Virtuoso - DPS Virt

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

Focused on: Boon removal and Strike damage

Designed for: WvW Zerg

Expansions required:

Difficulty:

Hard

This build was last updated on October 05, 2025 and is up to date for the August 19, 2025 patch.

Overview

A high spike damage power build that uses the combination of Bladesong Harmony and Psychic Riposte to effectively spike targets in zerg fights. Shattered Concentration allows it to also bring strong boon removal since it procs on each blade of Bladesong Harmony.

Skill Bar

Greatsword

Spear

Utility

Variants

Weapons

• Sword/Shield

Utilities

• Signet of Illusions
• Rain of Swords
• Null Field
• Veil
• Illusion of Life

Elite

• Thousand Cuts
• Mass Invisibility
• Signet of Humility

Template Code

[&DQcKJRglQhUjDwAAhQEAAIIBAADqGgAAvAEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA=]

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Equipment

Head
Dragon

Shoulders
Demolisher

Chest
Demolisher

Hands
Demolisher

Legs
Dragon

Feet
Demolisher

Backpiece
Dragon

Accessory
Dragon

Accessory
Dragon

Amulet
Dragon

Ring
Dragon

Ring
Dragon

Greatsword
Marauder

Sigil

Sigil

Spear
Marauder

Sigil

Sigil

Rune
x6

Infusion
x18

Relic

Equipment Variants

Sigils

• Sigil of Superior Sigil of Force

Relics

• Relic of Evasion

Usage

Quick Guide

• Virtuoso is a spike based boon strip DPS that uses its Bladesongs to enable the rest of its group
• Make sure you have 5 Blades stocked from Clone and Phantasm skills and Dodge to proc Psychic Riposte before using Bladesong Harmony
• Spike with your group using Bladesong Harmony so they can capitalize on your boon removal
• Spend your time between spikes filling back up on Blades

General

• Bladesong Harmony and Bladesong Sorrow only require you to face the target to start the cast, you can turn immediately after

Surviving

• This build has moderate passive defense
• This build has low mobility skill access
• This build has high active defenses

Defensive Skill List

• Mantra of Concentration - Stunbreak
• Bladesong Distortion - Invulnerability
• Imaginary Inversion - Invulnerability
• Phantasmal Lancer - Movement

Overall Priorities

High

• Burst Damage

Moderate

• Damage

Low

• Boon Application

Detailed Explanations

Burst Damage

• There are two ways to burst depending on if you're in Greatsword or Spear

Greatsword Burst Combo

1. Dodge for Psychic Riposte
2. Bladesong Harmony (Use Bladesong Sorrow if unavalible}}
3. Phantasmal Berserker
4. Mind Stab
5. Mirror Blade
6. Dodge for Psychic Riposte
7. Bladesong Harmony (Use Bladesong Sorrow if unavalible}}

Spear Burst Combo

1. Dodge for Psychic Riposte
2. Bladesong Harmony (Use Bladesong Sorrow if unavalible}}
3. Mind the Gap
4. Mental Collapse
5. Mind the Gap
6. Dodge for Psychic Riposte
7. Bladesong Harmony (Use Bladesong Sorrow if unavalible}}

• The goal of these combos is to chain 5 Blade casts of Bladesong Harmony/Bladesong Sorrow as frequently as possible for high spike damage and boon strip through Shattered Concentration
  • Psychic Riposte gives Blades and must be used to make your Bladesongs unblockable before each cast, play around it while considering how many Blades you have available
• You'll often want to extend a combo by moving from the end of one into Weapon Swap then proceeding from step 3 of the weapon set you didn't use
  • If you have 5 Blades and the clone/phantasm skills on one weapon set are on cooldown then swap to the other set and burst from there

Damage

• Virtuoso has a lot of range, but is best played by maximizing its burst damage with the group. Using your skills alone at max range will get you higher damage and boon rip numbers, but be less effective at winning fights than playing with your team.
• Spear has higher damage potential, but you should start in Greatsword due to its far superior range until you get a chance to melee
• Always Dodge before casting a Bladesong to proc Psychic Riposte and make it unblockable
• When using Bladesong Harmony/Bladesong Sorrow targeting enemies in the middle or back of the enemy group will significantly increase your damage due to the Piercing effect of the skills
  • Targetting enemies in the middle/back also benefits Spatial Surge
• One of your main sources of blades is Psychic Riposte, this means that sometimes you need to move into damage to Evade or Aegis it and proc the trait
  • Being in party with a Firebrand is very important for Virtuoso to get more Aegis for Psychic Riposte procs
• Bladesong Sorrow is less damage than Bladesong Harmony but still respectable and strips just as many boons with Shattered Concentration, cast it whenever it won't interfere with casting Bladesong Harmony
• Use Mind Stab immediately after casting Phantasmal Berserker or Mirror Blade to make Mind Stab land at the same time as the damage from the other skill to increase your burst
• Signet of the Ether should be considered a DPS cooldown more than a heal, use it to reset Phantasmal Berserker
• Use Mind the Gap before Mental Collapse to reset the cooldown
  • Keep in mind the outer ring of Mind the Gap deals 20% extra damage
  • Use the Clarity buff applied by Mind the Gap on Mental Collapse to reset the cooldown of Mind the Gap
• You can drop target before casting Mental Collapse to place the AoE on your character and avoid moving into a bad position
• Use Sword of Decimation when:
  • Your group calls a spike such as Wells - (Well of Corruption)
  • On top of enemy downs (while alive enemies are on top of them)
  • Enemy groups move defensively while your group is pushing
  • Immediately before the Bladesong cast of your own spikes

Boon Application

• Use Mantra of Concentration to cover Stability when there is downtime on a push
  • Make sure to recharge Mantra of Concentration as soon as possible if you expend the charges
• Use Time Warp when groups clash. Prioritize your own group for Quickness and Superspeed