Diablo II: Lord of Destruction/Martial Arts

Assassin Skills
A new assassin is quite capable of advancing through the first two acts without spending many skill points at all, enabling her to have a nice supply when she begins encountering serious resistance. Therefore, you should consider saving spell points up until your character begins to face opponents that require more determination. For some players, this may occur quite early in the game, but for most, it will not happen until Acts III or IV.

This will give you a chance to accustom yourself to the assassin's special abilities, and you will know better what kind of assassin you would like to concoct. In general, don't spend skill points (unless you are dying to have a particular skill) until the monsters you are facing begin to pose significant problems to your character.

Below are several distributions of skill points for a variety of assassin characters, each of which has specialized in a different type of play and has completed the game. We assume that such a character is at level 35, and therefore has 39 spell points (one per level and four from quests) available. Note that some items increase skill levels, but such items are not assumed.

Remember that these examples are just that--examples! These are certainly not the only way you could choose to apply skill points, and they aren't necessarily the best way. Apply skill points to cater to your particular style of play. Use these examples as guidelines for specializing your character class in a particular skill.

Martial Arts Specialist
Here is an example of how an assassin learned in the martial arts may have spent her skill points:

Martial Arts

Tiger Strike -- 1 skill point Cobra Strike -- 3 skill points Phoenix Strike -- 5 skill points Dragon Talon -- 1 skill point Dragon Claws -- 1 skill point Dragon Tail -- 1 skill point Dragon Flight -- 8 skill points Fists of Fire -- 1 skill point Claws of Thunder -- 1 skill point Blades of Ice -- 4 skill points

Shadow Disciplines

Claw Mastery -- 6 skill points Burst of Speed -- 1 skill point Weapon Block -- 1 skill point Shadow Warrior -- 1 skill point

Traps

None

To accomplish this distribution, you must have at times saved skill points to spend on higher-level skills. Furthermore, because of the restriction on how quickly level-30 skills can be upgraded, this player will have four skill points available at this point. This assassin will use phoenix strike (left mouse button) and dragon flight (right mouse button) for the most part, although she will switch to cobra strike from time to time for its life- and mana-leeching benefits.

Note that an assassin who prefers to use dual claw-class weapons would likely put skill points into dragon claws and weapon block rather than dragon flight. This layout also allows for the assassin to summon a shadow warrior, who can help distract difficult enemies, and cast burst of speed, which increases the rate of attack.

In the early game, this assassin would rely on the basic combos of charge-up and finishing moves; these, even with few invested points, will easily suffice. In midgame, blades of fury and shadow warrior will come in very handy. Finally, the assassin would make the big move to phoenix strike and dragon flight.


 * TIP: In nightmare and hell difficulty levels, enemies have increased resistance to elemental damage, so you may have better luck beefing up tiger strike and/or cobra strike than phoenix strike.

Shadow Discipline Specialist
Here is an example of how an assassin focused on shadow disciplines may elect to distribute skill points:

Martial Arts

Tiger Strike -- 3 skill points Cobra Strike -- 5 skill points Dragon Talon -- 1 skill point Dragon Claw -- 1 skill point Dragon Tail -- 1 skill point<BR> Dragon Flight -- 6 skill points

Shadow Disciplines

Claw Mastery -- 6 skill points<BR> Burst of Speed -- 1 skill point<BR> Fade -- 1 skill point<BR> Venom -- 4 skill points<BR> Weapon Block -- 1 skill point<BR> Shadow Warrior -- 1 skill point<BR> Shadow Master -- 3 skill points<BR> Psychic Hammer -- 1 skill point<BR> Cloak of Shadows -- 1 skill point<BR> Mind Blast -- 3 skill points

Traps

None

To accomplish this distribution, you must have at times saved skill points to spend on higher-level skills. One nice feature of shadow disciplines is that relatively low investments of skill points can bring nice returns. Shadow masters, for example, have quite a lengthy life span right off the bat and do not require resummoning often. Mind blast, cast in a crowd, has a hefty chance of converting monsters even at level one. These advantages give a disciple of the shadows the freedom to invest in either martial arts or traps.

