The Deadeye elite specialization of the Thief, which is recognized for being a potent single-target DPS unit, expands upon the strengths of the core Thief by producing Malice. The Mark mechanic, which is essential to boosting Malice, takes the place of Core Thief's F1 Steal. Deadeyes compete with Rangers and their longbow in terms of long-range DPS by learning to use rifles as well. Let's examine some of Guild Wars 2's most powerful Deadeye builds to determine whether they are a versatile class.
5. Rifle Deadeye - Open World PvE
The Rifle Deadeye build can easily eliminate enemies from afar and flee if they get too close. The build focuses on dealing a lot of damage and generating a lot of Malice. Proper positioning is essential, and if things get difficult, you can simply switch to your sword and pistol to melee enemies and deal CC.
Why Rifle Deadeye is great
- The Rifle Deadeye makes quick work of enemies with their rifles thanks to the massive amount of Malice they can generate, which powers up their stealth attack once fully powered.
- It is fairly simple to use and can be recommended to new Deadeyes looking for a fun and powerful build.
- Because the Mark gets recharged instantly after a kill, it becomes very convenient and you can simply focus on one target at a time.
Choose this build if...
- You want a fairly easy-to-use build that is newbie friendly.
- You can afford the trinkets since the armor can be relatively cheap to buy and make.
- You are confident in your ability to quickly reposition yourself during long fights.
Full build details
Traits and Major Perks
- Critical Strikes - Signets of Power, Practiced Tolerance, No Quarter
- Trickery - Thrill of the Crime, Bountiful Theft, Sleight of Hand
- Deadeye - Malicious Intent, Silent Scope, Maleficent Seven
Equipment
- Armor with Berserker stats (power + precision + ferocity)
- Trinkets and backpiece with Marauder stats (power + precision + ferocity + vitality)
- Superior Runes of the Scholar (increase power, ferocity, and outgoing strike damage when your health if higher than 90%)
- Main-hand Berserker stat two-handed rifle with Superior Sigil of Force (increases outgoing damage) and Air (casts a lightning strike when you land a critical hit).
- Swap to Marauder stat main-hand sword and off-hand pistol with Superior Sigil of Celerity (after disabling a foe, gain Quickness buffs) and Rage (gain Quickness buffs after landing a critical hit).
Consumables
- Food - Bowl of Sweet and Spicy Butternut Squash Soup (increases power, ferocity, and experience gained from killing foes)
- Utility - Superior Sharpening Stone (increases power based on your current precision and ferocity, and experience gained from killing foes)
Utility Skills
- Heal Skill - Withdraw - A core Thief Trick heal skill that makes you evade backward while curing conditions on yourself while healing.
- Skill 1 - Shadowstep - A core Thief Deception skill that teleports you to a targeted area and cleanses conditions. Activating it again teleports you back to your starting point.
- Skill 2 - Signet of Agility - A core Thief Signet skill that passively increases your precision stat. When activated, it refills your endurance bar and cleanses conditions from you and your surrounding allies.
- Skill 3 - Infiltrator’s Signet - A core Thief Signet skill that passively recharges extra initiative. When activated, you teleport to a targeted foe.
- Elite Skill - Dagger Storm - A core Thief Trick elite skill that makes you spin while reflecting projectiles and granting yourself Stability buffs. You also launch daggers at your enemies, causing Bleeding and Crippled debuffs, and acts as a Whirl Combo Finisher.
For more details, check this link: GuildJen.com
4. Shadow Arts (SA) Rifle Deadeye - World versus World Roamer
Shadow Arts Rifle Deadeyes are extremely dangerous enemies to face in World versus World due to the high amount of damage they can inflict on single targets, and even more so when they mark you. If you're caught off guard or thought you were safe, it's only a matter of time before they take you out with a single shot. Worse, if you think you can get away from them, they will quickly catch up with you.
