SB Help..

[JackHeart]

I would like some help with a decent SB spec.

I have tried to read alot, about 4-spec, 5-spec, ShadowZerkers, Soulblades and everything. I understands that is as many specs as there is people out there, and everyones got an opinion.

I am a noob on SB. Played one through BG1 and enjoyed it much, so now I am leveling one to face the real danger.
When I played in BG1 I played a 4-spec. Sword, CS, Stealth and Env. I saw no need for Left Axe, but when I read everyones opinion Left Axe was almost everyones choice. I cant really see why (perhaps you can enlight me).
I was mostly in BG using CS styles, since they always used both weapons, and with pretty high Envenom that gave me a good advantage (I belive).

So if I spec a 50 SB with low or no Left Axe, what do I miss? What is so bad about the CS styles? Isn't it rather confusing and difficult to have so many styles to choose from if you have high Left Axe?

I am not out for a fotm SB-Spec that would own everyone. I want to play for fun and have a good time while playing. Make some kills and of course die alot.

I am afraid that I cant keep track of all styles and know what style to use and when. I would like to keep it clean and simple as much as possible.

Please dont flame me. This is my thoughts only and I would appriciate all input how to make a decent SB that would be fun to play and not necessary a fotm spec that needs eight quick bars and constantly flipping.

Thank you and go Midgard.

 

[Seculzeran]

I started a 5-spec sb some weeks ago. This is how I play:
39axe, 39laxe, 35st, 34cs, 30env

Attacking a target (it helps):
I use PA or BS2, use Garotte and it's follow on style. All CS styles. The reason for this is the effects they have on the target. With the axe/la styles I don't think you get a hindered style as a 1st attack style at 39 skill. Therefore, I use Garotte which gives Hindered, then it's follow on style gives Slowed. I think that's right ?

Try and get a slow main weapon, 4.0 spd or something, and get a fast laxe weapon. People go on about these legendary heat weapons, I didn't go for it, though guess what, it's up to you!

Skills:
The idea with a 5-spec as I understand it is to get the +11 points on your skills and then get the remaining points via realm rank. This means that 35st+11 gives me 46st, plus rr5 will give me 50st which is good. I manged to get the +11 through items off of CM's in housing zone.

Slightly more advanced skill stuff (nice to have - if your into pissing contests you might say must have!! - interesting to see which looser replies first At the end of the day it's a game - enjoy):
With a combination of items from CM's and crafted/imbued weapons/armour you can get +11 on all skills. I also made sure I had high resists on body and cold, crush, slash, others. As far as stats are concerned, try to cap str, con, dex, qui, hp's and AF. I also have a bb on a 2nd acc, this bb has 25% buff enhancement bonus. I have an LGM tailor and 550 SC'r so I kinda made most of everything my self and imbued it. Though there were a few times i needed help from an LGM SC'r

I'm currently rr2 and have see hidden as a realm ability. Which is fine, dodger next I think.

At low realm rank life really sucks, but as you increase it gets better. I had a great time when I PA'd a Inconnu (however you spell it) sat down!! I hit it for something like 1700 dmg, died instantly, err so did I, it's 2fg mates were right next to it couldn't resist it though. You will die lots, not so bad as long as you get a kill in before hand.

Doing the business:
Mids are a pain in the arse when it comes to stealth groups. They usualy wanna go solo. Saying that, I have met some decent mids that are well up for groups, sadly few and far between. Albs have it sorted, they always go in pairs or trio's, best way imo. If you see a target make sure it is solo before you strike, life will be short if his mate is stealthed nearby. Also, IP (ignore pain) is a really annoying realm ability the albs have, they wait until you have almost killed them and then bingo !! full health again, o yes then they kill you. Really p**ses me off

Well I best stfu now otherwise I'll go on for ever, have fun

 

[Seculzeran]

La

The skill level in Left Axe determines how much damage you do with each weapon while you are wielding weapons in both hands.

When you use weapons in both hands via the left axe skill, the following happen:

• You have a high chance to hit with each weapon every time you hit an enemy
• You automatically do roughly half damage with each weapon
• You do 20% more damage per round (10% per weapon)
• Half your skill level is added as a % bonus
• The attack delay is determined by an average of the two weapons

So, if you have a 30 skill in left axe, your two weapons will hit every round for half damage each, plus 20% more base damage, plus 15% (30 / 2) more for spec damage.

 

[Chronictank]

I went 0 LA due to the reduced dmg by equipping LA
Before you decide i suggest you download this to see how the LA dynamics work:
sb_vrs_infil.avi

 

[cemi0]

You should really try your own specs out. Asking others dont help.

Though I went high mainweap (50) for high WS.

 

[Salamurhaaja]

Good all-rounder starter spec is:

37 weapon
39 LA
35 Stealth
34 CS
34 Venom

I played that spec for rr1-rr7
You need autotrain stealth 48 for that.

 

[minime_]

Personally i think 50sword 39LA 35stealth 33venom is a nice starter spec, you have nice WS, good poisons, frosty gaze and ragnarok. Plus you can add the autotrained points and get 35 venom from start so you can have the best debuff at pretty low rr's without missing anything vital.

It all comes down to how you wanna play your SB (and how your ISP is, my current ISP sucks, hard to line up a PA since chars lag around often) therefore SZ is the best spec for me, duo to my playstyle and ISP.

Critblade is more fun, and a more deadly spec if you can play properly

 

[JackHeart]

Thanks all for some very good posts. Keep up the good work..

