[Not recommended as of 2.1] Maelstrom Assassin miniguide

[mareaper]

hi im fairly new to the game, im quite enojing this build but i some questions.
Im playing on single player and i wonder how grindy it will be for me to get bis eq?
And 2 questions a bit off topic:
Why is melee sin not viable? is it due to low sustain in end game?
would a lot of things have to change in new patches, in order to make melee viable?

I just started this build ladder.. played time about 12-15hours 120lvl and almost all mid gear obtained. Got a bit lucky with the shield drop and good craft rolls but hey build works perfectly Melee is kinda squishy but you can make it work too.. Everything else is still better

[Jampula]

hi im fairly new to the game, im quite enojing this build but i some questions.
Im playing on single player and i wonder how grindy it will be for me to get bis eq?
And 2 questions a bit off topic:
Why is melee sin not viable? is it due to low sustain in end game?
would a lot of things have to change in new patches, in order to make melee viable?

Who told you melee is not viable? Maybe last rabs can be tough but as you are new you won't be getting there anytime soon.


Grinding just depends on luck, but you can also craft some great items using ahrines.

[Istaryu]

hi im fairly new to the game, im quite enojing this build but i some questions.
Im playing on single player and i wonder how grindy it will be for me to get bis eq?
And 2 questions a bit off topic:
Why is melee sin not viable? is it due to low sustain in end game?
would a lot of things have to change in new patches, in order to make melee viable?

Well, shield and amulet can be a bitch to find, but the rest of the items are just crafts and xis rw.

What melee? There are 2 mainstream melee sin builds: claw and naginata, and both of them are good. Nagisin, or as the memers call it, piano sin is just not popular, because its difficult to play, tons of skillswitching required. Claw sin on the other hand is a lot more popular, because its easier to play, and its much safer.

[Rainbow2133]

Did anything change since the guide is out that I should know b4 starting it?

[DeaTh]

Did anything change since the guide is out that I should know b4 starting it?

One change:

PRISMATIC CLOAK: no longer has physical damage reduction but now provides %maximum health per base points

But it does not change anything. The build is great for starting and playing.

Acts are easy.
Toraja are easy. And we need it.
Most charms are easy.
And this is all without crafting Abandoned shrines ignores me.
If you don't find Empyrean Band rings, you can replace them with Assur's Bane for the first time.
It is very important to get 400 Signets as soon as possible. Help with survivability and damage.

[jasiunas]

How do you reach the breakpoint with 86 IAS without Topspin and Zealot Rush? I want to start building crafts and put witchhunters hood, but the IAS but be very low.
Is there a transition decision before i manage to get Endless Loop?

[Yeahsper]

How do you reach the breakpoint with 86 IAS without Topspin and Zealot Rush? I want to start building crafts and put witchhunters hood, but the IAS but be very low.
Is there a transition decision before i manage to get Endless Loop?

Charms, Jewels, MO on weapons, featherclaw gloves, Athulua's Oracle amulet, etc etc.

[Maphyr]

So um, after that 1.6 nerf to Hexward... a t4 Black Sheep Wall is putting up better numbers?

[Istaryu]

So um, after that 1.6 nerf to Hexward... a t4 Black Sheep Wall is putting up better numbers?

I can't see how that would happen.

Hexward

Hexward
Totem Shield (Sacred)
Defense: (1668 - 2085) to (1932 - 2415)
Chance to Block: 4%
(Assassin Only)
Required Level: 100
Required Dexterity: 527
Item Level: 105
Maelstrom MkI: +25% Bonus Magic Damage
2% Chance to cast level 50 Shadow Blade on Striking
+(140 to 200)% Enhanced Defense
(20 to 30)% to Dexterity
20% Curse Length Reduction
Physical Resist 5%
Socketed (6)

