The problem with AoD

Area of Displacement, otherwise known as AoD, is the only shadowstepping skill in the game that lets us get in and get out. Most people in top guilds would not consider running a build without it. But the problem with it is it's elite status.

Besides AoD, other good elites include Temple Strike, Palm Strike, Flashing Blades, and Moebius Strike. But if you want to use any of these other elites, you need two shadow stepping skills: one to get in and one to get out. Added in with a self heal, evasive stance, and res, you don't have enough room for a spike combo, which is the entire point of the assassin: get in spike and get out.

Personally, I think there should be a non elite like AoD that lets us in and out, but has some sort of negative effect, like slowed movement for a short amount of time, or a long recharge. This would allow the use of other elites and a more diverse game resulting in more fun, because know one wants to see the same build run over and over again.

I dont think you absolutly must have Aod i personaly use dark escape and return or recall(i think its the one that cost 5 energy and cripples your foe)
This works fine with me
Plus you have to maintain Aod which can hurt your energy when your pulling off your spike dmg

Aod has its uses and is a very good skill under the right circumstances, but I agree with the perosn above me. You don't absolutley have to have it to get in and out.

well there is a thing called recall, 15 energy, you cast it on your ally, and when you stop maintaining it you get teleported to that ally, its kinda close but with a a lot of drawbacks, like you don't have the enchantment, your ally does, so if they use something like CoP your whisked away

the real problem is AoD is that you even if you cancel and get out, melee attacks still hit from a screen away, even though arrows miss and spells fail

I love when Assassins come up against my Mesmer with AoD.

Shatter Enchantment and they go flying - it's hilarious.

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i've found that if your with a team that will allow you to set-up right, return is a pretty good sub. even though most people only use it too escape b4 they get rocked.. if you set one up on a war, then another up on the monk - you can wait for the war to run in, drop the enchant and teleport in, fire off your combo's, then drop the one on the monk and get out.

this actually works out well when your useing the bots, just equip a range weapon so you can iniatiate the fight and the henchies will run headlong into combat for you.

it's the poor mans AoD, you can use it to get in and get out like AoD, but at the same time it doesn't cost you energy while your actually in the fight.

I still don't like those gigantic recharge times from the most shadowstep skills, but those solutions from here are a "start"

In my PvE build I usually pack Recall, Shadow of Hearts(i think that's what it's called) and Death Charge. Works well for me ^^, gets me in pretty fast and out fast

it does limit the possibilties for other excellent elites, like moebius stirke, which is excellent. but if you look at aod, you can easily see why it is elite. you get to go in and out, that is 2 normal shadow steps, 10 energy cost, not at all that costly, finally 20 second recharge. I mean, it is an ability that lets you go in and out, with only a 20 second recharge, thats not bad at all. death's charge would be a pretty decent skill if it was 45 second cooldown, and recall wouldnt be so bad if it wasn't 15 energy. for now im happy with aod. you know though, if they were to make it non elite, they could inscrease the cooldown on it, or maybe increase the cost to 15, but seriously, i doubt they will change it.