Chronomancer - Power DPS
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: 
Overview
A power DPS Chronomancer build for raids, strikes, and fractals. This build is very complex and very not-beginner-friendly. Compared to Virtuoso, power chronomancer is much harder to play while dealing very similar damage, so it's a niche build.
This build requires practice and mastery to make the most out of . In addition, it has very good Crowd Control, utility, and versatility, and provides 50% 
Fury to its subgroup and a little 
Alacrity to itself.
Skill Bar
Weapon Variants
- Sword is the best mainhand weapon for players that don't own Secrets of the Obscure.
- Players that don't own Janthir Wilds can't use Spear. Sword/Focus or Greatsword deal around the same damage. Greatsword can deal almost all of its damage from range, while Sword/Focus allows for the utility of Focus.
Skill Variants
- should replace if using Focus, as you need quick clone generation for the opening .
- could be swapped for or if you find yourself accidentally using the last charge at the wrong time, or if you want the extra utility.
- if extra CC is required. Be aware of the long cooldown.
These are the skills suggested for full DPS, but if the situation requires, you can slot utility skills like , , or other. If you have to take other skills, replace Mantra of Pain first, and if you really need another skill, replace Well of Calamity at a significant dps loss.
Template Code
Specializations
- Take if using Greatsword.
Equipment
Assassin
Assassin
Assassin
Assassin
Assassin
Assassin
Berserker
Berserker
Berserker
Assassin
Berserker
Assassin
Berserker
Berserker
Berserker
x6
x18
- is slightly higher damage, but making the most of it involves using utility shatters to maintain the Fireworks buff.
- This set provides exactly 75% critical chance with , reaching 100% with Fury.
- If varying this equipment, you want to aim for 2470 precision (including food).
Equipment Variants
On encounters, such as most raids, where does not gain bonus damage, taking a and swapping all gear to 
Berserker stats will be slightly higher damage.
Consumables
Food
- /
Utility
Usage
Power chronomancer has a very complex rotation. Due to , your cooldowns are even shorter than normal, so the rotation is longer by squeezing more skills into it. You should memorise the opening and practice it, because then you can just follow your cooldowns to sort of know what to do.
Beginner Rotation
Alternatively, you can opt to drop Greatsword (or replace it with a Focus) to greatly simplify the rotation at a ~9% DPS loss. In this case, take in Domination. The rotation below assumes the use of Focus in the second set, but you can choose to camp Dagger/Sword if you prefer, though this is an additional ~2% DPS loss.
Opening Continuum Split
As this is a beginner rotation, Continuum Split is kept very simple:
- to start with a clone to shatter
- (replace with if not using Focus)
Weapon Swap
Rest of the Rotation
For the rest of the rotation you use Dagger skills, , and your three utility skills off cooldown (be sure not to consume the last charge of if using). Additionally:
- On offhand Sword use ⇒ ⇒ , then continue using other skills off cooldown until you can use once more. Then immediately
Weapon swap afterwards (if using Focus). - On offhand Focus, use whenever it comes off cooldown, then Weapon swap back to offhand Sword as soon as you can.
Spear Rotation
The most important skill to understand on Spear is . This skill is a spin attack that deals extra damage to enemies that are on the outer edge of its radius. This radius roughly corresponds to maximum melee range, so you can reliably hit with it, but you may need to stand further back than usual and annoy some boon supports.
Hitting your target with applies a buff called 
Clarity. Your next use of one of your Spear skills 2-5 will consume the buff and gain an enhanced effect:
- grants you
Might - heals for more
- summons an extra phantasm
- stuns your target
Of these, the only one that increases your damage is , so this will be the skill we want to enhance.
Opening Continuum Split
- Weapon Swap
- , and during the cast
- , and during the cast
- , and during the cast
- , and during the cast
- , and during the cast (try to make sure you're at three clones)
- Weapon Swap
Dagger/Sword Loop
The standard dagger loop uses four times, but as you won't have available the first time after the opener, it's better to only use it three times, and use as the first skill upon swapping.
- - the first time after continuum split, this will not be available
- - the first time after continuum split, this will not be available
- Autoattack and use as it comes off cooldown.
- Weapon Swap
Spear Loop
- - this recharges Mind the Gap
- Autoattack and use and as they come off cooldown - Mind the Gap takes priority over finishing your auto chains
- when Mind the Gap is nearly ready
- Weapon Swap
- Return to start of Dagger/Sword Loop
- Whenever you reach three clones, use , or if it is not available
- Use whenever it reaches two charges
- Through the rotation, use and off cooldown, but prioritise weapon skills
Second Continuum Split
When is ready and you're on Dagger:
- (if you're not at 3 clones)
- , and during the cast
- (if not used in step 1)
- (if not used in step 1)
- Weapon Swap
Dagger/Sword & Sword/Focus Rotation
Opening Continuum Split
Start on Sword/Focus.
- Weapon swap
- , and during the cast
- Weapon swap
Sword/Focus Loop
- Autoattack until Blurred Frenzy is available - try to finish your auto chains!
- Weapon swap when available
Dagger/Sword Loop
- Autoattack and use Bladecall and Phantasmal Disenchanter as they come off cooldown.
- Weapon swap
- Fill the gaps with auto attacks.
- Use and off cooldown.
- can be used for CC, or off cooldown for damage.
