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Virtuoso - Power DPS

Part of the current metagame

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

Designed for: Raids and Fractals

Expansions required: End of Dragons buildsJanthir Wilds builds

Difficulty:
Normal
This build was last updated on September 29, 2024 and is up to date for the October 8, 2024 patch.

Overview

Power virtuoso is a simple yet effective build that deals great burst and sustained damage. It has access to evades and blocks, permanent Fury Fury, and inflicts large amounts of Vulnerability Vulnerability.


Skill Bar

Dagger/Sword
Spear
Utility


Weapon Variants

  • Greatsword can replace Spear for players that don't own Janthir Wilds. This also makes the build fully ranged, which could have niche use.
  • Offhand Sword can be replaced with a Focus for access to the powerful Temporal Curtain. However this is a significant DPS loss, so should only be done as a last resort.


Skill Variants

Mantra of Pain or Rain of Swords may be swapped out for other utilities as desired.

  • Sword of Decimation offers similar DPS but adds some extra CC.



Template Code

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Specializations


Trait Variants

  • Use Bountiful Blades when running Greatsword.


Equipment

Head
Assassin
Shoulders
Berserker
Chest
Berserker
Hands
Berserker
Legs
Assassin
Feet
Berserker
Backpiece
Berserker
Accessory
Berserker
Accessory
Berserker
Amulet
Berserker
Ring
Berserker
Ring
Berserker
Dagger
Berserker
Sword
Berserker
Sigil
Sigil
Spear
Berserker
Sigil
Sigil
Rune
x6
Infusion
x18
Relic
  • Rune of Superior Rune of the Dragonhunter is practically identical damage.
  • Relic of the Thief is less damage, but allows you to save some CC (Bladesong Dissonance, and Illusionary Wave if Greatsword). The DPS difference is fairly small so use whichever you prefer.
  • You should aim for ~2005 precision.


Impact Variant

If you want to run this build on encounters where the boss can be stunned, you may benefit more from running a Sigil of Superior Sigil of Impact instead of the Sigil of Superior Sigil of Accuracy. To make up for the lost crit chance, make the following gear changes:

  • Switch the amulet, one ring, one accessory and the backpiece to Assassin stats Assassin stats.
    • You should aim for 2155 precision.


More convenient, but lower DPS options:

  • Use Rune of Superior Rune of the Golemancer and switch the amulet to Assassin stats Assassin stats.
  • Switch the Sigil of Superior Sigil of Force for the Sigil of Superior Sigil of Impact instead.


Consumables

Food

  • or ascended versions


Utility


Usage

Spear rotation

The most important skill to understand on Spear is Mind the Gap. This skill is a spin attack that deals extra damage to enemies that are on the outer edge of its radius. This radius roughly corresponds to maximum melee range, so you can reliably hit with it, but you may need to stand further back than usual and annoy some boon supports.

Hitting your target with Mind the Gap applies a buff called Clarity Clarity. Your next use of one of your Spear skills 2-5 will consume the buff and gain an enhanced effect:

  • Mind the Gap grants you Might Might
  • Imaginary Inversion heals for more
  • Phantasmal Lancer summons an extra phantasm
  • Mental Collapse stuns your target

Of these, the only one that increases your damage is Phantasmal Lancer, so this will be the skill we want to enhance.


Opener

Try to start with five blades stocked and begin on Dagger/Sword.

  1. Phantasmal Disenchanter
  2. Unstable Bladestorm
  3. Phantasmal Swordsman, and Bladeturn Requiem during the cast
  4. Thousand Cuts and Mantra of Pain once you have the Deadly Blades buff - both are instant cast and can be used during other skills
  5. Bladecall
  6. Weapon Swap Weapon Swap


Spear Loop

If you want to save Bladesong Dissonance for CC, then delay Bladesong Sorrow until just before Imaginary Inversion at step 13

