PvP Lightning Sentry/Whirlwind Assassin Guide

Lightning Sentry/Whirlwind Assassin For PvP and PvM

PvP Rank: S Class / PvM Rank: S Class

Introduction

Lightning Sentry/Whirlwind Hybrid Assassins are also known as Ghost Assassins when they use Enigma. However even with Enigma equipped you will rarely need to Teleport in PvP because you will want to play somewhat defensive and always be near your traps. Lightning Sentry/Whirlwind Assassins are also one of the best builds in the game for PvP and are excellent at PvM as well.

Lightning Sentry/Whirlwind Assassin Skills

The Lightning Sentry/Whirlwind Assassin deals excellent ranged damage with lightning traps and can Whirlwind casters without losing a significant amount of trap damage. Lightning Sentry/Whirlwind Assassins are also surprisingly great at survival.

Recommendation: Lightning Sentry/Whirlwind Assassin

Stats: 167 Strength (before the added strength from Stormshield), enough Dexterity for 75% block (before dexterity from Shadow Dancers boots), all remaining points in Vitality, and 0 Energy.

Skill Points:

20 Lightning Sentry

20 Charged Bolt Sentry

20 Shock Web

20 Claw Mastery (helps with the builds low attack rating)

1 Dragon Flight (can be gained from a Chaos Claw base)

1 Shadow Master (great for Mind Blast casts in PvP)

1 Mind Blast

1 Death Sentry (optional for PvM)

All remaining points in Venom for high increased poison damage over a short duration.

Lightning Sentry/Whirlwind Assassin Gear

Weapon

Chaos Feral Claw (Fal Ohm Um) - This weapon gives Whirlwind for higher damage against casters and should be made in a Feral Claw with +3 to Lightning Sentry and other beneficial skills like Dragon Flight (saves 4 points) and Shadow Master (saves 3 points). You can also switch to a Demon Limb in town for PvP if you want Enchant for increased attack rating and fire damage.

Shield

Stormshield (Um'd) - Gives 35% reduced physical damage taken, increased block chance, high defense per level, faster block rate, 60% cold resistance, and 25% lightning resistance. This shield blocks much faster than Weapon Block, has physical damage taken reduction, has resistances, and you'll easily have 75% block with Stormshield because you'll need Dexterity for attack rating.

Weapon Switch

Call To Arms (Amn Ral Mal Ist Ohm) - Gives up to +7 to Battle Orders and should be combined with a Spirit Monarch shield (Tal Thul Ort Amn) for another +2 to all skills.

Helmet

Harlequin Crest (Shako) (Um'd) - Gives +2 to all skills, 10% reduced physical damage taken, high life and mana, and 50% magic find.

Helmet For Overstacking Resistances

Kira's Guardian (-5 5 Lightning Facet'd) - This helmet gives up to 70 to all resistances, 20% faster hit recovery, and cannot be frozen. This item should be used against Cold Sorceresses, Infinity Nova Sorceresses, and Conviction Paladins for over stacked resistances.

Body

Enigma (Jah Ith Ber) - Gives 45% faster run walk, +2 to all skills, 8% physical damage reduction, 5% increased maximum life, Teleport, and very high strength for the high strength requirement of your Stormshield, Spirit Monarch shield, and Shadow Dancers boots.

Gloves

Trang'Oul's Gloves - Gives 20% faster cast rate, 25% increased poison damage, and cold resistance +30%. The poison damage increase will increase the damage of your Venom skill which is extremely helpful for Whirlwind damage.

Gloves & Boots (for fighting fire damage builds)

Laying of Hands & Hotspur boots - Laying of Hands gives 50% increased fire resistance for fighting fire damage builds that can lower your fire resistance and Hotspur boots give 45% increased fire resistance and 15% to maximum fire resistance.

Belt

Thundergod's Vigor - Gives +3 to Lightning Fury, +3 to Lightning Strike, 10% to maximum lightning resistance, 20 lightning absorb, 20 strength, 20 vitality, a 5% chance to cast level 7 Fist of Heavens when struck, and 1-50 lightning damage.

Feet

Shadow Dancers - These boots give 30% faster run/walk, 30% faster hit recovery, +2 to Shadow Discipline Skills, and 25 dexterity which is used to increase your attack rating. I highly recommend getting max block before the dexterity from Shadow Dancers so that you can switch to Hotspur boots when fighting fire damage builds and the added dexterity will also help with attack rating.