Why SA Rifle Deadeye is great
- What enemies can’t see becomes a formidable opponent. If they don’t notice you immediately and you build up tons of Malice, you can potentially one-shot a careless enemy.
- SA Rifle Deadeyes can easily flank enemy zergs and do so from a high vantage point like towers, cliffs, etc. with their rifles and burst them down.
- If all else fails, you can always chase your enemies down as long as you know you can take them down immediately.
Choose this build if...
- You are a sneaky assassin that can strike enemy flanks from long range.
- You are confident in your ability to pursue your targets if they do not die instantly from a full-powered stealth rifle attack.
- You aren’t afraid to be revealed because of your elite skill and use it when dealing with pesky Rangers.
Full build details
Traits and Major Perks
- Shadow Arts - Shadow’s Embrace, Leeching Venoms, Shadow’s Rejuvenation
- Trickery - Thrill of the Crime, Bountiful Theft, Sleight of Hand
- Deadeye - Malicious Intent, Silent Scope, Be Quick or Be Killed
Equipment
- Armor and trinkets with Marauder stats (power + precision + ferocity + vitality)
- Superior Runes of the Scholar (increase power, ferocity, and outgoing strike damage when your health is higher than 90%)
- Main-hand Berserker stat two-handed rifle with Superior Sigil of Celerity (after disabling a foe, gain Quickness buffs) and Energy (after swapping from sword and pistol, gain Endurance).
- Swap to Marauder stat main-hand sword and off-hand pistol with Superior Sigil of Cleansing (after swapping from rifle, cleanse 3 conditions from yourself) and Bloodlust (gain a charge that increases your power stat whenever you kill a foe with a maximum of 25 charges).
- 18 pieces of Mighty WvW Infusions (increases power)
Consumables
- Food - Bowl of Orrian Truffle and Meat Stew (increases Endurance regeneration, experience gained from killing enemies, and grants Might buffs whenever you dodge)
- Utility - Superior Sharpening Stone (increases power based on your precision and ferocity, and experience gained from killing enemies)
Utility Skills
- Heal Skill - Withdraw - A core Thief Trick heal skill that makes you evade backward while curing conditions on yourself while healing.
- Skill 1 - Mercy - A Deadeye Cantrip skill that functions as a stun break. You instantly lose all malice stacks and refresh your Deadeye’s Mark. You gain bonus initiative for every stack of malice you had.
- Skill 2 - Shadowstep - A core Thief Deception skill that teleports you to a targeted area and cleanses conditions. Activating it again teleports you back to your starting point.
- Skill 3 - Optional - Depending on your situation, swap any skill here.
- Elite Skill - Shadow Meld - A Deadeye Cantrip elite skill that removes the Revealed debuff on you and allows you to enter Stealth.
For more details, check this link: Metabattle.com
3. Rifle Deadeye - Structured PvP
The build is nearly identical to the Shadow Arts Rifle Deadeye build for World versus World, and if it works in that game mode, it should work fine in sPvP as well. While Deadeyes are constantly competing for the title of best long-range roamer with Rangers and their elite specializations, they can potentially beat them because they can counter the Revealed debuff if they expect them to be on the opposing team. Rifle Deadeyes, on the other hand, leave their opponents on the ground if they can't beat them.
Why Rifle Deadeye PvP is great
- Their ability to provide constant pressure by dealing tons of burst damage from long-range can decimate inexperienced and unaware opponents.
- Rifle Deadeyes can sneak behind enemy lines and flank their opponents, picking them off one by one.
- The build is very similar to the previous build and all they have to do is switch one trait around.
Choose this build if...
- You want to roam solo for your team and pick off opponents from a long distance.
- You can easily get away from enemies if they start ganging up on you.
- You aren’t phased by other roamers and can handle your own in one-on-one combat.
