O
old.Cher
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okay heres the guide i said i'd post for u samoth, i hope it helps. if u have any questions after, you know i'm on most days
Luckie n'Mors Nightshade Guide
Note 2: I'm going to assume you use Piercing. The reason for this is simple: Piercing = 50% Str, 50% Dex for damage, Blades = 100% Str. The Shade's primary increase is Dex (1 per level) while Str is only its tertiary increase (1 per 3 levels). Quickness is secondary (1 per 2).
How to build a Nightshade
Note: Following spec plans assume you don't choose to auto-train Stealth. To be honest it really isn'tworth using Auto-train. It nets you 77 more Spec points and it means sacrificing a lot of Stealth until (up to) 48. To a lower level, 77 spec points may seem to be a lot of gain - But the loss in stealth required to make any noticeable gain, and the end game effects of this modifier, do little to offset the gain. As such, I would not reccomend auto-training.
Note: Unlike other Specs, +Envenom items will permit you to use higher level Poisons (with Weapons or Spell Specs, your Styles/Spells are given from ~base~ Spec, with Envenom your poison abilities are given off ~modified~ Spec).
Note: Specs given assume a minimum Realm Rank 2 at level 45 and Realm Rank 3 at level 50
40 Stealth (Safe Fall 4, easily modifiable to 50 -- +Stealth items are relatively easy to come by, however in the end game you'll have to sacrifice a lot of +Stealth items for items that grant spec in other lines, so a higher base is preferable)
37 Piercing (Modifiable up to 50 easily, makes for a very good damage output. Remember, if your BASE damage isn't good, you're not going to kill anything -- The higher spec styles are not really worth the points, +Pierce easy to come by).
44 Crit Strike (Gives you Perforate Artery, Creeping Death, Stunning Stab - The most powerful Hidden attack chain. The Spec 44 style works off your Hamstring / Leaper Evade chain, as does the spec 50 one, but it isn't worth getting any one spec line to 50.)
38 Envenom (Allows you to easily gain modified 50 Envenom, giving you access to the highest poisons)
2 Celtic Dual (Leftover points at end)
TIP: Always Envenom both weapons if you're soloing or in a small group that takes a while to kill its target. In larger groups, you're wasting money since target dies too quickly.
Progression:
Note: I give anticipated (reccomended) Spec Points for level intervals, not per level. Between interval advancement is entirely up for you to play with.
TIP: For levelling from 1 to 20, you may find it useful to do tasks, especially kill tasks. Select named Guards and say "Task" to obtain a kill task from them. Alternately, named NPCs will give delivery tasks. Not ALL NPCs will give tasks every level, but rather only a few per level. You may have to check multiple towns before you find one. Once you do, use the same NPC until you level, and then you'll need to find a new one.
Level 5:
Piercing: 3
Crit Strike: 4
Stealth: 1
Envenom: 1
Celtic Dual: 1
The Piercing 3 will give you a moderate base damage, while the CS 4 will allow you to use Backstab and Eviscerate. I reccomend opening any fight you can with BS/Evis. Also, even though you only have 1 Envenom, you can still use the lowest level DoT Poison, do so. It will do wonders for your solo ability -- Should be able to consistently solo yellow with little to no downtime.
Level 10:
The 2.2 Spec points per levle kick in at level 6 (first level) now that you're a Nightshade, so you have more freedom to spec.
Piercing: 8 (this allows for Wasp's Sting - Hornet's Sting back positional combo. Use if you're having trouble sneaking up on a mob, or if you're in group and other player gets the taunt)
Crit Strike: 8 (This gives you Kidney Rupture -- third style in the Backstab 1 chain, as well as giving you Pincer, a strong Side Positional attack, mainly for groups, but might be used in some solo situations if getting behind the mob for Backstab is proving too difficultbr>Stealth: 5 (This gives you Distraction as well as a higher chance of remaining hidden while trying Backstab)
Envenom: 5 (This gives you the first Disease poison and second DoT. From this point on, I'd reccomend using Disease on one weapon, DoT on other)
Celtic Dual: 1 (this won't raise for a long time, will stop listing it til it's ready to go up)
Level 15:
Piercing: 12 (This allows you to get Scorpion, a De-Taunt style which will prove extremely useful, and Black Widow, an upgrade to your base style. Usable at any time, moderate damage, but high endurance. Gives a small bonus to hit)
Crit Strike: 15 (Many players will say not to max a Spec, those players usually are talking in generalities. This is one of the exceptions. 15 CS allows you Backstab 2 and Thigh Cut, the BS2 chain entire, and will have to suit until you get Perforate Artery)
Stealth: 7
Envenom 5
Level 20:
Piercing: 18 (Permits Sidewinder, chain off Black Widow. Basic source of damage for quite a while)
Crit Strike: 18 (Gives you Garotte. Right now Garotte is weak on its own, but later on the Garotte - Achille's Heel chain will be your best damage. I still use that chain for "any time" attack at 48, and intend to keep using it right til end)
Stealth: 12 (Gives you your first level of Safe Fall as well as Danger Sense. Danger sense is a useful ability which informs you when a mob has scouted you or a player in RvR has targetted you - or your group)
Envenom: 6 (Allows a new Str debuff)
Level 25:
Piercing: 21 (Gives Copperhead, Side Positional style, fairly useful. Replaces Pincer for side attack)
Crit Strike: 22 (Gives Perforate Artery, a ~very~ strong hidden attack. Only drawback is front positional Stealth becomes a little more important now then before. There's no stun on this, but the sheer damage it does easily replaces BS2/TC)
Stealth: 17 (Gives Detect Hidden, allows you to see Stealthed players at a much longer range then other players do)
Envenom: 10 (Allows for use of the third DoT)
Level 30:
Note: Towards 30/35 you're enterring your RvR levels. Especially with Caledonia available at 30-35, you'll be needing a larger RvR focus.
