Catalyst - Quickness Support Power DPS
Our curator decided this build is in the current metagame regardless of rating. The community gave this build a rating, making it top-tier: Great
Focused on: Direct damage and Support
Designed for: Raids
Expansions required: 
Overview
A quickness-providing catalyst build. In addition to offering strong DPS, it provides 16-25 
Might, permanent 
Fury, 85-100% 
Resolution, 85-100% 
Protection and 70-85% 
Vigor. It will also occasionally provide 
Swiftness when it blasts its lightning field. The Arcane version of the Hammer build provides permament uptimes of all these boons.
The use of removes one of the major weaknesses of Catalyst, allowing the build to be very flexible with weapon and rotation choice. It can be played identically to the DPS build, and the frequent application of 
Quickness makes it fairly reliable.
While it can provide 
Aegis from , you must plan ahead to ensure that will be available when you need it.
Skill Bar
Weapon Variants
There are multiple weapons that could work. Sword and Scepter deal similar damage and provide similar boon uptimes, but Scepter has the advantage of range as well as being the slightly higher DPS option.
Either of these builds could replace the offhand Dagger with a Warhorn for higher boon uptimes, though it is a significant DPS loss.
Hammer can also be taken, using either the Fire or Arcane traitlines. Arcane is particularly notable as it has the best boon generation of all options and does as much damage as Fire. Additionally, Fire has the worst boon generation of all the options so isn't recommended.
As Scepter/Dagger deals significantly more damage than Hammer (along with having better ranged capabilities and a simpler rotation), it is chosen as the default. But you can run whatever you prefer.
If you play Scepter/Warhorn and add and , you deal very similar damage to the Hammer build while also providing similar boon generation.
Be aware that Hammer builds need different gear (see below).
Skill Variants
- Any heal skill can be used.
- or should replace when using Hammer.
- is the strongest option when using Hammer, but still works fine.
- can be taken if using Warhorn.
Template Code
Specializations
- should be used with the Hammer build and Arcane specialization below.
Specialization Variants
Hammer should run the Arcane traitline for better boon generation.
- could add a small amount of damage if you can block three attacks with the shield.
Equipment
Due to the lack of crit chance from , builds that don't use hammer should run the following:
Berserker
Berserker
Berserker
Berserker
Berserker
Berserker
Berserker
Berserker
Berserker
Berserker
Berserker
Berserker
Berserker
Berserker
Berserker
x6
x13
x5
- is a tiny DPS loss.
- If you don't have stat infusions, use an
Assassin stats backpiece as well. - You can also replace with , run full
Berserker stats gear, and a instead of a .
- This is a small DPS loss if running , and a small DPS gain if running .
Hammer Equipment
Berserker
Berserker
Berserker
Berserker
Berserker
Berserker
Berserker
Berserker
Berserker
Berserker
Berserker
Berserker
Berserker
x6
x18
- is a tiny DPS loss.
Consumables
Food:
- or ascended versions
Utility:
Usage
Rotation fundamentals
Jade Sphere use
During the loop, you want to deploy your Jade Sphere once in each element. Each one provides Quickness and one other boon upon activation, then pulses additional boons for the duration. Unlike the DPS build, you can gain the energy while one is active, so there is some flexibility with when you use them. generates stacks of , and and will last longer if used while standing in and respectively, so these spheres are best to use as early as possible.
Glyph of Storms use
should be used either in Fire or Air attunement. Optimal use will depend on phase timings as well as hitbox size - Fire favouring small hitboxes and Air favouring large. Given the damage and cooldown, Fire should be the more efficient option, but the rotation can line up somewhat awkwardly compared to using it in Air, so consider the following:
- A rule of thumb for elementalist is that your last in each phase should be used in Air, so try to keep an idea of how long you have left when deciding where to use it.
- As the more powerful option, if you can line Air up with your target gaining
Exposed this will be greatly beneficial - particularly useful in fractals. - You may be better off just casting at the earliest possible opportunity, whether you are in Fire or Air.
