skip to content
All builds Elementalist icon Elementalist Engineer icon Engineer Guardian icon Guardian Mesmer icon Mesmer Necromancer icon Necromancer Ranger icon Ranger Revenant icon Revenant Thief icon Thief Warrior icon Warrior

Sidenode Virtuoso
February 2023

PvP
Sidenoder

PvP Amulet & Rune

PvP amulet icon
Sinister Amulet
PvP rune icon
Rune of the Dolyak

Weapons & Sigils

Staff icon Sigil of Confusion icon Sigil of Energy icon
StaffSigil of Confusion Sigil of Energy
Scepter icon Sigil of Misery icon
ScepterSigil of Misery
Torch icon Sigil of Energy icon
TorchSigil of Energy

Utility Skills

copied

Rotation

Virtuoso is a sidenoder heavily based on projectiles. It is an excellent matchup into condition-based builds and offers good utility and damage in team fights. As mesmer it has access to a potentially game-breaking elite: Signet of Humility.

Build Fundamentals

Virtuoso doesn’t have clones, instead, it stores up to 5 blades. Every core Mesmer skill that would usually give you a clone now gives you a blade, you also have access to Psychic Riposte, which is your main way to build up blades.

Blocking not only stocks up 3 blades but gives you Quickness via Duelist's Reversal, which creates very interesting counterplays.

Your main sources of damage are your Shatters (Bladesongs) Bladesong Sorrow and Bladesong Harmony, which you’ll want to use with a high amount of Blades to deal as much damage as possible.

When you can’t use Bladesongs, cycle through your weapon skills.

On Staff make sure to use Phase Retreat inside of Chaos Storm to get Chaos Aura, and whenever you can, use Chaos Armor in melee to get its full value.

On Scepter, you should spam Illusionary Counter, if you won’t proc the block effect of it, remember to use the 2nd part of the skill for Blinded and additional Blade. Confusing Images is a very good damage skill but it makes you very exposed, don’t be scared to cancel it for a block or an evade.

Sustain

Virtuoso survivability is based on blocks, a lot of them. Every Bladesong gives you Aegis. You want to use Bladeturn Requiem every time you’re about to get pressured, its cooldown is quite low so you can afford to spam it. Note that you don’t need more than 1 Blade to get full defensive value from it, using Bladeturn Requiem with extra Blades will only increase the duration of the spinning blades, which don’t hit very hard.

On top of their effects and damage, all your Bladesongs will also heal and cleanse you because of Restorative Illusions, which paired with their cumulative low cooldown, create sort of “defense through offense” gameplay.

Signet of Midnight is your get-out-of-jail card, you should be able to escape any sort of pressure after using it, avoid using it if not absolutely necessary. Another great defensive tool is Blade Renewal, which should be used for the distortion it gives you as stocking Blades on this build is very easy with blocks and clones.

 

PvP Amulet & Rune

PvP amulet icon
Berserker Amulet
PvP rune icon
Rune of Infiltration

Weapons & Sigils

Scepter icon Sigil of Cleansing icon
ScepterSigil of Cleansing
Pistol icon Sigil of Energy icon
PistolSigil of Energy
Sword icon Sigil of Cleansing icon
SwordSigil of Cleansing
Sword icon Sigil of Energy icon
SwordSigil of Energy

Utility Skills

copied

Rotation

  1. Phantasmal Duelist
  2. Magic Bullet delay it a bit in case opponent is Dodgeing
  3. Bladesong Harmony
  4. Confusing Images
  5. Weapon Swap
  6. Phantasmal Swordsman
  7. Bladesong Harmony if you blocked or dodged

Virtuoso is a sidenoder heavily based on projectiles. It is an excellent matchup into condition-based builds and offers good utility and damage in team fights. As mesmer it has access to a potentially game-breaking elite: Signet of Humility.

Build Fundamentals

Virtuoso doesn’t have clones, instead, it stores up to 5 blades. Every core Mesmer skill that would usually give you a clone now gives you a blade, you also have access to Psychic Riposte, which is your main way to build up blades.

Blocking not only stock up 3 blades but gives you Quickness via Duelist's Reversal, which creates very interesting counterplays.

Your main sources of damage are your Shatters (Bladesongs) Bladesong Sorrow and Bladesong Harmony, which you’ll want to use with a high amount of Blades to deal as much damage as possible.

When you can’t use Bladesongs, cycle through your weapon skills. Your biggest damage abilities after Bladesongs will be your blocks and evade skills: Illusionary Riposte,Illusionary Counter, and Blurred Frenzy.
Remember to use the 2nd part if the block won’t proc.

On Swords set, it might be tempting to use Phantasmal Swordsman only in melee range because of the initial sword strike and Might, but using it in range will still spawn the Phantasm and give you Quickness.

Illusionary Leap can hit pretty hard but it’s very unreliable so it is better to keep it for mobility most of the time.

Sustain

Virtuoso survivability is based on blocks, a lot of them. Every Bladesong gives you Aegis. You want to use Bladeturn Requiem every time you’re about to get pressured, its cooldown is quite low so you can afford to spam it. Note that you don’t need more than 1 Blade to get full defensive value from it, using Bladeturn Requiem with extra Blades will only increase the duration of the spinning blades, which don’t hit very hard.

On top of their effects and damage, all your Bladesongs will also heal and cleanse you because of Restorative Illusions, which paired with their cumulative low cooldown, create sort of “defense through offense” gameplay.

Signet of Midnight is your get-out-of-jail card, you should be able to escape any sort of pressure after using it, avoid using it if not absolutely necessary. Another great defensive tool is Blade Renewal, which should be used for the distortion it gives you as stocking Blades on this build is very easy with blocks and clones.

 

Latest video

Latest Hardstuck video

Streams

We use cookies to provide necessary website functionality, improve your experience and analyze our traffic. By using our website, you agree to our Privacy Policy and our cookies usage.
Got it!