Max: Shadow Warrior or Master?

[ogot]

My sister's playing a level 32 Assassin (and mine's a level 47 sorc, 43 barb, and 37 necro)... She doesn't know if she should max the warrior or the master... She has a Rogue with a Cold and Poison bow, and her character is going to max out deth sentry, phoenix strike, Burst of Speed, Dragon Claw, and one of the shadows...

And she doesn't play multiplayer often... About thrice a month max...

Edit: Just add an "a" in the ____ sentry... The whole word doesn't want to appear... :unsure:

[Chameleon]

Max Burst of Speed

I wouldn't recomend this, as clicky shows, that after 6 points, the diminishing returns starts to hit really hard, you would be spending 14 skill points to get just 15% ias. I would put just 5 as you can always make Lore Helm, get claws with +skills and other stuff to boost slvl without much effort.

Now, which shadow? Good question.
Shadow Warrior clicky.

Shadow Warrior uses the skills you have selected. This allows you to control what kind of spells she will use.

Shadow Warriors have a base strength and dexterity equal to their level * 10. Also, the Shadow Warrior gains +4 resistance to all per level, to a max of level 75.

Shadow Master clicky.

The Shadow Master has Resistances, higher Attack Rating, and less Mana Cost at higher levels when compared to the Shadow Warrior. Most players choose the Shadow Master for play past level 30 although the Shadow Warrior offers more control over which skills and spells she casts.

Shadow Masters have a base strength and dexterity equal to their level * 10.

This is where I get confused, as the Shadow Master has a max resistance of 67%, while the Shadow Warrior has a max resistance of 75% (80% if the page is correct, thus still providing higher resistance under Conviction or Lower Resist).

The two shadows have equal life, strength and dexterity.

Shadow master has the edge in Attack Rating but I have seen the Master be far more a of caster than a warrior but then again, I haven't played an Assassin since 1.10 came out, and she may be "smarter" now.

Shadow Master will also, self cast Burst of Speed or Fade. Also, don't neglect Venom, as it can be used in conjuction with either Burst of Speed or Fade.

I personally am leaning towards the Shadow Warrior but I would like to read other opinions first, as I have been planing out an Assassin build recently also.

Edit: changed [I] to [Quote], easier to read.

[arrunique]

she may be "smarter" now.

One thing I noticed with my blade fury assassin is that the master was awsome with death sentry, as soon as a corpse dropped there was a sentry on top of it. Also the master sometimes annoyingly smart compared to a valk, she will retreat from big packs and throw traps and mind blast which would sometimes lead angry venom lords to me or my fragile merc.

A level 20+ master is a brute and hardly ever needs recasting, even against bosses. I agree with the last poster about burst of speed....overall against monsters fade is much more useful. One trick is to shop at Anya until you find +3 shadow claws, I think you can buy at level 37. Keep them on your switch for when you cast your master, your fade and your venom.

Make sure you wear a circlet because your master at high enough level wears the same helmet and armor you do but a rare version.A rare circlet can give her some really groovy mods (IAS, skills, run, elemental damage, etc)

Death sentry doesn't get more damage maxed, just has a wider range. Most of the time the monsters and corpses will be clustered around you or your master so the extra range doesn't really help. The sentry is smart and wont pop corpses unless someone is in range (annoying for resurectors). If you feel like being slick you can find a death sentry claw to keep on your switch so you dont even have to spend the 5 skill points in it.

I can't emphasize the 1 point wonder cloak of shadows enough. You should be continually casting it. The casting timer stops mattering in late nightmare and hell because it takes you longer to clear the screen. It neuters all ranged attackers except ob nights and their ranged attack is less scary than their iron maiden.

Good luck!

[Obi2Kenobi]

Make sure you wear a circlet because your master at high enough level wears the same helmet and armor you do but a rare version.

Whoa, whoa, whoa... slow down the nerf my assassin train. Does this mean that your Shadow Master gets no mods on the helmet or armor if you are nude?

[ogot]

Ok, she says she'll start a new assassin, having only a max of level 7 or 8 in Burst of Speed, highest possible Venom, highest possible Phoenix Strike, maxing out Shadow Master, 5 or 7 in Claw Mastery, 5 or 7 in Weapon Block, 5-10 of Dragon Claw, and highest possible Death Sentry...

Should she get Dragon Claw or Dragon Flight? She has trouble getting out of packs of big melee monsters... (She panics a lot...) And how about Tiger or Cobra Strike?

Edit: I just told my sister...

[ShadowHM]

Does this mean that your Shadow Master gets no mods on the helmet or armor if you are nude?

AFAIK, this is still accurate:

Shadow Warrior Equipment:

SWarriors get all their bonuses at level one.
-Magical Blade Talons on their left hand
-Magical Cestus on their right hand
-Magical version of the your own armor's base item (eg. if you wore Greyform, they would spawn with a magical version of Quilted Armor)
-Magical version of your own helm's base item

This suggests that if you are playing a nude (no armour) character, you will have a nude Warrior. However....

Shadow Master Equipment:
At level 1
-Superior Suwayyah/War Fist/Scissors Suwayyah on their right hand
-Superior Battle Cestus/Runic Talon on their left hand
-Superior version of your own armor's base item

At level 5
-Superior Bramble Mitts/Vambraces/Ogre Gauntlets

At level 6
-All equipment upgraded to magic

At level 9
-Magical right ring

At level 11
-All equipment upgraded to rare

At level 13
-Add rare left ring

At level 17
-Add rare amulet

[arrunique]

Whoa, whoa, whoa... slow down the nerf my assassin train.

I haven't had any coffee yet so I'm extra dumb right now but what the hell does that mean?

[Obi2Kenobi]

It means explain this for me, because I hope it won't weaken how I thought my assassin would be.