I present unto the counsel, for your supreme edification, what I like to call...
THE MECHA-POISON-SUPER-COOL-THIEF BUILD. (Note: You can swap some stuff around here, namely slowed pulse, ice drake venom for shadow refuge, dagger for sword, etc.)
In years past, the role of support has taken on a bad name in MMOs; many believe it to be a punitive or subservient role. They are wrong. Fuck them.
As the mecha-poison-super-cool-thief, you will carry their bitch asses to glorious triumph, whether they like it or not.
Imagine yourself in the following all too common situation.
Warrior: Wow this dungeon sure is tough! Good thing I have five signets and greatsword, I'll surely lead us to victory! BTW Does anyone know why I roll when I press V?
Champion Separatist Brain Splatterer: LOL headshot
Warrior:
What. An. Asshole. He must not want to win at video games and should be shamed. Fear not, for history will paint him a fool and you a hero should you heed my words.
"But what does this build really do for me?" You might be asking. Well, I'm glad you asked.
A.) You get mad heals, son. You see that there "leeching venoms" trait? That bastard will heal you and your party members from anywhere between 300 to 450 per hit depending on gear. Let's break it down: At say, 410 per hit (what I'm at now with sub-par healing gear) that's 4,150 HP restored from a full set of venoms. For all ya'll. Plus, the debuffs. It's some fly-ass weakness duration due to the lotus poison minor trait, which is extremely helpful.
B.) Remember when I just said "fly-ass weakness duration" just now? Imagine that, but AoE. Awe shit. Choking gas is an AoE poison you can maintain 100% of the time, and that means an AoE weakness you can maintain 100% of the time. Monsters will tickle you as you and your compadres brutally penetrate their organs with all matter of weaponry.
C.) Cluster Bomb. You blow it up prematurely? No biggie, pal. Three stacks of AoE bleed, moderate direct damage, and the fucking coup de grace: blast combo finisher. Ever see an elementalist (or ranger) throw down a water field while looking forlorn and misty eyed? Like they were just waiting for a big strong man to sweep them into his arms and whisper silent nothings into their ear? Today, you will be that man. You will finish what he started, by spamming the ever living shit out of cluster bomb in that water field, healing all surrounding allies for like 1,500 per shot because initiative is overpowered by design.
D.) Stealing shit applies buffs and vigor to your party, while removing boons. You can also steal a chaos combo opener to create boss AoE chaos armor, or confusion. You can ALSO steal lengthy stuns and dazes. You're the man now, dog.
"Wow, what a great class thief is! It's all I ever wanted!" You must be exclaiming to your dim, empty room and empty soda cans.
Just slow down, Brokeback, we haven't even gotten to your
second weapon set yet.
That's right, you get two. See that pistol 5 skill? Black powder? That right there is the most OP shit in the game, because initiative, etc. Ever wonder why Guardians are such tremendous assholes? No, it's not because they're vicariously living out their holier-than-thou white knight fantasies in a video game.
It's because they have AEGIS. What's aegis? It's a 100% chance to negate an enemy attack every X seconds. Now, what's blind? It's a 100% chance to negate the enemy's next attack (not on champion enemies, but fuck them). So think of it this way: Blind is an offensive version of aegis. Now, black powder. Run up to a generic douche enemy, blast that son of a bitch in the face with your powder, and watch him miss for four seconds. Then do it again, because you're real as these streets and he would do the same to you if he could. You just stopped Mr. I-only-wear-precision warrior from getting stuffed into his own ass infinitely by fodder enemies.
"But what about champion enemies like you said?" Headshot them and laugh. Thief has a plethora of both ranged and melee interruptions. Use them. You can swap dagger for sword, and pistol whip some fools like you're bonafied member of the NYPD.
Gone are the days of wimpy bullshit thief classes, gone are the days of TH bitches and plebeian supports. The sun rises on a city of light and gold, where the glories of thief and support live and thrive in harmony. Take my hand, and let us walk through its streets together.
(Note: You should probably wear cleric suffix gear/accessories, and use runes of lyssa because it's a full condition removal on elite skill use and you don't get shit for condition removal with this build.)
(Note 2: Also seriously though, thief is fucking sweet and only gets better as you get higher leveled and understand the mechanics more, get hype.)