Core requirements
The advanced setup is A, and the budget setup is B.
- Core
- 3 blade skills at 20 · Venom 20
- Continuous fire
- Blade Fury: 6 frames · no IAS investment needed
- Accuracy
- 2 Angelic set pieces · Cloak of Shadows
- Crushing Blow
- A100% · B90%
Attributes
Total attributes with equipment · hard points shown separately
| Strength | A 156 · B 115A Excludes Stormshield's +30 Strength · B Excludes Guillaume's Face's +15 Strength |
|---|---|
| Dexterity | A 49 · B 86Total with equipment |
| Vitality | All remaining pointsHard points |
| Energy | 0No hard points |
Attribute calculations and equipment changes
Strength
A meets 156 without Stormshield's own +30 Strength; B meets 115 without Guillaume's Face's own +15 Strength. Even including Death's Hel requirement reduction, the shield is A's highest Strength requirement.
Dexterity
A conservatively meets the ethereal Berserker Axe base's 49 requirement; the finished Death's Hel rune reduces the actual requirement further. B Fleshripper requires 86. Supply Attack Rating with the Angelic set and charms.
Vitality
After meeting equipment requirements, put all remaining attribute points into Vitality.
Energy
Use equipment mana/recovery and potions. Keep any Energy granted by equipment.
Skills
Level 90 · 101 hard points
Main skills and synergies
Supporting investment
Prerequisite · support 1 point each
Includes 12 quest points; equipment skill bonuses are excluded. Unlisted skills have 0 points. A and B use the same allocation.
Investment order
Blade Sentinel for leveling, then from level 18 use 
Blade Fury. If Attack Rating or mana sustain is insufficient, continue with traps and respec later.
- Blade Fury20
- Blade Sentinel20
Blade Shield20
Venom20
Fade14. 
Cloak of Shadows·
Mind Blast receives 1 point first.
- At 91–96, invest in Fade14→20; at 97–99,
Weapon Block1 
Shadow Warrior1
Shadow Master1.
Equipment skill bonuses and allocation notes
The table and image show 101 hard points. Add equipment bonuses to all skills, class skills and skill tabs separately; synergies use hard points.
A and B use the same base tree. Do not mix the equipment or point swaps of optional variants into the base allocation.
A·B Shared · Level 90
Open this allocation in the simulator ↗
Equipment
A / B: compare modifiers and replacement requirements.
| Slot | Advanced A | Budget B | Conditions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weapon | A Runeword Death | B Fleshripper | Use a one-handed weapon |
Weapon choice and replacement detailsA · Setup requirementsBerserker Axe · Hel/El/Vex/Ort/Gul Ethereal · 50% Crushing Blow · 7% Mana Steal · Indestructible B · Setup requirements25% Crushing Blow · 33% Deadly Strike · 50% Open Wounds Ethereal conditionsBlade Fury does not consume durability, but Blade Shield does. A Death is Indestructible, so both can be used together; B uses a repairable, nonethereal Fleshripper. | |||
| Shield | A Stormshield | B Runeword Rhyme | A Survival · B Resistances |
Shield choice and replacement detailsA · Setup requirementsUm · 35% Damage Reduced B · Setup requirementsGrim Shield · Shael/Eth 25 all resistances · Cannot Be Frozen | |||
| Helm | A Guillaume's Face | BGuillaume's Face | Prioritize resistances over IAS jewels |
Helm choice and replacement detailsA · Setup requirementsUm · 35% Crushing Blow B · Setup requirementsResistance jewel · 35% Crushing Blow | |||
| Armor | A Runeword Fortitude | BRuneword Duress | Off-weapon enhanced damage strengthens blades |
Armor choice and replacement detailsA · Setup requirementsDusk Shroud · El/Sol/Dol/Lo 300% Enhanced Damage · at least 25 all resistances B · Setup requirementsMage Plate · Shael/Um/Thul 15% Crushing Blow · 33% Open Wounds · All Resistances 15 | |||
| Gloves | A Laying of Hands | BLaying of Hands | Its 20 IAS is not the main purpose in this build |
Glove choice and replacement detailsA · Setup requirementsFire Resist 50 · Damage to Demons B · Setup requirementsFire Resist 50 · Damage to Demons | |||
| Belt | A String of Ears | BString of Ears | Cushions incoming hits while firing |
Belt choice and replacement detailsA · Setup requirementsLife stolen per hit · Damage Reduced B · Setup requirementsLife stolen per hit · Damage Reduced | |||
| Boots | A Gore Rider | BGore Rider | No upgrade needed: this is not a kick build |
