Assassin FAQ - Compendium of a Sin

[F8L Fool]

LAST UPDATED: 10/15 (Skill and Link Changes)

Table of Contents: Use ctrl+f to easily find section #'s

• 1.0 - Basic Overview
• 2.0 - Hide (Stealth)
• 3.0 - Signet Patterns
  • Pattern Engraving (Carving) (3.1)
• 4.0 - Back Attacks (Backstabs)
• 5.0 - Stuns
• 6.0 - Stigmas
  • Normal Stigma List (6.1)
  • Advanced Stigmas (6.2)
  • Advanced Stigma List (6.3)
• 7.0 - Faction Skills
  • Asmodians (7.1)
  • Elyos (7.2)
• 8.0 - Poisons
• 9.0 - Primary Stats
  • Critical (9.1)
  • Evasion (9.2)
  • Attack Speed Increase (9.3)
  • Attack (9.4)
• 10.0 Socketing
  • Manastones (10.1)
  • God Stones (10.2)
  11.0 - Flight
  • Abilities (11.1)
• 12.0 - Crowd Control (CC)
• 13.0 - Pickpocket/Stealing
• 14.0 - Titles
  • Elyos (14.1)
  • Asmodian (14.2)
• 15.0 - Professions
• 16.0 - Weapons
  • Bonus Stats (16.1)
  • Bows (16.2)
  • Extendable Weapons(16.3)
• 17.0 - Snares (Slows, Roots, Etc.)
• 18.0 - Consumables
  • Potions (18.1)
  • Scrolls(18.2)
  • Food (18.3)
  • Other (18.4)
• 19.0 - Assassin Links & Resources
  • Posts/Articles (19.1)
  • Videos (19.2)

(1.0)

The Assassin class is the "Rogue" or "Thief" archetype found within Aion. Like the majority of games which have such a class, you will find that dual wielding, stealth, and large amounts of melee (physical) based damage make up the class' basic utilities. They rely on their ability to "burst" (do large amounts of damage in a short period of time) and restrict their targets movements through the use of stuns.

- The Assassin is one of two specialized classes you are able to choose upon reaching level 10 in the initial Scout school/subclass. The other being a Ranger.

(2.0)

Does the Assassin get some type of stealth skill?

- Yes. The Scout class gets the skill Hide I (lvl. 5), which is the Aion equivalent of "stealth", allowing both Assassins and Rangers to use the initial rank. Assassins however are the only ones which obtain Hide II (lvl. 34), which is much more difficult to detect, and lasts slightly longer.

Are there any abilities that can only be used while Hiding?:

- NO. As of now there are no abilities that are performed exclusively while in Hide mode, or any special damage/crit or other bonus for attacking while in Hide mode. Furthermore any ability used while in hiding will take you out of hiding.

(3.0)
What are Signet Patterns? How do they work? How do they effect stuns?

- Signet Patterns are often considered to be the Aion equivalent of a WoW Rogue's "Combo Points". Both of which can be stacked up to the maximum intensity of 5, and upon using a signet skill all engraved signet patterns on the target are consumed.

How are they used?:

- The more signet patterns engraved on a target, the greater effect the signet bursting ability will have on the target.

- Pain Rune is an example of a skill that utilizes signet patterns. As you can see from the tooltip, the more signet patterns erased/consumed, the higher the damage will be, and the higher chance you have of stunning the target.

- Signet Patterns are arguably the most difficult concept behind Assassins, as well the hardest thing to efficiently manage (next to rotation and cooldowns). Not every skill uses signet patterns, or applies patterns.

- Signet patterns compound with other Assassin's engraving abilities. If you have two Assassin's on one target, their signet pattern application and consumption will be from the same pool, and are still capped at 5 pattern levels. Therefore monitoring, coordinating, applying, and removing signet patterns is rather important when two or more Assassin's are on a single target at the same time. Read on to find out more.

Signet Stun Mechanics: Coming soon.


(3.1) Pattern Engraving: Engraving is the method of applying a pattern to your target. Each skill that has the ability to apply a pattern can only do so up to a certain intensity, and that intensity can be found in the skill description. See the following skill for an example:

Rune Carve

As you can see from the above tooltip the skill "Engrave Signet" can apply patterns "up to the level of 3". The pattern level can only go up one level at a time, per skill used. There are skills that are capable of applying up to 3 signet pattern levels, as well as ones that are capable of applying up to 5 signet pattern levels. See the following skill for an example:

Fang Strike

The skills that can apply up to the 3rd level means that upon reaching pattern level 3 it will not be capable of pushing the pattern level any higher without using a skill that can go to level 5. Skills that can apply pattern up to level 5 however can further the targets Signet level from 1, all the way up to 5. This limitation makes it more difficult to obtain the maximum 5 patterns, and forces you to choose which skill to use in order to further it rather than simply spamming random skills to achieve 5 patterns without effort.

Photos: The following photo is of an Assassin's level 5 pattern graphic. At level 1 there is only one square, at level 2 there are two squares, and so on. This is different than the debuff icon found found on the targets buff/debuff bar. The graphic only lasts for roughly .5-1 second before fading.

