Build:Willbender - DPS Alacbender

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

Focused on: Strike damage and Dps

Designed for: WvW Zerg

Expansions required:

Difficulty:

TBD

This build was last updated on October 28, 2022 and is up to date for the October 8, 2024 patch.

Overview

A build designed for massive AoE DPS, with great access to spike damage, ground AoE, ranged pressure and Alacrity.

Skill Bar

Greatsword

Scepter/Torch

Utility

Variants

Weapons

• Swapping Greatsword to Staff is better if you have low melee uptime

Skills

• Wall of Reflection
• Bane Signet

Template Code

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Specializations

Template Code

[&DQEqOi4lQRYDAQAANgEAAEgBAADYGgAANwEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA=]

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Equipment

Head
Marauder

Shoulders
Marauder

Chest
Marauder

Hands
Marauder

Legs
Marauder

Feet
Marauder

Backpiece
Marauder

Accessory
Marauder

Accessory
Marauder

Amulet
Marauder

Ring
Marauder

Ring
Marauder

Greatsword
Marauder

Sigil

Sigil

Scepter
Marauder

Torch
Marauder

Sigil

Sigil

Rune
x6

Infusion
x18

Equipment Variants

Stats

• Use Berserker stats if you find you need more offensive stats

Sigils

• Sigil of Superior Sigil of Force

Consumables

• • personal food option

Usage

Overall Priorities

High

• Alacrity

Moderate

• Spike damage
• Sustained damage

Low

• Single target

Surviving

• This build has moderate passive defense
• This build has high mobility skill access
• This builds has moderate active defenses
  • Beware of unblockable CCs (Line of Warding) when using Shelter
    • Standing briefly still while channeling Shelter can sometimes be better than moving straight back to your group
  • Use "Stand Your Ground!" when pushing if your firebrand's Stability is on cooldown
  • Because Renewed Focus resets your virtues, you should use them before casting Renewed Focus if they are not on cooldown.

Active defense priority Flowing Resolve - for Immobilize "Stand Your Ground!" - for stunbreaking Dodge Shelter Renewed Focus

Detailed Explanations

Alacrity

• Use Flowing Resolve before casting your Symbol skills or Whirling Light to give your group alacrity
  • Be careful not to double tap or the second charge will be wasted
• Avoid using your other Virtue skills while Flowing Resolve is active since it will end the buff

Spike damage

• Use Crashing Courage to add damage to melee spikes and protect your other casts with Aegis and Stability
  • If you don't need the extra boons use Flowing Resolve before the spike instead
• Use a Stow Weapon keybind on Symbol of Resolution at ~3/4ths of the cast to avoid unnessecary after cast
  • Make sure to practice the timing, since cancelling early will waste the cast and put it on a short cooldown
• Melee Spike example: Flowing Resolve/Crashing Courage ⇒ Whirling Light ⇒ Symbol of Resolution ⇒ Whirling Wrath

Sustained damage

• When using ground AoEs like Symbol skills or Sword of Justice, try to place them so that one edge is on the enemy group and the other edge is in the direction they are moving to
• Camp Greatsword as long as you can autoattack safely with it, until Cleansing Flame is ready
• Use your Symbol skills quickly after swapping weapons so that the cooldowns will line up for future swaps
• Combine your Symbol skills with other damage to generate higher spikes
  • Symbol of Punishment ⇒ Sword of Justice
  • Symbol of Resolution ⇒ Whirling Wrath
• Try to hit your own group with Cleansing Flame as well if you can, but prioritize hitting enemies
• Maintain Inspiring Virtue by activating Flowing Resolve and Rushing Justice
  • Make sure not to overwrite the Flowing Resolve buff with Rushing Justice

Skill priority Non-Weapon Skills Whirling Light Sword of Justice Crashing Courage - avoid overwriting Flowing Resolve buff Rushing Justice - avoid overwriting Flowing Resolve buff Greatsword Symbol of Resolution Whirling Wrath Leap of Faith Autoattacks Scepter/Torch Symbol of Punishment Zealot's Fire - when no projectile block present (Zealot's Flame flip skill) Cleansing Flame - in melee

Single Target

• Use Chains of Light to follow up on other CC or to catch targets as enemies disengage
• If you have a chance to use Zealot's Fire on an isolated target without projectile block, take it