Mind Blast Assassin Guide by Sass and Bagel

This guide was originally written by Sass and Bagel, with the latest update of the guide for Season 2. It was originally posted on Reddit here.

• YouTube Video

FAQ

Is this build viable for leveling? Solo? Early ladder?

Yes to all of the above.

Generally speaking a fire trapper is still the fastest option, but if you want to try something new, MB comes with the added benefit of no real immunities (Psychic Hammer for phys immunes, Mind Blast for everything else) and a "tank" with Shadow Warrior. Mana can be a headache.

Hardcore friendly?

Yes.

Mind Blast Assassin has a few weapon options. Ideal weapons will end up with you dual wielding claws, but claw and shield is an option. More about this later. MB Sin also has Fade which is still strong with the nerfs, and can use both a mercenary and Shadow Warrior to tank.

Hardcore Warning: This guide is written from the point of view of a softcore pleb. For concerns over resistances you can buffer out your ARes by going for ring/ammies with decent res rolls. You may prefer a Vigor A1 mercenary to allow yourself permanent fade uptime. Replacing armor slots with something that has less skills/FCR for more res is also an option. Pump points into dex over vit if you want to push your block chance.

How does Mind_Blast work? What damage? Amplify Damage? Faster Cast Rate? Increased Attack Speed?

• Mind Blast IS affected by Amplify Damage. It's a physical spell.
  • NOTE: Decrepify DOES NOT have an amplify damage component in Project Diablo 2! Lawbringer is dead.
• Mind Blast is NOT affected by weapon damage.
• Mind Blast IS affected by faster cast rate. It is a spell.
• Mind Blast is NOT affected by increased attack speed.

Where to farm?

Literally any vanilla content you want. Common options are the act 5 trio of Eldritch the Rectifier/Shenk the Overseer/Pindleskin, Chaos Sanctuary and Pits.

If you can't stand running the same 3 areas for hours a day, Mind Blast may be for you. One of the best parts of MB is that MB's mix of phys + magic means nothing can stop you, making it extremely flexible. With enough +skills you can clear cows as quickly as a trapper (albeit far less afk and mindless). Psychic Hammer's single target magic damage can burn bosses.

Quickstart

Skill Points

• 20 Psychic Hammer
• 20 Mind Blast
• 20 Cloak of Shadows
• 20 Shadow Warrior
• 1 Burst of Speed
• 1 Fade
• Remaining points are contextual (softcore/hardcore/personal preferences).

Attributes

• 167 Strength
• 100 Dexterity
• Remaining points are dumped into Vitality.
• Some points can be put into Energy to make early leveling easier; you can respec later.

Leveling

Skill Assignment

The general skill appointment strategy is to put a point into skill requirements for Burst of Speed and Fade, and then dump everything into Mind Blast synergies.

Prioritize points into these skills in order:

1. Mind Blast
2. Psychic Hammer
3. Shadow Warrior
4. Cloak of Shadows

Gear

Faster Cast Rate versus +Skills debate: For leveling gear, trying to hit the 65% FCR is up to personal taste. Some people will die saying FCR is better than +skills while leveling, and that it plays more smoothly. Others will die for their extra skills. You'll eventually want to hit 102 FCR. Because of this, I leave this to your personal taste and will list options to hit both 65 FCR, a focus on only +skills, and a balance of both.

• Helm: Lore runeword. Bone Helms at Anya's can roll +3 to Shadow Disciplines.
• Amulet: Magic +3 to Shadow Disciplines. Alternatively, anything that increases resistances, faster cast rate, and adds to skills is fine.
• Body: Treachery runeword.
• Weapon 1: Any claw with +3 to Shadow Disciplines or +3 to Mind Blast. A Spirit runeword sword can also be used at the cost of skill levels but with faster cast rate.
• Weapon 2/Shield: Any claw with +3 to Shadow Disciplines or +3 to Mind Blast. A Spirit runeword shield can also be used at the cost of skill levels but with faster cast rate.
• Ring 1: Anything that grants more resistances, mana per kill, Energy, or increased chance to find magic items.
• Ring 2: Anything that grants more resistances, mana per kill, Energy, or increased chance to find magic items.
• Belt: Any belt with the most potion slots and increased resistances.
• Boots: Any boots with a good amount of faster run/walk or crafted caster boots. Mana per kill is a good attribute to save on potions.
• Gloves: Magefist, anything with increased resistances.

Midgame

Midgame: I just hit hell / finished hell. Now what?

