The Steel Fist (fun and annoying)

Lambentviper

Lambentviper

Banned

Join Date: Nov 2005

Noobs Just Took Halls [WTF]

Mo/E

20 Jun 2006 at 00:02 - 1
Ok so i just capped Palm Strike {E} and was messing around with builds while fighting Sskai, and came up with this nice spike/interupt/knockdown combo.

If you've seen Siy the Steel Fist in RA, yeah, that was me

Full Shrouded is pretty much needed to go through the whole combo without pause, so take it if you can.
A +5 energy dagger with 1/1 Zealous is your best choice.
I prefer a +5 armor vs all or +30 health grip, but a +20% enchant might work for you as well.

11+2 - Dagger Mastery
11 - Deadly Arts (or more if you want to put a minor rune in there)
10+2+1 - Critical Strike

Mark of Instability
Iron Palm
Palm Strike {E}
Death Blossom
Falling Spider
Horns of the Ox
Sharpen Daggers
Ressurection Signet


Ok well first off, this build is really fun for RA, TA, etc. and even for PUGs (if you can get into one as a 'sin).

Enchant yourself with Sharpen Daggers for an extra -3 degen to compliment the -4 degen with falling spider. Follow through with Iron Palm for damage and a KD, then immediately smack-down with Palm Strike {E}. By now they should be rising again, and then KD them once more with Death Blossom and add that poison with Falling Spider. (Death Blossom KDs the target because of MoI). So now your target is below 50% health, suffering -7 degen, and has just been KDed twice. Sounds pretty fun right? WRONG!!..well yes...it is fun, but it gets better. Just when they think they can get up and finally run again, you'll snare them with Horns of the Ox and that should finish them up.

This can easily take down warriors due to the ~100 armor ignoring damage. Eles and your long cast times beware!

Shikaoru

Shikaoru

Academy Page

Join Date: Mar 2006

Illinois

Chaos and Destruction(CaD)

A/N

20 Jun 2006 at 01:10 - 2
can someone try this build out and send me a video. BTW there is no green +5en zealous dagger o ok ceremonial sorry. Edit: i just rechecked i dont think it has en+5

Kyle

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Jun 2005

Legends Of Teh Industry [XXX]

20 Jun 2006 at 01:10 - 3
sounds interesting. I can see the KD making alot of new friends. I havnt tried this build yet but how is the recycle on it. Like can you combo some1. then switch and recombo when energy full? looks good



Edit. +5 energy daggers from divine path and add zealous mod. for post above

ColaManiac

ColaManiac

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Nov 2005

DISNEYLAND!

R/Mo

20 Jun 2006 at 01:21 - 4
hmm... you might beat most of the people in 1 on 1... but what if you are against 2 at same time... you cannot keep both knocked down and you will drop like a fly because you don't have any self healing...

Kyle

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Jun 2005

Legends Of Teh Industry [XXX]

20 Jun 2006 at 01:48 - 5
shikaoru they are not green daggers. in divine path the weapons guy sells weapons for 10k that have +5 energy built in. then add a zealous to that and ta da

Shikaoru

Shikaoru

Academy Page

Join Date: Mar 2006

Illinois

Chaos and Destruction(CaD)

A/N

20 Jun 2006 at 15:39 - 6
o ok sorry my bad

Lambentviper

Lambentviper

Banned

Join Date: Nov 2005

Noobs Just Took Halls [WTF]

Mo/E

20 Jun 2006 at 22:26 - 7
well i also mainly noted this for pvp so you could just select the +5en zealous daggers from there :P

and yes, all the of skills recharge times are user-friendly and will be recharged by the time you select a new isolated target.
Just remember to switch to non-zealous daggers while choosing new targets so that you gain more energy during the scoping

and yes, it will die rather quickly against 2+ enemies. Thats why its a pvp build, based around RA and TA. Both are usually easy to get a monk in your group, so thats why i opted to leave healing out.

You could always switch Sharpen Daggers for Shadow Refuge if it suits your needs.

