Primal Staff Support Group PvP Build

Overview

Weapon: Shapeshifter Staff

Focus: Support

Mode: Open World, Hellgate (5v5) and Crystal Arena

Strengths

• Great Support
• Versatile
• Tanky

Weaknesses

• Low Damage
• High Skill Ceiling

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

Overview

This Elder's Primal Staff PvP build offers incredible utility to all group sizes but performs best in small scale PvP. It offers important constant CC that is very oppressive to all enemies, capable of acting as a secondary or even primary tank. The build isn't difficult to play and many new players can do well when using this weapon but it definitely has a high skill ceiling and experienced players can excel when running this build.

Equipment

Main Hand Weapon

Elder's Primal Staff

Head

Elder's Helmet of Valor

Cape

Elder's Lymhurst Cape

Armor

Elder's Judicator Armor

Shoes

Elder's Graveguard Boots

Alternatives ⇅

Potion

Major Resistance Potion

Alternatives ⇅

Food

Pork Omelette

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 Primal Staff

Pulse Shock — Use this to gain Shift Charges. While it does great damage, you shouldn't rely on this skill for that but you should definitely use this as often as possible.

Feral Bash - Use this skill to on groups of enemies that are stacked together if possible and make sure to use this skill when you have at least 1 Shift Charge in order to also stun whenever you hit someone with it. As this is your main damaging skill on a relatively low cooldown, try to use it as often as possible and remain in melee range during fights so you can make great use of this.

Distortion — Use this skill as an Area Denial ability as you get a Shift Charge every time enemies get hit by this. Try to put it roughly in the middle of an area where the fight is happening so enemies walk in and out of it, granting you charges.

Wild Onslaught — This bear skill is perfect for interrupting and applying pressure and piercing enemy defenses. You want to use the dash to lower enemy defenses and follow up with the roar in order to CC them and setup the perfect opportunity for your team to deal damage on the CC'd players.

Spirit Bear Transformation - You should use this to transform into your bear form and use your other abilities only after you already have a few spirit charges as your skills have different effects whenever you use these charges but you should revert back to your human form whenever you run out of shift charges so you can keep accumulating these charges.

Innate Power — This passive will regularly apply Shift Charges on you so it makes it easier to gain the few charges you need for your combos.

Elder's Judicator Armor

Force Shield — This ability creates a bubble that increases the healing received by any allies and also offers damage resistance while the friendly players remain within the bubble. It helps a great deal with resetting your group's HPs. Use this during the fight and try to place it roughly in the center of the fight where your team is fighting, always call it whenever you are about to use it so people can look for it and get inside.

Toughness — A good increase to your defense which is good to have.

Spirit Crush — This is irrelevant for PvP but it lowers max HP on mobs in PVE when you auto-attack them.

Elder's Helmet of Valor

Purifying Smoke — This is your main utility skill that can purge buffs off enemies or purge CCs from your team. And so, it can be used for both offensive and defensive plays. The AOE is quite large and you should usually look to use this defensively, helping your team if they are being combo'd. However, try to keep an eye out on the enemy team and purge important abilities if you have the chance to do so early.

Toughness — This passive makes you more tanky which is perfect as your role remains to be a mix of support and bruiser.

Elder's Graveguard Boots

Battle Frenzy — This is a great, relatively cheap choice as it offers your CC immunity and allows you to move deep into the enemy backline or escape without being locked down by CCs. An alternative is the more expensive Elder's Boots of Valor!

Toughness — Another passive giving you extra survivability.

Elder's Lymhurst Cape

Energy Reserve — As the fights can last a long time, this passively regenerates your mana allowing you to stay in long fights without being entirely disabled by mana issues. You can keep track of this passive at the top left of your screen under your character's HP. A cape effect will appear if the skill was triggered.

Rotations

General Rotation ↴

• This rotation focuses on maxing out your Shift Charges before moving into bear form to deal damage and CC opponents. There isn't any rotation in particular you should follow though, instead, you should adapt to how the fight is going but this should offer you a good idea on how to move.

Start off by building charges with a combination of Distortion and Pulse Shock. You should get 4 charges before swapping into your bear form. Once you've acquired the charges, you can look to engage on enemies with the dash part of Wild Onslaught, piercing enemy defenses before following up with Feral Bash and roar part of Wild Onslaught. Once you've done your combo, revert back to your human form and build charges again. If you initially built up 5 charges, you can wait for the Feral Bash cooldown and do it again with your last charge for another stun.

Consumables

Major Resistance Potion — Use this potion as a general damage reduction cooldown if you anticipate taking damage or if you are caught out of position. You can also use the alternative Major Gigantify Potion but it will make it more difficult for your healer to heal you while under that effect.

Pork Omelette — This is the best food you should use as it decreases your cooldowns and allows you to use skills much more often. Due to the Pork Omelette being rather cheap, you can also opt for a 7.1 or 7.2