1H Dagger DPS Group PvE Build

Overview

Weapon: Dagger

Focus: Melee DPS

Mode: Group Dungeon

Strengths

• High Single Target DPS
• Good Self Healing

Weaknesses

• Low Mobility

This build is up to date for the September 18, 2024, Paths to Glory Patch #4 .

Overview

The Elder's Dagger build focuses on dealing high single target DPS in group PvE content. It performs well in Group Dungeons, Avalonian Dungeons, Hardcore Expeditions and Statics. This is a great alternative for someone that normally plays Elder's Shadowcaller as the build makes use of similar items but focuses more on single target damage while still offering good AOE DPS when using the Elder's Specter Jacket.

Equipment

Main Hand Weapon

Elder's Dagger

Off Hand Weapon

Elder's Cryptcandle

Alternatives ⇅

Head

Elder's Stalker Hood

Alternatives ⇅

Cape

Elder's Morgana Cape

Armor

Elder's Specter Jacket

Shoes

Elder's Shoes of Tenacity

Potion

Major Energy Potion

Alternatives ⇅

Food

Roast Pork

Alternatives ⇅

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 Dagger

Sunder Armor — Use this coupled with auto-attacks to maintain a permanent defense debuff on the mob you are attacking, try to always keep the maximum of 3 stacks active.

Throwing Blades — Try to always hit atleast 3 mobs when using this ability in order to maximize the damage increase you get from using it.

Bloodthirsty Blade — This is your main DPS ability but also your way of sustaining yourself while Self Ignition is active and you constantly lose HP. The ability buffs your auto-attacks and pairs nicely with Mark of the Raven as you want to do as many auto-attacks as possible while this skill is active.

Aggressive Rush — The passive triggers every time you do 4 auto-attacks and grants you a bit of extra damage which is good to have.

Elder's Specter Jacket

Self Ignition — Use this skill to do high damage to mobs while constantly losing HP, the large AOE burn lasts up to 20 seconds and its your healer's job to keep you alive while you do this. It is meant to be used alongside the Bloodthirsty Blade heal coupled with the use of Roast Pork.

Quick Thinker — The cooldown decrease is good to have as it lets you use your abilities more often.

Elder's Stalker Hood

Mortal Agony — You should use this whenever the group of mobs is below 50% HP in order to strip all their defensive resistances but also boost your damage.

Another good option is the Elder's Assassin Hood as it refreshes all your cooldowns but keep in mind that you will have to wait for the active period of your abilities to end before using this or the cooldowns won't be reset!

Quick Thinker — Just another cooldown decreasing passive.

Elder's Shoes of Tenacity

Blind Spot — This should be used on cooldown in order to boost your overall damage. It also turns you invisible for a few seconds but this only works against players and not mobs. Keep it in mind if you are being 'ratted' by players in static dungeons or such.

Quick Thinker — Because cooldowns are most important in this build, this is an obvious choice.

Elder's Morgana Cape

Mark of the Raven — While this cape is normally used for the cast speed increase when using fire or frost staffs, it works prefectly with this build as the Mark of the Raven offers good attack speed, greatly increasing the damage you deal.

Rotations

PvE DPS Rotation ↴

• You want to start the rotation only after your tank already pulled enemies. Activate Blind Spot before moving into the group of mobs. Next, boost your damage with Throwing Blades before using Self Ignition and debuffing a target with Sunder Armor. Follow up by activating Bloodthirsty Blade which triggers Mark of the Raven. Continue using auto-attacks coupled with Sunder Armor and switch targets only after killing one. Don't forget to also use Mortal Agony whenever most mobs are under 50% HP.

Consumables

Major Energy Potion — Because the build is rather mana hungry, you want to use some sort of energy potion. Its best to use a t6 one as it offers 50% max mana regen coupled with 28% more over 7 seconds. Keep in mind that this potion ALSO lowers your cooldowns!

You can also use Major Poison Potion if you have enough time between pulls to regenerate mana or if you have a Elder's Druid Cowl in your party.

Roast Pork — While the Inner Shadow offers good healing, the use of Roast Pork helps you even more with healing while in combat, becoming essentially unkillable while you fight.

You can also use Beef Stew for extra damage assuming they can afford to help healing you during pulls.