Build:Chronomancer - Power DPS

The community gave this build a rating, making it top-tier: Great

Focused on: Direct damage

Designed for: Raids and Fractals

Expansions required:

Difficulty:

Normal

This build was last updated on November 14, 2023 and is up to date for the March 19, 2024 patch.

Overview

A power DPS Chronomancer build for raids, strikes, and fractals. This build is very complex and very not-beginner-friendly. Compared to Virtuoso, power chronomancer is much harder to play while dealing very similar damage, so it's a niche build.

This build requires practice and mastery to make the most out of Continuum Split. In addition, it has very good Crowd Control, utility, and versatility, and provides 50% Fury to its subgroup and a little Alacrity to itself.

Skill Bar

Dagger/Sword

Greatsword

Utility

Weapon Variants

• Sword is the best mainhand weapon for players that don't own Secrets of the Obscure.
• Sword/Focus can be taken in place of Greatsword. It is a fairly significant DPS loss, but can be worth it for the utility of Focus.

Skill Variants

• Mirror Images should replace Mantra of Pain if using Focus, as you need quick clone generation for the opening Continuum Split.
• Mantra of Pain could be swapped for Well of Action or Well of Senility if you find yourself accidentally using the last charge at the wrong time, or if you want the extra utility.
• Signet of Humility if extra CC is required. Be aware of the long cooldown.

These are the skills suggested for full DPS, but if the situation requires, you can slot utility skills like Feedback, Portal Entre, Mantra of Distraction or other. If you have to take other skills, replace Mantra of Pain first, and if you really need another skill, replace Well of Calamity at a significant dps loss.

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Specializations

Trait Variants

• Empowered Illusions if using Focus
• Delayed Reactions - if extra CC is needed

Equipment

Head
Assassin

Shoulders
Assassin

Chest
Assassin

Hands
Assassin

Legs
Assassin

Feet
Assassin

Backpiece
Berserker

Accessory
Berserker

Accessory
Berserker

Amulet
Assassin

Ring
Berserker

Ring
Assassin

Dagger
Berserker

Sword
Berserker

Sigil

Sigil

Greatsword
Berserker

Sigil

Sigil

Rune
x6

Infusion
x18

Relic

• Relic of Fireworks is slightly higher damage, but means you have to use Illusionary Wave to maintain the Fireworks buff.
• This set provides exactly 75% critical chance with , reaching 100% with Fury.
  • If varying this equipment, you want to aim for 2470 precision (including food).

Equipment Variants

On encounters, such as most raids, where Sigil of Superior Sigil of Impact does not gain bonus damage, taking a Sigil of Superior Sigil of Accuracy and swapping all gear to Berserker stats will be slightly higher damage.

Consumables

Food

• /

Utility

Usage

Power chronomancer has a very complex rotation. Due to Improved Alacrity, your cooldowns are even shorter than normal, so the rotation is longer by squeezing more skills into it. You should memorise the opening and practice it, because then you can just follow your cooldowns to sort of know what to do.

Beginner Rotation

Alternatively, you can opt to drop Greatsword (or replace it with a Focus) to greatly simplify the rotation at a ~9% DPS loss. In this case, take Empowered Illusions in Domination. The rotation below assumes the use of Focus in the second set, but you can choose to camp Dagger/Sword if you prefer, though this is an additional ~2% DPS loss.

Opening Continuum Split
As this is a beginner rotation, Continuum Split is kept very simple:

1. Bladecall to start with a clone to shatter
2. Continuum Split
3. Phantasmal Warden (replace with Phantasmal Swordsman if not using Focus)
4. Phantasmal Disenchanter
5. Unstable Bladestorm
6. Continuum Shift
7. Phantasmal Warden
8. Weapon Swap

Rest of the Rotation
For the rest of the rotation you use Dagger skills, Gravity Well, and your three utility skills off cooldown (be sure not to consume the last charge of Mantra of Pain if using). Additionally:

• On offhand Sword use Phantasmal Swordsman ⇒ Signet of the Ether ⇒ Phantasmal Swordsman, then continue using other skills off cooldown until you can use Phantasmal Swordsman once more. Then immediately Weapon swap afterwards (if using Focus).
• On offhand Focus, use Phantasmal Warden whenever it comes off cooldown, then Weapon swap back to offhand Sword as soon as you can.