Fiery Greatsword use
Summon after swapping to and use , then drop the weapon and continue your rotation. The next time you reach , pick the second Greatsword up and repeat. Cast (make sure your is already down) as soon as you can, and it will buff the ticking damage.
Hammmer Fundamentals
Catalyst's rotation can be varied quite a lot, so an outline is provided rather than a strict skill usage. The fundamental goal is to cycle through all four elements, activating the Circular Projectile in each element before releasing them all with and starting the loop again. Jade Sphere is also used in each element for boons. Downtime can be minimised by using the skills with the longest cast times last in each attunement and immediately swapping.
Fire
In Fire you want to use:
Water
In Water you want to use:
- - use if available, but don't delay your attunement swap for it
Air
In Air you want to use:
- .
Earth
In Earth you want to use:
- - as is a powerful autoattack, it is a good idea to delay this until your attunement swap is available, then use and immediately swap (this will not interrupt the cast)
Arcane Adjustments
If running Arcane, the cooldowns of your attunements and Jade Spheres are reduced. This means that you arrive back in your starting attunement before your Circular Projectile is available. Rather than wait, it is better to do another quick loop through all the available attunements. Performed quickly enough, you can get back to your starting attunement before expires. As you can get a whole extra set of Jade Spheres off, this substantially increases your boon generation (though the full loop itself takes ~35% longer), albeit with a notable difficulty increase.
During this shorter loop, only your 2-skills will be off cooldown (, , and ). However as the full loop is longer, you can use once every full loop, making it optimal to "shift" to the shorter loop instead. See below for an example.
Rotation example
While you have opportunities to adjust the element order as needed, you want your first two attunements to be Fire and Air (for and the potent Circular Projectile buffs), followed by Water and lastly Earth. Your choice of starting attunement is largely up to you, but it might be best to base it upon which you wish to open with.
Be aware that many of the longer skills will interrupt each other rather than queue, so be careful to let such skills finish.
Opener in Fire
- (optional)
Air
- - swap to
Water Attunement once the cast begins
Water
- (if available)
- - swap to
Earth Attunement once the cast begins
Earth
- - it is optimal to delay this slightly to improve and uptime
- until is nearly off cooldown
- - swap to
Fire Attunement once the cast begins
Fire
- (if available, or pick up a previously placed one)
- - drop Fiery Greastword immediately after the cast
- Return to the start of the Air Section
Keep looping between the four elements, following the advice in the Rotation fundamentals section and adjusting as necessary.
Arcane Loop
If running Arcane, replace the Fire section above with the one below. Speed is crucial, so you want to be swapping attunements during skill casts.
- (if available, or pick up a previously placed one)
- - drop Fiery Greastword immediately after the cast
- - it is optimal, but not essential to use this here instead of in the Water section above.
- until Fire Attunement is available
- Return to the start of the Air Section
Sword/Warhorn Rotation
The quickness rotation is almost identical to the DPS one, with the exception that you use every loop. You can add , or into the relevant attunements if you want more boon generation.
Opener in Air
Fire
- when ready
- (if available), followed by
- Otherwise, autoattack until Flame Uprising is available
Earth
- (if available)
Water
- if available, otherwise autoattack until Air Attunement is ready
Air
- Autoattack and use , and as they come off cooldown
- Return to the start of the Fire Section
Scepter/Warhorn Rotation
You can add , or into the relevant attunements if you want more boon generation.
Opener in Air
Fire
The cooldown of is longer than the loop, so just cast it whenever it comes off cooldown. You don't want to delay your attunement swap to use it though, so it won't be used every loop.
- (if available)
- (if available), followed by
- Otherwise, autoattack until Flame Uprising is available
Water
- (if available)
- (if available)
Earth
- - this has no cast time so can be cast during other skills
- (if available)
Air
- Autoattack and use , and as they come off cooldown
- after the second time you use
- Return to the start of the Fire Section
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