Full build details
Traits and Major Perks
- Shadow Arts - Shadow’s Embrace, Leeching Venoms, Shadow’s Rejuvenation
- Trickery - Thrill of the Crime, Bountiful Theft, Sleight of Hand
- Deadeye - Malicious Intent, Silent Scope, Maleficent Seven
Equipment
- PvP Amulet with Marauder stats (power + precision + critical damage + vitality)
- Superior Runes of the Scholar (increase power, ferocity, and outgoing strike damage when your health is higher than 90%)
- Main-hand two-handed rifle with Superior Sigil of Opportunity (increases outgoing damage to enemies suffering from movement-impairing debuffs) and Separation (deals increased outgoing damage to enemies when they are further from a certain distance).
- Swap to main-hand sword and off-hand pistol with Superior Sigil of Absorption (whenever you interrupt an enemy with a CC, steal a boon) and Savagery (increases Stun duration and damage dealt to stunned enemies).
Consumables
- Not applicable in PvP
Utility Skills
- Heal Skill - Withdraw - A core Thief Trick heal skill that makes you evade backward while curing conditions on yourself while healing.
- Skill 1 - Shadowstep - A core Thief Deception skill that teleports you to a targeted area and cleanses conditions. Activating it again teleports you back to your starting point.
- Skill 2 - Blinding Powder - A core Thief Deception skill that inflicts Blind debuffs on surrounding foes and grants you Stealth. It also functions as a Blast Combo Finisher and a stun break.
- Skill 3 - Infiltrator’s Signet - A core Thief Signet skill that passively recharges extra initiative. When activated, you teleport to a targeted foe.
- Elite Skill - Dagger Storm - A core Thief Trick elite skill that makes you spin while reflecting projectiles and granting yourself Stability buffs. You also launch daggers at your enemies, causing Bleeding and Crippled debuffs, and acts as a Whirl Combo Finisher.
For more details, check this link: GuildJen.com
2. Spudzie’s Low-Intensity Deadeye Build - Open World PvE
Spudzie, a Guild Wars 2 content creator, has created another fantastic build for the Deadeye. This time, they designed a low-intensity build for Deadeye players who may have physical limitations that prevent them from playing properly. The build prioritizes ensuring that players don't have to type in too many commands to get a lot of burst and utility from Basilisk Venom.
Why Low-Intensity Deadeye is great
- Low-Intensity builds primarily allow players to play the game with others despite having limitations. That in itself shows the ingenuity of players to come up with fun builds that were made for others with limitations.
- Despite not being as strong as any of the previous builds, it still makes Deadeye a fun class to play with.
- This build can also be used by beginners looking for a more chill build without having to worry too much about getting full malice stacks.
Choose this build if...
- You have physical limitations or want to try a relaxed Deadeye build for a change.
- You are looking for a rifle build that doesn’t force your character to go into the kneel stance every time.
- You can flank your enemies every time to ensure you are damaging them properly.
Full build details
Traits and Major Perks
- Critical Strikes - Signets of Power, Practiced Tolerance, No Quarter
- Trickery - Thrill of the Crime, Bountiful Theft, Sleight of Hand
- Deadeye - Malicious Intent, Silent Scope, Maleficent Seven
Equipment
- Armor and Trinkets with Berserker stats (power + precision + ferocity)
- Superior Runes of the Scholar (increase power, ferocity, and outgoing strike damage when your health is higher than 90%)
- Main-hand Berserker stat two-handed rifle with Superior Sigil of Force (increases outgoing damage) and Impact (increases strike damage, and further increases it to enemies under effects of crowd control effects)
- Although Spudzie didn’t mention the stats and sigils of the pistol and dagger in the video, it can be assumed they were also Berserker stat with Superior Sigils of Force and Impact.
Consumables
- No mention of consumables.
Utility Skills
- Heal Skill - Signet of Malice - A core Thief Signet heal skill that grants health passively whenever you hit foes and grants additional healing when activated.
- Skill 1 - Assassin’s Signet - A core Thief Signet skill that passively increases your power. When activated, it temporarily increases your outgoing damage.