Note: If you feel weak, Mind Blast requires +8-10 skills before it starts to show its potential and runs begin to feel smooth. This is easily achieved with the starter gear above and with the +3 claw and spirit shield option you should be at the third breakpoint (27) and +10 skills.

It's important to keep in mind that PD2 is balanced to make the endgame grind more difficult and to slow things down a bit, making midgame progression significantly more important and time consuming. This is not Path of Diablo where +5-8 skills lets you murder your way through pits and cows almost immediately. It's normal to feel weak/slow for just about every class and build in the game at this point.

Midgame Upgrades for Cheap

With regards to all upgrades, keep a constant eye out for faster cast rate items. You want 102 FCR as soon as possible, but for now 65 should be the minimum.

• Helm: Consider snagging a plain +3 to Shadow Disciplines Circlet or a clean +2 to Assassin Skill Levels Circlet.
• Amulet: If you didn't have a +3 amulet, consider buying one now.
• Body: A +2 Shadow Disciplines +2 OS Natalya's Shadow. For early game, there's no shame in throwing a Perfect Topaz in those sockets.
• Weapon 1: Not much change here from a +3 shadow claw. Most upgrades (+3/+X to all or MB) are expensive, and other upgrades such as Shadow Killers are extremely pricey.
  • Option 2: Shadow Killer claws are our GG weapon, and roll 2-4 +shadow. Keep an eye out for a cheap +2-3 for the midgame as they come with 20 faster cast rate!
• Weapon 2: Now that we're at the midgame, I highly suggest looking into a Spirit Shield and work your way to 65 FCR asap, minimum.
  • Option 2: Same as Weapon 1, Option 2. Check trade for cheap mid-roll Shadow Killer claws.
  • Option 3: Jade Talon. Per Bagel, "it's Spirit on crack."
• Ring 1: +10 to faster cast rate. We're after 65 FCR minimum. Try finding some FCR rings. Even clean FCR magic rings will do.
• Ring 2: +10 to faster cast rate. We're after 65 FCR minimum. Try finding some FCR rings. Even clean FCR magic rings will do.
• Gloves: Magefist are now a must! Should be a fairly affordable price, but with 1-2 FCR rings, Spirit Shield and Magefist alone will get you to 65 FCR.
• Boots: Shadow Dancers are pricey for both kickers and shadow Assassins. Even a low roll may be a bit much. Consider something like Aldur's Advance or Natalya's Soul for resistances and faster run/walk.

Magic Find

We now get to enjoy the flexibility that a physical + magic build brings. Go anywhere. Try anything. You can farm act bosses (Teleport staff for efficiency, or enigma... But that comes later!), key sets, cows, any level 85 area you'd like. Sky is the limit.

GG Gear

Note: Corruptions vary gear greatly, and depending on which slots you roll what stat (FCR or extra +skills) can vary the value of one slot to being worth more/less than it would be otherwise. So this is a GENERIC gg setup that will not pay heed to corruptions, with 2 exceptions to a weapon and a ring. Mileage may vary.

• Helm: Harlequin Crest aka Shako.
• Amulet: +2 to All Skills rare with 20 FCR and +AllRes.
• Body: Enigma runeword.
  • Option 2: Perf 3/3 Natalya's Shadow.
  • Option 3: Atma's Wail now has 20FCR and +1 Skills. Default has faster hit recovery, replenish life and maximum mana increase. Corrupt this bad girl for a possible +3 OS.
  • Option 4: A high roll Skin of the Vipermagi can last you a while. Know what can last you even longer? An FCR corrupt Skin of the Vipermagi for 40% FCR!
• Weapon 1: Shadow Killers claws with +4 to Shadow Disciplines. Provides 20% FCR. GG corruption here is +10 FCR.
  • Option 2: Non corrupted variant works fine if you get two rings that both have +10 FCR base.
• Weapon 2: Shadow Killers claws with +4 to Shadow Disciplines. Only one needs to have +10 FCR corrupts to hit the 102 breakpoint.
  • Option 2: A total of +5 to Mind Blast 3os claw for the Plague RW offers group map utility.
• Weapon Swap: Skull Collector with 6 sockets, filled with Ists. Comes with FCR and 20 MPK.
• Ring 1: A +10 FCR corruption on a +10 FCR base. Blue is fine and likely pricey on its own.
• Ring 2: Another +10 FCR base. MF and + to all resistances.
  • Option 2: We can risk 1 slot of FCR for a Stone of Jordan instead.
• Gloves: Personal preference between Magefist or Trang-Oul's Claws. Both affordable.
• Boots: +2 Shadow Dancer.
• Belt: Arachnid Mesh. +1 skills? 20 FCR? Hoh boy!

