User:Jasminethetender/builds/derv

Dervish

=Lyssa's Avatar= This build uses the skill Avatar of Lyssa to its full potential. With low cost, super-fast, quickly repeatable attack skills and an upped attack speed, Lyssa's Avatar will deliver an extremely large amount of damage in a very short amount of time. Watch Lyssa's Avatar clip

Attributes and Skills
OR

Equipment

 * For the armor, this build requires a good amount of energy, so any radiant armor would help. Also, if blind becomes a problem, consider attaching a blindness duration reduction rune.
 * A Zealous scythe of Enchanting +20% with a +15% dmg while enchanted inscription is ideal.
 * If you are set up properly, you will have at least 500 health (with a minor rune of vigor) and 35 energy (without the avatar). If you feel that you don't need the zealous scythe, you may trade it in for a sundering one.

Usage
Before going into battle, cast Avatar of Lyssa then Watchful Intervention and then Heart of Fury. Pick out a target (prime targets for this build are Necromancers, Mesmers, Elementalists, Ritualists, Rangers, and Assassins), and attack. Spam the four attack skills in order, chaining one after the other in succession. Wild Blow recharges once for every two times each other attack skill recharges, so you can chain those while waiting.

If you are in a battle long enough for the Avatar of Lyssa to wear off, you will still do quite a bit of damage, so conserve your energy and use the attack skills when necessary. Also, if you need health, recast Watchful Intervention whenever it's not on you.

Counters
Counters to this build are your usual anti-melee incidents, but mostly blind.

Variants
Heal Variant.

Replace Watchful Intervention, Resurrection Signet,and/or Wild Blow or Protector's Strike with Mystic Regeneration and Mystic Vigor

Speed Variant.

This build can be customized depending on your tastes. If you want to have a speed boost, put in Sprint and take out the ressurection signet if you don't need it. You can also put your remaining attribute points into Wind Prayers and use Harrier's Haste. Or even then replace Heart of Fury with Whirling Charge.

Other Variant.

If you want more health, put in Mystic Vigor, which would give you lots of health with the maxed attack speed. If you want, you can take out Wild Blow if you need the ressurection signet, and in that case you can use Rush as a speed boost too as you won't be losing your adrenaline.

Energy Variant.

If you are concerned about energy usage, you can replace one of the attack skills or the ressurection signet with Zealous Renewal for a great energy gain after the enchantment ends.

Masters Videos
Here are videos of the build being used against every Nameless Master.


 * Watch Master of Axes
 * Master of Enchantments (You may watch how Protective Spirit hurts, but not too badly)
 * Master of Energy Denial
 * Master of Hammers
 * Master of Healing
 * Master of Hexes
 * Master of Lighting
 * Master of Spirits
 * Master of Survival

This was all done in a row, with no retries (besides Master of Enchantments because I gave up prematurely the first time, so I only tried him twice in total).

=Harrier's Grasp= This build uses the powerful effects of the Dervish elite skill Avatar of Melandru to give a constant Health bonus and condition immunity. In combination with powerful Scythe Mastery attacks that would normally incur a penalty towards the player, that is neutralized, resulting in an extremely powerful Melee build.

Equipment

 * Radiant's insignia is required to maintain your energy level.
 * A Scythe with "Guided by Fate" or "Strength and Honor" inscriptions.
 * If you want an even larger energy pool, look for the "I Have the Power" inscription.
 * Runes of Major Mysticism, Superior Vigor, Minor Wind Prayers, Minor Scythe Mastery.

Usage

 * Keep Avatar of Melandru active as much as possible, and as energy allows for.
 * Victorious Sweep, Wearying Strike, and Mystic Sweep are your primary attack skills.
 * Follow up Wearying Strike with Mystic Sweep for a fast Deep Wound spike.
 * Use Wild Blow to remove stances.
 * Featherfoot Grace should be used as a speed boost. Note the reduced duration for Conditions can be helpful when not under the effects of Avatar of Melandru.
 * Maintain Harrier's Grasp for chasing down kiting foes.
 * Resurrection Signet is to be used on fallen party members.

Counters

 * This build has no means of removing hexes and is vulnerable to the same types of hexes as most melee oriented builds such as Spiteful Spirit and Empathy.
 * Heavy Energy denial can be troublesome, especially if trying to activate Avatar of Melandru.
 * Heart of Fury can be used for an attack speed boost.
 * Fragility has a nasty effect on AoM because conditions are immediately removed.

