View Full Version : Kick Assassin opinions wanted
Hello-
I took a long break from d2, lost all my chars but now I find myself playing again. This is my first assassin since coming back and I'm having a blast with her. I've never made a kick assassin before so this is uncharted territory for me and I thought I'd drop by and see if I could pick the brains of some vets.
For all you knowledgeable kick assassins out there, what skills have you had the most fun with? So far I've maxed dragon talon, venom and death sentry and now I'm not sure where to go. I'm not really psyched about becoming a trap-a-sin, so I'd rather stay away from LS and WoI and I'd rather not go with a Shadow Master or a Shadow Warrior. Is a point in Dragon Tail worth it for flying around? Are there any fun strategies with MB and CoS? Blade Fury/Blade Shield might be fun, but I'm planning on using my weapon for mods not dmg, so I'm not sure that's a smart idea.
Any stories or advice you want to share with me is welcome!
(As an aside: I have looked at a lot of guides and builds, but I'd much rather hear from the personal experience of the people on these boards. If newbie questions such as mine are frowned upon I apologize.)
i heard that a phoenix striker is the most fun but personally the most fun 4 me is a dtalon/dtail/tstrike with a point in dflight.
Tele around wit hure merc, charging up, releasing and if u really need health u could always use dtalon with a point in DS.
I play a dtalon, dragon flight version.
Max D flight
Max D Talon
Max Venom
Loads of points in Mind blast and Shadow Master (currently over slvl 20 with plus skills)
1 point in traps all the way to Death sentry.
You and shadow kick one to death and lay out death sentry for corpse explosion while you mindblast and kick for crowd control.
Don't even have a merc and solo'd every single quest including Chaos Sanctuary in hell.
You knocked out the main skill dumps that actually help out the build. Shadow Warrior/Master are the only real assistants to the build that take skill points.
If you don't already have them, 1 pt Blade Fury, Dragon Flight. Blade Sentinal could use a lot of point dumping if you really do not want traps/shadows.
DTail isn't a skill I'd recommend, but I suppose it could work. You'll want it and Tiger Strike for it to be useful.
BTW, the guides were written from our experiences - they are worth checking out.
Shameless plug: http://forums.diabloii.net/showthread.php?t=405240
Thanks for the input guys, I appreciate it. I know I'm being difficult by not wanting to put pts into traps or shadows, but they just don't feel right for this character. (my personal char, not the assassin in general) I ended up dumping 20pts into CoS- probably a big mistake as I can't cast it very often but I'm still having fun with it.
BUT...doing that has made me question something. I had always intended to try to get a pair of dracul's to take care of my life leeching needs, but will life tap overwrite CoS? I'm 99% sure it will, but I'm hoping that I'm wrong.
You must target an enemy with Dragon Flight, right?
Is one point in MB and then letting +skills take it up to 4 or 5 enough for it to be effective or does it need a larger base?
Is Blade Fury a viable option if I'm using fleshripper?
Speaking of fleshripper, I would be indebted if someone could confirm this for me.
-20ias fleshripper
-20 (socket w/ shael)
-20ias gloves
-15ias jewel in helm
-----
-75ias. This puts me past the 68 required for the final breakpoint, correct? Or am I not understanding the ias, eias, and breakpoint tables?
Thanks again for your input Madagou, remsy, and ilkori.
ShadyPhoenix
14-03-2006, 19:21
Life Tap and Cloak of Shadows do not stack.
Life Tap is much MUCH better for your character than CoS.
Maxing CoS is a definite mistake. The -%def looks very attractive, but the casting time is terrible and the area of effect is poor. You'll often cast it, kill the mob, then run onwards and be unable to cast it. I would remake your character since you maxed this - it's a one-point wonder, and little else.
Yes, you cannot Shift-Click Dflight to tele around. Unfortunately.
I'm undecided on Mind Blast. It is an incredibly powerful PvM skill, often allowing you to split mops into two factions fighting while you take out the threatening monsters with ease. One point is probably enough, but I had ~20 or so extra skill points lying around, so I maxed it. Honestly, I haven't seen a big difference. If you play on PvPing with friends casually, it's an excellent skill to max because of the stun length time, as well as the increased damage (seemingly insignificant, but it always hits and it can chip away at life very easily).
I use Fleshripper, and Blade Fury has it's uses. I prefer to Mind Blast mobs and run it and just kick the crap out of things, but there are times when I use Blade Fury.
