Troubadour - Power Troubadour

This is a rough draft. Once adequately written, it will progress to the testing stage, where it can be rated by the community. You can help by proposing changes with a comment.

Focused on: Strike damage

Designed for: Open World and Open World General

Expansions required:

Difficulty:

TBD

This build was last updated on November 09, 2025.

Overview

Power troubadour build for open world

This is a Visions of Eternity build. As such, EVERYTHING in this build is a work in progress and subject to change. All VoE elite specializations have received some changes since the open beta preview event back in August, so further testing is required to assess their open world potential and possible builds.

Troubadours can provide Quickness to themselves and nearby allies.

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Skill Bar

Spear

Dagger/Sword

Utility

Weapon Variants

Usage of Spear requires Janthir Wilds. Usage of Dagger requires Secrets of the Obscure. Other weapon options you can consider are:

• Dagger + Sword
• Sword + Sword
• Greatsword

Skill Variants

Heal skill

We default to Signet of the Ether, an offensive heal that resets your Phantasm skills for much higher burst damage. As a downside, you lack a heal on demand, as the Signet becomes part of your damage rotation. Other alternatives are:

• Ether Feast - trades damage and note generation for more healing and condition cleanse. Generally not worth it.

Utility skills

We suggest:
Tale of the Soulkeeper for boons and note generation. Don't replace it.
Tale of the Tortured Mastermind for damage and note generation. Can be replaced if really needed.
Blink as a generic stun break and mobility skill. Can be easily replaced.
Other skills can be considered:

• Mantra of Pain - more damage.
• Tale of the Valiant Marshal - stunbreak and stability.
• Mantra of Resolve - condition cleanse.
• Portal Entre - situationally useful.

Elite skill

We default to Tale of the August Queen as it activates all instruments, activating Symphonic Resonance and Fortissimo. In specific situations, another skill can be considered:

• Signet of Humility - situational, if crowd control is required.

Specializations

Variants

• Bountiful Blades - if using greatsword.

Equipment

Ascended gear is not required.

Head
Berserker

Shoulders
Assassin

Chest
Berserker

Hands
Berserker

Legs
Berserker

Feet
Berserker

Backpiece
Berserker

Accessory
Berserker

Accessory
Berserker

Amulet
Berserker

Ring
Berserker

Ring
Berserker

Spear
Berserker

Sigil

Sigil

Dagger
Berserker

Sword
Berserker

Sigil

Sigil

Rune
x6

Relic

If you are gearing this character from zero, start with exotic quality gear. Search the trading post for "Zhed" armor, "Uzoku" dagger, "Bonetti" sword, "Impaler" spear, and "Ebonblade" greatsword. Upgrade to ascended gear as you progress. See also: Guide:How to Gear a Character.

• If you don't have access to land spear with Janthir Wilds, replace it with Focus or Greatsword.
• If you don't have access to dagger with Weaponmaster Training from Secrets of the Obscure, replace it with Mainhand sword.
• Note that you get extra attributes from Fortissimo. In open world, it isn't realistic to have all four instruments playing all the time, but we default to the same gear set used for group content for simplicity and monetary reasons. If you have the resources for a gear set tailored for open world, increase your Precision by using 2 Assassin accessories.
• Other relic options include Relic of the Thief for an easier to use damage relic, 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)

Notes and instruments

Clones are replaced by notes. Shatters are replaced by instruments.

Damage

Always cast Lively Lute offcooldown with three notes.

Spend extra notes on Deafening Drum for damage and crowd control. Remember crowd control triggers Syncopate and Relic of the Claw.

Cast Tale of the Soulkeeper off cooldown for boons. You should always cast it with the Lute playing, and 1 or 0 notes, as it generates 2 notes when cast while the Lute is playing.

Cast Flustering Flute and Tale of the Tortured Mastermind one after the other. This generates 1 note. Be careful with spending notes on the Flute if the Lute is coming off cooldown.

Cast Crescendo off cooldown for boons. It also generates 1 note every second for five seconds.

Quickness

You provide quickness with the trait Life of the Party. Remember that Fortissimo increases your boon duration, but in open world it's not realistic to have four instruments playing all the time, so you might considering using more boon duration such as by consuming .

You provide Fury with Master Fencer, and Fury and Might with Tale of the Soulkeeper.

Defense

• Harmonious Harp - distortion with a cast time.
• Tale of the August Queen - distortion with a cast time.

CC

• Deafening Drum
• Illusionary Riposte ⇒ Counter Blade
• Mental Collapse when empowered by Clarity.