Build:Virtuoso - Power GS Signet Virtuoso

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

Focused on: Direct damage and Control

Designed for: PvP Conquest

Difficulty:

Normal

This build was last updated on June 25, 2023 and is up to date for the October 8, 2024 patch.

Overview

A PvP Virtuoso power shatter build which combines Virtuoso's inherent sustain with Inspiration and its signets into a GS build that's more durable than its other Mesmer counterparts. Primarily created to roam the map and +1 fights.

Skill Bar

Greatsword

Sword/Pistol

Utility

Skill Variants

Utility

• Blade Renewal over Mantra of Distraction - makes the build more forgiving to play but costs us some Mental Anguish synergy, which in turn makes the inactivity bonus harder to utilize.

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Equipment

Greatsword

Sigil

Sigil

Sword

Pistol

Sigil

Sigil

Rune

Amulet

Sigils

• Sigil of Cleansing over Sigil of Savagery

Usage

Elite specialization basics

• Shatters are replaced by Bladesongs (we're still going to refer to these as shatters).

• Instead of generating clones in combat you now stack Blades and Blades persist even after combat. The maximum count is 5 instead of 3.

• Bladesongs are a bit more clunky than regular shatters. They require you to face the target to activate and have a cast time, therefore cannot be used defensively while stunned.

General

• Blink is a very simple yet versatile skill allowing you to chase enemies, retreat to the safety of the highghround, break stuns, or get around the map faster.

• Signet of Illusions is perhaps the most versatile skill in the build. While the passive is nice, its best part is the active - refreshing shatters is useful in just about any situation whether you need burst damage, CC or even the sustain of F4-5. Activating the signet itself also grants 1 second of Distortion via Blurred Inscriptions.

• Medic's Feedback adds a significant amount of group utility to the build by creating an anti-projectile bubble whenever you start reviving an ally while also improving your rez speed a little.

Sustain

• For Virtuoso the best defense is a good offense. Bladesongs/Shatters are crucial for sustain.

• Shatter skills grant Aegis from Bladeturn Refrain while blocking an attack procs Duelist's Reversal and Psychic Riposte, applying boons and generating 3 Blades. This is the important part.

• Stocking a Blade heals you from the passive of Signet of the Ether, while using a shatter skills heals you from Restorative Illusions and even removes a condition.

• Try not to use the active of Signet of the Ether unless you're in serious trouble (or need to squeeze out more burst damage from Phantasms to get a kill) as the passive is way too valuable.

• Every Signet skill grants Distortion. Signet of Midnight is your panic button: break stuns, applies Stealth + Distortion and cleanses 5 conditions thanks to Blurred Inscriptions. SoM is the only mass condition cleanse in the build, keep that in mind when facing condition specs. Correcting mistakes or recovering from bursts becomes harder while this is on CD.

• Bladeturn Requiem is a short CD block, feel free to use it whenever you're pressured before resorting to bigger CDs.
  • This skill does damage not only while channeling but even a few seconds after the skill has finished. Bladeturn Requiem could bring you out of Stealth when used in melee range of an enemy, which is a major downside for a defensive skill.

• If taken Blade Renewal is your time out, protecting you from both direct damage and condition burst while also stocking Blades (and that has further synergy with the Signet heal).

• The build has plenty of ways to deal with conditions:
  • Weapon swapping removes a condition via Sigil of Cleansing.
  • Signet of Midnight is your mass cleanse, removing a total of 5 conditions with Blurred Inscriptions.
  • Mender's Purity removes another one when you use your healing skill.
  • Restorative Illusions cleanses whenever you shatter.

• Sword's Blurred Frenzy can be used to avoid damage, it's essentially a weaker version of Distortion that roots you in place but has a lower CD. With proper timing this could save you even from unblockable burst chains without having to blow bigger CDs.

Damage

• Bladesong Harmony is your primary burst skill, try to use it with as many Blades stocked as possible.

• Bladeturn Refrain and Duelist's Reversal are the traits that fuel your burst combos. You stock 3 blades and gain powerful boons for a short period of time after dodging or blocking an attack - you should use this window to counterpressure targets with shatters and hard hitting skills.

• The easiest way to hit 5 Blades is to wait for the 2 Phantasmal Berserkers summoned by GS skill #4 to expire and then follow up with a shatter.

• Bladesong Sorrow is more of a filler shatter but can still do respectable damage while also ripping boons from the target via Shattered Concentration.

• Mirror Blade is best used in melee range where the bounces give you Might and their travel time is minimal (and if no allies are in melee the blade might not bounce at all).

• Magic Bullet is the best setup skill in the build, the stun lasts long enough to pull off a shatter + GS combo.

• The main burst skills on Sword/Pistol are Phantasmal Duelist and Illusionary Leap.

• Sometimes you might want to consider using Signet of Midnight offensively: this could instantly cleanse Weakness and Blind from you while providing a small window of invulnerability which allows you to facetank enemy burst and counterpressure them freely. The brief Stealth could even make it harder for enemies to avoid your attacks.
  • It's a risky move unless you can secure a kill or have a backup Distortion or Blink ready in case you get focused.