Assassin

One build for three jobs, each on its own skill preset: 1 mobs and farming, 2 bosses, 3 PvP. Built on Krix Domi's 3 Nov setup (rank 1 Assassin on NotMeter's Ludra Hard ranking, week of 5 Nov, 267K combat power), with Chae (2,510 Arena rating) and Papi for PvP. Krix's full setup with gear and Genus is in his guide.

How the class works

• Damage comes in burst windows: Illusive Clone plus Swift Contract. Global caps crit chance at 50%, so the build chases cooldown reduction to get the next window sooner.
• Quick Slice at 16 always crits, which is what opens Heart Gore. It is the first skill to 16.
• Storm Rampage only hits a staggered target, and at 16 takes 1s off every cooldown per hit. Below 16 it is not worth a macro slot.
• Flash Slice and Infiltrate are only for getting behind the boss.

Settings

• Macro key: Settings > Key Settings > General > Macro, right click. A mouse button doesn't work in AION 1 Control Mode. Never put the macro on the Quick Slice button: pressing a skill yourself always wins, so the macro would never run.
• Boss facing: Information Display > Combat > Display Boss Orientation Indicator > Back. The whole yellow half-moon counts as behind.
• Presets: Skill window, buttons 1 / 2 / 3 at the top right. Each preset keeps its own skill levels, stigmas, Specialty picks, hotbar and macro. Switch outside combat.
• Preset keys (game defaults, Key Settings > Play): Skill Preset 1 / 2 / 3 = Alt + Numpad 4 / 5 / 6. Gear Preset 1 / 2 / 3 = Alt + Numpad 1 / 2 / 3. Batch Preset 1 / 2 / 3 (gear and skills together) = Insert / Home / Page Up.
• Specialty picks: one pick at skill level 8, two at 12, three at 20. A skill's first three lines open at 8, the fourth at 12, the fifth at 16. Stigmas have no picks, their lines open by themselves at 5, 10, 15 and 20.

The hotbar, and why

A key with stacked skills (rows 0 to 3 above it in the Skill window) fires the first skill on it that is learned, ready and allowed right now, starting at row 0. That is how one macro step can fire four skills. All three presets use the boss preset's keys. A skill moves only where the PvP build presses it by hand.

Key	Abyss and farming (1)	Bosses (2)	PvP (3)	Why it sits there
Left click	Quick Slice	Quick Slice	Quick Slice	Held all fight
Right click	Macro	Macro	Macro	The macro, held with left click
T	Throw Shadowblade, Heart Gore, Savage Roar	Savage Fang, Insignia Explosion, Triniel's Dagger, Storm Rampage	Insignia Explosion, Heart Gore, Savage Roar	Macro step 1, never pressed by hand
8		Heart Gore, Savage Roar	Ambush, Whirlwind Slice	Macro step 2 (presets 2 and 3)
1	Shadowstrike	Shadowstrike	Shadowstrike	Shadowstrike alone, by hand when ready
2	Shadow Fall, Whirlwind Slice	Whirlwind Slice, Shadow Fall, Ambush	Shadow Fall	Knockdown and filler
3	Flash Slice	Flash Slice	Flash Slice	Gap closer
4	Illusive Clone	Swift Contract, Illusive Clone	Illusive Clone, Evasion Contract	Buffs in one press
5	Insignia Explosion			Preset 1: by hand for the stun timing
6	Ambush			Preset 1: by hand to break shields
7	Shadow Walk		Shadowstep	Back into Stealth
E	Spiral Slice	(Evasion Stance for Ludra)	Spiral Slice	The stigma attack
Q	Infiltrate	Infiltrate	Infiltrate	Teleport behind

Preset 1: Abyss and farming (PvE and PvP)

Viles' open world and Abyss build (NA East Zikel, 30 Oct), with Chae's open world preset and Krix where Viles shows nothing. One macro step: Throw Shadowblade on T, with Heart Gore and Savage Roar under it.

