Introduction

**Updated for 2.9 on the PRIVATE server 2/23/18**

Introduction:

For starters, my name is Blaqklight and I am currently playing on the private server called ArcheRage.
I've been playing the game since Alpha and have well over 5k hours. I started on Ezi as a pirate (RIP), moved to Nazar to join the West, lead a pirate guild on Ollo for a few months, switched to Morpheus, then finally ended on Hanure before quitting legacy servers. Now I'm back, playing on the private server. Since the game originally came out I've played 6 different classes, all of them physical based. I finally decided to write up a guide on my favorite class thus far, Shadowblade.

The Class:

Shadowblade (SB) is similar to Darkrunner (DR), but with less mobility and many more CCs. Since you lack Mirror Warp and Teleportation, it can make getting out of some sticky situations rather difficult. Instead, you have the ability to fear your targets off of you, paralyze them mid-attack, and silence them with your combos. Who needs to run away when no one can attack you? Most guides will tell you that SB is another "glass cannon" class, but it doesn't have to be. All of this is based off of your preferred gear. Flame sets will give you less survivability than Obsidian ones, which is all based on your personal playstyle. For this guide I am going to offer two different paths that you can take for gear/weapons, and will weigh the pros and the cons of each below.

Updates:

I've gone through and updated the guide for the private server's current version, which is a modified 2.9. Biggest switch out of skills in the tree lies with the addition of and the removal of . prevents the caster from being slept for feared for 60s, which means that you cannot be leeched. Also, it has been proven that Delirium effcts from proc bleed effects, which nullifies all of our stuns and fears. Make sure you do not have this skill.

Also, we've switched out for . Having an additional sleep/slowdown to force melee classes to pop their early is fantastic. Weave this skill into your combos and force that pop to faceroll them later when is on CD. Meme strong.

Gear:

Main Weapon(s):

You have two options here, you can either dual wield or go 2H, as this class works with both. Given the gigantic buff that 2H weapons got in the 3.0 patch, I elected to go down this route on legacy and will again on the private server. With 3.0 less than a month away, I'm already prepared. I'm currently using an Epic T6 Greatsword (GS), Fir Queen's Tears. The weapon passive for GS is increased parry rate, and I find that this is incredibly helpful when fighting other SBs, DRs, or other classes of the like. Nodachis' (ND) passive of increased critical chance is also fantastic, but I already had 20% crit rate with this class, so I didn't really need it. I would not recommend any form of Axes due to the passive bleed chance, as this will ruin your fears and stuns by waking them up with damage the second you cast it.
If you're gonna dual wield anything, Id recommend a Short Spear (SS) or a Sword for the main hand. The ignore Phys Def chance on the SS is amazing against plate and the parry rate from the Sword is always awesome. The off-hand is your personal preference. I ran a Delph Gale Katana for a while.

So, TL;DR version: (2H) Greatswords and Nodachis = awesome!
(Dual)SS or Sword in main, personal pref on offhand.
(Moral) NO AXES!!!

Armor:

You can use just about anything, but I would HIGHLY recommend leather of some sort. I'm currently running 2 piece divine auroria (Waist + Guards) with Obs T5 Leather (Hat, Chest, Pants, gloves, and boots). The defensive buffs on the Jerkin and Legs are awesome if you're playing more of a fighter-style class and this is a good compromise between bruiser and glass cannon.

Ideally you want everything at divine T5 for the obs or divine delph flame for the other pieces. You will be limitlessly squishy with flame, so you'd better stack some extra phys and magic def on your waist/guards. Currently on the server, celestial buffs are the meta for all pvp, so getting divine doesn't have to be an immediate priority, but it is important down the road. Plus, the divine buff is fantastic with the attack speed increases for us 2H users (4% increase from divine buff compared to 3% increase on celestial).

Cape:

Ah yes, personal preference time again. Everyone is going to tell you that the Delph Arrowflash cloak is the most important thing to get, and I would agree almost 90%. Flaming Arrowflash is awesome as well, if you're trying to become a crit monster.
Truthfully, I switch out between the Delph Flaming Arrowflash and the Delph Twintail cloak.

**GASP**

I know, I know. Its shocking. However, the increased parry rate is just so dirty in my opinion. I've got a base of 24% parry rate, 57% with battle focus, and when the GS passive procs its at 123%. No, this is not a joke . So, who needs to attack faster when the other guy can't even hit you?