Ruhern

Ruhern

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Jan 2006

Darkstone Azure

W/N

21 Jun 2006 at 06:23 - 8
This build looks really fun. Did you think about these combos though?

Combo 1
Mark of Instability
Iron Palm
Palm Strike {E}
Twisting Fangs
Falling Spider
Horns of the Ox

In this combo you can change out Sharpen Daggers with something else, such as Critical Eye (increases chance of Crit's and gives you more energy, plus it can't be disenchanted). However, Twisting Fangs cost 10 energy instead of the 5 of Death Blossom. Possible energy management issues.


Combo 2
Mark of Instability
Iron Palm
Palm Strike {E}
Nine Tail Strike
Falling Spider
Horns of the Ox

Nine Tail Strike cannot be blocked or evaded. With Mark then Iron Palm (can't be blocked/evaded either since it's a skill, causes KD) then Palm Strike (also can't be blocked/evaded b/c it's a skill) then Nine Tail Strike, you get good damage and 2 assured knockdowns (if you aren't blinded). That sounds pretty sweet to me! Though again, it costs 10 energy.


Combo 3
Mark of Instability
Iron Palm
Palm Strike {E}
Critical Strike
Falling Spider
Horns of the Ox

Use Critical Eye instead of Sharpen Daggers, this assures you'll get a little boost of energy when you use Critical Strike. Helps with energy management.


In any case, this build looks really fun and I can't wait to try it out! If you do try out my suggestions let me know how they work.

Lambentviper

Lambentviper

Banned

Join Date: Nov 2005

Noobs Just Took Halls [WTF]

Mo/E

21 Jun 2006 at 22:37 - 9
the only real reason i took death blossom was that it only used 5 energy. All of your modification work and i use them all whenever i feel like it.

death blossom was my prime skill because when i began testing the build i didnt have a full +energy armor set :P

Kyle

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Jun 2005

Legends Of Teh Industry [XXX]

22 Jun 2006 at 01:13 - 10
Is it possible to pull off the combo nonstop without the +energy armor. Well it could happen i guess if you hit for crit every other hit. But on average do you know if you can or is the +energy kinda like a big requirement?

Lambentviper

Lambentviper

Banned

Join Date: Nov 2005

Noobs Just Took Halls [WTF]

Mo/E

22 Jun 2006 at 02:50 - 11
the +energy is very heplful. By the time i finish Palm Strike, im at 10-11 energy, just enough to pull off the death blossom+falling spider combo.

If your worried about not bringing +AL armor dont. Because your target will be on the ground so you wont take much beating from them. And if you dont have an armor set with all +energy, just make a pvp char. And if you cant...well then get a +energy set!

Stryker Wild

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Jun 2006

Arcanic Lords of Ambivalence

A/R

22 Jun 2006 at 06:05 - 12
I've been trying this build now, and it either works or doesn't work.

Here's my few problems with it...

1) The 20 second recharge time on Mark of Instability makes hard for consecutive combos, and without MoI, only 50% of the skills can be pulled off and not as efficiently.
2) If the creature you're attacking has any sort of dodging/blocking move or you become blind, you become useless as if any skill in the combo gets stopped, the whole combo is ruined.
3) Iron Palm and Palm Strike both have more difficult recharge rates making the combos hard to pull off more than once
4) If you get killed, rezzing leaves you useless until you can recharge enough
5) I'm using everything +energy and zealous daggers and I still have problems with energy maintenance. I can pull off the combo once, but it usually does not kill my target and then I'm left to die

Anyone else have any problems with this build? Anyone know how to help me? I really like the concept, and although it can work wonders, it can also be really difficult to pull off.

Another problem I encounter is that I cast MoI on a target, then the target gets killed really fast. Now I'm left with a full bar of skills (minus MoI) and nothing really beneficial to using them.

I know Palm Strike is the highlight of this build... but anyone think of replacing the elite Palm Strike with Assassins Creed? That way at least there's a regain of energy and skills if you can kill your target. Unfortunately, Palm Strike is the focus and the spike of this moveset. Without it, you might not be able to kill enough for Assassins Creed to even be beneficial.

Stryker Wild

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Jun 2006

Arcanic Lords of Ambivalence

A/R

22 Jun 2006 at 06:08 - 13
Any objections to making this a A/R and making that last skill (the one where the enchantments were in the original build - ie. sharpen daggers) Spirit of Brambles? Unfortunately, attribute maintenance might not be beneficial to this, but I think it would add wonders to the knockdown concept of the build.