Boot choice and replacement detailsA · Setup requirements15% Crushing Blow · 15% Deadly Strike B · Setup requirements15% Crushing Blow · 15% Deadly Strike | |||
| Amulet | A Angelic Wings | BAngelic Wings | Obtain the set's Attack Rating |
Amulet choice and replacement detailsA · Setup requirementsWear with the Angelic ring B · Setup requirementsWear with the Angelic ring | |||
| Ring 1 | A Angelic Halo | BAngelic Halo | Maintain the Attack Rating needed against bosses |
Ring 1: choice and replacement detailsA · Setup requirementsSet Attack Rating with the Angelic amulet B · Setup requirementsSet Attack Rating with the Angelic amulet | |||
| Ring 2 | ARaven Frost | BRaven Frost | Cannot Be Frozen for movement and support attacks |
Ring 2: choice and replacement detailsA · Setup requirementsCannot Be Frozen · Attack Rating B · Setup requirementsCannot Be Frozen · Attack Rating | |||
Mercenary and weapon swap
| Slot | Advanced A | Budget B | Conditions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mercenary | A Act 2 Might  The Reaper's Toll(Shael)Runeword Fortitude Andariel's Visage(Ral) | B Act 2 Might  Runeword Insight(elite polearm)Runeword Treachery Tal Rasha's Horadric Crest | A Decrepify · B Meditation |
| Weapon swap | ARuneword Call to ArmsRuneword Spirit(Monarch) | B Chance to cast Amplify Damage  LaceratorRuneword Rhyme | B Add Lacerator only after meeting 122 Dexterity |
Swap detailsBudget swap requirementBaseline B At 86 Dexterity, Lacerator cannot be equipped. Move 36 hard Dexterity points from Vitality when using it, then return to Fleshripper after triggering the curse. Skip physical immunes before this is ready. | |||
Upgrade order
- One-handed weapon, Angelic amulet/ring and mana sustain
- 3 blade-skill synergies and Fade resistances
- Crushing Blow from Guillaume's Face, Gore Rider and Duress
- Ethereal Death → Fortitude → Stormshield
- Reaper's Toll mercenary and Traps charms
Playstyle
- Before combat
Activate Fade, Venom and Blade Shield. B uses Shadow Disciplines charms to reach Fade 15 and carries mana potions.
- Ordinary packs
Cloak of Shadows → Blade Sentinel along enemies' path → sustained Blade Fury from a safe position.
- Bosses
Let the mercenary engage first, then fire continuously from a distance where attacks connect. Even after Crushing Blow reduces life, poor Attack Rating slows the finish.
- Handling immunes
A breaks physical immunity with mercenary Decrepify. B: if the Lacerator swap is ready at 122 Dexterity, trigger Amplify Damage and return to the main weapon. Bypass unbroken immunes rather than dragging out the fight with Venom.
- B Farming areas
Start with small packs in the Pit and Mausoleum. Avoid dense, narrow fights where enemies block the front and leave no time to fire.
- Transition requirements
Make the full transition around level 68, when Fleshripper becomes available, with the Angelic amulet/ring, Fade and sufficient Attack Rating.
Mechanics and notes
IAS priority
Blade Fury fires continuously at 6 frames and is not accelerated by weapon IAS or Burst of Speed. Frequent interruptions repeat its startup animation; secure a safe position first.
One-handed weapon and chance to hit
It uses 3/4 of one-handed weapon damage; two-handed weapons receive an extra penalty. Keep the Angelic set, Attack Rating charms and Cloak of Shadows. Ignore Target's Defense alone does not solve boss hit chance.
Crushing Blow and procs
Crushing Blow: A 50+35+15=100%; B 25+35+15+15=90%. Ranged Crushing Blow has a smaller effect than melee. On-striking effects apply; do not treat on-attack effects as equivalent.
Strengths, limitations and farming style
Strengths
Little competition for IAS gear; applies Crushing Blow at range
Safe sustained fire with Cloak of Shadows
Limitations
Initial firing delay and Attack Rating dependence
Slower area clearing than other Assassins in higher-player games
Additional variants
Phoenix shield
Replacing Stormshield with Phoenix gains enhanced damage and Redemption, but loses 35% physical damage reduction. This is a separate offensive setup requiring replacement shield resistances and survival.
Dual claws
To raise Claw Mastery to 20, move 19 points from Venom 20. Investing 20 in Claw Mastery does nothing for the axe/dagger base setup.