Shadowcaller DPS Group PvE Build

Overview

Weapon: Cursed Staff

Focus: Range DPS

Mode: Group Dungeon

Strengths

• High DPS
• Good Self Healing

Weaknesses

• Low Mobility

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

Overview

The Elder's Shadowcaller build focuses on group PvE and performs incredibly well in Group Dungeons, Avalonian Dungeons, Hardcore Expeditions and Statics. PvE focused Avalonian Roads trips can also use this build if they are looking for good DPS. Its unique playstyle requires a good understanding of the game and your build is rather reliant on your healer since you make use of the Elder's Specter Jacket.

Equipment

Main Hand Weapon

Elder's Shadowcaller

Off Hand Weapon

Elder's Cryptcandle

Head

Elder's Stalker Hood

Cape

Elder's Demon Cape

Armor

Elder's Specter Jacket

Shoes

Elder's Shoes of Tenacity

Potion

Major Energy Potion

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 Shadowcaller

Cursed Tar — Use this AOE on the ground after you pile up mobs together. As it applies vile curse stacks with each second a mob spends on the tar, you can maximize the stacks you apply quite easily.

Cursed Beam — You want to use this when you've already put a few Vile Curse Charges on your targets as every charge gets consumed and deals extra damage in a 4m radius around the target hit by the beam. Try to always line up the beam with mobs so the maximum amount of them are hit at the same time.

Inner Shadow — Because you use leather armor like Elder's Specter Jacket, you want to cast this on yourself to summon a ghost dealing AOE damage wherever you cast the ability. Wait for your tank to make a pull and stack as many enemies as possible before using this skill as more enemies getting damaged will mean you will heal even more based on the amount of health they've lost.

Furious — Perfect for your constant auto-attacking between using your abilities.

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. However, because of your Inner Shadow heal coupled with the use of Roast Pork, you might be fine even if your healer doesn't do a good job healing you.

Balanced Mind — This is your only relevant choice as it increases your flat damage.

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.

Balanced Mind — You want to choose this passive for the raw damage increase.

Elder's Shoes of Tenacity

Blind Spot — This should be used on cooldown in order to boost your overall damage. You should also keep in mind that it turns you invisible to players for a few seconds.

Balanced Mind — Just another damage increase passive!

Elder's Demon Cape

Opening to Hell — This ability will create a pool of lava under the feet of whatever mob you hit with your auto-attack whenever the cape isn't on cooldown. This lava pool will deal high AOE damage to all mobs caught in it and its great to have, helping a lot with DPS.

Rotations

AOE DPS ↴

• You want to start the rotation only after your tank already pulled enemies. Activate Self Ignition and position yourself close enough to the mobs so they take damage from the fire AOE. Follow up by using Cursed Tar followed by Inner Shadow casted on yourself (use the shortcut alt + E). You should use your auto-attack to trigger Opening to Hell so they take extra damage from the AOE lava field. At this point the mobs should be under 50% HP and this is when you want to use Mortal Agony. Finish up by using Cursed Beam to blow up the vile curse charges and deal AOE damage to the entire group of mobs.

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!

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.

If you have a good healer, you can also use Beef Stew for extra damage!