New Player - PvE help request

[Vincible.1065]

Hello fellow thieves,

I'm new to the game (5 days in) and would like some advice about PvE content, specifically around 3 topics: 1.Current set up, 2.Alternative set ups & 3.End Game

1. Current set upI'm currently level 46, and using a P/P + SB: P/P for general purpose, SB for mobility + non-linear AoE.I've maxxed Signet Training, Deception Training, Deadly Arts & Critical Strikes which seems to provide good passive bonuses allowing me to get through 90% of the stuff i've encountered so far by using Dodge + P/P 3 (Unload). Is there anything I could be doing better with my current set up?

2. Alterantive set upWhilst my current set up has allowed me to learn the game in general, I feel like it won't serve me well in the long run as its very simple, and I don't feel like i'm making the most of the profession. What different weapon and training combinations should I try out now whilst levelling to get a better feel for the class as a whole whilst still keeping a good 'flow'?

3. End Game (Dungeons / Fractals / Raids)From my limited reading and watching of guides, it seems that compared to other classes, thieves don't offer a whole lot to a group besides DPS. What can I do to make myself a better group player than just DPSing well and learning the fight mechanics? I see there are skills which provide group stealth, AoE blind, boon stealing, group healing etc. - should I focus on these over DPS, or try and mix them in to have a bit of everything?Also melee vs ranged, seems like i'd be too squishy to stand in 'the mix' to get the benefit of the boons, does this mean i'm better off sticking to P/P + SB, switching P/P to Rifle for some extra range, using one melee set and one ranged set in-case of mobs / bosses with the reflect mechanic, or just getting stuck in with melee and build some extra survivability?

Sorry for all the questions but I feel like this game is huge and i'd appreciate the advice of more seasoned players.Cheers

[LSD.4673]

I started again after ~3 years last week and made a thief, so i'm pretty uninformed.Pistol/Pistol's #3 seems to be universally the best option in open world PvE. Only thing worth trying to get used to is offhand pistol's #4, as it has the best interrupt i've encountered in the game. Try getting used to anticipating mob attacks and then #4ing them to interrupt. It's incredibly good for bosses/HoT mobs who have a break bar (the blue bar underneath their HP). The regular undead Hylek you'll encounter around level 60 are a good thing to get used to it with -- i remember them being pretty deadly with their poison spam if you didn't interrupt them.

The dungeons in GW2 aren't really up there with "end game". You can happily join them at the earliest level they unlock. They give great xp, and are an easy way to gear up in some exotics once you reach level 80. The only issue is not understanding the mechanics, or the awkward map design, but it's not hard to learn, and most (most) people will be happy to show you.When i last used to do dungeons, thieves were group stealths to help everyone bypass trash. I think it's smoke screen utility/offhand pistol's #5 for a smoke field, then shortbow #2 at your feet to "blast" the field a few times giving area stealth, then the refuge utility part-way along the way once stealth is running out.

[Virtuality.8351]

@"Vincible.1065" said:Hello fellow thieves,

I'm new to the game (5 days in) and would like some advice about PvE content, specifically around 3 topics: 1.Current set up, 2.Alternative set ups & 3.End Game

1. Current set upI'm currently level 46, and using a P/P + SB: P/P for general purpose, SB for mobility + non-linear AoE.I've maxxed Signet Training, Deception Training, Deadly Arts & Critical Strikes which seems to provide good passive bonuses allowing me to get through 90% of the stuff i've encountered so far by using Dodge + P/P 3 (Unload). Is there anything I could be doing better with my current set up?

2. Alterantive set upWhilst my current set up has allowed me to learn the game in general, I feel like it won't serve me well in the long run as its very simple, and I don't feel like i'm making the most of the profession. What different weapon and training combinations should I try out now whilst levelling to get a better feel for the class as a whole whilst still keeping a good 'flow'?

Since now everyone has two equipment template, I'd advise you to try out P/P and P/D on one and P/P and SB on the other.

P/D offers you a more dynamic play style against single target enemies. The set also grants you two fail safe option against melee enemies with #3 and #5 if you run out of dodge or other means of mitigation, provided that you still have enough initiative points. You can always switch back to the other template out of combat for mobility on SB.

If you prefer things to be even more dynamic, try melee. Use Sword and Pistol against regular enemy mobs. There is a guide that details how it works. Against single target that cannot be crowd controlled, use Dagger/Dagger instead.

