Build:Holosmith - DPS Holo

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

Focused on: Strike damage

Designed for: WvW Zerg

Expansions required:

Difficulty:

TBD

This build was last updated on October 30, 2022 and is up to date for the April 16, 2024 patch.

Overview

A power damage Holosmith WvW build meant to do massive damage within melee range, overwhelming the enemies with copious amounts of burst hits, causing great pain and harm to their bodies and souls and health bars, while having no meaningful downtime, unlike their competitors like full damage reaper or berserker which struggle outside of Reaper's Shroud and Berserk. Greatly profits from the large damage modifier of Laser's Edge paired with Enhanced Capacity Storage Unit and the high damage of Flame Jet

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Skillbar

Rifle/Rifle

Utility

Variants

Utility

• Elixir S defensive stunbreak

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

Rifle
Marauder

Sigil

Sigil

Rifle
Marauder

Sigil

Sigil

Rune
x6

Variants

Sigil

• Sigil of Superior Sigil of Stamina option instead of Sigil of Superior Sigil of Force for activating Explosive Entrance

Consumables

• • feast option with additional power and ferocity.

Usage

General

• As soon as you get the 25 stacks of Sigil of Superior Sigil of Bloodlust and get out of combat, swap back to the Rifle without it

Overall Priorities

High

• Damage

Moderate

• Superspeed

Low

• CC

Surviving

• This build has moderate passive defense
• This build has moderate mobility skill access
  • Holo Leap will leap towards your target if you have one, make sure to drop your target when using it for mobility
• This builds has moderate active defenses

Active defense priority Holo Leap or Overcharged Shot - for Immobilize Dodge Elixir U A.E.D.

Detailed Explanations

Damage

• You want to stay between 100 and 150 heat all the time to ensure you benefit from both the bonuses given by Enhanced Capacity Storage Unit and Laser's Edge
  • To quickly generate heat, you can use holo skills like Holographic Shockwave and Photon Blitz
• The damage rotation is simple, you Engage Photon Forge whenever you are around 100 heat, use mainly Corona Burst and Light Strike chain autos for damage, and filling with the rest of the skills if needed, like Holo Leap, until you are about to overheat, at this moment you Deactivate Photon Forge and wait for your heat to drop down to 100
• In the meantime, you fill the Photon Forge downtime:
  • By using your rifle skills, mainly Blunderbuss and Jump Shot for burst damage
  • Spamming Flame Jet
• Laser Disk and Prime Light Beam do a lot of damage, try to use the first whenever you are sure you are going to be able to sit in melee for a long time, for example cleaving downstates. The second is best suited for chokes or scenarios where the enemy is pushing at you, since it goes beyond the standard 5man target cap, you have to abuse that.
  • Prime Light Beam roots your for a while during the cast so be careful to not greed
  • Try to use both Exceed skills within Photon Forge, to grant then the Laser's Edge modifier

Skill priority Prime Light Beam - over 50 heat Corona Burst Laser Disk Jump Shot Blunderbuss Dodge - for Explosive Temper (Explosive Entrance) Flame Jet

Superspeed

• Holo Leap gives Superspeed to an unlimited amount of allies, so try to be slighty in front of the group, in the direction your commander is pushing, whenever you use it.

CC

• Use your Holographic Shockwave when:
  • Your group calls a spike:
    • Winds - Winds of Disenchantment
    • Wells - Well of Corruption+Well of Suffering
    • Shades - Desert Shroud
    • Traps - Procession of Blades+Test of Faith
  • On top of enemy downs (while alive players are on top of them)
  • Enemy groups moving defensively while your group is pushing