New Mods = New Builds?

[build=OQITEZ6aNywyvAwYH8UkHsng2AA]

"Never Battle Rage Alone" was a fun build on PvX years (decades?) ago that got trashed and deleted mainly due to the energy management issues with a Warrior having to maintain a 15en skill (Never Rampage Alone) every 25 seconds.

Now that problem is solved with a Sword Pommel (or Axe Grip) of the Elementalist. Necromancer may work ok as well.

EDIT (Axe version):

[build=OQITEZ5aNywKqwpYH8UkHsng2AA]

To summarize:

33% IMS
25% IAS
+3 health regen for you and your pet
double adrenaline
extra damage from a pet

All of which is 100% maintainable

Ele Bombers can now more comfortably spike with Masochism + DA. Before the update Masochism lasted for 10+2s, now it lasts 20+4s, which you need when precasting your glyph + intensity. Add's a respectable 2x65dmg to adjacent targets or more if you drop iau, the knock and/or the glyph and jump in without a knock.

Same goes for any other spiker that casts spells after jumping in, such as VoS casting Staggering Aura (not really worth going D/N for but it can add 65 armor ignoring dmg to adjacent with a DA nec on the team.

Edit: The Water build no longer needs points in Earth Magic after I dropped Teinais crystals.

[Build=OQejgymTHTOMMMHMWY9YAhn11g]

(attributes: 12+3+1 Leadership, 12 Dagger Mastery, 3 Command)
(the blank spot is Heroic Refrain)

It's not all-new, just a modification of HR dagger build using the Critical Strikes mod.

Go for the Eyes can upkeep Critical Agility while giving tons of energy. You can switch There's Nothing to Fear for Asuran Scan to counter blindness.

I've tested Critical Agility with other melee builds, but upkeep is a problem due to the critical hit chance still being quite low. To solve that I've tried Malicious Strike, Wild Blow, and Way of the Master, but I don't have a solid build to share yet.

[Build=OQZCgMwEOYYT5w3AuIpQ4gLI]

(attributes: 12+ Fast Casting, 12 Lightning Mastery)

Here's a "lightning-fast" mesmer build I played around with. Elemental Attunement lasts 37 seconds with the Energy Storage mod. After testing I'd say the damage is "not too wild". Makes me go, "Ooh.. so that's why the damage meta belongs to mesmers and not eles" Sorry eles. Maybe I just didn't like upkeeping the enchantments. You can actually try this build without the ES mod and still upkeep the elite.

energy hiding/high energy set became a big step more effective esp for melees: you can pair a wand of the ele with a q5 estor foc to get a total of +50energy from a weapon swap and even more if you use a 15/-5 inherent on your main set weapon. can be effective if you face a lot of ene drain and some longer expencive casts.

another one ar 5str shields for casters (or anyone for that matter) for an extra 5 armor to before plus no attri spending needed for just the shield plus supplying immunity for the armor buff to weakness or wail of doom (since the 5attr buffs are not affected).

the necromancer, assassin, paragon and ranger mods can be used for energy management.

so far for some concepts - I don't have much time for testing, but I liked playing war with assassin mod and some of the crit increasing skills.

Replace lightning orb with the spell that inflicts cracked armor for 5 energy and hit all adjacent foes

Chain > That skill > Intensity > Lightning hammer

Quote from Red Fireball

energy hiding/high energy set became a big step more effective esp for melees: you can pair a wand of the ele with a q5 estor foc to get a total of +50energy from a weapon swap and even more if you use a 15/-5 inherent on your main set weapon. can be effective if you face a lot of ene drain and some longer expencive casts.

another one ar 5str shields for casters (or anyone for that matter) for an extra 5 armor to before plus no attri spending needed for just the shield plus supplying immunity for the armor buff to weakness or wail of doom (since the 5attr buffs are not affected).

the necromancer, assassin, paragon and ranger mods can be used for energy management.

so far for some concepts - I don't have much time for testing, but I liked playing war with assassin mod and some of the crit increasing skills.

The warrior quote is meh since you can just put a Defense mod on your sword and it does the same.. sure if you want to have a wand there’s a take but a wand of the warrior ? I can see that on dervish running around in SC but that’s about it

Well if we're just talking mods and not builds specifically.

