This break stun with blind, stealth, slight stab and a blast finisher is still going to be meta. I only see it being replaceable by bandits defense (req. daredevil) if it wasn't traited.
BP has been (ab?)used countless times just to engage or proc instant backstabs, this makes it slightly more punishable to use it offensively. Similar was happening to Hide in Shadows.
The fact these skills push players into picking SA may as well not a problem at all. Like it was mentioned by Bazsi.2734, the problem is the trait line is still a rainbow of effects rather than focusing on defense at the price of any offensive bonuses.
I don't want those skills being untouched so that even if SA becomes replaceable, people still pick them in most builds overshadowing (pun unintended) other skills. Let it be tied to SA if people want to really go on the safer side. Instead make is defense focused and reassess other utlities or traitlines like Acrobatics to bring other builds with play styles that don't rely on overall long stealth durations on the course of a match.
Speaking of which, use this opportunity to give the same treatment to Earth Shield's damage and Elementalist utility options as well. And please keep the balance patches coming 🙂