Help my first 1.10 Assassin

[creatine_rage_2002]

OK, I figure that this is the palce to come for help and advice. Ive looked thru the stickies and havent quite found what Im looking for. Im in the process of making a Martial Arts Assn. Ive already maxed Phoenix Strike and Blades of Ice (synergy), and working on maxing Claws of Thunder. I have a few points in Dragon Claws too, as Im planning on using dual claws. I also have one point in Shadow Master and all prerequisites. From here is where I need advice. Am i going in the right direction? Have I put points in unnecessary skills? Am I going to be able to survive in Hell (Non Ladder Softcore USEast)? How important is Weapon Block and Claw Mastery to me? I wasnt planning on putting more than 1 point in Fade and Burst of Speed, I figure i can let my gear help those out. Please give me input...Im very new at the assassin thing.

Thanks in advance!

[Jackalofdoom]

I am not sure how well you have planned the build but from my own personal experience, (10+ tries at melee asn chars) i have found that most attempts were utter failures. Second they hit hell mode, i would be doing barely enough dmg to kill fallen.

Now that I have started a trap asn, it is 100x better. I actually lead the group instead of being a half-baked melee , and my traps do more than sorc's spells.

My suggestion: try a melee asn, hit hell mode, realize it sucks, then make a trap asn.

[creatine_rage_2002]

I dont want a trapper....I dont want to be like everyone else. I made this character to be a little different. If it sucks, Oh well....Ill try something else.

[BIGeyedBUG]

I dont want a trapper....I dont want to be like everyone else. I made this character to be a little different. If it sucks, Oh well....Ill try something else.

I'm sorry, you don't have a choice. You have to play a trapper, or better yet a Hammerdin. [sarcasm/off]

None of your skill choices seem wasted, and I'll bet you'll want more points in SM, CM, and WB. You'll need to choose between BoS and Fade, and pump one of them up. You have got to get one point in CoS and MB, and probably BF. Death Sentry is worth some consideration as well.

Once you have them maxed, try using CoT or BoI instead of PS. You'll find they've got some advantages over Phoenix.

The three most important things to an elemental Assassin are speed, accuracy, and +skills. If you have enough of those, and know how to use CoS and MB well, you'll do fine in Hell. Maybe not 8-player great like some trappers, but still decent.

And you won't be like everyone else.

[eclipsedk]

If you haven't gone dual claw already I have a 'cruel' thought to a new PvM assassin, roughly it consists of..

Maxed Phoenix
Maxed CoT
Maxed DS (yes I am aware that traps doesn't work with facets/+dmg/-res modifiers but they still do awesome damage)
Maxed LS
Pumped Synergy
Level 1 MB
Level 1 CoS

High level freeze mercenary w/ Ethereal 'Shael Um Tir' Cresecent Moon Polearm or ethereal reapers toll, vampire gaze and shaftstop.

Equipment
Griffon's Eye socketed w/ lightning facet
Shaftstop/enigma/lionheart whatever you may prefer for armor if there's a socket stuff a ligtning facet in it
Verdungo's Hearty Cord
20IAS / +2 Martial arts gloves
Goblin Toe (Crazy but nice CB%)
Stormshield w/ lightning facet
'Shael Um Tir' Crescent Moon Berserker Axe
Amus/Rings as you prefer

Stuff inventory with martial arts charms

All in all this would add up with perfect gear to
-55% Enemy Lightning Resistance
35% Lightning Damage

I haven't done the calculations yet, but I bet that with synergized phoenix it could be an AWESOME chain lightning attack, added that you have ITD, CB and static field.

Basic use is to swarm monsters together, cast CoS, put out some sentries and charge up to start the lightshow ;)

[Naliworld]

IMO:

I really doubt 20 LS with just 20 DS as a synergy(maybe a few more points in CBS, but still) will do enough damage in Hell to really justify use of those 40 points.

Also, IMO this build relies way too much on equipment. Once you hit a Lightning Immune, you're really going to hit a brick wall. While PS does have the Meteor charge, it's not going to help much without a maxed FoF as a synergy(if you didn't max out LS/DS, though, you might have enough points for max FoF and Venom).

Your main focus with the PS build is to release your charges as fast as possible(physical damage dealt doesn't make much of a differencce), so I'd go with a 'Crescent Moon' Phaseblade instead. The -35% Lightning Resist on your Merc won't work with your own damage, so go with the 'Doom' polearm instead.

[Kaze]

Now that I have started a trap asn, it is 100x better. I actually lead the group instead of being a half-baked melee , and my traps do more than sorc's spells.

My suggestion: try a melee asn, hit hell mode, realize it sucks, then make a trap asn.

I know u just want to give the best advice from ur experience Jack ... but my 2 first attemps at playin a assa in 1.10 have been martial arts based, Dtail / TS / PS /CoT and a pure Phoenix Sin in playin now ... and they have been a GREAT success in hell :yep: ... the Dtail is easier to use and safer btw (ar least thats my experience) .. I dont want to suggest u are a bad player or anythin ... i have had my own failures with another builds ... could be u just tried the wrong builds with not so good gear.

Is also true that MA builds are highly dependant on good gear , not as a trapsin ... and more difficult to play, and with this i dont want to say that ppl that use a trap assa are not as skilled as MA players or somethin , im not a fantastic player , and i have also a meteorb sorc which I play a lot ( shame on me :lol: )

So as a new player to sins like u creatine_rage_2002, I encourage u to play ur MA sin , u will have great fun ... back to ur build , all ppl that has answered u has given good advice ... in my case , im doing good with just 1 natural point to BoS , SM , mind blast and all their requisites , though if u dont have enough +skill gear putting 1-5 to Weapon block or SM is not bad IMHO.
U can buy +3 shadow skills claws at act5 hell anya easily , check her a lot of times and use em to cast SM or BoS in ur alternative weapon slots .. and i would max FoF , is really worth it if u use PS a lot ... if not is ok