32 Assassin / 20 Riftstalker / 14 Marksman — “Bloodstalker”

This spec was last updated for RIFT 1.10.

This build is more commonly known as “Bloodstalker” except with a few minor changes and what I feel to be for the best. The first change is taking 2/2 out of Improved Savage Strike and putting them into Improved Final Blow for 3/3 instead of 1/3. The second and final change is taking 3 points out of Great Fortitude and putting all 3 into Exceptional Resilience. The main reason for this is because the health endurance is minimal (500hp) and the increased health is not going to matter much, if you are going to die, you are going to die. So that is why taking less damage will be better.

Why is this? Because you are already getting increased critical hit chance by 15% for 10 seconds after shifting and 5% increased critical chance from Ruthlessness (5/5) yet alone you will likely have best or near best in slot gear.

Link to this build: Assassin (32) / Riftstalker (20) / Marksman (14)

An alternative build with instead 15% more endurance instead of 6% endurance and 6% reduced damage: 32 Assassin / 20 Riftstalker / 14 Marksman

Pros:

  • Highest DPS spec right now but only in melee.

Cons:

  • Melee.
  • Weak and useless Ranged.
  • Requires you to always be melee, no detach time and behind the boss to do the highest damage.
  • Not effective on all raid fights, nor is this a spec for Slivers or Dungeons.

Builder:

#show Backstab
cast Backstab
cast Puncture
cast Savage Strike
cast Swift Shot

You will either want to add “cast Poison Malice” to this macro if you think you will have a hard time applying it by yourself and/or you are lazy. I personally do not macro it, and you want it up at all times. I would suggest using it on cooldown and follow it with a 5 point Impale.

Shift:

#show Shadow Blitz
cast Shadow Assault
cast Shadow Blitz
cast Shadow Stalk

Attack Power Buff Finisher:

#show Annihilate
cast Annihilate
cast Expose Weakness

There is no other macro for your finishers since the 2 main finishers you will be spamming the most are instant and you need to apply Impale about every 20 seconds.

Opener:

Stealth > Expose Weakness > Jagged Strike

Rotation:

Builder to 5 combo points > Annihilate > Builder to 5 combo points > Poison Malice > Impale > Builder to 2 (or 3) combo points > Final Blow

That is the basic rotation, but you will need to constantly make sure that you keep up Impale (20 second bleed) and Annihilate (60 second buff). I highly suggest that you either use nkRebuff or KaruuhAlert to watch your bleeds and buffs, especially for Expose Weakness. I personally have always used nkRebuff and find it to be the best and have found many people switching over to it from those using KaruuhAlert previously.

The most important buff of all is Stalker Phase from your shifting (teleports). This is where all your damage is going to come from when spamming Final Blow and reapplying Impale.

The reason why you are using Final Blow at 2 combo points is because by then (maybe 3) Expose Weakness will have dropped off so you need to make sure it always stays on or gets on the target again.

If there are multiple targets such as Garau in Hammerknell when you will likely switch to a porter then make sure to Impale (at any combo point) Garau before switching.

Buffs:

Stalker Phase
Baneful Touch
Lethal Poison
Planebound Resilience

This build can currently only be used in 10 and 20man raid environments and only with an Elder Tablet and Fervor. It will be absolutely useless nearly anywhere else especially 5man dungeons and zone events.

Fights you can use this build on:

Infernal Dawn:

  • Ituziel – If skilled enough though much easier after all the nerfs he has received.
  • Maklamos the Scryer

Hammerknell:

  • Murdantix
  • Sicaron
  • Garau

Greenscale Blights:

  • Johlen
  • Oracle Aleria

River of Souls:

  • Dark Focus
  • Herald Gaurath
  • Plutonus