Would like some recommendations

Assassin
#1

I’m trying to get 1 of each class levelled to at least 75, and the next on my list is the Assassin.

The levelling processing using Wake of Fire was insanely awesome. Now…following the guide from Maxroll, I attempted to switch to a lightning trapsin. I’m level 54…they recommend not switching until at least level 36 - so I should be OK there, I think.

Their guide also says to use Act 5 Hell once you hit level 39…so I would think I should be good there as well.

But I’m not quite. I have a few questions.

When should I start using a mercenary? Even at this level, I can’t keep my Act II Holy Freeze Merc alive for more than a few seconds. I’ve given him Insight, Crown of Thieves, and a Stealth Breast Plate. But he just won’t stay alive. Should I wait until at least level 59 when I can give him my Eth Fortitude Dusk Shroud?

Act 5 seems to have a f*ton of lightning immunes, making me completely useless…and without Inifinity, it seems to be a non-starter here. Seems like maybe I should fall back to Nightmare Cows for the interim, until I find that last Ber (and a base of course)? My Javazon is kinda in the same situation where she’s basically screwed until I get Infinity…but that’s a different story. Infinity requires at least level 63…so that’s a disadvantage.

That said, I’m using the following at the moment:

Lore Helm
Skin of the Vipermagi
Nightsmoke (Upgraded)
Bloodfist (Have not found anything else better so far)
Sander’s Riprap (Have not found anything else better so far)
Spirit Broad Sword
Ancient’s Pledge Shield
<Insert crap 2 rings and ammy cause I haven’t found anything useful yet>

I tried switching my weapons to dual +2 Assassin Skill Blade Talons (Still have not found a +3, let alone a GG one with +3 and then some). I can stay relatively alive, but then I have mana issues without my merc…that I cannot keep alive. Basically, dropping 5 Lightning Sentries, and I’m literally out of mana.

So do I just keep doing the monotonous Nightmare Cows until I can get my merc better gear, or is there something I’m missing? I’ve never played Assassin, and it actually seems fun, but it also seems gear-locked like the Javazon.

1 Like
#2

Well, maybe instead of an Act 2 Merc you could use one of the other Mercs? You don’t have Infinity yet, so you don’t need him yet (although eventually you’ll want an Act 2 Infinity Merc).

Act 5 Merc can be a tankier meat shield and even deal decent physical damage.

Act 1 Merc can also use Insight (in a bow) and stays out of the way so better survivability. A Cold Rogue has Freezing Arrow too, so you still get some crowd control.

For farming areas, maybe Chaos Sanctuary? Not a lot of Lightning Immunes there that I recall. Also, if you can beat Baal then you can farm Hell Cows.

You are dropping a Death Sentry to go with your Lightning Sentries right? Corpse Explosion is your friend. Heck, at your level I might use Death Sentry instead of Lightning as my main trap. 20 points in Fire Blast, 20 points in Death Sentry, and 20 points in Lightning Sentry would make your Death Sentry pretty effective, and you’d have both Lightning and Fire Damage available in combination with the Physical from Corpse Explosion. Should still be able to get Weapon Block and Fade.

#3

Max out Lightning sentry, 1 in death sentry.
Then 1 point in change to fire blast and the light sentry synergies.
That’s what I do as lightning trap starter.
But I found the bladesin is the better trapsin starter. Only need a lem rune to make a lawbringer.
The base doesn’t matter.

#4

Yeah, I’m using Death Sentry along with the Lightning Sentry. That works well until you don’t have corpses, and get ambushed by a handful of LIs. I gave an Honor Thresher to my merc, for the life leech, and that seems to help a little bit, but still not quite good enough. I might try a Treachery for Fade and IAS instead of Fortitude. Once he’s high enough level, I might try to use Reaper’s Toll.

I can’t kill Hell Baal yet, not even close to being able to even get to him. There are far too many fast and painful LIs along the way to him. And I’m probably going to need my merc because I’m pretty sure Baal waves have Lis in them. I could probably get a rush kill so I can open up the Hell Cow level, and see how that goes.

I’ll have to try Chaos again after some gear swaps on my merc…but he was getting 1-2 shotted from all the range skeletons.

Edit: Used my Hammerdin to give myself a free Hell Baal kill, and went to Hell Cows on the Trapsin. It’s slow going, but seems doable so far. I’ve got to run away a lot to keep the merc alive though.

2 Likes
#5

Mind blast is your friend for crowd control. Also help keep merc alive ad theres more meat shield ans use it against the initial swarm over your merc. Sins are one of the safest builds to play if you master the use of MB.

Without infi your best bet is a backup skill like dragon talon to get a corpse or two quick for DS.