I'm only level 15 at this point, but unlike many of you I haven't really been following this game before F2P launch and so my build choices might be suspect. What I want is a utility class. For example, in Shadowbane I ran with the OP healer channy but actually because it had fly, invis and summon as well as some damage. I am trying shadowplay / witchcraft / vitality.

I don't think I'm going to have much fun in this game if I can't stealth, so I am pretty set on shadowplay. I've heard grumblings of not enough healing in the clan, and I would like to run revive for support at the very least so that's why I have vitality. Finally, witchcraft. It seems to play well with vitality and I've been looking forward to using Elk fire arrow + bubble trap in PvE. My theorycrafting overall is that I will help groups primarily through CC, secondarily through healing and finally by escaping through CC and stealth tactics if I get targetted.

http://arche-base.com/builds/view/21564-Taco_Assassin

Here are some other builds I've found with this class combo, curiously none of them run Mirror Light which I've been using to do Mirror Light -> Ennervate -> Earthen Grip combos. I guess for PvP it might not be the best plan? Seems to work fine in PvE so far.

http://arche-base.com/builds/20370-Biscuits_Assassin#2.8.10/JxGltJaU0vt1
http://arche-base.com/builds/view/19643-Seia_Undying_Assassin#8.2.10/tm8Alb010ks7

Well I too am stuck on Shadowplay and am looking at a Infiltrator build...

http://arche-base.com/builds/generator#6.8.7/Jlgsztb3jGg1

This build Has a ton of physical damage, high mobility, and ranged stealth. It's not much for group synergy however, but I would like to try it and see how it performs live, if I can ever get passed the queue.

I was definitely considering something like that, maybe aura instead of archery. http://arche-base.com/builds/15357-Enigmatist_Combat_Utility_Mage#7.8.4/Jsbg3PExxU1 But, I think group play is more important for now.

Just beware on the assassin build that you are using all three types of damage and so hard to really maximize potential.
Shadowplay uses str and agi. Witchcraft uses int. Vitalism uses spirit and healing power. Personally I would focus witchcraft and make sure I picked up the two magic defense passives. Hope this helps.

I would like to second Oconnor's response. People need to focus their builds, yes you can combine the skill trees, but unless you are only taking cc/utiltiy from a non-complementary tree, you shouldn't. Focus on complementary trees and pay attention to ones that have good synergy.

As Oconnor stated, 3 trees with different stat focuses is going to be sub-par, even if you just focus on two.

Drakiis is going to have the same problem. You will be going Agi for archery and Int for Sorcery damage, you will end up with low damage on both or one being useless. Choose your play style and switch up one. Like drop sorcery and pick up Auromancy/Defense, both have great utility spells that you don't need to raise int for but make you a better archer. Or go the other way and drop Archery and pick up an Int school for damage, making Shadowplay your utility school.

As always, play what you want, I just think having a good build is essential. Focus is the name of the game.

Player of Revco

I am totally on board with that opinion O'Connor & Revco. The only tree I think I would replace is witchcraft and in that case I would replace it with something that goes well with Shadowplay, Battlerage maybe? However, as of now I am doing most of my damage with the witchcraft fire+bubble combo as I said. I'm able to burst most mobs my level down without having to hit them with rapid strike more than a couple times. fire -> bubble -> mirror light -> ennervate -> earthen grip -> overwhelm

When I can't do the fire bubble combo I skip to mirror light and usually have a little more trouble. I really only get killed when I pull more than 1 mob at this point but I am assuming that's the intended difficulty.

Reporting to O'Connor.

As I get closer to 50 I am learning and refining my ideas about this class. Witchcraft is much more of a damage dealer than I originally thought it was, so I have been focusing on cloth gear and staff for magic damage. The long cooldowns on witchcraft let me rely on a couple of fast combos in shadowplay to finish off targets in melee. I've updated my build with what I think I should have at 50 in terms of skills.

http://arche-base.com/builds/21564-Taco_Assassin

Focus on Witchcraft and get the Augment Witchcraft passive to reduce cooldowns, Vitalism's direct heals and AOE. When 55 opens up I would get Defiance and the Witchcraft fiend. I am not sold on Lassitude and Purge but I need to put the points in for Augment and I'm not sure which would be better replacements so any specific advice here is welcome. Purge does combo with Shadowsmite and the silence might be useful in pvp, but I have no idea how well that would work.

I figure in groups I can use 2H greatclub and solo I would use staff. I would focus eq on intelligence and then spirit and strength. I will probably rank up Sorcery to swap out with Vitalism as necessary eventually.

I hit 50 today (solo I might add, fire bubbling all fucking day) and was promptly summoned to respec to full heals for GHA. Even with cloth and hasla quest greatclub, I was only an okay healer. Part of this is my lack of practice with it but it also seems like auramancy or songcraft or something else is required to be a great primary heal. Assassin build is actually not that bad for what I was intending: group pvp utility, off heal, medium dps. It's pretty trash in 1v1s though and not so great even respeccd as a full heal that's starting to get to me.

I ranked up Witchcraft and Vitalism fully, Shadowplay is in the high 40s but I don't intend to really use it outside of utility. Sorcery is around 30.

I am thinking my next move is Shroudmaster (witch/occult/shadow) or maybe Dagggerspell (witch/sorc/shadow) and start doing some arenas. So far all my gear is cloth/staff and I finished my equipment quests, so I am hesitant to approach anything that requires a change in that area. I need a lot more focused pvp practice. As is the point of this thread, I would accept any advice about this choice and specific builds.

I outlined my ideas for Shroudmaster here http://arche-base.com/builds/view/28152-Taco_Shroud#5.8.2/xsECkEtAk1

Daggerspell I would probably do the typical FOTM shit

Of the two I would go Daggerspell. That being said I would add the witchcraft purge ability to your Shroudmaster 17pt build for the amazing synergy that goes with Occultism's Stilness. It would give you an AOE Silence and Shackle.
The reason I would go Daggerspell is because of the surprise + damage that Shadowplay and Sorc have that Occultism and Shadowplay cannot compete with.

So, Shroudmaster is not so great... I ended up ditching the cooldown passives cause there are so many actives in that build, but at the end of the day the point blank AOEs are just not that awesome and mana stars were overkill. Every time I fell back to using mana stars was actually a mistake since I should have been using a better active. New attempt:

Nightwitch
http://arche-base.com/builds/view/32142-Taco_Night