That should bring you up to the 7/3 fpa breakpoint - unless I am mistaken, as well.
.
I have a kicker, and I have more fun playing with her than with almost any other build ("Most Fun" goes to 1.10 Marrowbug Bonemancers - being a tele'ing spewer of Death for everything is just too fun). I can solo hell easily, and I take down bosses with extreme ease. I can kill the Uber guardians (Duriel and Co), but the Ubers themselves are too hard for me as of yet, as I lack the correct life total and insane resists.
Since you maxed CoS I would highly suggest restarting your build. It's a waste of points IMO. I would max the following:
DTalon
Venom
Shadow Master
Mind Blast (only if you casually PvP, if not, free points!)
Then put enough points into Fade to get to slvl 15 with your +skills and switch buffers (2 Spirit, right?) as that gives you the correct PDR along with Stormshield, and because of the terrible diminishing returns of Fade above 15.
The rest should be one-pointers as you see fit. DFlight could be alright, but I prefer to use it only as a means to tele into my enemies and then DTalon them. Sigh, if only it made them enter FHR like Leap does...
Dtail with phoenix+fort+last wish can actually be really good. You charge with tiger strike, then BOOOOOOOM. 100k fire dmg explodes in their face.
JanusJones
15-03-2006, 00:20
Dtail with phoenix+fort+last wish can actually be really good. You charge with tiger strike, then BOOOOOOOM. 100k fire dmg explodes in their face.
Dragon Tail kickers can be a lot of PvM fun, but he mentioned he all ready maxed D-Talon, Venom, and Death Sentry. Ilkori is right about Shadow Master - it is one of the mainstays of the kicking build, giving you great PvM crowd control by laying traps, mind blasting, and throwing some elemental damage into the mix. I'd advise against Dragon Tail - there are few to no times you'll use it as a one point skill slapped onto a Dragon Talon-based kicker. Without maxed Tiger Strike and maxed Dragon Tail you won't have a very viable skill.
One of the one-point-wonder skills that conspicuously HASN'T been mentioned is the old stand-by: Mind Blast. This is a fantastic skill, providing you with the ability to totally destroy groups of monsters. Pumping it isn't a terrible idea (if you're really dead-set on going it without a Shadow Master), since higher levels mean more of a pack will be converted (providing the other pack members with targets other than yourself) and the ones who aren't will be stunned longer. Lay a couple of blasts down and you can sip lemonade with one hand while you point-click-kill every last pack member.
Thanks for the responses guys! A lot of info to mull over. I think I will skip DFlight, I have no problems closing the distance between myself and the enemies, especially using CoS. But MB sounds interesting, I think I'm going to give it a shot- so this is my question now, if my skill distribution is:
20 venom
20 dtalon
20 dsentry
20 CoS
Would it make more sense to put 1pt in MB and pump Fade will all my remaining points (since I think I can get to the last ias breakpoint without BoS)? Or should I pump MB and leave Fade to my +skills? The sense I'm getting from you two (ShadyPhoenix and JanusJones) is that 1pt in MB is sufficient and Fade should be my next priority as I don't really PVP except on a whim.
ShadyPhoenix-
20pts into Shadow Master would definitely help, but it's just not a skill I want to use with this char. I just like dealing with my sin, I've never even used a merc with her. Would you still recommend remaking her? If so, where would the 19 skill points go? MB? Fade? BFury? BShield? I use a shield, so no weapon block.
And the equip you mention? I don't have a SS or Spirts, I'm not that rich (and if it weren't for a single game that gave me both SOE and Shaft I'd be a lot worse off), I don't even have anything on my weapon switch.
I use:
Rockstopper/Prismatic Ammy/Shaft/FleshRipper/Whitstan's Guard/String of Ears/two rare rings/Sanders Gloves/normal Wyrmhide Boots.
I was thinking of ultimately working towards:
Guillaume's Face/rare sin ammy/"Duress" (in an Archon?)/Fleshripper/(SS? Blackoak? Something else?)/String of Ears/Ravenfrost and a rare leech ring/crafted blood gloves (hopefully with 20ias)/up'ed gores.
Are there better options out there? Thanks again for everyone's input!