The picture below is of the Signet Engraving debuff icons that are greatly enlarged. In order of 1-5 (left-right):

(4.0)
Do Assassins get a "Backstab" type of ability? (An attack that does more damage from behind, and/or can only be done from behind):

- Yes. Assassins get two attacks that deal bonus damage from the back. They are usable from any side, but the bonus will only be applied if you are at the targets back. The skills are as follows:

(1st rank at LVL. 3)
Surprise Attack

(1st rank at LVL. 34)
Weakening Blow

The above skills are rendered virtually useless if not executed at the opponents back. Coupled with their long cooldown periods it is wise to only use them on a stunned, fleeing, or unaware target that you can easily approach from behind.

NOTE: There is a third "backstab" ability. However, it is a Divine Prayer skill and has been excluded from the list due to the high level requirement (50), DP (4000), and cooldown (1 hour) on the skill. I may add it later.



(5.0)

Do Assassins have any stun abilities?

- Yes. The Assassin gets a total of seven stuns to work with. Stuns are an essential tool to any Assassin that will effectively prevent your target from fleeing, casting, and damaging you. Stunning also grants you the opportunity to get in devastating back attacks that can turn the tide of any fight. While stunned the target is incapable of not only casting or movement, but defending themselves through the use of passive blocking, dodging, or parrying which indirectly boosts the Assassins damage on the target.

Due to the importance and complexity of Assassin stuns, I have written a full guide on them which can be found in the AionSource forums here: Assassin Skillset - Stuns. I urge anyone that has yet to view it to give it at least a once over.


(6.0)
What are stigmas? Howmany do I get? Where do I get them?

- Stigmas are abilities that are only usable when a "Stigma Stone" is equipped in a "Stigma Slot". Come patch 1.5, you will be able to equip an additional 3 stigma stones! Bringing the total you can equip to 8 at level 50.

(6.1) Stigma List:

Here is a full list of currently known Assassin Stigma's. They can be obtained through two methods: quests and drops. This list will grow as the new Advanced Stigma's are revealed. Also, if you are curious as to what quest you get the item from, or what mob(s) drop it, click on the stone name.

Format: (Level) Name of Ability - Name of Stone: Location (Quest, Drop, or Unknown)

(20) Sigil Strike - Sigil Strike I: Quest.
___

(20) Flurry - Flurry I: Drop.
___

(22) Aethertwisting - Aethertwisting I: Drop.
___

(25) Ambush - Ambush I: Drop.
___

(28) Apply Deadly Poison - Apply Deadly Poison I: Unknown.
___

(28) Pattern Crush - Pattern Crush I: Unknown.
___

(31) Oath of Accuracy - Oath of Accuracy I: Unknown.
___


(34) Rune Knife - Rune Knife I: Unknown.
___

(37) Eye of Wrath - Eye of Wrath I: Unknown.
___

(37) Blinding Burst - Blinding Burst I: Unknown.
___

(44) Throw Shuriken - Throw Shuriken: Unknown.
___

(44 Asmodian Only) Ancestral Darkness Rune - Ancestral Darkness rune I: Unknown.
___

(44 Elyos Only) Ancestral Radiant Rune - Ancestral Radiant Rune I: Unknown.
___

(48) Escape - Escape I: Unknown.

Unlike regular skills that go up in rank as you level, new stigma ranks must be acquired through drop or quest. You may not stack multiple ranks of the same stigma in order to avoid the cooldown of the ability.

(6.2) Advanced Stigma Stones:

With the introduction of patch 1.5 each class will gain access to roughly six new stigma stones (abilities).

In order to unlock the three additional stigma slots you will have to do the following:
1.) Complete the initial introductory quest at level 40.
2.) Complete another quest quest at level 45, which unlocks two advanced stigma slots.
3.) And lastly, you must complete the third final quest at level 50 which unlocks the third and final advanced stigma slot.

The in game stigma stone tab as of 1.5 will look like the following:

The three slots on the right within the yellow rectangle are the "Advanced Stigma Slots". You are capable of equipping any stone in these slots, but are unable to equip "Advanced Stones" in the original five slots on the left.

The Advanced Stones are more complex than original stones, and have pre-requisites to equip; such as other Advanced Stones, and/or regular stigmas. This will create a lot of customization between characters.

-For exact translations of the new Assassin stigmas and bonuses, go >here<.
-For a full discussion on Advanced Stigmas, visit this link.

(6.3) Advanced Stigma List (Courtesy of TTB):

Advanced Stigmas: Chain Pattern Explosion option

Beastly Scars
Level: 45
Cast time: instant
Cool-down: 6 sec
Required Stigmas: Long Range Engrave Signet, Pattern Shattering
Inflicts 362 to 366 physical damage and engraves a signet pattern upto level 5.
Chain skill level 4
Beastly Strike > Beastly Scars

Agonizing Slash
Level: 45
Cast time: instant
Cool-down: 24 sec
Required Stigmas: Eye of Wrath
Inflicts 318 to 322 physical damage, decreases targets magical resistance by 200 and all elemental defenses by 50.

