Lightning Sentry/Whirlwind Assassin For PvP and PvM
PvP Rank: S Class / PvM Rank: S Class
Introduction
Lightning Sentry/Whirlwind Assassins are also known as Ghost Assassins when they use Enigma. However 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 excellent at survival.
Recommendation: Lightning Sentry/Whirlwind Assassin
Stats: 167 Strength (before strength from Stormshield), enough Dexterity for 75% block (before dexterity from Shadow Dancers), 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 low attack rating)
1 Dragon Flight (can be gained from a Chaos Claw base)
1 Shadow Master (great for Mind Blast in PvP)
1 Mind Blast
1 Death Sentry (if you're also using this build in PvM)
All remaining points in Venom for high 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 added 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 very high damage reduction, helps significantly with resistances, and you'll need high dexterity for attack rating which easily gives 75% block chance.
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 which also increases the level of your Battle Orders.
Helmet
Shako (Harlequin Crest Um'd) - Gives +2 to all skills, 2 to all attributes, 10% reduced physical damage taken, high life and mana per level, and 50% better chance of getting magic items.
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 high strength per level for the high strength requirement of your shields and boots.
Gloves
Trang'Oul's Claws - Gives 20% faster cast rate, 25% increased poison damage, and cold resistance +30%. The poison damage will increase the damage of your Venom skill which is helpful for Whirlwind damage.
Gloves & Boots (for Fighting Fire Builds)
Laying of Hands & Hotspurs - Laying of Hands gives 50% increased fire resistance for fighting fire damage builds that can lower your fire resistance and Hotspur gives 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 recommend getting max block before Shadow Dancers for a higher attack rating.
Feet (PvM)
War Travelers (for magic find) or Infernostride (for 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, and 30% increased fire resistance.
Amulet
Mara's Kaleidoscope - Gives +2 to all skills (higher Lightning Sentry damage), 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)
If you plan on using Whirlwind a Raven Frost can be switched to a life/mana leech ring with all resistance and attack rating for PvM.
Rings (Absorb)
When fighting fire damage builds you can switch one Raven Frost to a Dwarf Star for 15% fire absorb. You can also switch a Raven Frost for a Wisp Projector (20% lightning absorb) for fighting lightning damage builds but this is usually considered bad manners in PvP if you are using the Thundergod's Vigor belt which has 10% increased 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 an inventory of +1 Trap Skills Grand Charms with life. For your small charms look for high resistances and life.
Mercenary Type
Act 2 Holy Freeze Mercenary - Holy Freeze is an excellent defensive because it slows the movement speed and attack speed of enemies which helps keep you and your mercenary alive. If you are using Death Sentry for PvM, however, Holy Freeze shouldn't be used to avoid shattering corpses which means you should then use Defiance for increased defenses 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 Vampire Gaze -Gives up to 20% physical damage reduction, 8% life stolen per hit, and has high defense.
Budget Mercenary Weapon
Ethereal Insight (Ral Tir Tal Sol) - Gives up to level 17 Meditation for 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're typically very high defense melee builds.
Lightning Sentry/Whirlwind Assassin Leveling Items
You can start using Hsarus' Belt and Gloves once you have 30 strength and are at least level 3 for high defense and attack rating from the set bonus. You should switch to a Spirit Crystal Sword(Tal Thul Ort Amn)at level 25 for its +2 to all skills for your traps which will be your primary attack at low levels. Smoke (Nef Lum) is a body armor that only requires level 37 and is an excellent inexpensive starter runeword that can also be used at an early to mid level for 20% faster hit recovery and all resistances +50%.
And that's all for the Lightning Sentry/Whirlwind Assassin Guide. You can also check out the Crafting Guide here Crafting Guide.
