Deadeye 2.5 Builds Discussion (Updated)

Update: Working on updating builds to post-July patch. Please contribute!

Remaking this thread because it got caught up in the consolidation-closure. Idea is to post build links and descriptions for current Deadeye builds. As before, I’ll aim to update the OP with builds as they are posted.

If you have a build to contribute please use some variation on the following template:

———BUILD ARCHTYPE———

Build Name

• Build Type (WvW/PvP/PvE)
• GW2 Skills Build Link (WvW/PvP/PvE)
• Short description

I’ll begin and fill in categories as I get the chance.

LAST UPDATED: 6/01/2018

-----Sniper (Ranged)-----

-----Specialist (Ranged-Melee)-----

Stalking Assassin (D/P-Rifle)

• WvW (Solo Roaming)
• GW2 Skills Build Link (WvW/PvP/PvE)
• Striking from afar this build focuses on ranged malice generation before swapping weapons and approaching in the shadows for the final blow.

-----Assassin (Melee)-----

-----Boonshare-Support (All)-----

Supporter Specialist (D/D-P/P (alt. D/D-Rifle)

• PvE (Dungeons/Fractals/Open World)
• GW2 Skills Build Link
• Focuses on achieving 25 might and fury shared to a large group while applying solid damage in both melee and range.

-----Condition Damage (All)-----

Malicious Shadow Duelist (P/D-Shortbow)

• WvW/PvP
• GW2 Skills Build Link (PvP)
• GW2 Skills WvW link WIP
• The P/D weapon set is, arguably, the most condition oriented weapon set available for a thief. Deadeye only reinforces this truth. Torment is the primary damage condition on this set and this build reflects that. Poison and, to a lesser extent, bleed damage round out the build and are supported through expertise and the Deadly Arts specialization line. This build combines frequent, non-permanent, stealth with good condition application and team support traits oriented around might application.

• WvW (solo) roaming
• Gw2 Skills Build Link
• build up malice on rifle, in most cases optimally spamm spotters shot on close to max range as it is safer then TRB, when malice is up go into stealth, swap weapon and onehit with backstab. against low defense dangerous targets like other thieves/power glass mesmer, mark and onehit right away with 1 malice ( you can swap in BQoBK temporarily for more power here). you can keep stealth up infight with using dodges on rifle and your ini for snipers cover + 4x heartseeker. you can hide the snipers cover when standing before walls casting it inside of it and still combo on the wall as the combo field is bigger then the visual. and ofc if you really want to play safe and kill someone you dont like then camp stealth while building malice to m7 with MI and backstabonehit.

not sure what archetype it is, i mean it is spiking in melee but many already die from building malice on rifle.

Yeah the categories are place holders. I might go to melee-range hybrid and melee and ranged. Spike often just describes an effective build (if it tickles it probably won’t be able to effectively down heavier targets.

@MUDse.7623

If it’s alright I’ll edit your description for clarity and let you approve it before I move that up to OP. Let me know if you have a suggestion for a name too.

@saerni.2584 said:@MUDse.7623

If it’s alright I’ll edit your description for clarity and let you approve it before I move that up to OP. Let me know if you have a suggestion for a name too.

i dont name my builds i just use them . you are free to pick one.

Alright, I’ll try to make a decent one :-p

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vZAQNAoaUnsMB1FjlOBuFDUGjFkCzLHcD6B8XyOZpkrBEAWAA-j1RBQBJU9HzoE8K7PK/AwZAwYHCA8ovZBPAgAAIA3sNbzbG4m38m38m3s28m38m38m38m38mlCoKJYA-w

Build built around weaving in and out of stealth. Impact + binding shadow = love.