Key	Row	Skill	Lv	Specialty picks
Left click	0	Quick Slice	20	Absorbs 0.7% HP, -1s [Insignia Explosion] cooldown on hit, Ignores Block and Evasion and lands as a Critical Hit
T	0	Throw Shadowblade (stigma)	20	none, stigma lines open by level
T	2	Heart Gore	19	Multi-Hit on hit, Resets [Heart Gore] cooldown on landing a Critical Hit
T	3	Savage Roar	14	+20% Skill Speed, -1s [Shadowstrike] cooldown on hit
1	0	Shadowstrike	13	+1s Stun duration, +20% caster Critical Damage Boost for 10s on hit
2	0	Shadow Fall	12	-5s cooldown, +1s Knockdown duration (Chae's picks, Krix's not shown)
2	1	Whirlwind Slice	13	+16m range, +20% Stun Chance (Chae's picks, Krix's not shown)
3	0	Flash Slice	13	+6m Range, +1 consecutive use
4	0	Illusive Clone (stigma)	20	none, stigma lines open by level
5	0	Insignia Explosion	20	Adds rotate effect, +1s Stun duration, -3s cooldown
6	0	Ambush	14	Engraves 2 Insignias for 10s on landing as a Back attack, Breaks Protective Shields on hit (Chae's picks, Krix's not shown)
7	0	Shadow Walk (stigma)	20	none, stigma lines open by level
Q	0	Infiltrate	13	+10m [Infiltrate] range, Breaks Protective Shields on landing [Infiltrate]
E	0	Spiral Slice (stigma)	15	none, stigma lines open by level
Space	0	Defiance	12	none shown

• Stigmas: Throw Shadowblade 20, Illusive Clone 20, Shadow Walk 20, Spiral Slice 15. Throw Shadowblade 20 first ("the only thing absolutely needed"), then Illusive Clone to at least 15, then Shadow Walk 20.
• Mobs: hold both mouse buttons. The macro throws the blade, the Shadowblade Pursuit chain (level 5) takes you to the mob, and it resets on every kill. Heart Gore and Savage Roar fire in between.
• A player in reach: key 4 (Illusive Clone), key 1 (Shadowstrike, stun), key 2 (Shadow Fall, knockdown), key 5 (Insignia Explosion, turns them for back hits).
• Shields (Templar, Cleric, Chanter): key 6 (Ambush) breaks them, Q (Infiltrate) too.
• Leaving: key 7 (Shadow Walk). At 20 it resets on a player kill or assist. Attacks out of Stealth crit, so go back in with E (Spiral Slice).
• Passives: Rear Smite first, then Assault Stance, Exploit Weakness and Impact Hit (Viles' order). No points in Storm Rampage.

Preset 2: bosses and dungeons

Krix's PvE preset, 3 Nov, as shown. On Chae's key positions. Full write-up with gear, Genus and his own keys: his guide.

Key	Row	Skill	Lv	Specialty picks
Left click	0	Quick Slice	20	+50% Multi-Hit on hit, -1s [Insignia Explosion] cooldown on hit, Ignores Block and Evasion and lands as a Critical Hit
T	0	Savage Fang (stigma)	20	none, stigma lines open by level
T	1	Insignia Explosion	20	+50% Multi-Hit on hit, Keep 2 stacks of Insignias after [Insignia Explosion], -3s cooldown
T	2	Triniel's Dagger (stigma)	20	none, stigma lines open by level
T	3	Storm Rampage	16	Multi-Hit on hit, -1s all skill cooldowns on hit
8	0	Heart Gore	16	Multi-Hit on hit, Resets [Heart Gore] cooldown on landing a Critical Hit
8	3	Savage Roar	19	+20% Skill Speed, -1s [Shadowstrike] cooldown on hit
1	0	Shadowstrike	13	+20% caster Critical Damage Boost for 10s on hit, 50% chance to inflict Seal for 5s on hit
2	0	Whirlwind Slice	1	none
2	1	Shadow Fall	8	Absorbs 10% HP (Chae's picks, Krix's not shown)
2	2	Ambush	12	Absorbs 3% HP, 50% chance to trigger [Whirlwind Slice] on hit (Chae's picks, Krix's not shown)
3	0	Flash Slice	12	+6m Range, +1 consecutive use
4	0	Swift Contract (stigma)	20	none, stigma lines open by level
4	1	Illusive Clone (stigma)	20	none, stigma lines open by level
Q	0	Infiltrate	10	+10m [Infiltrate] range
Space	0	Defiance	12	none shown

