PvE Specter Hybrid Support Build

[Gladieth.8603]

I theory crafted a PvE Hybrid Support Specter build for June 27^th. Please keep an open mind and refer to the build link/notes to better understand my breakdown. I do not claim to know if this will be “competitively” viable (if viable at all) after next patch.

Note 1: This build generates Shadow Force through Siphon, Spent Initiative, and Well spam.

Build Link (updated 6/17/23):

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?PaBBsitrlhyyYssU2JeKXXxfA-zRJYvRLfh0SI0VBEZC49BJU2Cvl2HjgKA-e

Skills:

-          #6: Well of Gloom: AoE Heal/ Barrier/ Shadow Force

-          #7 (USERS CHOICE): Several utility options are available.

-          #8: Well of Sorrow: AoE Heal/ Shadow Force/Torment Application

-          #9: Well of Bounty: AoE Heal/Stability & Boons/Shadow Force

-          Elite (USERS CHOICE): Basilisk Venom or Shadow Fall

Traits:

Specter is limited to these three trait lines.

-          Shadow Arts: This line is essential for barrier application, additional self sustain, and additional AoE healing through Shielding Restoration & Shadow Savior. This line revolves around using dagger offhand for CnD stealth attacks.

-          Trickery: Thrill of the Crime & Bountiful Theft allows siphon to grant boons. This line also increases your condition damage output and shadow force generation by supplying initiative.

-          Specter: Shadestep grants group alacrity. Consume Shadows & Traversing Dusk provides the majority of your healing & barrier.

Equipment:

Plaguedoctor weapon/armor stats combined with torment runes provide a decent amount of healing power, concentration, vitality, and condition damage. You will have a massive amount of health and be able to provide moderate damage while also generating AoE heals/barrier/alacrity. This build may require more boon uptime depending on how alacrity works after June 27th.

Rotation Outline:

Build up as much barrier on yourself before shadow stepping (see Shadestep).

0. Auto attack w/ Scepter for filler

1. Cloak n Dagger

2. Stealth Attack w/ Scepter

3.Twilight Combo

4. Siphon

5. Twilight Combo

5. Spam Wells

6. Twilight Combo to 0 initiative

7. Enter Shroud

8. Skill 2/Skill 5/ Skill 4/ Skill 2 /Auto Attack/ Skill 2

8. Exit Shroud (See Consume Shadows)

9. Repeat steps 1-8.

Let me know your thoughts!

Edited June 17, 2023 by Gladieth.8603
Revised the gear stats on the provided build link.

[Vidit.7108]

Well this is a cele hybrid build more than a straight heal build. We still don't have hard numbers on what the non-targeted ally healing reduction is so it's hard to say exactly how effective this will be. We also don't know yet I think if a hybrid like build wants to shadowstep at all versus applying more torment for shroud generation. Consume shadows could be a liability for providing alac, especially if they nerf the alac generation down the line. I get what you were going for with making shroud generation as fast as possible to offset that.

Also the mystery boon in shroud is not a mystery it's Alac (protection in pvp) they just didn't put it in the patch notes and only mentioned it on stream. It might share the existing stability and might we don't know that yet though. I don't think they said the existing single target healing would be changed just provide less of it to allies around the target.

Just looking what I believe is there, the shadow step healing is so weak it may as well not be using cele stats. The raw healing in shroud is also bad. The only place I see this fitting in is if a group has one healer and this is an off-healer for the other sub. Well of silence's utility is probably not worth it versus a different well or some other skill. Grasping shadows might remove conditions on allies around the target ally we don't know yet. iirc using barrier on a downed ally to keep them from dying is a glitch they haven't totally removed yet. The barrier that's there is just okay.

[Gladieth.8603]

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Also the mystery boon in shroud is not a mystery it's Alac (protection in pvp) they just didn't put it in the patch notes

Thanks for clarifying this for me! Also, thanks for your response! (I have now updated the post to remove any mention of mystery boons lol)

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Well this is a cele hybrid build more than a straight heal build.

Fair point! I went ahead and took a second pass at the gear selection. I made some major improvements (i.e. not all celestial gear) to the build to put in more in line with a support/heal build rather than a fringe hybrid build.

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Just looking what I believe is there, the shadow step healing is so weak it may as well not be using cele stats.

Valid concern. Here's what I have done to try and address this...

          1.) I removed dagger from this build and now recommend using pistol offhand. Spamming skill 3 now provides persistent AoE healing. Dagger offhand is not a very good support weapon.

          2.) I have removed nearly all celestial gear 🙂

Edited June 14, 2023 by Gladieth.8603