October 2024

Booster Scrapper

This Celestial Booster Scrapper build is great offensive support made for open-world and is beginner friendly. The equipment above is designed to be played with the Exotic gear obtained by the Level 80 Boost, with some modifications to runes and sigils. To gear this build without the Level 80 Boost, use crafting or purchase items directly from the trading post. This build utilizes the elite specialization of scrapper. Specifically, this build will allow you to provide permanent and uptime while also having great utility through the use of gyros, a Hammer, and a Mortar Kit. Using makes this build very durable while also dealing sustained damage. This build sustains allies with , , , and . To generate , use blast and leap combo finisher skills over combo fields. In addition to providing to your allies, you also have one…

Booster Scourge

This Celestial Booster Scourge is a great beginner-friendly offensive setup made for open-world. The equipment above is designed to be played with the Exotic gear obtained by the Level 80 Boost, with some modifications to runes and sigils. To gear this build without the Level 80 Boost, use crafting or purchase items directly from the trading post. The Scourge’s unique mechanic involves . Up to three Shades may be used at a time. Sand Shades allow you to deal damage to your enemies while providing some support to allies. All Sand Shades also inherit the effect of Shade skills (F1-F5) , , , , . The Scourge uses life force to cast these skills. Maintaining life force is very important when playing Scourge: You gain life force by actively using , , , , and passively from . Additionally, life…

Booster Berserker

This Celestial Booster Berserker is a great beginner-friendly offensive setup made for open-world. The equipment above is designed to be played with the Exotic gear obtained by the Level 80 Boost, with some modifications to runes and sigils. To gear this build without the Level 80 Boost, use crafting or purchase items directly from the trading post. This build will allow you to provide permanent , , and to yourself and nearby allies. It also provides fast-paced gameplay via allowing you to swap between weapons very quickly. allows your Burst Skills to provide to yourself and nearby allies. provides and to yourself and nearby allies. provides you with a block, , and extends the duration of . The last utility skill you take is , this utility not only provides you with a , but it also extends the duration…

Hammer Catalyst

Hammer Catalyst is a high damage duelist; its DPS on top of boon support from allows it to be great even in larger fights where Elementalist typically suffers. Unlike typical Elementalist builds, hammer has a high focus on mitigating incoming damage rather than resustaining through it. Your best defensive skills are , , and . Upkeeping auras specifically and significantly boost your sustain in most matchups, and frequently comboing into them can even win certain duels by themselves. Hammer 3rd skill no matter the element is an orb giving you a bonus while dealing some damage and conditions around you. It is mandatory you keep them up as much as possible. When they’re about to run out you can cast for a decent burst of damage with good range. The more damage you mitigate and the less you have to…

Condition Quickness Berserker

Condition Quickness Berserker is a support DPS build that focuses on short bursts of and long-lasting , while providing permanent and . It also brings a good amount of Crowd Control (CC) to the squad. At full Adrenaline, enter and burn your foes with Longbow skills. Then swap to Sword/Sword to enhance your burst with long-duration bleeds and the trait . Use Rage utility skills off-cooldown to increase the duration of . Use and in Fire Fields (for example, from ) to create a on yourself. Then detonate it with any Berserker skill to activate for more . shares and in an area around you whenever you use a Burst skill. After the last step in the written Rotation, use your Weapon and Burst skills off-cooldown following the Skill Priority. Use Weapon Swap off-cooldown. Don’t delay your best skills: (,…

Power Quickness Herald

Power Quickness Herald is an offensive support build that provides a group with , , , , and . The wide range of essential boons provided makes this build excellent for filling gaps in groups. A simple rotation and excellent defensive abilities make Power Quickness Herald a good introductory choice for new players. This build also offers strong Crowd Control via and the option to provide by using instead of . While in , activate and to pulse . While in keep active for damage and . Herald applies via whenever you channel an ability that drains 6 or more energy per second (upkeep). Whenever your energy is being drained, you pulse around you. Power Quickness Herald provides many boons with  and can extend all boons on allies with . should be cast around halfway into so that it will be…