  1. Mind the Gap - applies Clarity if you hit with the outer edge
  2. Phantasmal Lancer - consumes Clarity to summon an extra phantasm
  3. Signet of the Ether + Mantra of Pain (skip Mantra of Pain on the very first loop as you used a charge in the opener)
  4. Mental Collapse - this recharges Mind the Gap
  5. Mind the Gap
  6. Phantasmal Lancer
  7. Bladesong Harmony - maintains Deadly Blades and Relic of Fireworks buffs
  8. Rain of Swords
  9. Phantasmal Disenchanter
  10. Psycut Psystrike Mind Pierce
  11. Mind the Gap
  12. Psycut Psystrike Mind Pierce x2
  13. Imaginary Inversion
  14. Mind the Gap
  15. Bladesong Dissonance - maintains Deadly Blades and Relic of Fireworks buffs
  16. Phantasmal Lancer
  17. Weapon Swap Weapon Swap


Dagger/Sword Loop

Steps 1-3 of the Dagger/Sword loop are important to perform quickly to avoid delaying the swap back to Spear, you also need to be sure to use Bladecall off cooldown so that you can fit 3 of them in.

  1. Phantasmal Swordsman
  2. Bladecall
  3. Unstable Bladestorm
  4. Bladesong Harmony
  5. Flying Cutter, and Power Spike once it reaches full charges
  6. Bladecall
  7. Flying Cutter, and Phantasmal Disenchanter when it comes off cooldown
  8. Bladecall
  9. Phantasmal Swordsman, and Bladeturn Requiem during the cast
  10. Unstable Bladestorm
  11. Weapon Swap Weapon Swap
  12. Return to start of Spear Loop


Greatsword rotation

Click to view Toggle

Opener

Try to start with five blades stocked and begin on Dagger/Sword.

  1. Phantasmal Disenchanter
  2. Unstable Bladestorm
  3. Phantasmal Swordsman, and Bladeturn Requiem during the cast
  4. Thousand Cuts and Mantra of Pain once you have the Deadly Blades buff - both are instant cast and can be used during other skills
  5. Bladecall
  6. Weapon Swap Weapon Swap


Greatsword Loop

Each Greatsword Loop is opened and closed with Phantasmal Berserker and Mirror Blade, using other skills off cooldown in between. If you want to save Bladesong Dissonance for CC, then delay Bladesong Sorrow until just before Mind Stab at step 13

  1. Phantasmal Berserker
  2. Signet of the Ether + Mantra of Pain (skip Mantra of Pain on the very first loop as you used a charge in the opener)
  3. Phantasmal Berserker
  4. Mind Stab
  5. Mirror Blade
  6. Bladesong Harmony
  7. Rain of Swords
  8. Phantasmal Disenchanter
  9. Spatial Surge until Mirror Blade is nearly off cooldown
  10. Bladesong Sorrow
  11. Mirror Blade
  12. Spatial Surge until Mind Stab is off cooldown
  13. Mind Stab
  14. Bladesong Dissonance
  15. Phantasmal Berserker
  16. Mirror Blade
  17. Weapon Swap Weapon Swap


Dagger/Sword Loop

Steps 1-3 of the Dagger/Sword loop are important to perform quickly to avoid delaying the swap back to Greatsword, you also need to be sure to use Bladecall off cooldown so that you can fit 3 of them in.

  1. Phantasmal Swordsman
  2. Bladecall
  3. Unstable Bladestorm
  4. Bladesong Harmony
  5. Flying Cutter, and Mind Spike once it reaches full charges
  6. Bladecall
  7. Flying Cutter, and Phantasmal Disenchanter when it comes off cooldown
  8. Bladecall
  9. Phantasmal Swordsman, and Bladeturn Requiem during the cast
  10. Unstable Bladestorm
  11. Weapon Swap Weapon Swap
  12. Return to start of Greatsword Loop


Video example


Sword/Focus rotation

Click to view Toggle

Opener

Try to start with five blades stocked and begin on Sword/Focus. The dagger section of the opener is broadly the same as the Dagger/Sword loop below.

