Thief PvE | Fun Pistol/Dagger, Sword/Dagger | Damage Trolling Tormentor
Table of Contents
Summary
I created this build/guide to see if I could make a Torment build as well as a hybrid thief build. Since I was going for something ambitious, I figured I'd throw in a third element of thieves that have completely sucked in the past....venoms. So all in all, this is an attempt to make a Torment/Venom/Hybrid thief build.
Before now, I have been in the camp that does not believe that a hybrid thief (in PvE) is a good idea because of the way that PvE is setup and how our thief is setup. Since the introduction of Torment on Shadowstrike, it gives another option for a hybrid type build, and P/D is a fun weapon-set to run around with. Thus the Trolling Tormentor was born.
I. Weapons and Skills
- Weapon Strength: 920-1080
- Condition Duration: 120%
- Precision: 85
- Vitality: 85
- Weapon Strength: 924-981
- Condition Duration: 120%
- Precision: 85
- Vitality: 85
- Weapon Strength: 905-1000
- Power: 120
- Precision: 85
- Ferocity: 85
- Weapon Strength: 924-981
- Condition Duration: 120%
- Precision: 85
- Vitality: 85
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- 0Poison: 10 sMight: 10 sFury: 10 sSwiftness: 10 sDaze: 1 s
- 0Poison: 10 sMight: 10 sFury: 10 sSwiftness: 10 sDaze: 1 s
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- 0Poison: 10 sMight: 10 sFury: 10 sSwiftness: 10 sDaze: 1 s
- 0Poison: 10 sMight: 10 sFury: 10 sSwiftness: 10 sDaze: 1 s
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- 0Poison: 10 sMight: 10 sFury: 10 sSwiftness: 10 sDaze: 1 s
- 0Poison: 10 sMight: 10 sFury: 10 sSwiftness: 10 sDaze: 1 s
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- 0Poison: 10 sMight: 10 sFury: 10 sSwiftness: 10 sDaze: 1 s
- 0Poison: 10 sMight: 10 sFury: 10 sSwiftness: 10 sDaze: 1 s
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- 0Poison: 10 sMight: 10 sFury: 10 sSwiftness: 10 sDaze: 1 s
- 0Poison: 10 sMight: 10 sFury: 10 sSwiftness: 10 sDaze: 1 s
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- 0Poison: 10 sMight: 10 sFury: 10 sSwiftness: 10 sDaze: 1 s
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- 0Poison: 10 sMight: 10 sFury: 10 sSwiftness: 10 sDaze: 1 s
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- 0Poison: 10 sMight: 10 sFury: 10 sSwiftness: 10 sDaze: 1 s
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- 0Poison: 10 sMight: 10 sFury: 10 sSwiftness: 10 sDaze: 1 s
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- 0Poison: 10 sMight: 10 sFury: 10 sSwiftness: 10 sDaze: 1 s
Weapon and Skill Details
Pretty basic setup here. With weapons. P/D is your main set and you'll be running around on it for the majority of your time.
Since its a hybrid condition dmg and direct damage build, I did decide to run with a S/D alternate set to help take care of trash mobs as the cleave on Sw/ MH is quite a bit more reliable than Ricochet as AoE. That's not to say Ricochet is bad (not anymore anyway) but in situations where AoE is VERY important, the S/D gives us a good weapon-set to swap to.
Caltrops are almost a mandatory skill for more condition dmg thief builds, so we have it here as well. Its not AS mandatory on this particular build, but it will help you stack up some bleeds. The two venoms chosen give us access to more conditions, and since we have a very high condition duration stat, both are beneficial. Its more than ok to swap out Spider Venom for a different one, or a different utility completely depending on the situation. The only really mandatory utility on this build is the Skale Venom, as it applies Torment.
Basilisk Venom was chosen as the elite simply because it benefits from all the Venom traits that we are running with, and its on a super short cool-down. You can swap this out for a different elite if needed or wanted.
