This build is up to date for the April 8, 2025 patch.
Overview
The Spear and Dagger PvP Small Scale PvP build focuses on delivering high single-target burst damage to take out enemies quickly while in small group fights or Arena scenarios. It can do very well in PVP Dominion events or even during night PVP. The build also offers great mobility with multiple dashes and teleports, making the build very mobile.
Attributes
PRIMARY
Perception
+
Dexterity
SECONDARY
Strength
+
Wisdom
With the unique stats and attributes system in Throne and Liberty, it can be difficult to determine exactly where to invest your attribute points at each stage of the game. This is because gear pieces provide attributes just like leveling up does, meaning everyone will have a different number of attribute points depending on what gear they are wearing at the time.
Given this variation, it's best to reset your attributes regularly to adjust to the new gear you acquire. Aim to reach the achievement effects, which provide extra benefits at milestones like 30, 50, and 70 points.
To maximize damage output with this build, focus primarily on Dexterity and Perception, as these attributes greatly enhance your DPS and ensure consistent damage throughout fights. Adding points to Wisdom can also be beneficial for improved mana regeneration, helping you sustain your abilities during extended battles. However, the main priority should remain on increasing damage through Dexterity and Perception.
Don't overlook allocating 50 points into Strength, as it provides a valuable health boost, improving your survivability without compromising your offensive capabilities while also adding extra heavy attack chance which is a very important stat in all PvP content.
Skills
The Spear & Dagger build is a great choice for newer players looking for spear assassin-style gameplay with access to stealth thanks to 
Vicious Fury.
Your main damage skills are Vicious Fury, 
Culling Arc, 
Cyclonic Fury, and 
Rising Slash. Focus on upgrading these first to boost your early damage output.
Keep enhancing your damage with 
Abyssal Cleave and dagger abilities like 
Cleaving Moonlight and 
Brutal Incision. As 
Inject Venom is a core part of your build and all your rotations begin by applying poison, this is another no-brainer to upgrade so it stacks to 20, the effect becomes significantly stronger.
Brutal Incision synergizes with poisoned targets, dealing extra damage and serving as an excellent finishing move.
For passives, you should focus on upgrading 
Malice Surge for extra heavy attack chances. 
Imposing Form pairs well with the spear’s multiple attacks, providing strong buffs. 
Retaliatory Strike is another critical passive, increasing your crit rate and playing a key role in this build.
As for dagger passives, 
Assassin's Instincts adds extra crit rate while 
Shadow Walker is a core defensive passive that activates every time you dodge or use a mobility skill, heavily increasing your evasion rate. Meanwhile, 
Wrathful Edge boosts critical damage, complementing the build's focus on crit rate. This makes the Spear & Dagger build a powerful PvP option with a heavy emphasis on critical hits.
Equipment
Daggers of the Resistance
Heavy Attack Chance
Critical Hit Chance
Hit Chance
Primary
Halberd of the Resistance
Heavy Attack Chance
Critical Hit Chance
Hit Chance
Mask of the Resistance
Max Health
Magic Evasion
Ranged Evasion
Deadeye's Cloak
Mana Regen
Debuff Duration
Skill Damage Resistance
Heroic Armor of the Resistance
Melee Evasion
Ranged Evasion
Max Health
Gauntlets of the Resistance
Melee Evasion
Ranged Evasion
Mana Regen
Trousers of the Resistance
Max Health
Magic Evasion
Ranged Evasion
Glade Stalker Boots
Max Health
Magic Evasion
Ranged Evasion
Necklace of Clarity
Skill Damage Boost
Mana Regen
Bracelet of Conquest
Max Health
Skill Damage Resistance
Violent Signet
Max Health
Skill Damage Boost
Buff Duration
Ring of Precision
Max Health
Skill Damage Boost
Belt of Deftness
Skill Damage Resistance
Max Health
These are the first items you should strive for through the leveling period as they are very easy to get and upgrade or trait as needed. However, you shouldn't try to trait these items too much as you won't be spending too much time playing with this setup before you start changing pieces into the Midgame. The green accessories however are very easy to trait as you can craft many of them quickly in order to get the correct traits so you should consider traiting them until you change into purples. The same goes for the blue ring as you keep it for a long time.