• Stigmas: Illusive Clone 20, Swift Contract 20, Savage Fang 20, Triniel's Dagger 20. All three buffs are on 1 minute, Triniel's Dagger on 45 seconds (tooltips and game files).
• Macro: 1. key T (Savage Fang, Insignia Explosion, Triniel's Dagger, Storm Rampage), 2. key 8 (Heart Gore, Savage Roar), 10 ms each.
• Rotation: key 4 (both buffs), Shadowstrike into the boss for its Critical Damage buff, then hold left and right click. The macro fires Savage Fang, then Insignia Explosion, then Triniel's Dagger, with Heart Gore in between. Shadowstrike whenever it is up.
• Ludra: Evasion Stance 20 on E instead of Savage Fang, which comes off the top of T. The last boss can't be attacked from behind in its second phase.
• Heart Gore at 20: Krix adds Absorbs 0.7% HP ("extremely good quality of life").

Passives (his levels): Rear Smite 26, Assault Stance 23, Exploit Weakness 21, Impact Hit 19, Heightened Sixth Sense 16, Defense Break 16, Ambush Stance 15, Determination 15, Revitalization Contract 11, Apply Poison 4.

Preset 3: PvP

Chae's arena preset (2,510 rating, 29 Oct), with Viles' picks where they agree. No Throw Shadowblade.

Key	Row	Skill	Lv	Specialty picks
Left click	0	Quick Slice	22	+50% Multi-Hit on hit, -1s [Insignia Explosion] cooldown on hit, Ignores Block and Evasion and lands as a Critical Hit
T	0	Insignia Explosion	16	+50% Multi-Hit on hit, -3s cooldown
T	2	Heart Gore	16	Multi-Hit on hit, Resets [Heart Gore] cooldown on landing a Critical Hit
T	3	Savage Roar	18	+20% Skill Speed, Pulls nearby targets on using [Savage Smash]
8	0	Ambush	9	Breaks Protective Shields on hit
8	1	Whirlwind Slice	13	+16m range, +20% Stun Chance
1	0	Shadowstrike	12	+20% caster Critical Damage Boost for 10s on hit, 50% chance to inflict Seal for 5s on hit
2	0	Shadow Fall	12	Engraves 3 Insignias for 10s on hit, +1s Knockdown duration
3	0	Flash Slice	10	+6m Range
4	0	Illusive Clone (stigma)	20	none, stigma lines open by level
4	1	Evasion Contract (stigma)	20	none, stigma lines open by level
7	0	Shadowstep (stigma)	15	none, stigma lines open by level
Q	0	Infiltrate	15	+10m [Infiltrate] range, Breaks Protective Shields on landing [Infiltrate]
E	0	Spiral Slice (stigma)	12	none, stigma lines open by level
Space	0	Defiance	6	none shown

• Stigmas: Illusive Clone 20, Evasion Contract 20, Shadowstep 15, Spiral Slice 12. Spiral Slice to 10 first, then Illusive Clone and Evasion Contract to 20.
• Macro: key T (Insignia Explosion, Heart Gore, Savage Roar), then key 8 (Ambush, and Whirlwind Slice while Ambush is on cooldown).
• How to play: key 4 (Illusive Clone, Evasion Contract). In 5v5 only go in on squishy targets. Open with key 1 (Shadowstrike, stun) and key 2 (Shadow Fall, knockdown), then hold both mouse buttons. Hold Spiral Slice (E) until they pop their buffs. Key 7 (Shadowstep) back into Stealth when it goes wrong.
• Shields: Q (Infiltrate) breaks them by hand, Ambush from the macro too.
• Shadowstep or Shadow Walk: Viles rates Shadowstep higher for 1v1 (stun, Evasion, Move Speed, Stealth) and Evasion Contract weaker after the Evasion nerfs.

