The Assassin class in Blade & Soul NEO is a highly technical, stealth-based character designed for players who prefer speed, mobility, and surprise tactics. While the Assassin’s core identity as a stealthy, deadly damage dealer remains the same, Blade & Soul NEO introduces significant changes to the class, adding new mechanics and strategies. This guide will break down the essential skills, stealth mechanics, combat strategies,BnS Classic Divine Gems  and PvP tips to help you get the most out of your Assassin in both PvE (Player versus Environment) and PvP (Player versus Player) encounters.

Base Skills and Core Mechanics

Understanding the fundamental abilities of the Assassin is crucial for both new and returning players. The Assassin’s skills revolve around high mobility, evasive maneuvers, crowd control (CC), and poison-based damage. Below is a breakdown of key base skills that form the foundation of the class.

Mobility and Defensive Skills

Q (I-Frame & Teleport Behind Target): This skill allows the Assassin to avoid attacks and reposition behind enemies. It grants an invincibility frame (I-frame), making it useful for evading powerful enemy abilities while staying close to your target.

E (Dash Forward I-Frame): A quick forward dash with a temporary invincibility frame, allowing you to close the gap between you and your target or reposition quickly. Ideal for dodging and getting in range for a follow-up attack.

SS (Quick Step Backward I-Frame): A retreat skill that grants another I-frame, perfect for escaping an attack or creating space between you and your opponent.

Tab (Position Swap / Stealth Entry): This skill swaps positions with your target and can be upgraded to activate stealth, allowing you to disappear from your opponent’s view, setting up powerful ambushes.

F (Dragon Pulse Ride Activation): A special interaction with the Dragon Pulse travel system in Blade & Soul NEO, enabling quick movement across the map.

Stealth Mechanics & Stealth Entry Skills

Stealth is the hallmark of the Assassin class. It allows you to control the flow of combat by appearing when least expected and delivering devastating strikes.

Hook Kick: A crucial skill that enables the Assassin to enter stealth. When upgraded, it allows you to stay hidden and reposition with ease.

Shadow Kick: The reverse of Hook Kick, it takes the Assassin out of stealth. Timing is essential here, as leaving stealth too early can reduce the effectiveness of your surprise attacks.

Decoy (Counter Mechanic): A special counter used against yellow attacks (boss attacks). When executed correctly, Decoy moves the Assassin behind the target and activates stealth, setting up a devastating follow-up attack.

1 (Stealth Approach): A ranged approach skill that grants six seconds of stealth and is essential for staying hidden while closing in on your enemy. Upgrading this skill reduces the cooldown, allowing for more frequent stealth opportunities.

Crowd Control (CC) & Combo Skills

Crowd control is a key feature in the Assassin’s arsenal, allowing you to lock down opponents and control the battlefield.

Close Shave (Petrify): A petrification skill used on stunned opponents. When executed, it applies 1.6 seconds of untappable CC, locking enemies in place and setting them up for follow-up attacks.

Aerial Skills (Airborne Control): These are used when a target is stunned or dazed. By combining the Tab → LMB → Aerial Extend combo, you can extend your aerial attacks and maintain constant pressure on your enemies.

Bolt Strike (2-second stun & Gap Closer): A powerful gap-closing skill that teleports the Assassin behind the enemy and stuns them, creating an opening for additional attacks.

Z (Knockdown / Ice Mine Option): A knockdown skill that can be upgraded to freeze enemies in place, providing you with additional control over your target.

4 (Poison Breath / 2-second stun): A dual-purpose skill that can be used to maintain poison stacks while also applying a stun to keep enemies incapacitated.

V (Lotus of Escape): A secondary CC escape, similar to Tab, that allows the Assassin to disengage and re-enter stealth.

Poison Stacking & Damage Skills

Poison is central to the Assassin’s damage output, and managing poison stacks efficiently is key to maximizing DPS.

Poison Breath (4-key skill): This is one of the main skills used to apply poison stacks. It’s an essential part of the Assassin’s rotation for maintaining poison damage over time.

Time Bomb (2-key skill, upgraded): A utility skill that applies poison stacks and helps maintain your poison uptime. It also serves as a source of burst damage.

Shuriken (Ranged DPS skill): When upgraded, each hit from the Shuriken applies a poison stack, contributing to the overall damage output and poison buildup.

