Using "Death's Advance"?

[SMFX.3841]

Sorry for such a newb question but coming back to Deadeye after a while and the skill seems a little odd to me and wanted to understand how it's supposed to work.

With Rifle 4, its Death's Retreat while standing which is a good way to get distance and quick cleanse.  While kneeling, Rifle 4 becomes the shield "Sniper's Cover". Pretty straight forward.

However, there's also this "Death's Advance".  Which the only way I've been able to get it to work is Kneel > Sniper's Cover > Stand-up > Reverse Direct > Death's Retreat.  I've tried using Shadowstep and other skills to shadowstep through Sniper's Cover or land on it, but nothing other than Death's Retreat seems to do it.  However, Death's Retreat is always backwards.

Is that really how its intended to work? It seems like that after you Kneel > Sniper's Cover, the Rifle 4 should become Death's Advance, but it doesn't seem to change.  I can reposition my Sniper's Cover all I want, but I can't do Death's Advance without standing up and doing reverse then Death's Retreat.

[kiri.1467]

It becomes available when you are kneeling inside the smoke barrier you create.

From the wiki link you posted in the Notes section: 

• This skill is only available when kneeling within the smoke field created by Sniper's Cover.

In other words, create the smoke barrier on yourself, then it should be available to use.

Edited January 19, 2023 by kiri.1467

[SMFX.3841]

thanks!  Apparently I either wasn't putting it close enough to my hit box or not moving to it before the 5 sec, but I moved into and it is there.

Thanks again for pointing out the derpness!

[Jugglemonkey.8741]

It also tends to port you into your target unless you drop target btw. Can be useful as it will pierce the target and port you to the max range on the other side, but it's worth playing around with it in PvE a bit to get used to using it for movement before fighting another player. 

[kash.9213]

Be careful with pan camera when the skill is flipping to Death's Advance. It can kind of register as About Face and launch you back away or off to the side instead since it is pretty much Death's Retreat mechanics, but you can snap the camera back real quick in the air so you still land facing them. It can be helpful sometimes but I've landed myself in real trouble doing that on accident. Even facing forward like Juggle said, you want to have a good idea of what's around you and where you'll land in it. 

Edited January 21, 2023 by kash.9213

[ZeroTheRuler.7415]

I haven't checked lately, but last I checked the skill is quite bugged too. I hope they fix it!

For instance, death's advance wont work going up valid steep terrain like stairs in EoD (if the ending of the skill is still on the stairs) or if you are within 600 units of a wall.

[yiksing.9432]

It's nice that you can place the smoke field in any direction you want and further from you but that means no access to Death's Retreat. If you place smoke field on yourself, you have access to DR but now your projectile finisher doesn't get applied. In the midst of combat good luck trying to place smoke field in exact spot you want. Nice idea on paper, clunky as hell to use in real life.

[Kuma.1503]

Why does Death's Advance acronym trigger the kitten filter?

Edited February 1 by Kuma.1503