Disappear your enemies with the deadliest Kicker in the East: the Dragon Tail Assassin. Not much can withstand the devastating blow of a fully-charged Dragon Tail. One of the hardest hitting abilities in the game, it one-hit-KOs most monsters in a Full Game or /Players8 on Single Player. Bosses are also effortlessly eliminated. Dual-wielding Mosaics in Patch 2.6 makes this build even more fast and effective!
This Assassin uses Tiger Strike to charge up its Dragon Tail finisher, dealing both Fire and Physical Damage to her targets. Elite Monster assassination is her specialty, especially once acquiring Enigma. This build can vaporize nearly every standard Farming Spot and Terror Zone with the power of Infinity, Flickering Flame, and Flame Rift.
The Dragon Tail Assassin comes with a suite of highly effective support abilities as well. Death Sentry provides additional crazy AoE damage. Burst of Speed allows you to strike as fast as possible. Shadow Warrior or Shadow Master and the defensive skills Cloak of Shadows, Mind Blast, Fade, Weapon Block, and Cobra Strike provide incredible Crowd Control and survivability. Even on a budget, this Assassin's feet are deadly weapons.
Great Elite Hunter ✔ 2 Primary Damage Types ✔ Several Strong Build Options ✔ Insane Area Of Effect Damage ✔ Works Well With Any # Of Players In Game ✔
❌ Hard To Master ❌ Dangerous Playstyle ❌ Complex Build Mechanics ❌ Somewhat Clunky Playstyle ❌ Requires GG Gear For Full Potential
Sunder Charm Setup
Patch 2.5 introduced a new way of breaking Immunities: Sunder Charms. Any enemy that would be Immune to your damage type is instead reduced to 95% Resistance, before any other Resistance reductions apply. (e.g. Conviction, Lower Resist) These Charms also reduce YOUR Resistance against the sundered damage types! Check out our post on Sunder Charms to learn more about these new Charms. The following setup uses Flame Rift, allowing you to farm anywhere you want.
Sunder Charm Setup
Sunder Charm Setup
Gear Changes
To optimize this Sunder Charm you need as much -% Enemy Fire Resistance as possible. Equip Flickering Flame, Phoenix Monarch, and a Gemmed Phase Blade socketed with -5/5 Fire Rainbow Facets to accomplish this.
Counteract the negative effect of Flame Rift with Flickering Flame. It not only counters the negative effect, but also provides additional -% Enemy Fire Resistance! You can also use upgraded Aldur's Advance.
Terror Zones
The new Terror Zone mechanic combined with Sunder Charms open up a wide range of farmable areas. The following list highlights the best and worst Terror Zones for this build. With the Sunder Charm Setup, more Terror Zones become accessible. Learn more about Terror Zones here and see how they stack up in our Terror Zone Tier List.
Best
✔ The Secret Cow Level - High Density, Easy Mobility, No Immunities ✔ Rocky Waste + Stony Tomb - High Density, Many Elite Groups, Easy Mobility, Few Immunities ✔ Frigid Highlands (Eldritch ONLY) - Quick Access, Few Immunities ✔ Flayer Jungle ONLY - High Density, Many Elite Groups, Quick Access, Few Immunities ✔ Tal Rasha's Tombs - High Density, Many Elite Groups, Few Immunities
Put 1 Skill Point into each of the following Skills: 1. Burst of Speed 2. Fade 3. Cloak of Shadows 4. Mind Blast 5. Dragon Talon 6. Dragon Flight 7. Cobra Strike 8. Weapon Block 9. Shadow Warrior (Max Last)
Max out the following Skills in this order: 1. Dragon Tail 2. Tiger Strike 3. Claw Mastery 4. Death Sentry 5. Shadow Warrior
Use the Scroll Bar to see Skill Point Progression
Use the Scroll Bar to see Skill Point Progression
Damage
Dragon Tail* is your Primary Damage Skill. It is a Finishing Move that adds Charge-up Skill bonus damage to its explosive AoE Fire Damage Kick. The more active Charges from a Charge-up Skill, the more damage Dragon Tail does. Dragon Tail also has a Physical Damage component, and thus benefits from sources of -x% to Enemy Physical Resistance (e.g. Amplify Damage and Decrepify).
Tiger Strike* is a Physical Damage Charge-up Skill that grants up to 3 Charges with successful strikes. Each Charge adds progressively higher Physical Damage to your Finishing Moves. On the Dragon Tail Assassin, building up 3 Charges of Tiger Strike massively boosts the power of Dragon Tail.
Death Sentry* uses Corpse Explosion which causes nearby corpses to explode for a 50/50 mix of Fire and Physical Damage. If there are no bodies to target, it fires off a weak Lightning Bolt if it’s close enough to a target.
Dragon Talon* can be used to kill monsters that are Immune to Fire. It is a Finishing Move that Kicks a target multiple times in rapid succession, dealing Physical Damage to them (number of times based on Skill Level). Charging up Tiger Strike makes Dragon Talon stronger.
Weapon Block* passively provides a Chance to Block when dual-wielding Claw Weapons.
