Daredevil - SA Axedevil

The community gave this build a rating, making it top-tier: Great

Focused on: Strike damage

Designed for: PvP Conquest

Difficulty:

Normal

This build was last updated on October 21, 2024 and is up to date for the October 8, 2024 patch.

Overview

A high damage PvP Daredevil build using Thief's Axe.

Skill Bar

Axe/Pistol

Sword/Dagger

Utility

Skill Variants

Utility

• Bandit's Defense over Signet of Agility - low CD defensive skill with blocking and a stunbreak vs a condi management tool with endurance refill that could also aid with Stealth stacking and has a decent offensive passive.

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Equipment

Axe

Pistol

Sigil

Sigil

Sword

Dagger

Sigil

Sigil

Rune

Amulet

Relic

Equipment Variants

Amulets

• - this hybrid approach overall has slightly better damage but weaker bursts. Take Rune of Necromancer to compensate for the low HP. Replace Sigil of Exploitation with Sigil of Courage and take Relic of the Wayfinder.

Relics

• Relic of the Wayfinder - passive mobility at the expense of damage.

• Relic of the Demon Queen - while there aren't many tools in the build that proc this, the healing reduction is still useful.

• Relic of the Fractal - makes your condi bursts stronger and adds more cover conditions to the build.

• Relic of Peitha - better condi variety and a strong damage boost you can easily proc with Steal or Infiltrator's Strike.

Usage

General

• Axe/Pistol is your main set, most of the time you'll be camping this.

• Sword/Dagger is more of a defensive/backup set. It has decent damage and even survival tools of its own, plus it provides an alternative when facing builds with projectile-denial against which Axe simply doesn't work.

Steal

• Steal is the most powerful tool in a thief's kit and should not be wasted! Do not start fights with steal, keep it for the right moment (mainly to interupt important skills such as heals or elites).

• Stealing grants initiative, boons, dazes enemies and refills a portion of your endurance among other things. Its most important function however is the instant boonstrip that prioritizes Stability which goes off before the Daze does, resulting in an instant interrupt.

Axe/Pistol

Main set

• Axe has its own weapon-specific mechanic. Autoattacks and Venomous Volley leave behind spinning axes on the ground. You can stack these up to 6 and check your active axe count above your utility bar.

• Spamming the auto Spinning Axe is going to leave behind axes even if they hit nothing. This allows you to stack axes for free while your target is in stealth or out of range.

• Venomous Volley is a cone-shaped attack and therefore needs to be used in melee range for maximum effectiveness. Stealing at the end of the animation can help with that.

• Orchestrated Assault is your finishing move, pulling all of your axes into your target. Try to use it with 5-6 axes whenever possible.
  • This skill also evades attacks when used, allowing you to use Initiative defensively in desperate situations.

• Headshot is a quick interrupt. It's a very situational skill with no real pressure of its own.

• Black Powder plays a very important role as a Stealth tool when combined with a dodge.

Rotation

1. Black Powder
2. Venomous Volley
3. Dodge inside Black Powder to combo Stealth
4. Cunning Salvo
5. Optional: do an auto attack or two to up your Axe count
6. Orchestrated Assault
7. Repeat

Note: if you can get this rotation going, it's going to take care of everything from damage to survival. Not only is this a burst rotation, it's also made to minimize contact with the enemy via Blind and Stealth while restoring initiative at multiple points. It even cleanses conditions.

Utilities

• Shadowstep is easily the most versatile and one of the strongest skills in the build. It has 2 parts:
  • The first half is a stun break and teleport, which already has countless uses. A few applications include teleporting to safety while pressured or extending your reach in combat.
  • The second half is called Shadow Return. This skill becomes available for 10 seconds after using Shadowstep, and cures 3 conditions in addition to breaking stun again before returning you to your starting location.
  • These can also be combined to safe stomp targets: begin stomping, Shadowstep away to safety, and then follow up with Shadow Return at the end of the animation in order to finish the target.

• Blinding Powder is fairly simple. This is your second stun breaker, and another source of stealth. As a Blast finisher you can combo it with Black Powder for AoE stealth. Just like Signet of Agility, this is a skill you can use to your allies' benefit by sharing its effect with them.

• Dagger Storm is both a defensive and offensive elite. The rather lengthy evade frame with increased movement speed makes it an excellent panic button when you're being focused by the enemy team. On the other hand the skill deals heavy AoE damage whilst evading, which makes it great for pressuring melee targets in general with next to no risk.
  • Note: skills like Shocking Aura or Line of Warding are able to interrupt Dagger Storm, so don't be completely careless.

Related Builds

• Daredevil - Celestial A/P Roamer - WvW version of the build.