The benefit of going the martial arts route is that it lets you get close to enemies, who can then be turned by a mind blast. This assassin will fight throughout the game with her martial arts, summoning shadow warrior or shadow master when she reaches the appropriate level. In the end game, she will use cloak of shadows and venom to attack particularly tough monsters, and she'll use mind blast to convert enemies to her side.

Traps Specialist
Here is a sample distribution for an assassin who has great skill in the traps discipline:

Martial Arts

Tiger Strike -- 1 skill point

Shadow Disciplines

Claw Mastery -- 5 skill points<BR> Burst of Speed -- 1 skill point<BR> Weapon Block -- 1 skill point<BR> Shadow Warrior -- 1 skill point<BR> Shadow Master -- 1 skill point

Traps

Fire Blast -- 1 skill point<BR> Shock Web -- 3 skill points<BR> Charged Bolt Sentry -- 1 skill point<BR> Lightning Sentry -- 1 skill point<BR> Wake of Fire -- 4 skill points<BR> Wake of Inferno -- 5 skill points<BR> Death Sentry -- 4 skill points<BR> Blade Sentinel -- 1 skill point<BR> Blade Fury -- 1 skill point<BR> Blade Shield -- 1 skill point

To accomplish this distribution, you must have at times saved skill points to spend on higher-level skills. Furthermore, because of the restriction on how quickly level-30 skills can be upgraded, this player will have seven skill points available at this point. At this point, the assassin will rely on fire traps to soften up enemy groups, a shadow master to accompany her into the fray, and blade shield to assist in her close-combat attacks. The tiger strike skill point will, when charged up, multiply her basic claw attack.

As the game opens, this assassin will rely on shock web and simple attacking to plunge through the first couple of acts. As the game grows more difficult, she will begin to use shadow warrior along with lightning and fire traps to make her way easier. Finally, this assassin will summon death sentry traps and a shadow master to help her blast apart enemy monster crowds.


 * TIP: Note that if this assassin plays in a party, her death sentry skill may be wasted if she is accompanied by party members who freeze and shatter opponents. Only whole corpses will explode, not shattered ones.

Skills
The assassin's skills are divided into martial arts, shadow disciplines, and traps.

Martial Arts
The martial arts come in two flavors: charge-up skills and finishing moves. They work best when paired, one on each mouse button. Each hit an assassin scores while attacking with a charge-up skill creates an orbiting white globe (up to a total of three). When a charged-up assassin then attacks with a finishing move (or a normal attack), the charge-up and finishing move together release an enhanced amount of damage and some sort of elemental spell. Check each finishing move to see what kinds of damage these combo attacks provide.

The white globes will fade simultaneously after a short while, so use them if at all possible before they do. If you can, charge up your attack on a peripheral creature, and then perform your area-effect finishing move on a creature in a crowd.

If you are battling a single opponent with a charge-up skill that provides both single-opponent and area-effect results, be sure to use mana efficiently by selecting the charge-up that harms only a single opponent. Read the info in the skill tree, or simply watch the effects of your attacks, to determine whether or not a charge-up is affecting more monsters than just your target.

Finishing moves can be used as a normal attack, although this is a poor use of mana.

Tiger Strike
Description: A special attack that adds damage to a finishing move or normal attack Level prerequisite: 1 Skill prerequisite: None Mouse button: Left or right Thoughts: This low-level skill is powerful indeed, even with just one skill point devoted to it. Your damage can be quadrupled right off the bat, with a very low commitment of mana. This skill actually becomes more valuable as you progress through the game's difficulty levels because of its very high damage multiplier and the increased resistances among the monsters to elemental damage.

Dragon Talon
Description: A finishing kick that knocks back enemies Level prerequisite: 1 Skill prerequisite: None Mouse button: Left or right Thoughts: This finishing move is all right for low-level characters, but its damage modifier is weak enough to make more advanced skills far more useful in the long run.

Fists of Fire
Description: A special attack that adds fire damage to a finishing move or normal attack Level prerequisite: 6 Skill prerequisite: None Mouse button: Left or right Thoughts: Charged up to two or three globes, this attack, coupled with a finishing move, does fire damage not only to your target, but to enemies in close proximity to the target as well. Against just one enemy, one charge-up is the most efficient use of mana, because you have no need to cause area damage.