I think I will try a 5-spec, much like Seculzeran, that sounded quite decent.

I have a rather good ISP so I will go for Critblade, as I think that is more of a challange and more fun.

Feel free to come with more input. Thanks again.

 

[minime_]

5 spec sucks imo Dosnt give you any truely strong side, low ws, and low CS damage I think you should go either 100% critblade or sz, especially at low rr, since 5 spec requires some + to skill from rr's to function better, even tho i dont like it.

There is some more input for ya

 

[Salamurhaaja]

5-spec is best i've played.

/slap minime

 

[minime_]

You played mostly before LA nerf, things has changed since

/biatch slap Salamurhaaja

 

[Bloodaxe_Springskalle]

5 spec doesent work as good as it used to, imo 4,5 specs are better, and i've tried every spec there is for SB.

wether you are going crit or la or both you _allways_ need la at a decent level anyway or else you are toasted unless you get off PA+CD more often than what's usual.

39LA
45Weap
34CS
34Stealth
22Enven

or

34LA
45Weap
39CS
34Stealth
22Enven


best debuff isnt all that, second best is good enough!
all autotrain pts put in enven to get the second best debuff asap.
taking weapon spec to 44 and put in enven if needed, both those specs are good and working as ive tried them both.
lower than 44 weapon spec is not very advicable for a pure melee class as SB as it will make you miss alot and easy to block/parry/evade due to low weaponskill.

ps. if you got some autotrain:
44CS
29LA
34Stealth
44Weapon
22Enven

using 1h weapons, this is probably the best assassin spec ive ever tried, tho it isnt ideal for handling adds so i respecced, but this is really a spec with huge potential.

 

[Salamurhaaja]

I played 5-spec from 9L2 to 10L0 too. Best spec possible.

/taunt minime

 

[Bloodaxe_Springskalle]

I played 5-spec from 9L2 to 10L0 too. Best spec possible.

/taunt minime

different spec for different playstyle

 

[Klonk]

I think you misunderstood Jackheart, don't go 5-spec on low rr, he said 5-spec is a nice spec for high rr SBs, not for us lowbies (mine is 2L8 and has been so for over a year ;p ). Ofc if you are rr8, you get +18 to skills, but on rr2, it would suck hard imo. Most SBs think start out as a Shadowzerk on low rr, then respec to CB or 5-spec on higher realm rank.

Why? Imo because SZs are better stealther vs stealther. Although CS is better if you are stealther vs caster/seer, 8 of 10 fights you will have in Emain (or whereever we will play in NF) will be vs another stealther. Also, it's not that easy to land those CB styles if you're new to the class and/or have sucky comp/ISP. With SZ spec, you still have a chance to win even if you feck up your initial strikes, with CB spec this chance is much lower.

My 2 cents.

 

[Haldar]

5-spec ftw. 37/39/39/33/30 sw/la/cs/st/env on rr7

based on calculations and personal exp. r7l5 is not really much, but still...

 

[minime_]

I played 5-spec from 9L2 to 10L0 too. Best spec possible.

/taunt minime

This guy is rr1 and dosnt benefit optimal from 5 spec (no one does imo ) compared to other specs.

/biatch taunt Salamurhaaja

 

[duact]

belive vin dizl c0z he r0x

 

[JackHeart]

So what you are saying is that since I am low RR (so far) I shall go for a good four spec? I am very intrested in critical strike so that would leave me with no Leaft Axe?
Go High WS (Sword), CS and med Stealh and Env?
Then go for Two handed sword instead of One handed + Left Axe?

When and if I get high RR I can respec to 5-spec then...

 

[minime_]

50sword 44cs 35stealth 26venom(29 if you autotrained)

The only prob is that you wont have 50stealth untill rr5, and 50 stealth is very essential as critblade.

 

[Eragan]

hi, im playing a sb to... rr1.... i also want to know the best spec for rr1 not rr8+

 

[WiZe^]

This is imo a good guide
how to specc if from 1-50 for crit and 5 -specc etc
SB guide

 

[Eragan]

what is the best spec for a rr1 sz then?

 

[Haldar]

u answered it urself.

SZ.

 

[Eragan]

well i dont know anything att all about lvl 50 sb specs... my sb is just a bg char atm... but im soon capped and then im gonna start lvling it

 

[Bloodaxe_Springskalle]

a very good rr1-5 spec is 44LA 44Weap 35stealth 35enven rest in CS (5 if no autotrain, 13 with autotrain)

or 39la 50weap 35stealth 35enven 5cs (with autotrain) enven and cs can be juggled back and forth to satisfy the individual with no major effects as long as u got the best debuff

 

[Blitzing]

i actually go 50weap 39La 34stl and 34cs and 5 env i can live with out the debuff, i get buttfucked any way so id rather put my money on getting my pa in and getting a head start on the damage

 

[lpep]

went 44 sword 44 crit 35 stealth 35 env till rr 5..............

finding my new specc very nice though 44 sword 44 la 34 stealth 34 crit and 14 env........from what i read though crit blade specc is completely un-playable in nf....

 

[Blitzing]

yea i tried the sz spec to, or still trying it actually i just love my pa to much to let it go because of the env but i still like the uber damage i get when i have 50weap 44LA, so gonna keep it up there, though my LA will go down to 39 so i can get my cs high enough and still have frosty ghaze

 

[Bloodaxe_Springskalle]

you can actually have both PA and good debuff blitzing.
Valeria is specced 39-LA 45-Sword 34-Stealth 34-CS 22-Enven
that's probably the most versantile spec around imo.