Antiquary - Hybrid Axetiquary

This is a test build. You may comment and rate it.

Focused on: Mobility, Hybrid damage and Utility

Designed for: PvP Conquest

Expansions required:

Difficulty:

Hard

This build was last updated on April 16, 2026.

Overview

An Antiquary build that takes full advantage of Exposed Weakness and Possessive Hoarder to deal high hybrid damage with artifacts. Doesn't have the same access to stealth as most other Thief builds but has a lot of evasion to compensate. Performs best in skirmishes, but is a capable duelist as well. As with all artifact-centric builds, there is some RNG from Skritt Swipe that must be quickly adapted to during gameplay, and this adaptation is where most of the build's difficulty comes from.

Skill Bar

Axe/Dagger

Shortbow

Utility

Skill Variants

Elite

• None: the evasion from Dagger Storm is too important in the current meta.

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Specializations

Variants

• None

Equipment

Axe

Dagger

Sigil

Sigil

Shortbow

Sigil

Sigil

Rune

Amulet

Relic

Equipment Variants

Relics

• Relic of Evasion - a welcome source of Vigor for better survivability

Sigils

• Sigil of Escape over Sigil of Cleansing (on Shortbow) - good for breaking roots in a pinch

Usage

Basics

• Use axe skills 1 and 2 (Spinning Axe and Venomous Volley) to throw axes. When you have 5 or 6 axes, recall them with your third skill, Harrowing Storm for the full axe damage again plus additional Torment. Your stealth skill Cunning Salvo also leaves behind an axe and can be recalled.

• Harrowing Storm has a 1/2 second evade and will shadowstep you to your target. From there you can either utilize your Artifacts or use Cloak and Dagger to stealth and reposition. This is the core gameplay loop for the build.

• If you plan on using Cloak and Dagger, you'll need to avoid using artifacts that have multiple hits (which can be quite a few of them, unfortunately)

• Use Cunning Salvo on targets surrounded by other targets if possible to generate lots of might with 24px Even the Odds.

Elite specialization basics

• Antiquarians gain access to Skritt Swipe which functions as their Steal, benefiting from all traits that would affect it. Using it (with or without a target) will give you a set of artifacts. Your F2 will always be an offensive artifact, F3 is always a defensive artifact.

• Using an artifact restores 1 initiative.

• All artifacts have an immediate effect and a lingering bonus effect. The lingering effects are applied when the skill finishes casting. They don't need to hit anything for you to get the lingering effects.

• The TL;DR on what's good is as follows:

• Good for offense: Summon Kryptis Turret (highest damage of all artifacts), Metal Legion Guitar (gives a free Cunning Salvo if you finish the channel), Forged Surfer Dash (good damage if you get the bombs to hit), Mistburn Mortar (root targets with Harrowing Storm or stand in it to zone opponents out).

• Good for both: Chak Shield (eats projectiles and ticks for good dmg), Exalted Hammer (hammer has very high power damage scaling and can deal 4-5k with proper setup!), Holo-Dancer Decoy (stand near it for might; excellent synergy with Harrowing Storm)

• Good for defense (try to avoid using offensively): Zephyrite Sun Crystal (lots of evasion frames, multiple cleanses).

General

• Use Skritt Swipe without a target during downtime to fish for good sets of artifacts, or during combat on a target to interrupt a key ability.

• Pay attention to any projectile hate that would eat your axes - if possible, use non-projectile artifacts during that time instead, or drop your target and throw your axes at nothing so you can recall them later.

Defense

• Remain at range while throwing axes, only entering melee with Harrowing Storm when a safe opportunity presents itself. Cover yourself with defensive artifacts as needed. Cloak and Dagger to enter Stealth is good if you can land it.

• Harrowing Storm gives a small window of evasion on use. If possible, use the skill to both recall your axes and dodge a powerful attack.

• Key defensive artifacts are Exalted Hammer (evasion, small heal), Zephyrite Sun Crystal (evasion & cleanse, use to retreat!), and Chak Shield (projectile hate, multiple hits that break Aegis & Blind).

• Any artifact categorized as "defensive" will give Protection and Regeneration when used thanks to Possessive Hoarder.

Advanced

• todo