Martial Arts Assassin Build

[bigalw1414]

I am wondering about the viability of a PVM Martial Arts Assassin. Here is what I am thinking of.

Skills (skill level after + to skills)

Martial Arts
Tiger Strike - 1 (16)
Fists of Fire - 1 (16)
Cobrastrike - 1 (16)
Claws of Thunder - 20 (35)
Blades of Ice - 1 (16)
Phoenix Strike - 20 (35)

Shadow Disciplines
Claw Mastery - 1 (16)
Psychic Hammer - 1 (16)
Burst of Speed - 1 (16)
Weapon Block - 1 (16)
Cloak of Shadows - 1 (16)
Fade - 1 (16)
Shadow Warrior - 1 (16)
Mind Blast - 1 (16)
Venom - 20 (35)
Shadow Master - 1 (16)

Traps
Fire Blast - 1 (14)
Shock Web - 1 (14)
Charged Bolt Sentry 1 (14)
Lightning Sentry - 1 (14)
Death Sentry - 1 (14)

With this configuration, the build is finished at level 66, with 32 skill points remaining at level 99. I'm not sure where I would want to place the remaining points, and I would like some input on that. The 1 point in Death Sentry is to help with crowd control. I am thinking I could max Shadow Master, Claw Mastery, Fists of Fire, or Blades of Ice and finish around level 85.

Shadow Master - Maxing this turns it into an impressive tank at skill level 35. It also helps out with Mind Blast, Death Sentry, etc..

Claw Mastery - Adds more physical damage for life leach, but makes us more vulnerable to Iron Maiden.

Fists of Fire/Blades of Ice - Adds a third element to our attacks.

Stats
Strength - Enough for gear. This should be base considering the + to strength from dual Bartuc's, Thundergod's Vigor, Annihilus, Hellfire Torch, Mara's and Enigma.


Gear
Helm - Griffin's Eye
For + to lightning skill damage and - to enemy lightning resistance. This should combine with the merc's Infinity Polearm and conviction aura to break lightning immunities.

Claw 1 - Bartuc's Cutthroat
Claw 2 - Bartuc's Cutthroat
For + to skills, strength, dexterity, and other great mods.

Body Armor - Enigma
For + to skills, strength boost, and Teleport.

Belt - Thundergod's Vigor
For + to strength and lightning absorb.

Gloves - Trang-Oul's Claws
For + to poison skill damage (Venom).

Boots - Shadow Dancers
For + to Shadow Skills.

Amulet - Mara's Kaleidoscope
For + to skills and resists. I could go with Metalgrid here as well.

Rings - 2x Bul-Kathos Wedding Ring
For the + to skills, life, and life leach.

Inventory - Torch and Annihilus
Duh!

Switch - Call to Arms and Spirit Monarch
For BO.

OR

Switch - 2x +3 to Shadow Master Claws.

Sockets - A Cham for Cannot be Frozen, Lightning Facets (Poison Facets after max - to enemy resist has been reached), Ber for crushing blow and damage reduction, 40ED/15IAS Jewels, 100AR/15IAS Jewels, Shaels for IAS.

Charms - Life, Assassin Skill Charms with life, Attack Rating, Lightning and Poison Damage Charms.


Merc - Act 2
Infinity
Combines with Griffin's Eye to deal massive amounts of lightning damage.

Andariel's Visage/Dream?
Leach and damage reduction or Holy Shock aura?

Chains of Honor
For + to skills, life leach, and massive resists among other awesome mods.


My goal is to have a high amount of lightning damage from Claws of Thunder and Phoenix Strike and a high amount of poison damage from Venom. The Venom damage is increased by Trang-Oul's Claws, and the lightning damage is increased by my mercenary's Infinity Polearm. All of the elemental damage is increased by Infinity's Conviction Aura. If my mods are sufficient, I can socket facets in my gear to increase damage. This build gives me +13 to all skills, +2 to Shadow Skills, and +2 to Martial Arts skills.

What do you think?

[dainbramage]

random notes...

that's a massive budget to be spending on a pvm toon.
+% elemental damage and -res (i.e. griffons) doesn't work for pstrike and cot charges 2 and 3 (nor for fof charges 2 and 3), because they count as minions for some reason
similarly, the -light res on infinity only works for your merc.. the conviction still works, of course.
There's very little point in getting your shadow master over level 17, so just put in 2 points.
What finisher are you using? Dragon tail works very well with cot and pstrike 2, because the knockback will usually cause whoever you're kicking to get hit twice. With fof or pstrike 1, you'll probably want to use standard attack (quickest, and knockback isn't desired).
You want crushing blow. Your current build will take out mobs effectively, but not bosses. Switch in a g-face and gores - griffons is mostly redundant (offers only +1 all skills) and dancers aren't worth it for the +2 shadow alone.

[vtc17]

if you are using venom it lasts for .4 sec. so the poison that you get from trangs gloves will be cut short. Dragos might be better and than use raven frost and a stone of jorden for your rings.

[Rotta]

if you are using venom it lasts for .4 sec. so the poison that you get from trangs gloves will be cut short.

It's a 25% increase to the damage dealt in 0.4 seconds (1k poison in 0.4 -> 1250 psn in 0.4 seconds) so the damage increase will be huge.
Instead of (x psn dmg over x seconds) Trang gloves provide 25% increase in poison damage. :P

[vtc17]

Opps my mistake.

[Wyyrlok]

I had a thought about a build for an MA assasin would this be better

Martial Arts
Tiger Strike - 1
Dragon talon - 1
Dragon claw - 1
Cobrastrike - 1
dragon tail - 1
Fists of Fire - 20
Claws of Thunder - 20
Blades of Ice - 20
Phoenix Strike - 20
dragon flight - 20

Shadow Disciplines
Claw Mastery - 4

Will work out the right gear later just want to know if there is anything wrong with this build.

[Birdistuta]

sound good

[aes sedia5]

you should get mastery to at least10