A/x Seeping Spike

Cecil Barracks

Academy Page

Join Date: Jul 2005

Stars of Destiny

R/Mo

I'm a fan of using less commonly used things (in some cases more used = better, in others its just more used = easier to slam on one key and win) that have potential. I created this build with synergy in mind, each piece seems to fit nicely together.

Dagger Mastery - 16 (14 is an option if you don't like -75 HP)
Critical Strikes - 13 (12+1)
Deadly Arts - 4 (3+1)

Template Code: OwBj0xezIPKQycCbhhwogDQBAA

[skill]Seeping Wound[/skill][skill]black spider strike[/skill][skill]Horns of the Ox[/skill][skill]Black Lotus Strike[/skill][skill]Twisting Fangs[/skill][skill]Dark Prison[/skill][skill]Critical Defenses[/skill][skill]resurrection signet[/skill]

The objective of this build is high pressure. In optimal situations you can maintain -11 Degen and Deep Wound. In a straight forward RA you would cast Seeping Wound, Shadow Step to the enemy and use Black Spider Strike.

At that point you have 8 Degen on them. You continue with Horns of the Ox, giving them little time to react to the conditions/hex's. Follow up with Black Lotus Strike to fill up your E-Bar and land a Twisting Fangs at the perfect timing. Your opponent will be loaded with degen, and deep wounds. Critical Defenses can be kept up at all times to make melee not an issue.

Weaknesses
Hex Removal [However, Seeping Wound's cool down is fairly small so this isn't a huge disadvantage]
Condition Removal
Typical Anti-Melee Hex's/Conditions
No self heal

Variations:
Dark Prison and Resurrection Signet are not necessary and can be replaced by any of the following.

[skill]Disrupting Dagger[/skill][skill]Crippling Dagger[/skill][skill]Expose Defenses[/skill][skill]Signet of Malice[/skill][skill]Signet of Twilight[/skill]

If you chose to take out Dark Prison you can take the 3+1 from Deadly Arts and move it to Shadow Arts and take Shadow Refuge to keep yourself fueled with Regen. Its a pretty flexible build with a lot of options, and tends to be a great option in places where Hex/Condition is scarce (Such as RA).

If you have a chance try it out, I think you might like it.

beltran13579

beltran13579

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Jan 2006

Mo/E

the only problem i see in this is that dark prison has a 45 sec recharge time while the rest have around 10sec

Yanman.be

Yanman.be

Banned

Join Date: Dec 2005

Belgium

[ROSE]

A/

Is 3 seconds of Dark Prison enough to justify it? Expose Defenses should be a staple skill on your bar, so switch that in.

Also, I'd remove Crit Defenses for something else. ( A heal )

Don't run sup runes.
13-13-7 would be a better attribute spread. (For DP en ED)


I advise to rename the build It says "Spike" yet you say pressure is the main objective.

ArKaiN

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Jan 2007

Lotus Branca[Lbr]

Mo/Me

The problem I see with seeping wound is that it's basically another poison. If you're already using bleeding+poison, I really don't feel another +3 degen is worth your elite slot, specially when you could be using something like SP for hex+shadowstep and gaining another skill slot. I agree that sometimes overused=easier, but I'm pretty sure in this case overused=better.

Cecil Barracks

Academy Page

Join Date: Jul 2005

Stars of Destiny

R/Mo

Quote:
Originally Posted by Yanman.be
Is 3 seconds of Dark Prison enough to justify it? Expose Defenses should be a staple skill on your bar, so switch that in.

Also, I'd remove Crit Defenses for something else. ( A heal )
3 seconds is all you need to get up to them and start the combo. With the knockdown on the second swing, them running isn't the biggest problem, its getting to them fast enough. Also, I agree that Expose Def would be better on bars, but its really up to your play style and what you find yourself running into.


Quote:
I advise to rename the build It says "Spike" yet you say pressure is the main objective. But the alliteration rocks

[quote] The problem I see with seeping wound is that it's basically another poison. If you're already using bleeding+poison, I really don't feel another +3 degen[/quotes]

For what its worth its 4 Degen, and with the amount of Regen out there, more degen = better. All it takes is one Troll Unguent/Healing Breeze to negate or even gain upon Bleeding/Poison, but throwing in a long lasting, quick recharging -4 Degen that serves as a pre-req for the "opponent must be hexed" tops it off nicely.

ArKaiN

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Jan 2007

Lotus Branca[Lbr]

Mo/Me

Quote:
Originally Posted by Cecil Barracks
For what its worth its 4 Degen, and with the amount of Regen out there, more degen = better. All it takes is one Troll Unguent/Healing Breeze to negate or even gain upon Bleeding/Poison, but throwing in a long lasting, quick recharging -4 Degen that serves as a pre-req for the "opponent must be hexed" tops it off nicely. Actually no, man. The cap is -10 degen. Bleeding+poison is already 7

Aida

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: May 2007

Reapers of the Doomed

A/

Quote:
Originally Posted by ArKaiN
Actually no, man. The cap is -10 degen. Bleeding+poison is already 7 Thats true. but that also means the target then isn't facing any degen and has +3 regen. This build makes it where if they have +10 regen they still manage to have -1 degen negating all of that healing power while still having a small amount of degen. The main thing is regen can stack on top of degen so things like E/D with mystic regen and tons of enchants can easily top this degen and still have close to if not max regen, so the more the better in that case right?

ArKaiN

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Jan 2007

Lotus Branca[Lbr]

Mo/Me

Quote:
Originally Posted by Aida
Thats true. but that also means the target then isn't facing any degen and has +3 regen. This build makes it where if they have +10 regen they still manage to have -1 degen negating all of that healing power while still having a small amount of degen. The main thing is regen can stack on top of degen so things like E/D with mystic regen and tons of enchants can easily top this degen and still have close to if not max regen, so the more the better in that case right? In theory, yes, but the thing is: if you want heavy degen, you go with 15+, so it actually makes any difference is the target has regen.
E/D's are stupid and die to any kind of enchantment removal or interruption. Mention them not.
Also if you're attacking something that has stoneflesh aura, you're attacking the wrong target.
Anyway, my point was that seeping wound is just not good enough. SP gives you more bang for your buck.