Burst of Speed* passively provides you with a massive Movement Speed and Attack Speed buff. This increases your mobility, your Tiger Strike, Cobra Strike, and Dragon Tail Attack Speed, and the rate at which you lay Death Sentry Traps.
Dragon Flight* is a Finishing Move that Teleports you and your Mercenary to a target and attempts a Kick attack. It naturally grants Attack Rating, but always hits if you have any Charges. This Skill is great for mobility as a pseudo Teleport on a Starter or Budget setup (see Build Variants).
Cobra Strike* is a Charge-up Skill that grants up to 3 Charges with successful strikes. Each Charge adds progressively higher Life and Mana Leech bonuses to your Finishing Moves.
Mind Blast* briefly Stuns your enemies in a small squared shape area around your cursor and has a % Chance To Convert enemies hit. Converted enemies fight alongside you for a short period of time.
Cloak of Shadows* temporarily Blinds enemies around the Assassin. This drastically decreases their aggro range and their Defense. It is an incredibly useful Skill to use when facing dangerous ranged enemies such as Burning Souls and Dark Archers.
Shadow Warrior* summons a mini-Assassin that mimics your Skills on your Right-Click. On this build it mostly serves as a damage sponge and distraction.
Shadow Master* summons a mini-Assassin AI that uses Skills independently of your own. It mostly serves as a damage sponge and distraction. Shadow Master is tankier than Shadow Warrior against most monster types.
Fade* provides you with a large amount of +x All Resistance, Damage Reduction, and Curse Duration Reduction when cast. Each Soft Point grants 1% Damage Reduction. (Soft Points include + to Skills from gear and buffs).
Note: This section provides you with the standard Stat Point allocation. Build Variants may require different allocations!
Strength
Allocate enough Stat Points into Strength to equip all of your gear. Take into account how much Strength your gear provides when equipped.
Dexterity
Allocate enough Stat Points into Dexterity to equip all of your gear. Take into account how much Dexterity your gear provides when equipped.
Vitality
Allocate any remaining Stat Points into Vitality after meeting Strength, Dexterity and Energy requirements.
Energy
Do not allocate any Stat Points into Energy. Mana costs are covered by “x% Mana stolen per hit” on gear, buffs, Charms, and Cobra Strike.
Essentials
Gear Options
While every Stat in the Desirable Stats column is useful for this build, we highlighted the Priority Stats in Teal so you can easily identify the Most Important Stats on them.
Hover over any Item to see a pop-out with the full Item description.
Gear/Base Notes: Any Items with specialized or niche uses have a superscript that refers here.
1) Preferably use Runic Talon or Feral Claw Base Claws for a Weapon Speed Modifier of -30 or -20. This allows you to reach maximum Attack Speed on the Dragon Talon Assassin with only Burst of Speed (no additional IAS on gear). 2) Bone Break and the Amplify Damage procs from Lacerator, Amplify Damage Claws, or Atma's Scarab allow this build to more easily farm areas with monsters that are Immune to Physical. 3) Wizardspike is used for the Faster Cast Rate it provides on Weapon-Swap if Barbarian-granted Battle Orders is available. 4) Only use Naj's Puzzler or a Staff of Teleportation on Weapon-Swap for Teleport Charges before acquiring Enigma. 5) Use a Lower Resist Charge Wand on Weapon-Swap to deal additional damage against Bosses and break select Fire Immunity before acquiring an Infinity on the Mercenary.
Slot
Item Options
Desirable Stats
Weapon
Mosaic Runic Talons Plague Kenshi's Runic Talons of Amplify Damage (2x 5/5 Fire Rainbow Facets)2 Kenshi's Runic Talons of Amplify Damage (2x Ist Runes)2 Kenshi's Runic Talons of Quickness Kenshi's Runic Talons Rare Claw2 Gemmed Phase Blade (6x 5/5 Fire Rainbow Facets) Hand of Justice Phase Blade Phoenix Phase Blade Natalya's Mark Bartuc's Cut-Throat (Upgraded) Jade Talon Pattern Strength Lacerator2
x% Chance for finishing moves to not consume charges x% Chance to cast Level x Amplify Damage on striking 20% Chance to cast Level 12 Lower Resist when struck Level 13-17 Cleansing Aura When Equipped +x to All Skills +x to Martial Arts [Assassin Only] + to Assassin Skills +x% Faster Hit Recovery x% Increased Attack Speed +x% Faster Block Rate +x to Attack Rating x% Chance of Crushing Blow x% Life stolen per hit x% Mana stolen per hit -x% to Enemy Fire Resistance +x% to Fire Skill Damage +x to Dragon Tail [Assassin Only] +x to Dragon Flight [Assassin Only] +x to Death Sentry [Assassin Only] +x to Weapon Block [Assassin Only] +x to Shadow Warrior [Assassin Only] +x to Shadow Master [Assassin Only] Socketed [x] X Resist x%
Off-Hand