Agony Rune
Level: 50
Cast time: instant
Cool-down: 1 min
Required Stigmas: Beastly Scars, Agonizing Slash
Inflicts 1250 fire magical damage to a target within 10m.
Chain skill level 2
All pattern explosions > Agony Rune

Apply Lethal Venom
Level: 45
Cast time: instant
Cool-down: 3 min
Required Stigmas: Deadly Apply Poison, Contract of Accuracy
Uses 5 scolopen poison to apply poison to your weapon. For 30 seconds, inflicts 579 additional damage with 20% chance each time you attack.

Lightning Slash
Level: 45
Cast time: instant
Cool-down: 24 sec
Required Stigmas: Blinding Burst
inflicts 318 to 322 damage and decreases targets magical accuracy by 200.

Dash and Slash
Level: 50
Cast time: instant
Cool-down: 3 min
Required Stigmas: Apply Lethal Venom, Lightning Slash
Rushes to a target within 20m and inflicts 923 to 927 physical damage

As soon as the armory includes the above Advanced Stigmas, the display format will be changed.


(7.0)

What are faction skills?
- Faction skills are unique abilities that the Elyos and Asmodians get, that the opposing faction does not. Not including Divine Prayer skills, they both get two abilities unique to their faction's class.

Asmodian Skills:
(1st and only rank at LVL. 42)
Shadow Rage
(1st rank at LVL. 45)
Ancestral Darkness Rune

Elyos Skills:
(1st and only rank at LVL. 42)
Spelldodging
(1st rank at LVL. 45)
Ancestral Radiant Rune

(8.0)

Do Assassins get any type of poison abilities?
- Yes. They get two poisons to work with. The most important thing to know, and is by no means common knowledge, is **a poisoned target cannot initiate flight**. If poisoned while in flight however they will not be forced out of flight, but will still take damage from the poison as usual. Meaning if they are on the ground and in an area where you can fly, if you poison them they will not be able to pull out their wings until that poison is cured and/or wears off. They WILL be able to glide however, so don't rule that out by any means. This will reduce their chance of fleeing by leaps and bounds.

-The poisons require a reagent named Scolopen's Poison, which is quite cheap and can be purchased from every General Goods Merchant throughout the game. The skills that you are able to use are as follows:

(1st rank at LVL. 16)
Apply Poison

The above poison is very useful in both PvE and PvP, due to the fact that it not only deals periodic damage to the target, but when used in conjunction with the Assassination skill you can dish out a great deal of bonus damage.

The second skill is actually a stigma, so it requires you to equip it in order to use it:

(1st and only rank at LVL. 28)
Apply Deadly Poison



(9.0)

What are the main stats an Assassin uses, and looks for in items and armor?

- The most valuable statistics for an Assassin are without question Physical Crit., Attack Speed Increase, Evasion, and Attack. (Magic Resist at end game PvP)

(9.1) Physical Crit.:

Physical Crit. is the most crucial statistic for an Assassin, and can be the difference between a bad Assassin character, and an amazing Assassin character. For every 10 Critical rating you have, you gain roughly ~1% critical rating. So if you were to have 400 critical rating, it would be in the 40% crit region.

This stays true until 450 critical rating. From 450 and beyond you begin to get diminishing returns. Every 10 rating from 450 and on will in turn grant you half a crit. So 10=.5%, rather than the usual full 1%. This would mean that at 450 critical rating, you would be sitting at 42.5% crit.

In short: The faster you are able to reach and maintain 400+ critical rating the better. You will see a substantial increase in your slaying speed and efficiency as your critical rate increases.

**Important Fact**:

As of patch 1.5 (the version which NA/EU will be launching with), the critical damage modifier (NOT THE RATE) on both swords and daggers have been lowered. The exact figure is unknown but is rumored to be around 2.2x (down from 2.5x)

(9.2) Evasion:

Evasion is the main defense method of the Assassin. Due to their low P. Defense they must rely on avoiding as many hits as possible. Evasion does not effect your chances of resisting or avoiding spells however. It is suggested that once you are capable of attaining a high level of critical rating, that you then focus on evasion. it is highly debated as to just how effective evasion is, but from personal experience I must say that from a PvP standpoint it's very, very strong.

(9.3) Attack Speed Increase:

The Attack Speed Increase stat increases the speed with which you attack with your auto-attack, and engravings. The stats soft and hard caps are unknown, but one is able to stack potions and skills upwards of 65% as of now. Furthermore, if you are using two weapons with + attack speed, only the weapon with the higher total amount will count (they are not cumulative anymore).

- Currently the stat can be found on several weapons (such as this one: Alukina's Silver-Decorated Knife), a few pairs of gloves (as seen here: Archon Centurion Leather Gloves), and even some titles.

- The faster you attack, the faster you are able to execute pattern engraving abilities, as well as increasing your white damage a significant amount.

(9.4) Attack:

The attack rating is just what it sounds like. It is the amount of damage you are able to output. The higher the attack rating, the harder you will hit with both regular attacks as well as physical based skill attacks (Pain Rune is an example of a skill that is not affected by your attack rating).

