Claw Assassin; can it work and some questions?

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Gotuso
Dark Huntress
10 | 0
So I'm new to Median XL but after getting browbeaten by some friends, decided to give Assassin a try. None of them play Assassin or melee, so I'm kinda trying to figure things out on my own.

After experimenting with a few different skills before lvl 50, I kept coming back to a 'straight' claw assassin / Noctule build. I used it to cruise through normal and, after some gear crafting, nightmare difficulty as well. Now that I'm in hell things have turned up a notch again and I'm unsure how to proceed. Hence this topic.

First, straight forward question: is a Noctule / Claw Assassin viable without going for a Batstrike summoner build?

Second question on my mind has to do with Anathema; -150% enhance weapon damage and +5% innate elemental damage. This skill seems really strong but how does it work exactly? A lot of wrist blades don't have any physical damage it seems like. Does that mean Anathema is just a straight up damage buff without downside for those claws?
Speaking of wristblades, how do you sustain using those weapons? % based lifesteal doesn't seem to work so do I have to revert to the +30 Life on Melee Attack MO's and gear like it?

Third question: what's the difference between claw / claw and a claw + shield combination? It felt like Noctule spam was the same in both cases. The tooltip barely shows an increase in damage. As a matter of fact; according to the tooltip the damage gets lower if I equip a weaker second claw compared to just 1 claw. So is there a point in going double claws? (besides it feeling more badass :D )

Last dilemma; is claw block still worth it? Six skill points just to get the first lvl is a lot but it still sounds really strong. However what does 'disabled by Noctule' mean? Just when I use the Noctule ability or if you put a single point into the skill? Because that's obviously a bit awkward for a Noctule build.

A lot of questions, I know :oops: . Hopefully someone can help me out so I can find my direction going forwards. That might mean going for another build. But for now I'd like to give claw assassin a chance until I hit that brick wall :wall:
Edited by Gotuso 2 years.
Rusev
Balrog
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1 yes it is viable.You deside what damage you want. Physical will be mainly noctule and batstrike just for single targets

2 Anathema gives %elemental damage to the one you actually have on gear like this ones
Dreamweaver
Dreamweaver
Wrist Blade (Sacred)

(Assassin Only)
Required Level: 100
Required Dexterity: 341
Item Level: 105
Innate Lightning Damage:
(52.0% of Dexterity)
Queen of Blades: +2500 Lightning Damage to Blade Mines
+(4 to 6) to Assassin Skill Levels
Adds 160-250 Lightning Damage
-(15 to 25)% to Enemy Fire Resistance
-(15 to 25)% to Enemy Lightning Resistance
+100 to Strength
+100 to Vitality
Maximum Fire Resist +1%
Maximum Lightning Resist +1%
Socketed (3)
Hellfire Plate

Hellfire Plate
Body Armors

'IgnJahGurRhal'
Runeword Level: 115
+1% Innate Elemental Damage per 250 Strength and Dexterity
15% Chance to cast level 9 Life Spark on Melee Attack
20% Attack Speed
+250 Fire Damage
-(11 to 15)% to Enemy Elemental Resistances
+(171 to 200)% Enhanced Defense
Maximum Life +(3 to 5)%
Maximum Elemental Resists +(1 to 2)%
Fire Resist +(10 to 20)%
Lightning Resist +(10 to 20)%
Cold Resist +(10 to 20)%
Poison Resist +(10 to 20)%
Physical Resist (7 to 10)%
Scorched Earth

Scorched Earth
Assassin Shields

'IgnTahaUn'
Runeword Level: 110
+25 Fire Damage per 100 Dexterity
10% Chance to cast level 59 Pentagram on Melee Attack
1% Base Block Chance
30% Block Speed
-(10 to 15)% to Enemy Fire Resistance
-(10 to 15)% to Enemy Lightning Resistance
-(10 to 15)% to Enemy Cold Resistance
-(10 to 15)% to Enemy Poison Resistance
Weapon Physical Damage -150%
+(172 to 200)% Enhanced Defense
+(41 to 50) to all Attributes
Maximum Fire Resist +1%
Elemental Resists +(15 to 25)%
Bad Mood
Bad Mood
Ring

