Claws Of Thunder Assassin

Here’s a comprehensive guide for creating a Claws of Thunder Assassin build in Diablo II: Resurrected (D2R). This build utilizes the Claws of Thunder skill, which allows for effective elemental damage and crowd control, making it potent against large groups of enemies and bosses.

Claws of Thunder Assassin Build Guide

Overview:

The Claws of Thunder build focuses on the Martial Arts tree, specifically the Claws of Thunder skill, which delivers high lightning damage with additional benefits from other supporting skills. This build is ideal for players looking for quick, powerful attacks with excellent synergy between skills.

Skill Allocation

Primary Skills:

  1. Claws of Thunder (Max this)
    • Main damage-dealing skill, delivering potent lightning damage and creating an area-of-effect stun on enemies.
  2. Dragon Talon (1-20 points)
    • A powerful finishing move with high damage potential. It can be used to deal with tougher enemies.
  3. Claw Mastery (Max this)
    • Increases damage dealt with claws, enhancing the overall output of your attacks.
  4. Lightning Sentry (1-20 points)
    • Adds further lightning damage through traps, allowing for a versatile approach to damage outputs.
  5. Burst of Speed (1 point)
    • Increases movement and attack speed, enhancing your agility in combat.
  6. Cloak of Shadows (1-20 points)
    • Provides crowd control by reducing enemy accuracy, enhancing survivability.
  7. Death Sentry (1-20 points)
    • Offers significant AoE damage through corpse explosions, great for clearing out groups.
  8. Fade (1 point)
    • Boosts resistances and damage reduction, improving survivability against tougher enemies.

Example Skill Distribution:

  • Claws of Thunder: 20
  • Claw Mastery: 20
  • Dragon Talon: 1-20
  • Lightning Sentry: 20
  • Cloak of Shadows: 1-20
  • Death Sentry: 20
  • Burst of Speed: 1
  • Fade: 1

Stat Allocation

  1. Strength: Enough to equip your gear (approximately 75-100).
  2. Dexterity: To maximize damage and increase your chance to block (around 200-250).
  3. Vitality: Allocate the majority of your points here for increased health and improved survivability.
  4. Energy: Generally, avoid investing points here; rely on gear for mana management.

 

Gear Suggestions

Weapons:

  • Runeword Claws: “Chaos” or “Fury” for +skills and faster attack.
  • Bartuc's Cut-Throat: Provides +skills and increased damage output.

Armor:

  • Enigma: Perfect for teleportation for mobility.
  • Fortitude: Increases damage and makes you tougher in combat.

Helm:

  • Nightwing's Veil: Adds +skills and cold damage.
  • Shako: A great all-rounder with +skills, life, and mana bonuses.

Belts:

  • Verdungo's Hearty Cord: For enhanced vitality and damage reduction.
  • String of Ears: Provides solid damage reduction and lifesteal.

Gloves:

  • Magefist: Offers increased fire damage and faster cast rate, useful for traps.
  • Bloodfist: Great for fast hit recovery and additional life.

Boots:

  • Shadow Dancer: Enhances +skills and agility.
  • Gore Rider: Helps with physical damage through deadly strike.

Rings/Amulet:

  • Look for +Assassin skills, +dexterity, and resistances. Consider Raven Frost for cold resistance and Cannot Be Frozen.

Playstyle Tips

  1. Charge Up: Build charges with Claws of Thunder to maximize damage output.
  2. Combine Skills: Use Cloak of Shadows and Burst of Speed to maintain positioning while unleashing Claws of Thunder and supporting with traps.
  3. Crowd Control: Utilize Lightning Sentry and Death Sentry for crowd control and to handle groups of enemies effectively.
  4. Mobility: Prioritize mobility to avoid damage; this build benefits from a fast-paced playstyle.