**Important Fact**:

When using a weapon in the offhand that increases attack (such as this: Black Claw Chieftain's Dagger), the bonus is applied directly to both your main and offhand. I.E. if your original attack was 100 on your main hand, upon equipping that dagger in your offhand you would see a new rating of 110, which is equivalent to a +5 enchantment.

(10.0)

What should I socket?

- You should socket according to the primary stats listed above. Focus entirely on Physical Crit rating. The majority of players will not deviate from full crit sockets until they are capable of maintaining a high value (350-400+ at least) while socketing Evasion, which shouldn't occur until much later on ( level 35+).

-Play around with your stats to find your ideal amount of evasion and critical rate. But remember, crit always supersedes evasion in the stat food chain. In the end the higher you can get of both stats, the better.

(10.1) Manastones: Specifically, what stones should I use, on what gear, and at what levels?

- It is wise to use only level 4 stones up until your mid 20's, and only on green gear that you'll be using for some time. Never waste a crit stone on a white item, ever. After that it's up to the discretion of the player.

- You can use alchemy and transform stones into even better ones (8's, 9's, 11's, 12's) and save them for higher levels, or you can use them on your good gear that you will be using for some time. The way to know what items you will be using for some time is to actually ask around and/or look on sites such as AionArmory - Aion Database to see what future gear you will have access to in the following levels.

(10.1) God Stones:

These are much like Manastones but are much more difficult to get, and a good deal more powerful. They are usable on weapons and grants a special "glow" or "visual effect".

You can find a list of the stones here. Also you can take a look at my Assassin Skillset - Stun posting to see a list of God Stones with the stun effect.

(11.0)

How do Assassins fair in flight combat? What abilities do they get while in flight?

- This is a very valid and frequently asked question that is heavily debated. While the Assassin obviously does not want their target to live long enough to move, let alone take off into flight (which can be prevented through the use of poisons), they are capable of holding their own while in an an aerial battle. They are given several abilities that can solely be used while in flight combat.

- One of the most valuable assets for an Assassin to use while in flight is a bow. Get a good bow and work on fast weapon swapping + auto attack, and you'll be much more powerful in the air.

(11.1) Flight Abilities:

Assassins are granted two passive abilities (ones that do not need to be activated) while in flight form. The first of which is a Winged Fury that grants an additional 50 (5%) crit rating while in flight form. The second is Winged Death, which increases the Assassins flight speed by 20 as well as 10 STR/AGI to several other stats. Although at level 25 everyone gets a similar flight speed increase, it still is noteworthy.

Sprinting, which stacks with the aforementioned Blessing, as well as flight scrolls and items, will make catching people or fleeing while in flight easiest for an Assassin in comparison to other classes.

They also have a flight only stun called Throw Dagger.

When you add up all the tools at an Assassins disposal while in flight they become quite a formidable aerial combatant.

(12.0)

Do the Assassins get any form CC abilities?

- No. As of now there are no CC skills. Stuns do not count as a CC in the traditional sense of the word. A "Crowd Control" skill is one that completely disables a target for a considerable length of time.

The only CC skills within Aion are: Curse of Roots (Sorcerer), Sleep (Sorcerer), and Sleep Arrow (Ranger). Fear (Spiritmasters) is also considered by some as a CC.

(13.0)

Can the Assassin pickpocket or steal in Aion?

- No. As of the most recent update (patch 1.5), the Assassin does not have any method of pickpocketing or stealing in their arsenal. There has also been no mention as to whether or not such an ability will be added.

(14.0)

What are titles? What should I use as an Assassin?

What are titles?:

Titles are exactly what they sound like. Where a surname would go after someones name, a title precedes it. Titles offer special stat bonuses that can prove to be quite beneficial. See below for an example of a title:

(The name of the above character is "Fatal Fool"--most people don't have spaces in their names, which makes the "Fatal" part actually appear to be a title in and of itself. The part in the red rectangle is the title.)

They are given out as a reward for completing difficult quest chains, or accomplishing great feats such as defeating a specific boss, or mastering a profession. The bonuses and names are unique to each faction. Some titles clearly cater to specific archetypes more than others, and would only be used by an opposing archetype for the name of the title itself, and not the bonuses. For example: A Sorcerer (mage) wouldn't use the "Expert Fisher" title which grants 7 accuracy for any reason other than they like the name of the title itself. Reason being that mages use "Magical Accuracy" for their attacks, not regular Accuracy, which applies to melee.

What title should I use as an Assassin?:

- As an Assassin you should first and foremost use the best title you have at your disposal. If you only have one title, you might as well use that one rather than none. If you have multiple titles however, the title you choose should focus on boosting one (or several) of the main attributes of your class which are initially: Physical Crit., Evasion, and Attack.

At later levels however you get to choose from superior titles that give Attack Speed, Flight Speed, and Speed increases. Those would be the ideal titles to use, because they make a much larger impact even in small doses than say +3 crit, or attack would.