Required Level: 100
Item Level: 120
-20% Cast Speed
Adds 50-100 Fire Damage
Adds 50-100 Lightning Damage
Adds 50-100 Cold Damage
-(5 to 20)% to Enemy Fire Resistance
-(5 to 20)% to Enemy Lightning Resistance
-(5 to 20)% to Enemy Cold Resistance
.So if if go for this one noctule and batstrike carry that damage +the physical claw damage from the second skill in the tree(forgot the name it is passive that gives critical)

3 Claw block requires 75 skills waste to get it and works only while standing.Shield works all time and is easy to max.
Gotuso
Dark Huntress
10 | 0
1. Do you suggest using different skills for an Elemental based build, something else then Noctule?

2. Is the physical damage skill worth it in an Elemental based build? It seems like anything that says stuff like 'Enhanced Damaged' would be wasted on a wristblade that only has innate elemental damage?

3. Wait claw block requires 75 skill points?! I didn't see that in the tooltip but I agree that's not worth it. Would you recommend using a claw + shield then? Is there an advantage for using 2* claws?
MrIdegen
Bone Archer
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For elemental :

1. Your main skill will be Noctule as well, but does not need hard points. Batstrike 3rd release is good for single targets.

2. No its not, as Anathema basically annihilates your physical damage output. Sustain can be achieved with Life on attack Mo,
Farnham's Lost Marble
Farnham's Lost Marble
Mystic Orb

Right-Click to Apply
1% Movement Speed
+30 Life on Melee Attack
+30 Mana on Melee Attack
+10 Required Level
and some Life on kill.

3. Claw block indeed requires that much points as it is at the end of claw tree and also disables Noctule. Some niche attempts can be done to overcome it and use
The Endless Loop
The Endless Loop
Light Belt (Sacred)

Defense: 1101 to 1143
Required Level: 100
Required Strength: 550
Item Level: 105
40% Combat Speeds
+(10 to 19) to Charged Strike
Slow Target 10%
+50 to all Attributes
+75 Life Regenerated per Second
+(0 to 1) Mana on Striking
Socketed (2)
(use charged strike) but as you would lose batstrike too, it would be a waste in my opinion. Advantage for using 2 claws is the clawblock for trapsin and for Psisin (who won't have clawblock), as
Sagittarius
Sagittarius
Cestus (Sacred)

One-Hand Damage: 41 to 43
(Assassin Only)
Required Level: 100
Required Dexterity: 349
Item Level: 120
Dexterity Damage Bonus: (0.13 per Dexterity)%
Vessel of Judgement: +3 Targets
+7 to Assassin Skill Levels
+100% Damage to Vessel of Justice
+100% Damage to Vessel of Retribution
+(50 to 60) to Vessel of Judgement
+(100 to 150) to Energy
+(300 to 400) to Life
Maximum Mana +(20 to 25)%
Physical Resist 5%
Socketed (3)
has better stats than a shield would.

Midgame you can go for
Witchhunter's Attire
Witchhunter's Attire
(Assassin Claw Set)

Witchhunter's Crucifix
Witchhunter's Faith
Witchhunter's Hood
Witchhunter's Ire

Set Bonus with 2 or more set items:
-10% to Enemy Lightning Resistance
Maximum Block Chance +10%

Set Bonus with 3 or more set items:
50% Chance to cast level 24 Crucify on Melee Attack
+150 Life on Melee Attack

Set Bonus with complete set:
+5 to Assassin Skill Levels
-20% to Enemy Elemental Resistances
+15 to Way of the Gryphon (Assassin Only)
25% to Dexterity
Fire Absorb 3%
Lightning Absorb 3%
Cold Absorb 3%
+150 Life on Melee Attack
2% Reanimate as: Returned Archer

set and do many of the 120-125 ubers with ease before you upgrade to the above mentioned items.