Dragon Claw
Description: A finishing move that requires dual claw-class weapons, which increases the damage of the attack Level prerequisite: 6 Skill prerequisite: Dragon Talon Mouse button: Left or right Thoughts: Players who like using two claw-class weapons should sink some extra skill points into this attack. Others should use it simply as a stepping-stone to more advanced skills.

Cobra Strike
Description: A finishing weapon attack that leeches the victim's life and mana Level prerequisite: 12 Skill prerequisite: Tiger Strike Mouse button: Left or right Thoughts: A great charge-up skill that steals life, or life and mana, from the enemy you attack with a finishing move. Hitting the most powerful monster available with your finishing move will steal the most life and mana.

Claws of Thunder
Description: A special attack (for claw-class weapons) that adds lightning damage to a finishing move or normal attack Level prerequisite: 18 Skill prerequisite: Fists of Fire Mouse button: Left or right Thoughts: While not as effective as cold damage, lightning damage can harm just about any creature in the game, making this a good midlevel charge-up. Be sure to use just one charge-up if you are facing a single opponent, or you will waste the mana that goes into creating the area-effect damage.

Dragon Tail
Description: A finishing kick that knocks enemies back explosively Level prerequisite: 18 Skill prerequisite: Dragon Claw Mouse button: Left or right Thoughts: This move knocks the target backward but does not do area damage unless coupled with a charge-up skill like fists of fire or phoenix strike.

Blades of Ice
Description: A special attack (for claw-class weapons) that adds cold effects to a finishing move or normal attack Level prerequisite: 24 Skill prerequisite: Claws of Thunder Mouse button: Left or right Thoughts: Aside from phoenix strike, this skill is the only charge-up that allows for freezing enemies--and as anyone who has benefited from cold damage knows, freezing enemies is a great way to fight in crowded conditions.

Dragon Flight
Description: A finishing kick that allows for teleportation Level prerequisite: 24 Skill prerequisite: Dragon Tail Mouse button: Left or right Thoughts: This skill is not only useful for attacking but also for fleeing tight situations. Use it on an enemy at the outskirts of a fight to escape the clutches of a monster crowd.

Phoenix Strike
Description: A special attack (which does not require a claw-class weapon) that adds your choice of fire, lightning, or cold damage to a finishing move or normal attack Level prerequisite: 30 Skill prerequisite: Blades of Ice, Cobra Strike Mouse button: Left or right Thoughts: This is the only charge-up that uses three distinct types of elemental damage. As such, you should keep an eye out for creatures that do not seem very affected by certain kinds of damage, and charge your attacks up accordingly.

Shadow Disciplines
It is the shadow disciplines that really give the assassin her own unique character. We associate assassins with stealth, speed, and poison, and it is these disciplines that make her excel at these skills. An assassin who emphasizes the shadow disciplines will not need to put as many stat points into strength and dexterity as a martial artist would, because she may rely on her shadow master and converted mind blast foes to do her dirty work.

Claw Mastery
Description: Improves claw-class fighting skill Level prerequisite: 1 Skill prerequisite: None Mouse button: Passive Thoughts: Katars, hatchet hands, and other claw-class weapons are an assassin's best weapons, making this skill very useful. At least one skill point should go into claw mastery to get an easy one-third boost in both damage and attack ratings.

Psychic Hammer
Description: Knocks enemies back while damaging them Level prerequisite: 1 Skill prerequisite: None Mouse button: Right Thoughts: A ranged attack, psychic hammer can strike any visible enemy, not just those near your character. It is best learned so you can then advance to the more powerful skills, like cloak of shadows and shadow warrior.

Burst of Speed
Description: Increases both moving and attacking speed Level prerequisite: 6 Skill prerequisite: Claw Mastery Mouse button: Right Thoughts: An extremely useful early skill, burst of speed lets you not only attack more quickly but also get from point A to point B with greater haste than any other character class. Note that when burst of speed has been cast, it cancels the effects of both fade and venom.

