Bladesworn - Power DPS

Part of the current metagame

Our curator decided this build is in the current metagame regardless of rating. The community gave this build a rating, making it top-tier: Great

Focused on: Direct damage

Designed for: Raids and Fractals

Expansions required:

Difficulty:

Normal

This build was last updated on August 24, 2025 and is up to date for the June 24, 2025 patch.

Overview

Bladesworn trades its second weapon set for a Gunsaber that combines ranged explosions with melee slashes. Most importantly, it gains access to the unique Dragon Slash burst skills - incredibly powerful single strikes that take a long time to prepare. As the Bladesworn is immobile this preparation, it can be challenging to manage against targets that move a lot, or can disrupt you. With so much of its damage loaded into the Dragon Slash, Bladesworn is incredibly strong if the player can perform them off cooldown, but even one missed Slash is a significant damage loss.

With Tactics, the Bladesworn can also provide some passive Might generation for their subgroup, making them an excellent choice for filling in gaps in your boon uptime while still being top DPS.

Skill Bar

Sword/Pistol

Utility

Weapon Variants

Mainhand Axe is better when running Lush Forest.

Skill Variants

Healing

• Depending on the encounter, you may find "To the Limit!" makes the opener more consistent, as it provides a bonus to flow generation for 15 seconds upon use. It is used in the same way as Mending.
  • In fractals, you can precast "To the Limit!" at a Mistlock then switch to Mending to gain the benefits of both.

Template Code

[&DQIEHws1RCunAKYA8hqpAP0arwDwGvIa/BqcAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA=]

Copy Template Code

Specializations

• Lush Forest offers higher long-term DPS, but Fierce as Fire allows for stronger Dragon Slashes and so is the burstier of the two options.
• Martial Cadence could be used if the extra Stability uptime will be useful - just be wary on encounters that corrupt boons, as Stability gets corrupted into Fear!

Equipment

Head
Assassin

Shoulders
Berserker

Chest
Berserker

Hands
Assassin

Legs
Berserker

Feet
Berserker

Backpiece
Berserker

Accessory
Berserker

Accessory
Berserker

Amulet
Berserker

Ring
Berserker

Ring
Berserker

Sword
Berserker

Pistol
Berserker

Sigil

Sigil

Axe
Berserker

Sigil

Rune
x6

Infusion
x18

Relic

• You want to hit 2217 precision (with a Sigil of Superior Sigil of Accuracy).
• In strikes where the boss gets Exposed, or at Keep Construct, it would be more beneficial to swap the Sigil of Superior Sigil of Force for a Sigil of Superior Sigil of Impact.
• Relic of the Thief is the best relic for players that don't own Secrets of the Obscure.

Consumables

Food

• or ascended versions

Utility

• • for a cheaper alternative

Usage

Simplified Rotation (by Masel)

Click to view

Bladesworn can simplified in two ways: First, by replacing some of the Armament skills with warrior's powerful signets, and second by using a consistent loop for Gunsaber and Sword/Pistol sections, rather than two variants as the full rotation uses.

• Replace Overcharged Cartridges and Dragonspike Mine with Signet of Might and Signet of Fury.
• The Signet of Fury means that different gear should be used. Pick one of the following:
  • Rune of Superior Rune of the Scholar, full Berserker stats gear, and (or ascended versions).
  • Rune of Superior Rune of the Scholar, full Berserker stats gear except one ring and one accessory in Assassin stats, and (or ascended versions).

Opener

1. Precast as many skills in Gunsaber as you can (make sure not to hit the boss early!), "To the Limit!", both charges of Flow Stabilizer, and Tactical Reload - you can skip some or all of the Gunsaber skills if you're not confident.
2. Dragon Trigger
3. Flicker Step just before Dragon Slash is fully charged
4. Dragon Slash - Force

Part 1

1. Stay in Gunsaber and use the following skills off cooldown
   • Blooming Fire
   • Cyclone Trigger (if available)
   • Artillery Slash (if at two or more charges)
2. Autoattack until Dragon Trigger is available
3. Dragon Trigger as soon as you can
4. Flicker Step just before Dragon Slash is fully charged
5. Dragon Slash - Force

Part 2

1. Blooming Fire
2. Weapon Swap
3. Dragon's Roar
4. Gunstinger
5. Dragon's Roar
6. Final Thrust
7. Autoattack until Dragon Trigger is available
8. Dragon Trigger as soon as you can
9. Flicker Step just before Dragon Slash is fully charged
10. Dragon Slash - Force
11. Return to start of Part 1

• Use Flow Stabilizer and Tactical Reload off cooldown.
• If the boss is about to phase, activate Signet of Fury just before Dragon Slash - Force to make it even stronger.

