EM>Espionage</EM> (before fight) - <EM>Bloodthirster</EM> - Assassin's Mark - Hardings... (Level 40 selected spell upgrade of Torment) - Lucky break - Seeping Wound - Exposed Attack (untoggle autoattack) - Condemning blade / Slice Throat  - Infected Wounds - Lingering blow - Surveil (Untoggle attack) - Murderous Blade - (Jump Back) Spitting Viper - Murderous Focus - Lucky break...</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Depends on who is in your party really. I don't recommend doing a lot of damage in the first  few seconds so tank can get aggro. Which is why I choose the above layout. nothing sucks more then hitting them with Condemning Blade and then getting your [expletive ninja'd by Faarbot] whipped once they turn on you.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>We have a synergy with Warlocks with their poisons and poison debuffs be sure to compliment them with ours ( Spitting viper, Infected wounds, Murderous blade) The level 40 selected upgrade of torment also lowers spell mitigation along with slashing piercing and defense so hopefully he selected it.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Kite when you solo or you will take the beating of a life time! </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Moor - Assassin's Shot - Faltering blast </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV><p>Message Edited by Ahlspiess on <span class=date_text>05-03-2005</span> <span class=time_text>11:37 PM</span>

[Kven]

<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> Ahlspiess wrote:<BR> <DIV>Always use your stealth attacks! If he doesn't have a macro to untoggle Surveil and Exposed Attack after being cast make one!</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Example:</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>/useability surveil</DIV> <DIV>/toggleautoattack</DIV> <DIV>/useability bloodthirster</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Use Spitting Viper if you have enough room to move back in a fight. The other 2 ranged attacks are 3 second cast and take too long for a good damage ratio.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>For best DPS use a t5 player made poison and a poison debuff. I'm not convinced having mor ethen one poison will cause it to proc. more so i stick with those two.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Know your enemies in raids! Most are immune to either Slashing or Piercing or Both! Switch to whatever is appropriate or stand around and look pretty. I would recommend buying t5 player made crushing arrows just encase!</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>You are in control of the HO's take time to look them over to see what does what and change them when appropriate. Don't be stingy with HO's either!</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Example of a typical fight:</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><EM>Espionage</EM> (before fight) - <EM>Bloodthirster</EM> - Assassin's Mark - Hardings... (Level 40 selected spell upgrade of Torment) - Lucky break - Seeping Wound - Exposed Attack (untoggle autoattack) - Condemning blade / Slice Throat  - Infected Wounds - Lingering blow - Surveil (Untoggle attack) - Murderous Blade - (Jump Back) <FONT color=#ffff00><STRONG>Faltering Blast</STRONG></FONT> - Spitting Viper - Murderous Focus - Lucky break...</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Depends on who is in your party really. I don't recommend doing a lot of damage in the first  few seconds so tank can get aggro. Which is why I choose the above layout. nothing sucks more then hitting them with Condemning Blade and then getting your [expletive ninja'd by Faarbot] whipped once they turn on you.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>We have a synergy with Warlocks with their poisons and poison debuffs be sure to compliment them with ours ( Spitting viper, Infected wounds, Murderous blade) The level 40 selected upgrade of torment also lowers spell mitigation along with slashing piercing and defense so hopefully he selected it.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Kite when you solo or you will take the beating of a life time! </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Moor - Assassin's Shot - Faltering blast </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <P>Message Edited by Ahlspiess on <SPAN class=date_text>05-03-2005</SPAN> <SPAN class=time_text>11:37 PM</SPAN><BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE>Added Faltering Blast to the above list.  It fires 2 shots for the time taking to shoot and procs bow / poisons often.  Worth using.  With about 200 dmg on poison procs, and 150 - 200 dmg on imbued cedar bow (assuming he has one) proc.  I've had both proc on both hits before.  Did 300'ish damage per shot and almost 400 in poison and almost 400 in procs.  1400 damage for that 1 shot is worth it, usually at least 1 poison procs.  High chance to have bow proc.<BR>

[Klip]

<DIV>Damage poisons do NOT stack, the one exception that I know of is Bubbleblood. Bubbleblood is the rare poison made from loam out of ruby I believe. It has 7charges of a 4 proc per each, but it also has the best damage/dot. It doesn't last too long, but it DOES stack with other damage poison, so it will help you out on big boss fights. </DIV>

[Ahlspiess]

<div></div><div></div><div></div>Good call with the Faltering Blast Kvenau. I was always steered clear of the 3 second cast skills but since you fire two arrows that'd be equivalent to a 1.5 second cast AND there is a good chance one if not BOTH will proc. with an imbued bow. Thanks for the heads up! I love refining my strategy  <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> klipto: Added poison is awlays good! Now if i could just afford to buy it... Edit: After giving it some thought.. I think I would change the example after murderous blade to read: ... murderous blade - (jump back) <font color="#ffff33">(toggle ranged attack) - Spitting Viper - Faltering Blast -... <font color="#ffffff">I'd toggle ranged attack because you will be out of melee for 4 + seconds and if you hit there is a chance for a poison and the proc. on your bow to go off. <i>Spitting Viper</i> I moved before <i>Faltering Blast</i> because it is a poison debuff and every little bit helps!</font> </font> <div></div><p> <span class="time_text"></span></p><p> <span class="time_text"></span></p><p>Message Edited by Ahlspiess on <span class=date_text>05-04-2005</span> <span class=time_text>03:38 PM</span>