Assassin Variant Build Questions

[brakUF]

I've been playing through different build ideas, and have been experimenting with one that I enjoy, but have some questions about. If I make any assumptions that are idiotic, please feel free to correct me. Mostly I'm just asking if anybody has tried this, or can explain more fully the oddities I'm encountering.

The Assassin's Tiger Strike is such a potent damage enhancement, but it only works on the BASE DAMAGE, right? So I've started picking up the heavier-end two handed weapons, as opposed to claws, and I use that combined with the burst of speed. It's been amusing, and I get some pretty impressive damage levels, but weapons speed mechanics are a little confusing to me. How is weapon speed determined, and how does burst of speed interact? I've read lots of posts about this sort of thing over the years, and the relations of frame rates and what not have always eluded me, especially as they seem to change dramatically every time the game got patched.

I'm also curious if anybody has tried this yet. It seems like my AR and attack speed aren't scaling up well. In fact, it seems like I'm proportionally loosing ground as I go along, with a pretty atrocious AR, despite my best attempts to keep it at a decent level. Does the assassin treat all weapons other than claws in a different way?

This is a fun build, but I'm starting to hit an AR wall, and I'd like to know if it's going to be futile to continue. Any thoughts on the matter would be much appreciated. Thanks!

[Assur]

Hi

AFAIK as I know all the Chargeup and and Finishing moves really kneed a clawclass weapon to function as promised. How are you pumping your dex stats?

good karma

Edit: You might try going back to clawclass weapons and pump Claw Mastery, since it improves your damage and your AR

[Occhidiangela]

I've been playing through different build ideas, and have been experimenting with one that I enjoy, but have some questions about.  If I make any assumptions that are idiotic, please feel free to correct me.  Mostly I'm just asking if anybody has tried this, or can explain more fully the oddities I'm encountering.

The Assassin's Tiger Strike is such a potent damage enhancement, but it only works on the BASE DAMAGE, right?  So I've started picking up the heavier-end two handed weapons, as opposed to claws, and I use that combined with the burst of speed.  It's been amusing, and I get some pretty impressive damage levels, but weapons speed mechanics are a little confusing to me.  How is weapon speed determined, and how does burst of speed interact?  I've read lots of posts about this sort of thing over the years, and the relations of frame rates and what not have always eluded me, especially as they seem to change dramatically every time the game got patched.

I'm also curious if anybody has tried this yet.  It seems like my AR and attack speed aren't scaling up well.  In fact, it seems like I'm proportionally loosing ground as I go along, with a pretty atrocious AR, despite my best attempts to keep it at a decent level.  Does the assassin treat all weapons other than claws in a different way? 

This is a fun build, but I'm starting to hit an AR wall, and I'd like to know if it's going to be futile to continue.  Any thoughts on the matter would be much appreciated.  Thanks!
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A few ways to get around the AR problem.

1. Cast Cloak of Shadows to reduce monster DR.
2. Equipr amulets, charms, and rings, and a weapon, with AR bonuses. (Raven Frost is sweet, of course, if you can find one)
3. Hire a Blessed Aim Merc in Act II.
4. Use an Act I Rogue Merc, her Inner Sight really knocks down enemy DR at high levels.

Find or Runeword an ITD weapons.

Those are a few ways to get the chargeup to release more often.

Occhi

[BFD]

AFAIK as I know all the Chargeup and and Finishing moves really kneed a clawclass weapon to function as promised. How are you pumping your dex stats?

Only the middle 3 Charge-Up Skills do not require claw class weapons. Dragon Claw is the only finnishing move requiring a claw class weapon, and it requires two.

I'll just quote the Arreat Summit

You can use any one or two-handed weapon with Tiger Strike, Cobra Strike, Phoenix Strike which means you can combine those skills with a Shield and a good one-handed weapon if you choose. They do not use two weapons at once however the damage and speed is averaged. Blades of Ice, Claws of Thunder, and Dragon Claw require Katars (Claw-class Weapons).

Fists of Fire, Claws of Thunder, and Blades of Ice require one Claw-class weapon and Dragon Claw requires two Claw-class weapons.