Ask a Thief Thread.

How does SB out damage DS, per hit, at level 8?
4 * 40% = 160% at level one, already 30% more than DS. If Defence is to blame, wouldn't there be a cut off for a value of D and the mob's wDef?

Looking over skill tables, I've layed out my SP plan for 2nd job:
+1 Steal (wanna play with it)
+7 Mastery (Numbers I crunched says 30% mastery is when LUK is just a big of factor as STR and DEX for min damage. Being Dexless atm, seems like a decent spot to stop and start SB)
+30 Savage Blow
+6 Booster (Maybe move this into the middle of SB...? What's a good cutoff? 21?)
+12 Mastery
+20 Haste

That should last until level 55.

Could I get some second opinions on my skill build? Might tweek it after reading through some guides, and depending on how effective new kMS Steal is.

My build was 19 mastery, 6 booster, 30 SB, then haste. I didn't cruch the numbers, but at level 38 a stable, faster DS seemed like a better choice than 25 SB.

Comparing your build to mine at level 40 using a fast(4) dagger for DPM:

Mine: (.6*.9+1)/2*2*1.3*100*100%= 20020% dmg/min

Yours.3*.9+1/2*6*.73*71*100%= 19747.23% dmg/min

For training, until you can 1 hit with SB and not with DS, DS is a better option.

Personally, I would get a higher level of mastery before SB. But that's just my opinion.