Lambentviper

Lambentviper

Banned

Join Date: Nov 2005

Noobs Just Took Halls [WTF]

Mo/E

22 Jun 2006 at 22:24 - 14
it would actually, and i kinda surprised myself now that i realize that i didnt try any other professions' skills in that last slot!

but ill work on that now

Lambentviper

Lambentviper

Banned

Join Date: Nov 2005

Noobs Just Took Halls [WTF]

Mo/E

22 Jun 2006 at 22:29 - 15
Quote:
Originally Posted by Stryker Wild
I've been trying this build now, and it either works or doesn't work.

Here's my few problems with it...

1) The 20 second recharge time on Mark of Instability makes hard for consecutive combos, and without MoI, only 50% of the skills can be pulled off and not as efficiently.
2) If the creature you're attacking has any sort of dodging/blocking move or you become blind, you become useless as if any skill in the combo gets stopped, the whole combo is ruined.
3) Iron Palm and Palm Strike both have more difficult recharge rates making the combos hard to pull off more than once
4) If you get killed, rezzing leaves you useless until you can recharge enough
5) I'm using everything +energy and zealous daggers and I still have problems with energy maintenance. I can pull off the combo once, but it usually does not kill my target and then I'm left to die

Anyone else have any problems with this build? Anyone know how to help me? I really like the concept, and although it can work wonders, it can also be really difficult to pull off. 1) You can still pull off the rest of the skills just fine, just use them in a different order.
2)Any attacking character (ranger, 'sin, warrior) sufferes these problems
3)The recharge is 10, thats not anything at all. Palm Strike is already about half-way charged by the time you finish the rest of your skill set
4)Once again, every character has this problem. And unfortunately, the assassin doesnt have many 2 sec recharge skills.
5)Do you have the right attributes set? And is this a problem in pve or pvp? In PvE most monster you are fighting at this level are above level 20 and have alot more health than the average pvp character

I see that the main issue you are having is with using the skills to their highest advantage. Just because i wrote then in that order (in my first post), doesnt mean you HAVE to use them that way. If MoI gets stripped, or your target dies, you can do this:

Palm Strike>Horns>Falling Spider>Iron Palm>Death Blossom>and maybe Palm Strike again.

Just use what you can

zeroxy

zeroxy

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Dec 2005

Dark Angels of Rising Chaos [DaRc]

W/

23 Jun 2006 at 05:39 - 16
I would go /N and add plague touch because getting blinded would be this build's weakness

Lambentviper

Lambentviper

Banned

Join Date: Nov 2005

Noobs Just Took Halls [WTF]

Mo/E

23 Jun 2006 at 21:40 - 17
thats why i always bring plague touch on pvp warriors and plague sending on my rangers


and unlike most pvp assassin builds, blind doesnt completely shut this build down either. Iron Palm and Palm Strike can both be used quite effectively on already focused on targets

Lord Oranos

Lord Oranos

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Aug 2005

Fort Aspenwood

25 Jun 2006 at 15:41 - 18
I like this build, but it bothers me that there is no self healing availabe for situations where you might not have a monk.

Lambentviper

Lambentviper

Banned

Join Date: Nov 2005

Noobs Just Took Halls [WTF]

Mo/E

26 Jun 2006 at 01:14 - 19
yeah, in RA with no monk i usually die once or twice. But the upside is my target always bites the dust before i do!

Ruhern

Ruhern

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Jan 2006

Darkstone Azure

W/N

27 Jun 2006 at 15:22 - 20
Mark of Instability
Iron Palm
Palm Strike {E}
Twisting Fangs
Falling Spider
Horns of the Ox
Signet of Malice/Shadow Refuge/Critical Eye/Whatever You Want
Ressurection Signet


After playing around with this build I found this one to be the most effective. You can't beat bleeding/deep wound for your dual attack that works with Mark of Instability. Even though Twisting Fangs costs 10 energy it is still worth it. Just make sure you have 15 energy before you do it so you can do Falling Spider right after it.

Naturally this build suffers from all the things melee class builds normally suffer from, but this 3 knockdown combo is simply unbeatable when executed. You completely shutdown the enemy during the course of your combo. Great build for RA in my opinion.

Thanks for posting it Lambentviper, I love playing it.