Weapon Block
Description: Allows an assassin with dual claw-class weapons to block Level prerequisite: 12 Skill prerequisite: Claw Mastery Mouse button: Passive Thoughts: This skill does not provide any bonus to a moving assassin, and its blocking statistics do not easily approach those provided by certain fairly common shields. Further, blocking does damage to claw weapons, which drives up repair costs. It is, however, a requirement for shadow warrior, which is a very useful skill.

Cloak of Shadows
Description: Conceals the assassin for a short time Level prerequisite: 12 Skill prerequisite: Psychic Hammer Mouse button: Right Thoughts: This spell affects enemies within a certain radius of the player (or shadow fighter) who casts it. Any enemy who has not already spotted you (or a member of your party) will act as if you are not present, although if you bump into such an enemy, your presence will be revealed to it. Any enemies that already knew of your presence will come to the spot where they last saw you, making it wise for you to move to one side after you cast this spell. You cannot stack this spell but must wait for the duration before you can recast it.

Fade
Description: Increases all resistances and protects against curses Level prerequisite: 18 Skill prerequisite: Burst of Speed Mouse button: Right Thoughts: Some enemies possess special attacks (fire, poison, and so on), and this spell is best saved for the times when you face such foes. Note that when fade has been cast, it cancels the effects of both burst of speed and venom.

Shadow Warrior
Description: Summons a mimic assassin who uses your two equipped skills Level prerequisite: 18 Skill prerequisite: Weapon Block, Cloak of Shadows Mouse button: Right Thoughts: A shadow warrior lives until her life runs out. The best time to summon a shadow warrior is in town, where you can instantly replenish your mana at no expense. A shadow warrior uses only the two skills that you have equipped, but it is not necessary to summon a new shadow warrior when you wish to switch to new skills, as she will follow your lead and begin using the new abilities. You cannot equip a shadow warrior, and you may only summon one at a time. You cannot directly heal her, although her life will return to full if you contact the appropriate shopkeeper in town who returns the assassin's life to full.

Mind Blast
Description: Stuns and damages nearby enemies, with some chance of temporary conversion Level prerequisite: 24 Skill prerequisite: Cloak of Shadows Mouse button: Right Thoughts: Mind blast affects enemies in a small area in the direction it is aimed. It is not necessary to attack an enemy with mind blast; simply clicking the ground is sufficient. Mind blast can attack any enemy or point that is visible to your character, not just those near you. Because of its chance to convert, this spell is best used against a crowd of enemies; it is possible to convert multiple enemies with one casting. Aim in such a way that the maximum number of enemies are affected by this spell.

Venom
Description: Temporarily adds poison damage to an equipped weapon Level prerequisite: 30 Skill prerequisite: Fade Mouse button: Right Thoughts: Although the duration of this spell is quite long, it is best to cast it just before you intend to use it. Remember that poison damage extends over a period of seconds; it is therefore best to use it once on a monster and then switch to new targets so that the enhanced poison damage will have its full effect on each target. Note that when venom has been cast, it cancels the effects of both burst of speed and fade.

Shadow Master
Description: Summons a mimic assassin who uses all of your learned skills Level prerequisite: 30 Skill prerequisite: Shadow Warrior Mouse button: Right Thoughts: A shadow master behaves like a shadow warrior, although she may use any skill you have learned, not just the two you have equipped. The best time to summon a shadow master is in town, where you can instantly replenish your mana. Only one shadow master may be present at a time; summoning either kind of shadow fighter will banish any existing one. You cannot equip a shadow master, and you cannot directly heal her, although her life will return to full if you contact the appropriate shopkeeper in town who returns the assassin's life to full.

Traps Skills
The assassin who masters traps may focus more of her stat points into energy, because the quantities of monsters she must face hand to hand will be reduced by her devastating traps.

Traps may be set on the far sides of closed doors (select a trap, and click when the cursor is hovering over the door so that "Closed Door" appears). Use this sneaky trick especially when you see the colored glows of special monsters within the next room you'd like to explore.

An assassin may create up to five traps (regardless of type or mix) at one time; if she summons more than five, the oldest among the existing traps will detonate harmlessly. Traps will stay indefinitely, so long as they do not use up their charges and so long as the assassin stays near them to keep them active. If an assassin sets a trap and then moves so that it is offscreen, the trap will soon fade.