Open world / Dungeon / Low tier fractals PvE Boonshare

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vZAQRAoY6an8MB1Fj9FDGOB0PhFaCbLPNcqQ8DzkZ0ULAMhmNA-jhRBAB4p/5q9HlfP8EFA4kFYmSQKV/BA-e

High personal and shared Might and Fury. High survivability due to Invigorating Precision and Signet of Malice. AoE damage through Deadeye's Mark -> Stolen Skill along with Shadow Flare and Dagger Storm which reset frequently due to Payback. Condi cleanse with Signet of Agility. Cleave and sustained damage with dagger/dagger. Alternatively, opening burst and self-might with pistol/pistol through Unload. General playstyle is open with Deadeye's Mark, Stolen Skill x 2, Binding Shadow if CC required and then dagger/dagger auto, Cloak and Dagger and Malicious Backstab with Shadow Flare and Dagger Storm as required. Don't deliberately stack Malice for Malicious Backstab. Pistol/pistol either for quickly taking down a mob, Headshot CC or ranged / kiting if needed. Pistol/pistol can easily be swapped to Rifle if desired for slightly more mobility due to Death's Retreat.

I updated the OP to reflect changes to @MUDse.7623’s build and included @"Miatela.5047"‘s boonshare build.

I’ll keep adding builds so people should feel free to post what they have been using.

@"Miatela.5047" please update your build to include the runes you are using.

@saerni.2584 said:@"Miatela.5047" please update your build to include the runes you are using.

Done! Edited link has been provided in the original post. Is there much desire for variations of instanced PvE builds? Or should we leave that to folks like Snow Crows?

bumping this thread a little so we might see more builds :3

i do think that PvP / WvW builds could use to their buildlinks also a video so people can get a better idea of it before using it themselves. ill try to write a little better explaination what i am doing with it then i did above to my build and provide a video using the build from last week.

the main goal of the build is to apply a killing Malicious Backstab.to achieve this we need malice and stealth.

malice

we can build malice with d/p but it is usually safer on rifle and should be done with one of 3 skills :

• skirmishers shot is the fastest way to build up malice. and will with spotters shot together will deal lowest damage per malice wich is good to not tigger 50% passives and dont make your opponent panic/rotate defense.
• spotters shot is the safest way to build up malice as you can use all of the 1500 range because of the immobilize provided. it also like skirmishers shot is piercing so you dont have to worry about bodyblock. ontop is also has the lowest DPS of these 3 options as it is slower then skirmishers but the immob mostly cause more panic then the little extra dps from skirmishers shot
• TRB has going for it that it has the highest damage for a single skill usage if all bullets hit, builds up might for a backstab shortly after and has multiple bullets of wich only one has to hit for malice. i use it mainly to kill npcs and bad opponents that do not break binding shadow knockdown.

try not to spamm shots too much altho you have the ini against a little better players or mirages. wait a little between the hits as they will usually show a reaction be it dodge reflect etc and then shoot the next after that defensive action is over. because they usually expect you to spamm.dont stay visible too long as you need the hidden killer bonus for crits, so keep weaving the stealth till malice is build up.

stealthfor stealth we got several options:

• dodge on rifle will grant 4 seconds of stealth. as it is uninterruptable this is your usual way to get into stealth from visible.
• snipers cover + 4x HS will grant 12s stealth costing 17 ini and you will gain 16 ini while stealthed in 12 seconds and more while kneeling. so this is enough to permastealth in theory when out of combat else you cant swap weapon often enough. you can also hide the snipers cover into walls leaving no visual tell with the this type of stealth stacking, also saving endurance makes this type of stealth stacking ideal when hiding inside enemy keeps/towers.
• hidden thief will grant 3s stealth every time you mark.
• stolen abilities grant 4 second stealth while you have 5 malice or more, they also deal damage so careful not to revealyourself. but you can use them out of range if you detarget your opponent you will get the boon + stealth. what you also can do in an enemy keep if you stack stealth on a wall hiding your sniperscover in it, you can mark the wall and using heartseekers infront of the wall will build up malice altho you dont really hit. you can then use the stolen skill at the wall to get more invis. and ofc no reveal as you cant damage the wall. so you basically in a keep will mark a wall stack stealth onto the wall and use the stolen ability, this way you can safe your endurance to fight scouts or if you need to reposition inside of it.
• you and you ally will gain 3s stealth if you start rssurecting with this you can avoid stomps pretty good and as your stealth also reduced damage taken you can often rez allies while they are being cleaved by 1-2 people.
• shadow meld should not be used for stealth uptime but to remove revealed. mainly from anti stealth traps. keep atleast 1 charge for a trap if possible. the other you can use to stealth faster after a backstab for a stealth stomp.
• BP+ HS , the usual d/p stealth combo is not as efficient as snipers cover + HS, yet it doesnt require a weapon swap and sometimes you just dont have another option, then you can use it. but try to avoid it. as it is not as efficient and the field cannot be hidden + has a louder and more commonly known audio tell.