Variants

 * Instead of Featherfoot Grace, consider Pious Haste, Enchanted Haste, Lyssa's Haste, or Harrier's Haste.
 * Harrier's Grasp can be replaced with other anti-kiting skills.
 * If under high energy constraints, such as not having an enchantment caster in your party, consider replacing an attack with an enchantment such as Guiding Hands, Intimidating Aura, or Zealous Renewal.

=Imbue Health AoM Dervish= This Dervish exists to both carry a considerable amount of offensive power while also bringing along condition removal and a potent heal to aid allies in times of duress.

Equipment

 * Armor:
 * Two major attribute runes, One superior rune of Vigor, Two runes of Attunement (+ energy).
 * Radiant insignias (+ energy).
 * Weapons:
 * Sundering Scythe of Enchanting, with a "Guided by Fate" inscription.
 * Vampiric Scythe as well, switching out as you need them.
 * A staff in case of Dealth Penalty, as DP will reduce your max energy below that required for your Avatar.

Usage

 * Before the upcoming confrontation and while clearly out of a ranger interruption range, activate Avatar of Melandru. Your HP should be at an impressive 685. Use Victorious Sweep upon targets with lower HP than yourself. Use Wearying Strike every 10 seconds to keep a Deep Wound upon your target. Since conditions do not affect you, you won’t suffer weakness from Wearying Strike. Always put Zealous Renewal back up once it drops while being careful not to use it prematurely.
 * Helping teammates: If you have the energy to spare, and you should, use draw condition to totally wipe out all conditions when it really matters. You won’t have to worry about them affecting you due to Avatar of Melandru. Use Imbue Health to give other party members a potent 300 HP heal (which you should easily be able to grant with your large HP pool), esp. when allied healer is unable to heal at the right moment.

Variants

 * You may want to swap out a skill for Mystic Vigor.
 * You may want to swap out a skill for Crippling Sweep, to prevent kiting.
 * You may want to swap out a skill for Watchful Intervention, for even more anti-spike protection.

Counters

 * Anti-Melee hexes can cause problems with attacking.
 * While Avatar of Melandru is down, like all Avatar builds, the build will lose some functionality. Mainly, you cannot use Draw Conditions unless in extreme situations, Wearying Strike is mostly out of the question, and Imbue Health will take a slight hit.
 * If you happen to get totally destroyed, your Imbue Health won't be too much help to your allies. Plus, healing yourself with Victorious Sweep will be harder to manage.
 * Fragility will decimate you. Since Avatar of Melandru applies conditions and then instantly removes them, the damage from fragility can be fatal. Be extremely wary of this hex!

=Golden Corruption=

This Dervish uses a rather short Assassin combo combined with Mystic Corruption for a long lasting daze to shutdown casters. Energy is controlled with Zealous Renewal and Heart of Fury works as an IAS.

Attributes and Skills
Optional One Optional Two
 * Jagged Strike
 * Leaping Mantis Sting
 * Golden Fox Strike
 * Golden Lotus Strike
 * Nine Tail Strike
 * Horns of the Ox
 * Twisting Fangs

Equipment

 * Full Radiant armor or Windwalker Insignia's
 * Silencing Daggers of Enchanting with 15% while enchanted

Usage

 * Cast your enchantments
 * Run to a foe and use your dagger combo, this will give a long daze effect
 * If have Jagged Strike, re-use it to cover the daze
 * Attack the caster to easily interupt them

Counters

 * Condition removing signets
 * Blind, Empathy etc
 * Enchantment removal

Variants

 * Watchful Intervention or Faithful Intervention over Mystic Vigor
 * If in Alliance Battles, you may use Pious Haste before battle for a speed buff
 * Temple Strike can be used instead of Golden Skull Strike for blind too cover daze at the cost of 5 more energy and increased recharge
 * If your want a snare, you can drop Mysticism to 11 + 1 + 1 and drop either Heart of Fury or Mystic Vigor for Harrier's Grasp and use the spare points for wind prayers

Equipment

 * Max Radiant armor with Windwalker insignias
 * A Furious scythe of Enchanting with 15% while enchanted

Usage

 * Before a battle begins cast your enchantments.
 * Pick a caster for a target.
 * Start off the battle with Crippling Sweep and build up Adrenaline.
 * When you have enough Adrenaline, use Skull Crack.
 * Re-use Crippling Sweep to cover daze and use Mystic Sweep on your foe

Counters

 * Mending Touch
 * Normal Melee counters (Blind, Empathy)
 * Enchantment removal

Variants

 * Mystic Sweep can be replaced for Distracting Blow or Eremite's Attack
 * Faithful Intervention can be replaced for Watchful Intervention
 * "For Great Justice!" if your having aderalaine issues
 * Mystic Vigor can replaced Faithful Intervention as you have a high attack rate

=Harriers Scythe=

This Dervish build uses Mysticism and Wind Prayers to heal and to deal damage. The build's name comes from the combination of Featherfoot Grace and Harrier's Grasp to deal massive damage whilst crippling fleeing foes.