- In the beginning your titles will be very limited due to the quests that you can complete. It's not possible for you to attain specific titles of your choosing due to the level restrictions on quests. If for instance you were level 12, and the title you want to use is obtained through completing a quest that involves an Abyss NPC, you wouldn't be able to get it due to the fact you are unable to even set foot in the Abyss until level 25. Therefore that title is out of the question for anyone lower than level 25.

(14.1) Elyos Titles:

Here are four great titles for the Elyos. A full list can be found here.

(LVL. 14) - Bottled Lightning - Quest Chain: Missing Village Seal - +3% speed

(LVL. 24) - Savior of Eiron Forest - Quest Chain: Three Kurin Brothers - +5% Speed Increase, +36 HP, +36 Mana

(LVL. 38) - Honorary Black Cloud - Quest Chain: Jakurerk's Opportunity to Make it Big - +5% speed increase.

(LVL. 47) - Owner of the Dragon Sword - Quest Chain: [Group] True Owner of the Dragon Sword - +6% Speed, +3 Flight Time, +3% Flight Speed, +52 Maximum HP (This is my personal favorite Elyos title for PvP)

(14.2) Asmodian Titles:

Here are four great titles for an Asmodian Assassin (for a full list go here):

(LVL. 14) - Mosbear Slayer - Quest: A Friendly Wager - +2 Evasion

(LVL. 21) - Postal - Quest Chain: [Infiltration] Elim of Elysea - +4% speed increase.

(LVL. 38) - Wheeler-Dealer - Quest Chain: Contract of Black Cloud Traders - +5% speed increase.

(LVL. 25 through 40) - Heroic - Quest: Confrontation with Elysean Army General - +52 Maximum HP, +3 Flight Time, +3% Flight Speed, +6% Speed (This is my personal favorite Asmodian title for PvP)

(15.0)

What are the best professions for an Assassin? For PvP? For PvE? For making money?

- In order to save a lot of time, I'm just going to summarize the following information into the main point:
Choose professions based first and foremost on personal preference & goals. Followed closely by legion/friend demand, and then server demand. Don't be too concerned with what other people classify as PvE or PvP professions, because in Aion every single profession is viable for both.

If you feel the need to understand why I said the above, be my guest to read on through the full explanation!

What are the best professions for an Assassin?

- Despite circulating rumors there are no definitive "best professions" for an Assassin. The reason being that the best professions will always be relative and extremely subjective. Relative in the sense that the value of the professions will be directly connected to demand of the goods on your server. Subjective in regard to the fact that the goal of having professions is different from person to person. Some people pick up a profession to be self-sufficient, while others will pick up a profession to be profitable, or a mixture of both.

-As of patch 1.5 you will be able to bring two skills to 450, so you won't have to narrow it down to just one.

Professions for PvP & PvE:

- PvP - The pre-packaged answer for PvP professions seems to always be Alchemy first, followed by Cooking. I agree that potions and scrolls are absolute necessities for PvP, there's just no way around it. Cooking bonuses are also huge for PvP, and just as beneficial for PvE. The problem here is that countless people are thinking the same thing in terms of PvP professions. Meaning that there will be a lot of people around to be crafting them, whether they be friends, legion mates, or just someone doing it for skill up's and/or a fee. It doesn't matter who crafts the potions/scrolls, since you still need to provide the materials.

Also purchasing food, scrolls, and potions off of the broker can sometimes be easier/faster than crafting if you have the gold at your disposal from farming, or selling goods from another profession.

PvE/Making Money:

- Any and all professions in the game will be useful in PvE. If you craft a sword it will obviously be used regardless of if you are fighting mobs, or players. There will also be a demand for that sword from other players and can in turn be sold for large sums.

(16.0)

What is the best weapon type (Sword/Dagger) to use as an Assassin overall? For Main-Hand? For Off-Hand? Can we use bows? What are extendable weapons?


What melee weapon type should I be using?:

- What weapon type an Assassin should use is a very subjective and situational decision. The most logical answer to this question is use the best weapon (based on stats) that you have at your disposal, regardless of the type. The higher you get in level the more this will hold true. If you are using your level 10 green quest dagger (Dagger of Karma) at level 18 over some level 18 sword you just looted (i.e. Nukaka's Sword), simply because it's a dagger, you're unnecessarily hurting your damage because of a weapon type bias.

Is there a definitive best weapon type for my Main-Hand or Off-Hand?:

- NO. As aforementioned the stats of a weapon precedes the type. However, if you have a say/choice in the type of weapon upgrade you will be getting that's a different story. At lower levels it's common practice to use a Dagger MH, and a Sword OH. Reason being that the crit rate of a dagger is double (100 base crit rate) of a sword (50 base crit rate), and you will most likely be lacking in crit at lower levels (1-25ish) more so than at higher levels (30-50). Also a Sword hits harder than a dagger, so having a harder hitting weapon in your OH is a good thing since your dual wield swings both hands at the same time, not independently of one another.

- Bonus stats can be a deciding factor in weapon choice as well. This mechanic is further elaborated on in the next section.

(16.1) Bonus Stats: What are bonus stats on weapons? How do they work?