3. End Game (Dungeons / Fractals / Raids)From my limited reading and watching of guides, it seems that compared to other classes, thieves don't offer a whole lot to a group besides DPS. What can I do to make myself a better group player than just DPSing well and learning the fight mechanics? I see there are skills which provide group stealth, AoE blind, boon stealing, group healing etc. - should I focus on these over DPS, or try and mix them in to have a bit of everything?

Almost none of the group utilities that you named (except healing) is dependent on attribute points, and all of them are situational in instanced contents. Therefore you will still be doing great DPS while providing any of those. As of healing, the profession is generally considered a subpar healer, so it is advised that you avoid specializing yourself into such role.

You might have also come across raid builds designed to be boon support. Those are highly situational, limited to few specific bosses and require quite some investment in boon duration equipment, which is just not as useful for this class elsewhere, so you might as well get DPS gear first.

Also melee vs ranged, seems like i'd be too squishy to stand in 'the mix' to get the benefit of the boons, does this mean i'm better off sticking to P/P + SB, switching P/P to Rifle for some extra range, using one melee set and one ranged set in-case of mobs / bosses with the reflect mechanic, or just getting stuck in with melee and build some extra survivability?

Try out both. But I'd recommend to try out melee with staff first. There are two variants, one for open world and the other for instanced contents.

[Zacchary.6183]

To start off with, use http://en.gw2skills.net/editor/ to design builds. Everything is based off level 80 gear, but you will get to level 80 fairly quick.

@"Vincible.1065" said:Is there anything I could be doing better with my current set up?p/p and even s/p is good for general pve. But this is something you should wait until level 80 to worry about. The real game starts at endgame.What different weapon and training combinations should I try out now whilst levelling to get a better feel for the class as a whole whilst still keeping a good 'flow'?You should unlock everything and then design a build that caters to your playstyle and preferences. I've settled on a sustained sniping build for Deadeye http://gw2skills.net/editor/?PaQAQlVwiYXMJGJO8XnvKA-zRRYDhJGF4zoCFQMTApsMUI-e3. End Game (Dungeons / Fractals / Raids)From my limited reading and watching of guides, it seems that compared to other classes, thieves don't offer a whole lot to a group besides DPS. What can I do to make myself a better group player than just DPSing well and learning the fight mechanics?If you are looking for something other than DPS, it would be best to use another profession. Thief is one of the most hated professions in the game purely because of stealth. It has a long history of getting heavy and unjustified nerfs.Also melee vs ranged, seems like i'd be too squishy to stand in 'the mix' to get the benefit of the boons, does this mean i'm better off sticking to P/P + SB, switching P/P to Rifle for some extra range, using one melee set and one ranged set in-case of mobs / bosses with the reflect mechanic, or just getting stuck in with melee and build some extra survivability?Really all depends on your playstyle. Daredevil is good with survivability due to the heavy evade access they have.

[kash.9213]

@"Zacchary.6183" said:To start off with, use http://en.gw2skills.net/editor/ to design builds. Everything is based off level 80 gear, but you will get to level 80 fairly quick.

@"Vincible.1065" said:Is there anything I could be doing better with my current set up?p/p and even s/p is good for general pve. But this is something you should wait until level 80 to worry about. The real game starts at endgame.What different weapon and training combinations should I try out now whilst levelling to get a better feel for the class as a whole whilst still keeping a good 'flow'?You should unlock everything and then design a build that caters to your playstyle and preferences. I've settled on a sustained sniping build for Deadeye

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?PaQAQlVwiYXMJGJO8XnvKA-zRRYDhJGF4zoCFQMTApsMUI-e

3. End Game (Dungeons / Fractals / Raids)

From my limited reading and watching of guides, it seems that compared to other classes, thieves don't offer a whole lot to a group besides DPS. What can I do to make myself a better group player than just DPSing well and learning the fight mechanics?If you are looking for something other than DPS, it would be best to use another profession. Thief is one of the most hated professions in the game purely because of stealth. It has a long history of getting heavy and unjustified nerfs.Also melee vs ranged, seems like i'd be too squishy to stand in 'the mix' to get the benefit of the boons, does this mean i'm better off sticking to P/P + SB, switching P/P to Rifle for some extra range, using one melee set and one ranged set in-case of mobs / bosses with the reflect mechanic, or just getting stuck in with melee and build some extra survivability?Really all depends on your playstyle. Daredevil is good with survivability due to the heavy evade access they have.

