Chronomancer - Power Shatter Chrono Roamer

This is a test build. You may comment and rate it.

Focused on: Strike damage and Control

Designed for: WvW Roaming

Difficulty:

Hard

This build was last updated on October 06, 2023.

Overview

A burst focused Power Chronomancer build for WvW roaming. High damage, low survivability.

Skill Bar

Greatsword

Sword/Shield

Utility

Skill Variants

Utility

• Signet of Illusions over Mantra of Distraction - allows you to be more reckless with your CD management and spam shatters more. Take Mental Anguish on Domination.

• Signet of Midnight over Mirror Images - adds a source of Stealth to the build.

Weapons

• Torch over Shield - defensive weapon which offers more condition removal and adds Stealth access to the build. Of course the stealth could also be used to sneak up on targets and burst them.

Template Code

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Specializations

Specialization Variants

Inspiration over Illusions - improves survivability (especially against condition/cele builds) in exchange for less damage.

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

Sword
Marauder

Shield
Marauder

Sigil

Sigil

Rune
x6

Infusion
x18

Relic

Sigils

Greatsword

• Sigil of Superior Sigil of Vision over Cleansing - makes your burst combo more devastating especially when playing with Inspiration which has lower crit chance on the F1 shatter.

Consumables

Food

• - great offensive stats and some direct damage mitigation.
  • - a bit more defensive but equally viable option.

• - highest damage option, no damage mitigation but the life steal procs still provide some sustain.

• - this food provides some defense against condition damage without sacrificing damage.

• - active damage mitigation via more frequent access to dodging, and the Might generation has synergy with various traits.
  • Budget version:

• or - cheap precision bump and armor ignoring damage procs that also heal you.

Utility

• or .

Usage

Elite specialization basics

• Chronomancers gain access to Continuum Split (CS) in the F5 slot, a new shatter skill. CS only last a couple of seconds, extended by the clones shattered by its activation. Once it ends, your cooldowns and HP will reset back to what they were the moment you've entered Continuum Split. CS is usually used right before costly burst combos as it allows you to do an entire rotation and then repeat it once Continuum Split ends and your CDs reset.

• While your HP reverts back after CS (just like your CDs), any conditions or boons applied to you while CS was active is still going to be on you and your active Wells won't disappear either.

• Your regular shatter skills are replaced by new Chronomancer ones. These are very similar to old shatters in terms of functionality - for example the F1 still hits the hardest and F3 still Dazes.

General

• Signet of the Ether offers some nice passive healing but its true strength lies in the active. Being able to reduce the CD on Phantasmal Berserker for ranged damage or Echo of Memory for added sustain via blocking lets you adapt to various situations on top of getting healed.

• Mantra of Distraction and its Power Lock can be used both defensively (instantly stopping burst attempts, applying Weakness and offensively (denying healing skills, sending them on a 15s CD).
  • Charge up the mantra way before entering a fight. Mounting up doesn't undo it and this way Power Lock will be available at the start of your next fight without having to take precious time to hardcast the mantra first.

• Blink is great in just about any sitaution from disengaging from a fight to teleporting in for a quick melee burst.

• Mirror Images is just as good offensively as it is defensively, in fact it's often used to counterpressure enemies who jump you. Being a stun break which also breaks enemy targeting it's useful when you're getting focused by the enemy team and other defensive skills are on CD, and the 2 clones can be shattered immediately for burst damage (or a longer Distortion even). Alternatively if you're looking to do a quick burst feel free to use this skill to get your clone count up to 2 instantly, right before using a shatter skill.

Damage

• The following burst combo is the backbone of the entire build: Mirror Blade ⇒ Split Second ⇒ Mind Stab

• This is best used in melee range in order to make Mirror Blade (MB) harder to anticipate and to benefit from the Might from the bounces.

• The first bounce of MB creates a clone, you should use Split Second (for maximum damage) or Rewinder (if Split Second is on CD) to shatter it for burst damage.

• Follow up with Mind Stab as soon as you can.

• This combo can be extended and improved by many other skills in the build, including:
  • Rooting people with Sword/Shield's Swap or Tides of Time before the combo is highly recommended as it makes the combo harder to avoid even if they see it coming. Gravity Well works well too.
  • Phantasmal Berserker before the combo could soften up targets, force a dodge, or just in general provide 2 extra clones for shatters once the Phantasms expire.
  • Mirror Images between Mirror Blade and before you shatter instantly adds 2 extra clones for higher burst.
  • Using Continuum Split right before the combo lets you repeat your burst in case the target survived the first one.
  • Illusionary Wave could be used to interrupt the enemy if they're trying to heal, or knock away teammates who are coming in to rez them.

• Sword/Shield is more of a defensive set, but it does have decent clone generation and some CC to set up shatters if you want to.

• Rewinder is your filler shatter. The damage isn't great but it's better than nothing, and the boonrip from Shattered Concentration could soften up targets for your main burst (or just get rid of Stability if you need to interrupt something}.

• Split Second is an ammo skill with 2 charges. With the help of Mirror Images you could do 2 back-to-back shatter combos as it immediately grants you 2 clones which you can shatter using the 2nd Split Second.

Extended burst combo example:

1. Gravity Well
2. Continuum Split right before you finish casting Gravity Well (to get the most out of Continuum Split's short duration)
3. Mirror Blade
4. Mirror Images
5. Split Second
6. Mind Stab
7. Phantasmal Berserker
8. Exit CS, repeat from step one

Sustain

• Survivability is rather low, the best you can do is not get hit.

• Keep your distance between burst combos as much as possible, but getting into melee range is inevitable as that's where your combos are the deadliest.

• Use Distortion, Echo of Memory and Blurred Frenzy to survive pressure. CC can buy you a couple of seconds too and Blink works wonders against less mobile enemies.

• If you absolutely have to, even Continuum Split could be used defensively. It reverts your HP back once it ends, so if you can activate it right before taking damage then it acts like a healing skill with a delay. You'll also be returned to your original position, allowing you to pull off things like using CS before jumping off a wall and teleporting back with Continuum Shift once the enemies jumped after you. This however is a bit predictable and could even backfire, as you're inevitably going to return to your starting position in a few seconds so they could just wait it out and burst you when CS ends.

• Facing condition specs requires a great deal of attention as your condition management is limited to Sigil of Superior Sigil of Cleansing and Distortion's damage prevention.

• You can speed up the recharge of the shield block with the active of Signet of the Ether in case you really need it.

• The best defense is often a good offense. Let's say a Revenant is about to jump you with Phase Traversal, simply drop a Gravity Well under your feet and capitalize on the CC with a GS burst combo. Or a Thief just opened on you from Stealth and you need to react quickly, do a Blurred Frenzy + Mirror Images + Split Second combo for instant counterpressure while also evading their attacks.