ususally try to use a mix of endurance and ini for stealthing and dont just only deplete one, you need both to fight afterall.

so to the video:starts with camp defense, then some openfield ganking and ends with indoor farming.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dC3qTBWmwEc

I pretty well got this one where I want him. It a definite change of pace outside the normal thief. While I also have a CS version where TR dropped I tend to stay in the TR more for the added condition cleanse and yet more INI. The focus is lots of boons and lots of INI. P/P used for range but when reflects and the like go up and you need to get in and finish use s/p. S/P over s/d for more usable off hand and PW when quickness up. (which is often)

Open World/WvW Boonerang build. (Mali 7 Version)

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vZAQRAqa8an0MB9OhFPBOGDUGjFwCj/MOHrjdlkgTKyLAEBaAA-jVCXABPoEUYlGi/EAcR/Qp7PAgysoPBA0eQAuV9nAAIA7sOrz6M4oH9oH9oHtrbzbezbezbezbezbWKgAXpB-w

BqobK version.

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vZAQRAqa8an0MBNGjFPBmOBUGjlxCr7jsbGReDgAwBgPM2GjjA-jVCXABi/EAKd/BX0PIsSjHUCS7BBI6TAAAKzuV9n1BHAn1sm1sg5mbu5mbuGQsxGbsxGbsxGbsSBE4KN-w

This more a theme build then anything. Once stacks on boon duration is at the 100 percent. Condition cleanse is decent with TR and PR combo along with the cleanse on the sword port. Don't stop just because IMMOBS kill and this build all but immune. SMELD does not do much save act as an escape or allow a malice dump. BkoBk can be used in lieu of Mali 7 if desired. There reasons to like both.

The MALI 7 version uses the Premed trait for added bonuses (generally 7%+) plus added INI fuel. If going BqobK over Mali 7 you will see a drop in FURY access so might want to take TOTC instead of BOA If you want BT over Trickster drop a utility to get Shadowstep in there.

Superior sigil of severance works great with the build. The ICD is 1 second and you can very often trigger two in quick succession. With the interrupt on steal and an interrupt on both weapon sets you should have no problems getting this to fire. What you are trying to do is use Unload early for might build and to wear the enemy down, then switch over after a steal to SP, port in a PW before you port out. You can usually get severance to trigger on the PW and this PW will be with quickness on.

While base power might seem low for a power build the combination of permanent high might stacks, high fury uptime with kick in of Quickness makes up for this.

The BqobK version will get added quickness wherein the 200/200 power precision bonus there nearly all the time. On a PW this is generally kicking in the same time as severance meaning a 450 Precision 250 ferocity and 200 power boost through the PW.

Thanks @MUDse.7623 and @babazhook.6805

I’ll be updating the OP when I’m a bit less busy. I’ll add the video link as well so people can have gameplay examples.

@saerni.2584 said:Thanks @MUDse.7623 and @babazhook.6805

I’ll be updating the OP when I’m a bit less busy. I’ll add the video link as well so people can have gameplay examples.

but add it just as link not embeded, that needs too much space for the above list. ill aswell record soon some with valkyre variant i mentioned in first post cause right now i am playing more with valkyre. the issues i thought you might encounter with going valkyre over berserk are well not that of an issue so its actually minimal damage loss, more reliable buildup if done right and 21k+ hp instead fo 11k. its same build pretty much tho just another variant wich changes playstyle minimal. ill update the above longer explaining post then.

It might well be there a similar build but this is my latest iteration of the P/D condition build tweaked since the last patch.

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vZAQNAqYVnsMBFNhNNBOGDUGjFYCjrHED+Ba/pAwuhfZGNzmA-jFyCQBFU9n6pPoiK/QpSQAcEA82pAgZ7PMhHAQmhAgJFgqqqSKAI2VB-w

While Base condition damage might seem low, FFE ensures you always got 25 might stacks to make up for this. (More reasons to like IMPROV).