ShadyPhoenix
15-03-2006, 02:48
Thanks for the responses guys! A lot of info to mull over. I think I will skip DFlight, I have no problems closing the distance between myself and the enemies, especially using CoS. But MB sounds interesting, I think I'm going to give it a shot- so this is my question now, if my skill distribution is:
20 venom
20 dtalon
20 dsentry
20 CoS
Would it make more sense to put 1pt in MB and pump Fade will all my remaining points (since I think I can get to the last ias breakpoint without BoS)? Or should I pump MB and leave Fade to my +skills? The sense I'm getting from you two (ShadyPhoenix and JanusJones) is that 1pt in MB is sufficient and Fade should be my next priority as I don't really PVP except on a whim.
DFlight is more of a utility skill. I rarely use it to just close distance, but rather to skip unsavory monsters or areas. Plus, I think it's cool to tele-kick things.
Mind Blast is an excellent skill at lvl 1 or 20. The higher levels are only really noticable in PvP, so I would just leave it at one point and let +skills do their job. Fade, however, requires at least a few points into it to be truly effective.
ShadyPhoenix-
20pts into Shadow Master would definitely help, but it's just not a skill I want to use with this char. I just like dealing with my sin, I've never even used a merc with her. Would you still recommend remaking her? If so, where would the 19 skill points go? MB? Fade? BFury? BShield? I use a shield, so no weapon block.
It's up to you whether or not you remake her. I am a nitpicking lunatic (I put 10 too many points into str and miscalculated my +skills and Fade, so I'm remaking my Sin again this week...), so if I were you I would, but ultimately it's your choice. If she can still kill things and you enjoy playing her, I don't see any reason to remake her, though.
If you do remake her (and we cannot convince you to max Shadow Master :P) I am not sure where I would put the extra points. Possibly a few more into Fade, as well as a few points into Fire Blast (for more shots with Death Sentry).
And the equip you mention? I don't have a SS or Spirts, I'm not that rich (and if it weren't for a single game that gave me both SOE and Shaft I'd be a lot worse off), I don't even have anything on my weapon switch.
I use:
Rockstopper/Prismatic Ammy/Shaft/FleshRipper/Whitstan's Guard/String of Ears/two rare rings/Sanders Gloves/normal Wyrmhide Boots.
I was thinking of ultimately working towards:
Guillaume's Face/rare sin ammy/"Duress" (in an Archon?)/Fleshripper/(SS? Blackoak? Something else?)/String of Ears/Ravenfrost and a rare leech ring/crafted blood gloves (hopefully with 20ias)/up'ed gores.
Are there better options out there? Thanks again for everyone's input!
Well, some of it is pretty expensive, I guess. I accumulated it all in about 3 weeks time, so I guess I'm pretty liberal with my equipment suggestions...
I would highly suggest getting Guillaume's Face ASAP. It's just so unbelievably juicy for a Kicker that I couldn't imagine life without it. Duress is excellent, as is Fleshripper, Up'd Gores, and your rings, but for the rest of your gear I'm a little unsure.
SS is pretty cheap (Pul on most Realms I believe) and is absolutely solid. PDR, massive Cold and Lightning resists, and a huge Strength bonus make this shield nigh-unbeatable. String of Ears is alright, but with Fade and SS your PDR is already covered. I'd suggest getting Nosferatu's Coil for the IAS and Strength bonus, as without BoS you'll be attacking very slooowly. Highlord's is most likely better for you than a rare Sin ammy, as the IAS along with the +skill is better than just +skills with random other mods. Gloves are... troublesome, as it all just depends on what you want to do. If you like poison, slap on Trangs. More OW and Leech? Dracul's. Teh Godlee? +2 MA/SD 20 IAS CB or resist gloves.
Question on the equipment setup: If I use fleshripper, goreriders and (eventually) "duress" that gives me:
25 + 15 + 15 = 55% CB
50 + 15 + 33 = 98% OW
(If my math is incorrect please forgive me, I'm working on very little sleep.)
Is it worth it to use Guillaume's Face to pump CB to 90% or would a different helm benefit me more? I'm not sure what, maybe a vamp gaze or Andariel's Visage (if I ever came across one) or just a nice rare circlet. So my question pretty much boils down to- is 55% CB enough or should I go with Guillaume's Face to get to 90%?
Thanks!
When I dropped guills and went with only my 60% from last wish I noticed a big difference. I will never take off that helm, now all I need is a good 15ias/15res jewel to put in it..