Feet (PvM)

War Travelers (for magic find) or Infernostride (for better survival) - War Travelers give 25% faster run walk, 50% better chance of getting magic items, 10 strength, 10 vitality, and 15-25 base weapon damage. Infernostride boots give 20% faster run/walk, 10% to maximum fire resistance, some added fire damage, and 30% fire resistance.

Amulet

Mara's Kaleidoscope - Gives +2 to all skills, 5 to all attributes, and all resistances +30%.

Rings

Raven Frost x2 - Each Raven Frost gives up to 20 dexterity, 250 attack rating, 20% cold absorb, and cannot be frozen.

Ring (PvM)

One Raven Frost can be switched to a dual leech ring with all resistance and attack rating if you plan on using Whirlwind in PvM.

Rings (Absorb)

You can switch one ring to a Dwarf Star for 15% fire absorb when fighting fire damage builds. You can also switch one ring to a Wisp Projector for up to 20% lightning absorb when fighting lightning damage builds but it's sometimes considered bad manners in PvP when combined with the Thundergod's Vigor belt which has 10% to maximum lightning resistance and 20 lightning absorb.

Charms

Hellfire Torch for +3 Assassin Skills, Annihilus for +1 to all skills, two +1 Trap Skills Grand Charms with 12% faster hit recovery, and seven +1 Trap Skills Grand Charms with life. For small charms look for high life and resistances to over stack your resistances.

Mercenary Type

Act 2 Holy Freeze Mercenary - Holy Freeze is an excellent defensive aura because it slows the movement speed and attack speed of enemies which helps keep you and your mercenary alive. However if you are using Death Sentry for PvM, Holy Freeze should be avoided because it shatters corpses. You should then use the Defiance aura mercenary which increases defense or Blessed Aim for increased attack rating. Also keep in mind that you shouldn't use a mercenary in PvP because it's considered bad manners.

Mercenary Weapon

Ethereal Infinity (Ber Mal Ber Ist) - This weapon is used because it greatly lowers the lightning resistances and defense of enemies.

Mercenary Armor

Ethereal Fortitude (El Sol Dol Lo) - Gives 300% enhanced damage, all resistances +30%, high life per level, 5% to maximum lightning resistance, and a 20% chance to cast level 15 Chilling Armor when struck.

Mercenary Helmet

Ethereal Andariel's Visage (Ral'd) - Gives +2 to all skills, 10% life leech, and -30% fire resistance. You should also eventually upgrade the Ral rune to a 30% fire resistance jewel with other great modifiers.

Budget Mercenary Weapon

Ethereal Insight (Ral Tir Tal Sol) - Gives up to level 17 Meditation for very high mana regeneration.

Budget Mercenary Armor

Duriel's Shell - Gives all resistances +20%, 50% cold resistances, life per level, 15 strength, and cannot be frozen.

Budget Mercenary Helmet

Tal Rasha's Helmet - Gives 10% life stolen per hit, all resistances +15%, and 60 life.

Lightning Sentry/Whirlwind Strategy

This build has a powerful close range attack with Whirlwind but you should typically play like a normal Trap Assassin and use Whirlwind as an additional attack to stun enemies in Lightning Sentry Traps. Dragon Flight is used to teleport you on top of casters with left click so you can stun and Whirlwind them. Make sure to have five Lightning Sentry traps up nearby at all times and try to avoid using Whirlwind when fighting Barbarians whenever possible because they typically have a very high defense.

Lightning Sentry/Whirlwind Assassin Leveling Items

You can start using Hsarus's Belt and Gloves once you have 30 strength and are at least level 3 for high defense and attack rating from Hsarus's set bonus. You should switch to a Spirit Crystal Sword (Tal Thul Ort Amn) at level 25 for +2 to all skills to increase the level of your traps early on. Skin of the Vipermagi can be switched to at level 29 for +1 to all skills, 30% faster cast rate, up to magic damage reduced by 15, and up to 35% to all resistances. Smoke (Nef Lum) can also be used as a strong budget runeword body armor option once you reach level 37 for 20% faster hit recovery and an easy all resistances +50%.

And that's all for the PvP Lightning Sentry/Whirlwind Assassin Guide. You can also check out the Crafting Guide here Crafting Guide.