Every skill

What each active skill does (game files), its five Specialty lines from top to bottom (bold = picked in a preset above), and where it sits.

Skill	What it does	Specialty lines 1 to 5	Where
Quick Slice	Up to 4 enemies within 4m, restores MP.	+20% MP restored / Absorbs 0.7% HP / +50% Multi-Hit on hit / -1s [Insignia Explosion] cooldown on hit / Ignores Block and Evasion and lands as a Critical Hit	Left click, every preset. First skill to 16.
Insignia Explosion	Up to 4 enemies around a target within 20m, stuns. Damage and stun chance grow with the target's Insignia stacks (1 to 5).	Adds rotate effect / +50% Multi-Hit on hit / Keep 2 stacks of Insignias after [Insignia Explosion] / +1s Stun duration / -3s cooldown	Key T, macro step 1.
Heart Gore	Only after you land a crit: up to 4 enemies within 4m, restores MP.	Absorbs 0.7% HP / Engraves 1 Insignia / Up to +20% Critical Hit when less targets hit / Multi-Hit on hit / Resets [Heart Gore] cooldown on landing a Critical Hit	Key 8 row 0, macro step 2 (key T in PvP). No cooldown during Illusive Clone.
Savage Roar	3-hit combo (Savage Roar, Savage Back Kick, Savage Smash), up to 4 enemies, 1 Insignia per hit.	-20% MP consumed / +20% Skill Speed / Up to 12% more damage when less targets are hit / -1s [Shadowstrike] cooldown on hit (bosses) / Pulls nearby targets on [Savage Smash] (PvP)	Key T row 3.
Ambush	One target within 4m, +30% damage from behind.	Engraves 2 Insignias on a Back attack / Absorbs 3% HP / Breaks Protective Shields on hit (PvP) / 50% chance to trigger [Whirlwind Slice] on hit / +2 consecutive uses	Key 2 row 2. Not in the macro (key 8, macro step 2, in PvP).
Shadowstrike	Moves behind a target within 20m, hits and stuns.	+1s Stun duration / +20% caster Critical Damage Boost for 10s on hit / 50% chance to Seal for 5s (PvP) / 50% chance to Root / Changes to AoE Skill	Key 1 alone, by hand whenever it is up.
Whirlwind Slice	One target within 4m, stuns when you evade.	+50% Multi-Hit on hit / Changes to AoE damage / +16m range (PvP) / +20% Stun Chance (PvP) / 25% chance to reset on Evasion	Key 2 row 0 (key 8 row 1 in PvP). Ambush triggers it.
Flash Slice	Moves to the other side of a target within 4m, hits up to 4, may Blind.	+2s Blind duration / +6m Range / Up to +20% damage when more targets hit (mobs, bosses) / +1 consecutive use / 50% chance to stun a Blinded target	Key 3, gap closer. 12 gives the second charge.
Infiltrate	Moves behind a target within 10m and hits. Blinds after a dodge or while flying.	Restores 300 Stamina on landing (bosses) / +10m range / Breaks Protective Shields on landing (PvP) / Adds [Dark Strike] chain / +20% Blind Chance	Key Q, teleport behind.
Shadow Fall	Jumps to a stunned target within 10m, hits and knocks down.	Absorbs 10% HP (bosses) / Engraves 3 Insignias (PvP) / -5s cooldown / +1s Knockdown duration (PvP) / Usable on Blinded targets	Key 2 row 1 (row 0 in PvP).
Storm Rampage	Hits a target in Stagger within 4m, nothing else.	Absorbs 5% HP / Restores 120 MP / Changes to mobile skill / Multi-Hit on hit / -1s all skill cooldowns on hit	Key T row 3 in preset 2. Not used in PvP or on mobs.
Defiance	Removes Stun, Knockdown, Airborne, Grab, Frost and Fear, then Status Effect Immunity (Tenacity). Ignores cooldown reduction.	Adds [Storm Slice] chain / Restores 1000 Stamina / Restores 20% HP / +2s Tenacity duration / +50% PvE and +25% PvP Damage Tolerance during Tenacity	Space. Picks matter in PvP.

