User:Oblivions Heart/Defiant Elements Contest

The Chained Vampire is a necromancer/ritualist build for use in Alliance Battles, Fort Aspenwood, or 1v1 scrimmages which uses Binding Chains to disable melee fighters as well as halt casters in their tracks, while utilizing life stealing and degeneration (which do not count as damage, and so do not end Binding Chains) to quickly take out the targeted foe. Increased versatility is provided by the ability to pressure from a distance and spike from touch range.

Equipment

 * Radiant insignias on all pieces of armor
 * An insightful blood staff of mastery is preferable (with inscription Seize the Day

Usage

 * Maintain enchantments at all times.
 * Find a suitable target... melee is always best for this build.
 * Cast your hexes; Binding Chains first, unless you think you will be interrupted.
 * If your target is capable of utilizing offensive item spells, stay back and cast only Blood Drinker and Angrodon's Gaze (but feel free to sneak in a touch skill somewhere).
 * If target is sufficiently subdued, use skills 4-5 for energy management/pressure and 6-7 as DPS. Use Ravenous Gaze as your hp depletes below 50%, and for a quick and powerful ranged spike.
 * Once out of energy, pressure until target is dead (if it is not already).

Counters

 * Hex removal before the cover hex is set up
 * Successive spell interrupts

Variants

 * Replace Life Siphon with a preservation skill such as Vital Weapon, Demonic Flesh, or Blood Renewal, or a support skill such as Enfeeble or Gaze of Contempt. Either way, you lose your cover hex for utility.