Video guide by Masel

Dagger Rotation

Opening Continuum Split

Start on Dagger

1. Phantasmal Disenchanter
2. Unstable Bladestorm
3. Phantasmal Swordsman
4. Bladecall
5. Weapon Swap
6. Mirror Blade
7. Phantasmal Berserker, and Continuum Split during the cast
8. Well of Calamity and Time Sink
9. Signet of the Ether
10. Phantasmal Berserker
11. Phantasmal Disenchanter
12. Mind Stab and Split Second
13. Mirror Blade and Rewinder
14. Gravity Well and Continuum Split ends
15. Phantasmal Berserker
16. Well of Calamity and Split Second ⇒ Time Sink
17. Signet of the Ether
18. Phantasmal Berserker and Rewinder
19. Mind Stab
20. Mirror Blade and Distortion
21. Weapon Swap

Dagger Loop

1. Bladecall
2. Unstable Bladestorm
3. Phantasmal Swordsman + Shatter
4. Signet of the Ether (skip on first loop)
5. Autoattack and use Bladecall and Unstable Bladestorm when they come off cooldown, Shatter when you reach 3 clones
6. Phantasmal Swordsman + Shatter
7. Bladecall
8. Weapon Swap

Greatsword Loop

1. Phantasmal Berserker
2. Mirror Blade
3. Mind Stab
4. Autoattack, use Mirror Blade when it comes off cooldown, and Shatter when you reach 3 clones
5. Mind Stab
6. Phantasmal Berserker
7. Mirror Blade
8. Weapon Swap
9. Return to start of loop

• Fill the gaps with auto attacks.
• Use Mantra of Pain, Well of Calamity, and Phantasmal Disenchanter off cooldown.
• With Mantra of Pain, use the last charge just before the end of a phase and recharge it near the start of the next one to provide some Might to your subgroup.
• This rotation spams shatters to trigger Relic of Fireworks
  • Split Second deals a lot of damage, but doesn't trigger the relic, so save clones for it and immediately follow up with Time Sink or Distortion
  • Time Sink or Distortion can be saved for cc or defense.
    • In this case, you can add Illusionary Wave just before Mind Stab in the greatsword loop to maintain the fireworks buff instead
• Every third dagger autoattack triggers a Cutter Burst, so try to do this before swapping to greatsword

Second Continuum Split

When Continuum Split is ready and you're on Dagger:

1. Bladecall (if you're not at 3 clones)
2. Phantasmal Swordsman, and Continuum Split during the cast
3. Bladecall (if not used in step 1)
4. Unstable Bladestorm
5. Signet of the Ether
6. Phantasmal Swordsman
7. Well of Calamity
8. Phantasmal Disenchanter and Split Second ⇒ Rewinder
9. Gravity Well and Time Sink
10. Bladecall
11. Continuum Shift
12. Phantasmal Swordsman
13. Signet of the Ether
14. Phantasmal Swordsman
15. Gravity Well and Distortion
16. Well of Calamity
17. Unstable Bladestorm
18. Bladecall
19. Weapon Swap

• From this point, you now use Signet of the Ether at the end of the Dagger Loop rather than the start of it.
  • Everything else about the loop remains the same.

Video example

Video example (focus)

Sword Rotation

Opener

Start on Greatsword.

1. Phantasmal Disenchanter
2. Phantasmal Berserker
3. Mind Stab
4. Mirror Blade
5. Weapon swap
6. Illusionary Leap
7. Phantasmal Swordsman ⇒ Continuum Split at the very end of the cast time of the Swordsman.
8. Mantra of Pain once you hit 10 stacks of Fencer's Finesse
9. Signet of the Ether try to use it right when the Swordsman spawns to cancel the aftercast animation.
10. Phantasmal Swordsman
11. Phantasmal Disenchanter and Rewinder
12. Well of Calamity and Split Second
13. Gravity Well
14. Blurred Frenzy. If you were successful following this very tight rotation, Continuum Split ends during Blurred Frenzy and Gravity Well is off cooldown.
15. Phantasmal Swordsman
16. Well of Calamity and Split Second
17. Signet of the Ether
18. Phantasmal Swordsman
19. Weapon swap
20. Phantasmal Berserker
21. Mirror Blade
22. Mind Stab
23. Phantasmal Disenchanter

Loop

After the opener, you follow this loop:

• When you swap to sword, the first and last skill before you swap again is Phantasmal Swordsman, and you will use Phantasmal Disenchanter in between. Fill the gaps with Blurred Frenzy and never interrupt your auto attack chain because most of the damage comes from the final strike Mind Spike.
• When you swap to greatword, you use Phantasmal Berserker 3 times thanks to Signet of the Ether, and Phantasmal Disenchanter once, while using your greatsword damage skills in between.