Passives have no picks. Level them in the order under How to level it, below.

Passive	What it does (game files)
Rear Smite	Back Attack Damage Boost, PvE and PvP Damage Boost. Swift Contract 10 makes it x1.5
Assault Stance	Critical Damage Boost. Swift Contract 15 makes it x1.5
Exploit Weakness	Critical Hit, a chance for Attack up, and clones on crits that engrave Insignias. Illusive Clone 15 makes it x1.5
Impact Hit	Impact-type Chance and Double Chance
Ambush Stance	After a rush or movement skill, 10s of extra hits on landing attacks
Determination	Extra damage on targets at low HP
Heightened Sixth Sense	Evasion and HP, heals on Evasion
Defense Break	Lowers Defense and Status Effect Resist of a staggered or impacted target
Apply Poison	Poison and lower healing on the target
Revitalization Contract	Status Effect Resist, a heal at 10% HP

Every stigma

Stigma lines open by themselves at 5, 10, 15 and 20 (game files). Bold = used in a preset above.

Stigma	What it does	5 / 10 / 15 / 20	Preset
Illusive Clone	Removes Heart Gore's cooldown and adds extra damage for its duration. 60s cooldown since 28 Oct	+10% Status Effect Chance / +20% Critical Damage Boost / x1.5 Exploit Weakness / 50% chance of extra damage on a crit	1, 2, 3
Swift Contract	Combat Speed up	-20% MP cost / x1.5 Rear Smite / x1.5 Assault Stance / +10% Combat Speed	1, 2
Savage Fang	Up to 4 enemies, engraves 5 Insignias, 50 Stagger	+20% damage on more targets / +50 Stagger / +10% PvE Damage Boost for 10s / always crits	2
Triniel's Dagger	Hits and raises the target's cooldowns, +30% from behind	mobile / -10% all your cooldowns on hit / resets on a kill / +3% all cooldowns	1, 2
Throw Shadowblade	Ranged hit and Slow	Shadowblade Pursuit chain (jump to the target) / resets on a kill / always crits / hits up to 4	1
Evasion Contract	Removes Slow and Root, immunity to both, Evasion up	chance to ignore projectiles / +20% Move Speed / chance to cut all cooldowns 1s on each evade / +100 Evasion	1 (Abyss), 3
Shadow Walk	Stealth, out of combat only	always crits from Stealth / +20% Move Speed / usable in combat / resets on a player kill assist	1 (Abyss)
Shadowstep	Hits, jumps you back into Stealth	chance to stun / engraves 5 Insignias / +500 Evasion / -15s cooldown	3
Spiral Slice	Rushes 20m, strips a buff, more damage per buff stripped	strips up to 2 / 3s stun when it strips 2 or more / strips up to 3 / -30s cooldown	3
Evasion Stance	Evades all damage briefly	+1 use / mobile / +20% Move Speed on evade / 10% HP once after an evade	2 for Ludra (Krix)
Assault Ambush	Up to 4 enemies at range, Blind, Defense up	+10% Attack for 10s / 500 MP damage / +10m range / +20% Blind Chance	early, before Savage Fang 15
Smoke Bomb	Ranged Blind	+10m range / AoE / Slow / +1 use	not used
Aerial Bind	Airborne, more likely at 5 Insignias	+16m range / Aerial Slaughter chain / x1.5 Ambush Stance for 10s / -30s cooldown	not used

How to level it

Skills: Quick Slice to 16 first, then Insignia Explosion and Storm Rampage to 16, then Quick Slice, Heart Gore and Savage Roar to 20. Extra levels after that into Insignia Explosion or Heart Gore. Flash Slice to 12 on the way (second charge). Cooldown first, base damage last.