Tactics Warrior

Tactics warrior is a core duelist build similar to Bladesworn  that takes advantage of shouts and for self-sustain and survivability. Core warrior is not currently meta, but can hold many 1v1 matchups and be effective as a side-noder if played properly. This build is very simple to understand and execute, making it ideal for new players without access to expansions. Tactics Warrior does good damage by buffing itself with 25 might and unique modifiers like peak performance. Some of your hardest hitting abilities are your burst skills, and , and which can randomly hit up to 8k. You can cap yourself easily with and , make sure to do so for large crits on your burst skills. Your basic combos all revolve around or to hard cc a target and chain skills on them. Reference the basic  combo sections for…

Terrormancer

Core terrormancer is a tanky alternative to other dps necromancer builds. Terrormancer offers great team utility and damage along with an enormous 31k HP pool from and a second health bar from . is a special condition that makes opponents flee away from you, and this build is built around spamming it as much as possible. Terrormancer relies on chaining and combining it with to deal high damage while keeping opponents cc locked. Terrormancer also has high amounts of and and decent passive power damage. As a condition necromancer, one of your most powerful tools is access to boon corruption. and convert opponent’s boons into conditions and are powerful passive damage in teamfights. Save boon corrupts and strips to remove important boons like or . Your applies and , make sure to keep constant pressure on targets in teamfights. Try…

Sidenode Virtuoso

Virtuoso is a sidenoder heavily based on projectiles. As mesmer it has access to a potentially game-breaking elite: . 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 , which is your main way to build up blades. Blocking not only stocks up 3 blades but gives you via , which creates very interesting counterplays. Your main sources of damage are your Shatters (Bladesongs) and , 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 Scepter, you should spam , if you won’t proc the block effect of it, remember to use the 2nd part of the…

Healbreaker

Healbreaker is a variation of support warrior that combines instantcast healing from with the utility of the Spellbreaker profession. Healbreaker is overshadowed by Support Chrono and Support Guardian in the current meta, but it provides unique advantages and buffs that can make it situationally useful. Your main source of healing comes from , which is an instant heal on each shout use. Healbreaker has access to four shouts – , , and are all instant cast, while has a cast time. Staff gives you access to great healing and cleanse: , , , and all grant healing and boons to allies. In teamfights, you can engage with and , reset it with , and again while spamming your shouts for extra heals. Most of your value is going to come from using shouts for their AOE support to keep your team…

Condition Specter

Condition Specter is a powerful DPS build that offers high survivability and solid damage from mid-range via large amounts of and . Specter can provide a lot of barrier and Crowd Control (CC) without sacrificing anything from its base kit. Deal damage to enemies with skills in . Use on Scepter/Dagger as much as possible to deplete initiative and apply more conditions. Fill with Auto-attack chains. Use and off-cooldown as long as there are allies nearby to scale your damage. When you are ready to , make sure your initiative is as low as possible. Swap weapons, , and regularly to proc and . Use to gain more Shadow Force while on Scepter/Dagger. If possible, place on any boss during the beginning of an encounter, so you can get two uses in your opener. The amount of time spent inside…

Curses Harbinger

Curses Harbinger is a powerful teamfight build centered around boon corruption and massive conditions damage and coverage. Harbinger fills a damage role in a team and pairs well with a support guard or tempest as it can be vulnerable to getting focused. The majority of your damage comes from and your auto attack   in Harbinger shroud. Always make sure you are auto attacking in shroud to get maximum value from your quickness uptime and the damage output. Having high can improve your skills. will cost you 5 blight for 5 and extra damage. Same for but for a cost of 10 . is a press to win button, it gives you every boon of the game and applies every condi to each enemy you hit. You want to, hit your enemy with it for really high damage and condition…

Condition Specter

Condition Specter is a safe roaming build that has the luxury of also being able to duel a lot of classes, so you could call it a very mobile sidenoder. Specter is slow and less stealthy compared to other thief variants. will help you move from fight to fight, but it won’t help if you try to go for a decap. Most of your mobility comes from wells and , which is also your only stunbreak, therefore try to use it with care. This build is really straightforward when it comes to dealing damage. Most of it comes from and . -> is your hardest-hitting ability. It has high base power damage and really good condition application, you want to spam it to get the most damage done possible. also brings good pressure, applying and giving you boons, so you…

