AION 2 Assassin Build: PvE and PvP

The Assassin build at a glance

Both builds spend exactly the 203 Skill Points and 29 Stigma Shard points a character earns by level 45. Skills not listed stay at level 1. Each button opens the build in our skill builder, where you can change any level.

Why some skills stop at 7: levels 2 to 4 cost 1 Skill Point each, 5 to 7 cost 2 and 8 to 10 cost 4, so a skill at 7 costs 9 points and the last three levels cost 12 more. Wisdom Stones add points on top of the 203; spend them on the next skill in the list below. Daevanion nodes and gear add levels beyond the 10 that Skill Points buy.

Assassin skill priority

In the order to raise them. Next to each skill: how many of 60 level-45 Assassins in NC's own character data have it on their skill bar.

1. Heart Gore to 10 and Insignia Explosion to 10 (on the bar: 60 of 60, 60 of 60). Your burst. Basic attacks shorten Insignia Explosion's cooldown, so keep hitting between them.
2. Quick Slice to 10 (on the bar: 60 of 60). Your basic attack. It builds the Sigil stacks that set off Exploit Weakness.
3. Savage Roar to 10 (on the bar: 60 of 60). Keep it running: it brings Shadowstrike back sooner.
4. Shadowstrike to 10 (on the bar: 60 of 60). Blinks you behind the target with a critical-hit bonus, where the Assassin wants to be.
5. Ambush to 10 (on the bar: 58 of 60). Deals more damage from behind; use it right after Shadowstrike.
6. Flash Slice to 7 (on the bar: 60 of 60). Gets the leftover points. Level 7 is the last cheap level: 8 to 10 cost 4 points each.

Passives. Rear Smite, Assault Stance and Exploit Weakness to 10, then Defense Break with the last 5 points. Apply Poison and Ambush Stance do little in PvE.

Assassin Stigmas

Stigma slots open at levels 22, 27, 32 and 37. Learning a Stigma costs 1 shard point; the 29 points you have at 45 cover four Stigmas at these levels:

• Illusive Clone and Swift Contract are the core pair and get the most shards. Swift Contract adds 20% Combat Speed at level 15.
• Triniel's Dagger is part of the opener, thrown from behind.
• Savage Fang takes the fourth slot.

Throw Shadowblade and Evasion Stance are the next most common Stigmas among level-45 Assassins in NC's data.

Daevanion boards

The boards add stats, and some of their nodes add a level to a skill. Take the +1 nodes for Heart Gore, Insignia Explosion and Quick Slice first: nearly every top Assassin does. Heart Gore is the node top Assassins take on every board they can.

• Nezekan, level 12: Combat Speed and Cooldown Reduction.
• Zikel, level 20: Damage Boost and Damage Tolerance.
• Vaizel, level 30: Critical Damage Boost and Critical Damage Tolerance.
• Triniel, level 40: Multi-Hit Chance and Multi-Hit Resist.
• Azphel, level 45: PvP stats only.
• Ariel, added in NC's October 20 patch, fills from Ariel Fragments earned in the Hard mode of Krao Cave and Draupnir (item level 2600).

Assassin rotation

1. Swift Contract and Illusive Clone.
2. Shadowstrike to blink behind the target.
3. Triniel's Dagger and Ambush from behind.
4. Insignia Explosion, then Heart Gore.
5. Quick Slice between skills, and keep Savage Roar going so Shadowstrike comes back.

Macro. Put only Quick Slice and Savage Roar in a macro. Keep Heart Gore, Insignia Explosion, Illusive Clone and every movement skill on their own keys, so a long macro never holds back your burst.

Skills land better when Tab picks the enemy in front of you; see how to set up tab target in AION 2.

Assassin stats

PvE: Critical Hit, Multi-Hit, Combat Speed, Critical Damage Boost and Back Damage Boost and PvE Damage Boost.

Assassin PvP build

The PvP build keeps the same core and changes the rest: Flash Slice and Infiltrate go to 10, and Shadow Walk takes over Stigma slots. The full list is in the table at the top.

• Infiltrate goes to 10 and Shadow Fall joins the bar; Shadow Walk replaces Savage Fang.
• Shadowstrike stuns a player for 3 seconds, enough to land the burst.
• Stealth does not protect you once a fight starts: area attacks can reveal you.

Open the PvP build in the skill builder

Other ways to build it

The last points can go into Flash Slice and Infiltrate, or into the passives Defense Break and Determination.

How we put this build together

We do not play-test builds ourselves. Every pick is checked against NC's own Character Info: 60 level-45 Assassins across NA West, NA East and Europe, and what each one has on the skill bar. Where builds split, we followed the side NC's data backs and wrote the other side above. Skill and Stigma names are NC's global names. Checked on October 23, 2026.

Every Assassin skill and its unlock level is on the AION 2 Assassin skills page. Builds for the other classes: Gladiator, Templar, Ranger, Chanter, Cleric, Sorcerer and Spiritmaster, or all eight side by side on AION 2 builds for every class.

AION 2 Assassin build FAQ

What is the best Assassin build in AION 2?

The standard AION 2 Assassin build maxes Heart Gore, Insignia Explosion, Quick Slice and Shadowstrike, runs Illusive Clone, Swift Contract, Savage Fang and Triniel's Dagger, and bursts from behind. It spends all 203 Skill Points and 29 Stigma Shard points a character has at level 45.

What should a Assassin max first?

Start with Heart Gore, Insignia Explosion, Quick Slice and Savage Roar. Heart Gore and Insignia Explosion: your burst. Basic attacks shorten Insignia Explosion's cooldown, so keep hitting between them.

What Stigmas should a Assassin use?

For PvE: Illusive Clone (level 7), Swift Contract (level 7), Savage Fang (level 4) and Triniel's Dagger (level 6). Illusive Clone and Swift Contract are the core pair and get the most shards. Swift Contract adds 20% Combat Speed at level 15. Throw Shadowblade and Evasion Stance are the next most common Stigmas among level-45 Assassins in NC's data.

What is the best Assassin PvP build?

Max Flash Slice and Infiltrate as well, and swap Shadow Walk into the Stigma slots. Infiltrate goes to 10 and Shadow Fall joins the bar; Shadow Walk replaces Savage Fang.

What stats does a Assassin need?

In PvE, in this order: Critical Hit, Multi-Hit, Combat Speed, Critical Damage Boost and Back Damage Boost and PvE Damage Boost.