Do Executioner and the runes kick in enough? On DE-Trick-DA and Acro I feel like I need at least 2700 power or higher in WvW and pve. Good food choice, wish more people dropped that or the +45 to all stats version more.

[Zacchary.6183]

@kash.9213 said:Do Executioner and the runes kick in enough? On DE-Trick-DA and Acro I feel like I need at least 2700 power or higher in WvW and pve. Good food choice, wish more people dropped that or the +45 to all stats version more.Yeah. The times I was in a zerg with it, I was able to take large chunks of HP from even tanky players. It's also great for bosses too.

[RedCobra.7693]

@"Vincible.1065" said:Hello fellow thieves,

I'm new to the game (5 days in) and would like some advice about PvE content, specifically around 3 topics: 1.Current set up, 2.Alternative set ups & 3.End Game

1. Current set upI'm currently level 46, and using a P/P + SB: P/P for general purpose, SB for mobility + non-linear AoE.I've maxxed Signet Training, Deception Training, Deadly Arts & Critical Strikes which seems to provide good passive bonuses allowing me to get through 90% of the stuff i've encountered so far by using Dodge + P/P 3 (Unload). Is there anything I could be doing better with my current set up?

2. Alterantive set upWhilst my current set up has allowed me to learn the game in general, I feel like it won't serve me well in the long run as its very simple, and I don't feel like i'm making the most of the profession. What different weapon and training combinations should I try out now whilst levelling to get a better feel for the class as a whole whilst still keeping a good 'flow'?

3. End Game (Dungeons / Fractals / Raids)From my limited reading and watching of guides, it seems that compared to other classes, thieves don't offer a whole lot to a group besides DPS. What can I do to make myself a better group player than just DPSing well and learning the fight mechanics? I see there are skills which provide group stealth, AoE blind, boon stealing, group healing etc. - should I focus on these over DPS, or try and mix them in to have a bit of everything?Also melee vs ranged, seems like i'd be too squishy to stand in 'the mix' to get the benefit of the boons, does this mean i'm better off sticking to P/P + SB, switching P/P to Rifle for some extra range, using one melee set and one ranged set in-case of mobs / bosses with the reflect mechanic, or just getting stuck in with melee and build some extra survivability?

Sorry for all the questions but I feel like this game is huge and i'd appreciate the advice of more seasoned players.Cheers

Thief isnt really in a good place right now for PvE meta, for engame content they have a few places in specific raids with deadeye and boon thief . in fractals they arent really optimal as they cant bring as much to the table other than dps. even stealth is provided by soulbeast now which has the highest burst in game I believe.

for openworld just go full dps. id like to bring your attention to the trait "Invigorating Precision" in the Critical Strikes traitline. with a dps build this makes it possible to pretty much solo any content open world other than a few hero challenges that can one shot you (balthazar champion in HoT map lol). the trait essentially heals you the more damage you do so you can focus on dps. however for group content "No Quarter" is always going to be better as it provides much more dps.

I have thief as my main as it has some sort of spot in all content.

conquest pvp - Shadow arts d/p buildOpen world - Fast class for travelling and Invigorating precision makes for a fun solo build.World Bosses - highest dps for 1500 range in game maybe even 1200 range with deadeyetagging build - (for champ trains/ Halloween) Shortbow with condi dodge in daredevil is without a doubt the best build in game for tagging enemies.WvW - one of the best roamer classes with high access to stealth. - some what usable in wvw raids with staff daredevil if you have the support.Fractals - does have access to blinds and boon rip and decent consistent damage that is very forgiving if you make mistakes. wouldn't recommend for CM'sRaids - people feel comfortable having thief on dps due to the above reasons, its hard to screw up your optimal dps and is meta in some of the raid bosses.

as you can see we have a lot of places in the game as a thief only thing we miss is a decent condi build for pve hopefully the new expac will bring something like torch (tomb raider) or sceptre (shadow mage) that will give us access to burning or decent condi uptime to compete with the other classes.

if you dont have the expansions I'd recommend practicing with Dagger/dagger for dps on single target. its still very decent with additional power on reveal spamming cloak and dagger and backstab with autos in-between. if you dont have staff then pistol pistol is your best cleave since it can pierce

[Dante.1508]

I've been using this old build from Kitty on here and found it to be very good in PvE even if its considered out of date.http://en.gw2skills.net/editor/?PaEBoqxrlZwwYXsImJW+XnvPA-zRQYR0zmgLkoShAjgIKATmFWNjA-eAlso the gears are very easy to acquire.

