For this build, we've gone with a mainline combo using Fists of Fire, Claws of Thunder, and Blades of Ice which all synergize and all have charge states. Then we have the hallmark of the build, Phoenix strike, which grants you insane damage elemental damage with finishing moves and is the main damage skill for the build.
Now it should be noted that Claws of Thunder and Phoenix Strike are both affected by the new NHD system, which means you'll need to move around some skills points to get the most out of them due to their delays. You could also swap them out for other abilities, but it would ultimately weaken the build. So to stick with it, below is the full showcase of the skills used in this build and with the best configuration of skill points to account for the NHD system patch and its delay drawbacks.
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Martial Arts Phoenix Strike Assassin Skills
|
Item Slot |
Main Item |
Slotted Item(s) |
|
Weapon |
2x +3 Phoenix Strike Mosaic Claws |
N/A |
|
Weapon Swap |
Call to Arms |
Amn Rune, Ral Rune, Mal Rune, Ist Rune, Ohm Rune |
|
Body Armor |
Enigma Mage Plate |
Jah Rune, Ith Rune, Ber Rune |
|
Helm |
Griffons Eye Diadem |
Nef Rune, Pul Rune, Vex Rune |
|
Gloves |
+3 Martial Arts Skiller Gloves |
N/A |
|
Boots |
Natalya's Soul |
N/A |
|
Belt |
Arachnid Mesh |
N/A |
|
Ring 1 |
Raven Frost |
N/A |
|
Ring 2 |
The Stone of Jordan or Bul-Kathos' Wedding Band |
N/A |
|
Amulet |
Mara's Kaleidoscope |
N/A |
|
Charm 1 |
Hellfire Torch |
N/A |
|
Charm 2 |
Annihilus |
N/A |
|
Charm 3 |
9x Martial Arts Skiller Grand Charms with Life or enough % Faster Hit Recovery to hit 86% |
N/A |
|
Charm 4 |
10 Small Charms with Life, Resistances, Mana, or Faster Hit Recovery, depending on needs |
N/A |
Now we move on to the gear and sockets used for the Martial Arts Phoenix Strike Assassin. This setup takes advantage of Dual Mosaic Claws, which can use Weapon Block as well as build charges faster for many of the Martial Arts Skills and will not lose charges.
Mercenaries are a vital aspect of your build as well since they can draw aggro, debuff enemies, and even buff your characters or heal them. In Act 2 of Nightmare difficulty, you have the option to recruit a Desert Guard Mercenary who can either specialize in defense (Holy Freeze) or offense (Might). This choice will determine whether you want to slow down monsters to increase your safety or enhance your Mercenary's overall damage.
Regardless of your choice, the best gear we've found to work with this mercenary build is listed below:
Weapon: Ethereal Infinity
Body Armor: Ethereal Fortitude
Helm: Ethereal Andariel's Visage socketed with a Ral Rune
If your Mercenary dies during battle, you can bring them back to life by speaking with a Mercenary NPC in any Act. But remember that the cost of reviving them increases each time they die, and if they die too frequently, the cost can be as high as 50,000 gold.