11 replies to this topic

[Tony]

Hello everyone,

I'm a new player and I was just wondering: what's the strongest thief build currently such as like weapon set and trait build? Is there a "strongest" or does it all depend on style of play?

Thanks in advance!

[lmaonade]

Tony, on 16 January 2013 - 12:16 AM, said:

Hello everyone,

I'm a new player and I was just wondering: what's the strongest thief build currently such as like weapon set and trait build? Is there a "strongest" or does it all depend on style of play?

Thanks in advance!

IMO it's style of play, you can be strongest in different categories

if you mean strongest as in killing ability, then a backstab burst build is probably best atm, strongest in dueling ability is probably a stealth and poison build, best in survival is probably an evasion build of some sort

[Korra]

23/11/0/30/6 is the strongest build right now.

[Falfyrel]

Korra, on 16 January 2013 - 12:50 AM, said:

23/11/0/30/6 is the strongest build right now.

I used Korra's suggestion on traits and turned it into an incredibly powerful complete build on GW2Skills.

http://gw2skills.net...AAyCvs4Y8wmj5DA

This build may be hard to play, but a true master Thief who sinks enough time into playing the build will see its clear advantages.

I recommend using it as a badge-farming partner in WvW.

[Revonz]

Korra, on 16 January 2013 - 12:50 AM, said:

23/11/0/30/6 is the strongest build right now.

Falfyrel, on 16 January 2013 - 01:52 AM, said:

I used Korra's suggestion on traits and turned it into an incredibly powerful complete build on GW2Skills.

http://gw2skills.net...AAyCvs4Y8wmj5DA

This build may be hard to play, but a true master Thief who sinks enough time into playing the build will see its clear advantages.

I recommend using it as a badge-farming partner in WvW.

You have got to be kidding me. I can't tell if you're trolling with those traits or not or if you actually believe them.

Now concerning the build - there is nothing wrong with your utilities individually. But neither is that setup the end all be all of what you should be running, scorpion wire isn't useful all of the time, shadow trap is situational at best and you shouldn't always be running daggerstorm.

lmaonade is right, adaptability is key, thieves have so many utility skills (and two elites that are mostly useful no matter how you're built, which is more than can be said of other professions)

Signet of Malice? I can see why you'd go for that, but I'm always of the opinion that it is simply outclassed by the utility and condition clears the other two bring. If you use Malice you'll rarely if ever wanna activate it. So goodbye to things that proc on on heal use (minor point). Lifesteal food does the same job if you're built for crits (I know it's getting tired at this point but if you aren't surviving and doing well in full zerker's [or damage/cond but with conditions you can get away with it since you can largely replace pow/prec] gear [at least on the thief with all the evades shadow steps etc that are built in] you aren't at your best yet)

Looking at your gear I'm more and more convinced that you have a sub-optimal build. It gets my downvote.

Okay now back to the OP

After logging a thousand hours on the thief I can safely say that adaptability is king. I never run around having static skills when doing high end content. Just as your utilities change depending on the situation so to must your weapon sets cover all bases. You're never gonna go wrong having both melee and range weapons outside of specialized spvp builds (another reason why the previous build fails).

Traits for a full zerker build I would say 25/30/0/*5/10 the 5 can go anywhere (except to grab the useless grandmaster deadly arts traits) really swiftness is more of a quality of life thing

[Tony]

Revonz, on 16 January 2013 - 02:27 AM, said:

You have got to be kidding me. I can't tell if you're trolling with those traits or not or if you actually believe them.

Now concerning the build - there is nothing wrong with your utilities individually. But neither is that setup the end all be all of what you should be running, scorpion wire isn't useful all of the time, shadow trap is situational at best and you shouldn't always be running daggerstorm.

lmaonade is right, adaptability is key, thieves have so many utility skills (and two elites that are mostly useful no matter how you're built, which is more than can be said of other professions)

Signet of Malice? I can see why you'd go for that, but I'm always of the opinion that it is simply outclassed by the utility and condition clears the other two bring. If you use Malice you'll rarely if ever wanna activate it. So goodbye to things that proc on on heal use (minor point). Lifesteal food does the same job if you're built for crits (I know it's getting tired at this point but if you aren't surviving and doing well in full zerker's [or damage/cond but with conditions you can get away with it since you can largely replace pow/prec] gear [at least on the thief with all the evades shadow steps etc that are built in] you aren't at your best yet)

Looking at your gear I'm more and more convinced that you have a sub-optimal build. It gets my downvote.

Okay now back to the OP

After logging a thousand hours on the thief I can safely say that adaptability is king. I never run around having static skills when doing high end content. Just as your utilities change depending on the situation so to must your weapon sets cover all bases. You're never gonna go wrong having both melee and range weapons outside of specialized spvp builds (another reason why the previous build fails).