Piercing: 22
Crit Strike: 25 (Gives you Achille's Heel. Between the damage and the Long Duration Attack Speed reduction on Heel, Garotte/Achille's should now become your primary "any time" attack. Perforate Artery, as always, is your best opener.)
Stealth: 20 (Safe Fall 2, general improvement)
Envenom: 20 (This enables use of the fifth DoT, second Disease, andif you have a bit of +Envenom, the first Str/Con debuff).
Level 35:
You're now looking at the "real" RvR. Frontiers, Keeps, maybe even Relics if you're lucky. Not to mention covert exploration and assassinations, the Shade is one of the most fun classes (in my oppinion) to bring to the RvR field. You won't get much use out of the character in frontier combat until about 40, but now is the time to start getting ready for it.
Piercing: 25 (Gives Diamondback, Evade opening with a good stun)
Crit Strike: 34 (Yes, this is a huge increase, but the benefits of Creeping Death far outweigh the losses. This style does about 1/3 the damage of Perforate Artery, and inflicts a stun on the target of approximately 5 or 6 seconds. This can make or break many fights in PvE and RvR both).
Stealth: 20
Envenom: 20
TIP: Try to get your Piercing up to 25 early, as you'll need the higher Piercing to maintain a consistent base damage.
Level 40:
Note: By level 40, you should easily have +5 Envenom in items (Shadow Crystal Orb and Ghostly Truesilver Gloves grant a total of +5. So even with 21 base Envenom, you'll be able to use the level 25 DoT and 26 Disease)
TIP: ALWAYS Remember to re-equip your necklace after a port. To use the portal, you need to use a Port necklace. This means that your regular necklace is dequipped. Forgetting to re-equip it can hurt you if you rely on bonuses from it -- especially spec bonuses)
Piercing: 34 (If possible, you should try to get 2 Right Bracer of Skill (2 Piercing, 7 Quick), your level 40 Epic Dagger (4 Piercing, 12% Body), and Balanced Asterite Dirk, Coruscating Truesilver Dagger, or Wicked Thorn. If you have trouble acquiring 2 Right Bracer of Skill, then try for a Master Assassin's Pendant (Your spec cap from items will be +9 from 40 to 44, and a good mix of these items should easily give you that or more).
Critical Strike: 34
Stealth: 26 (With proper Stealth equipment, Hauberk of Deceit - West Wind quest, Shadow Crystal Orb, Band of Hidden Talent - Touch of the Amadan quest, Imbued Unseelie Boots, Cloak of Obscurement - Anxious Healer quest -- you'll have +10 Stealth -- cap at +9 til 45 -- making an effective 34, this is good enough at this point, the key is being able to Climb -- 25 base).
Envenom: 21
Level 42.5:
Note: I reduce to intervals of 2.5 levels here because it's still 5 gains in Spec points, but you are gaining the bonus 50% points at half levels now.
Note: The Hauberk of Deceit is only 78 AF, yes, BUT because it is 100% Quality is has the same effective AF as a 87.6 AF 89% Quality vest. In short, between the effective AF and the bonuses, it's well worth keeping for a while longer
Piercing: 34 (Assuming you have the +9 Piercing identified via items above, your modified Piercing is 43. As long as modified Piercing is equal to your level, there is no problem. In other words, don't raise this again till 44.0, and then only raise it 1 point)
Crit Strike: 34
Stealth: 31 (Safe Fall 3, modified stealth: 40 with above items)
Envenom: 28 (If you get Ghostly Truesilver Gloves and Shadow Crystal Orb by this point, you'll have +5 Envenom, allowing you to use poisons up to level 33 - This grants you the 7th DoT, 2nd Str/Con debuff, 7th Snare, and 3rd Disease)
Luckie n'Mors Nightshade Guide
Note 2: I'm going to assume you use Piercing. The reason for this is simple: Piercing = 50% Str, 50% Dex for damage, Blades = 100% Str. The Shade's primary increase is Dex (1 per level) while Str is only its tertiary increase (1 per 3 levels). Quickness is secondary (1 per 2).
