Specter - Condition Scepter

Part of the current tournament metagame

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

Focused on: Mobility, Condition damage and Utility

Designed for: PvP Conquest

Expansions required:

Difficulty:

Normal

This build was last updated on May 12, 2025 and is up to date for the June 24, 2025 patch.

Overview

A Carrion Scepter Specter condition build for PvP that's viable anywhere from duels to teamfights. The build's greatest strength is its versatility, being able to switch from pressuring targets to supporting allies at any moment.

Skill Bar

Scepter/Pistol

Sword/Dagger

Utility

Skill Variants

Heal

• Well of Gloom - bit more mobility, trait synergy and group utility in general.

Utility

Viable choices for the optional slot:

• Signet of Shadows - passive mobility boost and lots of cover conditions on active that could instantly be used during burst combos or defensively for the Blind and Weakness.

• Thousand Needles - great AoE condition burst (and a chance to contribute to fights you're not even present in, due to its range).

• Seal Area - great area denial tool for securing kills and isolating enemy team members.

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Specializations

Variants

• Taking Second Opinion, Larcenous Torment and Strength of Shadows results in a more roaming/+1 focused build with higher damage, but it's going to make you worse at 1v1ing and supporting allies. The build also becomes harder to play in general due to the loss of several defensive traits.

Equipment

Scepter

Pistol

Sigil

Sigil

Sword

Dagger

Sigil

Sigil

Rune

Amulet

Relic

Equipment Variants

Relics

• Relic of the Demon Queen - improved healing reduction could help you wear down supports.

• Relic of the Sunless - adds AoE burst damage to your elite.

• Relic of the Chronomancer - worth considering when playing with a lot of Well skills, the Quickness could speed up your burst combos.

Runes

• Rune of Lynx - better mobility when not running Signet of Shadows.

• Rune of Orr - good stats and could help you survive against other condi specs.

Sigils

• Sigil of Energy over Sigil of Escape - if you can afford to give up some cleansing more endurance.

Usage

Elite specialization basics

• Specters gain access to their own version of Death Shroud called Enter Shadow Shroud. Mechanically they are the same, replacing your skill bar while active. Damage taken while in Shroud drains Shadow Force instead of HP.

• Using Siphon (Specter's version of Steal) and spending Initiative builds Shadow Force.

General

• Your Specters skills also serve as support skills. While your primary role is to kill targets, in PvP a good Specter also keeps an eye on allies and helps them in critical moments by granting them Barrier. Versatility is one of the build's key strengths - you're equally good at camping enemy supports in teamfights, and stabilizing low HP allies with support skills. Specter shines especially well in smaller skirmishes like 2v2s where you can keep your partner alive almost as well as a support would, while bringing way more pressure to the table.

• Because of Shroud you can be a bit more reckless with spending Initiative as Shroud skills are free and by the time you've rotated through Shroud CDs your Initiative should be back to full.

• Siphon removes boons when used on enemies and Dazes them right after, allowing it to interrupt targets even through Stability.

• Scepter's Shadow Sap is mostly just a combo tool you can use with Black Powder if you have the initiative or Shroud is on CD.

• Most of the weapon damage comes from spamming skill #3 on Scepter: Measured Shot + Endless Night.
  • Scepter is the main weapon set of the build, the other one fills more of a utility/situational purpose. Sword/Dagger has good defensive skills, chase potential and decent damage in melee.

• Shadowfall's range can be extended by using Shadowstep in the middle of the cast, the Well will spawn on Shadowstep's target location.

• The main sources of condition cleansing are Shadowstep, Hungering Darkness, your on-swap Sword sigils and Infiltrator's Return (Sword #2's chain skill).

• Offhand pistol's main purpose is to combo stealth with Black Powder and to provide a quick interrupt via Head Shot.

• Stealth stacking rotation:

1. Black Powder
2. Enter Shadow Shroud
3. Grasping Shadows (Shroud 2)
4. Dawn's Repose (Shroud 3)

Related Builds

• Specter - Celestial Scepter - WvW roaming version of the build.

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