EQ2 Forum Archive @ EQ2Wire - View Single Post - MYTH: Assassins are spike-based damage, while Rogues are consistant damage.

UpurBloodst · 12-26-2004, 10:39 AM

I've been reading some boards lately, and I've read many times that Assassins are the spike-based damage dealers, while Brigands, Swashies, and Ranger do consistant damage.

So far, I haven't seen any evidence whatsoever to support this as a level 36 Assassin.

The only skill that would ever seem to perpetuate this myth is Assassin's Blade, and it's upgrade, Condemning Blade. These skills are both on a 5 minute timer, and will generally put any other melee hit to shame. While these skills are nice, they are only a nice addition to our main DPS skills such as Shadow Blade and it's upgrade(s), Poisoner's Blade and it's upgrade(s), Impale and it's upgrade(s), Shrouded Strike and it's upgrade(s), Bleed and it's upgrade(s), Pierce and it's upgrade(s), and of course, Sneak Attack. All of these skills listed recharge quickly (with the possible exception of the Shadow Blade line) and do fairly nice and consistant damage. These skills are where the super majority of the Assassin's damage comes from, not the 5 minute recharge on the Assassin's Blade line.

I've always known that the Assassin class wasn't a member of the spike-based damage paradigm for some time now, but since I enjoy trying to prove myself wrong, I downloaded the very handy parser at www.thescoutssanctuary.com. Btw, thanks a bunch for that tool and the website Khalysta.

Anyways, the results were essentially what I had expected. I grouped with both a Swashbuckler and a Brigand for about 3 hours, and kept track of the damage being done by each of us. The Assassin(myself) was level 36, the Swashbuckler was level 37, and the Brigand was level 36. Their gear and stats were fairly updated, just as mine were. They all were active in the group, and I didn't consider their DPS totals if they joined the fight late, were AFK for a portion of the fight, or if there was anything I could notice that would possibly alter the results. As far as I know, they both know how to play their classes with a decent level of efficiency. We were killing Blight Rats in Rivervale for the entire time, and these numbers are only from fights with Blight Rats. They both reported that they have most Adept 1's for their skills, and each had a couple Adept 3's. I had Adept 1 for pretty much all of my skills, and no Adept 2's, 3's, or Masters. I gave them all a tier 3 poison to keep on their weapons, so that wouldn't be a factor.

The Swashbuckler generally averaged around 60 DPS per fight. Occasionally, he would do some 70 DPS fights, but he also had a few 45-50 DPS fights.

The Brigand did seem to have a bit higher DPS than the Swashbuckler, as I expected. He averaged around 70 DPS, with a few lower DPS and higher DPS. Overall, both the Brigand and the Swashbuckler were very steady in their damage dealing.

Now, with myself, the Assassin of course, the averages were a bit more interesting. As I expected, I was able to keep my DPS much higher both the Swashbuckler and the Brigand even on fights without using the 5 minute recharge "extreme damage" skill. Without using this skill, I consistantly did anywhere from 75 up to 100 DPS per fight. When I did use Assassin's blade in a fight, which happened about every 4 fights, the extra 700-1300 damage boosted my DPS for that fight to anywhere from 100 to 150.

Basically, the idea that Assassin's do damage in spikes is a myth. They do consistant damage greater than or equal to that of the other scouts, or at least Brigand and Swashbucklers. However, they do have one (two, if your counting Assassinate) "spike-damage" abilities.

However, that does not, by any means, make Assassins "better" than the other rogue classes. Assassin have almost no utility in comparison with Swashbucklers and Brigands, as you know. Assassins, as far as I know playing up to level 36, are essentially pure damage dealing machines. I, personally, don't like to think of them not having utility, however. It depends how you define utility, really. I see the Assassin's utility as being able to do an instant, and very extreme attack every 5 minutes to finish off or freatly weaken a mob. Their utility is being able to kill, which is very defining for an Assassin.

Why did the myth that Assassin's are only spike-damage, and other scouts are consistant damage start, anyways?

Personally, I think it is mainly because people are obsessed with seperating each of the classes. They want their class to be different from another class, and they want other classes to be different from theirs. It is very boring to simply define Brigands, Swashbucklers, Assassins, Rangers as just nice DD's. Some people want to diversify their abilities in order to create an illusion of uniqueness, even though there is very little evidence to support that uniqueness.

