My pitch for trait reworks to make Hybrid Spellbreaker a Thing.

[HeliosMagi.9867]

I love running Hammer Spellbreaker in open world. Permanent Stability, Permanent self-quickness and faster movement with Aggressive Onslaught, tons of CC, good cleave, mobility, a built-in AoE counter, and with an easy rotation to boot. My only problem is being a Power build, it loses a lot more DPS switching from Berserker to Celestial than a Condi or Hybrid build does from switching from Viper to Celestial. When trying to solo Champions with Spellbreaker, you either bring  Celestial and risk not having enough DPS to kill them before time runs out, or bring Berserker and be too squishy to survive while having a harder time maintain your boons. My proposal to this to buff Celestial Spellbreaker in PvE by reworking some of the unused traits in the Strength and Spellbreaker trait lines to enable a Hybrid variant, in a way that boosts the damage of Celestial Spellbreaker to be on par with other Celestial Open World builds as well as hopefully enabling a viable non-healer Tank* for raids and strikes without stepping on the toes of the current Power Spellbreaker build. This could also open the doors for additional Condi DPS build is PvE besides Berserker.

Keep in mind all proposed changes are from the perspective of a PvE main, I've never been higher than Gold rank in sPvP, and my WvW experience boils down to just following a commander and tagging stuff.

*Seriously, you have a class with the highest base health and armor, with an elite spec with a counter mover, that optimally runs a trait line called "Defense," and it somehow isn't a desirable tank.

Strength

Body Blow - Increase stack number and/or duration of Bleeding applied, and add Vulnerably in place of or in addition to Weakness. Hammer Spellbreak lacks any built-in way to inflict Vulnerability, and with only a Sigil of Frailty can't realistically maintain more than 10 or so stacks.

Aggressive Onslaught - In addition to its current effects, it should also grant Fury, since the current Hammer Spellbreaker can't maintain 100% Fury uptime with just For Great Justice and Signet of Rage. This would also enable us to swap FGJ out for a Signet of Might.

Spellbreaker

No Escape - In addition, it should cause you to inflict Torment when disabling an enemy. Torment is the logical choice as it's the condition that synergizes the most with Immobilize.

Loss Aversion - Rework to instead upgrade your boon rips into boon corrupts, and to inflict damaging conditions when striking a boonless foe with a Burst skill.

Magebane Tether - Make the 10% damage bonus apply to both Strike and Condition damage.

Any other ideas? Critique?

 

Edited October 1, 2023 by HeliosMagi.9867
Additional Information

[Lan Deathrider.5910]

You need to swap your traits instead. MMR+PS+MM+MBT in open world is pretty much god mode.

[HeliosMagi.9867]

37 minutes ago, Lan Deathrider.5910 said:

You need to swap your traits instead. MMR+PS+MM+MBT in open world is pretty much god mode.

The problem with that is I lose the Quickness from Aggressive Onslaught and the Stability from Stalwart Strength.

[Lan Deathrider.5910]

1 hour ago, HeliosMagi.9867 said:

The problem with that is I lose the Quickness from Aggressive Onslaught and the Stability from Stalwart Strength.

Sigil of Celerity and Rage will aid in the quickness and balanced stance will help stability. That and FC will give you lots of evade frames and stability if you time it right.