Lotus Fury (PvE Stacking Mechanic): Every hit with this skill applies an additional poison stack, allowing you to ramp up your damage and poison effects quickly in PvE scenarios.

Shadow Slash (Knockdown/DPS hybrid skill): This skill functions as both a knockdown and a damage skill, offering burst damage and CC for tactical control.

Escape & Utility Skills

The Assassin’s mobility and ability to escape sticky situations are vital for survival and outplaying enemies.

Tab Escape (CC Escape): This skill allows the Assassin to break free from crowd control (CC) effects, providing both a defensive and offensive option. It has a 36-second cooldown, making it a useful but limited resource.

Shuriken Escape: This skill can be used when the Assassin is knocked down. However, it’s crucial to time it correctly, as being hit within the first second will knock the Assassin down again.

Shadow Slip (Movement Mechanic): Activated after Backstab or CC Escape, this skill provides additional mobility and helps you reposition quickly.

Phantom Pierce (Resist-based Skill): Used following a successful counter, this skill helps the Assassin resist incoming damage and continue attacking with reduced disruption.

Lightning Stride (Movement + Shock Infliction Option): A repositioning skill that inflicts shock damage, ideal for disorienting enemies and repositioning yourself during combat.

Guard Break (2-second stun against blocking enemies): This skill is particularly useful in PvP against opponents who rely on blocks for defense. It stuns them, allowing for follow-up attacks.

Assassin Gameplay & Strategy

Stealth Rotation & Poison Stacking

Maintaining stealth and applying poison stacks are the two primary focuses of the Assassin’s combat strategy. Here’s a suggested gameplay rotation for optimizing damage and stealth uptime:

Initiate Combat: Start by using 1 (Stealth Approach) from 4-16 meters to enter stealth.

Maintain Poison Stacks: Use Time Bomb (2-key), Poison Breath (4-key), and Shuriken (X-key) to stack poison on your target while dealing damage.

Cycle Stealth Skills: Re-enter stealth with Hook Kick, Decoy, and Shadow Slip as soon as they’re off cooldown.

Aerial Control: Use Tab → LMB → Aerial Extend to maintain pressure and extend aerial damage, followed by Knockdown Combo to keep your target disabled.

Use Lotus Fury for PvE: Stack poison with every attack to ramp up damage.

Escape & Reposition: Use Tab Escape, V Escape, and Shadow Slip to stay mobile and avoid dangerous situations.

PvP Strategy

In PvP, the Assassin excels at controlling the flow of the fight and avoiding enemy damage. Here are key PvP tactics to help you dominate:

Control the Fight with Stuns: Use Close Shave, Bolt Strike, and Highwire to stun and immobilize your opponents, preventing them from retaliating.

Stay Unpredictable: Constantly mix up your movement and evasive skills (Q/E/SS) to make yourself harder to hit.

Bait CC Attempts: Use Decoy and Tab Escape to bait out enemy CC abilities before countering with your own.

Guard Break Timing: Time your Guard Break skill perfectly to catch blocking enemies off guard and stun them for follow-up damage.

Skill Books & Recommended Build

To enhance your Assassin’s power, prioritize the following skill books:

Stealth Approach (1-key) – Essential for early stealth rotations.

Poison Breath (4-key) – Key for applying poison stacks.

Decoy Counter – Green-level for countering yellow boss attacks.

Lotus Fury (V-key) – A must-have for PvE poison stacking.

Time Bomb (2-key) – Crucial for maintaining poison uptime.

Bolt Strike (Gap Closer) – A gap-closing ability to reach your enemies quickly.

Conclusion

Mastering the Assassin class in Blade & Soul NEO requires a balance of patience, strategy, and precision. With high mobility, deadly stealth mechanics, and a focus on poison stacking, the Assassin is a force to be reckoned with in both PvE and PvP content. By understanding the class's core skills and strategies, you can maximize your effectiveness and become a dominant presence in the world of Blade & Soul NEO.

With practice and the right build, you'll find yourself mastering the art of stealth, poison, and quick strikes to overwhelm your enemies. Whether you're a seasoned Assassin player or a newcomer, this guide will serve as a solid foundation for your journey in Blade & Soul NEO.