- Skill 2 - Infiltrator’s Signet - A core Thief Signet skill that passively recharges extra initiative. When activated, you teleport to a targeted foe.
- Skill 3 - Signet of Agility - A core Thief Signet skill that passively increases your precision stat. When activated, it refills your endurance bar and cleanses conditions from you and your surrounding allies.
- Elite Skill - Basilisk Venom - A core Thief Venom elite skill that can be shared to your allies around you. It makes your next attack unblockable and temporarily turns your opponent to stone as a form of crowd control.
For more details, check out these links: Spudzie’s YouTube video
1. Power Deadeye - Instanced PvE
While the previous builds primarily focused on the Deadeye's rifle weapon, the Power Deadeye build returns to basics with dual daggers. It can inflict powerful stealth attacks and deal punishing, quick single-target damage. It can also change things up by switching from rifle to kite when certain encounters require it to. This DPS powerhouse will not stop until their enemies are defeated, whether at long or short range.
Why Power Deadeye is great
- It has a fairly simple skill rotation that can swiftly dish out tons of damage as long as you carefully mark enemies first.
- Power Deadeyes can deal tons of damage no matter if they are in close range or if they are kiting.
- Even if the Deadeye doesn’t receive buffs from others, it can continue fightings thanks to its self-buffing skills.
Choose this build if...
- Your team is in need of more DPS units and you are confident in your kiting ability.
- You don’t mind getting close to your enemies and can safely dodge their attacks perfectly.
- You know how to time Malicious Backstab and Death’s Judgement properly to cause maximum damage.
Full build details
Traits and Major Perks
- Deadly Arts - Dagger Training, Revealed Training, Executioner
- Critical Strikes - Twin Fangs, Practiced Tolerance, No Quarter
- Deadeye - Malicious Intent, Premeditation, Maleficent Seven
Equipment
- Armor and Trinkets with Berserker stats (power + precision + ferocity)
- Superior Runes of the Scholar (increase power, ferocity, and outgoing strike damage when your health is higher than 90%)
- Main-hand Berserker stat dual daggers with Superior Sigil of Force (increases outgoing damage) and Impact (increases strike damage, and further increases it to enemies under effects of crowd control effects)
- Swap with two-handed rifle with Superior Sigils of Force and Impact.
- 18 pieces of Mighty +9 Agony Infusions (increases power and agony resistance for Fractals of the Mists)
Consumables
- Food - Bowl of Sweet and Spicy Butternut Squash Soup (increases power, ferocity, and experience gained from killing foes)
- Utility - Superior Sharpening Stone (increases power based on your current precision and ferocity, and experience gained from killing foes)
Utility Skills
- Heal Skill - Signet of Malice - A core Thief Signet heal skill that grants health passively whenever you hit foes and grants additional healing when activated.
- Skill 1 - Mercy - A Deadeye Cantrip skill that functions as a stun break. You instantly lose all malice stacks and refresh your Deadeye’s Mark. You gain bonus initiative for every stack of malice you had.
- Skill 2 - Signet of Agility - A core Thief Signet skill that passively increases your precision stat. When activated, it refills your endurance bar and cleanses conditions from you and your surrounding allies.
- Skill 3 - Assassin’s Signet - A core Thief Signet skill that passively increases your power. When activated, it temporarily increases your outgoing damage.
- Elite Skill - Basilisk Venom - A core Thief Venom elite skill that can be shared to your allies around you. It makes your next attack unblockable and temporarily turns your opponent to stone as a form of crowd control.
For more details, check this link: GuildJen.com
Closing Thoughts
The Deadeye is a truly fearsome profession that specializes in one thing and does it exceptionally well: dealing massive damage. It's not as flashy as a Daredevil or as supportive as the Specter, but it gets the job done. They prove to be a formidable force to be reckoned with and will be an excellent addition to any team looking to dispatch enemies quickly. If you know of any other builds that Deadeyes can use that you believe are powerful, please let us know so that we can add them to our list in the future.