Traits for a full zerker build I would say 25/30/0/*5/10 the 5 can go anywhere (except to grab the useless grandmaster deadly arts traits) really swiftness is more of a quality of life thing

What weapons entail with that zerker build?

[Revonz]

My votes go for S/P or D/P. Pistol offhand just brings so much utility. Enjoy blind-tanking mobs (without unshakable i.e. bosses and champs) you can get into the 5-smoke field (even "immune" dredge are not), and the headshot interrupt is always useful (for defiant stripping, interrupts and stopping channeled spells [like the inquest channeled stunlock in one of the arah paths - will save your buddies a lot])

For a second set I would say Shortbow. You already have weakness on poison as a trait, and you can even combo your own poison field from choking gas with a blast finisher - AoE weakness. The evade is useful and so is infiltrator's arrow, so much mobility. Trickshot and cluster bomb aren't bad either for dealing with a lot of enemies

Edited by Revonz, 16 January 2013 - 03:01 AM.

[mofogie]

they all have their advantages and playstyles.

i've played many many specs in both spvp and wvw, so i'll give  breakdown:

wvw: you want glass cannon daggesr and shortbow.  It's not the strongest 1v1, but you will get mass kills, no matter how many there are. Daggers, shadowstep, and haste to kill quickly and get out.  shortbow to rain huge aoe damage and tag lots in a zerg.

wvw infiltrating:  you want to take high traits in acrobatics and shadow arts, lots of iniative regen and health regen.  This is a build for taking on multiple foes at once, or taking out siege weapons.  Use sword/dagger, and learn how to infiltrater's step from far distances. This is the strongest 1v1 o 1vX build.  You can also go P/D with this, but imo, PD is boring, and doesnt kill very quickly.  Sword/dagger takes more mastery but has alot more utility and is better against other thieves.

spvp, a balanced build: as spvp you cant just blow 1 minute cooldowns, since there's fight after fight, you need builds that are more sustainable.  I prefer some mixed in power and crit, then rest in acrobatics for iniative regen. shortbow to start, daggers to finish, sword against other thieves.  

spvp, a condition build:  havent played this much, as i hate condition builds, but it's really strong in confined areas, like a cap point. Deathblossoms and caltrops in that tiny space can be devastating.  Some prefer restealthing, but ther's one based on signet of malice, and dodgerolling alot, thus not requiring stealth.

[zp3dd4]

mofogie, on 16 January 2013 - 06:03 AM, said:

they all have their advantages and playstyles.

i've played many many specs in both spvp and wvw, so i'll give  breakdown:

wvw: you want glass cannon daggesr and shortbow.  It's not the strongest 1v1, but you will get mass kills, no matter how many there are. Daggers, shadowstep, and haste to kill quickly and get out.  shortbow to rain huge aoe damage and tag lots in a zerg.

wvw infiltrating:  you want to take high traits in acrobatics and shadow arts, lots of iniative regen and health regen.  This is a build for taking on multiple foes at once, or taking out siege weapons.  Use sword/dagger, and learn how to infiltrater's step from far distances. This is the strongest 1v1 o 1vX build.  You can also go P/D with this, but imo, PD is boring, and doesnt kill very quickly.  Sword/dagger takes more mastery but has alot more utility and is better against other thieves.

spvp, a balanced build: as spvp you cant just blow 1 minute cooldowns, since there's fight after fight, you need builds that are more sustainable.  I prefer some mixed in power and crit, then rest in acrobatics for iniative regen. shortbow to start, daggers to finish, sword against other thieves.  

spvp, a condition build:  havent played this much, as i hate condition builds, but it's really strong in confined areas, like a cap point. Deathblossoms and caltrops in that tiny space can be devastating.  Some prefer restealthing, but ther's one based on signet of malice, and dodgerolling alot, thus not requiring stealth.

What would be the trait setup for WvW infiltrating build? I've been switching between 0/30/30/10/0 and 0/0/30/25/15, but neither seems to work that well, as the first one has decent damage, but less utility, the second one has less damage but more utility. I can't seem to find a good balance in my traits..

[Tenofas]

Korra, on 16 January 2013 - 12:50 AM, said:

23/11/0/30/6 is the strongest build right now.

Today the strongest is 0/17/9/22/22.
I will post again tomorrow for the updated "current strongest thief build".

Opsss... actually, while I was typing it changed... now  the strongest is 30/0/30/2/8!

[Korra]

Damn, it just changes so fast!

[fafnr]

Tony, on 16 January 2013 - 12:16 AM, said:

Hello everyone,

I'm a new player and I was just wondering: what's the strongest thief build currently such as like weapon set and trait build? Is there a "strongest" or does it all depend on style of play?

Thanks in advance!

This is like asking for the most powerful nuclear weapon.  Play any other class man.  The game does not need thief # 427,089 to join the game.