Phoenix Monarch Stormshield Jeweler's Monarch of Deflecting (4x 5/5 Fire Rainbow Facets) Plague Kenshi's Runic Talons of Amplify Damage (2x 5/5 Fire Rainbow Facets)2 Kenshi's Runic Talons of Amplify Damage (2x Ist Runes)2 Kenshi's Runic Talons of Quickness Kenshi's Runic Talons Rare Claw2 Natalya's Mark Bartuc's Cut-Throat (Upgraded) Jade Talon Pattern Strength Sanctuary Rhyme Ancients' Pledge
x% Chance to cast Level x Amplify Damage on striking 20% Chance to cast Level 12 Lower Resist when struck Level 10-15 Redemption Aura When Equipped Level 13-17 Cleansing Aura When Equipped +x to All Skills +x to Martial Arts [Assassin Only] + to Assassin Skills +x% Faster Hit Recovery x% Increased Attack Speed +x% Faster Block Rate x% Increased Chance of Blocking +x to Attack Rating x% Chance of Crushing Blow x% Life stolen per hit x% Mana stolen per hit -x% to Enemy Fire Resistance +x% to Fire Skill Damage +x to Dragon Tail [Assassin Only] +x to Death Sentry [Assassin Only] +x to Weapon Block [Assassin Only] +x to Shadow Warrior [Assassin Only] +x to Shadow Master [Assassin Only] +x Life +x Mana +x% to Maximum Lightning Resist +x% to Maximum Fire Resist X Resist x% Damage Reduced by x% Cannot Be Frozen x% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items Socketed [x]
+x to All Skills +x% Faster Cast Rate +x to Battle Command +x to Battle Orders Level x Lower Resist [x/x Charges] Level x Teleport [x/x Charges]
Off-Hand-Swap
Spirit Monarch Stormshield
+x to All Skills +x% Faster Cast Rate +x% Faster Hit Recovery +x% Faster Block Rate x% Increased Chance of Blocking X Resist +x% Damage Reduced by x%
Helmets
Flickering Flame Rare Diadem Kenshi's Diadem of the Magus Harlequin Crest Andariel's Visage Crown of Ages Natalya's Totem Kira's Guardian Hearth Rockstopper Bulwark Tarnhelm Peasant Crown Lore
+x to All Skills +x to Martial Arts [Assassin Only] +x to Fire Skills +x to Assassin Skills +x% Faster Cast Rate +x% Faster Run/Walk +x% Faster Hit Recovery x% Life stolen per hit x% Increased Attack Speed -x% to Enemy Fire Resistance +x% to Fire Skill Damage +x to Attribute +x Life +x Mana X Resist +x% Damage Reduced by x% Cannot Be Frozen Poison Length Reduced by x% x% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items Socketed [x]
Body Armor
Enigma Chains of Honor Natalya's Shadow Hustle Skullder's Ire Arkaine's Valor Duress Treachery Smoke
+x to All Skills +x to Shadow Disciplines [Assassin Only] +x to Assassin Skills +x% Faster Run/Walk +x% Faster Hit Recovery x% Increased Attack Speed x% Chance of Crushing Blow x% Life stolen per hit +x to Teleport +x to Evade +x to Attribute Increased Maximum Life x% +x Mana X Resist x% Damage Reduced by x% Damage Reduced by x Magic Damage Reduced by x +x to Life after each Kill Poison Length Reduced by x% x% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items Socketed [x]
Gloves
Magefist Kenshi's Chain Gloves of Alacrity Blood Crafted Gloves Rare Gloves Rare Gloves Kenshi's Vambraces of Fortune Death's Hand (2-Piece Death's Set) Dracul's Grasp Chance Guards Bloodfist
5% Chance to cast Level 10 Life Tap on striking +x to Fire Skills +x to Martial Arts [Assassin Only] +x% Faster Cast Rate +x% Faster Hit Recovery x% Increased Attack Speed x% Chance of Crushing Blow x% Life stolen per hit +x to Attribute +x Life X Resist +x% +x Life after each kill Poison Length Reduced by x% x% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
Belts
Arachnid Mesh String of Ears Verdungo's Hearty Cord Thundergod's Vigor Goldwrap Battle Belt Death's Guard Demonhide Sash (2-Piece Death's Set)
+x to All Skills +x% Faster Cast Rate +x% Faster Hit Recovery x% Increased Attack Speed +x to Attribute Increased Maximum Mana x% X Resist x% +x% to Maximum Lightning Resist +x Lightning Absorb Damage Reduced by x% Magic Damage Reduced by x Cannot Be Frozen x% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
Boots
War Traveler (Upgraded) Gore Rider (Upgraded) Goblin Toe (Double Upgraded) Rare Boots Rare Boots Shadow Dancer Aldur's Advance (Upgraded) Natalya's Soul (Upgraded)
Kick Damage (UPGRADE YOUR BOOTS!) +x to Shadow Disciplines [Assassin Only] +x% Faster Run/Walk +x% Faster Hit Recovery x% Chance of Crushing Blow Adds x Damage +x to Attribute +x Life X Resist +x% x% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
x% Chance to cast Level x Amplify Damage on striking +x to All Skills +x to Martial Arts [Assassin Only] +x to Assassin Skills +x% Faster Cast Rate +x% Increased Attack Speed +x to Attack Rating x% Bonus to Attack Rating +x to Attribute +x Life +x Mana X Resist +x% x% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
Rings
Rare Ring Rare Ring Raven Frost Bul-Kathos' Wedding Band The Stone of Jordan Wisp Projector Fortuitous Ring of Fortune Nagelring Dwarf Star Angelic Halo (2-Piece Angelic Set)
+x to All Skills +x% Faster Cast Rate +x to Attack Rating x% Life stolen per hit x% Mana stolen per hit +x to Attribute +x Life +x Mana Increased Maximum Mana x% X Resist x% Lightning Absorb x% Fire Absorb x% Magic Damage Reduced by x Cannot Be Frozen x% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
