Scourge - Shadefire
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Contents
Overview
A PvP Scourge build centered around AoE boon corruption and condition damage. Offers higher pressure than Blood Sage at the cost of lower sustain/utility, making it less popular in ranked but much more common at automated tournaments where its reliance on support from the team isn't a problem and roles are more defined.
Usually paired with a Bunker Firebrand which serves as an enabler for Scourge in team fights while it shreds the enemy bunkers (and the team in general).
Skill Bar
Slot Changes
Utility
- - vertical mobility with a touch of group utility.
- - stun break and more condition management.
- - AoE boon corruption.
- - a single target, more frequently available, burstier version of Well of Corruption.
Heal
- is also a viable option if condition cleansing isn't a problem.
Specializations
Variants
- adds a good proc to the build, and far better
Weakness uptime which also helps with survival.
Variants
- is a more forgiving but potentially weaker option.
Equipment
9
Superior Sigil of Agility Gain 5 seconds of swiftness and 1 second of quickness when you swap to this weapon while in combat. (Cooldown: 9s)
10
Superior Sigil of Revocation On hit, remove a boon. (Cooldown: 10s)
18
Superior Sigil of Annulment Your next attack after swapping to this weapon while in combat will remove 2 boons from your target.
18
Superior Sigil of Escape Remove movement-impairing effects from yourself when swapping to this weapon while in combat.
Superior Rune of the Nightmare (1): +25 Condition Damage (2): +5% Condition Duration (3): +50 Condition Damage (4): +10% Condition Duration (5): +100 Condition Damage (6): When you use an elite skill, deliver an attack (240 radius) that blinds enemies and transfers one condition.(Cooldown: 45s)
Deadshot Amulet +1050 Precision +1050 Condition Damage +560 Vitality +560 Expertise
Equipment Changes
Rune
- offers higher condition damage ticks, but lower duration.
- should you need better mobility, although your damage will be somewhat lower. Popular choice for solo players.
Amulet
- trades condition duration for more HP and slightly higher burst damage.
Carrion Amulet
Carrion Amulet+900 Power +900 Vitality +1200 Condition Damage
Usage
Elite specialization basics
- is replaced by shade skills, but shroud related traits still work. Life Force (LF) is no longer drained passively or upon taking damage, but instead serves as a resource used by F2-5 skills (F1, which places the shade, is free).
- adds a bit of range to the build and acts as somewhat spammable boon corruption.
- Even with no active shades you can make full use of your kit, as F2-5 skills also go off around the caster. The effects however do not stack - if the target is in range of both the caster and the shade, he won't get hit twice by the same skill.
- will proc on every single shade skill, including Manifest Sand Shade.
- andare activated by.
- is activated by.
- Every shade skill inflicts
Burning (5s ICD), 
Cripple, and 
Torment.
General
- 's
Superior Sigil of Agility9Superior Sigil of AgilityGain 5 seconds of swiftness and 1 second of quickness when you swap to this weapon while in combat. (Cooldown: 9s)
Quickness can be used in many ways, like pulling off the +combo better, or just getting your heal off quicker and with less risk. - Do not spam your staff marks on the ground while out of combat, as a single dodge can undo them all. Placing on chokes to detect enemies crossing in stealth is fine however, as it's a rather short CD and weak one.
- converts a condition into a boon upon placing it.
- The last skill of the Scepter auto attack chain corrupts a boon into a condition.
- Scourge mobility is rather bad, so try to make use of the terrain with proper positioning. Make it hard for enemies to reach you especially ranged ones - pillars are your second best friend, right after a bunker Firebrand.
- The build has 2 mass cleanses - and(3 if you took). Consider usingbefore your heal for the
Stability while under heavy pressure. - is a rather powerful skill, but also easily avoidable. Don't just drop it randomly at the start of the fight, wait for the right moment - look for a situation where you can make your opponent overcommit. Place it on enemies trying to revive their downed teammate, or under yourself on low HP to either scare them off or take the bait.
Life force management
- As your shade skills cost LF, being efficient at managing this resource will be crucial for both your damage and sustain. We're going to list all the sources and provide a few tips for getting the most out of them.
- All staff skills generate life force:
- is a rather weak skill and there's no way you'll be able to use it much under any pressure. It does however generate 5% LF per target hit, and you should use it for the occasional ranged poking. Alternatively, right after you won a fight (and no enemies are nearby who could rez their downed allies) you can use the downed bodies as batteries and just spam staff autos at them for a substantial amount of free life force.
- Marks are unblockable and generate 3% LF each. andcan be used freely for just pressure and LF building, whileandare more powerful and should be kept for the proper occasion (Putrid for mass cleansing and Reaper's for interrupting).
- On scepter/torch you have 2 such skills:
- should be used with at least 4 conditions on the target, both your burst damage and LF stacking benefits from the higher number of conditions on the target. Make sure that this skill lands by CCing the target with eitheror.
- is rather straightforward, just try to hit as many targets as possible including Ranger pets and Mesmer illusions.
- isn't tied to any weapon and you have 2 of this in the build, one on your bar and the other as a proc from. This is an excellent defensive tool as it breaks stun, applies Protection and generates LF for defensive abilities while under pressure. Keep in mind that these do not stack, using Spectral Armor after a Last Gasp proc will just override it.
- Finally, boon removal (not just corruption, but any kind of removal including some of your sigil effects) grants 5% per boon on a 5s CD via . You can corrupt boons with the end of your scepter auto chain,, or any of your Punishment skills (heal, elite, etc).
Pretty much the curses build to play. However most agree it's near impossible to use in solo q, just expect a much different role than in organised at's is all i have to say