How to build a Nightshade
Note: Following spec plans assume you don't choose to auto-train Stealth. To be honest it really isn'tworth using Auto-train. It nets you 77 more Spec points and it means sacrificing a lot of Stealth until (up to) 48. To a lower level, 77 spec points may seem to be a lot of gain - But the loss in stealth required to make any noticeable gain, and the end game effects of this modifier, do little to offset the gain. As such, I would not reccomend auto-training.
Note: Unlike other Specs, +Envenom items will permit you to use higher level Poisons (with Weapons or Spell Specs, your Styles/Spells are given from ~base~ Spec, with Envenom your poison abilities are given off ~modified~ Spec).
Note: Specs given assume a minimum Realm Rank 2 at level 45 and Realm Rank 3 at level 50
40 Stealth (Safe Fall 4, easily modifiable to 50 -- +Stealth items are relatively easy to come by, however in the end game you'll have to sacrifice a lot of +Stealth items for items that grant spec in other lines, so a higher base is preferable)
37 Piercing (Modifiable up to 50 easily, makes for a very good damage output. Remember, if your BASE damage isn't good, you're not going to kill anything -- The higher spec styles are not really worth the points, +Pierce easy to come by).
44 Crit Strike (Gives you Perforate Artery, Creeping Death, Stunning Stab - The most powerful Hidden attack chain. The Spec 44 style works off your Hamstring / Leaper Evade chain, as does the spec 50 one, but it isn't worth getting any one spec line to 50.)
38 Envenom (Allows you to easily gain modified 50 Envenom, giving you access to the highest poisons)
2 Celtic Dual (Leftover points at end)
TIP: Always Envenom both weapons if you're soloing or in a small group that takes a while to kill its target. In larger groups, you're wasting money since target dies too quickly.
Progression:
Note: I give anticipated (reccomended) Spec Points for level intervals, not per level. Between interval advancement is entirely up for you to play with.
TIP: For levelling from 1 to 20, you may find it useful to do tasks, especially kill tasks. Select named Guards and say "Task" to obtain a kill task from them. Alternately, named NPCs will give delivery tasks. Not ALL NPCs will give tasks every level, but rather only a few per level. You may have to check multiple towns before you find one. Once you do, use the same NPC until you level, and then you'll need to find a new one.
Level 5:
Piercing: 3
Crit Strike: 4
Stealth: 1
Envenom: 1
Celtic Dual: 1
The Piercing 3 will give you a moderate base damage, while the CS 4 will allow you to use Backstab and Eviscerate. I reccomend opening any fight you can with BS/Evis. Also, even though you only have 1 Envenom, you can still use the lowest level DoT Poison, do so. It will do wonders for your solo ability -- Should be able to consistently solo yellow with little to no downtime.
Level 10:
The 2.2 Spec points per levle kick in at level 6 (first level) now that you're a Nightshade, so you have more freedom to spec.
Piercing: 8 (this allows for Wasp's Sting - Hornet's Sting back positional combo. Use if you're having trouble sneaking up on a mob, or if you're in group and other player gets the taunt)
Crit Strike: 8 (This gives you Kidney Rupture -- third style in the Backstab 1 chain, as well as giving you Pincer, a strong Side Positional attack, mainly for groups, but might be used in some solo situations if getting behind the mob for Backstab is proving too difficultbr>Stealth: 5 (This gives you Distraction as well as a higher chance of remaining hidden while trying Backstab)
Envenom: 5 (This gives you the first Disease poison and second DoT. From this point on, I'd reccomend using Disease on one weapon, DoT on other)
Celtic Dual: 1 (this won't raise for a long time, will stop listing it til it's ready to go up)
Level 15:
Piercing: 12 (This allows you to get Scorpion, a De-Taunt style which will prove extremely useful, and Black Widow, an upgrade to your base style. Usable at any time, moderate damage, but high endurance. Gives a small bonus to hit)
Crit Strike: 15 (Many players will say not to max a Spec, those players usually are talking in generalities. This is one of the exceptions. 15 CS allows you Backstab 2 and Thigh Cut, the BS2 chain entire, and will have to suit until you get Perforate Artery)
Stealth: 7
Envenom 5
Level 20:
Piercing: 18 (Permits Sidewinder, chain off Black Widow. Basic source of damage for quite a while)
Crit Strike: 18 (Gives you Garotte. Right now Garotte is weak on its own, but later on the Garotte - Achille's Heel chain will be your best damage. I still use that chain for "any time" attack at 48, and intend to keep using it right til end)
Stealth: 12 (Gives you your first level of Safe Fall as well as Danger Sense. Danger sense is a useful ability which informs you when a mob has scouted you or a player in RvR has targetted you - or your group)
Envenom: 6 (Allows a new Str debuff)
Level 25:
Piercing: 21 (Gives Copperhead, Side Positional style, fairly useful. Replaces Pincer for side attack)
Crit Strike: 22 (Gives Perforate Artery, a ~very~ strong hidden attack. Only drawback is front positional Stealth becomes a little more important now then before. There's no stun on this, but the sheer damage it does easily replaces BS2/TC)
Stealth: 17 (Gives Detect Hidden, allows you to see Stealthed players at a much longer range then other players do)
Envenom: 10 (Allows for use of the third DoT)
Level 30:
Note: Towards 30/35 you're enterring your RvR levels. Especially with Caledonia available at 30-35, you'll be needing a larger RvR focus.