Video guide

Rotation

If possible, you can pre-cast Blooming Fire, Artillery Slash and Break Step to build up stacks of Fierce as Fire. Pre-cast both charges of Flow Stabilizer, Tactical Reload, an additional charge of Flow Stabilizer, and your healing skill.

Opener

Even if you skip the rest of the precast, it is very strong to precast your utilities:

1. Overcharged Cartridges and Flow Stabilizer
2. Tactical Reload
3. Overcharged Cartridges - casting this twice within 10 seconds allows you to start with the supercharged buff
4. Dragon's Roar
5. Dragon Trigger

Loop

Use Flow Stabilizer and Tactical Reload off cooldown.

Gunsaber

1. Flicker Step just before Dragon Slash is fully charged
2. Dragon Slash - Force
3. Dragonspike Mine
4. Dragon Trigger
5. Flicker Step back into melee range
6. Dragon Slash - Force
7. Cyclone Trigger and Artillery Slash
8. Blooming Fire
9. Cyclone Trigger
10. Swift Cut ⇒ Steel Divide ⇒ Explosive Thrust
11. Blooming Fire
12. Overcharged Cartridges
13. Dragon Trigger
14. Flicker Step just before Dragon Slash is fully charged
15. Dragon Slash - Force
16. Sheathe Gunsaber

• If a phase goes on long enough, Cyclone Trigger won't be available every time, so just skip it in this case.
• This rotation uses Flicker Step faster than you gain charges, so you can skip the one at step 5 if either of the first two Slashes will be affected by Tactical Reload.
  • As you'll have to run back in in this case, you should use Artillery Slash first as it's fully ranged.

Sword/Pistol

1. Gunstinger (only on the first loop after the opener)
2. Dragon's Roar
3. Final Thrust
4. Sever Artery ⇒ Gash ⇒ Hamstring x2
5. Sever Artery ⇒ Gash
6. Overcharged Cartridges - you will still have stacks of this, so casting again will supercharge them ready for the double slash
7. Dragon Trigger
8. Repeat from start of Gunsaber section

Video example

Lush Forest rotation

Lush Forest doesn't have quite the same burst as the default built, but it does have higher long-term DPS and the gap between the two builds gets even smaller if you don't precast Fierce as Fire stacks.

Opener

1. Overcharged Cartridges and Flow Stabilizer
2. Tactical Reload
3. Overcharged Cartridges - casting this twice within 10 seconds allows you to start with the supercharged buff
4. Dragon's Roar
5. Dragon Trigger

Loop

Use Flow Stabilizer and Tactical Reload off cooldown.

Gunsaber

1. Flicker Step just before Dragon Slash is fully charged
2. Dragon Slash - Force
3. Dragonspike Mine
4. Dragon Trigger
5. Flicker Step back into melee range
6. Dragon Slash - Force
7. Artillery Slash - skip if it is not at max charges
8. Cyclone Trigger
9. Blooming Fire
10. Sheathe Gunsaber

Axe/Pistol

1. Cyclone Axe
2. Gunstinger
3. Throw Axe
4. Mending - occasionally you won't have two charges of Overcharged Cartridges available, so use this instead of one of them
5. Overcharged Cartridges x2 - using this twice will supercharge it
6. Dragon's Roar - on the first loop after the opener it's worth using Gunstinger first
7. Chop - if you're fast enough there's time for one auto here
8. Cyclone Axe
9. Dragon Trigger
10. Repeat from start of Gunsaber section

Some optimisations that can push the Lush Forest rotation further:

• A single use of Cyclone Axe and two Throw Axe (skipping the auto) will let you speed up the Axe/Pistol section, but using it efficiently can require delaying when you use Throw Axe so it can reach maximum charges and trigger Lush Forest.
  • If Tactical Reload will fall in the Axe/Pistol section then you can get two uses of Cyclone Axe in.
• If Tactical Reload falls in the Gunsaber section, then using it between the two Dragon Slashes will allow a single use of the Relic of Peitha buff from Flicker Step to cover both slashes.

General Tips

• Always use Overcharged Cartridges as your last skill before exiting your Gunsaber.
• Flicker Step is not only used for positioning, but triggers Relic of Peitha.
• While charging Dragon Trigger, you can use Triggerguard to generate extra charges of Fierce as Fire, to ensure you are at 10 stacks for Dragon Slash - Force.
  • If there is any danger of you getting interrupted while in Dragon Trigger, you can forgo this step so they are available for defence.
• Dragon Slash - Force alone is over half your total damage, so it is essential not to delay Dragon Trigger. If necessary, you can skip some of the Sword skills in your rotation if it is already available.