[ArielRebel.3426]

@"Dante.1508" said:I've been using this old build from Kitty on here and found it to be very good in PvE even if its considered out of date.http://en.gw2skills.net/editor/?PaEBoqxrlZwwYXsImJW+XnvPA-zRQYR0zmgLkoShAjgIKATmFWNjA-eAlso the gears are very easy to acquire.

Never tried but was always curious how P/P fares as a deadeye build in say WvW or high lvl fractals.

[ASP.8093]

@ArielRebel.3426 said:Never tried but was always curious how P/P fares as a deadeye build in say WvW or high lvl fractals.

You can do it alright with P/P Deadeye in Fractals up to at least T3, as long as you're managing initiative effectively. That may require tweaking the build a bit (like using Quick Pockets) to make it work. I prefer Staff or Rifle (and I prefer Guardian to either of those), but the P/P toolkit is definitely reasonable if you practice some and don't run away from your teammates habitually.

In WvW, Pistol/Pistol is a spec that gets outranged by Rifle (and nearly every other ranged roaming class), has very limited access to stealth, lacks any mobility outside of a weapon switch. Your big DPS attack costs more and returns less initiative (and is more likely to not to return any initiative at all). Rifle, D/P, S/D, and condi P/D are all more effective in most circumstances.

[ArielRebel.3426]

@ASP.8093 said:

@ArielRebel.3426 said:Never tried but was always curious how P/P fares as a deadeye build in say WvW or high lvl fractals.

You can do it alright with P/P Deadeye in Fractals up to at least T3, as long as you're managing initiative effectively. That may require tweaking the build a bit (like using Quick Pockets) to make it work. I prefer Staff or Rifle (and I prefer Guardian to either of those), but the P/P toolkit is definitely reasonable if you practice some and don't run away from your teammates habitually.

In WvW, Pistol/Pistol is a spec that gets outranged by Rifle (and nearly every other ranged roaming class), has very limited access to stealth, lacks any mobility outside of a weapon switch. Your big DPS attack costs more and returns less initiative (and is more likely to not to return any initiative at all). Rifle, D/P, S/D, and condi P/D are all more effective in most circumstances.

Confirms what I was thinking, thanks. It's a shame thief seems to be overshadowed by other classes that bring damage and much more to the table. IMO Thief needs some love in build diversity.

[Vincible.1065]

Thanks for all the feedback guys, lots to take on board but I guess i'll have to see how things pan out at 80 and beyond, though by the sounds of it a re-roll may be my best bet if i'm struggling to find groups. A the vest least i'll have deadeye and daredevil to play about with too.

If I start struggling with HP, i'll take a look at that invigorating precision talent too, looks helpful!

[RedCobra.7693]

As a heads up here's the build you would use in fractals,http://gw2skills.net/editor/?PawAYprlZwaYXMM2JOAKbtcA-zRIYRU/XG1mqVUV2eRCj/Wi4MC-eyou hit 100% with banners no need for any assassins gear whatsoever since keen observer was buffed you dont even need fractal potions :P one good thing about thief.

p/p is only used for CC, swap to bow for skips on fractals such as uncategorised. if you think your CC isnt enough venom may be getting wasted on mobs switch to impact strike, if you need more CC switch your heal to hide in shadows for the staff stealth attack.

[Dante.1508]

@ArielRebel.3426 said:

@"Dante.1508" said:I've been using this old build from Kitty on here and found it to be very good in PvE even if its considered out of date.

http://en.gw2skills.net/editor/?PaEBoqxrlZwwYXsImJW+XnvPA-zRQYR0zmgLkoShAjgIKATmFWNjA-e

Also the gears are very easy to acquire.

Never tried but was always curious how P/P fares as a deadeye build in say WvW or high lvl fractals.

I don't do those so i have no idea sorry. Just PvE myself.. My issue is Valk Ascended just don't exist outside of Living storys or raids apparently.. Bit annoying.