Charms
Shogukusha's Grand Charm of Vita Shogukusha's Grand Charm of Balance Shogukusha's Grand Charm of Inertia Shogukusha's Grand Charm Shimmering Grand Charm of Balance Shimmering Grand Charm Resistance Grand Charm Steel Grand Charm of Vita Shimmering Small Charm of Good Luck Ruby Small Charm of Good Luck Shimmering Small Charm of Balance Shimmering Small Charm of Vita Small Charm of Vita Small Charm of Good Luck Shimmering Small Charm Resistance Small Charm
+x to Martial Arts [Assassin Only] +x% Faster Run/Walk +x% Faster Hit Recovery +x to Attack Rating +x Life X Resist x% x% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
Unique Charms
Flame Rift Bone Break2 Gheed's Fortune Assassin Hellfire Torch Annihilus
Monster Fire Immunity Is Sundered Monster Physical Immunity Is Sundered +x to All Skills +x to Assassin Skills +x to All Attributes All Resistances +x +x% to Experience Gained x% Extra Gold from Monsters x% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items Reduces all Vendor Prices x% +x to Light Radius
Farming Spots
The areas below are efficient farming locations that make use of the build’s strengths. Other farming spots might not be as effective due to Immunities or bad layouts.
Anything that has a ✔ in the "Starter" column can be farmed with the Starter Build Variant.
Your Mercenary serves an incredibly important role to the overall success of your build. They can be a front line tank, provide a pivotal Aura, and/or deal Physical Damage to kill enemies with Immunity to your Skill set.
Act 2 Desert Mercenary
The Act 2 Desert Mercenary is hired from Greiz. He can be equipped with a Spear or a Polearm, a Body Armor and a Helmet. Every Act 2 Mercenary has access to an Aura and uses Jab as his base Attack. The Aura activates once the Mercenary has engaged in combat and remains active between traveling to and from town. The Auras available are based on what difficulty you hire the Mercenary from.
Might Infinity
Might Infinity
Infinity, Might
Use a Desert Mercenary with Might Aura to deal with enemies that are Immune to your main damage source. Equip him with Infinity to reduce enemy Resistances and Defense with its Conviction Aura, drastically boosting damage and Chance to Hit. This Aura is also capable of breaking monster Immunities, including Fire.
Mercenary Gear Options
Your Mercenary needs maximum Resistances, Life Leech, a high damage Weapon, and high Defense and/or Damage Reduction to stay alive reliably. Cannot Be Frozen is also a great stat for maintaining Mercenary DPS and leech. Ethereal gear is preferred since it doesn't lose durability. Mercenary Types and Gear Options at each Gear Level perform equally well in different situations; choose based on Farming Spots and/or personal preference.
Treachery Duress Shaftstop The Gladiator's Bane Duriel's Shell
Fortitude Treachery Chains of Honor
Helmet
Gemmed Crown Bulwark Undead Crown The Face of Horror Gemmed Mask Cure
Guillaume's Face Tal Rasha's Horadric Crest Vampire Gaze Crown of Thieves Stealskull Kira's Guardian Rockstopper Cure
Andariel's Visage Andariel's Visage Guillaume's Face Guillaume's Face Vampire Gaze Flickering Flame
The Mercenary is hard to keep alive until you have the minimum gear recommended in this guide. Remember you can drag Healing Potions onto the portrait, or shift + 1/2/3/4 to directly feed them a Healing Potion from your Belt. The Mercenary also gains bonus Resistances from Thawing Potions and Antidote Potions.
If your Mercenary dies in battle, you can revive them from any of the Mercenary NPCs in each Act. This does come with an increasing cost, capping at 50,000 Gold. Keep that in mind and decide if the Mercenary is currently worth the cost.
Playstyle
General
Before each Magic Find/Experience run, cast Burst of Speed and either Shadow Warrior or Shadow Master on your Weapon-Swap with more + to Skills. Refresh Burst of Speed as soon as it expires; re-summon your Shadow if it dies.
Use Dragon Flight to jump directly into Elite Packs. Dragon Flight is a great source of mobility before acquiring Enigma.
Attacking with Cobra Strike gains Charges that provide you with significant Life and Mana Leech. Dual-wielding Mosaics allows you to perpetually maintain this sustain.
Lead with 1-3 Death Sentry Traps prior to using your Martial abilities. When there are corpses, the Corpse Explosions produced by Death Sentry deal significant damage to surrounding mobs in a large Area of Effect. It is especially effective in High Player Count games.
Attack with Tiger Strike to gain Charges against enemies. Upon reaching 3 Charges (max), use Dragon Tail against Elites or Bosses. If not using Mosaics, recharge Tiger Strike before using Dragon Tail for maximum effectiveness.