Support Tempest

Tempests can provide good support with good condition removal, passive healing, and solid burst healing. It also brings some unique utility via auras that buff allies, both defensively and offensively. For the Arcane variant, check the alternatives at the bottom. This build allows you to be the main source of healing and cleansing in your party by transmuting auras and using shouts, it has strong passive and burst healing from multiple sources, for example , , , as well as from granting allies auras via and finally granted by the trait . Additional cleanse is provided by using weapon skills, transmuting auras via , and using shouts. This build has huge trait synergy with auras. Applying an aura to an ally will heal them through , and grant them and via . The aura transmute mechanic means your weapon skills have a…

Power Willbender

Power Willbender is a roamer that excels at skirmishing, outnumbering, sticking to and bursting targets given its high mobility and damage and has excellent tools to stay alive. Our main role is to generate as many kills as possible in teamfights and outnumbers. With willbender our virtues are now all movement skills, making us very mobile. Use your virtues procs and high damage to run down enemies that cannot afford to trade blows with you. Use to evade attacks. Use right next to a moment you’re going to unleash a burst like into . Use inside the hitbox of an enemy to deal extra damage. Use multi hit skills like , or and symbols to proc and as often as possible. Try to maintain to keep up your high critical chance from Try to avoid using before you’ve used and…

Longbow Untamed

Untamed is a bruiser-style build that takes advantage of ranged damage combined with a melee oneshot and good area pressure. Untamed excels in ranked games due to its versatility and flexibility as a profession. An important note about Untamed: It’s is one of the two classes in the game that has an F6 and F7. Binding these to something that you can easily reach so you won’t have to skill-click in a fight. Untamed is Arenanet’s attempt to take the AI component out of Ranger builds by giving you manual control over all of your pet’s actions. This is great if you’re familiar with Ranger since your pet won’t try to cast random auto attacks when you need a CC, but it also means Untamed can’t get carried by random pet abilities. It is extremely important to know how each…

Mercy Deadeye

Power Deadeye is a strong roamer that takes advantage of and to lock down and eliminate targets quickly. Deadeye benefits from the baked in mobility of any thief spec, however is is vulnerable to focus and gets countered by projectile block from builds like Tempest or Catalyst. As a roamer, Deadeye focuses on moving around the map and quickly getting kills. In order to do this, you need to lock down and eliminate your target as quickly as possible. Deadeye relies on a mechanic called malice to do damage. Whenever you mark a target, hitting them with an ability will generate stacks of malice. At maximum malice, your stolen skills will give you and will do 75% more damage. Try to build malice as quickly as possible after marking a target for maximum effect. You can get a random stolen…

Heal Firebrand

Firebrands play a vital role, they serve as the backbone of the squad, bolstering allies to keep them healthy via sources of damage mitigation, stun breaks, boons and healing. The most fundamental boon you will be providing is . The build excels as a boon support with both defensive and offensive capabilities, it has good healing output, great burst cleansing, stun breaks for allies and a substantial number of boons. The Guardian’s Virtues are transformed into Tomes. When activated, the Tome replaces your weapon abilities with potent offensive or defensive skills. Not every skill within each book is worth using due to page costs, so knowing each tome skill is critical in managing pages and being effective. is your offensive Tome. As a support Firebrand, this tome is primarily used for the pull from however you may wish to skip…

Power Alacrity Mechanist

Power Alacrity Mechanist is a versatile build, providing permanent and 25 stacks of when paired with any Quickness Build. This build can choose from several different weapon variants (see top of page) – Sword and Pistol provides consistent melee damage along with a small amount of CC. is purely generated by your Mech. This means that you have to make sure that your Mech is always at least within 600 range of your party and at least within 360 range when you use . While this will happen naturally in most encounters you should still keep an eye on your Mech’s position, especially on bosses with very large hitboxes. generated by your Mech attacking enemies thanks to and . This sounds more complicated than it actually is – all you need to do is press and off cooldown while doing…

Condition Alacrity Renegade

Condition Alacrity Renegade is a long-standing popular build that can provide permanent to the party while also having high condi DPS and good crowd control abilities. The build is also capable of providing some to the party for a slight damage loss by utilizing and the blast finishers from on top of the fire field from . The build also has access to important utility skills such as for some group heals and for boon removal. You will provide through combined with . Upkeeping is as easy as pressing off-cooldown. The rotation is based on granting you 25 extra Energy when you swap stances. Always try to utilize this effect to maintain the overall rotation. More than other builds, Condi Alacrity Renegade benefits from Concentration infusions as it will make maintaining permanent considerably easier. Consider using them if you are…