1. The FC mod benefits the meta curses build a lot: AEcho, SS, 2x Desecrate Spells, Barbs - all 2s cast time

2. MM Nec: Bloodstained Insignia + 40/20/5FC weapon

3. 40/20/5FC wand/focus set for Ele EA Fire build and Earth build. Air is better on 40/40 due to mostly 1s cast time spells

4. Mesmer meta with 40/20/5SR + 5ES double high set gives Mesmer a ridiculous mana pool

5. With cons+pcons/in SCs VoS can almost always be played with 5SR instead of a zealous scythe of ench. Veteran FoWSC players like to play like this since the update

Because I read the suggestion: Ele has almost the same dps and burst as mesmer as player. Sometimes a bit more, sometimes a bit less. But playing either build on the opposite profession is always a big downgrade.
Ele has 3 key boosts given to him he needs to take advantage of:
1. higher attribute ranks - ele should alays have 19-20 attribute rank compared to Mesmer's 16
2. Intensity ~ double dmg every 8-10s
3. Ebsoh and/or cracked armor - depending on whether AoEoT or burst build.

Since mesmers don't have access to PvE skills and don't smartly prepare buffs, mesmer heroes are notably better than ele heroes. For players however, there should be little to no difference.

Quote from HeavensDevil

Because I read the suggestion: Ele has almost the same dps and burst as mesmer as player. Sometimes a bit more, sometimes a bit less. But playing either build on the opposite profession is always a big downgrade.
Ele has 3 key boosts given to him he needs to take advantage of:
1. higher attribute ranks - ele should alays have 19-20 attribute rank compared to Mesmer's 16
2. Intensity ~ double dmg every 8-10s
3. Ebsoh and/or cracked armor - depending on whether AoEoT or burst build.

I realized what I said might have made ele players feel a bit insulted. That wasn't my intention and I'm sorry. I'm very biased because I haven't played caster classes a lot. From what you said I'd definitely love to try more ele

Also just for the mods:
MM Nec benefits from Spawning Power
(+20% health to all minions)

I'm also trying this:

[Build=OgcSc5MTvlXGLGOGqG5i1gLi]

Critical Agility still drops really easily. My solution was bringing a para hero with Go for the Eyes. Can't think of anything else. At least we both benefit from Splinter Weapon from another hero.

*Edit: when I get a Strength bow I'm gonna try this:

[Build=OgESc5MTvlLGOGqGxg8V5iYF]

6-second Flail seems cool. Flurry is a cancel stance, and also useful at the start of a fight. Reminds me of the good old days when we used to see rangers with Flail in PVP before it was nerfed.

Quote from Speed Clear Ele

The warrior quote is meh since you can just put a Defense mod on your sword and it does the same.. sure if you want to have a wand there’s a take but a wand of the warrior ? I can see that on dervish running around in SC but that’s about it

the defense mod would fall under "bonus armor" and consequently be affected by the bonus armor cap, whilst shield base armor is considered core armor. but if not using armor skills/buffs - absolutely.

Quote from Red Fireball

Quote from Speed Clear Ele

The warrior quote is meh since you can just put a Defense mod on your sword and it does the same.. sure if you want to have a wand there’s a take but a wand of the warrior ? I can see that on dervish running around in SC but that’s about it

the defense mod would fall under "bonus armor" and consequently be affected by the bonus armor cap, whilst shield base armor is considered core armor. but if not using armor skills/buffs - absolutely.

Alright idk about that thx

has anyone tried spawning power + minions on necro?

Quote from dorobo_of_zerxes

has anyone tried spawning power + minions on necro?

Yes. I'm playing around with an MM and a spawning +5 staff. Animate Shambling Horror and Animate Bone Horror. The healthy minions also get Ancestors Rage and Splinter Weapon from another hero. Blood Bond and Dwayna's Sorrow in the team build makes for beefy minions that survive long enough to keep up a near permanent meat shield that does some respectable damage. I'm still experimenting.

I also added a +5 Ranger Expertise mod to my spirit spammer staff which improves energy management with spirits and eliminates the need for Spirit Siphon, opening up a slot for other options.

Also the +5 Soul Reaping mod makes Monk healers much more relevant than in the past. You don't need Power Drain or Leech Signet which opens up slots for a lot of options.

Even with all the new mods I'm still finding Blood is Power needs to be somewhere. I've been messing around with a BIP Monk at 8 Blood Magic, which is only one pip less than the old meta Necro. You can experiment with the rest of the bar either prot or healing. There's a ton of options.

There's a lot of testing to do and the possibilities are nearly endless. This is what I like most about this game. It's mind expanding.

I dug up old perma sin build to farm gargoyles outaide nolani and many other things with whirling defense. with the new expertise mod you improve from 5 to 7 dmg and from 8 to 12s making for a total of 110% more damage. with dwarven stability you can cover the entire duration of sf, which is nice. ofc you could also main ranger and actually skill expertise... but it is neat and plenty enough to bring down an entire ball. also the boss can be done, but catching them in a bodyblock is a bit tricky.

shadow form

deadly paradox

shroud of distress

dwarven stability

dark escape

whirling defense

on top I often use deaths charge to jump into the ball or cut long detours and IaU against cripple and kd. other viable options are finish him, ymlad, LoD.