Cast Cloak of Shadows to temporarily Blind dangerous ranged enemies as needed (Dark Archers, Burning Souls, etc.).
You can also use Mind Blast to Stun and Convert nearby threats.
Strategically re-summoning Shadow Warrior or Shadow Master in front of scary mobs is an effective survival tactic.
For Fire Immune Monsters: Flame Rift sets all Immune to Fire monsters to 95% Fire Resistance, allowing any sources of -x% to Enemy Fire Resistance (including Conviction or Lower Resist) to take full effect.
1-Point Dragon Talon with fully-charged Tiger Strike can also comfortably deal with monsters that are Immune to Fire.
For Physical Immune Monsters: Bone Break sets all Immune to Physical monsters to 95% Physical Resistance, allowing any sources of -x% to Enemy Physical Resistance (i.e. Amplify Damage or Decrepify) to take full effect. Bone Break in addition to Lacerator, Atma's Scarab, or Amplify Damage Proc Claws (or The Reaper's Toll or Lawbringer on the Mercenary) allows you to deal damage to Physical Immune mobs.
Also, using Dragon Tail on mobs next to Immune to Physical mobs can kill them with its AoE Fire Damage.
Skip Unique mobs that are Fire and Physical Immune or highly resistant to both.
Late-Game
Before each Magic Find/Experience run, first cast Battle Command 2 times and then Battle Orders once using Call to Arms.
Use EnigmaTeleport to travel to your Farming Spot and between Elite Packs. "Telestomp" Elite Packs into a follow-up Dragon Tail.
Breakpoints
Breakpoints in Diablo 2 are the minimum values required to reduce the frames of an action. Below are the important breakpoints considered for this build. For more information on the mechanics involved, check out our in-depth Resource: Breakpoints.
Faster Cast Rate (FCR)
Faster Cast Rate speeds up your casting animation for spells. Aim for at least the 65% FCR Breakpoint on either the main weapon loadout or Weapon-Swap for EnigmaTeleport cast speed (The Standard Build achieves 102% FCR on Weapon-Swap). Note: FCR only controls the animation speed of the Character, and not any internal Cooldowns spells have.
Frames
16
15
14
13
12
11
10
9
FCR
0
8
16
27
42
65
102
174
Increased Attack Speed (IAS)
This build solely relies upon the Increased Attack Speed from Burst of Speed for faster attack and trap setting animations using Weapons with a Weapon Speed Modifier of -20 or -30. Consult the d2planner for Breakpoints with IAS on gear and/or different Bases.
Faster Hit Recovery (FHR)
Faster Hit Recovery increases survivability. Aim for at least the 27% FHR Breakpoint.
Frames
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
FHR
0
7
15
27
48
86
200
Faster Block Rate (FBR)
Faster Block Rate increases survivability on certain Build Variants. Aim for the 32% Faster Block Rate Breakpoint where applicable.
The Dragon Tail Assassin can become Hardcore viable with key changes to Gear, Stats, and Skill Point allocation. Review the changes below before building this character in Hardcore, as some of these changes differ significantly from the Standard Build.
Gear Changes
Damage Reduction: There are several gear options for achieving a high amount of % Damage Reduction on a Hardcore Dragon Tail Assassin. Stormshield is the best overall option for survivability. A combination of Crown of Ages and either String of Ears or Verdungo's Hearty Cord also works well if you are dual-wielding Claws.
Stacking Resistances: Stack your Fire/Lightning/Cold Resistances beyond the default maximum values of 75 each (175 total in Hell). Stacking 85 additional Resistances in Hell completely negates the Conviction Aura of any Elite Boss or the Oblivion Knight's Lower Resist Curse. Beware of encountering both at the same time! Consider the primary damage type(s) of the monsters in the area you want to farm. Chains of Honor is a possible Body Armor option if you are willing to forgo Enigma. Um Runes socketed into gear, Jewelry, and Charms are also ideal sources of Resistances.
Faster Hit Recovery: Achieve the 48% Faster Hit Recovery Breakpoint on your main weapon loadout with your Boots and Charms. Faster Hit Recovery is not as important when going for maximum Chance to Block (75%). You mainly rely on the 32% Faster Block Rate Breakpoint you achieve with Stormshield.
Allocate enough Stat Points into Strength to wear Stormshield.
Allocate enough Stat Points into Dexterity to achieve maximum Chance to Block (75%) while having Stormshield equipped.
Allocate all remaining Stat Points into Vitality.
Skill Point Changes
Investing Skill Points into Shadow Master instead of Shadow Warrior provides the Hardcore Dragon Tail Assassin with a more reliable tank.
You can use Fade instead of Burst of Speed, sacrificing Attack Speed for Damage Reduction, Resistances, and Curse Duration Reduction. If you choose to do this, additional Skill Points into Fade can further improve your Damage Reduction.
See the "Hardcore" Build Variant below for additional suggestions and visuals.
