Soulbeast - Power Soulbeast

The community gave this build a rating, making it top-tier: Great

Focused on: Strike damage

Designed for: Open World and Open World General

Expansions required:

Difficulty:

Normal

This build was last updated on April 04, 2026 and is up to date for the March 17, 2026 patch.

Overview

Power Soulbeast is a very bursty power build. It features good damage, amazing burst, and good cc. By merging with their pets they get access to new skills and bonuses but, as a downside, the pet is no longer present to tank or distract enemies unless the soulbeast unmerges, making soulbeast slightly less resilient than other ranger builds.

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Skill Bar

Axe/Axe

Hammer

Utility

• You have to manually select your hammer skills since you do not have Untamed's Unleash mechanic. Ensure all your hammer skills are the Unleashed version, except for the third skill which must be Overbearing Smash to help with crowd control.

Weapon Variants

• Usage of hammer requires Weaponmaster Training from Secrets of the Obscure. Here are other weapons you can consider:
• Dual Maces - very strong weapons for solo play. Requires Expanded Weapon Proficiency from Secrets of the Obscure.
• Spear - great ranged and melee damage. Requires Lowland Spear with Janthir Wilds.
• Greatsword - great burst with a block. Default option for players without Janthir Wilds or Secrets of the Obscure.
• Longbow - great burst damage with Barrage and Rapid Fire but weak sustained damage.
• Sword - same damage as mainhand axe but has a leap for more mobility.

Skill Variants

Heal skill

We default to "We Heal As One!" for its good healing, low cooldown, boon extension, and boon copy due to Resounding Timbre. In extremely rare occasions, it can be replaced by:

• Bear Stance - extreme condi cleanse but no boon extension.

Utility skill

We default to:
"Sic 'Em!" because it provides a huge +25% damage bonus when merged with our pet.
Moa Stance to start combat with boons, most notably Fury for extra critical chance and to activate Vicious Quarry and Furious Strength. It also increases the duration of boons you generate for a few seconds. If you are playing in groups providing you with boons, you should replace this skill.
Dolyak Stance because it's a good idea to have a stunbreak for open world and this one also provides Stability and removes movement-impairing conditions. Can be replaced if you don't need this defensive option.
If you want or need to run other skills, here are some suggestions:

• Signet of the Wild - extra damage from its passive. The active is much weaker so don't use the skill.
• Signet of Stone - passive toughness and panic button. Can be considered to ignore certain dangerous attacks.
• Storm Spirit - extra AoE damage and cc.
• Frost Trap - extra AoE damage.
• "Protect Me!" - AoE stunbreak and personal barrier.

Elite skill

We default to One Wolf Pack for its great damage contribution. On very rare occasions, it can be replaced by:

• Spirit of Nature - sacrifices your damage for an AoE revive.

Pet variants

You are almost always going to be merged with your pet for the massive bonuses from the Beastmastery traitline. We want to use pets of the Ferocious archetype and with crowd control to activate Twice as Vicious.

The suggested Pig gives you Brutal Charge (soulbeast porcine) as CC, while Rock Gazelle has Charge (soulbeast gazelle).
Other options not focused on damage include:

• Hawk - long dash for more mobility.
• Jacaranda - heal and condi cleanse.
• Black Bear - very strong defensive abilities.

Specializations

Variants

• Sharpened Edges - minimal damage increase at the cost of Vigor generation.

Equipment

Berserker

This set uses gear similar to that of Build:Soulbeast_-_Power_DPS, making it excellent for general PvE.

Head
Berserker

Shoulders
Berserker

Chest
Berserker

Hands
Berserker

Legs
Berserker

Feet
Berserker

Backpiece
Berserker

Accessory
Berserker

Accessory
Berserker

Amulet
Berserker

Ring
Berserker

Ring
Berserker

Axe
Berserker

Axe
Berserker

Sigil

Sigil

Hammer
Berserker

Sigil

Sigil

Rune
x6

Relic

If you are gearing this character from zero, start with exotic quality gear. Search the trading post for "Nika" armor. Then search for the weapons you want to use: "Serpentstone" mace, "Maw of the Damned"/"Shattered Axe"/"Serpent's Wrath Axe" axe, "Ebonblade" greatsword, "Impaler" spear, "Ironfist" hammer, or "Eir's Longbow" longbow. Upgrade to ascended gear as you progress. See also: Guide:How to Gear a Character.

