Simple Raid Builds

Overview

When starting with raids, it can be helpful to have a build with a somewhat simple rotation that can allow you to focus on mechanics as you learn. The following builds are chosen such that they fit the following requirements:

  • Strong autoattacks (if DPS), allowing the player to contribute to an encounter while still unfamiliar with the class.
  • Easy rotation, allowing the player to improve quickly with the class.
  • Highly effective in the hands of a skilled player, so that it remains a strong choice long-term.
  • Minimal responsibility for mechanics.
  • Viable on the majority of encounters.


Highly Recommended

Condi Soulbeast

A simpler version of Condi Soulbeast is the Condi Shortbow build.

Relying totally on shortbow removes the need to melee the target and makes the rotation less strict as it does not require using on the correct skills.

The rotation here is functionally using skills off cooldown, and as the second weapon set is not used at all it can be used for utility weapons. Being fully ranged makes it easier to avoid AoEs, though it is heavily reliant on flanking the target to achieve the best DPS.


Power Holosmith

The Power Holosmith can be modified by replacing with (or on large hitbox targets). This is the so-called “Kitless Holosmith”.

This removes the need for kit swapping but also takes away the Holosmith’s ability to deal ranged damage. Sword and deal good consistent damage, and offers a large amount of burst when required.

If running kitless, should be activated twice while at high heat or within (ideally both). If using , the toolbelt skill should be activated twice while in . itself is not a DPS increase and so can be saved for the CC.

It is also possible to run instead of as this turns Photon Forge's autoattacks into explosions at the cost of generating more heat. If taking this route, the holosmith should let their heat drop 10 lower than usual before re-entering Photon Forge.


Power Daredevil

Power Daredevil has one of the highest-damage auto-attacks in the game and a very simple rotation that involves no weapon swapping, only one weapon skill, and only one (or two, depending on build) utility skill(s).

If struggling to maintain the rotation, the Daredevil can opt not to activate to have more consistent power. In this case, the rotation fundamentally boils down to dodging and spamming and while under the effect of the buff.

Daredevil has an advantage over Deadeye due to the power of its stolen skills. These skills provide a powerful effect that is usually very helpful for the encounter you get them so learning which skill you will get is very useful.


Heal Tempest

As Druid has a lot of responsibility and relatively low healing, a Heal Tempest is an excellent option as a second healer that provides a huge amount of healing over a wide area.

Staff offers a huge amount of sustained healing simply by auto-attacking in Water Attunement and has the option to switch trait lines to provide additional boon support.


Quickness Firebrand

There are three flavors of Quickness Firebrand (Power, Condi or Healing) but all provide quickness in the same way.

with the trait and are both instant-activation mantras that apply quickness in a small area around the Firebrand and a cone in front of them. The charge system on also makes it much more forgiving if the player is prone to miss skills coming off cooldown, as it can be cast twice in quick succession to “catch up”. Note that this does not work for as the quickness is applied via the trait, and has an internal cooldown.

Which flavor of Quickness Firebrand works best will depend on the squad. The support version is the safest option, but Condi is the most generally useful if the squad does not require extra healing, and will outperform power on practically every encounter.


Also Recommended

In addition to the builds above, there were some that didn't meet all of the outlined requirements but can be strong options nonetheless.


Condi Firebrand

Condi Firebrand boasts high sustained DPS as well as being very bursty for a condi class. In weaker groups, it can provide a small amount of group Quickness Quickness by taking instead of , and using every time it reaches maximum charges. The same skill can also share Aegis Aegis to mitigate certain mechanics.

The build can also bring a good deal of potential support through and if time is taken to learn what each of the skills do.

If struggling with the rotation, the scepter portion may be omitted and only swapped to if ranged damage is required.


Power Dragonhunter

With extremely high burst damage and decent cleave, Power Dragonhunter is a very popular build at every skill level.

While many find the rotation to be simple, it can be difficult to recover from - the most important thing is keeping and synchronized. In addition to this, the reliance on Resolution Resolution to crit-cap and relatively low sustained DPS makes it less suited to groups with poor boon coverage and/or long phases.


Power Reaper

While Power Reaper has very low sustained DPS compared to any of the other options, it has the unique advantage that it becomes comparatively better the worse the group is: The class can self-buff a lot of Might Might and Quickness Quickness, and is less reliant on Fury Fury than other power classes, making it ideal for groups with poor boon uptime.

Additionally, the class can bring a great amount of CC as well as - a long range pull that can be extremely useful. Both these allow Reaper to cover for other squad members that may be slacking.


Heal Scourge

Similar to Healing Tempest, Heal Scourge should be used as a secondary healer to a Druid.

While it has low healing and provides practically no buffs, it has the strongest access to barrier in the game. Barrier effectively prevents the targets from taking damage and can even allow the group to survive some attacks that would otherwise instantly down players. Scourge also has access to , which will teleport downed players to your location and begin reviving them. This enables Scourge to save a group from situations that would otherwise be a wipe.

The focus on damage prevention rather than healing means that Scourge is best when the player is already familiar with the mechanics of an encounter, and care must be taken with to ensure that downed players are not teleported to unsafe locations.


Power Berserker

Power Berserker is a semi-support class that otherwise functions as a DPS. The power rotation is much easier to get to grips with than the condi version but is fully melee and requires flanking the target to deal the most damage.

As a support role, the player will need to maintain squad coverage of and . This involves careful positioning of banners in encounters that involve movement, as well as ensuring that banners are picked up before they despawn naturally. The Berserker may also be expected to contribute a lot of CC when needed, so encounter familiarity is a big advantage.

In groups that already have a banner Berserker, the player can easily switch to DPS Berserker, which is a competent DPS class in its own right.

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