Honestly, your clear as a clawsin will be slow and subpar for many builds but can be done nevertheless.
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cowking
Son of Lucion
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Gotuso wrote:2. Is the physical damage skill worth it in an Elemental based build? It seems like anything that says stuff like 'Enhanced Damaged' would be wasted on a wristblade that only has innate elemental damage?


Shadow Dancer does nothing for you with wrist blade since you have no physical damage and crit/deadly strike don't work with elemental base.

Gotuso wrote:3. Wait claw block requires 75 skill points?! I didn't see that in the tooltip but I agree that's not worth it. Would you recommend using a claw + shield then? Is there an advantage for using 2* claws?


You'd wanna level this character dual wielding using an honorific stat stick in your offhand for 300 losim, laek, fcr for blink etc. There's no point using a shield until you can achieve a decent block chance with decent FBR.

Gotuso wrote:Speaking of wristblades, how do you sustain using those weapons? % based lifesteal doesn't seem to work so do I have to revert to the +30 Life on Melee Attack MO's and gear like it?


Bloodbath and kill speed. Crafted claw can get lifespark on attack which is like 1000+ life per second later on.

A3 necrolyte merc will be godlike for increasing your survivability as a sin.
Gotuso
Dark Huntress
10 | 0
Thanks for all the input. I now have more of an idea of how an Assassin actually works :D. After a bit of research a few things are still unclear.

You'd wanna level this character dual wielding using an honorific stat stick in your offhand for 300 losim, laek, fcr for blink etc. There's no point using a shield until you can achieve a decent block chance with decent FBR.


1. So a secondary claw is mostly a statstick. But which claw is the main-hand and which one the offhand? :-]

2. According the list below (in spoiler tag, from a 2019 thread), some stats don't work on the offhand. I don't see Life on Attack (losim) on that list. Are you sure that works for offhand weapons? I assume you're right, since I see stuff like "(10 to 20)% Life stolen per Hit" on shields. But just want to make sure.

3. Speaking of the list below, does something like "Adds 300-450 Lightning Damage" work on the offhand? (again, I see this on shields so I assume it works but just making sure)

► Show Spoiler


4. How much block chance should I aim for before swapping to a shield?

Bloodbath and kill speed. Crafted claw can get lifespark on attack which is like 1000+ life per second later on.

A3 necrolyte merc will be godlike for increasing your survivability as a sin.


I honestly haven't looked into merc's yet, so much to explore already. Which of the Act 3 mercenaries would you recommend? Back in D2 I would always pick an Act 2 frost merc. Are those tanky boys out of flavor in Median XL?
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cowking
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1.) the one you equip first / above glove slot

2.) that list is incomplete, eg. when struck procs work from off-hand, losim should still work unless sigma has done some changes

3.) haven't tested, probably not... "pretty much nothing that has to do with applying damage works, except for elemental skill damage and -res"

4.) play and see

Gotuso wrote:I honestly haven't looked into merc's yet, so much to explore already. Which of the Act 3 mercenaries would you recommend?


Necrolyte
felixcatto
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Guys, i also play as melee claw assasin. Can i pick ForgerGegemony last trap skill for 10% vitality and 50% faster block speed? Is it will work for me?
Also don't understand why "Claw block requires 75 skills"? it seems that you need only 6 to reach it and maximum 25 to max it.
MrIdegen
Bone Archer
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felixcatto wrote:Guys, i also play as melee claw assasin. Can i pick ForgerGegemony last trap skill for 10% vitality and 50% faster block speed? Is it will work for me?
Also don't understand why "Claw block requires 75 skills"? it seems that you need only 6 to reach it and maximum 25 to max it.


Hi,

Yes you can but it is not worth it. Its detailed a bit above...

Cheers
Edited by MrIdegen 2 years.
felixcatto
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Why its not worth it? I am talking about "ForgerGegemony". Spend around 15 points and get nice FBR and heal on block. Sounds very cool