Have a thief question? Ask here!

We get a couple of these every so often. So if you are new, returning or just have a lot of questions for how thief works in GW2, just ask here.

Anyone know how you go about playing Power S/D in wvw? I Feel like I don't deal enough damage due to the lack of a real damage skill on it.

I was playing pvp with my daredevil when I really got my butt kicked. Can someone explain this to me because he was theif also. What he did in 3 seconds I do not get. I know he first stole from me. Then after he knocked me down and the next second he already finished me. Can someone explain the traits he used and moves he used? I didnt know thief or daredevil can knock people down like that.

Sounds like the Daredevil elite skill.

It stuns, throws you in the air and then finishes the opponent if the last hit would put them in a downed state.

@OumaShu.4502 said:Anyone know how you go about playing Power S/D in wvw? I Feel like I don't deal enough damage due to the lack of a real damage skill on it.Your damage comes from autos and your 3 chain skill. You want to try to stay in the fight, unlike, say, d/p. You want to stick on your enemy and keep up pressure while focusing on evading their hits with dodges and setting up your #3. If you jump in and out too much you'll let your enemy have time to heal up since you don't have the spike of dagger mainhand.

Hello ! I'm coming back to the game as thief for pof, and I need to get it ready before it.Could anyone help me find a good set-up for open world content (before getting daredevil) please ?

@OumaShu.4502 said:Anyone know how you go about playing Power S/D in wvw? I Feel like I don't deal enough damage due to the lack of a real damage skill on it.

You can package up and mask a big opener or distance closer, keep boons in your favor, and lay auto hits on them while they're trying to think. If you've played the usual d/p DA builds you shouldn't have to change much in regards to stats and build. Sword is snappier movement, I feel better trying to decide short fights quickly and having to reset if I have to for another one shot sequence then trying to grind it out.

@Ktk.5107 said:Hello ! I'm coming back to the game as thief for pof, and I need to get it ready before it.Could anyone help me find a good set-up for open world content (before getting daredevil) please ?

While most sets will work well enough—D/P and offhand P/P will provide decent flexibility for fighting in various encounters. Take DA or CS, Trickery, and Acrobatics. Experiment with the choices within each line. It will give you good practice for figuring out what is good for you. This is designed for survival, you can drop Acro if you feel you are surviving well enough.

You should also take a shortbow in your inventory for traveling around quickly.

For open world you should consider taking the following utilities:

Heal: Withdraw (traited) or Signet7–0: Shadowstep, Signet of Agility, Black Powder/Shadow Refuge, Basilisk's Venom.

@OumaShu.4502 said:Anyone know how you go about playing Power S/D in wvw? I Feel like I don't deal enough damage due to the lack of a real damage skill on it.

S/D Power for me is a duelist/brawler playstyle. I use Acro as my third traitline rather than Deadly Arts, so the burst damage is not as much, but also not something to be ignored, either. Much like any other Thief build, your gear stats are very important for how you will be effective.

In marauder/berserker gear, I generally initiate from far with Infiltrator's Strike + Steal (Cast IS, then immediately steal once the shadowstep portion of IS goes off). This crosses up to 2100 units, and _still _lands your Infiltrator's Strike. Follow up with a few auto attacks until your opponent dodges (they will always dodge after your opener, regardless if you are attempting a big hit, or just auto attacking). After that dodge, most opponents will try to retaliate or put up defenses. You can either A)Juke the retaliation by using Infiltrator's return, allowing you to re-asses the situation and engage on your own terms again ---- or B)Flanking Strike to dodge their counterattack and penetrate their defense (if blocking or aegis) then follow up with Larcenous Strike (your biggest hitter) for some damage and boonsteal.

That's how most of your fights should start, and followed with more IS + Flanking Strike + Larcenous Strike + IR. The idea is not to burst someone, but to whittle them down while you IR out of their short range counter attacks, then IS to get back in their face when they swap to long range.

I also use this: https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Oysters_with_Cocktail_SauceThe damage reduction from Unhindered Combatant plus the reduction from food makes you pretty durable even if you're not successful in evading most of their attacks.

@Turk.5460 said:S/D Power for me is a duelist/brawler playstyle. I use Acro as my third traitline rather than Deadly Arts, so the burst damage is not as much, but also not something to be ignored, either. Much like any other Thief build, your gear stats are very important for how you will be effective.

This was helpful. I'm looking at getting PoF after getting a bit bored with the game and stopping last year.

What do you all do for fun after hitting lv 80? I got a bit tired of PvP, and exploring is honestly a bit same-y for me. I haven't tried fractals and WvW and all that, but those seem like you need good equips and a guild in order to not get wrecked.

@saerni.2584 said:We get a couple of these every so often. So if you are new, returning or just have a lot of questions for how thief works in GW2, just ask here.

I know what you did here ^^ got all the juicy first posts for yourself :p

Lol, just wait until I post a guide for how condition damage works :open_mouth:

Edit: I want better editing and signature privileges back too.

Btw for people having questions about thief in-game I will leave this here :

https://en-forum.guildwars2.com/discussion/671/teef-thiefs-forum-guild#latest

@Ktk.5107 said:Hello ! I'm coming back to the game as thief for pof, and I need to get it ready before it.Could anyone help me find a good set-up for open world content (before getting daredevil) please ?

The trait Invigorating Precision in Critical Strikes traitline give a really good sustain in PvE and you get nice damage buffs that allow to evaporate nearly anything below elite.

I would suggest something like S/P (awesome cleave + evade on 3 + AoE pulsing blind for trash clean) + P/P (for range swap to SB for moving in open world) with Critical Strikes (3-2-3) / Deathly Arts (2-3 -3) / Trickery (2-2-2) with Withdraw (use about face keybind to go forward), Signet of Agility and pick 2 in Shadowstep, Signet of the Assassin, Haste, Roll for Initiative and for elite either Basilic Venom for breakbar power or Thieves Guild for raw power + aggro distraction. Swap one of your utility skill for Signet of shadow when moving around. Good stats are Zerk/Marauder/Valkyrie. Try to melee as much as possible to sharpen your dodging skill for daredevil.