Build Variants
Starter
Budget
Standard
Magic Find
Damage
Sustain
Hardcore
Setup
The Starter variant of the Dragon Tail Assassin meets the minimum gear requirements for farming the Starter ✔ tagged areas in the "Farming Spots" section above. These areas can be Solo-farmed by this setup (/Players1 on Single Player) in both Nightmare and Hell difficulty. Prioritize + to Skills, Kick Damage, Resistances, Attack Rating, Cannot Be Frozen, and Life/Attributes on your gear. Double UpgradedGoblin Toe provides you with high Kick Damage. Pattern Claws provide you with decent survivability and damage if made in a + to Dragon TailBase. Strength Claws are also great for early-game Boss killing due to their Crushing Blow stat. A Staff of Teleportation on Weapon-Swap allows you to travel short distances (Dragon Flight allows you to use monsters to reposition). Follow the Assassin Leveling Guide to get your Assassin to Level 75.
Mercenary
An Act 5 Bash or FrenzyMercenary using Lawbringer(s) is ideal for a Starter Dragon Tail Assassin. Sanctuary and Decrepify provide added safety and damage. Decrepify also allows you to deal with Physical Immune monsters. Mercenaries require Resistances, Life Leech, and/or Damage Reduction to stay alive. Smoke is a cheap Body Armor option for much needed Resistances.
Skills
Allocate about 10 Skill Points into Weapon Block to achieve decent Chance to Block while dual-wielding Claws. Use Shadow Master instead of Shadow Warrior for its superior tankiness.
Put 1 Skill Point into each of the following Skills: 1. Burst of Speed 2. Fade 3. Cloak of Shadows 4. Mind Blast 5. Dragon Talon 6. Dragon Flight 7. Shadow Master (Max Last)
Put ~10 Skill Points into the following Skill: Weapon Block
Max out the following Skills in this order: 1. Dragon Tail 2. Tiger Strike 3. Claw Mastery 4. Death Sentry 5. Shadow Master
Attributes
Allocate enough Stat Points into Strength and Dexterity to wear your gear. Put all remaining Stat Points into Vitality.
Setup
The Budget Dragon Tail Assassin achieves solid results with gear that is much easier to acquire than the gear on the Standard Build. This variant can farm almost every Farming Spot the Standard Build can on a lower Player Count. This build makes use of several lower-end gear options that still provide solid Damage, Attack Rating, Resistances, Damage Reduction, and the Cannot Be Frozen stat. Full Natalya's Set with UpgradedNatalya's Soul provides many of these needed stats. A single Mosaic or even Bartuc's Cut-Throat are great options for maintaining effectiveness on this setup. Naj's Puzzler provides you with extra mobility. If you can acquire Flame Rift you can kill Immune to Fire mobs.
Mercenary
A Budget Dragon Tail Assassin uses an Act 2 MightMercenary with The Reaper's Toll. Dragon Tail's Damage benefits greatly from its Decrepify proc; Decrepify also allows you to deal with Physical Immune monsters. Treachery and Guillaume's Face provide additional damage and survivability. This Mercenary reaches the 75% Increased Attack Speed Breakpoint to reliably proc Decrepify.
Skills
Allocate about 10 Skill Points into Weapon Block to achieve decent Chance to Block while dual-wielding Claws. Use Shadow Master instead of Shadow Warrior for its superior tankiness. The rest is the same as the Standard Build.
Put 1 Skill Point into each of the following Skills: 1. Burst of Speed 2. Fade 3. Cloak of Shadows 4. Mind Blast 5. Dragon Talon 6. Dragon Flight 7. Cobra Strike 8. Shadow Master (Max Last)
Put ~10 Skill Points into the following Skill: Weapon Block
Max out the following Skills in this order: 1. Dragon Tail 2. Tiger Strike 3. Claw Mastery 4. Death Sentry 5. Shadow Master
Use the Scroll Bar to see Skill Point Progression
Use the Scroll Bar to see Skill Point Progression
Attributes
Allocate enough Stat Points into Strength and Dexterity to wear your gear. Put all remaining Stat Points into Vitality.
Setup
This is the Standard Best in Slot (BiS) Dragon Tail Assassin featured in the beginning of the guide. It is the balanced "jack-of-all-trades" version, capable of performing the most tasks well. This variant is the point of comparison for all other variants. It carefully balances Damage, Magic Find, Defensive Stats, and Teleport mobility. Dual-wielding Mosaics allows you to continually use Dragon Tail without losing Tiger Strike Charges. Flame Rift allows this build to smash Immune to Fire mobs. This setup reaches the 102% Faster Cast Rate Breakpoint on Weapon-Swap.
Mercenary
The Standard Dragon Tail Assassin Mercenary is an Act 2 Might Mercenary with Infinity for -85% to Enemy Fire Resistance and reduced monster Defense from its Conviction Aura. Fortitude and Andariel's Visage socketed with a Ruby Jewel of Fervor maximize this Mercenary's damage and survivability.
