GW2 Thief Guide
The Thief is a master of fast attacks, and shadowy movements. They are able to hit their target and then disappear again into the shadows. They are also able to use poisons and traps to weaken enemies making them easier targets for their teammates.
To play as a Thief you will need to be able to analyze the battle quickly, pick your target, and move in to strike. The thief skill system functions on initiative that is built up with some attacks, and then spent to unleash much more powerful attacks. In this way the Thief is always planning ahead, thinking of what chain of attacks will be most effective.
Thief Weapons & Armor
Thieves wear medium armor, and can wield swords & daggers in melee fighting, and are proficient with pistols and the short bow at range. Up close a thief must use their stealth skills to get in and out of combat. A thief does not have the protection to stand in the front line for long, so to prevent damage they must be quick and making sure they have an escape plan. To help them in this they use their shadow stepping skills which allow them to instantly vanish and reappear at a different location.
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Thieves at range can use pistols or a short bow. With these they are able to wound their targets from a distance, slowing or poisoning their targets to then later move in for close combat, or they can support their team by doing direct damage from a distance, with some AOE effects as well, like the cluster bomb or Choking gas skills. The thief can switch weapon sets at level 7, this will allow you to have more variety in your play style, and make you more adaptable to the situation.
GW2 Thief Skills
Their other skills give them access to some poisons to weaken their opponents in various ways, and traps. The traps require a little prior planning, as they must be placed ahead of time. When an enemy triggers it, they can create a variety of effects, from summoning a NPC thief to attack, to giving the thief an escape point to flee to in case of danger.
The Thief also has a special ability which allows them to steal from enemies. This gives them a special weapon that they can then use against their enemies. They are the only class that has this ability.
Thief PvP Gameplay
In PVP the thief is very effective, as they have many quick damaging skills, and attacks that can immobilize and stun their target. This can keep their enemy from having a chance to react at all, or giving the thief an advantage from the start. The Thief will need to be careful though, as it requires some set up to use their most damaging attacks, and if they get drawn out into a longer fight, or caught off guard, they may not be able to recover.
To learn more about each class available in Guild Wars 2 be sure to check out our article regarding the GW2 professions to learn which class will best suit your playing style and abilities as a player.
