Lumberjack Gathering Build

Overview

Weapon: Quarter Staff

Focus: Melee DPS

Mode: Gathering

Strengths

• Great Mobility
• Tanky

Weaknesses

• Easy to counter

This build is up to date for the November 6, 2024 Horizons Patch #1.

Overview

This build focuses on maximizing your survivability and running away from fights while gathering. The build relies on a a mix of high defenses in form of shields like the Sprint Shield and mobility provided by the Elder's Double Bladed Staff. You gain access to great mobility skills like Soaring Swipe, capable of moving you out of purge range in an instant and allow you to slip into stealth by using Invisibility Potion.

Equipment

Main Hand Weapon

Elder's Double Bladed Staff

Head

Elder's Lumberjack Cap

Cape

Elder's Undead Cape

Alternatives ⇅

Armor

Elder's Lumberjack Garb

Shoes

Elder's Lumberjack Workboots

Potion

Invisibility Potion

Food

Pork Pie

Keep in mind: Gear shown in this build is meant as a reference. Choosing the correct tier of gear is very tricky as there are many variables. Some of them being your budget, your spec and minimum Item Power requirements of your guild if used for ZvZ.

You should always check prices based on IP of the items. For example, a masterpiece quality 4.3 Elder's Cryptcandle could be cheaper while providing roughly the same IP as an 8.0.

Usage

Elder's Double Bladed Staff

Cartwheel — Use this to both do damage and reposition when you fight mobs but keep in mind that it will also push the mob away and interrupt any skill casting. When defending against players, getting attacked while you use this increases your defenses and movement speed for a short bit of time, helping a bit with getting away from gankers while also minimizing the damage you take.

Stun Run — This skill acts as a great way to increase your movement speed and you can use the skill to also stun the first enemy you attack after casting this skill. It helps when dealing with mobs but be careful when using this against players as it will put you into combat and stop you from zoning out if you are close to a gate.

Soaring Swipe — Use the skill to get away and out of Purge range if you get dismounted by a player, it remains one of the top mobility skills in the game but the damage isn't noticeable even when dealing with mobs.

Life Leech — The lifesteal is nice for when you are dealing with mobs, helping a bit with keeping your HP up as there aren't other good options.

Elder's Lumberjack Garb

Ambush — The use of Ambush offers you more versatility when dealing with gankers. Keep in mind that a circle appears when you use this skill and reaching the edge of the circle will turn you visible, that is where you want to use Invisibility Potion.

Meanwhile, Purging Shield isn't a bad choice but it isn't as versatile as Ambush. A skilled player can use Purging Shield to purge ganker's sprint but you should prioritize getting away before the whole ganking group shows up.

Lumberjack Skills — Just like the other passives on the Lumberjack Set, this increases your gathering yield, improving the amount of resources you gather and also increasing the gathering fame you get.

Elder's Lumberjack Cap

Block — Use this to bait enemies into wasting their cooldowns on you. Gankers will usually try to Purge and CC you first thing they do once you are dismounted. You can use this to block all damage and move away so you can have an easier time using Soaring Swipe.

Another good option is the Tree Trunks as an offensive option, knocking enemies away if they get hit by these.

Lumberjack Skills — This passive increases your gathering yield and its the only choice, keep in mind that it stacks up to 10 times so wait a bit after you equip it so you can make use of the full buff.

Elder's Lumberjack Workboots

Sprint Shield — This skill applies a high HP shield on you while forcing you to channel and move at hte same time. It performs very well and can negate a lot of damage solo gankers do. Keep in mind that you can still be purged though, so make sure to be out of Purge range before using this.

Lumberjack Skills — This is another passive increasing your gathering yield and there aren't any other options which makes it the only choice.

Elder's Undead Cape

Vanisher — This cape automatically activates and makes you invisible if you hit 15% HP. This invisibility lasts a few seconds and is usually enough to help you get away and have a second chance at surviving a gank.

You can also use a Elder's Fort Sterling Cape, especially if you are travelling as it will cleanse one CC from you even when you are mounted. Another option is the Elder's Lumberjack Backpack as it decreases the weight of lumber in your backpack. You should still use this backpack whenever you are gathering in royal zones as you don't have to worry about gankers.

Best Mounts for Gathering

Saddled Swamp Salamander

This is the top choice for gathering as the Salamander is relatively cheap while being a very difficult to catch mob. Couple its high HP with the fact that the Saddled Swamp Salamander maintains the same movement speed regardless if you get attacked, it is impossible to slow down unlike other mounts that lose gallop speed when attacked.

Journeyman's Transport Ox

This is the mount you want to use as a beginner when you are leveling your gathering skill in royal zones and non-pvp places. This will help you gather for a while without running out of weight, helping a lot as you won't have to go back to town to deposit. You can use a higher tier ox as well but a Journeyman's Transport Ox normally does the trick.

Swiftclaw

This mount doesn't have an extra weight which makes it easy for you to tell how much weight you have and know when you would be overweight if you get dismounted. It is also rather fast and cheap but is rather squishy.

Expert's Warhorse

Just like the Swiftclaw this mount doesn't add extra weight, helping you tell just how much you can carry before you grow overweight. However, this mount also has high HP and actually has its own armor, magical resistance and CC resistance values which helps a lot with its tankiness. It is often overlooked but it offers the same speed as a t5 horse with increased tankiness.

Rotations

Escape Combo ↴

• This rotation focuses on getting away from gankers safely while using your Sprint Shield to tank damage before escaping in stealth. Start with using Block to reposition once you are dismounted and possibly bait some enemy skills before using Soaring Swipe to get out of Purge range. Follow up with Cartwheel and Stun Run to move away and boost your move speed. Once decently away, and if expecting multiple other gankers, use Sprint Shield to tank the damage. Follow up with Invisibility Potion to move further away and possibly even change direction before using Ambush to wait for your mount cooldown. Make sure you don't walk out of the circle and mount back up once the cooldown is up.

Consumables

Invisibility Potion — This potion turns you invisible and is a great choice for getting away from enemies, especially if you use it with Vanisher or even Ambush.

Pork Pie — This is the only good choice for a gatherer as it increases your gathering yield which is perfect. Maximizing yield also increases the gathering fame you get from every tree you cut down.