Piercing: 22
Crit Strike: 25 (Gives you Achille's Heel. Between the damage and the Long Duration Attack Speed reduction on Heel, Garotte/Achille's should now become your primary "any time" attack. Perforate Artery, as always, is your best opener.)
Stealth: 20 (Safe Fall 2, general improvement)
Envenom: 20 (This enables use of the fifth DoT, second Disease, andif you have a bit of +Envenom, the first Str/Con debuff).
Level 35:
You're now looking at the "real" RvR. Frontiers, Keeps, maybe even Relics if you're lucky. Not to mention covert exploration and assassinations, the Shade is one of the most fun classes (in my oppinion) to bring to the RvR field. You won't get much use out of the character in frontier combat until about 40, but now is the time to start getting ready for it.
Piercing: 25 (Gives Diamondback, Evade opening with a good stun)
Crit Strike: 34 (Yes, this is a huge increase, but the benefits of Creeping Death far outweigh the losses. This style does about 1/3 the damage of Perforate Artery, and inflicts a stun on the target of approximately 5 or 6 seconds. This can make or break many fights in PvE and RvR both).
Stealth: 20
Envenom: 20
TIP: Try to get your Piercing up to 25 early, as you'll need the higher Piercing to maintain a consistent base damage.
Level 40:
Note: By level 40, you should easily have +5 Envenom in items (Shadow Crystal Orb and Ghostly Truesilver Gloves grant a total of +5. So even with 21 base Envenom, you'll be able to use the level 25 DoT and 26 Disease)
TIP: ALWAYS Remember to re-equip your necklace after a port. To use the portal, you need to use a Port necklace. This means that your regular necklace is dequipped. Forgetting to re-equip it can hurt you if you rely on bonuses from it -- especially spec bonuses)
Piercing: 34 (If possible, you should try to get 2 Right Bracer of Skill (2 Piercing, 7 Quick), your level 40 Epic Dagger (4 Piercing, 12% Body), and Balanced Asterite Dirk, Coruscating Truesilver Dagger, or Wicked Thorn. If you have trouble acquiring 2 Right Bracer of Skill, then try for a Master Assassin's Pendant (Your spec cap from items will be +9 from 40 to 44, and a good mix of these items should easily give you that or more).
Critical Strike: 34
Stealth: 26 (With proper Stealth equipment, Hauberk of Deceit - West Wind quest, Shadow Crystal Orb, Band of Hidden Talent - Touch of the Amadan quest, Imbued Unseelie Boots, Cloak of Obscurement - Anxious Healer quest -- you'll have +10 Stealth -- cap at +9 til 45 -- making an effective 34, this is good enough at this point, the key is being able to Climb -- 25 base).
Envenom: 21
Level 42.5:
Note: I reduce to intervals of 2.5 levels here because it's still 5 gains in Spec points, but you are gaining the bonus 50% points at half levels now.
Note: The Hauberk of Deceit is only 78 AF, yes, BUT because it is 100% Quality is has the same effective AF as a 87.6 AF 89% Quality vest. In short, between the effective AF and the bonuses, it's well worth keeping for a while longer
Piercing: 34 (Assuming you have the +9 Piercing identified via items above, your modified Piercing is 43. As long as modified Piercing is equal to your level, there is no problem. In other words, don't raise this again till 44.0, and then only raise it 1 point)
Crit Strike: 34
Stealth: 31 (Safe Fall 3, modified stealth: 40 with above items)
Envenom: 28 (If you get Ghostly Truesilver Gloves and Shadow Crystal Orb by this point, you'll have +5 Envenom, allowing you to use poisons up to level 33 - This grants you the 7th DoT, 2nd Str/Con debuff, 7th Snare, and 3rd Disease)
