Assassin / Druid

[joe05]

Guys - thought I'd inquire while I'm here ... going to try one of these characters next ... Like The Werewolf/Druid ; Claws/Asassin = based on the manual .. not sure how to proceed ? ... being physically disabled with limited manual dexterity, I thought melee characters would be easier, but I'm finding the Necromancer(Skeletons) much easier to use than the Barbarian ... So, if anyone has suggestions on builds = I like to keep the hotkeys to a minimum because I need two hands on the mouse and switching to the keyboard causes me to take my eyes off the screen and precious seconds to hit the hotkey ... so, I like builds that focus on select few skills and then max them out = hope for the best ... Barbarian(Mace + Concentrate/Berserk) / Necriomancer (Skeletons + Dim Vision/Amplify Damage) = all I used and I did ok considering I'm not that good
Do you guys have builds that focus on a select few skills etc for Assassin + Druid.
I didn't want to combine both in one thread, but both characters have my chomping at the bit to try them ... so I'm hoping a build will catch my interest ... oh, I know everyone likes a certain build etc, so differing opions help alot = I actually combined two builds on my Necromancer and it's working great(THANK YOU - HAVOC and MOLTOVIR)
Thanks in advance = without your help, I'd have gone nuts with my first two characters ... so many options and I can't afford to waste stat/skill points ... I want to try and get all the character thru Hell

[Lonelypilgrim]

This is how I improve assassins and Druids:
Assassin

For the skills,i always maximize claw mastery and phoenix strike.It is exstremely needed that you take some points to Unnatural speed.I kept speed at 10 points usualy.I would advise to take all the charge-up skills and none of the finishing move skills,you can end the combo with a usual strike aswell.If you will still manage to use hotkeys(recomended)then get the charge up skills on F1-F6 and put them to the left side,the always attack.Then put all the buffs to the right side.This means poison and speed.
Also,you shouldn`t put more than one point to any charge up skills exept phonix strike.It is better to save some skill points early in the game.

For the stats,it is useful to keep your To Hit % somewhere between 95%and90%.If it drops below 90 then you have to get dex real fast.It is pointless to spend a lot of points on Vitality or Energy.Monsters just won`t hit you much and you won`t need much energy at all.I put about 10 points to Vitality and 5 to Energy.Then all other points to strenght and dex.

Druid

With the druid you will have to choose between a tank druid and a elemental druid.I tend to favor the elemental druid,the other one is simply weaker and it is uncomfortable that you will have to change into the werewolf all the time.For more information on the werewolf druid check here:
http://www.gamebanshee.com/forums/showt ... hp?t=64917
But i will talk more of the elemental druid...
I would save as many points as i could in the early parts of the game.Put only 1 point to all elemental druid skills.Later you can max out the Tornado skill.Hurricane and Armaggedon are both also very useful skills.If you`d like then it isn`t bad to have to mana recovery vine aswell.
I don`t remember much about the skills anymore but here you need to find a balance.Ofcourse str and dex are needed more than energy or vitality.But that is more up to you.

I hope that this can be of some help to you.
As for the colours...i just wanted to make something nice and colourful for a change
For more information you can also check our sticky:
http://www.gamebanshee.com/forums/showt ... hp?t=57083
there you will surely find the other answers you didn`t get from here.

[GA_Havoc]

Assasin build (melee).

By now you've undoubtly learned that not fighting alone (merc and/or summons) helps keep you alive, therefor I advice putting alot of points in Shadow Master ( it'll take 5 prerequisit points to get to this skill).

Another good skill to keep you alive is weaponblock, I only put one point because after that the skill doesn't increase alot.

Tigerstrike adds damage to a normal hit/finishing move.
It starts with charge 1: +100% dam, charge 2: +200% dam charge 3:+300% dam and each new skillpoints adds another 20% to charge 1, 40% to charge 2, 60% to charge 3 -> maxed out that results in charge 1: +480% dam, charge 2: + 960% dam, charge 3 1440% dam.

I also prefer maxing on Cobrastrike as a charge up skill because it helps keeping you vital.
Charge 1: 40% lifesteal, charge 2: 40% life and manasteal, charge 3: 80% life and manasteal and each new skillpoint adds another 5% to charge 1 and 2 and 10% to charge 3 -> maxed out result: charge 1: 135% lifesteal, charge 2: 135% life and manasteal, charge 3: 270% life and manasteal.


I agree with Lonelypilgrim on the finishing moves, exept when using Dragon Claw (you'll only need to put one point in this skill).
This skill releases charges twice, example: when using maxed out tigerstrike charge 3 you'll have +1440% dam dealt for the left claw attack and another +1440% dam dealt for the right claw -> combining multiple charge up skills when using Dragon Claw gets great results.
I haven't tested Dragon Talon which eventually does 4 kicks, so perhaps this one is an even better finishing move (it doesn't use the stats from your clawweapons though).

For each assasin build I put points in Fade (you can't use Fade and Burst of Speed together).
This skill temporarily increases your overall resistances (including physical resistance up to 20%, items adding skillpoints can boost this up to 50% physical resistance) and reduces curse duration.
The only downside of this skill is that it also reduces duration of shrine effects.

Good luck playing and I still hope to see you on the net one day.

[C Elegans]

[QUOTE=joe05]being physically disabled with limited manual dexterity, I thought melee characters would be easier, but I'm finding the Necromancer(Skeletons) much easier to use than the Barbarian ... So, if anyone has suggestions on builds = I like to keep the hotkeys to a minimum because I need two hands on the mouse and switching to the keyboard causes me to take my eyes off the screen and precious seconds to hit the hotkey ... so, I like builds that focus on select few skills and then max them out = hope for the best [/QUOTE]

My guess is that the Assa build that requires least moving between keyboard and mouse would be a trapsin or hybrid. Check out Dottie's hybrid Dragon Talon/Lightning traps guide in the sticky thread here on this forum. If you are quick in moving the mouse so you can run back and forth relatively quickly, a Meteorb Sorc is also a build that requires use of only a few skills.

[joe05]

Wow = as usual, you guys come through when needed ... I'll copy all this info ... I'm pretty good when it comes to mousing, it's the having to find the hotkey needed at that crucial time that gets me into trouble ... I wussed my way with the Barbarian: run and attack = run away to heal to fight another day ... plus adding the portal to hotkey4 saved me from dying more timjes than I can remember ... I'm learning as I go which works best for me and the game/character/enemy nuance that needs to be factored in ... one fun game = though it's killing me; physically .. I will check Dottie's builds ... "thanks to Dottie" for her help on the Barbarian build ... Havoc - you never know, I might go online one day ?

[Noober]

I once co-made a Pheonix Striker with godly equipment, and it was sadly dissapointing . Trapper is by far the easiest Assassin to use and one of the most effective (and relatively cheap to PvP with should you choose to). You should set your hotkeys to 'asdfzxcv' to make it really easy to switch skills. Like Lonelypilgrim I favor the Wind Druid over a WolfDruid as the Wolf Druid has similar problems in PvM as the WolfBarb (see my guide), only perhaps worse due to less HP. However, Wind Druids can get costly -_-.