GvG: Ganking Assassins Team Build, Axes, Splits, Knockdowns, Hexes--oh my!!!

Here's a build I saw on GWTV, run by dT. It looked like a fun build, and allowed for some practice with shutdowns.

I didn't see every skill used. Attributes are still up in the air, but I've put up a draft here. For convenience, here's the build.

Ganking Assassins

1. Battle Rage Axe Warrior
Warrior/Monk
str=11 + 1
axe=12 + 1 + 1
healing=6

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Battle Rage
Executioner's Strike
Dismember
Agonizing Chop
Disrupting Chop
Tiger Stance
Bull's Strike
Resurrection Chant

Equipment: Health Armor + Sup Vigor + Sup Absorption. Use Stonefist to increase knockdown
Vampiric Axe with a Zealous or Sundering for switch.

Use:
Use stances to build up adrenaline for conditions and knockdown. Note that there are two disrupting skills here, with a potential 3rd: Agonizing Chop and Distracting Chop for disruption, and Bull's Strike for knock down. Charge up with Tiger Stance. When your adrenaline builds, use Battle Rage to move faster and gain adrenaline for your combination of dismember, Agonizing Chop, Disrupting Chop. Run after kiting targets with Bull's Strike. You have a hard res, but use it primarily on monks, who may not last the two minutes for Death Pact's Signet.

2. Signet of Illusions Mesmer
Mesmer/Necromancer

fast cast =9 + 1
illusion = 12 + 1 + 1
curses = 10

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Signet of Illusions
Auspicious Incantation
Conjure Nightmare
Faintheartedness
Reckless Haste
Price of Failure
Arcane Thievery
Resurrection Signet

Equipment: Full Survivor's. Sup Vigor, Rune of Vitae, Rune of Attunement. Use a 20/20 recharge set, but since you'll also be a prime target, have PvP Spears of Fortitude + elemental shields of different fortitudes and armor.

Use:
This build is an anti-melee build. Use Faintheartedness to make the other side waste its hex removal, then put down Reckless Haste and Price of Failure. Cast Signet of Illusion, then Auspicious Incantation, followed by Conjure Nightmare. Be annoying by stealing skills via Arcane Thievery. This character will nearly always be off-target on the opposing team's meleers, especially if they're harrassing your own backline. Arcane Thievery can be used when your team is trying to take down a caster. Go to a healer to shut down/steal a skill.

3. Migraine Mesmer
Mesmer/Ritualist

fast casting = 8 + 1
inspiration = 10 + 1
illusion = 12 + 1 + 1

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Migraine
Spirit Shackles
Auspicious Incantation
Conjure Nightmare
Conjure Phantasm
Power Return
Drain Enchantment
Death Pact Signet

Equipment: Full Survivor's. Standard caster weapons (20/20, energy swap, elemental shields)

Use:
This build is an anti-caster/e-denial build. It is most effective against offensive casters. Begin by casting Migraine followed by Spirit Shackles. If you're targeting a monk, then use Migraine, Auspicious Incantation, Conjure Nightmare. Spirit Shackles or Conjure Phantasm work as cover hexes in this scenario. Use Power Return and Drain Enchantment to interrupt key skills. Death Pact Signet is the hard res. This should be used on the monks.


4. SoR Flagger
Elementalist/Monk

energy storage=10 + 1
water =11 + 1 + 1
prot =10
air = 5 + 1

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Shield of Regeneration
Freezing Gust
Armor of Mist
Blurred Vision
Gale
Glyph of Lesser Energy
Aegis
Mending Touch

Equipment: Sup Vigor, Vitae, survivor's armor. Standard caster weapons, including weapons of fortitude and different elemental shields.

Use:
Use Armor of Mist for speed. Use Blurred Vision + Freezing Gust to damage and slow enemy flaggers or flagstand defense. Gale can be also used as a snare. GoLE supplies energy management, and Mending Touch is a self-heal. Use Aegis if and when necessary. Please note that SoR and Aegis can help take the pressure off the monk backline if needed. If the team needs support, then use Blurred Vision and Freezing Gust to help defend the monks.

5. Shield of Deflection Prot Monk
Monk/Elementalist

divine favor = 10 + 1
prot =10 + 1 + 1
healing =10 + 1

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Shield of Deflection
Reversal of Fortune
Signet of Devotion
Deny Hexes
Dismiss Condition
Gift of Health
Spirit Bond
Glyph of Lesser Energy

Equipment: Full Survivor's. Standard casting gear, including energy swaps and shields of fortitude/elemental shields.

6. LoD Infuser
Monk/Assassin

divine favor = 10 + 1
heal= 10 + 1 + 1
prot = 9 + 1
shadow arts = 6

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Light of Deliverance
Dwayna's Kiss
Infuse Health
Signet of Rejuvenation
Orison of Healing
Holy Veil
Dismiss Condition
Dark Escape

Equipment: Full survivor's and standard caster equipment.

Use:
Use LoD for party heal, infuse to prevent spikes. Orison and Signet of Rejuvenation provide self-heals. Dark Escape helps kiting.

7. and 8. Assassin Gank Squad
Assassin/Warrior (could be Assassin/X)

12 + 1 + 3 Deadly Arts
9 + 1 Dagger Mastery
9 + 1 Critical Strikes

Deadly Paradox
Shadow Prison
Black Spider Strike
Twisting Fangs
Signet of Deadly Corruption
Signet of Toxic Shock
Recall
Res sig

Equipment: Armor with Radiant insignias. Daggers should be Vampiric, Zealous, and Ebon, with Too Much Information and/or Strength and Honor.

Use:
The two assassins are meant to act as NPC gankers. The use of Shadow Prison can bypass the need for a thief on thief maps. The combination must always be Shadow Prison + Black Spider Strike. Activate Deadly Paradox right after the last combo when regening energy, or in the middle of the combo during the signets. It's there just to give the signets a speed boost

Assassins can opt to tether Recall to each other or to some other member of the team. Try to allow for quick escapes. These assassins are meant to gank NPCs, not fend off the entire opposing team. They are for hit-and-run tactics. The goal is to kill quickly. If the opposing team sends a monk back, focus on the monk--unless the monk has reinforcements. If that's the case, let the main team know that the opponents have significantly split their forces.

Split
The build splits naturally into a 5 person offensive team, a flagger, and 2 gankers. The gankers should be anywhere the main opposing team is not. The gankers should never decide to engage the enemy in a battle where they're outnumbered. Rather, the assassins should use their speed and their Recall mark to enable them to shadow step well out of harm's way. Assassins, in conjunction with the flagger, may also be involved in countering the gankers of the other team. The flagger doubles as base defense, though the flagger's primary responsibility is to run flag.

--ceolstan

Edit: Incorporated Mister_abc's Assassin build. http://www.theamazonbasin.com/gw/forums/index.php?showtopic=8770