Total FCR: 120 without any corrupts. 110 if you drop a second, non corrupted ring for SoJ. While this is over the 102BP it isn't sacrificing slots for +skills, and it leads nicely to the bonus round...

174 Faster Cast Rate

Thanks to Kwk on discord for opening our eyes to the reality of 174 FCR breakpoint on Assassin and how it's reasonable to achieve without sacrificing large amounts of +skills. The above gear list will work great for all forms of content, but think of this as the bonus round of gear.

We need 54 extra FCR above the regular, non corrupted set up. I will only list the gear you need to swap out or must replace with previously listed "options" gear. While there are multiple options, these are likely to be the cheapest and most straight forward:

• Body: Skin of the Vipermagi with an FCR corrupt for a total of +40% FCR on one slot.
  • Note: Replacing Enigma we're at 160 FCR if no other pieces are corrupted.
• Weapon: Shadow Killers claws with +4 shadow and an FCR corrupt now mandatory. Provides 30% FCR.
  • Note: 170 FCR.
• Ring 1: A +10 FCR ring with a +10FCR corruption.
  • Note: 180 FCR!

Other options include running a second FCR ring over a 10 FCR Shadow Killer if it's cheaper or easier to acquire.

You can run an Atma's Wail with an FCR corrupt for a total of 30FCR to chest and get a second 20% FCR ring.

Or any other number of options to break the 174 cap. Maybe now you can see why I avoided listing every possible corruption option previously eh?

Mercenary Setup

What is the best mercenary for Mind Blast: There are two main camps depending on if you prefer to be a front line or back line attacker. People who prefer a more aggressive style choose A2 defensive mercenary for the PDR while more ranged oriented players chose to use an A1 cold mercenary."

I have chosen to roll with A1 mercenary, but a basic A2 mercenary might go something like:

A2 Defensive Mercenary, Default Defiance Aura

• Weapon: The Reaper's Toll applies amplify damage, but Mind Blast starts getting so strong you'll rarely need it, but it is noticeable on bosses.
• Body: Treachery chest runeword.
• Helm: Andariel's Visage or Tal_Rasha's_Horadric_Crest should be sufficient.
• Gloves/Boots/Belt: Varies greatly. Can go for CB from gloves, LoH, string of ears belt, aldurs or inferno boots. Shouldn't have merc problems with any set up at this point.

A1 Cold Mercenary, Default Meditation Aura at Level 24+

• Weapon: Harmony runeword gives Vigor aura. Huge quality of life improvement on the move speed. Consider a Blade Bow for earlier levels (45 with RW) or a Hydra Bow for later levels. The focus is on the aura's move speed, not her damage output.
  • Witchwild String can proc Amplify_Damage on hit. Ideally socketed with Shael runes.
  • At GG stages, consider a Wrath.
• Armor: Treachery runeword. The mercenary should rarely get hit between your big damage and Shadow Warrior anyways.
• Belt: Generic Razortail for Cold Arrow pierce.
• Boots: Rite of Passage.
• Gloves: Laying of Hands.
• Helm: Tal Rasha's Horadric Crest.

A1 Fire Mercenary, Default Vigor Aura at Level 18+

If you find yourself lacking in speed and not caring about picking up the occasional mana pot, consider an A1 fire mercenary. Identical to the cold mercenary, but lacks the slow of cold arrow and meditation aura but can use WSS to proc Amplify_Damage without losing Vigor. Personal taste.

• Weapon: Harmony no longer necessary. Witchwild String can proc Amplify_Damage on hit. Ideally socketed with Shael runes.
  • At GG stages, consider a Wrath.
• Armor: Treachery runeword. Mercenary should rarely get hit between your big damage and shadow warrior anyways.
• Belt: Generic Razortail for pierce.
• Boots: Rite of Passage.
• Gloves: Laying of Hands.
• Helm: Tal Rasha's Horadric Crest.

Terminology

• BoS: Burst of Speed (skill)
• CLS: Chain Lightning Sentry (skill)
• Dancers: Shadow Dancers (boots)
• DS: Death Sentry (skill)
• FCR: Faster Cast Rate (stat)
• IAS: Increased Attack Speed (stat)
• LS: Lightning Sentry (skill)
• MB: Mind Blast (skill)
• MF: Magic Find (stat)
• MPK: Mana Per Kill (stat)
• Nats: Natalya's Odium (gear set)
• Res/AR: Resistances / All Resists (stat)
• Sin: Assassin (class)
• SK: Shadow Killers (weapon)
• WoF: Wake of Fire (skill)
• PD2: Project Diablo 2 (this mod)