Last Epoch: Zooming Rogue Shadow Daggers [0.9.2] Guide

Pros:
tanky if played corrently
Satisfying movement speed and mobility
Very good damage output
Effective across all content

Cons:
May getting out of hand when overwhelmed
Requires some mana management
Vulnerable when stationary
Maxing the build necessitates acquiring unique items (LP just scales up dps).

We cast it through Shift with Umbral Remnant plus Lasting Presence and Dancing Shadows. Since we’re scaling Shadow Daggers damage and not Umbral Blades we can convert it to Cold for the Chill.

I. Lethal Darkness
II. Loathing
III. Umbral Remnant
IV. Coldsnap Strike
V. Twilight Assault

After achieving these nodes your damage is already pretty good. Now we increase it even more by filling up Steel Torrent, Jagged Carvings and Dawnfall.

When you use Synchronized Strike correctly, you can hit a single target with a lot of Shadow Daggers. Here’s how: First, use Perfect Coordination to increase the number of Shadows that hit the target. Then, quickly use Shift to trigger Shadow Cascade with each Shadow.

I. Umbral Assassination
II. Perfect Coordination
III. Dark Allies
IV. Crimson Storm

Now we put 2 points in Dynamics to lower the costs

Shift serves as your primary movement skill, enabling the casting of both Shadow Cascade and Umbral Blades, and offering an execution through Consumed by Shadow. Additionally, it grants brief invulnerability and dodge capabilities, effectively fulfilling roles in movement, offense, and defense.

I. Dancing Shadows (3x Momentum on its way)
II. Consumed by shadows
III. Elusive

Put 3x Velocity in the beginning if you want to be quicker right away. Otherwise put the last point in the end.

Smoke Bomb, usually a defensive utility skill, here serves our offense. Knives in the Dark continuously applies Shadow Daggers, while Eroding Fumes reduces armor. Smoke Blades grants a stacking damage buff while within the smoke, enhancing our offensive capabilities.

I. Knifes in the Dark (fill up Swirling Fog right after)
II. Moonlight Bomb
III. Smokes Blades

Avoid placing Shadow Cascade directly on your skill bar. Instead, equip unmodified Decoy and keep it as a panic button to Taunt enemies when needed. Shadow Cascade triggers automatically each time you use Shift, generating a significant number of Shadow Daggers stacks.

I. Shadow Elegance
II. Fight in the Shadows
III. Daggerflow
IV. Incapacitate

Last point goes into Dismantle to shred the armor of enemies even more.

The screenshot displays all allocated points. You can observe the precise order detailed below.

Swift Assassin 8x
Guile
Evasion 5x
Twin Blade
Agility 5x

We are level 20 now and choose Bladedancer as Mastery. We start now putting points into that passive tree.

Pursuit 5x
Once 8x
Cloak of Shadows 8x
Shroud of Dusk 4x
Blood Dance x5
Argent Veil
Shroud of Dusk x4
Asuvons Pact
Perfection
Confidence
Asuvons Pact x5
Perfection
Critical Eye
Exuberance
All in x5
Perfection x3
Confidence x4

The Bladedancer passive tree is done now. We are finishing up the rogue passive tree with the next 5 points into Dodge and Parry and 8 points into Steady Hand. This gives us Glacing Glow and a extra stack of dexterity, which makes the playstyle more forgivable.

Focus Fire x8
Assassin Quiver x2
Missile Mastery
Wound Maker x3
Prolonged Demise x8
*The screenshot shows 7 points in Prolonged Demise as I only hit level 99 now. Last point will go into here as well. DoT can hit hard in higher corruption

• Keep moving and utilize Shift whenever it’s available.
• Use Synchronized Strike against elite enemies and packs.
• Use Smoke Bomb especially in boss fights to boost your damage from Smoke Blades and gain haste to make it easier to dodge attacks.
• Keep in mind that you always have a panic button called Decoy. It buys you time to reposition yourself and gain health again.
• Shift if you are on low Mana and use Synchronized Strike when its full [in boss fights].
• Mapping becomes easy as Umbral Blases and Shadow Cascade proccs everytime you use Shift which kills everything behind you. Leveling is insane fast that way and literally flying through Monolith. Keep an eye on the items that are getting dropped. As they die behind you, you might miss the one or another when you just keep going.

My thumb of rules + goals for this build:
getting near these stats already shows where we want to go with this build. You dont need to check every box here!

Capping Resistances (around 75% is fine)
Capped Critical Strike Avoidance
60% Endurance
2000 – 2500 Health
30% – 40%+ Dodge Chance
1000+ Armor
50%+ Armor Shred Chance
130+ Flat Phys Damage
96%+ Physical Penetration with Shadow Daggers
120%+ Critical Strike Multiplier
50% – 65%+ Movement Speed (without any buffs) 45% already feels very good
30+% Increased Mana Regen
30+ Dexterity

Links:
My current gear doing 550 cor easily [www.lastepochtools.com]
Best in Slot Gear / what I am aiming for [www.lastepochtools.com]

Blessings:
Grand Echo of Solarum – Void Resistance – The Black Sun
Grand Survival of Might – Critical Strike Avoidance – Reign of Dragons
Grand Embers of Immortality – Endurance – Spirits of Fire
Grand Bulwark of the Tundra – increased Armor – The Age of Winter
Grand Bastion of Divinity – Lightning Resistance – Ending the Storm

Idols:
4x Stout Lagonian Idol with increased + Health
1x Large Shadow Idol with Increased Health + Increased Shred Armor Effect
2x Large Shadow Idol with Physical Penetration with Shadow Daggers + Increased Shred Armor Effect
1x Large Shadow Idol with Increased Health + Elemental Resistance