Build:Deadeye - Power DPS D/D (2024)

This build was last updated on December 15, 2023 and is up to date for the March 19, 2024 patch.

Overview

A power DPS build for Deadeye in raids.

Deadeye's weakness is that it is lacks cleave damage or any utility other than Basilisk Venom. It is also heavily reliant on allies providing boons and conditions for Premeditation and Exposed Weakness respectively. This means it works best when surrounded by other DPS classes that can cover its shortcomings.

For variants using other weapons see Deadeye - Power DPS Rifle and Deadeye - Power DPS P/P.

Skill Bar

Weapon Variants

• Your DPS rotation only involves Dagger/Dagger so your 2nd weapon set can be based on personal preference - Shortbow for mobility from Infiltrator's Arrow or an offhand Pistol for additional emergency CC from Headshot are both common options. Rifle is also a useful option to maintain damage should you be unable to melee the boss.

Skill Variants

Utility

The empty utility slot can be changed depending on preference:

• Signet of Agility allows you to run full Berserker stats and Mighty Infusions.
• Prepare Pitfall, Binding Shadow and Shadow Gust can all be taken as a strong CC option
  • Prepare Pitfall does good damage if you are able to "precast" it during downtime in fights, but takes a short time for the trap to arm.
  • Binding Shadow has 1200 range and also removes 2 boons, but only affects your marked target.
  • Shadow Gust is lower CC and has short range, but will also stealth you if used at the right point in your rotation.
• Mercy should be used if running Be Quick or Be Killed, and could be used as a reset button in case you completely bungle the rotation and end up without initiative. It could also be used on fights where you need to mark targets more frequently than you normally could.

Elite

• Thieves Guild if you don't need CC from Basilisk Venom.
• Shadow Meld is recommended if you have doubts about yourself, your lag, or your Quickness provider.

Template Code

Specializations

Trait Variants

• Invigorating Precision if you're having trouble surviving. This is a ~10% DPS loss.
• Be Quick or Be Killed is a fairly big DPS loss, but makes the rotation much more reliable and so may be better in actual encounters.

Equipment

• If you do not have stat infusions, switch the headpiece to Assassin stats.
• You want to aim for ~2008 precision.
• If using Be Quick or Be Killed, the extra precision allows you to run full Berserker stats with Mighty Infusions.

Consumables

Food

• or ascended versions

Utility

• /

Usage

Rotation

Opener

1. Deadeye's Mark
2. Dancing Dagger x2
3. Shadow Flare ⇒ Shadow Swap
4. Assassin's Signet during the cast of Shadow Flare
5. Cloak and Dagger
6. Malicious Backstab
7. Dancing Dagger x3
8. Double Strike ⇒ Wild Strike ⇒ Lotus Strike
9. Stolen skill
10. Malicious Backstab

Loop

After the opener, the basic loop is:

1. Dancing Dagger x2
2. Double Strike ⇒ Wild Strike ⇒ Lotus Strike
3. Deadeye's Mark or Shadow Flare ⇒ Shadow Swap (if available), otherwise use Double Strike
4. Cloak and Dagger
5. Assassin's Signet (if available)
6. Malicious Backstab

Assassin's Signet burst

After using Assassin's Signet, your next loop is slightly different (as seen in the opener):

1. Dancing Dagger x3
2. Double Strike ⇒ Wild Strike ⇒ Lotus Strike
3. Stolen skill
4. Malicious Backstab

This deals more damage than your regular loop, but requires a stolen skill. Thus you only do this burst while under the effects of Assassin's Signet.

Below 50% Rotation

On targets below 50% health Heartseeker is a better DPS skill than Dancing Dagger, so it replaces it in the loop and as the animation is slightly longer, the extra Double Strike is dropped. If you struggle with the Dancing Dagger part of the rotation you could use this rotation the whole way through.

