Dragon Talon Assassin

Here's a comprehensive guide for a Dragon Talon build for the Assassin class in Diablo 2: Resurrected. This build focuses on maximizing the effectiveness of the Dragon Talon skill, leveraging its powerful kicking attack while incorporating traits from the Martial Arts skills for versatility and damage.

Dragon Talon Build Guide

Build Overview

The Dragon Talon build is a hybrid melee-focused strategy that emphasizes quick kicks and high single-target damage. It's effective for both PvE and PvP scenarios and offers unique gameplay through the use of various combos and charge skills.

Skill Allocation

  1. Martial Arts Skills
    • Dragon Talon (20 points): Your primary attack skill. It delivers powerful kicks, hits multiple times, and can trigger effects such as Crushing Blow.
    • Tiger Strike (20 points): Increases the damage of your kicks by providing charge bonuses. Building charges with Tiger Strike before transitioning to Dragon Talon strikes is very effective.
    • Dragon Claw (1-20 points): Can be used to deal extra damage after building charges; serves as a backup attack.
    • Phoenix Strike (1-20 points): Optional for more elemental damage and great synergy with charged attacks.
  2. Support Skills
    • Fade (1 point): Excellent for survivability, providing damage reduction and increased resistances.
    • Cloak of Shadows (1 point): Useful for crowd control; blinds enemies, allowing you time to kick or reposition.
    • Shadow Warrior (1 point): Provides a clone of your Assassin to help absorb damage and deal additional attacks.
  3. Passive Skills
    • Lightning and Fire Mastery (optional): Depending on if you want to incorporate elemental effects from your kicks or traps.
    • Weapon Block (1 point): If dual-wielding claws, this can provide great defense by blocking attacks.

Stat Allocation

  1. Strength: Allocate enough to equip your gear (typically around 100-150).
  2. Dexterity: Important for enhancing your chance to hit and critical strike; aim for around 150 or as high as needed to enhance your damage output.
  3. Vitality: Focus heavily here to maximize survivability; aim for as much as possible.
  4. Energy: Minimal investment is typically needed for Energy; if you find yourself running low on mana, add a few points as necessary.

Gear Recommendations

  • Weapons:
    • Ideal to dual-wield claws that provide bonuses to +Skills, increased attack speed, life steal, and other offensive stats. Examples include Bartuc's Cut-Throat or Shadow Killer.
  • Armor:
    • Look for armor that provides +Skills and resistances. Treachery is a popular choice, offering +2 to skills and useful bonuses.
  • Helm:
    • Andariel's Visage: Great for life leech and increased attack speed, along with resistances.
    • Seraph's Hymn is also viable for additional +skills and bonuses, especially in PvP settings.
  • Rings/Amulet:
    • Rings should provide +Skills, resistances, and life. Options like Stone of Jordan are excellent.
    • A +Skills amulet, particularly one with additional stats useful for melee, rounds out the options.
  • Belt:
    • Arachnid Mesh for +Skills and faster cast rate, or Nightsmoke for resistances and helpful bonuses.
  • Boots:
    • Boots with Faster Run/Walk and resistances are ideal. War Traveler adds experience gain and good returns on stats.

Gameplay Tips

  • Charge Build-Up: Use Tiger Strike to build charges before unleashing them with Dragon Talon for burst damage.
  • Mobility and Defense: Stay mobile and make use of Cloak of Shadows for temporary invincibility, allowing safe kicks and trap placements.
  • Aggressive Playstyle: Use Dragon Talon to engage quickly and deal damage, especially against bosses and tough packs.
  • Positioning: Focus on the positioning of your kicks; aim for enemies that will group up for higher damage output.

Mercenary Recommendations

  • Act 2 Mercenary (Might or Defensive): Provides necessary support for your playstyle and tanking.
  • Equip your mercenary with gear focusing on survivability and useful bonuses to enhance their effectiveness.