Skills
Put 1 Skill Point into each of the following Skills: 1. Burst of Speed 2. Fade 3. Cloak of Shadows 4. Mind Blast 5. Dragon Talon 6. Dragon Flight 7. Cobra Strike 8. Weapon Block 9. Shadow Warrior (Max Last)
Max out the following Skills in this order: 1. Dragon Tail 2. Tiger Strike 3. Claw Mastery 4. Death Sentry 5. Shadow Warrior
Use the Scroll Bar to see Skill Point Progression
Use the Scroll Bar to see Skill Point Progression
Attributes
Allocate enough Stat Points into Strength and Dexterity to wear your gear. Put all remaining Stat Points into Vitality.
Setup
This variant stacks as much Magic Find as possible for Elite Pack targeting efficiency. Magic Find Charms and Harlequin Crest are the keys to this build. This setup can farm most areas just as effectively as the Standard Build with any number of Players in the game (Player Count). Flame Rift enables this build to crush monsters that are Immune to Fire. Just like the Standard Build, the Magic Find version of the Dragon Tail Assassin achieves the 102% Faster Cast Rate Breakpoint on Weapon-Swap.
Mercenary
Just like the Standard Build, the Magic Find Dragon Tail Assassin Mercenary is an Act 2 Might Mercenary with Infinity, Fortitude, and Andariel's Visage socketed with a Ruby Jewel of Fervor.
Skills
Put 1 Skill Point into each of the following Skills: 1. Burst of Speed 2. Fade 3. Cloak of Shadows 4. Mind Blast 5. Dragon Talon 6. Dragon Flight 7. Cobra Strike 8. Weapon Block 9. Shadow Warrior (Max Last)
Max out the following Skills in this order: 1. Dragon Tail 2. Tiger Strike 3. Claw Mastery 4. Death Sentry 5. Shadow Warrior
Use the Scroll Bar to see Skill Point Progression
Use the Scroll Bar to see Skill Point Progression
Attributes
Allocate enough Stat Points into Strength and Dexterity to wear your gear. Put all remaining Stat Points into Vitality.
Setup
This variant aims for the highest possible Dragon TailDamage while maintaining solid -x% to Enemy Fire Resistance. Flame Rift allows you to crush monsters that are Immune to Fire. This setup is even more effective in High Player Count games (/Players7-8 on Single Player) than the Standard Build. +5-6 To Dragon Tail Claws and Kenshi's Chain Gloves of Alacrity are keys to setup. The Damage variant of the Dragon Tail Assassin sacrifices Teleport mobility and Charge uptime for as much damage as possible. This build achieves the 65% Faster Cast Rate Breakpoint on Weapon-Swap.
Mercenary
Just like the Standard Build, the Damage Dragon Tail Assassin Mercenary is an Act 2 Might Mercenary with Infinity, Fortitude, and Andariel's Visage socketed with a Ruby Jewel of Fervor.
Skills
You can allocate additional Skill Points into Weapon Block if needed. The rest is the same as the Standard Build.
Put 1 Skill Point into each of the following Skills: 1. Burst of Speed 2. Fade 3. Cloak of Shadows 4. Mind Blast 5. Dragon Talon 6. Dragon Flight 7. Cobra Strike 8. Weapon Block 9. Shadow Warrior (Max Last)
Max out the following Skills in this order: 1. Dragon Tail 2. Tiger Strike 3. Claw Mastery 4. Death Sentry 5. Shadow Warrior
Use the Scroll Bar to see Skill Point Progression
Use the Scroll Bar to see Skill Point Progression
Attributes
Allocate enough Stat Points into Strength and Dexterity to wear your gear. Put all remaining Stat Points into Vitality.
Setup
The Sustain Dragon Tail Assassin uses Phoenix for high Life/Mana sustain and -x% to Enemy Fire Resistance. With 1x Mosaic this setup has decent Charge sustain as well. Flame Rift allows you to crush monsters that are Immune to Fire. This build effectively snipes Elites with reckless abandon. Just like the Standard Build, this variant reaches the 102% Faster Cast Rate Breakpoint on Weapon-Swap.
Mercenary
Just like the Standard Build, the Sustain Dragon Tail Assassin Mercenary is an Act 2 Might Mercenary with Infinity, Fortitude, and Andariel's Visage socketed with a Ruby Jewel of Fervor.
Skills
Put 1 Skill Point into each of the following Skills: 1. Burst of Speed 2. Fade 3. Cloak of Shadows 4. Mind Blast 5. Dragon Talon 6. Dragon Flight 7. Cobra Strike 8. Weapon Block 9. Shadow Warrior (Max Last)
Max out the following Skills in this order: 1. Dragon Tail 2. Tiger Strike 3. Claw Mastery 4. Death Sentry 5. Shadow Warrior
Use the Scroll Bar to see Skill Point Progression
Use the Scroll Bar to see Skill Point Progression
Attributes
Allocate enough Stat Points into Strength and Dexterity to wear your gear. Put all remaining Stat Points into Vitality.
Setup
For the Hardcore mode variant, aim for 50% Damage Reduction and maximum Chance to Block (75%) to guard against taking extreme amounts of Physical Damage. Additionally, overcap Resistances beyond the natural cap of 75% if possible to counteract hostile Conviction or Lower Resist (Fade can help achieve this). PlagueCleansing Aura provides Curse Duration Reduction for extra safety. If you choose to use Flame Rift, stack additional Fire Resistance to counteract its negative effect. This setup reaches the 102% Faster Cast Rate Breakpoint on Weapon-Swap. Consult the "Hardcore" section for more detailed information.