• This set provides 100% critical chance thaks to Vicious Quarry and Hunter's Tactics.
• For Relic alternatives, you can consider Relic of Fireworks if you don't have access to Claw, or Relic of Zakiros to trade a minor amount of damage for sustain.
• For defense, equip the highest tier Jade Core you can afford.

Consumables

Budget consumables are acceptable for use in open world.

DPS

• Prioritize Steak Ascended food.
• /
• /

Farming

• Prioritize Steak Ascended food.
• /
• (and variants)

Usage

Damage

Soulbeast's damage comes from modifiers on top of more modifiers.

• When above 90% health, your damage is increased due to Loud Whistle.
• Your attributes are increased due to Pack Alpha.
• Your Ferocity and movement speed are improved due to Pet's Prowess.
• When possible, flank your enemy (attacking from behind or the sides) to benefit from Hunter's Tactics. This isn't needed if your target is defiant (has a break bar).
• Use Crowd Control before unleashing your burst to activate Twice as Vicious and Relic of the Claw.
• Always use Moa Stance before fights to start with Fury to benefit from Furious Strength and Vicious Quarry.
• Remember that "We Heal As One!" extends the duration of your existing boons by default, and an extra duration from Resounding Timbre.
• When fighting durable enemies, use "Sic 'Em!" first for a 25% damage increase. Note that, due to Go for the Throat, using your F3 Beast skill casts a weaker version of "Sic 'Em!" that increases your damage by 10%. These two buffs can stack.

Axe/Axe

• Use all your axe skills for damage.
• Use Splitblade in melee range to hit your target with all axes and deal more damage.
• Whirling Defense deals massive damage but has a long casting time, try to use it while under the effects of quickness after casting Worldly Impact due to Live Fast.

Hammer

You have to manually select your hammer skills since you do not have Untamed's Unleash mechanic. Ensure all your hammer skills are the Unleashed version, except for the third skill which must be Overbearing Smash to help with crowd control.
Spam all hammer skills for damage.

Greatsword

If using greatsword: Spam Maul off cooldown. Note that the damage buff to the next pet attack is instead applied to yourself when merged, so ensure you use your heavy hitting attacks such as Worldly Impact when empowered by this buff. Perform the Maul + Hilt Bash + Maul combo under the effects of "Sic 'Em!".

Spear

If using spear (requires Janthir Wilds):

• Your spear's attacks are empowered if cast from Stealth. You can gain Stealth from Panther's Prowl.
• Always cast your second skill empowered as a Stealth Attack. In other words, use Wolf's Onslaught but not Mongoose's Frenzy.
• Also use Falcon's Stoop and Warclaw's Engage for damage. Never use Spider's Web, it is a waste.
• Your melee range auto attack is stronger than your ranged auto attack. Stay in melee range.

Opener

Against tough enemies like bosses, you can use this opener for great burst. Note that this is a simplified opener for open world, it is not as optimised as the raid/fractal opener.

1. Moa Stance + One Wolf Pack
2. Brutal Charge (soulbeast porcine) + "Sic 'Em!"
3. Worldly Impact
4. Unleashed Savage Shock Wave
5. Unleashed Wild Swing
6. Weapon swap
7. Splitblade
8. Winter's Bite
9. Path of Scars
10. Whirling Defense

• Don't interrupt your hammer auto attack chain. The final third hit deals higher damage.
• Space out your crowd control for higher uptime of Twice as Vicious. Review your sources of crowd control at the end of this guide.
• "Sic 'Em!" and Worldly Impact (improved by Go for the Throat) can stack. Use these buffs together for big burst damage.

Defense

• Always keep moving. Move out of dangerous attacks or dodge them.
• When under pressure, use Leave Beastmode to unmerge with your pet so it may tank while you disengage.
• When merged with a bear, you can use Unflinching Fortitude and Defy Pain (soulbeast) to negate strike damage for up to 7 seconds.
• When merged with a Jacaranda you can use Photosynthesize (soulbeast) to heal and cleanse conditions, and Spiritual Reprieve to heal.

Crowd Control

• Brutal Charge (soulbeast porcine) (soulbeast skill)
• Path of Scars
• Overbearing Smash
• Unmerge so your pig can use Brutal Charge (porcine) (pet skill)
• Winter's Bite soft cc.