A Guide to Combat in Guild Wars

Attribute Effects

Following is a chart that gives you the effects of your attributes on your weapon damage:

Effect of Attributes on Weapon Damage

Attribute Level	Weapon Damage %
0	35.6%
1	38.6%
2	42.0%
3	45.9%
4	50.0%
5	54.5%
6	59.5%
7	64.8%
8	70.7%
9	77.1%
10	84.1%
11	91.7%
12	100%
13	104%
14	107%
15	111%
16	115%

As you can see, the damage for attribute level rises predictably till you hit level 12 (100%), and then the gains drop off dramatically. Going past 12 is really not very efficient unless you are going for maxed SKILL damage.

Item Requirements

Item requirements are there to prevent players from getting the full benefit of the item without investing a minimum amount into the assigned attribute type. If you do not meed the requirement of an item, then it's basic effectiveness is halved (rounded down) from the listed effect... A 16 armor shield, if it's requirement is not met, will give you only the benefit of an 8 defense shield, plus any bonus modifiers it may have on it. A max damage scythe, if it's requirement is not met, will only do 4 - 20 damage when used, plus any bonus modifiers it may have on it. The item requirement has no other effect concerning the damage of the weapon.

Assassin Combination Skills

Assassins attack style is somewhat different from all other classes, in that their attacks must follow a specific type of order to inflict their maximum potential damage. There are certain attacks that can skip to another part of the attack order, which always depend upon a condition to be met beforehand, such as the target being knocked down, or hexed/cursed. Normally, however, you will need a Lead Attack in order to start the attack string.

• First, you start with the lead attack. This leaves a / (slash) mark on the hp bar of the enemy you are attacking (only for the assassin that attacked it, nobody else can see these marks.) Striking a target with another lead attack will always start your attack string over again. Not striking a target with the next part of an attack sequence for 15 seconds will cause the mark to disappear.

• Following the lead attack will be your off-hand attack, which must strike a foe with the / (slash) mark on it, and then leaves a X (crossed slash or x) mark on the target.

• Following the off-hand attack will be a dual attack, which must strike a fow with the X (crossed slash) mark on it. This skill always strikes twice. This skill leaves a * (triple slash) mark on the target.

• Following a dual attack can be an elite off-hand attack, which must strike a foe with the * (triple slash) mark on it. This skill leaves a X (crossed slash) mark on the target. This would allow you to immediately follow with another dual attack, if you are so inclined.

Double Strike

Assassins have the ability to Double Strike their enemies during melee combat. This only occurs during a standard attack, and at a rate of 2% chance per attribute level in Dagger Mastery (0% - 32%). Assassin Dual Attacks are always double strike, but the chance of a double strike during the use of an attack skill is otherwise zero.

Critical Strike

A critical strike can be achieved directly through use of a skill, or through natural or boosted means. When a critical strike is called for, the damage of your weapon is multiplied by the square root of 2 (approx 1.41), for a +41% damage boost, which is applied to the maximum possible damage your weapon can inflict. This is in addition to all other damage modifiers you have for that weapon, including customization, weapon suffix damage modifier (per damage vs special class), and weapon automod.

Specifically for Assassins, the critical strikes primary attribute line increases their chance of a critical strike by 2% per attribute level, and also gains them 1 - 3 energy per critical strike, when achieved. Assassins also have certain stances or enchantments that increase their chance to perform a critical strike.

Customization

Customizing weapons costs you only 10 gold per weapon, cannot be removed or undone, and renders the trade value of a unique (green) weapon to NOTHING.

Customizing a weapon gives you a bonus 20% damage modifier on it, but also makes it so that it is practically useless to any other player, including other characters you own. The only use another player or character would have for a customized weapon would be to salvage it for the modifiers (and hope they get them). However, having additional customized weapons laying about is not all that bad a thing, as the Heros from the Nightfall campaign are able to use any weapon that the character they are following has had customized. So, if you have spare fire elemental equip laying around that you have had customized on your elementalist, then when you pick up Sausuke and Red Hoof, you can immediately equip them with your spare fire elemental equipment along with a copy of your fire elemental skillbar, since Heros can use any skill you have unlocked on your entire account.

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