Backstab assassin build

[Ranger_1711]

I'm playing a Soul Blade/Assassin which uses two-handed weapon (for high damage) to backstab => soul annihilation => smoke veil => repeat. Only use two abilities: smoke veil and SA, most time just auto attack to generate focus when run out of Guile 

Can this build do endgame content (Oracle, BoW dragon ...)? And which weapon should i use? (two handed or dual wield) Any advice is welcome. Thanks!

[Boeroer]

You mean solo? No.

In a party: of course.

Best weapon for Backstabs and Assassinate are the ones with high base dmg: Arquebus, Great Sword and so on. Also weapons with a lash.

Best single target melee weapon in my opinion: Chromoprismatic Staff (with the Blights enchantment that adds lashes).

The best melee weapon for SA against multiple targets is by far Whispers of the Endless Paths since it applies SA's raw damage to all targets it hits (high INT for a big AoE size is crucial though). Run Through (enchantment) is devastating with Backstab+Assassinate as an opener because it has very high base damage.

Note that Backstab and Assassinate will increase the raw dmg of SA. So it might be better in some cases (against single targets) to do SA from stealth or invisibility (if you have enough focus).

 

Edited September 7, 2019 by Boeroer

[Boeroer]

Oh, I forgot: another good weapon for SA (but not for Backstabs and Assassinate) is Sun & Moon. Since it has two flail heads the first one will hit and apply the raw dmg of SA, but the second flail head will hit right after and already regenerate focus for you. With some levels behind the belt (esp. Draining Whip - so that one flail head at least generates 10+ focus) you can spam SA without pause. Make sure targes have afflictions though because SA's raw damage profits from Sneak Attack and Deathblows as well. 

As I said Sun & Moon ist not the ideal backstabbing weapon though: since its two flail heads have reduced base damage (to balance out the two attack rolls) the bonus you get from Backstab and Assassinate is quite whimpy. The second flail head will already lack the bonus because stealth/insisibility will break right after the first flail head hitting.

Edited September 7, 2019 by Boeroer

[Ranger_1711]

Thanks for the answers!

Slippers of the assassin: can i counter enchantment "Untrustworthy" by Persistent Distraction?

[3x0du5]

I used boots on my first playtrough and i think it only interfered with actual body flanking - distraction effects and phantom foes worked just fine. 

If you want to min max back stab damage then arquebus(probably the one with huge fire lash) is the way to go, if you want to go for flavor character and have less optimal build then i would use modwyr + flanking spear in one weapon set and in second weapon set pistol that gives stacking melee damage bonus to open the fights from behind the tank coupled with sacrifice dagger to restore 2 rogue resources on near dead enemy also helps to finnish big bosses faster or you can use Rusts dagger instead of pistol for one more shadowing beyond. Sadly assassinate and backstab will only be applied to one hit and not full attack when using spear and sword. 

 

Edit : also another idea would be to play Black jacket/assassin and use all kind of firearms to quickswich-invis-backstab 

Edited September 7, 2019 by 3x0du5

[Powerotti]

@Boeroer Do you know how exactly wotep works with soul anihilation? It's some weird mechanic. The initial target takes full raw SA, the second takes some minor damage (around 20% of the first) and every other hit roll deals more raw damage, than previous. Raw damage added to 4th hit roll after initial is about equall and every next can even exceed this. Why?

[Boeroer]

That is because internally - after the initial hit which dumps all the focus into raw dmg and sets it to 0 every following of the AoE hit rolls generates focus back (which then gets transformed into raw dmg for the next roll). At the end of the execution the focus is capped down to 0 again. 

Same mechanics as with Gambit (if used with AoE weapons): the dmg bonus Gambit gets from accumulated Guile will climb into astronomical heights "internally" if you land a lot of crits - I could get to +250% and more (look at dmg numbers in combat log). But at the end the reclaimed Guile will be capped back to 4.  

Edited September 7, 2019 by Boeroer

[Ranger_1711]

Can you guys suggest some armors for this build? I'm using Miscreant's leathers

[Boeroer]

Miscreant's Leathers is good. I guess Gipon Prudensco with "Fight Another Day" would be good as well.  

[3x0du5]

I switched between Harbringer Robes and Devil of Caroc breastplate when playing assassin, depending on the encounter and how much damage you take, if your assassin barely if ever dies in a fight then you can decrease defense and increase offense and go for harbringers robe, if he dies too fast with harbringers go for Caroc breastplate