Darkslayer Daggers
Heavy Attack Chance
Critical Hit Chance
Hit Chance
Primary
Heroic Polearm of the Resistance
Heavy Attack Chance
Critical Hit Chance
Hit Chance
Elusive Hexweaver Hat
Cooldown Speed
Magic Evasion
Melee Evasion
Ancient Tapestry Mantle
Max Health
Debuff Duration
Skill Damage Resistance
Heroic Armor of the Resistance
Melee Evasion
Ranged Evasion
Max Health
Gauntlets of the Field General
Ranged Evasion
Melee Evasion
Added Attack Speed
Ruthless Enforcer Leggings
Melee Evasion
Ranged Evasion
Max Mana
Sabatons of the Field General
Movement Speed
Melee Evasion
Ranged Evasion
Clasp of the Conqueror
Skill Damage Boost
Max Health
Buff Duration
Bracers of the Primal King
Max Health
Skill Damage Resistance
Debuff Duration
Amber Dimensional Band
Skill Damage Boost
Max Health
Buff Duration
Violent Signet
Skill Damage Boost
Max Health
Buff Duration
Butcher's Belt
Max Health
Debuff Duration
Skill Damage Resistance
This is the gear you should transition to once you're leveled to 50 and start grinding gear. It is comprised of gear you can get either from dungeons or by completing Litographs, they are relatively easy to trait up and you will spend most of the time wearing this set before advancing into the late game so traiting these items is very important and should be your main focus.
Darkslayer Daggers
Heavy Attack Chance
Critical Hit Chance
Hit Chance
Primary
Shaikal's Mindveil Harpoon
Heavy Attack Chance
Critical Hit Chance
Hit Chance
Shadow Harvester Mask
Magic Evasion
Ranged Evasion
Cooldown Speed
Ancient Tapestry Mantle
Max Health
Debuff Duration
Skill Damage Resistance
Swirling Essence Robe
Buff Duration
Magic Evasion
Magic Endurance
Gauntlets of the Field General
Ranged Evasion
Melee Evasion
Added Attack Speed
Shadow Harvester Trousers
Magic Evasion
Ranged Evasion
Magic Endurance
Sabatons of the Field General
Movement Speed
Melee Evasion
Ranged Evasion
Clasp of the Conqueror
Skill Damage Boost
Max Health
Buff Duration
Bracers of the Primal King
Max Health
Skill Damage Resistance
Debuff Duration
Amber Dimensional Band
Skill Damage Boost
Max Health
Buff Duration
Band of Universal Power
Skill Damage Boost
Buff Duration
Mana Regen
Belt of Bloodlust
Max Health
Debuff Duration
Skill Damage Resistance
While runes can be applied to different types of gear, you should make sure that you invest into the gear pieces that you plan on using for a long time. However, if the build you are using uses the same items between Mid Game and End Game, you can invest into adding runes to them as early as you get the items.
This is the current endgame gear you should aim for, and while it isn't easy to acquire, it offers great power without the need of acquiring archboss gear pieces. However, items like 
Tevent's Fangs of Fury or other archboss weapons are superior but difficult to acquire for the majority of players. If you do manage to get the archboss weapons for your build, feel free to use them over the weapons shown here.
