Hexes: Pros, Cons, and the ones that don't work.

I don't really understand anyone saying "as a spammable hex, Para bond is great for beginning hex chains". My reason for not accepting the merit is this:

There are a few hex starters like Seeping Wounds- just for example- which have a 10 second recharge and a significant (always arguably, heheh) effect of their own.. So why is anyone willing to sacrifice a hex which starts your combo `and` has a significant impact of its own, which recharges roughly in sync with your 12 second recharge hex off hands *breathes* For a hex which has no significant effect of its own, which you won't use much more often (perhaps on passers by) because your attack skills aren't recharging any faster and.. wow, even at 10 curses it's only worth 90 health once your target is dead or it expires..

If you're taking it together with something more useful from the curses line, why not just take `that` skill instead? I'm obviously missing something... someone tell me what that might be? Perhaps it's a hex starter for the indecisive, so they can change their minds right up until the last second!

~Mitsuki Hiyono~
The thing with [skill]parasitic bond[/skill] and it's great recharge is so you can use your combo fully without much problems.


if you want to attack, say, a monk, chances are he has hex removal, or maybe even [skill]hex breaker[/skill], using a high recharge hex, or even a reatively short rechareable 1, it can really screw with your combo, Parasitic bond really helps this way.

The thing with [skill]parasitic bond[/skill] and it's great recharge is so you can use your combo fully without much problems.


if you want to attack, say, a monk, chances are he has hex removal, or maybe even [skill]hex breaker[/skill], using a high recharge hex, or even a reatively short rechareable 1, it can really screw with your combo, Parasitic bond really helps this way. I now see the merit of Parasitic Bond. I won't use it, since I'd rather use a hex which really enhances my combo or interferes with the enemy and suffer the occasional setback; but that aside, yes, I do understand peoples' use of it now.

Thanks for that. :E

~Mitsuki Hiyono~

I've been fiddling with the whole hex starter build and I had posted my build already in another thread a while ago.

But now I want to hear what everyone thinks about hexes in assassin builds.

I just wanna hear what you think are the "essential" or most viable ones and the ones that are downright pointless. Of course not listing every single one, but I guess the ones that have been brought up more often.

Also maybe the ones that are more versatile or situational and whatever o.o

This is also not exactly a "build" thread, but you could list some hex + attack combos. Lol, here I thought this was about Assassin hexes, not just general ones.

Phantom Pain + Drain Delusions/Shatter Delusions

Soul Barbs + Wastrel's Worry

Does anyone know what the maximum you can reduce healing by? If there is no max, then your team can reduce healing by over 50% (if you have the right skills/professions).

Weaken Armor + Barbs + Final Thrust (on an opponent with less than 50% max health).

Lol, here I thought this was about Assassin hexes, not just general ones. well i originally intended to make it just assassin hexes...but then i thought it would be better to go ahead and include all the others ones because i had a feeling people would say something about the sin hexes but then go "but this hex from the _____ profession is better! *continue to talk about it*"

so for the sake of my sanity and a better discussion, i ended up including all hexes when I made the OP

The thing with [skill]parasitic bond[/skill] and it's great recharge is so you can use your combo fully without much problems.


if you want to attack, say, a monk, chances are he has hex removal, or maybe even [skill]hex breaker[/skill], using a high recharge hex, or even a reatively short rechareable 1, it can really screw with your combo, Parasitic bond really helps this way. To add to this, its so spammable that in pvp you can stick it on every person on the enemy team. This does two things:

Serves as a cover hex for any necros or mesmers on your team, making it difficult for any monk to tell whether or not someone needs a hex removal.

Makes it harder for the opposing team to tell who your targeting. hexes like [skill]siphon speed[/skill] , [skill]Augury of death[/skill] or [skill]expose defenses[/skill] are nice but its a dead giveaway to who is going to get hit with your combo in the next few seconds.

Ive stopped using them altogether at this point. When you go into a battle and see an assassin hex on you its just like "oooh here it comes..." they ping the skill and a monk tosses prot spirit on them and u lose.

I've done the unthinkable today... an assasssin build with NO hexes, NO conditions, and AURA OF DISPLACEMENT!

And it worked pretty darn good No1 expected it, with no hex I was never even seen, and thus never defended against. Free glad point with RA team ftw

whats wrong with conditions? if the last attack in ur combo lets say is TWISTING FANGS then what are they gona to to remove it if its the last skill in your combo

You can go ahead and flame me for this, but Wastrel's Colapse is a wonderful skill when implemented right. I've been running it on a mesmer, with Wastrel's Worry, Diversion, and Blackout (with matching Shadow Step) and it really adds the final "umph!" to a pressure build. Smack on Diversion, then the 2 Wastrel skills and it puts on some mighty pressure on smart players. Puts good monks in the situatiuons you want them to be in, "If they do they're screwed, if they don't they're screwed." If the cast through it, they lose a skill for 1 minute (in fast paced combat, this really hurts), if they don't cast through, they're damaged and on the ground, making them prime targets for a spike or warrior, or assassin. In fights with up to 3 monks, it can shut-down 1 monk with Blackout, and cripple another with Diversion +Watrels Worry/Colapse, leaving someone open for a death, be it another monk or a warrior. Diversion also cannot be removed from a target, since it is covered for a full duration by the wastrel skills. In Random PvP with only one monk, it can add insult to injury by knocking a target down at the last second after a blackout. Don't say a skill sucks because you can't find a use for it, you just haven't put it in the right position yet. I'm glad you were brave enough to say that. It sounds great.