Fire Blast
Description: Tosses a small globe of fire that explodes on contact Level prerequisite: 1 Skill prerequisite: None Mouse button: Left or right Thoughts: This low-level spell will likely be a simple stepping-stone to more advanced spells. It does not need to be targeted on an enemy; clicking on any open ground will do.

Shock Web
Description: Creates a web that does area-effect lightning damage Level prerequisite: 6 Skill prerequisite: Fire Blast Mouse button: Left or right Thoughts: This spell does more damage for less mana than the more advanced traps, although it immediately activates, even if no enemies are nearby. Several shock webs can be cast into the same area, multiplying the effect of this nasty spell. This spell may be targeted on the ground as well as on enemies.

Blade Sentinel
Description: Shoots a blade in the direction of the attack that flies to and from the endpoints until a time limit expires Level prerequisite: 6 Skill prerequisite: None Mouse button: Left or right Thoughts: This spell need not be targeted on an enemy, but it must be aimed in the direction you wish the blade to fly. For the duration of the spell, the blade will move between your original firing position and the target point. If you want the blade to make more trips back and forth during its short life, click an enemy or the ground near you. You may have at most two blade sentinels in the air at one time.

Charged Bolt Sentry
Description: A trap that releases lightning damage when an enemy approaches it Level prerequisite: 12 Skill prerequisite: Shock Web Mouse button: Right Thoughts: This trap releases small charges of lightning that spread toward the intended target, hitting anything in their path. Due to the ever-widening spread of the charges, lucky enemies may escape its effect. This trap is especially useful in crowds, where the charges are unlikely to miss, and in the open, where the charges will not expend themselves against walls.

Wake of Fire
Description: A trap that inflicts several waves of fire damage upon nearby enemies Level prerequisite: 12 Skill prerequisite: Fire Blast Mouse button: Right Thoughts: Once it chooses its target, this trap emits a V-shaped set of flames that point toward that target. All other monsters caught in the flames will suffer damage, however, making this a very useful trap in open areas.

Blade Fury
Description: Shoots three blades in the direction of the attack Level prerequisite: 18 Skill prerequisite: Blade Sentinel, Wake of Fire Mouse button: Left or right Thoughts: These blades do not boomerang like a blade sentinel, but travel in a straight line toward the enemy or piece of ground that is targeted. You may have at most two sets of blade fury active at one time. When a blade has done its maximum damage, it shatters, although its companions, if any, will continue on their way.

Lightning Sentry
Description: A trap that attacks nearby enemies with a blast of lightning Level prerequisite: 24 Skill prerequisite: Charged Bolt Sentry Mouse button: Right Thoughts: This trap blasts a stream of lightning at nearby foes, causing damage to any monsters caught in the stream. Because this trap fires in a straight line, it is especially useful in narrow hallways and walkways, where monsters are likely to be approaching single file. Be aware that a lightning sentry may choose to fire at an enemy that is just out of its range, wasting the mana it cost you to cast the trap.

Wake of Inferno
Description: A trap that incinerates nearby enemies with a stream of fire Level prerequisite: 24 Skill prerequisite: Wake of Fire Mouse button: Right Thoughts: This trap ejects a billow of flame at nearby foes, causing damage to any monsters caught in the way. Like the lightning sentry, this trap fires in a straight line, so it is especially useful in narrow hallways and walkways, where monsters are likely to be approaching single file. This trap may choose to fire at an enemy that is just out of its range, wasting the mana it cost you to cast the trap.

Death Sentry
Description: A trap that detonates any corpses by nearby enemies or fries the enemies with a blast of lightning Level prerequisite: 30 Skill prerequisite: Lightning Sentry Mouse button: Right Thoughts: This devastating trap creates a wonderful chain effect, sizzling an enemy with its lightning discharge and then detonating the corpse the moment approaching enemies come near it. Without a doubt, this is the best trap to use in a crowd full of tough monsters.

Blade Shield
Description: Defends the assassin with a cocoon of whirling blades Level prerequisite: 30 Skill prerequisite: Blade Fury Mouse button: Right Thoughts: This seemingly defensive skill actually causes great harm to nearby enemies, making it possible to rage through a crowd of monsters without even lifting a claw. Its duration is not affected by any other skills.