TB - Frost Grenade

This build is based on the interaction between Frostbitten, Smoke Grenade and Stun Grenades which causes targets to become Frozen. We further leverage this by using Cold Imbuement, which lets us do devastating damage against Frozen targets.

1. Cast Dash to engage. Aim to land on top of Elites if possible.
2. Cast 3 Puncture to 1 Twisting Blade ratio.
3. Use Cold Imbuement and Poison Trap on Elites.

• Evade makes you Unstoppable due to Metamorphosis.
• Keep up Tibault's Will by becoming Unstoppable.
• Save Shadow Step to remove CC if Metamorphosis Unstoppable is not active.

This build starts with Penitent Greaves, which chills targets and enables Frostbitten to freeze them when the Artful Initiative is activated and drops Stun Grenades.

Once enemies are frozen, we can use Cold-Imbued Twisting Blades which amplifies our damage by [x]40%. On top of that we have Control - [x]20%, Close Quarter Combat - [x]150%+, Combo Points - [x]30-90%, Expectant - [x]10-30%, Condemnation - [x]40% and more.

To complement our massive burst, we utilize Quickening Fog, Methodical Dash and Hectic to constantly lower the cooldown of our Dash and always be on the move.

Build Requirements and Replacements

Uniques

• Penitent Greaves: this item is MANDATORY as it enables Frostbitten to work.
• Tibault's Will: this item can be replaced with Tassets of the Dawning Sky or with Aspect of Might.
• Condemantion this item can be replaced by Rapid or Retribution.

Aspects

• Frostbitten: this aspect is MANDATORY because this build revolves around it.
• Artful Initiative: this aspect is MANDATORY because without it we don't have a Grenade effect to utilize Frostbitten.

Paragon Board Stat Requirements

• Str: 610
• Int: 540

Skill Choices and Explanation

Basic Skills

We use Puncture mainly because it's the best Basic Skill to proc Lucky Hit effects. On top of that it provides us with Vulnerable, which, while nerfed, still gives us [x]20% damage. Lastly, Puncture is the Marksman Skill we use for Umbrous and Close Quarter Combat.

Core Skills

We use Twisting Blades in this build for various reasons: not only is it overall the strongest Core Skill in terms of AoE damage, single target damage and crowd control, but it also applies Lucky Hit effects such as Siphoning Strikes the best.

Flurry is an alternative Core Skill you could use but the power level of the build would suffer quite significantly.

X:1 Rotation means we use X Basic Skills for every 1 Core Skill.
For example, 1:1 Puncture -> TB means we alternate between using Puncture and Twisting Blades.

Agility Skills

In this build, and most other Rogue builds, we use Dash and Shadow Step.

Dash is overall a very strong mobility ability that lets you dash across the length of your screen. We further increase Dash's strength with the inclusion of Quickening Fog, which drops a Smoke Grenade at the end of our Dash and lowers its cooldown when we daze enemies with a Smoke Grenade.

Shadow Step is a mobility skill that is also the best source of Unstoppable for Rogues. Due to its low cooldown with the Disciplined Shadow Step modifier it's perfect to maintain Tibault's Will's [x]20-40% damage buff and to gain 50 Energy on use.

Subterfuge Skills

We use Smoke Grenade indirectly via Quickening Fog in this build and Poison Trap.

Smoke Grenade is a very strong skill that allows us to daze enemies on-demand and get a [x]25% damage buff against any enemy dazed by it. All talent points taken that buff Smoke Grenade work with Quickening Fog.

Poison Trap further increases our damage by giving us 24% Critical Chance with Concussive and Trap Mastery. We also gain [x]22% Critical Damage from Deadly Ambush. Lastly, it's more Stagger for Bosses.

Imbuement Skills

In this build we use Cold Imbuement.

Because we freeze targets so often with Frostbitten, Cold Imbuement represents a [x]40% multiplicative damage buff.

Ultimate Skills

We do not use an Ultimate Skill in this build.

Key Passive

We use Close Quarter Combat in this build for the incredible damage potential it has.

Specialization

We use Combo Points in this build.

Combo Points is the strongest Specialization overall. It combines very well with Umbrous, Expectant and Might while providing a very substantial damage increase. Lastly, it paces your Core Skill usage which auto-regulates your energy expenditure.

Armor and Resistances

Armor

As of Season 2 it's much easier to reach the Armor cap so we no longer have to stack + Armor% on every slot.

You need roughly 5500 Armor to cap with a maxed Disobedience on your amulet and 6600 when the aspect is on an armor slot.

Resistances

As of Season 2 the Resistance cap is 70% and up to 85% with +15% Maximum Resistance. This is now a very strong stat for damage mitigation.

In my opinion, the most important overall resistances are:

• Poison because it's very prevalent and unavoidable.
• Lightning because the game's toughest monster, Wraiths, do lightning damage.

For general play one should look to get as close to the cap for those without completely neglecting the other resistances. Use All Res Elixirs and Incense for general play when needed.

For Bosses that do specific damage, if you're lacking in survivability, consider swapping in gems on your jewelry that have the correct resistance and drinking the corresponding elixir that increases your resistance and more importantly, maximum resistance.

Multiplicative Scaling Damage

Close Quarter Combat

When we attack an enemy with a Marksman Skill we get a 10% Attack Speed buff. In this build we use Puncture.

When we attack an enemy Cutthroat Skill we get another 10% Attack Speed buff. In this build we use Twisting Blades.

Once both buffs are active for a total of 20% Attack Speed, we now gain [x]40% of our Damage vs. Crowd Controlled Enemies as multiplicative damage. Since we can get over 400% Damage vs. CC this means we effectively more than double our damage against crowd-controlled enemies.

Bossing

This build, like all non-poison builds, can struggle with killing Bosses efficiently. A thing you can do to alleviate this, if survivability is not a problem, is to do an amulet swap before engaging.

Amulet Swap:

• Inner Calm
• Frigid Finesse
• % Attack Speed on Dodge
• % Dexterity
• % Dodge

Paragon Board Placement and Leveling Order

Placement Order

1. Place Control on the first board.
2. Ignore the Glyph in the second board until you have a level 15 Devious.
3. Place Control on the third board and move Closer to the first board.
4. Place Explosive on the fourth board.
5. Place Turf on the fifth board.
6. Place Combat on the sixth board.

Leveling Order

Level 15

1. Control
2. Devious
3. Explosive
4. Closer
5. Turf
6. Combat

Level 21

1. Control
2. Devious
3. Turf
4. Closer
5. Combat
6. Explosive