Stigmas for bosses, as shards come in (Krix's final levels, order worked out from the line effects):

1. Illusive Clone 10, then 20.
2. Swift Contract 10, 15, then 20.
3. Triniel's Dagger 10 (cuts all cooldowns 10%).
4. Savage Fang 15 (+10% PvE Damage Boost), then 20.
5. Triniel's Dagger 15, then 20.

Passives: Rear Smite, Assault Stance and Exploit Weakness first (Swift Contract and Illusive Clone multiply them by 1.5), then Impact Hit, Ambush Stance and Determination. Defense Break and Apply Poison with what is left.

Small things: Shadowstrike cancels the Assault Ambush animation. Put Determination and Shadow Fall on different keys.

Gear

• Krix's gear (questlog armory, 6 Nov, item level 3,421, 268.8K combat power): crafted Splendent Ebony Dragon Lord weapon, guard and gloves and all five accessories, +20 (gloves +18). Ferocious Horn Den armour (Nuakum helm, pauldrons, breastplate, greaves, boots, cloak) at +17. Abyssal Bracelets +18 from Ludra. Noble Belt +10, Clash Runes +6, Talisra Wings. Ebony is the Asmodian name of the Elyos Wise Dragon Lord.
• Arcana: 4 Vigor cards plus the Bell of Magic. Krix wears the Mirror of Magic instead of the Mirror of Vigor only because it rolled Rear Smite +4. Card lines: Chalice of Vigor Quick Slice until 16, then Insignia Explosion. Parchment Quick Slice, Heart Gore, Insignia Explosion. Compass Savage Roar, Storm Rampage. Bell Assault Stance, Ambush Stance. Mirror Rear Smite, Exploit Weakness, Impact Hit. More in Arcana.
• Wings: Talisra (Season Shop, 210,000 Oath Coin, 4% cooldown reduction) is the goal. Until then Forest Spirit, the strongest worn wing on bosses (boss damage 350, boss flat damage +95, Wing table), and what Chae wears. Dark Veil for PvP ("dark veil until you unlock abyss ones", Chae, 28 Oct).
• Titles: Unbound by Genus (attack), Dominator of Dimensions (own 25 wings, cosmetic ones count: HP 1,000, PvE Damage Tolerance 4.5%), Empty Closet (700 skins, 3.5% cooldown and Combat Speed). Krix's three on 3 Nov. Before those: Saint of Altgard or Saint of Verteron, Through Hell and Back.
• Pantheon: artwork with Illusion [Kaisinel] (cooldown) and Wisdom [Lumiel] (Double Chance). Blue is fine. In the Shugo Festival shop buy the two blue paintings with Illusion and Wisdom first.
• Genus Insight: slot 4 first on every board, the Special board before the others. Assassins take Back Attack Damage Boost on Special and Varian, PvE Damage Boost on Cogni, Natura and Fera (Krix's boards, 3 Nov). Lock costs and the full order: Genus Insight.

Soul Binding: what to roll per slot (Chae, PvE)▾

>> means far ahead of the rest.

Slot	PvE
Weapon, Guard	Combat Speed >> Weapon Damage Boost > Damage Boost > Might > Multi-Hit Chance > Precision
Helmet	Double >> Attack > Weapon Damage Tolerance > Incoming Heal > Endurance
Pauldrons	Double >> Critical Damage Boost > Attack > Passives > Endurance
Breastplate	Damage Boost > Weapon Damage Tolerance > Attack > Passives > Endurance
Legs	Damage Tolerance > Perfect Chance > Attack > Passives > Endurance
Gloves	Combat Speed >> Perfect Chance > Attack > Passives
Cloak	Double Chance > Perfect Chance > Attack > Weapon Damage Tolerance > Passives
Shoes	Move Speed > Perfect Chance > Attack > Passives
Rings	Might > Actives / Evasion > Attack
Earrings	Might > Move Speed > Passives / Evasion > Attack
Necklace	Combat Speed >> Might > Passives / Evasion > Attack
Bracelet	Time > Destruction > Wisdom > Freedom / Illusion > Life / Death