II. Traits
Deadly Arts
Critical Strikes
Shadow Arts
Acrobatics
Trickery
Trait Details
In general, I don't like to put trait points in based off the stats that the trait-line provides because I would rather play towards the traits themselves that benefit my build. This build is the exception. I started with 30 points in DA to take full advantage of the +30% condition duration from the line, and then built from there. DA helps a LOT with Venoms, so Venomous Strength (DA-IV), Quick Venoms (DA-VIII) and Residual Venoms (DA-XII) were all relatively obvious choices. Originally I had considered taking the Potent Poison (DA-V) but in the end decided against it because the condition duration on this build is quite long, and we aren't missing out that much on poison duration. That and poison sucks for DPS.
From that point, taking full points in Trickery seemed like a relatively good idea since we can pick up Ricochet (T-X) from the Master trait, which helps our Pistol usage. The Trickery line is one of the best for a condition dmg setup, so investment here was a good idea, emphasizing Steal because we can pull off some very quick steals, and get 50% up-time on Fury, Might and Swiftness from Thrill of the Crime (T-V).
The final ten trait points are placed arbitrarily in Critical Strikes line. These last ten points can be placed in ANY of the other lines,it just depends on what you are looking to do, or have a need to do. If you are short on init, place them in SA and pick up Infusion of Shadow (SA-V). If you need condition removal trait Shadow's Embrace (SA-IV), which is one of the better condition removal traits/abilities in the game. If you want more damage, put them in Critical Strikes line (as shown above). If you want more survivability, place them in Acro and pick up Vigorous Recovery (Acro-III) for some extra dodges plus the minor trait in Acro make it easier for you to kite and keep the double dmg from Torment. Depending on the content I run, I will probably end up with them in SA for the interchange of condition removal and/or init regen.
III. Stat Specifics & Effects
Primary Stats
- Health 13345 (+1700)
- Vitality 1086 (+170)
- Armor 2001 (+21)
- Toughness 937 (+21)
- Attack 2688 (+767)
- Power 1657 (+741)
- Critical Hit 45% (+45%)
- Precision 1861 (+945)
Secondary Stats
- Bleeding Duration 20% (+20%)
- Condition Damage 1016 (+1016)
- Condition Duration 310% (+310%)
- Critical Damage 6% (+6%)
- Damage 1031 (+3%)
- Defense 1064 (+0)
- Experience from Kills 10% (+10%)
- Ferocity 100 (+100)
- Steal Recharge Rate 30% (+30%)
- Torment Duration 45% (+45%)
Boons
Conditions
Control
Fields & Finishers
IV. Food, Armor, Trinkets & Upgrade Items
Food Nourishment
Condition Duration: 40%
Condition Damage: 70
Experience from Kills: 10%
- (30min)
- Condition Duration: 40%
- Condition Damage: 70
- Experience from Kills: 10%
Utility Nourishment
Armor & Runes
- Defense: 97
- Condition Damage: 25
- Torment Duration: 10%
- Condition Damage: 50
- Torment Duration: 15%
- Condition Damage: 100
- +20% Torment Duration; when you use a heal skill, apply two stacks of torment to nearby foes. (Cooldown: 20 seconds)
- Defense: 97
- Condition Damage: 25
- Torment Duration: 10%
- Condition Damage: 50
- Torment Duration: 15%
- Condition Damage: 100
- +20% Torment Duration; when you use a heal skill, apply two stacks of torment to nearby foes. (Cooldown: 20 seconds)
- Defense: 338
- Condition Damage: 25
- Torment Duration: 10%
- Condition Damage: 50
- Torment Duration: 15%
- Condition Damage: 100
- +20% Torment Duration; when you use a heal skill, apply two stacks of torment to nearby foes. (Cooldown: 20 seconds)
- Defense: 157
- Condition Damage: 25
- Torment Duration: 10%
- Condition Damage: 50
- Torment Duration: 15%
- Condition Damage: 100
- +20% Torment Duration; when you use a heal skill, apply two stacks of torment to nearby foes. (Cooldown: 20 seconds)
- Defense: 218
- Condition Damage: 25
- Torment Duration: 10%
- Condition Damage: 50
- Torment Duration: 15%
- Condition Damage: 100
- +20% Torment Duration; when you use a heal skill, apply two stacks of torment to nearby foes. (Cooldown: 20 seconds)
- Defense: 157
- Condition Damage: 25
- Torment Duration: 10%
- Condition Damage: 50
- Torment Duration: 15%
- Condition Damage: 100
- +20% Torment Duration; when you use a heal skill, apply two stacks of torment to nearby foes. (Cooldown: 20 seconds)
Armor Stat Totals
- Defense 1064
- Condition Damage 175
- Torment Duration 45%
Rune Bonuses
Superior Rune of Tormenting- Condition Damage: 25
- Torment Duration: 10%
- Condition Damage: 50
- Torment Duration: 15%
- Condition Damage: 100
- +20% Torment Duration; when you use a heal skill, apply two stacks of torment to nearby foes. (Cooldown: 20 seconds)
Accessories & Jewels
- Precision: 25
- Condition Damage: 15
- Power: 15
- Precision: 25
- Condition Damage: 15
- Power: 15
- Precision: 25
- Condition Damage: 15
- Power: 15
- Precision: 25
- Condition Damage: 15
- Power: 15
- Precision: 25
- Condition Damage: 15
- Power: 15
Accessory Totals
- Power:441
- Precision:675
- Condition Damage:471
- Toughness:21
Weapon Set Sigils
- Weapon Strength: 920-1080
- Condition Duration: 120%
- Precision: 85
- Vitality: 85
- Weapon Strength: 924-981
- Condition Duration: 120%
- Precision: 85
- Vitality: 85
Weapon Set I
Sigil of Superior AgonyBleeds you apply last 20% longer.