I consider 50% to be "enough" CB. Anything higher is just really, really nice.
For Open Wounds, the percentage isn't nearly as important as in PvP. Here it's just a matter of triggering it often enough that it won't stop bleeding the big lug.
Thanks for the responses guys! A lot of info to mull over. I think I will skip DFlight, I have no problems closing the distance between myself and the enemies, especially using CoS. But MB sounds interesting, I think I'm going to give it a shot- so this is my question now, if my skill distribution is:
20 venom
20 dtalon
20 dsentry
20 CoS
You don't need to max CoS ... extended duration is actually a liability becasue you cannot recast it again until the timer has expired.
My current Assassin builds use the following :
15* DTalon ... *to get 24 after skills
20 Death Sentry
20 Lightning Sentry
20 Shadow Master
1 BoS
1 CoS
1 DF (utility, re-grouping minions and crossing rivers)
1+ Claw Block (if dual claw, aim for at least 50% block)
1 Fade (vs Uber Meph)
1 Blade Fury (vs Chaos Sanctuary's Iron Maiden)
1+ Mind Blast (optional)
1+ Venom (optional)
If you're not going to use Shadow Master, then I'd recommend that you Max Lightning Sentry to increase the lightning damage from DS. Without a Shadow, you may also find Mind Blast useful .... since DTalon can only be used on one creature at a time, you'll need something to distract the others. Converting a few emenies will keep you for being swarmed and buy you the time to set DS and start kicking.
BananaPancakes
19-03-2006, 10:04
hi. you shoudl be aware that just maxing lightning sentry and death sentry without other synergies and not much plus skills wont net you much damage.. i'd say max of 2k if you're lucky. also add 1 more vote of NOT maxing CoS.
hmm mahric that sounds like my build a little. you have aleast 9 plus skills? unless you use MA gcs? so is a lvl29 shadow master noticely stronger then a lvl 17-18? (my own assassin maxed venom instead of the master, left that base)
i don't understand why people say not to max dragon talon.. i mean sure you might not reach the next number of kicks.. but it still grants you damage and HUGE ar bonus. not to mention it's pretty hard to get your kick damage up in the first place. ie forced to wear myadeon whatever greaves.
Yeah, in retrospect maxing CoS probably wasn't the smartest idea, but overall I kinda like my sin right now.
20dtal
20venom
20dsentry
20cos
5fade
1mb
3 unused pts at lvl 85. I only have +3skills from my assassin torch, so I really need to find a way to just get one more +MA to get to lvl 24 dtalon. I use c/s so weapon block isn't useful to me but I've been thinking hard about 1pt in blade fury/ 1pt in dflight/ 3more pts in fade/ or 3 more pts in MB. I don't have enough points available to max lit sentry, and I really only use dsentry for the CE anyway. As of right now I'm leaning toward dumping them into MB or Fade. Recommendations?
And I'm using fleshripper right now- should I stick with it or try to acquire a Stormlash? Thanks guys.
hmm mahric that sounds like my build a little. you have aleast 9 plus skills? unless you use MA gcs? so is a lvl29 shadow master noticely stronger then a lvl 17-18? (my own assassin maxed venom instead of the master, left that base)
I've just started on ladder again, so not fully equipped yet, but +9MA is quite easy with a dual-claw assassin .. +5 from Bartuc's and Jade Talon alone.
The reason for not maxing DTalon is that I'm specifically trying to avoid 6 kicks ... it's too slow for my taste. If I add a torch and either CoH, Treachery or Shako to the build, I'll have +14 MA skills = 29 total ... an extra 5 levels of DTalon will probably only add 50-85 damage per kick = about 250-425 additional damage over 5 kicks. The strength of Dragon Talon isn't in its damage, but rather its speed. It is one of the fastest attacks in the game and is an incredible way to transfer abilities that activate on striking. The most important of these is Crushing Blow, but elemental damage helps too - I still like the idea of a Dream Tiara adding 1-643 damage per kick (5 kicks = 5 to 3240).
The extra lightning damage from LS may not appear to be a lot, but it adds up quite quickly and gives an alternate source of damage vs physical immunes. I'm not sure of the exact lightning progression stats, but I think this is close :
MAX DS = 1 to 342 lightning damage per shot
level 26 = 1 to 650 (estimate)
level 26 DS + max LS = 1 to 1570 lightning damage per shot
5 shots = 5 to 7850.
