Build:Spellbreaker - Support Spellbreaker

The community gave this build a rating, making it second-tier: Good

Focused on: Healing, Condition cleanse, Boon removal and Crowd control

Designed for: WvW Zerg

Expansions required:

Difficulty:

Easy

This build was last updated on May 26, 2024 and is up to date for the October 8, 2024 patch.

Overview

A Spellbreaker build for WvW that brings modest healing, strong condition cleanse and incredible boon removal. They also have near constant application of some form of crowd control.

Skill Bar

Hammer

Staff

Utility

Variants

Heal

• Defiant Stance

Utilities

• Balanced Stance can help secure winds
• "For Great Justice!" party boons

Template Code

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Specializations

Variants

• Brawler's Recovery if taking off Banner of Tactics

Variants

• Soldier's Comfort
• Shrug It Off if party is already capped on Might
• Phalanx Strength if party is already capped on Quickness
• Vigorous Shouts if party is already capped on Quickness and Might

Variants

• Swapping Discipline to Defense gains great personal survivability and adrenaline gain in exchange for Fast Hands

Template Code

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Equipment

Head
Minstrel

Shoulders
Minstrel

Chest
Minstrel

Hands
Minstrel

Legs
Minstrel

Feet
Minstrel

Backpiece
Minstrel

Accessory
Minstrel

Accessory
Minstrel

Amulet
Minstrel

Ring
Minstrel

Ring
Minstrel

Hammer
Minstrel

Sigil

Sigil

Staff
Minstrel

Sigil

Sigil

Rune
x6

Infusion
x18

Relic

Equipment Variant

Relic

• Relic of Speed

Consumables

• • personal food option

Usage

Priorities

High

• CC
• Boon rip

Moderate

• Support

Low

Surviving

• This build has high passive defense
• This build has high mobility skill access
  • Since Earthshaker has other uses, prioritize Valiant Leap when repositioning defensively
• This build has moderate active defenses

Active defense priority "Shake It Off!" - for stunbreaking Mobility skills with Warrior's Sprint - for Immobilize "Shake It Off!" - for Immobilize Dodge Bullet Catcher "To the Limit!"

Detailed Explanations

CC

• Use your CC when:
  • Your group calls a spike:
    • Winds - Winds of Disenchantment
    • Wells - Well of Corruption+Well of Suffering
    • Shades - Desert Shroud
    • Traps - Procession of Blades+Test of Faith
  • On top of enemy downs (while alive players are on top of them)
  • Enemy groups moving defensively while your group is pushing
• Much of your boon rip comes from CC due to the synergies between Dispelling Force, Sigil of Superior Sigil of Absorption and Enchantment Collapse
  • Since you need to actually apply the stun/daze/knockdown to proc your trait/sigil synergies, make sure to target enemy players and watch their boon bar, only prioritizing CCing over boon rip when they run out of Stability
• Aim Earthshaker to the side of enemy groups instead of center mass to avoid damage. The AoE is large enough to still catch 5 targets.
• Full Counter should be used exclusively to reset the cooldown of Earthshaker
  • To ensure Full Counter triggers, you can briefly move into hostile enemy ground pressure.
• Make use of Hammer Shock to proc Leg Specialist when you need a CC with a range higher than your other, melee range CCs
• Be careful with the knockback of Staggering Blow, the skill is not worth casting if it will move enemies out of damage
• Backbreaker is a single target CC and very slow cast, its best use is following up on a player singled out by other CC and unable to avoid it

CC priority Hammer Shock - while enemies have Stability (procs Leg Specialist) Snap Pull - only when enemies lack Stability Earthshaker - only when enemies lack Stability Full Counter - only when enemies lack Stability Hammer Shock - general use Staggering Blow - only when enemies lack Stability Backbreaker - only when enemies lack Stability

Boon rip

• Land Winds of Disenchantment on the enemy group while your group is in range to follow up with a spike
  • Communicate while casting, let your team know if it gets interrupted and whether it's available or not
  • If you don't have Stability use Banner of Tactics on yourself before casting Winds of Disenchantment
  • If using Balanced Stance, make sure it is ready every time Winds of Disenchantment is and use it immediately before starting the cast to protect it
  • It is worth casting movement skills just to get into a better position for Winds of Disenchantment, even if it hits no enemies/allies
• Break Enchantments is a great way to proc Loss Aversion to give you enough Adrenaline for Earthshaker
• Use Autoattacks to proc Sigil of Superior Sigil of Nullification and Enchantment Collapse when no other useful skills are ready and you can do it safely.

Support

• Path to Victory, Valiant Leap, Line Breaker and Bullet Catcher ⇒ Defiant Roar should all be cast on your group when clashing with the enemy to heal
  • Be careful with the aftercast on Line Breaker
  • Hit the enemy group as well with Path to Victory and Line Breaker when possible to apply Weakness
• "Shake It Off!" is a massive condition clear, but also a group stunbreak. Use it to save allies with Immobilize, but be conservative and only use it when other supports would take too long to clear it
• Use "To the Limit!" after your group dodges through the enemy to restore Endurance
• Use Banner of Tactics if your group is missing Stability before a push, or during a clash to provide Resistance and Superspeed

Settings

• Under General Options / User Interface check Always show squad health bars and Always show party health bars. These will make it much easier to keep track of who needs your support.
• Also under General Options / User Interface turn on Thick party health bars
  • Thick squad health bars can be used too as a matter of personal preference, but is not recommended for large numbers
• Under Squad Options uncheck View as a grid. This will allow you to keep track of your allies' boons, conditions and health, enabling a better decision-making and skill management.