Something vaguely disconcerting I've noticed about this build forum

There is another thread about "assassin hate". Seems like the major complaint on that thread is assassins who think they are warriors and try to stay up front and beat the crap out of their target. So it seems there are two schools of thought. One is to play the assassin like a gimpy warrior, and the other to use the assassins for targets of opportunity such as healers and casters in the rear (teleporting in and out). I'm going to stay with the second mentioned method for now. If I want to tank I'll play my warrior. Oh, I agree that spellcasters are an assassin's real target. If I wanted to duff a warrior up I'd either get another warrior with riposte or the like, or an illusion mesmer.
To me, assassins are about taking out the supporter characters; they're there to free up the tanks, so the tanks can go have a punch-up with the other warriros while someone else goes deal with the spellcasters.
I agree you're begging to get clobbered attack a warrior, I'm just saying I don't understand why so many people seem to view the teleporter skills as so utterly vital, when I got through the entire game without ever using them. (Except Death's charge, but that was for emergancy healing really)

So ..... staying at the front and beating the crap out of your target is the mission of the assassin? Why not just make a warrior?

(Beat me to it, Kitty ) Because sins do more damage? Or atleast they get it out faster. And just because I am at the front doesn't mean I am tanking, just need to be careful not to draw all the aggro and leave some for the others. The difference is my build was made so I could stay at front, even when attacked ... most classes can do that with a proper selection of skills. The difference is while the other sin in the party is teleporting around or waiting for AoD to recharge so he can get his combo out, I'll be at the front still dealing damage.

Again, I am not saying that AoD is not good, I have used it in both PvE and PvP and I know how to use it and how useful it can be. But personnaly, I like to keep the pressure high on my enemy and AoD does not help me do that. Sure I can achieve that with a warrior, but I like the fact that sins do not have to rely on adrenaline, which allow me to start dealing lots of damage right away.

Teleport skills are something of the Signature Feature of the Assassin, Muppet. People use them because they're New and Cool and because they want to find out how best to use them. Currently that's Aura of Displacement and the GPD/Horns/Spider/Twisting combo. Admittedly I've been using the same attack stream to lethal effect without the teleport, but it is harder and I'm only doing it because I haven't yet secured Aura.

Teleportation skills are the Big Advantage Assassins have over their primary competition, that being Warriors. The increased burst mobility (as opposed to enduring mobility, which slightly favors Warriors and their Sprint/Rushes) allows an Assassin to surprise his targets. And don't say it's entirely expected - nobody can be ready all the time to have an Assassin appear from nowhere and begin shredding them. With Dagger Mastery having to work so hard to keep up with axes *kicks Anet*, teleportation is the Other Trick.

That's why people use it, and are hard on guys that disregard it. In their/our defense, the guys that disregard it are also often the guys that play like a naked Warrior and assume that sheer 'hardcorebadass' factor from being an ub3r l33t $!n will keep them alive. Thus, we crack on them over it. Yea, I see where you're coming from. I prefer just to do blinding power for a warrior (I find the evasion defense skills assassins have are just too unreliable [cough]criticaldefenses[cough]) or if it's a spellcaster either rip him apart quickly of do beguiling haze to 'em. As I said, I went through the entire game without a teleporting skill (and this was mainly with henchies except for certain missions) and I did well enough. Hell, I go to the fissure without teleporting skills and my assassin seems to be alright.

but the "multi-layered" pressure of a shadowstepping assassin cannot be matched by any other class. Actually, my W/A does that too. Much more effective, and much longer than an assassin. When the assassin teleports out, because he is taking to much damage, my warrior stays an other round or two, taking much more pressure away from the party as well.
I have an assassin, but I noticed it is actually a much better secondary profession for a warrior. The best assassin is a warrior with teleport abilities

pvp asn with teleport skill>>>>>>>>>>>>all pvp asns without it(same thing in pve btw)
especialy if im asn/necro Not the same in PvE!

I played through all the story missions (although mostly standard award) with my Assassin with no teleporting skill what so ever, and with all henchmen too (because nobody want assassin in their group)

Assassin's 70 armor is enough to take a lot of punishment.

I like the description of assassins as melee mesmers Funny you should say that, I mentioned to my brother offhand a day into factions that assassins were a 'thinking man's warrior' like a mesmer was a 'thinking man's ele'.

assassins were a 'thinking man's warrior' like a mesmer was a 'thinking man's ele'. Warriors already are a thinking man's warrior. As a PVE monk (mainly), I have yet to meet an assassin as described here. Do you mean assassins can actually move out of harm's way _before_ I have to spam 'my energy is 2 of 50' ???