Equipment

 * Radiant Insignia for energy.
 * Windwalker Insignia for more armor while enchanted.
 * Runes:
 * Major or Superior Rune of Scythe Mastery
 * Superior Rune of Vigor
 * Minor Rune of Wind Prayers
 * Minor Rune of Mysticism


 * Sundering, Vampiric, or Elemental Scythe of Fortitude or of Enchanting with a 15^50 or +15% while enchanted damage mod.

Usage

 * Cast and maintain Zealous Renewal as much as possible.
 * Use Reaper's Sweep on targets with health 50% or below.
 * Use Chilling Victory after Reaper's Sweep to deal massive spike damage.
 * Alternate attack pattern:
 * Use Chilling Victory to get your target to 50% or below health, then use Reaper's Sweep followed by Mystic Sweep for a fast spike.
 * Cast Harrier's Grasp then Harrier's Haste in order to catch and deal major damage to fleeing foes.
 * Use Wild Blow to deal critical damage and to remove stances.

Counters

 * Anti-melee conditions/hexes apply.
 * Enchantment removal will hinder this build.

Variants

 * Replace Mystic Sweep with Pious Restoration for a quick healing spell and a situational hex removal.
 * Replace Mystic Sweep with Mystic Vigor for a form of self-healing.
 * Replace Mystic Sweep with Dwayna's Touch for a sufficient self-heal.
 * Replace Reaper's Sweep with Wounding Strike for a situational attack.
 * Replace Chilling Victory with Victorious Sweep if you want a more sufficient heal.
 * Replace Featherfoot Grace with Harrier's Haste for a cheaper stance with bonus damage.

Equipment

 * Radiant armor.
 * Insightful Staff of Enchanting
 * +2 Earth Prayers rune, +3 Mysticism rune, Superior Vigor rune, and two Runes of Attunement.

Usage
Before engaging, cast in order of Enchantment duration:
 * Aura of Thorns --> Heart of Holy Flame --> Vital Boon --> Armor of Sanctity --> Mirage Cloak --> Pious Renewal then get near an enemy or a group of enemies and hit Mystic Sandstorm. This will result in:


 * 130 damage from Mystic Sandstorm to nearby enemies.
 * 75 damage from Mirage Cloak to nearby enemies.
 * +30 energy from Mysticism.
 * +12 energy and +60 health from Pious Renewal
 * +200 health from Vital Boon
 * 4 seconds of burning from Heart of Holy Flame
 * 15 seconds of bleeding from Aura of Thorns.

Casting Armor of Sanctity shortly after sandstorm can help reduce damage against those you inflicted bleeding and/or burning on.

The health and energy gain should leave you enough energy to repeat the process.

Counters

 * Massive enchantment removal before Mystic Sandstorm is launched.
 * Anything preventing the casting of enchantments on you.
 * Repetitive knockdowns and interrupts to fail enchantment spells.
 * Kiting.

Variants

 * Pious Renewal can be replaced with Arcane Zeal. This reduces your health gain after using Mystic Sandstorm, but it allows for more costly, more powerful enchantments to be used instead. For example:


 * By sacrificing a few points in Earth Prayers and placing them instead in Scythe Mastery, you can provide yourself with an acceptable alternative should you find yourself up against an enchantment-remvoing or interrupting foe.
 * Despite the health spike after casting Mystic Sandstorm, it's very easy to get killed while casting the enchantments. For this reason, Mystic Regeneration works very well when used as your first enchantment.

Attributes and Skills

 * Optional slot: Vital Boon, Extend Enchantments, Conviction, Mystic Regeneration, or Shroud of Distress
 * In AB or CM, Swap resurrection Signet for One of the above

Equipment

 * Full Radiant armor with runes of attunement.
 * Zealous Scythe of Enchanting with an Energy +5 inscription.

Usage

 * Cast Faithful Intervention before battle.
 * Find a Target and cast Vow of Strength, Death's Charge, Shadowy Burden, and Heart of Fury.
 * Let rip as many attacks as possible.
 * Use dash to anti-kite or get away from sticky situations.

Counters

 * Mass Conditions (Blind) pose the biggest threat to this build. Try and team with a monk.