Mercenary
Just like the Standard Build, the Hardcore Dragon Tail Assassin Mercenary is an Act 2 Might Mercenary with Infinity, Fortitude, and Andariel's Visage socketed with a Ruby Jewel of Fervor.
Skills
Max Shadow Master instead of Shadow Warrior for its superior tankiness. You can also choose to use and invest additional Skill Points into Fade on a Hardcore Dragon Tail Assassin. The rest is the same as the Standard Build.
Put 1 Skill Point into each of the following Skills: 1. Burst of Speed 2. Fade 3. Cloak of Shadows 4. Mind Blast 5. Dragon Talon 6. Dragon Flight 7. Cobra Strike 8. Weapon Block 9. Shadow Master (Max Last)
Max out the following Skills in this order: 1. Dragon Tail 2. Tiger Strike 3. Claw Mastery 4. Death Sentry 5. Shadow Master
Use the Scroll Bar to see Skill Point Progression
Use the Scroll Bar to see Skill Point Progression
Attributes
Allocate enough Stat Points into Strength to wear your gear and enough Stat Points into Dexterity to achieve maximum Chance to Block (75%). Put all remaining Stat Points into Vitality.
Mechanics
Teleport
Teleport instantly moves you to a selected square on the visible screen in which you can stand. The game tries to to place you within a small radius around your cursor even if it would be impeded normally.
Teleport is not obstructed by walls or other impediments but can fail if your cursor is not completely passed those impediments when cast. Your Mercenary and Shadow Warrior or Shadow Master travel with you.
Summons in large quantities can become “stuck” in position after Teleporting. Move/walk away from that position to give them the chance to spread out.
You can “extend” the visible screen by opening UI-windows like the Inventory or the Character screen. Continuously cast Teleport and drag your mouse to the edge of your screen.
The Mana cost of Teleport decreases with additional Skill Levels down to 1 Mana per cast.
You can use “ESC” to open the menu in Single Player to pause the game after a Teleport to determine if you are safe.
Teleport casting speed is affected by the Faster Cast Rate Breakpoint that you achieve with your gear.
Death Sentry
Death Sentry is in the unique situation in which it combines 2 Skills (Lightning Sentry and Corpse Explosion). Both Skill effects have certain conditions in which they occur and use up remaining shots from the maximum shot count. This means that a Death Sentry with a maximum of 7 Shots can use, for example, 5 x Lightning and 2x Corpse Explosion).
Base amount of available shots is 5, which can be increased by putting Skill Points into Fire Blast. Every 3rd Skill Point, Death Sentry gain +1 shot to a maximum of 11 (with Fire Blast Base Skill Level 18).
The Lightning Sentry part will only be used, if there are no corpses in the sentries' awareness range (10 2/3 yards).
The lightning beam behaves exactly as Lightning Sentry:
Monsters are pierced.
Travels in a straight line.
Every monster on the travel path takes Lightning Damage.
Death Sentry shoots at a rate of 31 Frames per cast (Every 1.24 seconds) before they expire. This rate cannot be influenced.
The Corpse Explosion is used when there are corpses within its Awareness Range (10 2/3 yards) with the following mechanics:
Death Sentry shoots at a rate of 31 Frames per cast (Every 1.24 seconds) before they expire. This rate cannot be influenced.
The Corpse Explosion is weaker than its Necromancer counterpart, dealing only 40 - 80% of the monster's regular base Life.
Damage does not increase with higher player count.
Its damage is split into 50% Physical Damage and 50% Fire Damage.
When the corpse's Monster Level > Character Level the damage is multiplied by Character Level / Monster Level.
Within the Area of Effect, the damage is always afflicted. It cannot be blocked by any means.
Summary
Maintain 3 Charges of Tiger Strike to do maximum damage with Dragon Tail. Dual-wielding Mosaics allows you to perpetually maintain the 3 Tiger Strike Charge maximum while only using Dragon Tail.
Dragon Flight into monster packs before acquiring Enigma.
Since there is both a Fire and Physical component to Dragon Tail's damage, Lower Resist, Conviction, Amplify Damage, and Decrepify all make it stronger.
1-Point Dragon Talon enables you to deal with most Fire Immunities. Flame Rift, Phoenix, and Flickering Flame empower Dragon Tail to handle them.
The Dragon Tail Assassin has several Defensive Skills that make it possible to survive without amazing gear. Weapon Block grants Block Chance while dual-wielding Claw Weapons (no Shield). Either Shadow Warrior or Shadow Master distracts enemies and absorbs damage. Cobra Strike grants incredible Life/Mana sustain. Fade, Cloak of Shadows, and Mind Blast all situationally mitigate the damage you take. Abuse these abilities to the fullest!
This build excels at sniping Elites with any number of Players in the game (Player Count) and in any Farming Spot (including Terror Zones) with a full build. Crush monsters to your heart's content!
We hope you enjoy this build! The Dragon Tail Assassin brilliantly combines awesome power with fun and interesting gameplay. This one-shot wonder is jaw-dropping!