In Lieu of Spider venom , Needle trap can be used. Other choice is Blinding powder for a second stun break. If you use Blinding powder , you can use Daggerstorm or Thieves Guild as an elite over Smeld as you should have more then enough stealth with the new stolen item stealth. HIS is a key cleanse and setup for a stealth attack. The boosted heal this provide sis noticeable. If I had to choose between those two I would tend towards Thieves Guild. Dagger strom is nice against Rangers or ranged classes but if in a roaming situation Thieves guild can just win the fight against any profession with that venom shared.

I found IMPROV was working better for me then Potent Poison. The added stolen item ensures you can have one ready for a stealth. You can then decide to load up all conditions at once (ie up to 20 stacks blled on a Necro just with stolen item app) or apply one instance, build malice, apply second instance with a stealth and sneak attack.

PAYBack will restore your utilities at a much quicker rate meaning more venoms.traps/stealth.

One in the Chamber can be exchaged with Malicious. I found reasons to like both.

There are very specific professions that you will wreck with this build and at the top are the Scourge and the Revenant. This tied directly to the nature of the conditions applied via the steal. You can ramp up 20 bleeds just off the steal applications against scourge and 12 torment against Revenant. As such change up your rotation when facing these for a bigger upfront load of conditions.

At the opposite end of the scale are warriors depending on the build. Fortunately the P/d set and the SB off hand both allow kiting. Rending shade gets that Resistance off them. Rangers can also be difficult if they catch you with thier IMMOB off entangling vine. They will then use RF and Barrage. I found against Rangers in Particular CIS superior to RS for that reason. As soon as they get that IMMOB on if you stealth they will not do a lot of damage due to Shadows resilience and No crits.

Elementalists are harder to fight then before when they rotate into their Invulns. Their obvious weakness is inability to deal with stealth so you will use it more often against them and move around the field. Mesmers are middling dependent on the skill level. If you can catch the Real mesmer with a Condition bomb they will be in trouble. Stealth DE thieves using SA for cleanses , just move on.

Torment is central to the build and given you a build that kites can punish those that insist in the pursuit. If you decide on thieves guild you can get this much higher on a share and will see Payback make a significant dent to the overall cooldown. This scales niceley when fighing against groups which a nice balance to the skill. In a straight 1v1 you would see a 6 second drop to venoms as example and 24 seconds on Guild. When you fight against a group and move your marks rapidly all your skills will available to use much earlier making you always dangerous. If Improv DOES kickin with its instant refresh of a skill group, you can really lay on the hurt.

The biggest threats are Immobs and stun locks.

Selfish Booner

It is higly PVP build. You will baysickly cap one of the points. Find a place where you can't shadowstep/port by normal means. You climb up there, crouch. And camp off anything that comes closer than 1,5k range. Enjoy. You will be salted like snowy roads in winter but it is possible to kill anything within 2/3 attacks depends on enemy aegisand block abbilites.Here is the link.

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vZAQJAUVnsMBFPh1FDOGDUGjlrCzbDkB+AdLgcUAgPPWITkA-jZhGRAnHAQ7IAkuEAgyA+9HAA

also i as giving a thought into trying this in raids for bosses that drop [Explode Plasma] BUT i am too lazy and poor to actually make up this build for PVE. So if any of you is intrigued to give it a try go for it. I would also be very happy if you would share your results with us if you do try it

@babazhook.6805

Do you find that the lack of crit hurts you a lot? Is is it better to go full Trailblazer and give up the maximum malice Sneak Attack in favor of stronger burst damage?

My build is quite similar (and still developing) so I’m curious how you are approaching the crit issue.

@saerni.2584 said:@babazhook.6805

Do you find that the lack of crit hurts you a lot? Is is it better to go full Trailblazer and give up the maximum malice Sneak Attack in favor of stronger burst damage?

My build is quite similar (and still developing) so I’m curious how you are approaching the crit issue.

