Side Chrono

February 2023

Side chrono is currently one of the simpliest and yet most powerful duelist. Using high boon uptime and conditions to slowly but surely kill your opponent. It excels against power builds but really struggles into conditions.

Build Fundamentals

This build relies on a very slow playstyle, rotating defensives. As a chronomancer most of your defensive also have an offensive effect. Most of your cooldowns must be used as often as possible but in the right way!

• On staff you will want to auto attack as much as possible and keep clones up to autoattack with you to pressure your opponent. Make sure to try to keep some distance as doing so, you do not want to directly trade damage with melee classes. Use Chaos Storm inside ofContinuum Shift to gain extra Phase Retreat. Try to be in melee range forPhase Retreat as it will Blinded close targets.
• On scepter/shield range isn’t as important. You heavily rely on Illusionary Counter for damage. Make sure you always block an ability with it. Illusionary Counter can be spammed off cooldown but make sure to block something with it as it will give you access to another cast of it.Only use Illusionary Counter after hitting Illusionary Counter.
• Shatters and wells are a very important part of this build. They both give you access to Alacrity. One charge ofSplit Second should always be on cooldown. Split Second can also be spammed, be aware it also gives you a lot of Might due to Rune of the Aristocracy so you want to deal as much damage as possible after it.

Crowd Control

• Chronomancer has access to both minor daze to interrupt and long cc abilities to burst. Time Sink, Chaos Storm and Method of Madness are a part of the first category. You can use them as often as you want to interrupt an enemy or cover an ability. Tides of Time is a long cc you can use on your own as it provides you with Might and Alacrity. Gravity Well is your longest cc, make sure to use it to fully finish a kill or when an ally comes to outnumber the enemy with you so you can quickly secure a kill.

Sustain

• Every well heals you at the end of it so make sure to always be in it when it ends. Use Well of Eternity early as most of its healing comes when it ends. It is also your only cleanse.
• Like every mesmer you have access to Distortion as somewhat of a panic button. If outnumbered you can cast clones before using Distortion to give it longer duration.