What are bonus stats on weapons?:

They are additional statistics that are most commonly found on green quality (and higher) weapons. Please refer to the following picture for a better understanding:

The regular stats that are found on every weapon can be seen in the blue box.
The bonus stats are in the red box, and are only on specific weapons.

How do bonus stats work?:

- Bonus stats are quite unique in the way that they apply to your dual wield. If you look at the bonus stats in the above picture you will see that this particular weapon has Physical Crit, Physical Attack, and Attack Speed. There are other bonus stats besides these such as Parry, Accuracy, HP, and MP just to name a few.

- Bonus stats are applied to BOTH weapons in your dual wield, regardless of what hand you use the weapon in. This can play a huge role in your weapon choice. This means that if your off-hand sword adds +10 physical attack, you will gain that attack on your main-hand and your off-hand.

- There is however an exception to how Attack Speed is applied to your dual wield. If you are using two weapons with Attack Speed Increase only the highest percent will be used, and the other will be completely ignored. Every other bonus stat will be applied to both hands of your dual wield cumulatively. (If you still don't understand the concept don't hesitate to PM me for further explanation).

(16.2) Bows: Can we use them? How well?

Can we use them?

Yes. The use of bows is granted to the School of Scouts. Because the Assassin is within that school, they are able to use bows. While they are not a staple of the Assassin class, as they are with the Ranger, they are quite important.

How do we fare with them?

Like Daggers, Swords, and Dual Wield proficiencies, we are able to rank up our bow proficiency as well. This increases our damage with them as we level, and makes them increasingly more powerful, so it would be unwise to not purchase the new ranks.

- Bows are a huge asset to an Assassin when pursuing a fleeing target. If someone takes off into flight and is low health you can often finish them off with your bow before you even get to them. Also if you are running from someone til your pot cool is finished, or another skill, peppering someone with your arrows can add up. Every good Assassin will have a bow, and a good one at that.

- Bow auto attacks can be used while running/flying.

(16.3) Extendable Weapons: What are they? When can I get one?

What are they?

Extendable weapons are weapons which have a greater range (reach) than your typical weapon. Because of this they are extremely rare, highly sought after, and very powerful. It is not uncommon for an individual to use an extendable weapon with slightly worse stats than a non-extendable, due to the unrivaled reach of said weapon. There are several extendable weapons to be found in Aion and they are one of the greatest assets to an Assassin, making combat, especially while flying, exponentially easier.

They come in all types, such as swords (1 and 2-handed alike), maces, daggers, polearms, and so on.

Here is a video of an extendable dagger in action:

Extendable Daggers - Kromede's Silver-decorated Knife (lvl. 35)

YouTube - Aion - KOR Lvl 35 Extendable Dagger #1

YouTube - Aion - KOR Lvl 35 Extendable Dagger #1

When can I first use an extendable weapon?

The very first extendable weapon that you will have access to is a level 35 orange dagger seen here:
Aion Armory Item

The above dagger is shown in the video example previously linked. The other weapon is a level 35 sword which you can view at the bottom of this post in section 19.2. The next level extendable weapon can be found at level 40, though it is a sword. There is also a quest at level 43 for an extendable weapon, as well as this dagger drop at 44:

Aion Armory Item

(17.0)

Do we get a Snare of any kind?

- NO. As of now (1.5) we are completely and utterly devoid of any kind of snare skill. Whether it be a slow, root, or any variation thereof. Because of this Assassin's have more stuns than any other class, and must rely on them to compensate for their lack of snares.

- *Due to the ever changing nature of MMO's, skills are frequently added, removed, or altered. Because of this a future snare effect in the Assassin's arsenal isn't out of the question.*

(18.0)

What do they do? Should I use them? What ones? Where do I get them?


What do they do??:

- Consumables are any and all items which you use or "consume" for unique beneficial effects. Once you've used the consumable the original item is discarded. Food/drink, potions, and scrolls are the three main consumables types in Aion

Should I use them?:

YES! Consumables are truly a necessity when it comes to PvP, and can be equally beneficial in PvE. They can greatly influence leveling speed, as well as increase survivability.

Some mobs and quests that would typically be unsoloable by an Assassin are made doable thanks to the correct use of health potions. If you come up against a player in PvP that is utilizing potions to the fullest you are immediately at a disadvantage. After reaching your low 20's, every Assassin should have a nice stockpile of consumables at all times.

Where do I get them?

There are five ways to get consumables. The first way (and most common) is from Alchemy, and Cooking. The second source is from the Food Merchant and Potion Merchant. The less common way is from mob drops, and quest reward (though you get quite a good amount early on via quests).

However, the last way to get consumables is from the Abyss vendors. The best consumables in the game are bought with Abyss Points from these vendors. The downside of using them however is that they are on a longer cooldown, and obviously they take Abyss Points which you also use for armor and weapons.

What consumables should I be carrying?[INDENT]Not every consumable is all that useful for an Assassin, so you should know what to stock up on in advance in order to save you a good deal of time and money. The most important consumable type hands down are potions, and here are the main ones that should always be carried:

(18.1) Potions: I will be listing the lowest ranks of the potions, as they will be the first potions you have access to. As you level up and amass more kinah/abyss points you will obviously want to use superior ones

(Cure/Cleanse) - Lesser Healing Potion - 30s cooldown. Arguably the most important potion you can carry. This handy thing cures poisons (if you get poisoned you can't fly, so just pop this and then take off ASAP), roots, slows, DoT's, and various other stat ailments. This potion can save your life and/or end others more than you can imagine.

