This is a test build. You may comment and rate it.
Focused on: Strike damage, Mobility and Sustain
Designed for: WvW Roaming
Expansions required: Heart of Thorns builds Secrets of the Obscure builds Janthir Wilds builds
Difficulty: Hard
This build was last updated on January 27, 2025.
Overview
A Daredevil roaming build focused on evasion and solid damage pressure, featuring the new Spear weapon from Janthir Wilds. This build is focused on typical roaming activities with the perk of being able to brawl with with others more directly in solo fights. It can also assist in zerg clashes thanks to good survivability and plenty of access to boon strip with 
慷慨无私 on 
顺手牵羊 and 
碎裂突袭 (Spear 3.3).
Skillbar
顺手牵羊Stolen skill
Skill Variants
Heal
-
活力引导 for better endurance upkeep and access to dodges but no condition cleansing. Longer cooldown than 
紧急撤离 and can be interrupted. -
遁入暗影 - more stealth access and a stronger heal but losing out on the condition cleansing and dodge of 紧急撤离
Utility
Swap 
强横防御 with:
-
致盲药粉 for better stealth access but less block and CC. -
先攻翻滚 for evasion and initiative regen. -
禁锢区域 for a funny surprise option and better lockdown for Spear's combos. Requires proper planning and baiting opponents. -
战斗冲动 for a different stun break option. Loses 2s block, but the instant quickness synergizes with 
冲撞打击 for quick executes that catches many off-guard.
Elite
匕首风暴 ⇒ 冲撞打击 for better kill securing in engagements. Sacrifices the immunity and escape functionality of 匕首风暴, though.
Template Code
[&DQU2JywnBykKAQwBWAAZAbYSNAFXAVcB7hIOAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACCQFrAAA=]Specializations
Variants
弹跳闪避 for slightly higher damage while sacrificing some of the utility of 
神行无阻 for condition cleanses (especially immobilize). Can take 
永不止步 instead of 
抢占先机 to regain that cleansing, but that sacrifices access to 
再生 and initiative recovery.
Specialization Variants
Acrobatics ⇒ Critical Strikes for higher damage at the cost of less survivability.
重生精准 instead of 
越战越勇 - gives more sustain, especially when paired with 
残暴古物 and precision infusions to get close to 100% crit chance.
Equipment
Burstier Option
Stats
-
Generally try to get at least 16k HP, then switch to Toughness to further increase survivability. Dragon stats Dragon stats can be swapped with Marauder Marauder stats based on personal preference of having higher Precision or Ferocity.
-
Demolisher is a Toughness variant of Marauder Marauder, granting overall better survivability than just running Vitality. If that isn't a concern, switch the stats of the trinkets to either Marauder Marauder or Dragon stats Dragon stats based on preference.
-
Try to aim for around 70-80% Crit Chance when not running Critical Strikes Critical Strikes, filling in the rest of the damage stats with Power and/or Ferocity.
- When running Critical Strikes Critical Strikes with 重生精准, the goal is to have 100% Crit Chance (or close to it) while under the effects of
激怒.
- When running Critical Strikes Critical Strikes with
Relics
-
解毒古物 for better condition cleansing if fighting a lot of condi builds. Sacrifices the damage boost of 
烟花古物. -
独行侠古物 when paired with high Ferocity for high burst and guaranteed triggering of 
超级鲜血法印 and 
超级空气法印. -
残暴古物 for extra healing, especially if run in combination with 重生精准 from Critical Strikes Critical Strikes.
Sigils
Runes
超级猎龙者符文 for a bit higher Ferocity over Power.
Consumables
Food
-
黑胡椒粉真空烹调肉排 - good stats and passive damage mitigation; standard power food. -
芫荽柠檬真空烹调肉排 - same stats as the above except with life steal instead of damage mitigation. -
碗装甜辣冬南瓜汤 - non-ascended version of the food above, without the sustain. -
碗装鲜肉冬菜煲 - more dodging.
Utility
Usage
General
-
This build leverages the more acrobatics and dodging / evasion playstyle of Thief instead of leveraging stealth access - though
碎裂突袭 (Spear 3.3) offers stealth access if successfully landed. -
Generally, this build is focused on mobility and dueling, as well as being able to escape when needed.
渗透暗箭 and 
出奇打击 (Spear 3.1) are good disengage tools.
Spear Combos
- Thief spear is a complicated weapon that takes a bit more practice and trial and error to learn how to wield effectively than other weapons available for Thief to use. There are several combo strings to use, for example the most damaging string for a power build is as follows:
- Initiative costs for spear are higher than in PvE, so the more common combo to use to not run out as quickly is:
螳螂钉刺 (Spear 2.1)
吸血劈砍 (Spear 3.2)
陨落蜘蛛 (Spear 2.3)
杂念投掷 (Spear 4)- 吸血劈砍 (Spear 3.2)
- 碎裂突袭 (Spear 3.3)
苍白突袭 (Stealth Attack)
General Spear Notes
-
倒钩之矛 (Spear 1) is a melee and ranged auto-attack, depending on proximity to the target. The ranged option is a considerable poke option and can whittle down opponents from distance. It can easily make a difference in a fight or chasing someone down, don't forget to use it.- 倒钩之矛 (Spear 1, ranged) and 杂念投掷 (Spear 4) both share a strange quirk - they can be thrown in any direction without needing to face the target. The auto-attack won't activate automatically when facing away from a target, but pressing the button will still throw the spear behind at the target and deal damage. Use this while running away or repositioning, for example.
-
苍白突袭 (Stealth Attack) regenerates initiative when the final stab hits, so make sure to hit at least that final poke.
-
螳螂钉刺 (Spear 2.1) and 陨落蜘蛛 (Spear 2.3) are the main damaging skills of the spear. These should be prioritized when not needing to gap close, stealth, or rip boons from a target.
-
出奇打击 (Spear 3.1) is the main gap closer for the build, other than 顺手牵羊. Really should only be used to stick to a target, otherwise prioritize 螳螂钉刺.
-
吸血劈砍 (Spear 3.2) is the main sustain for this build and should almost always be prioritized over
缠藤毒蛇 (Spear 2.2). The lifesteal is significant at baseline without even factoring in Power, Healing Power, or taking 残暴古物. -
碎裂突袭 (Spear 3.3) is the source of stealth for spear, as well as ripping boons from the selected target. If the target is afflicted by
虚弱, rip an additional boon from them. -
杂念投掷 (Spear 4) is a low cost, spammable interrupt if the target is crippled, while also granting the Thief a 7s buff to Damage and Condition Damage when used after a combo finisher (Spear 2.3 or Spear 3.3). Try to maintain it as much as possible, unless you are being heavily pressured and need to block or run.
-
暗影帷幕 (Spear 5) is a 2s block that only blocks a singular attack before ending, unlike 强横防御 that blocks every attack for its 2s duration. It can be useful in a pinch, especially when fighting higher damage pressure.- When used after a finishing combo (Spear 2.3 or Spear 3.3), it instead will block 3 attacks. The blocking animation can be cancelled to continue attacking while still maintaining the block - seen as a buff on the bar 24px Shadow Veil (effect).
Shortbow
- WIP
Strengths, Weaknesses, and Counters
- WIP