  1. Phantasmal Warden
  2. Weapon Swap Weapon Swap
  3. Bladesong Harmony
  4. Thousand Cuts and Mantra of Pain once you have the Deadly Blades buff from Bladesong Harmony - both are instant cast and can be used during other skills
  5. Weapon Swap Weapon Swap
  6. Bladecall
  7. Phantasmal Swordsman
  8. Phantasmal Disenchanter
  9. Unstable Bladestorm
  10. Signet of the Ether
  11. Phantasmal Swordsman
  12. Bladesong Sorrow - make sure you're at five blades
  13. Bladecall
  14. Rain of Swords
  15. Phantasmal Disenchanter
  16. Mantra of Pain
  17. Flying Cutter and Mantra of Pain until Bladesong Harmony is ready - Mantra of Pain should come off cooldown when you still have the deadly Deadly Blades buff, but before you start losing stacks of Fencer's Finesse
  18. Bladesong Harmony
  19. Bladecall
  20. Flying Cutter until Unstable Bladestorm is off cooldown
  21. Unstable Bladestorm
  22. Bladesong Dissonance - this is mostly to maintain Deadly Blades, so skip if you think you'll need the CC
  23. Phantasmal Swordsman
  24. Bladecall
  25. Weapon Swap Weapon Swap


Sword/Focus Loop

The Sword/Focus loop is very simple, just be sure to use Blurred Frenzy early and weapon swap immediately after using it a second time.

  1. Phantasmal Warden
  2. Blurred Frenzy
  3. Autoattack until Bladesong Harmony is off cooldown
  4. Bladesong Harmony
  5. Autoattack until Phantasmal Disenchanter is off cooldown
  6. Phantasmal Disenchanter
  7. Blurred Frenzy
  8. Weapon Swap Weapon Swap


Dagger/Sword Loop

Steps 1-5 of the Dagger/Sword loop are important to get in the correct order to avoid delaying the swap back to Sword/Focus, you also need to be sure to use Bladecall off cooldown so that you can fit 4 of them in. If you reach step 15 and Bladecall is still on cooldown, just skip that step and weapon swap.

  1. Bladecall
  2. Phantasmal Swordsman
  3. Unstable Bladestorm
  4. Signet of the Ether
  5. Phantasmal Swordsman
  6. Bladesong Harmony
  7. Bladecall
  8. Phantasmal Disenchanter
  9. Flying Cutter until you have five blades stocked
  10. Bladesong Sorrow
  11. Bladecall
  12. Flying Cutter until Unstable Bladestorm is off cooldown
  13. Unstable Bladestorm
  14. Phantasmal Swordsman
  15. Bladecall
  16. Weapon Swap Weapon Swap
  17. Return to start of Sword/Focus Loop


Video example


General Tips

  • Use Rain of Swords and Thousand Cuts off cooldown.
  • Use Mantra of Pain when it reaches maximum charges - ideally while under the effects of both Deadly Blades and Fencer's Finesse
  • Distortion can be used to provide higher uptime of Deadly Blades, but make sure not to use up your stock of blades just before you want to use Bladesong Harmony or Bladesong Sorrow.
  • If you cancel the aftercast of your Bladesongs too soon (such as with Blurred Frenzy, Signet of the Ether or Mind Stab), it will not apply the Deadly Blades buff.


Ratings

This build has a rating of 5 stars based on 3 votes.
Log in or register to rate this build.
4 stars
OfficerAndyGentleman gave this build 4 stars • May 2023
Fully ranged, good burst and sustained damage, decent CC and boonrip for free, and decent active defence as well. Sadly, other builds have been steadily buffed, leaving it left behind somewhat.
5 stars
Warming Hearth gave this build 5 stars • August 2022
Great burst, great sustained damage, and the rotation is more forgiving than that of power chronomancer while doing higher sustained dps.
5 stars
Hxppy gave this build 5 stars • June 2022
very nice build, I love the burst of power dps and the utility of mesmers I wouldn't swap out the disenchanter though since i should be important for blade upkeep with Sharper Images. According to discretize you lose Mantra of Pain for utility skills also the rotation on discretize is way easier to learn and is easier to adapt to mechanics

Comments

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