Need some suggestions on possible build options...

[Krazy_Solo]

I'm going to be building an assassin for the up coming ladder reset. I need some input on what builds will allow me to achieve a majority of my goals without the need of multiple characters at the start.

1. I want to Magic Find, but not sure what areas I'll be running as I have little to no experience running assassins beyond Nightmare.

2. Would prefer a melee or hybrid melee build. I'm not one of those people that enjoy sitting back and letting my minions and traps do all the work. Prefer a hands on approach. Not that I wouldn't mind traps to help out the situation.

3. Solo-able, I'm a big solo player either it be individual game or 8 player I dislike having to rely on groups to do things.


If you have read this far believe you need to tell me to read the stickies don't waste your time. I've glanced over them all without going deep into detail. Just want some input on which builds will fit my playstyle and mindset.

Also concider the choices to be associated with semi untwink play.

[adujar]

First off its difficult to give you the right kind of advice without knowing whether you play HC or SC.
I consider myself being the same kind of player described in your post. I dont have that much experience of assassins though so maybe you'd be better off listen to some of the other guys. But here is my opinion:

A k/t with w/s, in HC with focus on traps for safety. That means that the traps will usually get the job done but you can choose too intervene whenever you feel like and also have the power of taking down bosses without much trouble. If SC, you can consider sacrificing trap-dmg for melee-boosting skills.

This build is pretty item-dependent (semi-untwink play as you put it) so the absence of uber-gear doesnt slow you down too much.

For soloing in hell with this build I dont have any experience yet, but I guess you need a very strong merc or some -resistance gear to keep the speed up.

Because of the fact that I cant afford high-end gear im leaning towards VoR to add som extra flavour to my kicks and if lucky, the orb can get extra nasty with some -cold res gear. Otherwise find some other source of non-light dmg besides physical for the LI and LI/PI.

Last note...I have tried many different classes and builds but until now, this is the funniest one by far. Im going for one like this when the ladder reset unless the patch changes things.

Just some thoughts really...

[Grumpy Old Wizard]

The problem with a melee build (doing magic find) is that it is more item dependant than a trapper.

If you really insist on being a melee build you will need to be a kicker/trapper combo.

Your melee attack will be Dragon Talon. You gain 1 attack for every 6 skill points. So 3 attacks at 12. Since you are untwinked you will need to run with fade as your aura fade gives a hidden damage reduction for every skill point as well as resists. But I would not invest too many hard points in fade.

The remainder of your points invest in lightning traps. Sentry and death sentry primarily.

Your boots determine your kick damage. You will eventually want to get goblin toes and upgrade them or get gore riders when you can.

You will want 1 point in the one point wonder skills. Use cloak of shadows and mind blast a lot. I would not put more than one point in shadow master.

Have a look at the warrior-monk guide and jrichard's untwinked lightning trapper guide and put them together and season to taste.

You will be a weaker kicker and a weaker trapper than either pure class.

The best sin to MF with would be a pure trapper (lightning-sentry, death sentry, fireblast with a 1 point shadow master) but you said you don't want that. You should be aware that a trapper should always be active, you don't just sit back and watch your traps. When you lay down you sentry traps you throw fireblasts or cast mind blast/cloak/reposition your shadow master.

[KillaMike]

here is guide you after.

[Krazy_Solo]

Thanks for the kindly replies.... I'll check out the builds mention above.

I'm not completely ruling out a trapper is just that I am too much a hands on approach when I play D2 that I dislike being weak in any area of combat.

My main concern is not being able to kill certain mobs is reason for my lack of enthusiasm of going pure trapper as a primary character.