A Mosaic Assassin Build Guide for Diablo 2 Resurrected - Martial Art & Mosaic

Jul-26-2024

 

Welcome to our Mosaic Assassin build guide, this build focuses on utilizing the power of Martial Arts skills, specifically the charge-up skills and finishing moves, to deal massive damage.

 

The key item for this build is the Mosaic rune word, which significantly enhances the effectiveness of Martial Arts skills. Follow this guide, you will clear enemies quickly in the endgame.

 

 

Key Rune Word: Mosaic (Mal + Gul + Amn)

+ 2 to Martial Arts Skills

 

20% Increased Attack Speed

 

200 - 250 Enhanced Damage

 

20% Bonus to Attack Rating

 

3-14 Cold Damage

 

Prevent Monster Heal

 

Mosaic enhances Martial Arts skills by providing additional elemental damage and increasing the effectiveness of charge-up skills. Compare to other claw runeword, Mosaic offers minimal utility or damage at face value. However, the main selling point of Mosaic is its unique effect, where you have a 50% chance not to consume any of your built-up charges when using your finishing moves.

 

Core Skills

1. Tiger Strike: This skill can be a requisite, but you’d better to max out this skill to maximize your physical damage output.

 

2. Phoenix Strike: This is your primary charge-up skill for the Mosaic Assassin, and it also is a  versatile charge-up skill that deals elemental damage. Max this skill to provide a mix of fire, lightning, and cold damage.

 

3. Dragon Talon: For this build, you are going to use Dragon Talon to utilize all of the charges you have built up. This skill will be a finishing move that kicks enemies with great speed and power. Max this skill to increase the number of kicks and overall damage.

 

4. Shadow Master: It is recommended that you put one point on this skill to boost active skills. However, if you prioritize physical damage, consider adding another point since it boosts damage, attack rating, and critical strike probability.

 

5. Cobra Strike: Cobra Strike is useful for enhancing Dragon Talon with life and mana leech, but be sure to lower the level of Fists of Fire to avoid converting all your physical damage to fire.

 

6. Burst of Speed: Invest five points in Burst of Speed to boost attack speed and build charges quickly, especially if you're not using Enigma for additional movement speed.

 

Gear Recommendations

1. Weapons: For weapons, use Mosaic Claw in the primary hand and either another Mosaic Claw or Bartuc's Cut-Throat in the off-hand. In addition, we highly recommend that you use a pair of three-socketed Runic Talons, because these weapons have the fastest attack speed and put the  Mosaic runeword will unleash its maximum damage.

 

 

2. Helm: Griffon's Eye is an excellent helmet for this build, reducing enemy lightning resistance by up to 20%. This Helm boosts your lightning damage, and providing 25% Faster Cast Rate to help achieve the 65% FCR breakpoint for smoother teleports with Enigma.

 

Flickering Flame is other a valuable new runeword helmet that reduces enemy fire resistance by up to 15%, boosts defense against ranged attacks, and shortens poison status effects, making it a solid defensive choice despite other helmets offering more overall benefits.

 

Crown of Ages is another powerful defensive helmet with enhanced defense, physical damage reduction, and resistances, though its high strength requirement can be offset by Enigma and rare jewelry, and socketing Ber runes further boosts its damage reduction.

 

3. Armor: Though expensive to create, Chains of Honor is invaluable for a Mosaic Assassin, providing 8% life leech, significant resistance boosts, +2 to all skills, 8% damage reduction, and 25% Magic Find. In the meanwhile, Fortitude provides for increased damage and resistances.

 

4. Gloves: Trang-Oul's Claws are affordable gloves providing 20% Faster Cast Rate and 30% cold resistance, making them useful for their modifiers despite being part of a Necromancer set. Or crafted gloves with +Martial Arts skills and Crushing Blow.

 

5. Belt: The String of Ears belt offers a great alternative with up to 15% physical damage reduction and magic damage reduction. Moreover, it enables you to leech up to 8% life from foes per hit, benefiting your fast attack speed and eliminating the necessity for Cobra Strike.

 

Verdungo's Hearty Cord is a stellar choice for the Mosaic Martial Arts Assassin if you prioritize survivability over Faster Cast Rate (FCR). Renowned for its 15% physical damage reduction, this belt also offers up to 40 Vitality points, significantly boosting your tankiness.

 

6. Boots: The Gore Rider boots are a top choice for maximizing damage output in Diablo II: Resurrected. They allow you to trigger Crushing Blow, dealing significant damage based on the enemy's health, making it easier to defeat tough foes. Additionally, these boots can inflict Open Wounds, causing damage over time. While they enable Deadly Strikes, this doesn't apply to Dragon Talon. Alongside these effects, Gore Rider provides 200% Enhanced Defense, +20 to maximum stamina, and a 30% boost to Faster Run/Walk speed, enhancing your overall combat capabilities.

 

7. Rings: Bul-Kathos' Wedding Band is a great ring choice offering life leech, skills, and life.

 

The Raven Frost ring is a crucial asset for protection against freeze and Decrepify effects in higher difficulty levels. Featuring the coveted "Cannot Be Frozen" attribute, it also boosts your attack rating by +250, provides +45 cold damage, and grants +20 Dexterity. The cold absorption feature enhances defense against cold damage, particularly beneficial when utilizing the Cold Rupture Sunder Charm.

 

8. Amulet: Highlord's Wrath offers a 20% attack speed increase just by equipping the amulet. While Dragon Talon doesn't benefit from Deadly Strike, your charge-up skills do, enabling you to trigger Deadly Strike by using Phoenix Strike for doubled damage output. This amulet also provides bonuses like +1 to all skills, 35% lightning resistance, and 1-30 added lightning damage, enhancing your offensive and defensive capabilities significantly.

 

Stat Allocation

Strength: Enough to wear gear.

Dexterity: Enough for max block (if using a shield) or to meet weapon requirements.

Vitality: All remaining points for increased life.

Energy: None, rely on mana leech and gear for mana.

 

Playstyle Tips

It's vital to manage your charge-up skills efficiently.

Keep a close eye on your charges and unleash the appropriate finishing move to maximize their impact. 

Leverage the Assassin's inherent speed and mobility to evade enemy attacks and strategically position yourself in combat.

Employ your Shadow Master tactically to draw enemy attention and provide a buffer while you build up charges for devastating blows.

Prioritize capping your resistances, especially in Hell difficulty, to withstand elemental assaults effectively.

By incorporating these strategies into your gameplay, you can enhance your Assassin's effectiveness and survivability in challenging encounters.

 

This build focuses on the synergy between the charge-up and finishing moves of the Martial Arts tree, leveraging the power of the Mosaic rune word to amplify your damage output. With proper gear and skill allocation, the Mosaic Martial Arts Assassin can be a versatile and powerful character in Diablo 2 Resurrected.