I actually find it fast enough especially in the Malicious intent version. In this version you in fact only need 4 malice from weapons and as little as three if your timing good. I open with my mark but get as close to the target as I can prior. While stealthed I get in tight and rather then an immediate sneak attack I will use a #2 then a #3 or #4 mix. This generally means I need only 1 more attack with INI to get to mali 5. With the Improv I can mix in a stolen item use prior to mali 5 and still have that second for stealth. I then stealth with it and sneak attack. Sneak attack has you coming out with 1 malice already so you need only 4 more for next iteration. #3 or #4 with bounce are in effect two separate attacks meaning the combined odds of a Crit are higher . Given FFE also adds fury this pushes it into territory that more then a little useable for achieving full malice

I also have a grieving build designed as a hybrid, that I have not tested much but find its rampup on Malice much better. I will be testing that more when I get the time as I am still going through these other builds. Since I nvested so much in TB armor and want to keep durations as long as possible with the low base of sneak attack bleeds , were I to tweak it further it would be marginally via the Trinkets. The Malicious sneak attack torment base is only 1 second so I think it important to keep that duration at 100 percent and my rule of thumb on bleeds is to keep them as close to 7 seconds as possible off the #1. For this reason if I do look for slight tweaks via trinkets, I would switch up the sigils and try and get a Malice one in there on the p/d.

While I have not done the Math , I think having Torments at 2 seconds and bleeds poisons, cripples and immobs all having durations extended is better in the long run then being able to get off a sneak attack for those 5 torment stacks at 1 per second base earlier. The key to P/d is the ability to get those covers on and I want to ensure they are lasting.

Agreed, I’ll have to do more testing but seems like a solid decision.

Sadly until my computer parts arrive I won’t be able to play at all (my power supply is failing apparently). Theorycrafting will have to do for now.

Thoughts on using OitC and Improv? Or would you always take improv and the stealth attack bonus malice trait? I’m leaning towards both just to add more options for might and condi application at 1200 range.

Also, I’m running out of flexible slots on my utilities bar. I have Shadowstep and Binding Shadow, with SM because revealed is so deadly otherwise. That leaves me with one spot, which I use Mercy for because it is a stunbreak/extra stealth/extra stolen skill/extra initiative. I wouldn’t mind using Spider Venom but I can’t imagine dropping the mobility, CC and flexibility offered by my current selection.

Ultimate clown imba zerk rifle top 10 euhttp://gw2skills.net/editor/?vZAQJAUVn0MBlOhNGDOOBUGjldCbLAUbaT8xybZw0bKEFuCA-jpBXABieIAa8IA88FA44HAAA7PoZZAA

For sPvP I normally I run a Might stacking/sharing Rifle build.

Recently, I've been trying something less orthodox, a +1 / gank build. I shall call it.. Percy the +1/Gank build.

gw2skills.net/editor/?vZAQNAU4YnsMBlOhFOBOOBUGjFaCj/XWMbmaBgJUEYLPNc2TA-jpBXABMfQAaoMgxHBglvAAH/AAAY/BA

You play cagey, camp rifle and spam 2/3RB to wear them down. Skirmishers then nuke with Assasin's Signet boosted DJ. If they dodge, spam 2/3RB.

You lack a stun break.

You die if someone sneezes on you.

On the flip side, everyone else tends to explode. Trick is using the rifles range, positioning.

Ignoring a DE in a team brawl is generally a no-no at the best of time. With this all you really need is range, 2/3RB and the occasional Skirmish shot. The DJ is just the comedy icing on the proverbial cake.

I'm going to stick with it for a while, or at least until the novelty wears off. I'm scared it might grow on me.

EDIT/Update2: Swapped out Sigil of Agility for Binding Shadow. Can be used to open with, then Invulnerability stacks maintained with Rifle 1. Weaker against Conditions. Things explode.