EDIT: I don't have my Twintail cloak anymore since I've switched from legacy to the private server. I'm currently running am Arrowflash cloak, but rest assured, I will get another Twintail when I have an excess of warriors medals. :lul:

Instrument:

Anthem of Battlerage. There isn't anything better, trust me. Get it to celestial and gem it with melee attack increase. You won't be sorry.

Accessories:

Get a Lightning necklace of some kind. Def Pen is OP rn and won't be nerfed until 3.5, so we've got a while.

Gale or Flame earrings. Gale for parry, flame for evasion. Since we've got both and I won't tell you which is better. I'm currently stacked with a ton of evasion. 25% evasion and 20% base parry. With the greatsword proc I get to about 117%-123% parry and with the proc I get about 50%-55% evasion if is active. Its amusing seeing all of the misses.

Gale Rings are a must though. Defense Pen is your friend, especially if your opponent is something aids like a plate wearing Paladin. Or an abolisher, since everyone on this damn server runs plate.

Bow:

Flame Bow! Why? Because who doesn't want an extra assload of strength for increased melee attack!

Glider:

Sloth Glider! For mobility and for creepy, furry whispers.
Sauce: Lookit this cute bitch.

-OR-

Panda Glider. This server offers the panda glider that has a forward teleport instead of a backwards roll. Imo, both are great, but since sloth gliders are about 6k and panda gliders are 1.4k gold, the choice for me was easy. Also, since we're missing teleport from auramancy, its a great initiate.

Lunagems, Lunafrosts, Lunadrops, and Lunascales.

Cap
•Lunagem:
Ideally: Toughness Lunascale from the 4k Leadership hero box(If you can get it lol)
Reality: Attack Speed until you don't feel comfortable and then Max Mana Lunascales ("lel" I know, but I'm SUFFERING with mana rn, and when 3.0 drops with the free for all arena? I'm gonna load my spirit/intelligence into Agility/Strength, so I will need the mana).
•Lunafrost:
Stealth detection 20% increase

Jerkin
•Lunagem:
Resilience 420
•Lunafrost:
Revived damage 3% decrease

Belt
•Lunagem:
Lucid Eternal Battlerage Lunagem (increased Battle Focus duration)
-OR-
Physical/ Magical Defense +100
-AND-
Max Mana lunascales.
•Lunadrop:
Strength +9

Guards
•Lunagem:
Lucid Ancient Battlerage Lunagem (increased triple slash damage)
-OR-
Physical/ Magical Defense +100
-AND-
Max Mana lunascales.
•Lunadrop:
Strength +9

Fists
•Lunagem:
Lucid 3% Evasion Gem x2 (Pray to RNJesus if you go for more than 2, these muddafakkas are expensive)
Evasion rate 1.5% increase (lunascales)
•Lunafrost:
Melee critical damage 24% increase

Breeches
•Lunagem:
Toughness 353
•Lunadrop:
Honorbold Experienced lunafrost (335 Toughness)

Boots
•Lunagem:
2 Move speed 3% increase
3-4 Move speed 2% increase (lunascales)
•Lunafrost:
Move speed 5% increase or Honor Shop Focus Gem

Cape
Perfect Fire Lunafrost

Rotations

Ideal Situation
The idea of an "ideal situation" is rather funny since PvP is literally everywhere in this game, but if you get the chance to open on someone from stealth, I'd recommend:

> > > > > > > > > > etc.

A more "standard" rotation would look more like this...

> > > > > > > > > > > > > .

Rangers
The idea is to get super close to them and prevent them from running, so...
> > (in their direction) > > > > >>>

Scenario 1: They get away, so you continue with...
> > > > > > > > > .

OR

Scenario 2: They didn't get away from your initial knockdown, so you...
> > > > > > > .

Leach Runners
If someone is doing a leachrunner build you can...
Laugh at them. Leech is funny. Leech does not work. They are bad. means no leech. After they are dead, please make sure to /point and /laugh at them. They should feel bad.

For Fears
This is mostly for daggerspells or other similar mages that have limitless fears/silences/stuns/etc.
> > > (they will try and fear at this point cause you're close) > (away from them) > > > You get the point by now.
-OR-
If its anything else...
Laugh at them. grants immunity to fear. Fears do not work. After they are dead, please make sure to /point and /laugh at them. They should feel bad.

Conclusion:

If anyone has any questions, comments, or concerns, feel free to leave a comment below or shoot me a message. I've got a discord server that I share a lot of this type of stuff in and play pretty frequently on the private server. I'm a huge fan of theorycrafing and really enjoy talking with new people! Thanks for reading and I hope this helps :D

Cheers,

Blaqklight