5 sentries = 25 to 39250 damage. Yummy!!
The alternative could be to max Venom .... this would add about 700 poison damage per 0.4 seconds, but it's more difficult to calculate total damage because the timer resets each kick without completing its damage sequence. While lightning damage is ranged, pierces multiple targets and operates independently of my physical attack (so I can stand back if necessary and still deal damage), Venom only applies when I'm kicking, only works on one target and has it's damage interrupted by multiple kicks.
You could max Venom and LS instead of Master but I like the Master ... she's a useful meat shield and actually does kill things, even in hell. I find Venom to be more useful in PvP builds.
For PvM, the hybrid assassin is one of the most versatile builds around. It has an answer for everything - bosses, mobs, physical and lightning immunes, melee or ranged. It's by far the most effective all-round character I've ever played and the easiest (and fastest) to get through Hell on single player. I also don't think there is necassarily a "best" build ... some people prefer Venom, some Shadow Master, some Lightning Sentry. I've even tried DTalon with Lightning Sentry as the primary trap and all the LS synergies (worked well with a Conviction merc). But ultimately, the hybrid assassin doesn't need to have one strong attack - damage comes from multiple sources all working together.
Mahric :jig:
Darkstorm
19-03-2006, 21:49
I personally max CoS instead of master, i usually play in parties so i dont rele need a minion to help, uber tristram which is probably the only challenging place to take on even in parties would pwn ur shadow ultra fast, not to mention that stoppping attackin to resummon may cost you your life.
if u go in a duel game thou a maxed CoS + w.e skills u have from items can lower the defense of the enemy up to 95% making those smiters zealers and barbs very hittable. ( i usualy stay a way from them until i cast cos, then i mb a couple of times, then i tele if it's a smiter or wwer or just some1 iwouldn't want 2 walk up to (a wolf wit a 2 hander wit a lot of range) and then just hold to dragon talon and u should hit them 90% or so if u're using triple angelics.
of course i dont use cos in trist, as i need the life steal from dracs >_>
JanusJones
21-03-2006, 20:44
I've just started on ladder again, so not fully equipped yet, but +9MA is quite easy with a dual-claw assassin .. +5 from Bartuc's and Jade Talon alone.
The reason for not maxing DTalon is that I'm specifically trying to avoid 6 kicks ... it's too slow for my taste. If I add a torch and either CoH, Treachery or Shako to the build, I'll have +14 MA skills = 29 total ... an extra 5 levels of DTalon will probably only add 50-85 damage per kick = about 250-425 additional damage over 5 kicks. The strength of Dragon Talon isn't in its damage, but rather its speed. It is one of the fastest attacks in the game and is an incredible way to transfer abilities that activate on striking. The most important of these is Crushing Blow, but elemental damage helps too - I still like the idea of a Dream Tiara adding 1-643 damage per kick (5 kicks = 5 to 3240).
The extra lightning damage from LS may not appear to be a lot, but it adds up quite quickly and gives an alternate source of damage vs physical immunes. I'm not sure of the exact lightning progression stats, but I think this is close :
MAX DS = 1 to 342 lightning damage per shot
level 26 = 1 to 650 (estimate)
level 26 DS + max LS = 1 to 1570 lightning damage per shot
5 shots = 5 to 7850.
5 sentries = 25 to 39250 damage. Yummy!!
The alternative could be to max Venom .... this would add about 700 poison damage per 0.4 seconds, but it's more difficult to calculate total damage because the timer resets each kick without completing its damage sequence. While lightning damage is ranged, pierces multiple targets and operates independently of my physical attack (so I can stand back if necessary and still deal damage), Venom only applies when I'm kicking, only works on one target and has it's damage interrupted by multiple kicks.
You could max Venom and LS instead of Master but I like the Master ... she's a useful meat shield and actually does kill things, even in hell. I find Venom to be more useful in PvP builds.
For PvM, the hybrid assassin is one of the most versatile builds around. It has an answer for everything - bosses, mobs, physical and lightning immunes, melee or ranged. It's by far the most effective all-round character I've ever played and the easiest (and fastest) to get through Hell on single player. I also don't think there is necassarily a "best" build ... some people prefer Venom, some Shadow Master, some Lightning Sentry. I've even tried DTalon with Lightning Sentry as the primary trap and all the LS synergies (worked well with a Conviction merc). But ultimately, the hybrid assassin doesn't need to have one strong attack - damage comes from multiple sources all working together.