1. Phantasmal Berserker
2. Signet of the Ether
3. Phantasmal Berserker
4. Mirror Blade
5. Mind Stab
6. Phantasmal Disenchanter
7. Mirror Blade
8. Mind Stab
9. Phantasmal Berserker
10. Mirror Blade
11. Weapon swap

• Use Well of Calamity off cooldown.
• Gravity Well should be saved for CC. If there's no need for CC during the fight, Gravity Well can be used in the greatsword set instead of auto attacks. It has the lowest priority out of all your skills due to its very low damage.
• If you have to interrupt the loop because the boss moved, or phased, or you have to do some mechanic, you don't simply resume your rotation where you left it.
  • If you're on sword, you want to return to greatsword whenever weapon swap is ready, casting your available skills while waiting. But if weapon swap is ready, cast Phantasmal Swordsman and swap inmediatly.
  • If you're on greatsword, try to follow the loop from the start skippig what's on cooldown and weapon swap when ready and your skills are on cooldown. If Signet of the Ether is on cooldown, don't wait for it.

Continuum Split

When Continuum Split comes off cooldown after the opener, you will want to be on greatsword with your cooldowns available, and shatter with 3 clones. You will use your Signet of the Ether to cast Phantasmal Berserker twice inside the split, and twice outside of it, and Well of Calamity Twice.

1. Phantasmal Disenchanter
2. Mirror Blade ⇒ Continuum Split
3. Phantasmal Berserker
4. Signet of the Ether
5. Phantasmal Berserker
6. Phantasmal Disenchanter
7. Mind Stab
8. Well of Calamity
9. Mirror Blade and Split Second
10. Gravity Well and Rewinder
11. Continuum Split ends during its cast.
12. Phantasmal Berserker
13. Signet of the Ether and Split Second
14. Phantasmal Berserker and Rewinder
15. Mind Stab
16. Mirror Blade
17. Weapon swap
18. Phantasmal Swordsman
19. Blurred Frenzy
20. Well of Calamity
21. Continue with the priority.

Video example

Video example (Focus)

Crowd Control

• Gravity Well
• Time Sink
• Illusionary Riposte ⇒ Counter Blade
• Illusionary Wave

Notes

• Essentially, you use all your skills except Illusionary Leap and Illusionary Wave.
• Use Split Second whenever you have 3 clones up.
• Make sure not to interrupt your autoattack chain as the damage from it is heavily loaded into the final strike, Mind Spike.
• Save clones to shatter with Time Sink if you will need to CC in the immediate future.
• After the opener, use Mantra of Pain anytime it gets a charge.
  • Use the final charge just before a boss is about to phase, and recharge it before the start of the next.
• Try to flank (attack from behind or the side) whenever possible to make use of your Rune of Superior Rune of the Thief.
• Don't worry too much if you were unable to fit Gravity Well inside the Continuum Split opener, it deals less damage than one full sword auto attack chain, and 3 greatsword auto attacks.
• Flow of Time provides enough Alacrity to counter the negative side of Improved Alacrity. This means that your Alacrity-provider doesn't have to increase their boon duration to give you more Alacrity. Your Alacrity might drop during transitions and other situations where you can't create and shatter clones, but that shouldn't be a problem.
• As you master this class, you can start considering some more advanced tips and tricks:
  • Blurred Frenzy, Mind Stab and Signet of the Ether will interrupt your current skill cast. The opener takes advantage of this to cancel the aftercast animations of Phantasmal Swordsman, but make sure to not interrupt yourself with these skills. You can use them, or weapon stow, to cancel the aftercast animation of Illusionary Leap, which can be cancelled almost instantly, or Blurred Frenzy, which can be stowed after the final strik.
  • When on gretsword, if you already have 3 clones as Split Second is almost off cooldown, and you have phantasms attacking, you can shatter the 3 clones with Split Second, then shatter those phantasms (after they become clones) with Rewinder, because you will have 3 clones up again through Phantasmal Berserker and Mirror Blade by the time Split Second is off cooldown again. This is only a 2% dps gain, so ignore it if you're not confident that you can pull it off because delaying Split Second by even 1 second, or not having 3 clones ready for it, would be terrible.
  • Well of Calamity has artificially high priority in the rotation so that it is off cooldown for the second Continuum Split. If you had to interrupt your rotation at any point, you will no longer need to give such high priority to it. Instead, when Continuum Split is coming off cooldown, ensure that Well of Calamity will be available to use inside of it. With 13,3 seconds cooldown, this means you should leave WoC off cooldown when CS will be ready in 8-9 seconds or less.