**If you are rooted you are unable to use Ambush or Dash Attack, so always use a cure pot first**.

(Flight Time) - Lesser Wind Serum - 30s cooldown. When traveling in the Abyss, pursuing or fleeing from a target, or even gathering aether, having enough flight time is crucial. Running out of flight time can be the difference between killing someone you're chasing and falling to your death.

(Instant Heal) - Minor Life Serum - 30s cooldown.. Health=good, enough said . **On separate cooldown from its Heal Over Time counterpart**

(Heal Over Time AKA HoT) - Minor Life Potion - 30s cooldown. It's very good to use these preemptively the second you start taking damage. Since it's on a different cooldown than the instant potions they can be amazingly effective. **On separate cooldown from its Instant Heal counterpart**

(18.2) Scrolls: The actual increase values on these scrolls are not accurate on Aion Armory.

(Flight Speed) - Lesser Raging Wind Scroll - This scroll stacks with items as well as Sprinting. It's a must for any serious abyss hunting.

(Run Speed) - Lesser Running Scroll - Like the flight speed counterpart, it also stacks with run speed items and sprinting. It also stacks with transformations which can be one of your best friends during rift hunting.

(DMG Absorb) - Lesser Anti-Shock Scroll - If used prior to several stunning effects (such as Ambush) it can completely negate the stun. For a full list of stuns that can be resisted check back later.

There are also magic resist, evasion, and crit scrolls that are very nice as well. I can't seem to find links to any of them as of right this second.

(18.3) Food: 18.3-4: Coming soon.



(19.0)

An ever growing list of important/helpful links to other informative posts, videos, and more.


(19.1)Posts/Articles:

• [Translation] Know-How: Assassin PvP - For real - Translated Assassin PvP information.
• Ranger or Assassin - Ranger vs. Assassin class choice thread (very long)
• Aion Class Interview - The Assassin | Ten Ton Hammer - Assassin interview with Lani Blazier ("Liv").
• Assassin Pics - The main Assassin picture thread.
• Assassins: Elyos or Asmodian? - Faction choice debate.
• Assassin Skill Rotation - PvE (Solo) - Skill rotation discussion (read through other posts for alternative methods)
• Assassin Skillset - Stuns - Full list of stuns, their mechanics, etc.
• How awkward is Flight Combat - Large flight oriented discussion.
• Advanced Stigmas - Scouts - Advanced Stigmas & 2 new normal stigmas
• Assassin Stigma Calculator - Stigma template tool
• Deutsche Assassin FAQ - German translation of this FAQ, courtesy of Ellnassil.

(19.2)Videos:

Extendable Sword (lvl. 35)

YouTube - Aion - KOR Lvl 35 Extendable Sword

YouTube - Aion - KOR Lvl 35 Extendable Sword

Korean Assassin Tournament (1.2)

YouTube - Aion KOR - Assassin Tournament

YouTube - Aion KOR - Assassin Tournament

Top tier group PvP video from Assassin PoV (watch in HD it's great quality--second half is cleric)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpzo7...e - [ AION

Official Assassin Trailer

YouTube - AION: Introducing the Assassins

YouTube - AION: Introducing the Assassins

Contributors & Sources: I'd like to give a special thanks to the following.
The whole Aion Armory staff - Thanks for compiling and maintaining such a useful tool.
Isabella - Headers and Banner
r0yc3 - Insight and link
Xenobius - Pattern icon pictures
elliot - Useful 1.5 stigma article
That's Too Bad - Advanced stigma list, crit change clarifications, links.
HellBound - 1.5 Translation page
Ryizzel - Question contributor

[bladez]

Awesome, lots of information. Covered all the stuff I wasn't sure about, thanks.

[m0rs]

Good post for newcomers, you have a typo in ur crit section though.

[Raien]

the DP skills for elyos and asmo are different from each other. The elyos does slightly less damage in order to give a healing effect. At the highest rank it is 103 less damage for +583 HP, imo the skill needs some serious balancing even if it is just a DP skill. the first DP skill btw, gained at lvl 10

the level 50 skills also need balancing, why does the elyos, who up till now every skill not shared with asmo has a built in heal that heals for a decent amount, suddenly get an offensive attack with a 20m stun. Where as the asmo, who has traded the usefull heal for an extra 26-103 damage. Then suddenly gets slapped in the face with a skill that does mediocre damage, and heals for a small amount.

[Neon]

Error here

This stays true until 400 critical rating. From 400 and beyond you begin to get diminishing returns. Every 10 rating from 400 and on will in turn grant you half a crit. So 10=.5%, rather than the usual full 1%. This would mean that at 450 critical rating, you would be sitting at 45% crit.

No - you would be getting 42.5% crit.