Darkslayer Daggers
Heavy Attack Chance
Critical Hit Chance
Hit Chance
Primary
Shaikal's Mindveil Harpoon
Heavy Attack Chance
Critical Hit Chance
Hit Chance
Shadow Harvester Mask
Magic Evasion
Ranged Evasion
Cooldown Speed
Ancient Tapestry Mantle
Max Health
Debuff Duration
Skill Damage Resistance
Swirling Essence Robe
Buff Duration
Magic Evasion
Magic Endurance
Gauntlets of the Field General
Ranged Evasion
Melee Evasion
Added Attack Speed
Shadow Harvester Trousers
Magic Evasion
Ranged Evasion
Magic Endurance
Sabatons of the Field General
Movement Speed
Melee Evasion
Ranged Evasion
Clasp of the Conqueror
Skill Damage Boost
Max Health
Buff Duration
Bracers of the Primal King
Max Health
Skill Damage Resistance
Debuff Duration
Amber Dimensional Band
Skill Damage Boost
Max Health
Buff Duration
Band of Universal Power
Skill Damage Boost
Buff Duration
Mana Regen
Belt of Bloodlust
Max Health
Debuff Duration
Skill Damage Resistance
Crimson Hellskewer
Heavy Attack Chance
Critical Hit Chance
Hit Chance
Primary
Bercant's Whispering Daggers
Heavy Attack Chance
Critical Hit Chance
Hit Chance
Oblivion's Wrath Barbute
Max Health
Melee Evasion
Ranged Evasion
Howling Wind Shroud
Max Health
Debuff Duration
Skill Damage Resistance
Paramount Full Plate of the Resistance
Max Health
Melee Evasion
Ranged Evasion
Royal Praetor's Gauntlets
Melee Evasion
Ranged Evasion
Added Attack Speed
Oblivion's Wrath Leggings
Melee Evasion
Ranged Evasion
Max Health
Imperial Seeker's Boots
Magic Evasion
Ranged Evasion
Movement Speed
Noble Birthright Brooch
Skill Damage Boost
Max Health
Buff Duration
Infernal Demonpact Cuffs
Max Health
Skill Damage Resistance
Debuff Duration
Solitare of Purity
Skill Damage Boost
Max Health
Buff Duration
Runed Band of the Black Anvil
Skill Damage Boost
Buff Duration
Max Health
Elusive Nymph Coil
Max Health
Debuff Duration
Skill Damage Resistance
Weapon Masteries
Spear
Dagger
You should be aiming to reach and unlock masteries (the corner nodes) as soon as possible as they usually make the largest impact in the build. While minor nodes shouldn't be forgotten, make sure to unlock masteries as fast as possible before spreading out and spending into less important nodes.
Artifacts
Abyssal Beast Talistone I
Damage: 10
Heavy Attack Chance
Critical Hit Chance
Bonus Damage
Abyssal Beast Solarstone
Weaken Chance
Bind Chance
Weaken Chance
CC Chance
Chaos Harbinger Talistone III
Max Health: 1750
Max Stamina
Stamina Regen
Amitoi Healing
Chaos Harbinger Talistone II
Defense: 200
Ranged Evasion
Magic Evasion
Heavy Attack Evasion
Chaos Harbinger Lunarstone
Weaken Resistance
Bind Resistance
Weaken Resistance
CC Resistances
Chaos Harbinger Talistone IV
Max Health: 1750
Heavy Attack Evasion
Heavy Attack Chance
Ranged Evasion
Rotations
- Prepare yourself and your team with
Unyielding Sentinel before using Inject Venom so all your follow-up attacks will also apply poison. Start the rotation with 
Shadow Strike to bind the target then use 
Gale Rush to dash to the target and increase your attack speed while also dealing damage and stunning them.
- Use Abyssal Cleave to Prone the enemy (jump while using the skill to apply Prone instead of Stun) before continuing with Cyclonic Fury to stack debuffs further and increase Culling Arc damage before using Vicious Fury and then Rising Slash along with Brutal Incision.
- This much shorter rotation is intended for finishing off low HP targets. This rotation can be done out of Stealth (
Camouflage Cloak) so enemies don't expect it.
- Start with Inject Venom so your following attacks also apply poison before you use Shadow Strike to bind the target. Use Gale Rush to damage and momentarily stun the target so you can followup with a longer Prone using Abyssal Cleave (Jump at the same time you use the skill so it applies Prone).
- Use Cyclonic Fury followed by Culling Arc before blowing up the target with Rising Slash.
- If the target is still alive, use Cleaving Moonlight & Brutal Incision to finish them off.
Other Shadowdancer Builds
PvPEasyMeleeDPS
PvEModerateMeleeDPS
