Tempest - Viper Tempest

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Overview

This is a build intended to have a 100% Burning and Bleeding uptime with moderately-high damage.
Additionally, due to , you can maintain permanent Fury and Might on yourself and party. Consider this for those times when you are solo roaming in PvE. Overall, dagger will be better for raiding and scepter better for open-world PvE.

Some Numbers

Note: Tests performed on small and large golem with realistic buffs (Alacrity, five Grace of the Land, Banner of Strength, Banner of Discipline, Spotter, Sun Spirit, Frost Spirit, Empower Allies, Pinpoint Distribution, Quickness, Fury, Might, Regen, and Swiftness), food, crystal, and conditions on the 4mil hp golem.

For the main build [dagger], damage averages 3_._k on a large hitbox using and variation.
For the main build [dagger], damage averages 3_._k on a small hitbox using and variation.

Skill Bar

Dagger/WarhornHealingUtilityElite

Scepter/Warhorn

Slot Changes

Use with in place of on targets with a large hitbox for a slight dps increase. Cast after every to take advantage of damage boost from .

Specialisations

Equipment

Use the following weapons for the main build and two variations below:

9

Superior Sigil of Geomancy

Inflict bleeding on nearby foes for 10 seconds when you swap to this weapon while in combat. (Cooldown: 9s)

Superior Sigil of Malice

+10% condition duration.

OR

9

Superior Sigil of Geomancy

Inflict bleeding on nearby foes for 10 seconds when you swap to this weapon while in combat. (Cooldown: 9s)

Superior Sigil of Malice

+10% condition duration.

All weapons, armour, and trinkets are Viper with helm and back as Sinister. This will give you 100.07% condition duration with ascended gear.
4x

Superior Rune of the Nightmare

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)
2x

Superior Rune of the Trapper

Superior Rune of the Trapper

(1): +25 Condition Damage (2): +10% Condition Duration (3): +50 Condition Damage (4): When you use a trap skill, gain 3 seconds of super speed. (5): +100 Condition Damage (6): Gain 3 seconds of stealth when using a trap skill.

Consumables

Rare Veggie Pizza

Rare Veggie Pizza

Nourishment (30 m):

+100 Expertise+70 Condition Damage+10 Experience from kills

Consumable
Toxic Focusing Crystal

Toxic Focusing Crystal

Nourishment (30 m):

Gain Condition Damage equal to 3% of your PowerGain Condition Damage equal to 3% of your Precision+10% Experience from Kills

Consumable

OR
Master Tuning Crystal

Master Tuning Crystal

Nourishment (30 m):

Gain Condition Damage equal to 3% of your PrecisionGain Condition Damage equal to 8% of your Expertise+10% Experience from Kills

Consumable

OR

Tuning Icicle

Tuning Icicle

Nourishment (30 m):

Gain Condition Damage equal to 3% of your PrecisionGain Condition Damage equal to 8% of your Expertise+10% Experience from Kills

Consumable

The difference in these two utilities is roughly 0.5% dps, so use what you feel you can afford.

Variation (Budget 1)

With the changes to food, the old method of gear falls short for condi duration unless you go full exotic Viper and use a Sinister back with a Black Diamond slotted, and one of the two weapons as Sinister as well. This does, however, mean that you must craft

Furious Tuning Crystal

Nourishment (30m):

Gain Condition Damage equal to 3% of your PrecisionGain Expertise equal to 3% of your Precision+10% Experience from Kills

Consumable

to get the last few percent of condi duration. Doing so, however, will get you the same 100.07% condi duration as the ascended gear above.

Variation (Budget 2)

Similarly to 'Budget 1', but with both weapons being Viper, you can achieve 100.2% condi duration using the same runes and food as the ascended set. For those without the artificer recipe, or the desire to craft your own utility, this will be the cheapest of the three options.

Usage

You want to cast in fire when off cooldown.
When using , always cast signets and overloads with it equipped as it gives you 180 condition damage and otherwise spam off cooldown amidst your rotation but never more than three times and only when in earth. With the new changes to this weapon from 8/8/17 patch, stick with it as long as you can (the icon will start to flash) before picking up your second one.
Cast off cooldown as it is your most damaging skill, same for unless needed for the Defiance Bar. I did not otherwise list them in the rotations below... just fit them in where you are otherwise auto-attacking.

Skills that provide condition damage:

Fire (Dagger):
- —make sure the burning trail passes through the boss.
Earth (Dagger):
Fire (Sceptre):
Earth (Sceptre):

Thanks to you can cast the signets and still receive their benefits, including , giving you a lot of survivability for open-world PvE as well.
When it comes time for breaking the Defiance Bar, make use of , , and . Additionally, if you are using a dagger, .

Rotation

These need to be worked on but here is the gist of it

Dagger

Note: I found that it worked best to cast signets when running back to the golem after using to dash through it.

(careful not to go over any ledges!)
and can be cast at once.
or on large hitbox followed by and .
as soon as you finish above and before cast finishes.
Pick up your second one if applicable or skip if on cooldown.
until overload is ready. if using FGS.
if holding FGS.
if not holding FGS.
if holding FGS.
Cast signets here to benefit from the 180 extra condition damage if using FGS.
if holding FGS (if it is off cooldown—varies from signet use).
Drop FGS if you are using it.

Repeat from 1

Sceptre

—skip if running or on cooldown.
as soon as you finish above and before cast finishes.
—this skill gives you 250 toughness so if it will put you over the tanks toughness, tap it super fast or do not use it at all.
and at the same time.
—skip if running . Pick up your second one if applicable or skip if on cooldown.
Cast signets here to benefit from the 180 extra condition damage if using FGS.
until overload is ready. if using FGS.
until fire is ready. if using FGS.
Drop FGS if you are using it.
—this skill gives you 250 toughness so if it will put you over the tanks toughness, tap it super fast or do not use it at all.