EDIT/Update2: Swapped out Shadowstep (Blasphemy!) for Roll for Initiative. Evens out Initiative expenditure. Lose some mobility. Gain more constant pressure.

gw2skills.net/editor/?vZAQNAU4YnsMBNOh9OB2FDUGjFaCj/XWMbmb5phzeSLAMhiAA-jpxHQBE8BA0j9HAwBBAhXAAlUGogHBAA

gw2skills.net/editor/?vZAQNAoYVn0MBlOhVOBOOBUGjlxCjPM2GjjeDgAwBYbDVW6QA-jpAXABMWGAg9HAADual Dagger meme buildMark -> HS -> CnD -> mBSsee 25K+ profit

my only question is why use crit setup when you can go power and hit harder?

@saerni.2584 said:Agreed, I’ll have to do more testing but seems like a solid decision.

Sadly until my computer parts arrive I won’t be able to play at all (my power supply is failing apparently). Theorycrafting will have to do for now.

Thoughts on using OitC and Improv? Or would you always take improv and the stealth attack bonus malice trait? I’m leaning towards both just to add more options for might and condi application at 1200 range.

Also, I’m running out of flexible slots on my utilities bar. I have Shadowstep and Binding Shadow, with SM because revealed is so deadly otherwise. That leaves me with one spot, which I use Mercy for because it is a stunbreak/extra stealth/extra stolen skill/extra initiative. I wouldn’t mind using Spider Venom but I can’t imagine dropping the mobility, CC and flexibility offered by my current selection.

OTIC and Improc togther, I think depends on the elite chosen. If you have smeld you do not need the two of these and I would take Improv with Malicious intent.

Here is the thing as it pertains to WvW and I thinkj it morseo there then any other mode simply because there more variables. When I am posting a build it with the understanding that the Utilities and sometimes even a handful of traits are mutable, that being I will often change them a few times on a given night dependent on the types of encounters I am having.

The clearest example of this is the Elite spot and the transition from last week to this week. I tend to favor Home BL and generally roam alone or with small groups. I will on occassion join up with a zerg. In any case last week we were on Alpine BL as home and the other two servers had a good number of people there. As such I found I either ran into situations where I outnumbered while roaming, or would very often be with a small group of 3 or 4 that just happened to enter the same camp. I found that SMELD was more important as in those situations you rely on stealth more for defenses. Not only can this protect you in outnumbered situations , but when you are group on group and being targetted by members of the enemy , going stealth will usually result in them targetting another player which then gives you time to recover and re-engage. Added to that with a venom traited I could usually share with the team thus Thieves Guild not as useful.

This week our home BL is desert and overall there fewer people on it. There much more Solo roaming and I encounter a lot more solo enemies or groups of 2 or three flipping camps. Here I find Thieves guild much more useful. I do not need ALL that stealth because there only one or two that might focus me while at the same time using Thieves guild with venom share to kick a battle off can down an enemy quickly.

If I end up with Thieves Guild , I usually take OtIc along with the Improv. If I am running the SMELD , I usually take Malicious Intent.

As to the venoms , I always take Torment as a base over spider venom , and the slot I used for spider in my build can vary. Mercy tends to be on each iteration as the steal reset works too well . Again this personal choice as much as anything as I have decided I really want to punish people when they are moving to engage me. I can keep poison on to a decent level as well and on demand to ensure healing inhibited. Without Potent Posion traited, I think I get more bang for the buck out of Skale over Spider venom . While it two strikes less it also adds Vuln which ensures another cover condition is applied in tandem along with that harder tick.

gw2skills.net/editor/?vZAQNAU8YnsMBlOhtFDGOBUGjFaCTLAMhmNehhvQZg/XWMjmA-jpxHQBaY/BldEAAwBB4alBI4FAQhPAAA

For the sake of completeness, my go-to Might Stack/Share Rifle Deadeye build.

25 stacks of personal Might in seconds, can expect to generate 17 for allies engaging in melee and those fighting from range near you, again in seconds.

I use it in sPvP, WvW, Open World and Fractals. Does less damage than, saying, saving up for a big M7 Malice bomb, but the Boons it does give come quicker, earlier - and no need to save up for 7 Malice. Tough enough to duke it out with enough stealth options to allow you to get in/out without needing SA and provide plenty of 1-2 Malice DJs to soak up dodges.

Granted, the DJ is lower than say, a M7+CS zerker build but up to 10 allies hit harder and crit more often.

Works well with small teams but can still hold its own 1 v1.