Returning with a question

[Visceroff.7038]

Hello and well met!!!! Returning back to thief after taking some time off and either I am rusty or things have changed since last I played. I have a Daredevil running crit/acro/DD p/p/staff and I seem to struggle more then I use to. BTW I mainly PvE just to clarify. If that build no longer works or there is a better one can you fine people please share. Of course it could just be user error and that would not surprise me at all. Thank you in advance for the help!!!

[Fueki.4753]

You might want to try Trickery instead of Acrobatics or Critical strikes.Some people consider Trickery mandatory these days.

[ASP.8093]

I feel like Invigorating Precision (in Crit Strikes) probably does more for sustain than the entire Acrobatics line.

Staff Devil is strong in PVE but a bit fragile without a group, imo. It did feel a lot sturdier when I learned to time Vault to evade hits rather than trying to use it as an AOE nuke, though.

[fumcheg.1936]

I'm using this build in PvE:http://gw2skills.net/editor/?PawAwqVlZwyYbMMGJW0TrtcA-eWith zerker gear.You basically only need to keep pressing 3 and dodge time to time.

[SlitheSlivier.1908]

there was a nerf in February that killed everyones damage output. That's why it's harder to use and less effective. Also they like the acrobatics line so you can't dodge as much and you gain much less initiative when evading attacks... causing you to be able to spam less but also dodge less again.

I switched to rifle DE lately. It's a different playstyle than staff but is fun imo. It is also slightly underpowered in that there are so many builds with blocks and projectile hate so until the give us just a little unblockability, you won't be competetive, particularly in 1v1. But it is still fun. DE is a good counter to necros but has a lot more counters itself.

Overall, thief is not in a good spot except the cancerous condi d/p thief that is nuts... but it just got nerfed the other day, hopefully enough. But many other builds don't have enough burst to make up for their lack of defense against competetive builds 1v1. Still fun a very viable in pve and in group fights and against not-quite-as-competetive 1v1 builds

For pve, staff still works and may be best, but you will need to get a new feel for it. I was playing with a shadow arts staff builds that have me some time to hide and let my initiative and endurance to regen and worked All right. Rifle probably also works well.

[Visceroff.7038]

Thank you all for the replies. I have been playing staff and it is fun but a learning curve since I never really used it in the past.