can have 30% dex as opposed to 16% on

Black Sheep Wall

Black Sheep Wall
Totem Shield (4)
Defense: (47 - 51) to (91 - 100)
Chance to Block: 4%
(Assassin Only)
Required Level: 6
Required Dexterity: 44
Item Level: 10
+1 to Assassin Skill Levels
+(4 to 5) to Maximum Damage
Adds 6-8 Magic Damage
2% Chance of Crushing Blow
+(12 to 23)% Enhanced Defense
4% to Dexterity
+2 to Light Radius
Socketed (1)
Defense: (175 - 189) to (290 - 313)
Chance to Block: 4%
(Assassin Only)
Required Level: 24
Required Dexterity: 65
Item Level: 31
+2 to Assassin Skill Levels
+(7 to 9) to Maximum Damage
Adds 18-23 Magic Damage
4% Chance of Crushing Blow
+(35 to 46)% Enhanced Defense
8% to Dexterity
+4 to Light Radius
Socketed (4)
Defense: (442 - 473) to (701 - 750)
Chance to Block: 4%
(Assassin Only)
Required Level: 41
Required Dexterity: 137
Item Level: 51
+3 to Assassin Skill Levels
+(15 to 18) to Maximum Damage
Adds 61-68 Magic Damage
6% Chance of Crushing Blow
+(58 to 69)% Enhanced Defense
12% to Dexterity
+7 to Light Radius
Socketed (5)
Defense: (650 - 693) to (1025 - 1092)
Chance to Block: 4%
(Assassin Only)
Required Level: 50
Required Dexterity: 282
Item Level: 77
+4 to Assassin Skill Levels
+(31 to 36) to Maximum Damage
Adds 150-200 Magic Damage
7% Chance of Crushing Blow
+(69 to 80)% Enhanced Defense
16% to Dexterity
+10 to Light Radius
Socketed (6)

, and then there is the orange modifier. Maybe if you have low dex to make use of the orange modifier on hexward, black sheep wall could be more damage, because it has flat physical and magic damage, but hexward would outscale it really fast as you start getting charms and better items.

[Maphyr]

So um, after that 1.6 nerf to Hexward... a t4 Black Sheep Wall is putting up better numbers?

I can't see how that would happen.

Hexward

Hexward
Totem Shield (Sacred)
Defense: (1668 - 2085) to (1932 - 2415)
Chance to Block: 4%
(Assassin Only)
Required Level: 100
Required Dexterity: 527
Item Level: 105
Maelstrom MkI: +25% Bonus Magic Damage
2% Chance to cast level 50 Shadow Blade on Striking
+(140 to 200)% Enhanced Defense
(20 to 30)% to Dexterity
20% Curse Length Reduction
Physical Resist 5%
Socketed (6)

can have 30% dex as opposed to 16% on

Black Sheep Wall

Black Sheep Wall
Totem Shield (4)
Defense: (47 - 51) to (91 - 100)
Chance to Block: 4%
(Assassin Only)
Required Level: 6
Required Dexterity: 44
Item Level: 10
+1 to Assassin Skill Levels
+(4 to 5) to Maximum Damage
Adds 6-8 Magic Damage
2% Chance of Crushing Blow
+(12 to 23)% Enhanced Defense
4% to Dexterity
+2 to Light Radius
Socketed (1)
Defense: (175 - 189) to (290 - 313)
Chance to Block: 4%
(Assassin Only)
Required Level: 24
Required Dexterity: 65
Item Level: 31
+2 to Assassin Skill Levels
+(7 to 9) to Maximum Damage
Adds 18-23 Magic Damage
4% Chance of Crushing Blow
+(35 to 46)% Enhanced Defense
8% to Dexterity
+4 to Light Radius
Socketed (4)
Defense: (442 - 473) to (701 - 750)
Chance to Block: 4%
(Assassin Only)
Required Level: 41
Required Dexterity: 137
Item Level: 51
+3 to Assassin Skill Levels
+(15 to 18) to Maximum Damage
Adds 61-68 Magic Damage
6% Chance of Crushing Blow
+(58 to 69)% Enhanced Defense
12% to Dexterity
+7 to Light Radius
Socketed (5)
Defense: (650 - 693) to (1025 - 1092)
Chance to Block: 4%
(Assassin Only)
Required Level: 50
Required Dexterity: 282
Item Level: 77
+4 to Assassin Skill Levels
+(31 to 36) to Maximum Damage
Adds 150-200 Magic Damage
7% Chance of Crushing Blow
+(69 to 80)% Enhanced Defense
16% to Dexterity
+10 to Light Radius
Socketed (6)

, and then there is the orange modifier. Maybe if you have low dex to make use of the orange modifier on hexward, black sheep wall could be more damage, because it has flat physical and magic damage, but hexward would outscale it really fast as you start getting charms and better items.

Yea, my dex is pretty low at this point. We'll see once I get better but right now.. the Black Sheep blows it out of the water on the dmg sheet at least. Nearly double the damage.

But I don't think a SU should have to roll near perfect dex to beat out a t4 TU... that's just... not right. My Hexward did roll on the low end of Dex% but it's an SU, I don't think they should have removed the flat phys damage from it. The added proc does not make up for it, Hexward used to be a major dps boost and now it's being beat out by a T4 TU. Pretty awful attempt at balancing imo.