12-26-2004, 10:39 AM	#1
UpurBloodst Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 38	I've been reading some boards lately, and I've read many times that Assassins are the spike-based damage dealers, while Brigands, Swashies, and Ranger do consistant damage. So far, I haven't seen any evidence whatsoever to support this as a level 36 Assassin. The only skill that would ever seem to perpetuate this myth is Assassin's Blade, and it's upgrade, Condemning Blade. These skills are both on a 5 minute timer, and will generally put any other melee hit to shame. While these skills are nice, they are only a nice addition to our main DPS skills such as Shadow Blade and it's upgrade(s), Poisoner's Blade and it's upgrade(s), Impale and it's upgrade(s), Shrouded Strike and it's upgrade(s), Bleed and it's upgrade(s), Pierce and it's upgrade(s), and of course, Sneak Attack. All of these skills listed recharge quickly (with the possible exception of the Shadow Blade line) and do fairly nice and consistant damage. These skills are where the super majority of the Assassin's damage comes from, not the 5 minute recharge on the Assassin's Blade line. I've always known that the Assassin class wasn't a member of the spike-based damage paradigm for some time now, but since I enjoy trying to prove myself wrong, I downloaded the very handy parser at www.thescoutssanctuary.com. Btw, thanks a bunch for that tool and the website Khalysta. Anyways, the results were essentially what I had expected. I grouped with both a Swashbuckler and a Brigand for about 3 hours, and kept track of the damage being done by each of us. The Assassin(myself) was level 36, the Swashbuckler was level 37, and the Brigand was level 36. Their gear and stats were fairly updated, just as mine were. They all were active in the group, and I didn't consider their DPS totals if they joined the fight late, were AFK for a portion of the fight, or if there was anything I could notice that would possibly alter the results. As far as I know, they both know how to play their classes with a decent level of efficiency. We were killing Blight Rats in Rivervale for the entire time, and these numbers are only from fights with Blight Rats. They both reported that they have most Adept 1's for their skills, and each had a couple Adept 3's. I had Adept 1 for pretty much all of my skills, and no Adept 2's, 3's, or Masters. I gave them all a tier 3 poison to keep on their weapons, so that wouldn't be a factor. The Swashbuckler generally averaged around 60 DPS per fight. Occasionally, he would do some 70 DPS fights, but he also had a few 45-50 DPS fights. The Brigand did seem to have a bit higher DPS than the Swashbuckler, as I expected. He averaged around 70 DPS, with a few lower DPS and higher DPS. Overall, both the Brigand and the Swashbuckler were very steady in their damage dealing. Now, with myself, the Assassin of course, the averages were a bit more interesting. As I expected, I was able to keep my DPS much higher both the Swashbuckler and the Brigand even on fights without using the 5 minute recharge "extreme damage" skill. Without using this skill, I consistantly did anywhere from 75 up to 100 DPS per fight. When I did use Assassin's blade in a fight, which happened about every 4 fights, the extra 700-1300 damage boosted my DPS for that fight to anywhere from 100 to 150. Basically, the idea that Assassin's do damage in spikes is a myth. They do consistant damage greater than or equal to that of the other scouts, or at least Brigand and Swashbucklers. However, they do have one (two, if your counting Assassinate) "spike-damage" abilities. However, that does not, by any means, make Assassins "better" than the other rogue classes. Assassin have almost no utility in comparison with Swashbucklers and Brigands, as you know. Assassins, as far as I know playing up to level 36, are essentially pure damage dealing machines. I, personally, don't like to think of them not having utility, however. It depends how you define utility, really. I see the Assassin's utility as being able to do an instant, and very extreme attack every 5 minutes to finish off or freatly weaken a mob. Their utility is being able to kill, which is very defining for an Assassin. Why did the myth that Assassin's are only spike-damage, and other scouts are consistant damage start, anyways? Personally, I think it is mainly because people are obsessed with seperating each of the classes. They want their class to be different from another class, and they want other classes to be different from theirs. It is very boring to simply define Brigands, Swashbucklers, Assassins, Rangers as just nice DD's. Some people want to diversify their abilities in order to create an illusion of uniqueness, even though there is very little evidence to support that uniqueness.