-------------------------

It would be much easier if these



Were more easily distinguished from each other. It is hard to tell what pattern is actually engraved in a fight without stopping a moment to hover the pointer over the icon.

[Raien]

Originally Posted by Neon

Error here

This stays true until 400 critical rating. From 400 and beyond you begin to get diminishing returns. Every 10 rating from 400 and on will in turn grant you half a crit. So 10=.5%, rather than the usual full 1%. This would mean that at 450 critical rating, you would be sitting at 45% crit.

No - you would be getting 42.5% crit.

-------------------------

It would be much easier if these



Were more easily distinguished from each other. It is hard to tell what pattern is actually engraved in a fight without stopping a moment to hover the pointer over the icon.

Not completely right. Tests have been done to show you dont get hit that hard by the diminishing returns till after 450 crit rating. 400-450 does have a slightly reduced amount of crit, but it is nothing big or serious. I mean there is alot of people sitting over 45% crit with just normal gear and sockets aiming for 450

also, you cant see the clear difference between appearances of the icons? the little coloured square in the corner is a dead give away for me every time, and i play on a high rez with bad eyes(im supposed to wear glasses but find them a pain with my headset). Maybe your looking at the whole icon? i always just look at the little square in bottom left corner which turns a clear red when fully loaded at 5, as far as im concerned, when i see red its go time.

[Shin Akuma]

i love it when F8L does all the homework for us!

[Euen]

Figured out my question. Good write up F8L.

[BackFired]

yep very nice F8L. real handy.

[kangaxx]

Good job F8L.

[F8L Fool]

Originally Posted by Raien

the DP skills for elyos and asmo are different from each other. The elyos does slightly less damage in order to give a healing effect. At the highest rank it is 103 less damage for +583 HP, imo the skill needs some serious balancing even if it is just a DP skill. the first DP skill btw, gained at lvl 10

the level 50 skills also need balancing, why does the elyos, who up till now every skill not shared with asmo has a built in heal that heals for a decent amount, suddenly get an offensive attack with a 20m stun. Where as the asmo, who has traded the usefull heal for an extra 26-103 damage. Then suddenly gets slapped in the face with a skill that does mediocre damage, and heals for a small amount.

I have no intention of listing the DP skills here because they're pretty basic. As far as the unique postures and signet abilities are involved, there will a great amount of debate there. I agree that both need to be looked at by developers again. That's the main reason I'm trying to stay neutral and not list my own personal feelings and opinions, since it's a FAQ.

Originally Posted by Neon

Error here

This stays true until 400 critical rating. From 400 and beyond you begin to get diminishing returns. Every 10 rating from 400 and on will in turn grant you half a crit. So 10=.5%, rather than the usual full 1%. This would mean that at 450 critical rating, you would be sitting at 45% crit.

No - you would be getting 42.5% crit.

-------------------------

It would be much easier if these



Were more easily distinguished from each other. It is hard to tell what pattern is actually engraved in a fight without stopping a moment to hover the pointer over the icon.

I used a general consensus of past beta players, along with having a few current CA players manually parse it. The one thing that was unanimous throughout all of that is that the crit rating noticeably hits a snag in the vicinity of 400+. The real question is to what degree. The people that I know who have broken 450 agreed that it's a 50% diminishing return, not 75% as you claim. If you have proof to show the contrary I'd love to take a look at it.

(Few other sources that say the same as me: Krypt FAQ, Manastone post, DW Mechanics in 1.2)

As for the icons, I don't know if you're referring to the picture given or the icons in general. The picture was enlarged from a max res screen that Xenobius linked, and I doubt it's possible to get it at a better quality. On the in game picture itself, I have to agree with you that they should be easier to distinguish.

[thejimsta]

Nice FAQ guide.

+rep! :P

[xr0yc3x]

Originally Posted by Neon

Error here

This stays true until 400 critical rating. From 400 and beyond you begin to get diminishing returns. Every 10 rating from 400 and on will in turn grant you half a crit. So 10=.5%, rather than the usual full 1%. This would mean that at 450 critical rating, you would be sitting at 45% crit.

No - you would be getting 42.5% crit.

-------------------------

It would be much easier if these



Were more easily distinguished from each other. It is hard to tell what pattern is actually engraved in a fight without stopping a moment to hover the pointer over the icon.

if you have to stop to figure out how many patterns you engraved... basically, you're bad.

Originally Posted by Raien

also, you cant see the clear difference between appearances of the icons? the little coloured square in the corner is a dead give away for me every time, and i play on a high rez with bad eyes(im supposed to wear glasses but find them a pain with my headset). Maybe your looking at the whole icon? i always just look at the little square in bottom left corner which turns a clear red when fully loaded at 5, as far as im concerned, when i see red its go time.

[XemnasXD]

So you new guys can be useful too, more surprises. Looks nice so far, i'm looking forward to seeing the finished guide.

[F8L Fool]

UPDATE: Added the rest of the stigma section. Complete with the list of known skills, stone names, and level requirements. Still missing the locations of a few, so if you know them and aren't just guessing, please let me know so I can add it to the FAQ.
-Also added "Advanced Stigma" subset.