- With , use the last charge just before the end of a phase and recharge it near the start of the next one to provide some Might to your subgroup.
- This rotation spams shatters:
- deals a lot of damage so save clones for it
- or can be saved for cc or defense
- Every third dagger autoattack triggers a Cutter Burst, so try to do this before swapping to sword.
Second Continuum Split
When is ready and you're on Dagger:
- (if you're not at 3 clones)
- , and during the cast
- (if not used in step 1)
- (if not used in step 1)
- Weapon Swap
Dagger/Sword & Greatsword Rotation
Opening Continuum Split
Start on Dagger.
- Weapon Swap
- , and during the cast
- and
- and
- and
- and Continuum Split ends
- and ⇒
- and
- and
- Weapon Swap
Dagger Loop
- + Shatter
- (skip on first loop)
- Autoattack and use and when they come off cooldown, Shatter when you reach 3 clones
- + Shatter
- Weapon Swap
Greatsword Loop
- Autoattack, use when it comes off cooldown, and Shatter when you reach 3 clones
- Weapon Swap
- Return to start of loop
- Fill the gaps with auto attacks.
- Use , , and off cooldown.
- With , use the last charge just before the end of a phase and recharge it near the start of the next one to provide some Might to your subgroup.
- This rotation spams shatters:
- deals a lot of damage so save clones for it
- or can be saved for cc or defense
- You can add just before Mind Stab in the greatsword loop to maintain the (if using).
- Every third dagger autoattack triggers a Cutter Burst, so try to do this before swapping to greatsword.
Second Continuum Split
When is ready and you're on Dagger:
- (if you're not at 3 clones)
- , and during the cast
- (if not used in step 1)
- and ⇒
- and
- and
- Weapon Swap
- From this point, you now use at the end of the Dagger Loop rather than the start of it.
- Everything else about the loop remains the same.
Sword/Sword & Greatsword Rotation
Opener
Start on Greatsword.
- Weapon swap
- ⇒ at the very end of the cast time of the Swordsman.
- once you hit 10 stacks of
- try to use it right when the Swordsman spawns to cancel the aftercast animation.
- and
- and
- . If you were successful following this very tight rotation, Continuum Split ends during Blurred Frenzy and Gravity Well is off cooldown.
- and
- Weapon swap
Loop
After the opener, you follow this loop:
- When you swap to sword, the first and last skill before you swap again is , and you will use in between. Fill the gaps with and never interrupt your auto attack chain because most of the damage comes from the final strike .
- When you swap to greatword, you use 3 times thanks to , and once, while using your greatsword damage skills in between.
- Use off cooldown.
- should be saved for CC. If there's no need for CC during the fight, Gravity Well can be used in the greatsword set instead of auto attacks. It has the lowest priority out of all your skills due to its very low damage.
- If you have to interrupt the loop because the boss moved, or phased, or you have to do some mechanic, you don't simply resume your rotation where you left it.
- If you're on sword, you want to return to greatsword whenever weapon swap is ready, casting your available skills while waiting. But if weapon swap is ready, cast Phantasmal Swordsman and swap inmediatly.
- If you're on greatsword, try to follow the loop from the start skippig what's on cooldown and weapon swap when ready and your skills are on cooldown. If Signet of the Ether is on cooldown, don't wait for it.
Continuum Split
When Continuum Split comes off cooldown after the opener, you will want to be on greatsword with your cooldowns available, and shatter with 3 clones. You will use your to cast twice inside the split, and twice outside of it, and Well of Calamity Twice.
- ⇒
- and
- and
- Continuum Split ends during its cast.
- and
- and
- Weapon swap
- Continue with the priority.
Crowd Control
- ⇒ (Sword)
- (Spear)
- ⇒ (Focus)
- (Greatsword)
General Tips
- Use or whenever you have 3 clones up.
- Save clones to shatter with if you will need to CC in the immediate future.
- After the opener, use anytime it gets a charge.
- Use the final charge just before a boss is about to phase, and recharge it before the start of the next.
- If struggling to fit all the skills into the opening , you can skip .
- provides enough Alacrity to counter the negative side of . This means that your Alacrity-provider doesn't have to increase their boon duration to give you more Alacrity. Your Alacrity might drop during transitions and other situations where you can't create and shatter clones, but that shouldn't be a problem.
- On Spear, has a one-second evade on it. As you only use this skill once, you can delay it in order to avoid an attack you'd otherwise have to dodge.
- On mainhand Sword, make sure not to interrupt your autoattack chain as the damage from it is heavily loaded into the final strike, .
- As you master this class, you can start considering some more advanced tips and tricks:
- Skills such as , , and will interrupt your current skill cast. You can take advantage of this to cancel the aftercasts of some longer skills, but make sure to not interrupt yourself. For example, you can use them, or weapon stow, to cancel the aftercast animation of , which can be cancelled almost instantly, or , which can be stowed after the final strike.
- has artificially high priority in the rotation so that it is off cooldown for the second Continuum Split. If you had to interrupt your rotation at any point, you will no longer need to give such high priority to it. Instead, when Continuum Split is coming off cooldown, ensure that Well of Calamity will be available to use inside of it. With 13,3 seconds cooldown, this means you should leave WoC off cooldown when CS will be ready in 8-9 seconds or less.
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