Sigil of Superior Earth60% chance to do a 5s bleed on critical.
- Weapon Strength: 905-1000
- Power: 120
- Precision: 85
- Ferocity: 85
- Weapon Strength: 924-981
- Condition Duration: 120%
- Precision: 85
- Vitality: 85
Weapon Set II
Sigil of Superior Accuracy+7% crit chance.
Sigil of Superior Earth60% chance to do a 5s bleed on critical.
Upgrade Item Details
Sigil of Agony and Sigil of Earth on your P/D. These will help the condition dmg side of the hybrid build.
Sig of Acc and Sig of Earth (only really need one dagger here) on S/D. The reasoning behind Sig of Acc is that it demonstrates a decent balance between condition dmg and direct dmg. The increase crit chance with help our direct dmg because it will enable us to crit more often. It also helps our condition dmg because it will enable us to proc our Sig of Earth more often, thus applying bleeds, even on our direct dmg set.
V. Basic Gameplay
Keep moving. As soon as you have Torment on the enemy, do NOT stand still. You will do a lot more dmg to them with Torment if you can get them to move.
This obviously is a bit difficult in a dungeon setting as most of the time you don't WANT the enemy's attention and hopefully someone else in the group has their attention. Not to worry too much because even though Torment only does ~75% of Bleed, they do both do dmg when you have both bleed and Torment on an enemy. So between Bleed and Torment, when they are stationary, you'll essentially be doing 175% dmg compared to just Bleed, and 250% dmg if you can get the enemy to move.
Main Skill Rotation
As you are running towards the enemy, make sure to hit them a few times with your auto attack, as it will do a little bit of direct dmg as well as applying a few bleeds on them.
As soon as you get close enough to melee, pop Skale Venom and drop your first Shadowstrike followed immediately by Steal, then your second Shadowstrike. This next part is a bit tricky. Because you've got AoE Torment application on your heal skill and you are using Withdraw, you actually have to turn 180 degrees so you are facing AWAY from your target and THEN use Withdraw. Follow this up with another Shadowstrike and you should be up to 14 stacks [DOUBLE CHECK THIS, SEE IF STEAL COUNTS AS AN "ATTACK" FOR SKALE VENOM] of Torment. At this point, just keep the enemy moving and you should be set. If they are tougher, follow this rotation, then the one below.
The 20s ICD on the 6th bonus from the Runes of Tormenting makes this rotation a little bit off on the timing because Withdraw is on a 15s CD. My suggestion would be to start the rotation, but make sure the Withdraw part is at the end, and hopefully 20s will have passed before you get to the Withdraw part.
Tougher Enemy Rotation Add-on
We continue with three auto attack shots as we run back towards the enemy to get into melee range. Follow this up with Spider Venom, then CnD and Sneak Attack for poison and bleed application. At this point, if you've got the initiative and Steal is back off CD, and Skale Venom is recharged, continue again with the above combo. If not, Shadowstrike and then auto attack as you kite until your skills are off CD. Then wash, rinse and repeat as needed.