Stealth Mastery
The ambush mastery, and the most extreme one in the game: it multiplies opening attacks from stealth rather than improving sustained damage. See Skill Masteries for the system itself.
| Requires | Stealth at 90.0 |
| Taught by | Thief — 10,000 gold |
| Ultimate | Shadowstrike |
Perks
| Perk | Effect per level | At level 8 |
|---|---|---|
| Backstab | +40% damage on attacks from stealth | +320% damage |
| Phantom | +1 stealth step; stealth running from level 5 | +8 steps |
| Paralysing Ambush (template) | 4% chance for a stealth attack to paralyze for 10 seconds | 32% chance |
Backstab is by far the largest per-level bonus of any perk — but it only applies to a prepared stealth attack, so it does nothing once a fight is underway. This mastery is about the opener.
Phantom unlocks stealth running at level 5, which changes how the skill plays more than the extra steps do. Note the running is PvM only, like all mastery perks.
Ultimate — Shadowstrike
Fires on a stealth attack at 2.5% per proc level (20% at level 8) — the highest proc chance in the game. Deals 3.5× damage and instantly re-hides you, setting up the next backstab. Also fully heals you.
The re-hide is what makes this mastery loop: Shadowstrike into stealth, then open again with the full Backstab bonus.
Related
- Stealth — the skill itself
- Hiding — the prerequisite for moving unseen
- Skill Masteries — XP, levelling and mastery items