Dual Blades or Ninja Blade

[Kismet Cowboy]

So I want to roll up a Stalker but I can't quite decide between Dual or Ninja Blade(s). I've previously tried Dual Blades on a Tanker but it felt very underwhelming:, no matter how much time I gave it, it just never felt like it bloomed. The combo system was neat in concept but felt really gimmicky and I doubt it was as good as just having a secondary effect as normal.

 

How is it on Stalkers? Better, worse? And if it is decent, how would you say it compares to Ninja Blade? What are the comparable strengths and weaknesses of each?

[Without_Pause]

DB is best of you dump a lot of recharge into the build and ignore the combo system. EA offers +recharge and is a great set to start with so that would be my lean. Ninja Blade is best played on other ATs. 

[ZemX]

Have you considered Staff?  If you've played it anywhere else, it's a little different on a Stalker because instead of Staff Mastery (the three stances) and Innocuous Strikes (the second cone AoE) they get Build Up and Assassin Strike.  They also get Form of Body (the damage stance) for free, always on, from level 1.  So it keeps the two best AoEs (the cone with +def and the PBAoE) and gets better single target burst than anyone else.  The combo system is the focus builder/spender kind similar to Street Justice, rather than the explicit combo sequences of DB.  So even if you pay no attention to it, it's still doing something, either building up a passive damage bonus or cashing it in on some extra effects with the heaviest ST attack or the PBAoE.

 

Use the Naginata model with the blade on the end.  Looks very Stalker-y.  Or the tech staff with the little clear blade at the end.  Or just assassinate people with a pool cue.  That's fun too.

[Chelsea Rorec]

Given the choices offered i would go for ninja blade.

Dual Blades is kinda meh and i feel it really dosn't work with stalkers.

Ninja blade is very quick and has some good hitters.

[Riot Siren]

Dual Blade is actually one of the better stalker primaries when built correctly.

Ablating strikes and Sweeping strikes are very high DPA attacks, along with Assassin's Blades filling out the single target rotation. With enough recharge you can solely stick to these attacks offering some pretty high DPS . On top of this it gets access to a def debuff and a melee AoE in the single target rotation which lets you slot in both -res procs (Achille's heel and Fury of the gladiator )  for even more damage. It also get two decent AoEs which, while a bit unwieldly , gives you solid AoE presence. 

 

 

Ninja blade on the other hand I would not recommend as much. The low Damage per attack does not play as nicely with the stalker formula, as you planed crits aren't as good. On top of that, while flashing steel is a OK AoE it's a rather small one and all you get. Ninja blade isn't bad but it loses out in its transition to stalker, losing its main AoE (the lotus drops) and one of its better attacks (Gambler's cut). If you want to play a "Ninja" character I would recommend Katana/Ninja scrapper over stalker as I feel the set just works out much better on the other melees.

Edited November 14, 2021 by Riot Siren

[Sabrehawk]

I have a 50 DB/EA stalker. T4ed, thirty something incarnate levels. My experience with DB is that it has some of the better AoE for a stalker. Single target damage isn't bad either. However, this relies on having a build with very high recharge. In addition my experience was that the damage was underwhelming until I had all the incarnates. There was a learning curve to it as two of it's three AoEs are cones; when you maneuver your opponents so the cone hits a large group it's quite effective in an AoE situation. 

 

When it comes to Ninja Blade on a stalker I don't have one so I cannot really say what it is good or bad at.

[JnEricsonx]

22 hours ago, Sabrehawk said:

I have a 50 DB/EA stalker. T4ed, thirty something incarnate levels. My experience with DB is that it has some of the better AoE for a stalker. Single target damage isn't bad either. However, this relies on having a build with very high recharge. In addition my experience was that the damage was underwhelming until I had all the incarnates. There was a learning curve to it as two of it's three AoEs are cones; when you maneuver your opponents so the cone hits a large group it's quite effective in an AoE situation. 

 

When it comes to Ninja Blade on a stalker I don't have one so I cannot really say what it is good or bad at.

I enjoy my NB/NIN Stalker.  It warmed my heart to hit Build up+the BU proc+AS and watch a COT Mage boss vaporize. I mean, I Thanos-Snapped him out of his existance.

[A Cat]

On 10/6/2021 at 12:56 PM, Riot Siren said:

If you want to play a "Ninja" character I would recommend Katana/Ninja scrapper over stalker as I feel the set just works out much better on the other melees.

Can confirm. Katana/Nin scrapper is pretty fun, and definitely has a stalker feel. BU, combat TP, then instantly deleting someone with a crit from hide is pretty cool.