Mahric :jig:
Your calculation for lightning damage forgets to take into account that monsters' resistance in Hell will be applied to the miniscule damage from each individual hit - not the big, impressive-looking totals you added up. I find a rapidly-applied Venom works wonders - escpecially since you can apply it at range with Blade Fury and back that up with multiple Mind Blasts. It is a matter of preference, but 6 kicks can not be called "slow" if they're hitting the 7/3 breakpoint - you stop kicking, I'll remind you, whenever something dies, making it hard to get too locked up by kicking "too much." 6 kicks means most average monsters die in one routine, whereas fewer kicks can mean monsters require a second string of kicks - which does slow you down considerably, since you must still launch one 7 frame kick as a part of the routine (as opposed to 5 3 frame kicks and only 1 7 frame if you kick 6 times).
Phoenix Strike can also be an interesting backup to D-Talon, but personally I find Venom and my Torch's fire to be more than enough to kill most enemies.
Thanks JJ
Agreed - my lightning damage calculation makes it sound a lot better than it actually is. I was just making the point that the increase in damage from the LS synergy isn't insignificant.
It is a matter of preference, but 6 kicks can not be called "slow" if they're hitting the 7/3 breakpoint - you stop kicking, I'll remind you, whenever something dies, making it hard to get too locked up by kicking "too much."
But I can't agree here - my assassin definately completes the attack sequence. I've just tested it again in act 1 normal ... the monsters fall on the first hit, but the sequence of attacks continues - I'm already trying to target the next creature, but my silly assassin is still standing around kicking at nothing. I find this quite frustrating - a bit like like trying to work on a computer with a slow processor.
If additional kicks are wasted, you ideally need just enough kicks to take out the average monster on whatever level you're playing. This will depend on exactly how much damage you're doing and it's probably best to kick at a level where you're "comfortable" rather than trying to calculate.
If it takes 3 kicks to kill something and you kick 6 times, then
3(6) : 7,3,3 ... 3,3,3 is wasted
If it takes 3 kicks to kill something and you kick 5 times, then
3(5) : 7,3,3 ... 3,3 is wasted
3(4) : 7,3,3 ... 3 is wasted
3(3) : 7,3,3 ... nothing wasted
But by the same token, if it takes 6 kicks to kill something and you kick 5 times, then you're going to have to repeat the sequence and will lose a lot of time.
6(5) 7,3,3,3,3,7 ... 3,3,3,3 wasted
It may just be my style of play, but I don't find this to be a problem - I like to deal with the little guys as quickly as possible, but don't mind slowing down a little on the tougher creatures. My current strategy is to raise Dragon Talon to level 23 (4 kicks) and then keep an MA skill charm in my inventry to experiment with the extra kick ... I've found that I can often progress faster and more smoothly with fewer kicks.
I'm also not convinced that "6 kicks means most average monsters die in one routine". This very much depends on the build and how much damage you're doing ... I find that 4 or 5 kicks is usually sufficient, but this obviously depends on what act you're in and, more importantly, how much damage you actually do.
My kicker/trapper is a very different build from your Warrior Monk - the Warrior Monk is usually focused on a single direct attack, while the kicker/trapper (inspired by C-beat's guide) uses a range of simultaneous attacks. I should be doing less damage per kick than your Warrior Monk because I don't use Venom and my Crushing Blow (at 35%) is much lower than yours, but I do use Fortitude, and a "Dream" helm adds lightning damage to my kicks ... maybe it's the lightning damage from my traps that makes the difference. :smiley:
Mahric.
JanusJones
23-03-2006, 15:04
Groovy. Keep kicking and trapping, and do what you do, man!
:thumbsup:
For me it's all about the CB - that's what makes most monsters toast against my monk. Traps are cool though, and I definately see a hybrid as being a powerful option!
If a monster dies in the middle of a long sequence, the game will retarget the kicks to other monsters. Those kicks are not wasted.
If I remember my brief testing correctly (note: this could be very wrong), a kick sequence will stop if you kill the monster also. Frankly, it's a bit hard to tell what exactly is going on since the kicks land so fast with the 3-frame follow-up.
For what it's worth, I'm running a hybrid also. It's significantly different from C-Beat's excellent guide, but the basics are the same.
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