The Shadow-strike skill is a special class skill that Assassins get. The skill allows an assassin the ability to use special shadow-strike combat styles, which are available while stealthed.
A shadow-strike style is used in the first round of the fight and no other, but deals more damage than ordinary styles..
This skill can not be acquired through item bonuses as you can not learn combat styles like that.
You can buy shadow-strike styles from style trainers, use the Help > Manual > Realm Name pages to look up suitable trainers.
Skill Use
The Shadow-strike skill is used in combat, it functions similarly to other combat style skills.
You must be stealthed for Shadow-strike to work, if you are not stealthed no styles will show up.
Choosing the attack button will present a list of styles you can use, if this is currently the first round of the fight the list should contain shadow-strike styles amongst others.
Shadow-strike is not weapon dependant you can use it with any weapon equipped, however a shadow-strike style can only be used in the first round of a fight and not subsequent rounds.
Simply click on a shadow-strike style to use it in combat. The beauty of shadow-strike over other weapon styles is that the shadow-strike styles require less stamina and deal more damage, which makes them an excellent ability for assassins to use.
Style use formula
There are several formula which determine the styles you can use in combat.
To use a style you must have met the following rules:
If you do not meet all three of these then you can not use that style so it will not show up or be available in combat, but a lesser one may be.