Loop

1. Heartseeker x2
2. Deadeye's Mark (if available)
3. Double Strike ⇒ Wild Strike ⇒ Lotus Strike
4. Shadow Flare ⇒ Shadow Swap (if available)
5. Cloak and Dagger
6. Assassin's Signet (if available)
7. Malicious Backstab

Assassin's Signet burst

After using Assassin's Signet, your next loop is slightly different:

1. Heartseeker x3
2. Double Strike ⇒ Wild Strike ⇒ Lotus Strike
3. Stolen skill
4. Malicious Backstab

Video example

Be Quick or Be Killed Rotation

Maleficent Seven needs you to consistently crit in order to trigger. This can be thwarted by Blind, Weakness, or falling below 90% health (via Keen Observer). As these may not be entirely within your control, Be Quick or Be Killed offers a much safer rotation:

Opener

1. Deadeye's Mark
2. Assassin's Signet
3. Shadow Flare ⇒ Shadow Swap
4. Cloak and Dagger
5. Malicious Backstab
6. Double Strike ⇒ Wild Strike ⇒ Lotus Strike x2
7. Double Strike
8. Cloak and Dagger
9. Malicious Backstab

Loop

The basic loop is to do two auto chains and a single Double Strike in between each Cloak and Dagger ⇒ Malicious Backstab. When Deadeye's Mark is available, you can replace Double Strike with it.

1. Double Strike ⇒ Wild Strike ⇒ Lotus Strike x2
2. Double Strike, or Deadeye's Mark (if available)
3. Cloak and Dagger
4. Malicious Backstab

Assassin's Signet burst

When Assassin's Signet comes off cooldown, do the following loop instead (similar to the opener):

1. Shadow Flare ⇒ Shadow Swap
2. Assassin's Signet during the cast of Shadow Flare
3. Dancing Dagger (above 50%) or Heartseeker (below 50%) - this generates the one extra initiative required for your stolen skill to grant Stealth
4. Stolen Skill
5. Malicious Backstab

Video example

General Tips

• Use Mercy during the rotation to prevent yourself losing the buff from Relic of the Deadeye. Your rotation is otherwise unaffected.
• It doesn't matter if you use Dancing Dagger/Heartseeker before or after the auto chain in each loop, so go with whatever feels most comfortable.
• Deadeye's Mark, Shadow Flare and Assassin's Signet all have different cooldowns, so each loop may be slightly different depending on which are available.
• Deadeye's Mark has a slightly longer cooldown than Assassin's Signet so eventually you will have no stolen skill available for the burst. In this case, just do the normal loop.
• Shadow Flare has a long cast time and it will be interrupted by Cloak and Dagger if you use it too early, so make sure to finish the cast.
• Below 50%, if the boss is about to phase, you can use up any excess initiative by spamming Heartseeker - Just make sure to leave yourself enough initiative for Cloak and Dagger if you will also have time for another Malicious Backstab! Above 50%, Heartseeker is lower DPS than the auto chain.
• This rotation is susceptible to lag. If this is likely to be a problem, bring Shadow Meld as your elite, and quickly use it to re-enter stealth in the event that you are revealed before before you can use Malicious Backstab.
• Activating Assassin's Signet is a minor DPS increase, so if you are struggling with the burst you can leave it passive.

Break bars

• Basilisk Venom should be cast while you are standing in melee range of 5 allied units (mesmer illusions, ranger pets and necromancer minions all count towards this).

Encounter Specific Tips

Spirit Vale

Ghost events

Gorseval the Multifarious

Salvation Pass

Slothasor

Matthias Gabrel

Stronghold of the Faithful

Keep Construct

Twisted Castle

Bastion of the Penitent

Cairn the Indomitable

Mursaat Overseer

Samarog

Deimos

Hall of Chains

Dhuum

Mythwright Gambit

Conjured Amalgamate

Twin Largos

The Key of Ahdashim

Cardinal Adina

Qadim the Peerless